A Community Governance Review, launched by Cheshire East Council, is under way to debate creating a new layer of democracy in Macclesfield.
Options include creating a town or parish council or expanding the current Macclesfield Local Service Delivery Committee (LSDC) - which is run by the town's 12 councillors.
However, a poor public response to the consultation prompted fears that the review could be ditched, preventing residents from having the chance to decide the future of local democracy in the town.
Now the Community Governance Review Sub-Committee has given assurances that residents will have their say in a ballot, which could take place as early as December.
At a crunch meeting at Macclesfield Leisure Centre on Wednesday (October 16) committee chairman Coun David Marren said: "It is not true that we are closing off the options in favour of an enhanced LSDC.
“We are still looking at both options.
"We are moving down the ballot path."
Cheshire East Council wants to transfer services such as allotments, burial grounds, bus shelters, litter bins, markets, open space and public conveniences to parish and town councils.
It also wants towns and villages to contribute to the funding CCTV.
But Macclesfield is the only part of the borough of Cheshire East not to have a town or parish council and decisions about services are made by the LSDC.
Labour councillors in the town are keen on establishing a town council, while independents such as Brendan Murphy and the town's mayor Lloyd Roberts believe the current LSDC would work if given more powers.
The issue was debated by councillors and members of the public at a meeting.
Keith Smith, chairman of Macclesfield Civic Society, was in favour of the town council option.
He said: "It is really the only democratic option that meets the needs of the residents of Macclesfield in terms of the delivery of those services that it wishes to claim or Cheshire East wishes to devolve.
"In terms of the LSDC no one is sure what kind of animal we are talking about."
Richard Watson told the committee that a major flaw with the LSDC option was that it would not be able to take ownership of Cheshire East assets because it is an arm of the council.
But Coun Brendan Murphy, a supporter of the enhanced LSDCs, said it could manage rather than own assets.
Criticism was heaped on the council's handling of the public consultation, which despite eight public meetings and a publicity campaign asking for residents and stakeholders views, saw only 90 residents and 15 of 127 stakeholders respond.
Former town councillor David Whalley said the process had been 'ienept' and urged the committee to use social media to engage with the under 30s.
The committee agreed to develop both options ahead of the next meeting in November.
