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Put yourself up for election

12/ 3/2008

MACCLESFIELD Borough Council is looking for fresh councillors to stand in the coming May shadow elections for the new Cheshire East Council.

The town hall has released a new brochure aimed at encouraging residents to take to the hustings, and outlining what is required to be a councillor and the range of skills necessary.

The shadow elections will take place this May to appoint councillors for the launch of the new unitary authority encompassing what are now the Macclesfield, Congleton and Crewe and Nantwich Borough Councils, as well as Cheshire County Council.

Councillors’ roles will overlap with present representatives at first, but on April 1, 2009, they will be the first councillors in the historic Cheshire East/West unitary authority split.

Coun Wesley Fitzgerald, who chairs the Joint Committee for Cheshire East, said: "Councillors in the new organisation will have a real opportunity to shape the neighbourhoods they live in. It would be good to encourage people of all ages to serve on the new authority.

"We need councillors who want to make a difference.

"The role could be in making planning decisions, developing budgets, or being involved in neighbourhood consultation – the activities are endless."

Voters will go to the polls on May 1, 2008, to elect 81 Cheshire East councillors, including 36 for Macclesfield borough, which has been reduced from the current 60 seats.

In their first year, these councillors will oversee the development of the new authority, agree key strategies and policies, and set the new council’s budget for 2009/10.

Those members of the council who are elected in 2008 will serve until 2011. The joint committee, chaired by current council leader, Wesley Fitzgerald, comprises 15 serving councillors – three from each district and six from the county council.

The committee will prepare, review and revise an implementation plan which will secure the economic, efficient and timely transfer of staff, properties, functions, rights and liabilities to the new authorities. It has formally started to meet since the implementation order, giving the go-ahead to create Cheshire’s unitary councils, was approved by Parliament in February.

The ‘Prospectus for Potential Councillors’ has been issued to outline what it takes to be a member of the new organisation and the flexibility that exists to enable people with busy and demanding lives to become a councillor.

To become a candidate for the elections, people do not have to be affiliated to a political party.

Copies of the "councillor pack" are available from libraries and council offices, and can be downloaded from www.macclesfield.gov.uk/cheshire-east, or obtained by telephone on 01625 500500.