A councillor has spoken in favour of creating seven new parish councils, as the debate on the future governance of the town continues.
A Community Governance Review is underway to decide on creating a new layer of democracy in Macclesfield.
Residents will get the chance to vote for one of THREE options: a town council; seven parish councils; or an expansion of the current Macclesfield Local Service Delivery Committee (LSDC).
Each will be given the powers to manage local services such as allotments, markets and public toilets.
In an interview with the Express, Coun Lesley Smetham, who represents Gawsworth, believes separate parish councils would be the best option for the town.
She said: “The current limbo that exists without a town or parish council in Macclesfield can be rectified at the very local level, enabling residents to speak and work for themselves enhancing communities immeasurably.”
Coun Smetham suggests creating the new parishes in line with existing wards such as Tytherington, Macclesfield West and Ivy, Broken Cross and Upton, and Hurdsfield, and potentially renaming the town centre and south wards as the Silk Town parish and Moss Rose parish, respectively.
She also believes those involved in organisations such as Macclesfield Civic Society, Transition 2020, Make it Macclesfield and the organising bodies of Barnaby and Treacle Market would make good parish councillors.
Coun Smetham, who also serves on Gawsworth parish council, added: “It would be to Macclesfield’s advantage to have a core of community-minded people in suitably defined parts of the town who can relate to residents and decide what they would like to see, or not like to see, in the area.
“Several parish councils would ensure in depth knowledge of an area, along with the shared goal of continual improvement for a small specific area.
“This model would eliminate jostling for priority for a myriad of projects, enabling a clear focus on each area for a more easily identified need.”
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.
Coun Janet Jackson is in favour of a single town council, while coun Brendan Murphy sees the enhanced LSDC as the best option.
Council leader Michael Jones has spoken against the idea of a town council but has pledged to give residents the final say.
The Community Governance Review Sub-Committee meets again on Wednesday, February 26.
