A Cheshire East councillor is challenging the council's decision to stop him speaking on the service budget at a committee meeting this week.

Cllr Chris O'Leary (Sutton, Con) emailed council officers advising them he wished to speak as a visiting councillor at Thursday's (March 27) meeting of the environment and communities committee.

He was refused and told: "The chairman has confirmed that there will be no speaking on the service budgets due to the fact that the item is to note and no decision is being made…"

However, Cllr O'Leary says visiting councillors have been permitted to speak on items to note on the agenda in the past.

He has now written to the council citing examples of when this has happened with dates.

And it appears he is not the only one who has been refused permission to address the committee this Thursday.

Resident Laura Turner has been refused permission to ask questions about Middlewich leisure facilities because the item is not on the agenda.

Although that is usual practice when an item is not on the agenda, the response to Mrs Turner's request is at odds with the reason for refusal sent to Cllr O'Leary.

Mrs Turner was told: "The council's constitution states members of the public may ask questions on any matter relating to the agenda of the committee.

"The item you wish to address the committee on does not feature on the business of the agenda for the meeting as far as I am aware."

In that response it says 'any matter relating to the agenda' can be questioned – it doesn't say, items for noting are excluded, as Cllr O'Leary was told.

In his email challenging the council's decision to ban him from speaking, Cllr O'Leary said: "I also understand that Bollington Town councillors have been refused permission to speak at the environment and communities committee meeting on Thursday, again because the budget report is for noting only.

"I would be grateful if you could let me know when, and by whom, the policy was changed around this."

He added: "As recently as the economy and growth committee held on March 11, 2025, members of the public were able to speak on reports for noting on – in that case, in relation to the report on the notice of motion on the family farm tax, which had two recommendations for noting."

The meeting of the environment and communities committee takes place at 4pm at Macclesfield Town Hall on Thursday, March 27.