Macclesfield's MP David Rutley is working to help protect parish councils in our rural communities.

Recent meetings imply his opposition of plans for the rural expansion of Macclesfield Town Council, which would see it double in size.

The Conservative MP has continued to add his voice to strong concerns from many local villages about how plans in Cheshire East Council's Community Governance Review will have a damaging impact on the community spirit in local rural communities.

On Friday September 3, The 60-year-old met members of Gawsworth Parish Council and Cllr Lesley Smetham, Cheshire East Councillor for Gawsworth, just before Cheshire East Council's consultation on plans in the Community Governance Review was formally launched on Monday 6th September.

At the meeting, local councillors explained how the latest plans would lead to residents in the Gawsworth Moss area becoming part of Macclesfield Town Council, which would expand from 12 to 24 councillors.

These plans would see more homes currently represented by a rural Parish Council being absorbed into a much larger

Town Council and increase the fundraising capabilities of that larger Council.

They were also concerned that the plans would weaken the voice of local residents in the affected area in opposing future proposed housing developments.

It is also believed by Rutley that parishes like Gawsworth would lose their identity, without their own lowest form of government.

Cheshire East Council has chosen to press ahead with this proposal despite Gawsworth Parish Council having carried out a survey in the Gawsworth Moss area in 2019, which showed very strong support from 88% of responding local residents to stay part of the area represented by Gawsworth Parish Council.

The active Parish Council then followed up with a petition opposing the proposals, which was signed by 155 local residents.

There are currently eight Gawsworth councillors, which would be reduced to one, and under a new body under the new plans.

Other villages have also expressed their strong concerns about the latest proposals.

The Macclesfield MP of 11 years has met local residents in Lyme Green, about becoming part of a larger Macclesfield Town Council.

He met them in June, who like Gawsworth, are too opposed from joining Macc Town Council. Lyme Green are currently part of Sutton Parish Council.

Rutley has also met with elected councillors for Eaton, Marton and North Rode Parish Councils. Each want to see plans to merge these Councils rejected, while there is also strong opposition to proposals that would bring Macclesfield Forest, Wildboarclough, Wincle and the rural parts of Sutton Parish Council into a new Council.

Local residents now have the chance to express their views in the public, for which the Kent-born parliamentarian has urged Macc to have their say on.

You do not have to be from Gawsworth, Lyme Green, or any of the proposed merger parishes to have your say.

Consultation on Cheshire East Council's Community Governance Review, which can be accessed here.

The consultation runs from Monday 6th September and ends at midnight on 28 November 2021.

Paper copies of the consultation can also be obtained from local libraries, such as Macclesfield library on Jordangate.

Cheshire East Council aims to complete the process well before the scheduled local elections in May 2023.

After the meeting, David said, "It's time to speak up for the rural communities affected by Cheshire East Council's proposals.

"We need to go on protecting the integrity and unique identities of our local villages and I will continue to campaign with impacted local communities to object to the plans that have been set out in the consultation.

"I would urge as many local residents as possible to actively support our rural communities by expressing their views in the consultation over the weeks ahead."

David Rutley, who has an office on West Bank Road, has had a busy week back in Westminster this week.

He was clearly visible on TV cameras as a teller for a vote on the Health and Social Care Levy, which sees increasing national insurance for Brits. This means he counted the governments votes, for which he also supported.

He also acted as a teller for the controversial Elections Bill, which will introduce photo IDs at voting stations, which has been criticised by some to prevent the poorest and most working class in our society from voting.

He also visited the Macclesfield village of Lower Withington near Jodrell Bank last weekend.

He met with Lower Withington residents on Saturday to mark 100 years since the dedication of the Calvary War Memorial.

Macclesfield's Cenotaph on Park Green will also turn 100 this month, but it is unknown if Mr. Rutley will be attending.

You can contact the father-of-four via the contact details on this page.

Cllr Lesley Smetham, Cheshire East Councillor for Gawsworth can be contacted here.

The Conservative has served the village at a borough council level since May 2008.

Gawsworth Parish Council can be contacted here.

Macclesfield Town Council, which would have twice as many councillors under the plans, can be found online here.

Once again, the two-and-a-half month consultation on the plans can be responded to here.

Read more: Macclesfield MP campaigns to keep Lyme Green in Sutton Parish Council.

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