Residents can use Teams to speak at CEC Full Council meeting

Residents wishing to speak at next month’s Cheshire East full council meeting will be given the option to do so virtually as well as attending in person because of the “inaccessible” location, writes Belinda Ryan.

Cheshire East has come under fire because the last three meetings of the full council were held at Jodrell Bank, and the one prior to that was at Tatton Park.

Next month’s full council meeting – which includes the important budget setting – will also be held at Tatton Park.

The council told the Local Democracy Reporting Service this is because the acoustics and facilities are better.

It said members of the public will be welcome to attend as normal and there will be an option for those unable to attend in person to ask questions or speak via Microsoft Teams.

Cheshire East used to hold its full council meetings at Macclesfield Town Hall.

But the acoustics there made it difficult for councillors and members of the public to hear what was being discussed.

Cllr Janet Clowes, leader of the Conservative group on the council, said: “It is clear that, over the course of the past year, all four council meetings have been held at venues where there is no access by public transport.

“This is regrettable for any institution that prides itself on having a democratic mandate to serve the public.”

She said it was hoped future meetings would be in venues that are accessible to all.

“I appreciate that virtual access is being arranged, however not all members of the public have access to digital services and we need to be cognisant of this when we arrange public meetings in future,” said Cllr Clowes.

She added: “As part of Cheshire East Council’s focus on reducing cost we are also aware that those large venues that still remain in the ownership of the council, for example Macclesfield Town Hall, are simply not fit for purpose in terms of acoustics and recording facilities.”

She said she hoped the council would look at improving recording facilities in accessible locations so “these issues are a thing of the past”.

The council meeting takes place at Tenants’ Hall, Tatton Park, on February 26 at 11am.

Anyone members of public wishing to speak via Teams should contact Katie Small at [email protected] by midnight on February 20.