Lack of candidates for town and parish councils in Cheshire East

Even two of the largest towns, Middlewich and Alsager, won’t have elections for their town councils, with just seven candidates putting themselves forward for the 12 seats on Middlewich Town Council and just 11 for the 15 seats on Alsager Town Council.

There will, however, be elections in both Middlewich and Alsager for seats on Cheshire East Council – with nine candidates fighting for three seats in Middlewich and eight standing for the three seats in Alsager.

Jackie Weaver, chief officer of the Cheshire Association of Local Councils, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “I think people identify local democracy with what they see on their tv screens from parliament.  They believe that they have little influence over what happens and so what is the point in getting involved.

Jackie Weaver (Image: Cheshire Association of Local Councils)

“I wish I could get the message out to everyone that they can make a difference. Your local council is spending your money! Why are you not interested?”

In response to what could be done to attract more candidates, Mrs Weaver said: “Where do we start with this? Schools! We need our children to understand not just politics but local democracy.  What is a parish council?  How is it different from a district/borough council?  Can they get involved now?

“We have an army of local councillors who would love to speak with young people in their schools and colleges about what they do.  Let’s make that connection and see what difference it can make going forward.”

Larger town and parish councils are split into wards. There are 178 wards in total in Cheshire East’s 106 town and parish councils. Of these 178 wards, elections will take place in just 42.

For town councils in Congleton, Crewe, Macclesfield, Nantwich, Poynton with Worth, Sandbach and Wilmslow, elections will take place in every ward.

Elections will also take place for all seats on Barthomley Parish Council, Holmes Chapel Parish Council, Pickmere Parish Council, Smallwood Parish Council and Wybunbury Parish Council.

Other councils have elections in just some wards, not the whole council.

These are Bollington Town Council in the East ward; Burland and Action Parish Council in the Acton and Henshall ward; Handforth Town Council in the South ward; Knutsford Town Council in the Cross Town ward; Millington and Rostherne Parish Council in the Millington ward; Shavington-cum-Gresty Parish Council in the Shavington Village ward.

In two – the Gresty Brook ward in Shavington-cum-Gresty Parish Council and the Wincle Parish Meeting – no nominations at all were received for candidates.

For Cheshire East Council itself the situation is different.

All 82 seats on Cheshire East are being contested so every voter in the borough will get a chance to have their say on who they want to represent them.

The elections take place on Thursday, May 4, and everyone going to the polling station will have to provide photo ID.