MIDDLEWICH ward members at Cheshire East Council have claimed that the meeting in which the decision to approve the waste transfer facility was made was not conducted to the council’s code of conduct. 

The three Middlewich First councillors, Simon McGrory, Bernince Walmsley and Mike Parsons, have accused the strategic planning committee chairman Cllr Harold Davenport of ‘deliberately curtailing the meeting.’

A statement released by the three Middlewich First councillors stated: “The main concern is that the meeting was not conducted in accordance with the council’s own rules, including the code of conduct.

The chair of the meeting, Cllr Harold Davenport, deliberately curtailed the meeting and could therefore be considered to be pre-determined.”

Cllr McGrory was on the board that voted last week and said he was ashamed at how the committee was allegedly ‘rushed to a decision’.

Cllr McGrory said: “I was ashamed and appalled to see how the committee was rushed to a decision even though I said I had more questions to ask on a lot of issues. I am taking advice on my next move as this is a serious legal issue.”

Cllr Davenport, who voted in favour of approval, said: “I reject any suggestion that I deliberately curtailed the length of the meeting. The meeting was at that point three hours long and had heard over two hours of debate.

"The motion to vote was put forward by Cllr George Walton and was, after further debate, seconded by Cllr Stewart Gardiner before taking the final vote.

"I am content with the way the meeting was conducted and that we did not break protocol and I did not curtail the debate.”