A COUNCILLOR who has been leading the fight against the approved waste transfer site in Middlewich says he feels ‘let down’ by the council.

Cheshire East Council’s (CEC) strategic planning board approved the development in September, despite the fact the applicant, Ansa, are owned by CEC.

At a Middlewich Town Council meeting in December, the council voted in favour of seeking legal advice to see whether there was a strong chance of reversing the decision.

And at a town council meeting on Monday, January 18, Cllr Latham proposed commissioning air quality tests to measure pollution levels on Lewin Street and Holmes Chapel Road.

The motion was voted down by 5-2. All the votes against were Middlewich First councillors.

Cllr David Latham, who has led the Action Against Ansa campaign, said: “I feel let down by my fellow councillors. I feel let down by the council as a whole. I feel under-supported.

“I have been fighting this for nearly eight months now.

“We don’t want to end up with a load of rubbish in Middlewich. We have been dumped on far too much in the past. The fight is strong, it is still there.”

Middlewich First councillor Bernice Walmsley, who sits on the town and borough council, abstained from the vote.

She told the Guardian Cllr Latham didn’t present ‘enough of a case’.

She said: “There were no figures attached to it. It is about money. We can’t just go spending the council’s money.”

Middlewich Town Council’s Labour group accused Middlewich First of ‘turning their backs’ on residents.

Labour councillor Mike Hunter said it was ‘disgraceful that they voted down this possible last effort’.

Cllr Latham stressed that he ‘didn’t have any beef’ with any Middlewich First councillors, though he muted a lack of support from the group.

He said: “No Middlewich first councillor has offered any support. They’ve never attended any of the protests, they’ve never offered any personal support.

“This fight is for the good of Middlewich people.”

He said while Middlewich First councillors have their reasons for voting against the motion, ultimately their actions will be remembered by residents of the town.

“Middlewich First will be remembered for not fighting it, not wanting to fight for something that is going to massively affect the town,” Cllr Latham said.

However, Cllr Walmsley refuted they have not fought the application.

She said Cllr Simon McGory led the case against the site, which was presented to CEC’s strategic planning board.

She said herself, Cllr Bill Walmsley and Cllr Mike Parson’s all spoke against the application when it was approved by the planning board in September.

The next protest will be on Saturday from 11am-1pm, Cledford Lane bridge at the site of the proposed Ansa development.