I don’t think many residents will argue with the fact that the current Cheshire East Council is a real dog’s dinner.

Having spent a small fortune recruiting the ‘right people’ they now seem to have spent even more money getting rid of them!

The council has made damn sure the full sorry story would never be revealed to the taxpayers who footed the bill.

Lyme Green was a disaster of mammoth proportions with a £450,000 report into how it all happened redacted to hide the full facts.

Meanwhile, important air quality data (essential in the planning process) proved to be deliberately ‘manipulated’ to give false figures with CEC saying they had no idea how, why or who did it.

Not very inspiring is it?

While Cheshire East councillors of all parties get the blame, the truth is that all the key decisions are made by an inner cabinet of eight councillors, all selected by the council leader and all from the same party (Conservative).

Lib Dems, Labour and independent councillors have very little input into the major decision-making process and cannot therefore represent any alternative viewpoint to that of the ruling Tory cabal.

These councillors feel as frustrated as the residents they represent and even some Tories outside the inner cabinet express their exasperation (but only in private).

All calls to put CEC in special measures were ignored by local MPs for whom the loss of Tory Party dominance would not aid their cause come the next election. Despite promises that the Government were ‘monitoring the situation closely’ it appears nothing short of a Gunpowder Plot is likely to get CEC into special measures.

So if there are so many disillusioned residents backed by a Government refusing to act, surely change must come from outside?

Today I received notification from an independent group of Cheshire East councillors that they intend to ask for a referendum to change the governing body of the council from the present structure to an inclusive committee system where councillors of all parties may take part in the decision making process.

They need five per cent of the electorate to sign their petition for change.

You can check this out on line at change.org/p/changecheshireeast If you are one of those thousands of voters totally disillusioned with the performance of your council and fervently believe that ‘something should be done about it’ here is your chance to do just that by signing their petition.

For more information phone 01625 262173.

By Guardian columnist Vic Barlow