Second no confidence vote for council

FOR the second year running, a vote of “no confidence” in Stockton Heath Parish Council was carried at the annual parish meeting.
As last year, the issue which triggered the vote was the long-running saga of the refurbishment of local beauty spot Ackers Pit.
Residents – mainly members of local action group SHARCs (Stockton Heath Alternative Residents’ Council) – voted 6-4 to carry the motion.
Residents have complained at a number of recent parish council meetings that refurbishment of the pond had taken too long.
Now they have criticised the parish council for selling fishing rights to Warrington Anglers for £30,000 which, they claim, could mean local people being excluded from the facility.
Angry residents complained that as the facility belonged to the people there should have been public consultation before the rights were sold.
One resident, Julie Kueres, vowed to challenge the legality of the decision with the Open Spaces Society.
She said: “Are you allowed to do that? This is public open space and belongs to the people.”
She said there should have been public consultation and demanded to see the current annual lease and the new lease that offers rights “in perpetuity.”
“Can we have a public consultation, before the new lease is signed?” she asked.
Another resident, Patrick Mullee said if the Angers Association paid for fishing rights they would be able to restrict movement around Ackers Pit on match days.
“If young children want to fish, they could be approached by anglers and have their equipment confiscated.”
But council chairman Graham Roughsedge said fishing pegs would be at the edge of the water, allowing plenty of room for walkers, prams and wheelchairs to get by. The parish council, as site owners, were entitled to sell the fishing rights. The anglers had agreed to maintain the site, including paths, hedges and trees.
Coun Roughsedge said quotes had been obtained for remaining work and it was hoped to proceed as soon as possible. An application for a £24,000 grant towards costs had been made to environmental charity WREN.