'You have no authority here Jackie Weaver' council faces merger with next door parish
It may have thrown light on the inner workings of the country’s more obscure local authorities, but Handforth Parish now faces abolition.
Or to paraphrase one its members, it will no longer have authority in the Cheshire village it made famous when a video of its proceedings went viral.
As a result of proposed boundary changes the council, which sparked an internet sensation after a recording emerged earlier this month of one of its Zoom meetings descending into chaos, faces being merged with next door Wilmslow.
The review of parish and town council boundaries in Cheshire East proposes a raft of changes, including the merger of the Wilmslow and Handforth parish councils into one larger authority.
But the review - which was launched before the recording of the meeting captured its chairman Brian Tolver telling the acting clerk “You have no authority here Jackie Weaver” - has prompted opposition from Handforth councillors, with several pledging to vote against it.
The boundary changes report, which emerged on Wednesday, states: “Cheshire East Council considers that there will be merit in merging the existing parish of Handforth with the parish of Wilmslow as, to all intents and purposes, they form a single community. It will be appropriate to consider whether there should be separate representation of the electors of Handforth on the merged parish council.”
Local residents will be able to voice their views during a forthcoming 12-week consultation, with feelings about the proposed merger already running high.
Councillor Cynthia Samson, who was also on the video call that evening, said she would vote against the proposal, adding that she had heard about it late on Tuesday night.
Cllr Julie Smith, of Handforth Ward, added: "I wouldn't support it. We have a group of people here in Handforth who have spent the last two years trying to build up the community and I don't see it would do us any good to be integrated with Wilmslow which is far bigger.
"It's not something I'd like to see. I stood for election for the residents and community of Handforth. We have a fabulous community here that we want to continue developing."
Ms Weaver herself, whose treatment by some male councillors during the Zoom meeting propted accusations of sexism, said it would be a shame if the proposed merger led to the loss of some hard working local representatives.
During the now infamous meeting she removed Mr Tolver and placed him in a virtual waiting room after he refused to recognise her legitimacy and told her to “stop talking”.
Ms Weaver, the chief officer of the Cheshire Association of Local Councils, now says that while the meeting exposed some “painful” truths about the running of the parish council, the publicity surrounding it could also bring about positive changes in the upcoming local government elections.
“It's been on the cards for some time. The borough council is doing a review," she said. "I'm sure people of Handforth will feel strongly about that as they feel like a community and wouldn't want to be merged with a larger area like Wilmslow.
"I know the parish council has had its difficulties but hopefully they can overcome them - and they have always tried to do good by its residents.
"The famous video was painful, but it could still have a positive impact as it made clear what some of the issues were and that allows you to work on it and build."
