KNUTSFORD Town Council plans to petition Cheshire East Council to complete a review of the town’s boundaries and governance.

With the borough council’s local plan now in force and expansion planned for the outskirts of Knutsford, councillors have agreed that the time is right to conduct a community governance review (CGR).

At present, planned development areas exceed Knutsford’s boundaries and could result in the council losing out on council tax to neighbouring parishes.

A petition forcing a CGR must be endorsed by 7.5 per cent of electors – approximately 750 people in Knutsford’s case.

Town clerk Adam Keppel-Green said: “With the pattern for the development of the town over the next 13-plus years now established through the local plan it would appear a sensible time for a community governance review to be undertaken.

“CEC could undertake the review in a timely manner and effect changes in time for the 2019 elections.

“There are no perceived negatives to pursing a community governance review.”

Proposed new housing developments would also lead to an imbalance in town council wards, which would need to be addressed in the CGR.

In Knutsford’s last CGR in 1999, the number of town councillors rose by three to 15 and the wards were redrawn.