THE Conservatives have set out their vision for Cheshire East’s future – with an ambition to become a carbon-free borough by 2025.

With the May 2 local elections on the horizon, the group is hoping to maintain control of Cheshire East Council, which it has led since it launched a decade ago.

In its manifesto, the party is aiming to boost the borough’s green credentials while continuing to support vulnerable residents and promising ‘responsible’ council tax levels.

And the party is hoping to woo voters across the whole borough, with cabinet members insisting the ‘time has come’ to shine the spotlight on the borough’s smaller towns and rural areas.

“In Cheshire East we have beautiful market towns,” said Cllr Rachel Bailey, CEC’s Conservative leader.

“Those towns are the jewel in our crown but as an authority our focus has been on our two major towns – Crewe and Macclesfield.”

Cllr Janet Clowes, cabinet member for adult social care and integration, added: “Over 34 per cent of Cheshire East’s GVA [economic output] comes from the rural economy.

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“And we are not just talking about cows – we are talking about a diverse range of businesses that run in the rural area. You ignore the rural economy at your peril.”

With the startling statistic that a man in the east of Wilmslow is expected to live 12 years longer than a man in the centre of Crewe, the Conservative group is hoping to improve residents’ quality of life through its policies on housing, education and healthy lifestyles.

Much of the manifesto aims to build on the growth agenda it has pushed over the past decade – with Cheshire East having the sixth-fastest growing economy in England.

It includes plans to:

  • Make Cheshire East a carbon-free borough by 2025 and improve recycling rates by running green waste and food waste collections all-year round
  • Develop action plans to boost the borough’s market towns
  • Deliver road improvements and boost travel connectivity
  • Improve residents’ lifestyles by investing in sport and leisure facilities and promoting active travel and sustainable, green transport
  • Support rural communities by improving fibre broadband connectivity and protecting greenbelt land from unplanned development
  • Provide quality care services and choices for vulnerable and elderly residents
  • Invest in children’s social care, education and training services
  • Maintain the borough’s libraries and children’s centres

Labour launched its manifesto for Cheshire East earlier this month, with a headline promise to review the local plan and reduce its housing target from 1,800 homes a year.

But Cllr Ainsley Arnold, cabinet member for housing, planning and regeneration, insists the current approach is the right one to ensure homes are available for the borough’s workforce – and that they are built in the right places.

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“The local plan went through a robust examination and it is vital to our economic growth,” he said.

“Labour wants a five-year housing target but the fact that we have got 7.2 years’ worth gives us a robust protection against speculative development.

“We would have spent the past two years fighting off unsustainable development across the borough had we not adopted the local plan.”

Opposition groups are also hoping to make political gains in May with CEC hitting the headlines for the wrong reasons in recent years – following the suspension of three senior officers, seven police probes and revelations over staff bullying.

However, Cllr Bailey insists her political group has been ‘brave’ in trying to get its own house in order.

She said: “I came into leadership to steady the ship, and with the promise that if any matter arises – no matter who or what it involves – I will use the appropriate processes.

“I have been supported through that by cabinet and the political group, and I am absolutely clear that it is a very brave political group that says these matters have to be sorted.”

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Following Labour’s manifesto launch earlier this month, Macclesfield candidate Rob Vernon said: “Our manifesto tackles so many issues that residents have told us need sorting in one-to-one conversations on the doorstep.

“We will deliver for all the residents of our communities, rural, urban and in between. For the last four years, what have our Conservative councillors actually done for us?

“We need new local voices, with fresh ideas, who will take care of our communities.”