A ‘SALT town’ constituency joining up Northwich, Winsford and Middlewich took a big step forward in becoming a reality last night when Winsford councillors gave their backing.

The Boundary Commission presented a review of the boundaries to Parliament in September and the review has brought the current constituency set-up in the mid Cheshire area under the spotlight.

Northwich, Winsford and Middlewich are currently in three separate parliamentary constituencies, but Northwich Town Council proposed a major change.

The proposal was that Northwich, Winsford and Middlewich all join together in a ‘Mid-Cheshire’ constituency.

Members of Winsford Town Council discussed the proposal on Monday night and voted to support it, despite opposition from the Liberal Democrat councillors.

Cllr Mike Kennedy said: “I definitely believe that Northwich, Winsford and Middlewich is the way to go. The way Northwich is split up at the minute could be a bit of an issue for them but I really think it should be the way forward.”

Cllr Malcolm Gaskill, one of the three councillors who voted against the proposal to support the idea, said he thinks it would be ‘mathematically a non-starter’.

Cllr Gaskill said: “We as a group are not in favour, we think Northwich and Winsford being put in the same constituency is a non-starter mathematically.”

Northwich Town Council presented the proposals at the Boundary Commission’s public hearing in Chester last month, describing the opportunity to bring the towns together as ‘too good to miss’.

Northwich councillor, Andrew Cooper, said: “The natural and obvious constituency in mid Cheshire would unite the three salt towns of Northwich, Winsford and Middlewich into a single constituency.

“The three towns form a triangle in mid Cheshire and have a long-standing shared industrial heritage.

“Whether its transport links, employment centres, schools or colleges, the community ties between the three towns are incredibly strong.

“The opportunity to create a single constituency for mid Cheshire, providing for a single representative advocating for these towns, is too good to miss.”

Residents can have their say until December 5 by visiting bce2018.org.uk.