THREE proposals to change the way Cheshire East Council is run will be debated in the new year.

Members of the independent group put forward three motions to last Thursday’s full council meeting which would transform the way decisions are made.

The group are looking to change CEC from a cabinet-led system to a committee one, have opposition councillors chairing scrutiny committees and have chairmanships for other committees shared out proportionally among the council’s political groups.

In line with CEC’s constitution, the three motions will now be debated at a special meeting next February, or as soon as possible thereafter.

Cllr Lesley Smetham, mayor of Cheshire East, said: “These proposals are clearly significant, and call for a fully-reasoned report, which explores all relevant matters.

“Following discussions with the proposers and the independent group leader [Cllr Arthur Moran], I propose from the chair that there be no debate on these important matters now, and that a special council be convened to consider these matters in February 2019 or as soon as possible thereafter.”

Thousands of Cheshire East residents have already signed a petition calling on CEC to ditch its current cabinet system in favour of a committee system.

The petition calls for a referendum, which would come at a considerable cost to the council, and independent members believe that the matter could instead be resolved in a special council.

Cllr James Nicholas, independent member for Bollington, asked leader Cllr Rachel Bailey whether her Conservative party members would have a free vote at that meeting ‘to make the debate of any real significance’.

Cllr Bailey said: “Cllr Nicholas I recognise your question, but I think even the independent group would want to have their discussion about the proposal in front of them before they answer that question.”

If the meeting does not take place in February, it will take place ‘as soon as possible’ before the end of the current municipal year on April 30, 2019.

For more information on the petition visit changecheshireeast.co.uk