MIDDLEWICH residents who have been campaigning for better services for their town will get the chance to quiz the leader of Cheshire East Council next week.

Cllr Sam Corcoran has accepted an invitation to attend Monday night’s (May 16) meeting of the town council.

The council boss, who has come under fire in recent months from Fight For Middlewich (FFM) campaigners who say he has not responded to their queries, has said he is looking forward to listening to comments and answering questions from councillors and members of the public at the meeting.

“Over many years of canvassing in Middlewich there have been three key asks from Middlewich residents,” Cllr Corcoran said.

“The bypass was always the number one priority and I remember campaigning with Cllr Jonathan Parry who has worked tirelessly on this issue and the bypass is now being delivered.

“Second was the railway station. I am pleased to be working with local MPs on plans to reopen the rail line and the Middlewich station.”

He added: “This will take many years and is not within the control of Cheshire East Council.”

The third matter often raised, said the council leader, is that of a swimming for the town.

Cllr Corcoran said: “There are plans to improve the Everybody Health & Leisure facilities on Sutton Lane, but those plans don’t include a swimming pool.

“I know that at the planning application for the Sutton Lane site Cllr Parry asked about space for a swimming pool and obtained an assurance that there was space for a swimming pool and this future-proofs the development in case government funding is made available. I am sure that our MP will be pressing for that funding.”

A swimming pool is one of the many items FFM is campaigning for.

Campaigners have held two protests against what they call Cheshire East’s ‘neglect’ of the town and last month FFM leader Laura Turner became a member of Middlewich Town Council following an uncontested election.

Monday night’s meeting of Middlewich Town Council takes place at Victoria Hall, Civic Way at 7.15pm.