Handforth Parish Council: Britain’s most infamous authority could be abolished under new review

But Jackie Weaver appears unconvinced by proposal: ‘The people will be up in arms,’ she says

Jackie Weaver, acting clerk of the Handforth meeting (Handforth Parish Council / YouTube)

It is perhaps Britain’s most infamous local authority – but it may soon no longer exist.

Handforth Parish Council – which attracted international attention after millions of people watched clips from a rowdy Zoom meeting – could be abolished under a new boundary review.

A new report suggests it should be merged with neighbouring Wilmslow because “to all intents and purposes, they form a single community”.

The paper, composed by the higher Cheshire East Council, concludes there would be “merit” in combining the two.

It states that the building of a new 185-house estate in the town means a reorganisation of local authorities is probably needed to re-balance unequal populations.

Residents will now be given the chance to put their views forward during a 12-week consultation before a vote by Cheshire East councillors in early summer.

Although the review was initiated before the infamous meeting – in which explosively aggressive male councillors were seen repeatedly disrupting proceedings – it seems impossible that the reputational damage caused by the controversy won’t have some impact on a final decision.

But Jackie Weaver – the local official lauded for her no-nonsense handling of the committee – suggested she was unconvinced the idea would be popular locally.

Speaking to the BBC, she said she was “sure the people of Handforth will be up in arms” at the proposal.

And although the town’s parish councillors themselves have declined to comment on the review, at least one Cheshire East councillor said she was opposed to the idea.

"It’s not something I’ll be voting for,” said Julie Smith. “Handforth needs its own council.”