MEMBERS of Warrington Borough Council will get another chance to have a say on the future of historic Walton Hall tonight (Monday).
The council will formally be informed of the petition signed by more than 6,800 people who oppose any plan to sell or lease any part of the Walton Hall estate if it means a loss of public access.
Members can then decide whether to offer further advice to the executive board ahead of its next meeting on September 20.
A report to tonight’s meeting states that statutory guidance provided by the Department for Communities and Local Government lays down that if a petition has more than 1,500 signature it should be debated by full council.
The petition – organised by retired school teacher Malcolm Eldridge – far exceeds this so he is entitled to speak to the council for five minutes in presenting the petition.
Councillors can then discuss the petition for up to 15 minutes.
They can decided to take no action, commission further investigations or offer advice to the executive board before they reach a decision.
The board has already agreed to set up an advisory group which will start from “a blank sheet of paper” to consider the future of the hall and gardens.
The group will include the chairman of the Friends of Walton Estate, the chairman of Walton Parish Council, representatives from Area Boards, executive board member Alan Litton, ward councillor Paul Kennedy, members of the Labour and Liberal Democrat groups on the borough council, two council officers and representatives from tourism group Visit Chester and Cheshire, the Bridgewater Canal Trust and Walton Lea Project..
