LOCAL Cllr Neil Johnson has resigned from the Labour Party with immediate effect, in protest at what he describes as a “secret plan” by his former party for a gypsy traveller transit site on the border of Culcheth and Croft.
Cllr Johnson (Culcheth, Glazebury and Croft) who is also a member of Culcheth and Glazebury Parish Council, says he was stunned to learn of plans by Warrington Borough Council to build a transit site, with facilities for members of the gypsy/traveller community, on land at Kenyon Lane, Culcheth. The former Kenyon Lane nurseries are currently listed for sale for £800,000.
In a statement, Cllr Johnson, who has gone public with his claims on facebook, said:“I have resigned from the Labour Party with immediate effect. I will now sit as an Independent councillor at the Town Hall and on Culcheth and Glazebury Parish Council.
“I was stunned to discover that my former Party has concocted a secret plan to station a gypsy/transit site on the old Kenyon Lane nursery site, on the edge of Culcheth and Croft. This is unconscionable. I cannot support it. Traveller transit sites should be located appropriately, in locations that are far removed from populated areas.
“I was elected to represent the residents of Culcheth, Glazebury and Croft. There has been no consultation with local people about these plans. I was not informed from the start, and I represent the area. When was the Council planning to let us have our say? When would our voices have been heard? This kind of shady skulduggery does not sit well with me. I refuse to have any part of it. I will not be browbeaten or bullied into putting my hand up in support of something I do not agree with.
“I am a principled, independent-minded councillor. I will always have the interests of local residents at heart. I am going to fight these secret plans tooth and nail. If this goes ahead, what will happen to our house prices? Our local schools? Our shops and amenities and health services?
“In the coming days, I will be launching my campaign against Labour’s secret transit site in Culcheth and Croft. I encourage everyone in our villages to join me. Together, we can win.
“I will also be sharing details of how residents can lobby my fellow ward councillors, Matt Smith and Janet Seddon, as well as our local MP Charlotte Nichols. We need their support, and they must not be allowed to sit on their hands while our community is sold down the river. Will they speak up and show some backbone, or are they just puppets of Warrington Borough Council? We will soon find out.”
The borough council has had money ringfenced for a gypsy traveller transit site in the town for many years and a working party reviewing various sites.
In August last year the council said: “We are continuing to work with our partners to identify a suitable traveller transit site in the borough. We remain committed to its delivery as we recognise the benefits for both the travelling community and our residents. The need for this is fully established in the submitted Proposed Submission Version Local Plan.”
A Warrington Borough Council spokesperson said: “The Council notes the resignation of Cllr Neil Johnson from the Labour Group.
“For a number of years, we have been trying to identify a suitable location for a transit site to enable us to manage and reduce the impact of unauthorised encampments in Warrington. The benefits of a transit site are recognised by all partners across the borough, including the police, residents and other partners. In the year to date (January to August), Warrington has had 61 unauthorised encampments on both public and private land. This figure can be compared to Halton, who have a transit site, and have had seven unauthorised encampments.
“We recognise the benefits of a transit site in managing our legal obligations. As such, we have, for a number of years, included within our capital programme a project to deliver a site. We have established a Cross-Party Members Working Group to identify a potential site and report back to the Cabinet. The work of this group has always been confidential, given the challenges and sensitivity of the subject matter.
“The working group has carried out considerable works, over many years, to identify a suitable site to meet the needs of both the travelling community and the residents of the borough. The council recognises the benefits to both the travelling community and the residents and businesses of Warrington in providing suitable accommodation for the travelling community.
“We regularly monitor the property market looking for suitable sites to deliver a transit site considering these needs. Following the elections in May, the membership of the Cross-Party Working Group was refreshed, and Cllr Neil Johnson has been a member of the group since May 2024.
“In July 2024, officers became aware that the site at Kenyon Lane had been brought to market via an agent. The working group held a meeting on 20 August, which Cllr Johnson did not attend, where information about the site was shared. Members asked officers to make further enquiries around the purchase of the site, and to develop a business case to develop the plot into a suitable facility .
“A report has been prepared for Cabinet on Monday 14 October 2024. This report was shared with the working group on Tuesday 1 October when the group voted unanimously to progress with the report to the October Cabinet.
“Any development of the land into a transit site, after successful purchase must be subject to the submission of an appropriate planning application and relevant consultation. This was made clear to Cllr Johnson, as well as the need for confidentiality until the land could be secured.
“The council will continue in its attempts to deliver a suitable transit site for the borough, to support the management and reduction of unauthorised encampments that we currently manage.”
16 Comments
Mr Johnson has done the right and honourable thing be honest with your residents.
Im sure WBC would have wanted this kept quiet like most of their negoiations
A man with principles. Sadly lacking in the council these days
So Warrington Council thought it best to buy this land BEFORE consulting with local residents?
That rather gives the game away about how genuine the consultation will be.
Once again Warrington seems happy to push theough a controversial development as long as it’s as far away as possible from Warrington Town Hall. Will this consultation extend to Lowton residents (part of Wigan) whose residents will be affected just as much as the good folk of Croft and Culcheth?
It isn’t so long since Warrington approved a huge extension to a “green” recycling plant which had been established without planning permission nearby.
That too was subject to the planning process and approved despite almost 100% local opposition due to the stench and additional traffic it generates.
Forgive me if I have little faith that this won’t be steam-rollered through by this out of touch council.
In fairness to WBC, I can see why they might have kept this quiet while they negotiated a price for the site.
Wasting your time if you think your MPs are going to step in
The price asked is on the Estate Agent’s site and not a secret
It follows the normal trend. Former tory voting area so Warrington council will just dump on them for their former sins. Only Labour areas matter in this town, it is not new.
Disgraceful the owner should not sell for these plans if he still wants to live locally.
Name and shame the current owner of this
The owners live in culcheth. They can be found by searching the directors of the nurseries business in croft. Shamefull if they sell for this. They should expect back lash
One mans gains, 4000 residents pain.
This is digusting, we need to stick together and stop this madness
Croft, Culcheth and Lowton will see a huge increase in fly tipping and crime. These people do not respect the police or tax payers.
Yet again our local politicians deceptively using statistics to “justify” their actions.
“Warrington has had 61 unauthorised encampments on both public and private land. This figure can be compared to Halton, who have a transit site, and have had seven unauthorised encampments.”
Self evidently Warrington had many more unauthorised encampments than Halton, because the travellers did not want to pay for their use of the Halton site and chose instead to set up their ad hoc camps across Warrington, where they incur no costs for doing so; just the inconvenience of having to move from one unauthorised site to another in the borough.
And just like her cohorts on the borough council the admin of the local facebook page who happens to be a former labour councillor won’t allow any discussion on this matter . Censorship at it’s finest.
Get it built, its about time the nimbys had something built nearby or they could have a rubbish incinerator instead.