QUESTIONS are being asked about why Crewe Town Board meets behind closed doors.

The board was set up a year ago to bid for money from the government's Towns Fund and was highly successful, last month announcing it had secured a £22.9m Town Deal.

But, even though the monthly meetings are posted on the calendar on Cheshire East's website and four publicly-funded council officers attend the meetings, the press and public are barred.

A notice at the top of each agenda states: "Please note that this meeting while advertised on the Cheshire East Council website is not a public meeting."

The Local Democracy Reporting Service asked to attend last Friday's (August 6) meeting and was denied access.

The meeting included a presentation on the redevelopment of Leighton Hospital, community-based health care provision and there was also an update on the Towns Fund progress.

The meeting was held online via Microsoft Teams and was not accessible to the public.

A spokesperson for Crewe Town Board said: "Crewe Town Board is made up of a team of representatives from the community, public, private and voluntary sectors and was established in July last year as a requirement of bidding to the government's Towns Fund and developing a Town Investment Plan.

"Last month, Crewe was announced as being one of the latest UK towns to secure a Town Deal and Crewe Town Board is working with Cheshire East Council to agree the full package of projects that will now go forward.

"Over the next 12 months, in line with the conditions of the funding, a full business case will be submitted to government for its agreement and sign off, which will detail the specific plans for each project.

"While much of this detail remains confidential due to commercial sensitivity and development of policy, as with the development of the Town Investment Plan, the board will continue to actively engage with communities and leaders across the town to find out what outcomes people want to see for Crewe.

"As part of this, board members wish to consider in further detail how this can best be achieved moving forward.

"This will be discussed during the next Crewe Town Board meeting on August 6, the minutes of which will be made available.

"In addition, the board will shortly be publishing the Town Investment Plan it submitted to government, which includes details of the project proposals put forward.

"Further details will also be provided on the next phases the board is required to undertake to secure the funding.

"The good news today is that the heads of terms for Towns Fund have now been agreed with government."

Cllr Joy Bratherton, who represents Crewe East, is one of a number of councillors who have expressed concern about the meetings not being open to the public.

She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "It does concern me the lack of input and scrutiny by Cheshire East councillors.

"If they are discussing a potentially commercially sensitive matter, that could be considered in part two and the press and public could be excluded at that point."

She added: "When we are asked by the public what is going on in Crewe we are in a very awkward position."