A POLL could be held to determine the fate of an under-threat parish council which includes part of Crewe's fastest growing area.

Minshull Vernon and District Parish Council faces being swept into the neighbouring authorities of Crewe Town Council and Church Minshull Parish Council as part of wide-ranging boundary and parish changes in Cheshire East

These also include proposed boundary changes in Shavington, Rope and Wybunbury, which includes moving part of Shavington lying north of the A500 into Crewe Town.

Angry Minshull Vernon councillors wanted to force a parish poll to canvass the views of residents over the controversial plans put forward by Cheshire East Council.

And they have received a lifeline thanks to Shavington councillor David Marren's intervention at Cheshire East's constitution committee this week.

The borough council had planned a 12-week public consultation on all the changes, but Cllr Marren claimed it would be "discriminatory" to do so as not many residents would respond to an online exercise.

He tabled an amendment, which was passed by the committee, which will require Cheshire East Council to hold a postal referendum in the areas where parish boundaries will change, and in the case of Minshull Vernon vanish.

Cllr Marren said: "As this consultation will be driven digitally, it is predictable the number of responses will be relatively few. It discriminates against those who are not adept at using the latest technology.

"It discriminates on the grounds of age and economic health as people will not be responding digitally in the numbers we expect."

If polls are to take place and residents vote to stay as they are, the amendment will force borough council chiefs to stick with the present wards, boundaries and councils.

Among the Minshull Vernon's wards is Leighton and Woolstanwood, which would be moved under the auspices of Crewe Town Council in thee proposals.

The parish council claimed residents in Leighton and Woolstanwood would be hard hit by higher council tax bills within Crewe.

Cheshire East launched its review of governance arrangements its town and parish councils in 2019 because it felt changes to population and settlements following housing developments left some boundaries "not fit for purpose", including within and on the edge of Crewe.

Under the proposals Wistaston Parish Council would have its number of sitting councillors reduced from 15 to 12.

Handforth Parish Council, which hit the headlines earlier this year thanks to an unruly zoom meeting, also faces the axe.

But Cheshire East's monitoring officer David Brown has cast doubt over the feasibility and cost of conducting a referendum and Labour Cabinet member Laura Crane said: "I just feel that amendment is jumping the gun."

No final decisions will be taken for a while as the amendment will go to a full council meeting on April 19 and, then if agreed on, will be put out to a public consultation for 12 weeks.