This Saturday there's a chance to hear from and question the parliamentary candidates for Tatton constituency in a public meeting at Wilmslow United Reformed Church, Chapel Lane, from 9.30am.
Organised by Churches Together in Wilmslow the meeting will start by giving all five candidates – Conservative, Green, Labour, Liberal Democrat and UKIP – three minutes each to say why they should be elected.
Any candidate not present at the meeting – and so far UKIP's Stuart Hutton is the only one whose attendance is uncertain because of a prior commitment – can present their written statement to be read out.
Then the prospective MPs, including Tatton's current representative in the House of Commons George Osborne (Conservative), Tina Rothery (Green), David Pinto-Duschinsky (Labour) and Gareth Wilson (Liberal Democrat), will be asked in turn to answer questions submitted in advance by the public.
These can be sent to [email protected] and the meeting will close with questions from the floor followed by two minutes for each candidate to sum up their case. The meeting will be chaired by the Revd Tony Burnham, a retired United Reformed Church minister and former national President of Churches Together in England, who lives outside Tatton constituency.
The Revd Kirsty Thorpe, chair of Churches Together in Wilmslow, said: "We hope the church will be full on Saturday morning. It's been chosen as a good venue with decent seating and a modern sound system. This is an excellent opportunity for the candidates to put their policies and personalities on display for us all."
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
Unfortunately there were hardly any folks under the age of 30 present, which speaks volumes about the general antipathy the public has to present-day politics.
Thanks to Churches Together for hosting the event.
The one question that was missing IMO was "If you are elected, what would you like to be your legacy?"
#Pete I surmise Wilmslow High School probably held its own Election debate, as per 2010, though not with the candidates present. Most 16-55s have other plans for their Sat off.
The Handforth East village is proposed to be built on the former site of RAF Handforth (61 MU). Technically speaking it was a maintenance and storage unit rather than a fully fledged airfield - but it was an RAF site - so George Osborne isn't completely misinformed on this.
The Officers Mess of 61MU was on Grove Lane, Cheadle Hulme, the place is now a park adjacent to The Smithy pub.
Sites off Gill Bent Road and Stanley Road, Cheadle Hulme, provided living accommodation in Nissen Huts, but the main body of 61MU, its working area, was in a large site to the south of Spath Lane. That was in Handforth although its main entrance was off Hall Moss Lane, Woodford, near the entrance to Spath Lane. It had a railway connection via a branch line, one of two which left the main line just south of Stanley Road, Cheadle Hulme. This became the 42 Armoured Vehicle Depot and closed in September 1958.
Much of the land was part of the Council's compulsory purchase for the building of the A34; a wide swathe of land running from Astra Zeneca in the south up to the Manchester border. It has been sold off piece-meal to developers.
The maps can be seen here: http://bit.ly/1KoSpkD
The stitch-up I referred to was when Wilmslow/Alderley Edge Conservative Councillors toed the party line, against the expressed wishes of over 80% of the residents, and voted against an amendment which would have kept the Green Belt protection for this land: http://bit.ly/1DlRiwX
http://bit.ly/1A7Djtr
For context:
* the road and houses visible at the bottom left are Hill Drive, Handforth.
* The large hangar building just north-east of centre is where Total Fitness gym is today (occupying the bottom half of that building).
* The buildings at the top right are still there today - used I think as MOD pay offices I think.
* The Spath Lane referred to in the text from Jon Williams is the continuation eastwards towards Bramhall - which is at the very top of the image.