CE in Rotten Boroughs

Cheshire East has made it into Private Eye's page Rotten Boroughs in its latest edition – and the story seems very local as it refers to planning developments in the south of the borough.

This is what the column says:

Cheshire Cheats

Cheshire East Council (CEC) a Tory council notorious for telling lies and fiddling figures, has been caught at it again. An external investigation has discovered that air quality figures were falsely manipulated to a favourable level in a "deliberate and systematic" manner over at least three years, 2012 – 14. Cui bono?

Developers, certainly, have made millions out of speculative housing applications, particularly in the south of the borough. Had correct air quality figures been available, it would have been more difficult to get planning permission and developers may have been asked for higher financial contributions to mitigate pollution issues.

For the council, as well as making it easier to achieve "local plan" targets for housebuilding, having a set of "hooky" good figures avoids the hassle of having to do something about poor air quality and minimises the risk of EU fines.

The level of polluting nitrogen oxide (NO2) from vehicle exhausts is measured by roadside devices called diffusion tube monitors. If NO2 exceeds 40 micrograms per cubic metre of air in any location, the council is obliged to set up an "air quality management area". Being in a AQMA can make it harder to win planning permission for any development likely to generate more traffic and NO2 pollution.

At numerous locations it was found that NO2 levels had been recored at less than 40 micrograms per cubic metre when in reality they were higher. Inspector Knacker has been asked to investigate this extraordinary coincidence.

CEC has form: in 2013 it was revealed that it falsified records and lied to to the local government ombudsman over a developer's application for change of use of former agricultural land set to rocket in price when freed for housebuilding.

Finding the council guilty of maladministration, the ombudsman said: "essential information was not available on the council's website during the consultation period, but posted later and backdated." Plus ca change!

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