Four political leaders in Cheshire have buried the political hatchet to support a campaign to save the county from being split in two. Former Conservative county council group leaders Simon Cussons and Ken Maynard have joined forces with former Labour counterpart Basil Jeuda and Lib Dem leader David Lloyd-Griffiths to support MP Gwyneth Dunwoody's campaign against creating east and west Cheshire unitaries. ‘The split recommendation is baffling,' said Mr Lloyd-Griffiths. ‘Four out of seven councils in Cheshire oppose it, and it does not meet the affordability criteria.' County councillors in Wiltshire have agreed that the proposed new unitary there will be called Wiltshire Council and have its first elections in May 2009. Leader, Jane Scott, said the 2009 start date would give the Boundary Commission time to carry out a review to ensure wards were represented by single members.
