Cheshire East has refused to consider and debate a 5,500-signature petition raised by Fight For Middlewich campaigners.

The council has told FFM (Fight For Middlewich) leader Laura Turner it won't be debating the petition at any of its committee meetings because some of the people who signed live outside the borough and some of the signatures were obtained outside the six-month period.

The council's rules state at least 5,000 Cheshire East residents must sign within that certain time period.

Mrs Turner, who is also a Middlewich town councillor, is furious.

"I've said, 'let me know how many you think are ineligible and I've got hundreds still here all dated within the six-month period so I'll send them in'," she said. "They've just disregarded the pleas of all these people."

FFM was formed last September amid claims from some residents that Cheshire East has neglected the town for years.

One of its main aims is to see an improvement in youth provision in the town.

The group is also campaigning for a swimming pool in Middlewich and more infrastructure in line with the growing population.

And it is opposed to a landfill in the town and objects to any proposed growth or expansion within Ansa, the council's wholly owned waste and recycling company.

Other issues include finding a prompt resolution to the argument surrounding the ownership of Middlewich cemetery – although this is not a Cheshire East matter as the council is not responsible for the cemetery.

In an email to Cllr Turner stating why it won't put the petition before any committee, the council states: "Having physically examined the document, a significant number of signatures will have to be subtracted from the total collected, as they were obtained outside of the six-month period or because the person signing the petition does not live within the borough.

"In respect of the change.org petition, the above criteria cannot be applied, as access to the signatories is not available. From the limited information that can be seen on the website, it is likely that a number of signatures from the electronic petition would also have to be disregarded for the same reasons as above."

It concludes: "Accordingly, as I am unable to confirm that the petition has reached the signature threshold required, it cannot be referred to a service committee for debate."

The council will now keep the petition 'on file'.

Cllr Turner told the Local Democracy Reporting Service she has given the council access to the necessary information and she is certain that at least 5,000 of the signatories meet the required criteria.

"I'm not giving up," she said. "I will be challenging it.

"I want them to justify all the inaccuracies they think they've found and then I will top them up with signatures we've got within that time period."

She added: "Worst case scenario is, if they don't take the petition, I'll attend each committee meeting myself and put public questions forward.

"We will be on the committee agendas whether they like it or not, via the petition or via me attending the public sessions. They're going to have to answer us at some point. I'm fuming."