5th January 2026
Concerns have been raised about the use of public money in relation to legal evidence submitted during the Harcourt Street Village Green public inquiry.
Romiley resident Sheila Oliver had written to solicitors Cobbetts questioning why public funds were used to produce evidence which, she claims, portrayed local residents as acting “with stealth, secrecy and trespass” when accessing land that campaigners maintain has long been used as a recreation ground.
In her correspondence some years ago, sent following a full Stockport Council meeting at the Town Hall, Ms Oliver said she had been advised by Councillor Mark Weldon, Executive Member for Children and Young People, to raise the matter directly with the firm. Copies of the letter were also sent to the council’s Chief Executive, the District Auditor and members of the local press.
Ms Oliver specifically queried the submission of photographs showing high metal fencing, which she says does not surround the land in question, and questioned why such material was included as evidence.
“If public money is paid out then it should be paid out for the truth to be told and nothing less,” she wrote, adding that while Councillor Weldon had suggested the evidence did not affect the outcome of the inquiry, she believed this missed the wider issue of accountability for public spending.
The correspondence also raises broader questions about Stockport Council’s relationship with Cobbetts, referencing reports that the firm is facing legal action elsewhere. Ms Oliver suggested that the council should review its continued use of the firm.
