A CAMPAIGNER gave the council leader a dressing down when she accused his authority of not listening over a decision to put a homeless hostel in a residential community.

Karen Stevenson is among those fighting the 36-bed hostel at Richmond Court in Boughton because of fears over the impact of an anti-social element of the homeless community on a family environment.

Residents argue the existing city centre location can absorb any issues more readily and say the council ignored its own consultation which showed 85% of respondents oppose Richmond Court.

Miss Stevenson was speaking at the executive of Tory-led Cheshire West and Chester Council after a ‘call in’ to the health and well-being scrutiny committee did not result in any suggested changes to the council plans.

Referring to the fact council leader Cllr Mike Jones called two constituents ‘d***heads’ at a public meeting, she said: “This is a council driven by someone’s own personal agenda. Cllr Jones, you care so little about your constituents you call them ‘d***heads’.”

Campaigners against the proposals forced the council into carrying out a 12 -week consultation which ended in January but Miss Stevenson said the decision had already been made.

She commented: “This whole process has only served to show how little you as a council care about what we say and how we feel. I don’t know why you bothered to become councillors in the first place.”

In a parting shot, she warned: “We are not going away. We will remain a pain in your side and you should continue to ignore us at your peril.”

Homeless champion Cllr Jill Houlbrook hit back: “The service and engagement offered by the new provider is proving to be engaging the clients and supporting them in making lifestyle changes and maximising their life opportunities. It does not need to be in the city centre.”