Keith writes:

Our thanks to everyone who gave us your views on locating the breast screening mobile unit on Massie Street car park in Cheadle.

We are pleased to report that the responses were overwhelmingly positive – residents and traders felt that on balance the improvements in access to the screening service outweighed any problems resulting from a loss of car parking spaces.

And some residents we prepared to comment on their own experiences, including some women who did have cancers identified through the screening programme. So we have told the local health services that, in principle, we are supportive of the proposal.

The breast screening service and council officers are now checking that everything else that is necessary can be put in place – in particular access to mains water and electricity. The electricity supply needed is more powerful than the normal domestic supply, and when the mobile unit was based at Massie Street the few years ago one of the businesses that backs on to the car park very kindly agreed to a link into their electricity cabling. Discussions are under way as to whether this is still a possibility.

If this is no longer possible, then a new supply point may be needed, that will be reliant on the electricity company undertaking the necessary work. Iain, Graham and I have made clear that, if funding for this work could be a problem, we are willing to look at making a contribution from the Cheadle and Gatley ward funds.

So it is still not certain that the unit can be based in Cheadle, but the breast screen service have told us how pleased they are with the level of support that has been shown, through emails and the Facebook responses. We will keep everyone informed of progress, through Facebook posts and the weekly newsletter that is sent out via email. If you do not receive this newsletter and would like to get it please email Iain Roberts on cllr.iain.roberts@stockport.gov.uk