Cheshire East's decision not to debate the controversial Peak Cluster pipeline proposals at an upcoming full council meeting is another example of the administration shutting down opposing views, a Tory councillor has said.

The Conservatives have been trying since January to persuade the council to publicly debate the project, which aims to capture harmful carbon dioxide from cement and lime plants in Derbyshire and Staffordshire and transfer it via a 121-mile pipeline to a storage facility under the Irish Sea.

But a motion from councillors Lesley Smetham (Gawsworth) and Chris O'Leary (Sutton) to Wednesday's July 15, meeting calling for all councillors to be involved in deciding the council's position on Peak Cluster as it affects the whole borough, is set to be referred to cabinet.

The route passes through four local authority areas – Wirral, Cheshire West & Chester, Cheshire East, and Derbyshire.

Cheshire East is the only council not to have formally declared its opposition – the other three have written to government objecting to the proposals.

Cllr O'Leary told the Local Democracy Reporting Service today: "Cheshire East just seems to be determined not to come to a decision.

"All the other councils have considered all the information that is currently available and have all come to a decision. whether to oppose it or not.

"Cheshire East just seems to be avoiding it."

The motion put forward by the two Tories calls on full council to note the concerns raised by community groups, residents, and town and parish councils about 'the £5 billion taxpayer subsidy needed to construct the pipeline, the likely ongoing need for taxpayer subsidy to run the pipeline, and the considerable damage that will be caused to farmland, rural communities, and towns across Cheshire East'.

It says there is no real direct benefit for residents in the borough and 'Cheshire East Council should seek to oppose the Peak Cluster proposals'.

After learning it will not be debated at full council on Wednesday – unless mayor Cllr Judy Snowball exercises her authority during the meeting to allow it – Cllr O'Leary took to social media to vent his frustration.

"This has been done without any consultation with the proposer or seconder of the motion, without any explanation or discussion, and has, I believe, been done to shut down any dissenting views against the Peak Cluster proposals," he said.

"As the next cabinet meeting is not scheduled to take place until September, it means that residents will have to wait a further two months before Cheshire East Council considers whether it has a view on the Peak Cluster proposals."

He added: "Labour and the Independents may well believe that their actions this week will give them free rein to make decisions on behalf of all councillors and local residents.

"They are sorely mistaken. I certainly will not let this lie.

"Their actions only make me more determined to ensure that all councillors are allowed to contribute to the council's position on Peak Cluster, and to continue to argue for that position to be to oppose the proposals on the grounds of the unacceptable level of taxpayer subsidy required, the substantial damage that will be caused to farmers, local businesses and residents, and our countryside, and because of the lack of any real benefit for residents of Cheshire East."

The meeting of the full council takes place on Wednesday, July 15, at 11am at the SKA Observatory, Jodrell Bank.