By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East Council is on the hunt for another top officer after head of finance Alex Thompson handed in his notice.
Mr Thompson is quitting as director of finance and customer service in May to become executive director for finance and transformation at Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council.
Cheshire East Council is to be allocated more than £180 million to be invested in improving local transport, the Government has announced.
It’s part of the £1.5 billion of reallocated HS2 funding being invested in the North West through the Local Transport Fund.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East Council has refused a formal request from the Conservatives to reconsider the decision to introduce parking charges in free towns and hike up prices in others.
The highways and transport committee last month voted in favour of changes to the parking policy, which includes introducing charges in the existing ‘free’ towns and villages of Audlem, Alsager, Bollington, Handforth, Holmes Chapel, Middlewich, Poynton, Prestbury and Sandbach.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
The introduction of new parking charges across Cheshire East in October could be followed by an increase in those fees as early as next January.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) sought clarification about a further hike in prices after the highways and transport committee last month voted in favour of reviewing parking charges annually.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East Tories are challenging the decision to introduce parking charges in free towns and hike up prices in others saying flawed data was used and relevant information wasn’t considered.
Former council leader Rachel Bailey (Audlem, Con) has called-in last month’s highways committee decision to implement a new charging policy across Cheshire East and asked that it be referred to full council for further debate.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East is still trying to claw back the money it spent on HS2 after the government scrapped the northern leg of the scheme last year.
The council spent £11m preparing for HS2 coming to Crewe and £8.6m of that will now have to be written off if the government doesn’t cough up.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cash-strapped Cheshire East Council has applied to the government for exceptional financial support in the form of a capitalisation direction for up to £17.6m.
This means the council won’t receive extra money but is able to create a “negative reserve” similar to that already in place for the overspend on the special educational needs budget.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East looks set to freeze councillor allowance rates for this financial year.
But they could allow eligible members to claim two Special Responsibility Allowances (SRA) instead of one.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East looks set to rubber stamp a budget later this month which includes the expected 4.99% council tax hike and the emergency closure of three tips from April.
The corporate policy committee yesterday (Tuesday) voted by eight to five in favour of recommending the proposed 2024/25 budget to full council for approval.
Crewe & Nantwich MP Kieran Mullan has announced he will NOT stand for the constituency at the next General Election.
The Conservative MP had previously announced he would, but today posted his change of heart on his Facebook page.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East is to hold talks with headteachers about ending its loss-making school meals service but councillors didn’t make the expected decision to close it.
The council’s catering service, operating under the name of Fresh, currently provides lunches and snacks to 87 schools and employs approximately 270 people.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East Council’s head of finance has warned the authority may not have enough in reserves next year to support the budget.
The council is already facing a funding gap of £13.1m for the year 2023/24, and is working to reduce that by the end of March.
A Nantwich primary school has been hailed by Minister for Schools Damian Hinds for its Year 1 Phonics results.
Weaver Primary’s year 1 pupils achieved a 100% success rate in meeting expected standards, placing it in the top one percent of all primaries across the UK.
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