Politics

Cheshire East plans 1.99% Council Tax rise for next FOUR years

Cheshire East plans 1.99% Council Tax rise for next FOUR years

Cheshire East Council is proposing to increase Council Tax for thousands of residents by 1.99% for the next four years.

The authority says the proposal is necessary because of increased demand for vital services.

November 29, 2021
Cheshire East Council launches “say hi to High Street” campaign

Cheshire East Council launches “say hi to High Street” campaign

Cheshire East Council has launched its winter phase of the “Say ‘hi’ to the High Street” campaign.

It includes advertisements and a social media campaign featuring videos promoting Nantwich and Cheshire East’s other 10 towns in the build-up to Christmas.

November 26, 2021
New crossing set for Peter De Stapleigh Way, say councillors

New crossing set for Peter De Stapleigh Way, say councillors

Stapeley councillors say funding has been secured for a new Puffin crossing on the busy Peter de Stapleigh Way.

It comes just weeks after a schoolboy was hit by a car using a drop-down kerb crossing.

November 23, 2021
Plan for Walking and Cycling network in Cheshire East gets go ahead

Plan for Walking and Cycling network in Cheshire East gets go ahead

By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East has given the go ahead for a plan to develop walking and cycling networks.

Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) have been developed for Crewe, Congleton, Macclesfield and Wilmslow.

November 23, 2021
Agency care staff in Cheshire East command up to £75 an hour

Agency care staff in Cheshire East command up to £75 an hour

By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Agency rates for care staff are “going through the roof” with some nursing homes having to pay £75 an hour for a qualified nurse, one of the council’s top bosses has said.

The demand for NHS and care staff is mounting with vacancies unfilled across the country.

November 22, 2021
Pressure grows on CEC planning department as staff leave

Pressure grows on CEC planning department as staff leave

By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East’s planning department is under so much pressure because of recruitment problems that some staff are off sick and one new starter left after just six weeks.

A resourcing review is already under way and new executive director of place Jayne Traverse has offered to do a full review of the system.

November 19, 2021
Dr Kieran Mullan

Environment Bill sewage amendment not practical, claims Nantwich MP

Crewe and Nantwich MP saying voting for a change to a planned Environment Bill outlawing sewage dumping is not financially practical.

Dr Kieran Mullan hit back at critics who blasted him and other Tory MPs who voted against a bid to amend the Bill to stop water companies dumping sewage in streams and rivers.

November 19, 2021
Aerial view of Nantwich Show at Dorfold Park

Dorfold Showground granted premises licence despite objections

By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East has granted a premises licence for the Dorfold Park Showground, home to the Nantwich Show for decades.

The showground, operating since 1946 and owned by Charles Roundell, has hosted community events such as Spooktacular and charity functions for years.

November 18, 2021
CEC cemetery strategy branded “callous” and “ludicrous”

CEC cemetery strategy branded “callous” and “ludicrous”

By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
An advisory panel has been set up to look at future cemetery provision in Cheshire East after a councillor branded the existing strategy “callous” and “ludicrous”.

Cheshire East reviewed the strategy in 2018 and a long term proposal was that families would have to bury loved ones in Crewe or Macclesfield as other local cemeteries became full.

November 15, 2021
More missed bin collections as CEC struggles to recruit drivers

More missed bin collections as CEC struggles to recruit drivers

By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Bin collections are being missed in parts of Cheshire East as the council revealed it is still struggling to recruit drivers and has five vacancies to fill.

Ansa, CEC’s wholly-owned company responsible for waste collection, has taken to social media to apologise for missed collections due to driver shortages.

November 15, 2021
Year Six SATS “completely unfair” in 2022, claims CEC councillor

Year Six SATS “completely unfair” in 2022, claims CEC councillor

By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
A Cheshire East councillor has said it is “completely unfair” year six SATS are going ahead next year and asked whether the council plans to challenge it.

Cllr Laura Smith (Crewe South, Lab) told a meeting of the children and families committee she had an interest because she has a child in year six.

November 11, 2021
Cheshire East unveils “ambitious” plan to transform bus services

Cheshire East unveils “ambitious” plan to transform bus services

Cheshire East Council has drawn up what it says are “ambitious plans” to transform bus services across the borough.

It hopes the Cheshire East Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) will boost the number of people using buses, which has fallen 24% in the past decade.

November 8, 2021
Councillors accuse Cheshire East of “dumbing down” Crewe action plan

Councillors accuse Cheshire East of “dumbing down” Crewe action plan

By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Conservative councillors have accused Cheshire East of “dumbing down” ambitions for Crewe after plans for a link road bridge near the railway station were shelved.

Members of the council’s corporate policy committee voted to revoke a previous Cabinet decision in 2019 on the Crewe Southern Link Road Bridge preferred route and to revoke the decision of Cabinet in March 2020 to consult on the draft Crewe Hub Area Action Plan.

November 5, 2021