Battle of the Somme service

Reporter Jonathan White, Wistaston

A service to commemorate and remember the centenary of the Battle of the Somme took place by the War Memorial on Nantwich town square on Friday 1st July 2016.

Mayor of Cheshire East, Councillor Olivia Hunter, led the tributes on behalf of Cheshire East Council to the fallen from the First World War battle.

There was a speech by the Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire, David Briggs MBE, on the Somme and the impact on Cheshire.

There was a musical performance by Nantwich Young Voices who performed a medley of First World War songs.

There were poetry readings by Head Girl and Head Boy at St Oswald’s CE Primary School, Olivia Palin and Logan Brooke, who read a modern interpretation of the meaning of Remembrance.

There was a short Service of Remembrance led by Associate Rector of St Mary’s Nantwich, Rev Stephen Snelling. Wreaths were laid during this Service of Remembrance.

Children from local schools laid flowers in memory of each of those named on the War Memorial, irrespective of the conflict in which they lost their life.

The ceremony was attended by representatives from the Royal British Legion, Cheshire Regiment Association, Cheshire East Council and members of the public.

A collection was made for the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal. The Royal British Legion supports serving and ex-servicemen, women and their dependents who are in need, financially or otherwise.

The Battle of the Somme began at 7.30am on 1st July 1916 and is the single bloodiest day in British military history. The British Army suffered a staggering 57,540 casualties that day, of which more than 19,000 were killed. The battle lasted until 18th November 1916 and was one of the costliest of the First World War. In total, more than one million soldiers were killed or wounded.

The Thiepval Memorial, on the site of the battlefields in northern France, contains the names of 73,357 soldiers who fell on the Somme between July 1916 and March 1918; including many soldiers from what is now Cheshire East.

The commemorative event was part of Cheshire East Council’s four-year programme of remembrance of the sacrifice by the people of Cheshire East during the First World War. Full details can be found online at www.cheshireeastreflects.com

The ‘Big Taste’

Reporter Jonathan White, Wistaston

The ‘Big Taste’ annual family fun day took place at Cheerbrook - http://cheerbrook.co.uk/ - in Nantwich on Saturday 2^nd July 2016. The event included a marquee containing numerous local food & drink suppliers, plus there was also a Cheerbrook BBQ, a birds of prey display, a bouncy castle and music from The Cat 107.9 FM community radio which added to a great atmosphere. Parking and entry were free and the event was enjoyed by several hundred people over the course of the day. 

Rio 2016 Olympics Ticket Fraud

Subject: Rio 2016 Olympics Ticket Fraud

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Action Fraud (Action Fraud, Administrator, National)

The Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro begin on 6th August 2016 and as of late June, you will be able to purchase tickets from the Rio 2016 ticket offices.  Purchasing from an unauthorised seller or a ticket tout could leave you out of pocket; not only are the tickets advertised at inflated prices, but there is also a risk that the tickets purchased are counterfeit or do not exist. Any individual with a counterfeit ticket will be refused entry.
To help protect yourself, the list of authorised sellers has been published on the official website and provides a list of trusted resellers; this can be found at www.rio2016.com. Equally, tickets purchased that are no longer needed can be sold through the Rio 2016 website for a 100% reimbursement of the amount paid if the tickets are resold.
Protect yourself

• When purchasing from another company or individual, ask questions; specifically when you will receive the ticket and what type of ticket you are purchasing.
• Pay for tickets by using a credit card or trusted payment service. Payments made by bank transfer may not be recoverable.
• Always check that the payment screen is secure by looking for the padlock symbol or making sure the website/url begins with “https”.
• If you have been affected by this, or any other scam, report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040, or visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk

Council’s finances ‘strong and resilient’ but challenges lie ahead

 

Innovation and creativity will be the key to maintaining a strong and resilient performance for Cheshire East Council and its group of arms-length companies.

A report on the 2015-16 financial position places the Council in its strongest financial position yet with reserves of £93.3m, 85 per cent of which are being held for specific purposes.

But the report warns of further austerity, based on the latest government grant settlements and the potential for uncertainty in the wake of the referendum result and the intended exit from the European Union.

The Council will continue to focus on fairness, equity and meeting need, while also eliminating waste and unnecessary bureaucracy. It is committed to carrying out appropriate improvements in the area of governance and process.

Strong financial management delivered surpluses of £500,000 for the Council and £300,000 for the Council’s wholly owned companies.

Capital spending of £90.6m included completion of the Crewe Green link road and the Crewe Lifestyle Centre.  Net assets for the Council and wider group have increased to £363.1m, although positive changes in the pension deficit exaggerated the overall increase.

Councillor Peter Groves, Cabinet member for finance, says: “The 2015/16 accounts once again reflect strong financial and operational performance from the group.

“The strength and creative design of the group’s delivery arrangements, is reflected in the group’s excellent operational achievements that benefit local residents, businesses and visitors.

“It is important to recognise and celebrate how we continue to adopt the ‘best fit’ approach to service provision.

“We continue to operate within a challenging financial environment with the gradual loss of central government support grant up to 2019/20 placing significant challenges and responsibilities on the authority towards its older residents and the vulnerable.” 

The Council created two new ASDVs (Alternative Service Delivery Vehicle)  in Transport Services Solutions Ltd,  the public transport company and Civicance Ltd, the company specialising in building control, structural consultancy and planning advice.

Fairerpower, the Council’s low-cost community energy supplier, secured savings of £1.5m for its residents and now has more than 5,000 customers.

Ofsted has rated 92.7 per cent of the Borough’s schools as ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’, while refuse recycling rates place the Council in the top 10 per cent of local authorities and well above the national target of 50 per cent.

The Borough’s parks and open spaces continue to collect Green Flag awards and a survey of more than 300,000 people resulted in Cheshire East declared the happiest place to live in England.

But there is to be a decline in grant funding, from £40m in 2015/16 to zero by the 2019/20 financial year. This will have a significant impact on Council finances and the authority is working with its partners to identify sustainable solutions going forward.

The report to the audit and governance committee states: “The outcome of the recent referendum to leave the European Union is an unprecedented and seismic decision, which will be a factor in our forward planning arrangements.

“The Cheshire East Group has limited direct financial links with Europe but changes in the relationship between Europe and the UK – and any effect this has on local services, businesses and our economy – will need to be carefully considered.”

The report adds that an immediate priority will be to seek assurance that any European structural and investment funding in Cheshire East is maintained.

Overall, it will continue to put residents first by targeting appropriate support that protects the most vulnerable people in the community and providing good value for money services throughout the Borough.

Fake Letter Boxes

Subject: Fake Letter Boxes

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This is a message sent via Neighbourhood Watch. This information has been sent on behalf of Action Fraud (National Fraud Intelligence Bureau)

(Please do not reply or forward this email directly; please use the Reply, Share buttons at the bottom of this message)

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Action Fraud (Action Fraud, Administrator, National)

The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) has noticed an increase in reports of fraudsters placing fake letter boxes on residential properties in an attempt to harvest the mail. Residents are sometimes unaware of the fake letterbox as the fraudsters will periodically remove the item, which may leave notable markings. The mail is then used to open various lines of credit with financial providers in the name of the innocent resident.
Protect Yourself

• Be vigilant and check for any suspicious activity, tampering of your post/letterbox or for suspicious glue markings on the wall.
• Check all post received from financial institutions, even if it appears unsolicited.
• Consider reporting theft of mail to your local police force and any cases of identity fraud to Action Fraud.
• If you have been a victim of identity fraud consider Cifas Protection Registration (https://www.cifas.org.uk/protective_registration_form)
• If you, or anyone you know, has been affected by this fraud or any other scam, report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk.

Women in engineering championed in Cheshire East

 

Engineering companies across Cheshire East have teamed up to get more women to take their first steps on an engineering career.
Ringway Jacobs – who work with Cheshire East Council – were among the companies taking part in ‘National Women in Engineering Day’, which aims to help young women to develop careers through apprenticeships and graduate training programmes.
In the last four years, 19 apprentices have been recruited by the company in Cheshire East, several of whom have signed up to become members of the Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation to further their ambitions.
Councillor David Brown, Cheshire East Council Cabinet member for highways and infrastructure, said: “40 per cent of highways staff at Cheshire East are women and we are keen to promote the many pathways on offer and to continue highlighting opportunities for them.”
Contract director Chris Shields added: “We have a very healthy succession plan in place – 15 per cent of our staff are apprentices and graduates. They rotate through the business in order to get a broad appreciation of the range of roles on offer.”

The highways team at Cheshire East are on the look-out for apprentices and encourage any interested candidates to visit: http://www.ringway-jacobs.co.uk/opportunities

Environmental drive sees huge savings at Cheshire East

 

Cheshire East Council has made savings of £5.7m as a result of investing in energy-efficiency measures and reducing its office accommodation from 44 sites to six.

In 2008, Cheshire East started a carbon management programme with a view to reducing their carbon emissions by 25 per cent by 2016.

The programme has been a huge success and the target was exceeded comfortably with the Council achieving 42 per cent savings.

The Council has invested in energy-efficient measures, including new boilers, advanced heating controls, insulation, voltage optimisation, high-frequency lighting complete with controls, variable-speed drives, swimming pool covers and many other minor improvements.

These measures had a return on investment in less than three years and led to significant improvements in consumption levels in Council buildings.

To give an indication of the impact that the review has had: emissions at Congleton Leisure Centre were originally more than 800 tonnes per year in 2010. Six years later that figure has almost halved to 470 tonnes per year.

Seven individual zones have been created as part of the new heating control system in the old town hall in Macclesfield, which now adjust the temperature of the building according to weather conditions – reducing running costs by seven per cent.

At Delamere House, in Crewe, a new heating system has reduced the building’s gas consumption by 49 per cent.

At Cheshire East’s headquarters in Sandbach, energy-efficiency measures have led to a 32 per cent saving on electricity as the authority’s usage has reduced from 804,400 kWh to less than 544,000.

Councillor Peter Groves, Cheshire East Council Cabinet member for finance and assets said, “In the last eight years, we have improved energy efficiency in all of our buildings. Historically there were instances where we could have used energy more appropriately and, thanks in large part to this review, we are continuing to put plans in place to do so.

“By reducing the running costs of the Council’s buildings, the financial savings can be used to support frontline services.”

Cheshire East Council is continuing its drive towards improving its carbon footprint and realising the objectives set out in its corporate plan 2016-20.

Ambulance services reviewed by scrutiny committee

 

Ambulance services in the area need to improve says a Cheshire East Council watchdog committee.

The Council’s health and adult social care overview and scrutiny committee has called for local and national health organisations to improve ambulance services in the Borough.

The review was in response to reports of poor ambulance response times for emergency calls in Cheshire East. Waiting times for patients in Cheshire East – in rural areas in particular – are much longer than those of patients in urban areas in the North West.

Ambulances should respond to three quarters of the most urgent calls within eight minutes. Performance in Cheshire East falls well short of this.

The public meeting heard statements from senior representatives of local health and care organisations, including North West Ambulance Service, both local clinical commissioning groups, Cheshire East’s hospitals and the Council.

Details of a number of initiatives for improving response times were presented including the ‘frequent callers’ initiative, where residents identified as making regular calls to the ambulance service are identified and supported in different ways, thereby freeing up ambulance time. In total, the committee issued 20 recommendations to help ensure Cheshire East residents are provided with a safe, effective and high-quality ambulance service.

The committee has urged the Department of Health and NHS England to review the way paramedic emergency services are commissioned and monitored, placing a greater focus on better outcomes for patients and ensuring that access to ambulances is consistent. 

Councillor Paul Bates, Cheshire East Council Cabinet member for health and communities, said: “This comprehensive review has helped to shed light on many of the factors leading to longer ambulance response times in Cheshire East.

“It has also led to the committee making a number of important recommendations across the national and local health and care system.

“I am pleased by the input and active engagement of our local health and care organisations into this review and look forward to their response to the committee’s recommendations.”

Councillor Jos Saunders, chair of Cheshire East’s health and adult social care overview and scrutiny committee said: “Paramedics, community first responders and other health and care frontline staff and volunteers are fully committed and provide an excellent and caring service.

“However, it is unacceptable that Cheshire East residents should not have the same access to emergency care outside of hospital as people living in urban areas.”

The report has been sent to all relevant organisations, who have been asked to respond to the committee by September. It has also been escalated to the Secretary of State for Health.

Police warn young people to be vigilant when using social media

Subject: Police warn young people to be vigilant when using social media

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This is a message sent via Neighbourhood Watch. This information has been sent on behalf of Cheshire Constabulary

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Emma James (Police, Media Officer, Cheshire)

Police are reminding young people to be absolutely sure that they know who they are making friends with on social media.
Cheshire Police has received a number of reports of Facebook profiles, being created by individuals pretending to be a young person and befriending children online.
PC Helen Harrison, of Sandbach Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “What they are doing is firstly establishing a “friendship” or connection with a young person through Facebook and then sending them sexually explicit images through the messenger services.
“It is children who are seeing images and we are urging parents and carers to pay close attention to their child’s use of social media and provide them with advice and guidance to ensure they remain safe online.
“Sharing our personal lives with friends and loved ones on social media can be fun and rewarding. However, if we don’t pay attention to the security of our social media profiles, it allows strangers to also have the exact same access.
“This is a criminal offence and any such reported incidents will be fully investigated.”
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of inappropriate messages received online please contact Cheshire Police on 101. Information can also be passed on anonymously via Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.
Cheshire Police is issuing the advice and guidance below to help stay safe online

• Never accept a friend request from somebody you have never met or do not know in person
• Check the security settings on all social media profiles and ensure they are set at the maximum level
• Parents and carers to sit down with children and young people and look through their friends list, deleting anyone who is not known to them or their child
• It is recommended children under the age of 13 do not use Facebook or similar social media

More advice on online protection for children and young people can be found at:
CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre)
Childline

Catering team receives gold award

 

The team from Cheshire East Council that provides meals to more than 100 schools has received a gold award.

This means that children in Cheshire East are eating food every day that meets the highest possible standards of the ‘food for life’ catering mark awarded by the Soil Association.

The gold catering mark measures every penny spent on ethical, environmentally-friendly and local ingredients and recognises healthy menus where at least 15 per cent of ingredients are organic.

The Council’s 400-strong catering staff prepare and cook more than 15,000 school meals a day in more than 100 schools across the Borough with flexible menus that cater for all tastes. 

The Council’s catering team delivers meals at a competitive price while remaining committed to making a vital contribution towards providing a healthy diet for the Borough’s schoolchildren.

Councillor Liz Durham, Cabinet member for children and families, said:  “My mother was a great school cook and and I have always championed the importance of a high standard of food in schools. In my 25-year career as a school governor, it is something that I have made and will continue to make a top priority.”

“A nutritious meal is so important to the health and academic performance of our children, enabling them to eat well and helping to ensure that they are able to achieve more.

“This gold award recognises all the hard work of the team in promoting the pleasure of growing, cooking and eating food prepared from fresh, sustainable and locally-sourced ingredients.”

“I wholeheartedly congratulate them on their achievement in placing good nutrition and the health of our children at the heart of their service.”

Evidence from the Food for Life Partnership shows that schools serving catering mark meals can expect to see a significant increase in school meal take-up.

For more information about Cheshire East Council’s catering service, visit: www.freshcateringservices.co.uk

Be Aware of Spoof Emails Claiming ‘Buyer Protection’

Subject: Be Aware of Spoof Emails Claiming ‘Buyer Protection’

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This is a message sent via Neighbourhood Watch. This information has been sent on behalf of Action Fraud (National Fraud Intelligence Bureau)

(Please do not reply or forward this email directly; please use the Reply, Share buttons at the bottom of this message)

Message sent by

Action Fraud (Action Fraud, Administrator, National)

Online shopping websites are being utilised by fraudsters to advertise vehicles for sale which do not exist. After agreeing to purchase the vehicle via email with the fraudsters, buyers then receive emails purporting to be from Amazon Payments and/or Amazon Flexible Payment Service stating that their money will be held in an ‘escrow account’ (a bank account held by a third party, used as a temporary holding account during a transaction between two parties- for a 7 day ‘cooling off’ period). Once happy with the purchase the email indicates the money will be released to the seller, therefore offering ‘buyer protection’. In reality these emails are fraudulent and do not come from Amazon. The bank accounts are controlled by fraudsters.
Protect yourself

• Remember that Amazon does not provide an escrow account to purchase items.
• Meet the seller ‘face to face’ and view the vehicle before parting with any money.
• Be vigilant of emails that purport to be from genuine companies and check the ‘domain’ name of the email address for any inconsistencies.
• Check feedback online by searching the associated phone numbers or email addresses of the seller.
• If the vehicle is below market value consider whether this is an opportunity too good to be true!
• If you, or anyone you know, have been affected by this fraud or any other scam, report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk.

The ‘37th World Worm Charming Championship’

Reporter Jonathan White, Wistaston

The ‘37th World Worm Charming Championship’ - http://www.wormcharming.com/ - took place on the afternoon of Saturday 25th June 2016 within the grounds of Willaston Primary Academy http://www.willastonprimaryacademy.co.uk/ , Derwent Close, Willaston, near Nantwich, Cheshire.

The Championship commenced at 2pm following an inspection of the plots by the International Federation of Charming Worms and Allied Pastimes (IFCWAP). Participants in each of the 144 plots had 30 minutes to collect as many worms as possible from their 3x3 metre plot. There were 'traditional' plots for two adults and two children and 'tag-team' plots for teams who wished to change their pairings throughout the charming period.

Techniques included vibrating a garden fork, whacking a tennis racquet and jumping up and down, whilst musical accompaniments included a saxophonist, a guitarist, a tambourine player and a drummer.

A World Worm Charming Championship certificate was awarded to official groundsman Winston Higham from Stoke-on-Trent.

The Chief Wormer's trophy was won by Mrs West for thirty-one years of worming. She has also been a teacher at Willaston Primary Academy for thirty-one years.

Most Promising Newcomer Award was won by the Fischer family, who are originally from Germany, in plot 7 with an impressive debut of 136 worms.

The Heaviest Worm trophy was won by Luke and Ashton in plot 22 with 4.79 grams.

The Championship trophy for Most Worms was won by Hope Smith from Willaston in plot 102 with 272 worms. Hope, who is a Year 5 pupil at Willaston Primary Academy and was competing in her sixth championship, said on collecting her trophy, “I am really happy to win.” Hope’s older sister - Sophie Smith - won in 2009 with a world record 567 worms, so the family are clearly talented worm charmers. Second place went to the Whiting family in plot 87 with 234 worms and third place went to last year’s winners The Caravan Club in plot 132 with 230 worms. The championship also included representatives from Holland, the Philippines, and India.

Event organiser Mike Forster gave his sincere thanks to all the volunteers and visitors for their continued support of the event.

Events in the playground and arena included singing from The Funky Choir and the Willaston Primary Academy Junior Choir, dancing by the X Academy of Performing Arts, and a performance from Cheshire Gymnastics. The arena and adjacent areas were surrounded by charity stalls, an inflatable slide and food and drink outlets. Charities represented included Cystic Fibrosis, Willaston Neighbourhood Plan, Cancer Research UK, Crewe and South Cheshire Voluntary Group of Diabetes UK, Keep Britain Tidy (Recycle Now) as well as Willaston Primary Academy.

The main sponsor was UHY Hacker Young chartered accountants http://www.uhy-uk.com/

The event took place in dry and sunny weather and was enjoyed by several hundred people.

I’ve uploaded my photos to a Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonathanawhite/albums/72157669667475371

Diabetes UK garden party

Reporter Jonathan White, Wistaston

Sheena & Ken Sambrook of the Crewe and South Cheshire Voluntary Group of Diabetes UK - http://crewe-and-south-cheshire.diabetesukgroup.org - are once again opening up their garden in Wistaston for a fund-raising Garden Party. The event will take place on Wednesday 13th July 2016, from 7pm, at their house at 6 Westfield Drive, Wistaston. Entrance is 50p and includes tea and biscuits. Strawberries & cream, cakes and jam will be available for sale. There will also be a prize draw. Please contact Ken for further information: Tel. 01270 662455.

Communities urged to join Council’s campaign to crack down on dog fouling

 

 

Macclesfield is the latest town to be targeted in Cheshire East Council’s ongoing crackdown on the anti-social nuisance of dog fouling.

The Council is spearheading a cross-community initiative to improve the behaviour of irresponsible dog owners.

One owner has already been issued with a fixed penalty notice for failing to clean up after her dog in the town’s South Park, which is popular with families and young people.

Known as ‘Dog Watch,’ the campaign includes a public presence on high streets across the Borough, to draw attention to the problem of dog fouling and to encourage a greater sense of responsibility on the part of owners who fail to clean up after their pets.  

The Council has set up a stall at the front of Park Royal School in Bond Street, Macclesfield, to highlight the nuisance of dog fouling in the Borough’s streets and open spaces.

Officers from the communities and enforcement teams are also talking to school children as part of an ongoing education strategy and have praised Park Royal School, where pupils have already put up a banner drawing attention to the nuisance and appealing to dog owners to take a responsible attitude.

The week-long campaign in Macclesfield, which follows a successful campaign in Congleton, highlights the serious health hazards from dog fouling and the importance of clearing up after pets.

It also seeks the support of communities in tackling the problem and is engaging with pet owners by offering a microchipping service and health check for canines. 

The Council will work in partnership with community groups, schools, sports clubs and businesses to spread the message. Similar events will take place around the Borough in the months ahead.

The Council’s community enforcement officers have been engaging with residents to discuss responsible dog ownership and the importance of cleaning up after their pets.

Councillor Paul Bates, Cabinet member for communities and health, said: “This is a concerted, ongoing campaign and I urge dog owners and other residents to support us in trying to rid our streets of this nuisance.

“We encourage all in the community to work together to free our town centres, residential areas, parks and open spaces from the anti-social nuisance of dog fouling.

“We have a minority of irresponsible owners who are discrediting the reputation of the majority. We share the frustrations of responsible dog owners and those affected by such irresponsible behaviour.

“As an enforcing and ‘residents first’ authority, Cheshire East Council is urging all dog owners to take a responsible attitude when exercising their pets and to make sure they clean up after their animals.

“Children in particular can be susceptible to diseases carried in dog faeces, so it is imperative that we seek the cooperation of the public and dog owners in trying to eradicate this dreadful nuisance.

“Some owners need to be reminded that there is a law allowing local councils to fine dog owners who fail to clean up after their pets and the fixed penalty is £50, with far higher fines possible if the owner is taken to court.

“The Council will be tough on residents and visitors to the Borough who selfishly cause issues for others by failing to clean up after their dog.”    

Residents, businesses and community groups can help to tackle this problem by reporting dog fouling on 0300 123 5021.

The Council will target specific areas, with high-visibility patrols, including areas popular with visitors from outside the Borough and will advise people on how to report offenders.

The ‘Dog Watch’ team will be moving on to other parts of the Borough in the weeks ahead.

Battle of the Somme commemorated in music and drama

 

Cheshire East Council is supporting a new piece of music, a film and a drama production to commemorate the battle of the Somme.

Cheshire East, in partnership with Crewe Town Council, has secured grant funding to commission a screening of the film ‘Where the fallen live forever’.

The funding also extended to commissioning PhD student Adam Shilton to produce a soundtrack for the film produced by Brass in the Blood productions – a community film company based in Cheshire. The film will be premiered at Crewe Lyceum Theatre on  July 2.

The film also has contributions from the First World War researcher Mark Potts. This multi-artist approach to the project brings further understanding and compassion to the audience about the battle.

The performance is based on the Bearpark family, from Crewe, who lost a number of family members at the Somme and is told from their experiences through song, dance and drama as well as having an original score from a brass concert band.

Adam Shilton is also working with the Cheshire Youth Theatre and the Co-op North West Concert Band.

Councillor Paul Bates, Cheshire East Council’s Cabinet member for communities and health, said: “It’s wonderful to see a significant event in British history commemorated in this way and I am delighted that we have been able to fund these very talented artists to allow them to work collaboratively.”

Prior to the premiere at the Crewe Lyceum Theatre, there will be other commemorative events in Crewe. These include a candlelit vigil on the memorial square on June 30 which will feature a reading of poems, letters and prayers.

On July 1, there will also be a service on memorial square where local schools will read out the names of the 87 who gave their lives during the battle.

As the names are read out, children will place a cross or a poppy on the green space opposite the Royal British Legion shop in a shape of a cross.

To purchase tickets for the premiere of  ‘Where the fallen live forever’ at the Lyceum Theatre please visit: http://ow.ly/QFRi301rlDc Tickets are £10.

Cheshire East ‘best in the North West’ for physical activity

 

Cheshire East residents are the most physically active in the North West region, according to a new survey.

The annual Active People Survey results have just been released and residents in Cheshire East came top of the tree – part of a picture that shows that significant improvements are being made nationally in getting people more active.

For people aged 16 and above there has been a more than 5.5 per cent rise since 2005 in those taking part in physical activities. This figure now stands at 42.7 per cent.

Councillor Paul Bates, Cheshire East Council Cabinet member for communities and health, said: “It is a key priority for the Council to ensure that our communities are given every opportunity to improve their physical wellbeing and stay healthy.

“These figures confirm that, as a Borough, we are doing extremely well in this respect. However, I realise that there is still much work to do. This is a great achievement but it’s just the beginning of improvements for residents in Cheshire East.”

Andrew Kolker, chairman of Everybody Sport and Recreation, who operate leisure services on behalf of the council said: “The latest figures from the Active People Survey put Cheshire East firmly on the map for increasing participation in sport and physical activity.

“Everybody participation numbers have grown from 2.7 million in 2014 to more than 2.85 million last year, a six per cent increase in our community taking part in healthy recreation. These figures show the commitment we have taken to encourage and support our community to get active.  

“Our Everybody Healthy Lifestyle programme during 2015 saw 165 people go from being inactive to active. Since May 2015, we have supported volunteers to achieve over 6,000 volunteer hours delivering sport and physical activity in the community.

“Our partnership with Cheshire East Council has enabled us to provide significant investment in our facilities and show our commitment to assessing the needs of our customers.”

For further information on the survey results please visit: https://www.sportengland.org/research/who-plays-sport/local-picture/

Police investigate Council after Vote REMAIN, Green Party leaflets are displayed on Council noticeboard.

 

UKIP Councillor Brian Silvester has asked the Police to investigate the Cheshire East Council after three Green Party leaflets were placed in the Council notice board in the centre of Crewe,next to Marks and Spencers.

He said ,"This breaks at least two laws.Council facilities should not be used to influence the way people vote.Secondly,we are currently in the purdah period for the EU Referendum and the Council is legally bound to comply with that.

Cheshire East Council are counting the votes in the referendum and they must not be seen to be favouring one side over another.

Cheshire East have form in using Council facilities for party political purposes.The infamous 'Tweetgate' is just one example.

Below are the responses from the Police and attached is one of the leaflets.

This is not the first time that I have had to complain about this noticeboard being used inappropriately. http://www.crewenews.net/2015/08/has-cheshire-east-been-hijacked-by.html

Simon Byrne ‏@CheshirePolCC 48s48 seconds ago

@CllrBSilvester Thanks for flagging this up. This will be assessed and I will respond when I have further details

Simon Byrne ‏@CheshirePolCC 1m1 minute ago

@CllrBSilvester Thanks, this has been passed to our Economic Crime Unit who manage election issues. An update will be sent in due course

Cllr Brian Silvester

UKIP Councillor

Tel 07760147609