Shop Doctor’s health check for Cheshire East retailers

Village stores and town shops in Cheshire East will soon get a home visit from the doctor!

Bill Smith, the self-styled ‘Shop Doctor’, will give his diagnosis on any issues which are causing a headache for traders and also identify business opportunities.

Bill, who has a wealth of experience of working to help traders of all shapes and sizes, is available to all rural villages in Cheshire East.

He is also offering his services to independent retailers in Nantwich, Sandbach and Middlewich, where there are six places available in each town.

Councillor Jamie Macrae, Cabinet member with responsibility for prosperity, said: “Cheshire East Council will be using the expertise of the Shop Doctor to deliver a small number of one-to-one sessions and we hope that our businesses will take up this excellent opportunity.

“He will meet with the proprietors to identify key issues and discuss practical opportunities within the business for encouraging retail vitality and developing profitability.

“Cheshire East Council is committed to working with businesses to boost the economy and this support we are offering, in partnership with Bill, will help businesses increase customer spend, enhance visual impact, maximise display space and improve profit.”

Following the pre-booked appointments, each retailer will receive a ‘prescription’ report summarising issues and solutions identified during the consultation.

Nantwich retailers will receive their visits on March 22, Sandbach will be on March 23 and Middlewich on March 24.

The village shop sessions will be held on April 5, 6, 12 and 14 with the Shop Doctor visiting two shops per day on each of these days.

In addition, Bill will give a presentation to summarise the key points at a Shop Doctor masterclass, which will be held on March 23, at the Ramada Encore hotel, on Crewe Business Park, from 6.15pm-9.30pm. This is open to all businesses.

Appointments for all events are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

For the town events, contact business engagement co-ordinator Jacqueline Wilson on 01270 685911 or email: jacqueline.wilson@cheshireeast.gov.uk

For more information on the village events, call Gaynor Bowen-Jones on 07824 599135 or email: gaynor.bowen-jones@cheshireeast.gov.uk before the end of February.

Lyceum Square Café

The Crewe Local Area Partnership (LAP) is joining forces with community groups in Crewe to make the most of an empty building in Lyceum Square.

The Lyceum Square café is due to open soon, but before it does, the site has been given over to a one-stop shop, offering a variety of free activities and information sessions.

Some of the sessions on offer over the coming weeks include:

• Friday, February 18, PCSOs Paula Davies and Charlotte Pound holding a police drop-in surgery;
• Saturday, February 19, the Valley Gap Community Group promoting their work and how to get involved;
• Monday, February 21, the Council’s Streetscape and Local Engagement Teams promoting the Crewe Clean Team, ward walks, art activity and area assemblies; and
• Friday, February 25, people will be able to find out more about the upcoming Census and advice on how to complete it.

The drop-in promotional stall will be running until Saturday, February 26.

Councillor Jamie Macrae, Cabinet member with responsibility for prosperity, said: “This is an excellent scheme offering a variety of groups in south Cheshire a platform to promote their work and activities free of charge.

“This is a prime example of the Council working with others to deliver for the residents of Cheshire East.”

Councillor Margaret Martin, ward member for Crewe East, said: ““There is a wide variety of organisations involved and I hope that people will drop in and see if there is anything of interest to them.”

Step into Cheshire’s past this April

 

One of the region’s most popular archaeology events returns to Cheshire East this year, bigger and better than ever.

The Cheshire Archaeology Day will take place on Saturday, April 9, at Winsford Lifestyle Centre, in Winsford, Cheshire.  

The popular event, which returns after a two-year break, is organised by Cheshire East Council and Cheshire West and Chester Council, and is supported by Middlewich Town Council, the Cheshire Local History Association and the Chester Archaeological Society.     

This year’s packed programme includes a presentation by renowned archaeologist Dr Kevin Leahy from the Portable Antiquities Scheme, who will speak about the famous Staffordshire Hoard – the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found.

There will also be educational talks on local history themes, such as Cheshire’s once thriving salt industry and the Middlewich brine pump and shaft - the only intact pump over an original shaft left in Britain. 

Visitors will have the chance to view and handle Mediaval, Roman and post-Roman pottery and find out more about their origin. Books on local history will also be available for sale.

Councillor Jamie Macrae, Cabinet member with responsibility for prosperity, said: “The authority always strives to work with local partners to improve community life and offer educational yet fun events for all the family.

“Cheshire has a long history of archaeological research and conservation so it’s really good that we get to show it off in this way.”

Councillor Rachel Bailey, heritage champion for Cheshire East, commented: “The family event has lots on offer this year, with presentations on local history and a chance to handle authentic Roman and Mediaval relics.  It will be a fantastic event to

stimulate young minds.”

Tickets will cost £12 and £10 for concessions. Booking forms will be available from local libraries, museums and online at www.cheshireeast.gov.uk from late February to early March. Email Archaeology@cheshireeast.gov.uk for more information.   

New affordable housing level for Cheshire East developments

 

Housing developers looking to build in Cheshire East will soon be expected to meet new affordable housing requirements.

The authority currently uses three separate provisions for affordable housing, which were previously set by the former borough councils of Congleton, Macclesfield and Crewe and Nantwich.

Now, Cheshire East Council is looking to introduce a borough-wide requirement of a minimum of 30 per cent affordable housing provision which house builders must adhere to. It is estimated that over 1,200 additional affordable homes per year are needed in Cheshire East over the next four years.

The ‘interim planning statement on affordable housing’ is intended to be in place until Cheshire East’s Local Development Framework is adopted by 2013. The LDF will remain until 2030.

Councillor Jamie Macrae, Cabinet member with responsibility for prosperity, said: “Cheshire East has inherited three different planning policies for affordable housing from the local plans of the previous authorities.

“During the past 12 to 18 months, developers have increasingly sought to provide a significantly lower level of affordable housing on sites where they argue it is not viable, in light of the economic downturn.

“There is a lack of a clear framework for evaluating such issues, which is why this interim planning statement is very important. We are well aware that we are under increasing pressure to deliver affordable housing in many forms and to grow and develop a sustainable Cheshire East.”

The interim planning statement is intended to provide updated guidance on affordable housing provision and to ensure consistency when negotiating that provision. It will be used when determining planning applications and appeals.

Crewe and Nantwich and Congleton areas currently both seek a minimum of 30 per cent affordable housing and Macclesfield is 25 per cent.

The interim planning statement was discussed at Cabinet on Monday where members were unanimously in support. It is now set to be approved by full Council on February 24.

‘WEEE’ road show coming to a town near you

 

A new campaign to encourage local residents to take their small waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) along to local recycling centres is taking to the road. 

The ‘Don’t bin it, bring it’ campaign, which is being run between Cheshire East Council, Cheshire West and Chester Council and the UK’s largest not-for-profit producer compliance scheme, REPIC, will be touring town centres in Cheshire East throughout February.  

Small WEEE items include anything that has a plug or is powered by batteries, such as irons and toasters. These items contain various metals and materials that are precious and can be recycled.

Not only will visitors to the road shows learn about types of items that can be recycled, they will also get a chance to enter a prize draw for a Wii console.

Details of the ‘Don’t bin it, bring it’ road shows in Cheshire East are as follows:

· Sandbach Market, in Sandbach, on Thursday, February 17

· Congleton Town Centre, in Congleton, on Friday, February 18

· Macclesfield Town Square, in Macclesfield, on Saturday, February 19

· Booth’s Supermarket, in Knutsford, on Monday, February 21

· Crewe Town Square, in Crewe, on Tuesday, February 22

· Nantwich Town Square, in Nantwich, on Wednesday, February 23

To be in with a chance of winning a Wii console, simply visit one of the road shows listed above and ask a representative for more information.

Councillor Rod Menlove from Cheshire East Council said: “When it comes to electrical or electronic equipment, we’re in the habit of recycling larger items like washing machines, but as for smaller items, a third of us still throw them in the bin. It’s been reported that we all have three old, broken or unwanted small electrical items lying about our homes, and the aim of this road show is to help raise awareness of how and where to recycle these items.”

Dr Philip Morton, CEO of REPIC, commented: “Cheshire East has already demonstrated outstanding levels of collection and recycling for household waste, so encouraging residents to take their end-of-life electronic equipment to designated collection points is the next step.

“The legislation which sets UK WEEE recycling targets has been in force for around four years now, and the targets we need to achieve as a nation will continue to increase as

time goes on. Therefore, it is important that people can easily identify which household items need to be recycled and where residents can take their unwanted equipment.”

If you want to find out more about what you can recycle and where you can recycle it, please visit www.recyclenow.com.

REPIC works with the Council’s to responsibly recycle Cheshire residents’ end-of-life electrical and electronic goods (everything from kettles and toasters, to fridges and TVs). For more information on REPIC, please visit www.repic.co.uk

West St Floods

In West St people will soon be getting a fishing licence as there is so much water flooding the roads and pavements

The above is the scene outside the late shop today you can see its dangerous as cars can aquaplane on that much water and pedestrians often get soaked as cars go past. Its like a lake stretching to Derby St.

Out side Morris bike shop things are worse as here the pavement is also underwater and if you step into the road the water goes over your shoes. You will note that the floods match up the the disabled crossing points for blind people. and they shouldn't be put into this position were they will get soaked or hurt.

 

A bit further down West St and the problem is the same with big floods. It doesnt take very much rain to cause this. Lots of streets in Crewe suffer like outside Santander in the town. What makes West St different its not long ago that over £44000 was spent doing up the street with new pavements and road. The contractors have clearly failed to do a proper job on this and have set the angles wrong so the water doesnt drain away and most of it is in the disabled bits. I feel sure they should be made to come back and correct the cockup.

When will the council sort out all these flooded areas further down West st on the corner of Frank Webb the pavement floods every time we have rain and also opposite the off licence further down. I expect a lot of Crewe is suffering so lets get complaining 

BT Put lives in Danger

Down West St and the corner of Glover St the BT ducting has collapsed and there are dangerous holes in the pavement like the one above. You can see its not just a small hole but a very deep hole if you fell into it you could do some serious damage. The hole in West St has been there for some time and is only covered by the fence which can easily blow about and away from the hole. Despite the hole being reported BT haven't made any effort to make this hole safe. Lets hope they do it before someone is seriously hurt.

Cheshire East to exercise increased control over homes plans

 

A new policy which will allow Cheshire East Council to exercise more control over potential new housing developments is set to be adopted.

This will help to manage the release of housing land to ensure there is a steady supply over the next five years – but with stringent new guidelines for incoming applications.

All new schemes will require that new housing should be energy efficient, contain 35 per cent of affordable homes and make contributions to highways development, alongside additional community benefits.

The interim policy will be kept in place until further sites are allocated for new homes in the development plan for Cheshire East – the Local Development Framework.

Councillor Jamie Macrae, Cabinet member with responsibility for prosperity, said: “The Council is faced with a statutory requirement to ensure there is a minimum of five year’s supply of land for housing development.

“Without the interim policy, the authority would run the risk of developers seeking permission on greenfield sites around towns and villages.

“This is all part of our key objective to grow and develop a sustainable Cheshire East.”

Once the policy is formally adopted, the Council will seek to deliver a minimum of 1,150 new homes annually.

The interim policy will focus land release for new developments in places such as Crewe, outside the Green Gap – supporting Cheshire East’s commitment to the future of the town and the Crewe Vision.

The redevelopment of previously developed land within settlements for mixed uses, including housing, will also be encouraged.

The policy relates directly to an interim affordable housing statement which is also set to be adopted.

Towns and parishes were consulted on the policy between November and December last year and councillors will discuss it at a Cabinet meeting on Monday. A final decision on the adoption of the policy will be made at a full Council meeting on February 24.

Clear Out Day in Crewe this Saturday

 

Residents in the west end of Crewe will have their chance to throw out any unwanted waste items this Saturday (February 12).

Cheshire East Council’s Streetscape team will be collecting all rubbish at various pick-up zones from 8am until 1pm on Clear Out Day.

A number of areas will be designated pickup zones for residents to drop off unwanted waste items. These will be cleared during the day.

This is the first of a series of clear out days to be completed in other parts of Crewe in the coming weeks (dates TBA).

Rubbish should be left at the following collection points:

• Samuel Street sub-station – in front of the doors
• Richard Street collection point – rear of church on West Street (side of 12 Richard Street)
• Junction of West Avenue and Samuel Street – by the trees in front of 53 West Avenue
• Rear of church, Adelaide Street, on grass area by garage site
• Side of 2 Rigg Street – onto West Street
• Rigg Street car park in front of 1-8 Ellesmere Place (side of 67 Rigg Street)
• Walker Street – junction of Derby Street – by litter and dog bin.

The Crewe Local Area Partnership (LAP) is coordinating the event with the commitment and assistance of local partners including 3Cs, the probation service and Streetscape.

Vigilant library staff seize computer eavesdropping devices

 

Cheshire East Council has called in the police after eavesdropping devices were found on public computers in two of its libraries.

Vigilant council staff spotted the small ‘key logger’ snooping devices attached to computer keyboard sockets at the back of two computers used by the public in Wilmslow Library and one in Handforth Library.

The small devices, which look like USB flash drives, are legal but may be used illegally to snoop on users’ personal communication by recording every keystroke made – including potentially-sensitive material, like bank or credit card details.

Alert library staff seized two key loggers and handed them over to police, who are now investigating. A third device, spotted in the back of a computer in Wilmslow Library, disappeared before a supervisor could confiscate it.

The Council has now checked all its public computers in libraries and customer service points for key loggers and no more have been found.

ICT security has also been beefed up by having more frequent checks of equipment and ensuring all computer keyboards are now plugged into the front of machines –making any attempt at eavesdropping much more visible and preventable.

Councillor Andrew Knowles, Cabinet member with responsibility for health and wellbeing, said: “Keeping library users’ personal details and communications private and secure is of paramount importance to Cheshire East Council. We take this matter very seriously indeed and are now awaiting police reports on their findings.

“The vigilance and swift actions of our staff is to be commended but we will not be complacent. We will take all practical steps necessary to protect people’s privacy and personal details and I urge the public to help us by being vigilant and sensible when using public computers at all times.

“If users have any concerns, they should alert our staff immediately.”

The interception of communications without lawful authorisation is a breach of section one of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

Cheshire police spokesman Inspector Matt Welsted said: “I’m grateful to the library staff for their vigilance and encourage all holders of public access computer equipment to follow their lead.

“This is an example of how criminals have changed over the years to take advantage of technology and social trends.

“The good news is that incidents such as these are still very rare and easily prevented. If you think something is suspicious, then challenge it and tell us about it.”

If you are concerned that your personal details may have been illegally used or taken, contact Cheshire police on 0845 4580000.

High Winds Close Crewe Market:

The fire service out side the church on West st as they close the road

High wind blow down the old ice cream factory in Underwood Lane. On Nantwich road the Royal Hotel stop the traffic as a sign comes loose just some of the devastation that took part in todays high winds

A spokesman for Cheshire East Council said: “Crewe’s indoor market was closed today to protect the safety of traders and the public because of the risk posed by the high winds.

“Two short wooden boards from scaffolding on the roof of the adjoining Municipal Buildings blew off onto the roof of the market this morning shortly before 11am.

“No one was hurt and the roof was not damaged. However, a decision was quickly taken to close the market on the grounds of safety to traders and the public. The market will remain closed until this risk has been removed and the wind has died down sufficiently.

“Four workers from subcontractors responsible for the scaffolding are currently on site ensuring all scaffolding is secure. They will remain there to monitor and maintain safety throughout the day.

“Council staff are also on hand to explain the situation to the public and keep them away from the market.”

Road Safety Improvement At Busy Road Junction Welcomed.

 

Borough Councillors for Shavington have welcomed the the extension of double yellow lines at the junction of Chestnut Avenue and Crewe Road. (See attached below)

Julian Goodier Page, Prospective Conservative Candidate for Shavington, said," This is a busy junction and cars parked either side of it  reduce the visibility to see oncoming traffic. The extended double yellow lines will make it safer for vehicles pulling out of Chestnut Avenue onto the busy Crewe Road." 

Cllr Brian Silvester said," This  was pressed for by the Parish Council and the Borough Councillors for Shavington, Cllrs Simon, Westwood and myself, adopted it as a priority. This improvement is long overdue and will be appreciated by local residents." Cllr Simon said," We worked with the Parish Council and Cheshire East Highways Officers to achieve these extra safety measures at the Chestnut Avenue junction and I welcome them."

Local Residents Win Fight Against Proposed Telephone Mast In Shavington

Shavington Borough Councillors Margaret Simon and Brian Silvester  and Prospective Conservative Candidate for Shavington, Julian Goodier Page supported local residents in their campaign against a proposed telephone mast in Shavington and are pleased that it has been withdrawn by the applicants Vodaphone. (See attached details)

Prospective Conservative Candidate for Shavington, Julian Goodier Page said," It was to be almost 50ft high on the edge of the main Crewe Road into Shavington and would have stuck out like a sore thumb at the entrance to the Cheshire Cheese Public House. A mast like this needs to be somewhere where it is less visible and less dominant to the street scene. The proposed siting was totally unacceptable.

Cllr. Silvester said," We had informed the Planning Officers that we would 'call in' the application so it would have been decided by the Cheshire East Southern Planning Committee. Thankfully this will no longer be necessary. I now call upon Vodaphone to find a more suitable site where it would not be so visibly intrusive."

Cllr Brian Silvester Tel 01270 567757

MP’s 76th electronic news bulletin

Welcome ...

Welcome to this my 76th electronic news bulletin.

This last week saw the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies backing the Government's strategy for cutting the deficit.

The IFS report made it clear that the Government should resist calls to loosen fiscal policy. The IFS also said the Government's plan to deal with the deficit in the current parliament is 'a sensible strategy' and 'should be more credible with international investors' than Labour's slower plan.

The week has also been witness to dramatic scenes in Egypt. The Government has been clear about the need for a transition to a broader-based Government that will produce real, visible and comprehensive change. President Mubarak has made some proposals to the Egyptian people but ultimately the real test will be whether the aspirations of the Egyptian people are met. One thing we can be sure of is that the eyes of the world are watching.

Closer to home I have been encouraged by the dramatic risen in employer-led Apprenticeships in our area during the last year. I will write more on that next week, but it follows the good news about the fall locally in Job Seekers Allowance claimants I wrote about in my column recently.

Please remember, you can always contact me directly if you have any questions for me.

You can forward the bulletin on to your friends and family, who can sign up themselves by clicking here for my website.

Best wishes,

Edward Timpson
Member of Parliament for Crewe & Nantwich

back to top

I have recently ...

• Held a Constituency Surgery at my office in Crewe
• Helped launch an information poster for the homeless in Crewe & Nantwich with local volunteer group, Looking After The Homeless
• Supported a locally inspired national fundraising walk for Help For Heroes. To find out how you can join in with as well as sponsor the walk please contact: Glenn Lowe - glennlowe579@btinternet.com
• Supported our local newspaper, the Crewe & Nantwich Chronicle with their new campaign supporting the community
• Met with Cheshire Police Constabulary, with fellow Cheshire MPs, to discuss how we can support the police services across the county
• Attended a Heart UK reception in Parliament, to raise awareness of heart disease and early treatment
• Attended the British Airline Pilots Association in Parliament where I met with a commercial airline pilot from Crewe & Nantwich to help support the British aviation industry
• Visited Hackney Children's Services in London, as part of my cross-party inquiry with Lisa Nandy MP, into the educational attainment of Looked After Children

back to top

Photos & Video ...

• Edward supports Cancer Research campaign in Parliament

You can view all my photos and video at edwardtimpsonmp.com

back to top

MP raises Crewe nurseries closure in the House of Commons

Crewe and Nantwich Chronicle

THE plight of families who lost their deposits when three Crewe nurseries closed with less than 24 hours notice has ben raised in the Commons.

Families who paid for childcare at Pebble Brook, Underwood West and Monks Coppenhall daycare centres were left holding the baby after Excellence in Crewe, which ran them, went into administration. Many lost large deposits as well as childcare places when the nurseries closed.

Now Crewe and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson has highlighted the issue during Business Questions.

He told the House: “Many families lost fees and deposits and had major disruption to their child care arrangements when the company running them went bust.”

He asked Leader of the House Sir George Young if the matter could be addressed to ensure better protection for families.

“May we have a debate to discuss how parents can be better protected, rather than being left exposed?”

Sir George said he would raise the issue with the relevant ministers.

Meanwhile parents have vowed to continue their fight to get back cash they had paid in advance.

Mum Belinda Canney is nearly £800 out of pocket and has moved her children to a nursery at Wistaston.

Her friend Nicola Heath said: “One of the parents went to a creditors’ meeting on Friday and we’re trying to get preferential creditors’ status.”

She added parents could not afford to lose money they had paid upfront and were meeting again tomorrow to see how best to progress the matter.

Meanwhile many of the staff who worked at the three nurseries are still seeking alternative employment after losing their jobs on Christmas Eve with one day’s notice.

One said she was still trying to come to terms with the devastation of losing her job at such short notice

© 2011 Trinity Mirror North West and North Wales Ltd.

back to top

Crewe and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson praises family support scheme

Crewe and Nantwich Chronicle

CREWE and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson held a special surgery at Malbank School for parents and carers of vulnerable children.

Mr Timpson attended the Nantwich school’s weekly Chatterbox Club, which offers support, guidance and advice to the families of the children, together with craft activities and seasonal workshops.

A pilot scheme last year proved successful and now the school wants to offer families a wider variety of support and activities.

The MP was on hand to talk to children and parents about a range of subjects and answer any questions they may have had.

He also learnt about the wider engagement the group has with the local community, including visits to Richmond Village to provide companionship to residents there.

Mr Timpson said: “I was made to feel really welcome by the parents, children and staff, and enjoyed getting stuck into some personal and political issues in equal measure with the toughest questions coming from the younger element!

“It was obvious how much all those involved get out of the club both in terms of self confidence and social interaction.”

© 2011 Trinity Mirror North West and North Wales Ltd.

back to top

Crewe and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson backs radiotherapy awareness campaign

Crewe and Nantwich Chronicle

CREWE and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson voiced his support for action on radiotherapy at an awareness-raising Cancer Research UK event in Parliament.

The event coincided with a Government initiative to improve the public’s understanding of the importance of radiotherapy.

Mr Timpson heard how radiotherapy has a bigger impact on curing cancers each year than all the new drugs put together.

The charity said a lack of awareness about radiotherapy’s importance is seriously hindering effective treatment in the UK.

Mr Timpson said: “Only 14% of UK people are aware that half of all cancer patients could benefit from radiotherapy.

“I’m concerned the UK is lagging behind other countries in making newer, more targeted radiotherapy technologies available to everyone.

“We need to work with the NHS and organisations like Cancer Research UK to tackle the inequalities in radiotherapy treatment in this country and make the service amongst the best in Europe.”

© 2011 Trinity Mirror North West and North Wales Ltd.

back to top

MP quizzes health boss on South Cheshire ambulance services

Crewe and Nantwich Chronicle

CREWE and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson has quizzed Government bosses over the future of local ambulance services under the proposed NHS shake-up.

Mr Timpson, with Nantwich politicians and residents, has long been campaigning for better services for the town.

In response to Mr Timpson’s questions, Health Minister Simon Burns said:Š“Ambulance services will be commissioned through the GP consortia at the local level.

“What I think will develop is that just as ambulance services are currently commissioned for geographical areas in England through one Primary Care Trust, the consortia will appoint lead consortia to commission the services for that area.”

Speaking afterwards Mr Timpson said:Š“We may have won the battle in Nantwich, but the process really brought home to me the fact that it’s local people on the ground who know what’s best for their area.

“I’m pleased that the new Government is recognising that directing everything through Whitehall is not the answer.

“It’s local people and GPs, who can see the outcomes, who should be making the decisions.”

© 2011 Trinity Mirror North West and North Wales Ltd.

back to top

Words from Westminster

Edward Timpson, Crewe and Nantwich Chronicles

Amidst all the discussion of the nation’s economy this week, there’s been some good news for locally.

New statistics show that the number of people claiming Jobseekers allowance in our area is at its lowest in two years with 2,095 people are claiming the out of work benefit in Crewe and Nantwich. This is down from a high of over 2,600 in February 2010.

This means that only 3.2% of working age residents are claiming, a statistic which compares favourably to the North West at 3.9%, as well as the national average of 3.5%.

Crewe and Nantwich people have always been resilient in the face of hardship, and these figures show just how determined people are to stay in the job market, as well as reflecting the stability of the local economy.

According to our local Chamber of Commerce, our region is continuing to see growth and job creation despite recent uncertainty over the cuts and the New Year’s tax rises made necessary by the absolute need to pay down the UK’s critical levels of debt.

These are difficult times, and although there is no room for complacency, jobs are still there for hard-working people.

Round here people have never been afraid to roll up their sleeves and get on with life, so it’s great to see them getting back to work and showing that Crewe and Nantwich are very much open for business.

© 2011 Trinity News North West and North Wales

back to top

Edward Timpson MP Visits Malbank School In Nantwich

Crewe and Nantwich Guardian

CREWE and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson held a special surgery at Nantwich's Malbank School last week for the parents and carers of vulnerable children.

Mr Timpson attended the school’s weekly Chatterbox Club, which offers support, guidance and advice to the families of the children, together with craft activities, seasonal workshops, and time for sharing life experiences over coffee and cake.

A pilot scheme last year proved successful and now the school wants to offer families a wider variety of support and activities.

The MP was on hand to talk to children and parents about a wide variety of subjects.

He also learnt about the wider engagement the group has with the local community, including visits to Richmond Village to provide companionship to residents there.

Mr Timpson said: “I was made to feel really welcome by the parents, children and staff, and enjoyed getting stuck into some personal and political issues in equal measure with the toughest questions coming from the younger element!

“It was obvious how much all those involved get out of the club both in terms of self confidence and social interaction.”

© 2001-2011 Newsquest Media Group

back to top

Health Minister quizzed on NHS changes for ambulance service

Nantwichnews

Nantwich MP Edward Timpson has quizzed Health Minister Simon Burns on what the new restructuring of the NHS means for local ambulance services.

It comes after a long-runnung battle to allow Nantwich’s First Responder to retain blue lights, and to ensure extra ambulance cover for Nantwich and its rural surrounding villages.

Mr Timpson asked how the commissioning of ambulance services would work under the new GP commissioning regime.

Mr Burns said: “Ambulance services will be commissioned through the GP consortia at the local level.

“What I think will develop is that, just as ambulance services are currently commissioned for geographical areas in England through one PCT, the consortia will appoint lead consortia to commission the services for that area.”

Mr Timpson said: “We may have won the battle in Nantwich, but the process really brought home to me the fact it’s local people on the ground who know what’s best for their area.

“I’m pleased the new Government is recognising that directing everything through Whitehall is not the answer. It’s local people and GPs, who can see the outcomes, who should be making the decisions.”

© 2011 Nantwichnews

back to top

MP Timpson praises Malbank School Chatterbox Club

Nantwichnews

MP Edward Timpson held a special surgery at Malbank School in Nantwich for parents and carers of vulnerable children.

Mr Timpson attended the school’s weekly “Chatterbox Club” which offers support, guidance and advice to the families of the children.

It also stages craft activities, seasonal workshops, and time for sharing life experiences over coffee and cake.

A pilot scheme last year proved successful and now the Welsh Row school wants to expand the support and activities available to parents.

Mr Timpson spoke to children and parents about a wide variety of subjects and answered questions.

He also learnt about the group’s work in Nantwich, including visits to Richmond Village to provide companionship to elderly residents.

Mr Timpson said: “I was made to feel really welcome by the parents, children and staff.

“I enjoyed getting stuck into some personal and political issues in equal measure with the toughest questions coming from the younger element!

“It was obvious how much all those involved get out of the club both in terms of self confidence and social interaction.”

© 2011 Nantwichnews

back to top

Weston Primary's Chinese Links

Crewe and Nantwich Guardian

WESTON Village Primary School in Crewe welcomed local MP Edward Timpson last week to tell him about a special project they are taking part in with a school in China.

The Crewe and Nantwich MP met with head teacher Barbara Mitchell and governors to learn about the school’s new link with a school in Xi’an in China.

A short presentation and exhibition had been prepared about the Local Education Authority visit to China, and about the mutual benefits of forging links with schools in other countries.

The project aims to widen children’s experiences of different cultures and to appreciate and understand the diversity in societies both at home and abroad.

Mr Timpson also met Jan Webb, a teacher at the school who has received national and international recognition for her work in establishing such projects.

Mr Timpson said: "Since my last visit to Weston Village Primary they have clearly been working hard on developing close links sit countries right across the world.

“The potential benefits to the pupils are huge, whether it be by improving their geographical, linguistic and cultural knowledge or simply giving them a connection with a child the other side of the globe.

“Congratulations must go to Jan Webb for incredible achievements in setting up one of the recognised best projects of this kind in the world.”

© 2001-2011 Newsquest Media Group

back to top

Concerns over Crewe nursery closures raised by MP Edward Timpson in House of Commons

Crewe and Nantwich Chronicle

CREWE and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson has highlighted the plight in the House of Commons of local families who lost cash and childcare places when three nurseries closed.

Parents who paid for childcare at Pebble Brook, Underwood West and Monks Coppenhall daycare centres in Crewe were left out of pocket and without childcare when Excellence in Crewe, which ran them, went into administration.

Speaking in the House of Commons last week Mr Timpson asked Leader of the House Sir George Young for a debate in Parliament to ensure better protection for families.

Sir George pledged to raise the matter with ministers at the Department for Business.

© 2011 Trinity Mirror North West and North Wales Ltd.

back to top

Spectacular scenes in Nantwich for Holly Holy Day celebrations

Crewe and Nantwich Chronicle

Spectacular scenes in Nantwich for Holly Holy Day celebrations

CANNON booms and musket fire filled the air in Nantwich on Saturday with the traditional Holly Holy Day celebrations.

Hundreds of troops from the Sealed Knot Society marched through the town and descended on Mill Island for the annual Battle of Nantwich re-enactment, watched by thousands of spectators.

The town had been bustling with street entertainment and educational tours in the run-up to the event, which organisers say was as good as it’s ever been.

Holly Holy Day Society chairman Shaun Cafferty said: “There were no significant hitches, the weather was reasonable and attendances were about the same as last year, which was a record year.

“Traders in the town said business was well up and a lot had put on special events or food which added to the ambience. It’s good that we gave them something they could take advantage of and they responded.

“The crowd was easy to manage this year. We’d worked on getting people on to Mill Island quicker when the battle gets going, and we’re indebted to the Rotary Clubs of Nantwich and Crewe and Nantwich Weaver for their help with stewarding.”

Crewe and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson is a long-standing patron of the event.

He said: “I’m delighted that Holly Holy Day was such a success. This is good news for Nantwich people and Nantwich businesses.

“It’s great that our unique cultural offering can be so supportive of the local economy while keeping Nantwich on the map.”

As well as the parade and battle, there were performances by X Academy and Nantwich Players in the town centre, a Punch and Judy show, a children’s entertainer and 17th Century entertainment, including music and a musketry demonstration.

And plans for next year’s event will begin in just a few weeks when the Holly Holy Day society meets again.

Mr Cafferty said: “We’ll have a meeting in a few weeks and decide what worked and what could be improved for next year.

“A lot of people think Cheshire East or the town council pay for this event, but while we do get grant money from the town council, it’s the public turning up and paying and the input from local businesses that makes sure we can continue to stage this event each year.

“Next year it’s the 40th year of continual celebration of Holly Holy Day so we’ll try and turn that into a bit of a bigger show.”

Saturday was the first Holly Holy Day since the death of stalwart Melvyn Reynolds last year.

Mr Cafferty added: “It was nice for Melvyn in the last couple of years. He did a gradual handover and there were several years when he was ‘Mr Holly Holy Day’. He had to do everything himself at one point.

“Without him there wouldn’t have been that continuity and last year he had the luxury of enjoying the event without worrying about anything, and I’m glad we were able to give him that.”

© 2011 Trinity Mirror North West and North Wales Ltd

back to top

5 ways to contact Edward Timpson

• By email: timpsone@parliament.uk
• On the web: edwardtimpsonmp.com
• By phone: 01270 501 725
• By post: 30 Victoria Street, Crewe CW1 2JE
• In person: Click here to see surgery times

Cheshire East flies the flag to help secure overseas investment and boost local jobs

 

A senior Cheshire East Official made a flying visit to the Middle East to help secure a £40m investment which would create new employment opportunities for the Borough and safeguard many more existing jobs.

John Nicholson, the Council’s Strategic Director, Places, attended a crucial meeting in Jordan with a major investor to help seal the potentially-lucrative deal.

The meeting in Jordan’s capital, Amman, was also attended by Minister for Business and Enterprise Mark Prisk and senior officers from Government trade agency UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), who organised the visit.

It is hoped that the meeting will result in investment in Cheshire East, creating about 50 new jobs and safeguarding even more. 

The visit also included discussions about other possible investment opportunities involving Cheshire East firms.

Cheshire East Council was asked to send a representative to the vital meeting in Amman (on Tuesday, February 1) to help provide a ‘local’ perspective to the investment opportunity, including providing an understanding of why this is a good place to invest and explain the role played by the Council.

Councillor Jamie Macrae, Cabinet member with responsibility for prosperity, said: “This is a really significant business opportunity that could secure tens of millions of pounds of investment in Cheshire East and create or secure more than 100 jobs.

“The Council is a crucial player to help secure this investment and is proud to be doing all it can to help grow and develop a robust and sustainable Cheshire East economy and secure jobs for local people.

“It is another example of the Council working hard with other agencies and partners to deliver results for Cheshire East.”

John Nicholson added: “UKTI were very keen for a local representative to support the importance of this investment opportunity. The Jordanians were genuinely impressed by British local and national government representatives taking time to attend this important meeting.”

Minister Prisk said: “Markets across the Middle East have strong economies and ambitious growth and diversification plans to match. Whether it is infrastructure, healthcare, education, nuclear or renewable energy, UK companies have the skills and expertise to help the region realise its development plans.

“My visit last week was to promote British companies as the global partner of choice right across the region.”

Backing businesses with Cheshire East

 

Boosting business is still very much on the agenda for Cheshire East Council as its Business Hub comes to Crewe later this month.

From 10am until noon on February 16, the Council and its partners will be at Scope House, Weston Road, to offer traders the chance to learn how to maximise business opportunities during the economic recovery.

Cheshire East’s Economic Recovery Task Group is working hard to support its local business community and this event will take a closer look at how people can develop their business skills in a tough economic environment.

Councillor Jamie Macrae, Cabinet member with responsibility for prosperity, said: “I would urge any local business owner to attend this event – we are living in difficult financial times and any advice on how to improve your business could prove crucial.

“The Economic Recovery Task Group is aiming to grow and develop a sustainable Cheshire East. We will make every effort to offer help to local businesses during the current economic climate. These Business Hubs are one of many ways to get the support your business needs.”

It follows hot on the heels of a number of procurement training workshops which received a wealth of positive feedback from visitors.

The procurement service, which is designed to help businesses gain a better understanding of how to tender for work with Cheshire East Council and other public sector organisations, will also be present at the event.

Cheshire East’s bin transformation scheme to be rolled out

Cheshire East is lifting the lid on plans to transform its bin collection service.

With the emphasis on the Silver bin, it will be a simpler, easier and more convenient system as it aims to encourage residents to further boost Cheshire East’s prolific recycling rate and save money.

And it means all current schemes will be streamlined to create a single borough-wide service.

Once formally approved, a three-bin system will be introduced: the Silver bin for mixed dry recyclables and one bin each for garden and residual waste.

Cheshire East achieved a recycling rate in 2009/10 of 49.46 per cent – the highest in the North West and almost 10 per cent higher than the national average. The Council wants to build on this success.

Councillor Rod Menlove, Cabinet member with responsibility for environmental services, said: “Thanks to the efforts of our residents we have the best recycling rate in the North West. But as a council we have a leading role and commitment to looking after the environment so we must do more.

“We are now a Recycling service, not a traditional waste collection service. The Silver bin is central to this initiative and with these arrangements we will be able to recycle a huge range of materials. The full list of items will be clearly stated on a sticker on the bin lid.

“The environmental negatives of landfill are clear to us all. What cannot be overlooked is that the cost to the Cheshire East council tax payer for landfill tax this year is £3.5m. Next year, this goes up to £4.2m unless we recycle more.

“We now have a real opportunity to make a collective effort to put the huge range of items that can be recycled in to the Silver bin. Being lazy and throwing these items in to the black bin is being socially irresponsible and is not acceptable to the vast majority of Cheshire East residents.”

The transformation will allow householders to put a far greater range of materials in their silver bin than at present, including glass, mixed plastics and film wrap. All residents will be supplied with a full list when the scheme begins.

This design, based on feedback from residents and research from other parts of the country, will remove local variations and make the service suitable for all parts of Cheshire East.

The bins will be standard 240-litre wheeled containers that will be collected on an alternate weekly schedule. For those properties that cannot accommodate a wheeled container for the Silver or black bin, Council-approved sacks and 55-litre boxes will be provided.

The scheme will operate over a standard five-day week and collections will take place on bank holidays, with the exception of Christmas and New Year.

Phase one will cover the southern part of Cheshire East

Cycle Competition

 

A lucky lady from Crewe is ready to pick up a brand new bike, after winning a competition to celebrate the opening of the first phase of the Connect 2 Crewe to Nantwich greenway.

Joan Tudor will visit JE Williams Bike Shop, on Edleston Road, in Crewe, to claim her prize. She correctly answered a question posed in the Chronicle about the length of the new greenway.

When it’s completed the greenway will create a 4km rural corridor between Crewe and Nantwich alongside the A530, Middlewich Road.

It will be set well back from the main road connecting the excellent riverside walks in Nantwich with Crewe’s historic Queen’s Park, which is undergoing a massive restoration.

The greenway will let people visit both of these areas easily by foot and by bike.

Phase one runs from King George V Playing Fields to the Rising Sun pub at Wistaston.

Connect 2 is a nationwide sustainable transport project, which encourages people to make everyday journeys by foot and by bike. The scheme is promoted by Sustrans, the UK’s leading sustainable transport charity.

Councillor Andrew Knowles, Cabinet member with responsibility for health and wellbeing, said: “I hope Joan enjoys her new bike and experiences the delights of the greenway first hand. Cycling is a great way to keep fit and it is also a cleaner and cheaper way to travel.

“I am sure that the greenway will help improve the life opportunities and health of many people in Cheshire East.”

Councillor Jacquie Weatherill, ward member for Crewe West, said: “I was at the opening of phase one of the greenway and it is a really exciting project for the area. It has opened up some of the countryside around Crewe and Nantwich.

“With spring around the corner I hope people will get out and explore the greenway for themselves.”