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London Road in Nantwich has fully reopened following a collision earlier today.
At 1.25pm today police received reports of a collision involving 2 vehicles on London Road near to Stapeley Terrace. Sadly, a 66-year-old local man has died at the scene.
Road closures were in place whilst the vehicles were removed from the scene. The road has now fully reopened.
Anyone with any information is urged to call Cheshire Police quoting incident number 353 of 10 January.
Cheshire East Council is teaming up with local authorities across the north west to urge people to make 2013 a life-changing year – the year to foster a local child.
Organisers of the You Can Foster campaign, the high-profile collaboration of the 23 councils in the north west, are encouraging people from all walks of life to consider how they could make a real difference to the life of a child.
With television adverts featuring real carers from across the region beginning to air on ITV1 next week, the You Can Foster team have set an ambitious target of exceeding the 1,500 enquiries achieved in 2012.
The campaign, which has recruited almost 200 new carers and attracted more than 4,500 inquiries since its inception in 2010, aims to dispel the many myths about fostering.
Applications are welcomed from those who are single, in a relationship, married or divorced; from applicants who work full-time or don’t work at all, and regardless of gender or sexual orientation.
All applicants are assessed on their own merits, with the standard of care people could offer a child being the most important thing.
Councillor Rachel Bailey, Cabinet member in charge of children and family services, said: “Following our success in previous years, we are proud to continue to be a part of such a high-profile campaign.
“The start of the new year is the perfect time for people to think about whether they could provide a loving home for a local child.
“We hope that the campaign will persuade people who have never thought about fostering to explore the subject more thoroughly.”
For more information about the You Can Foster campaign and to request an information pack, visit www.youcanfoster.org or call 0800 6347052.
If you would like to speak to a member of the Cheshire East fostering team, please call 0300 123 3223, or visit: www.spacesforfaces.co.uk
Cheshire East Council is backing a recycling campaign that will boost funds for breast cancer research, reduce waste and help the Third World.
A new initiative to launch ‘bra banks’ across Cheshire East is now being piloted in Crewe, Knutsford and Macclesfield household recycling centres.
The aim now is to help raise awareness of the scheme and encourage members of the public to recycle their bras rather than chuck them in the bin.
For every tonne of bras collected, the contractor BCR Global Textiles will donate £1,000 to the charity Breast Cancer Campaign. This will contribute to their national campaign, which, to date, has raised almost £190,000 towards its target of £1.5m.
In addition to the donation, all reusable bras will be sent out to Third World countries. The remaining bras will be recycled.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer. One in eight women in the UK will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. A thousand women in Britain die each month from breast cancer – that’s 12,000 each year. Eighty men also die from the disease each year.
Councillor Janet Clowes, Cabinet member in charge of health and adult social care, said: “This is a really excellent initiative and I would encourage people to give the bra recycling scheme their wholehearted support. It is all for a really good cause.
“This scheme encourages awareness of a significant health issue and reminds everyone of the importance of regular self checking of their breasts. It also raises vital funds for breast cancer research, helps women in the Third World and reduces the amount of waste that ends up in Cheshire East’s landfill sites.”
The household waste recycling centres in Crewe, Knutsford and Macclesfield are open seven days a week from 8am-4pm. The sites open until later in the evening between March and November.
For more information, visit the Council’s website at: www.cheshireeast.gov.uk or BCR’s Breast Cancer Campaign’s website at: www.bcrbreastcancercampaign.co.uk
Cheshire East Council is to use £1m to boost housing development across the Borough.
The money from the Council’s capital fund will be used to encourage developers and social housing providers to bring forward stalled housing sites.
Cheshire East Council’s Housing Challenge Fund will award grants of up to £150,000. It will be launched on January 31 (2013).
New homes are urgently needed to boost the economic growth of Cheshire East. However, the downturn in the economy has had a significant impact in hampering the building of new houses.
By the end of 2012, there were 6,600 dwellings with planning approval in Cheshire East.
There were many smaller sites which have full or outline planning permissions where development has not started and where there is no indication of a start date. These have the potential to deliver more than 2,000 homes across the authority.
Cheshire East is trying to encourage developers to start to build on these sites to bring forward both market value homes and affordable housing.
Councillor Jamie Macrae, Cabinet member with responsibility for prosperity and economic regeneration, said: “The provision of housing is a key priority for the Council.
“Housing is fundamental to the wellbeing and prosperity of Cheshire East and can have an impact on health, educational attainment, carbon reduction and care for older people. Providing sufficient housing is essential to maintain economic growth and vitality.
“The Housing Challenge Fund will help give developers an incentive to start building and bring forward much-needed accommodation for the people of Cheshire East – as well as support our plans to deliver economic growth.”
Developers and registered housing providers are invited to apply for a prospectus by emailing Vikki Jeffrey at Vikki.jeffrey@cheshireeast.gov.uk
The closing date for bids is March 31, and announcements will be made in May (2013).
Crewe and Nantwich households are being invited to save money and time this month by disposing of their Christmas trees with St Luke’s Hospice.
For the last two years St Luke’s have collected and chipped Christmas trees after 12thnight, 6 January, in return for a donation to the hospice, as part of its tree recycling scheme.
This year the Winsford hospice teamed up Macclesfield based charity, JustHelping, to offer the fundraising and time saving service to homes in Northwich and Tarporley, and has now expanded the service to cover Crewe and Nantwich.
The hospice’s head of event management, Jane Thompson, said: “Nobody enjoys the annual hassle of taking their Christmas tree to the tip so let us help.
“Following the success of the scheme during the first week of January we have expanded it to cover the Crewe and Nantwich area so please log onto the site and type in your postcode they will find out if we are collecting in that area.
“The JustHelping team have added new areas to the site this week now that other organisations have completed their own collections.
We have had such a great response that we’re thrilled to be able to expand the service to thousands of homes in a much wider area this year, with the support of JustHelping.
“JustHelping’s Christmas tree removal scheme started in Macclesfield and last year raised over £60,000 for East Cheshire Hospice alone, from trees collected in 2012.
“If St Luke’s could benefit by even the smallest percentage of that it would be a terrific boost to our funds right at the beginning of the year.”
Residents that would like to save themselves the time and money, not to mention the mess, of taking their tree to the tip can now book in to have their tree collected and donate at the same time. It is quite simple. Go to www.charityxmastreecollection.com.
The minimum donation is £4 per tree and the team of volunteers will collect your tree on either Saturday 12 or Sunday 13 January.
Booking is open now so book in early so the team can map out the routes and immobilise the right number of volunteers.
Police and Crime Commissioner John Dwyer met representatives of the business community across Cheshire to discuss their priorities and to ask for their views on the budget and council tax for policing.
John Dwyer said, "A vitally important part of my role is to represent the views of the business community when holding the Chief Constable to account. I have made sure that my first police and crime plan reflects this area of policing and I intend to make it my business to ensure that the police work hard to further reduce crimes such as robbery from businesses, theft by employees, shoplifting and making off without payment."
Representatives from Chambers of Commerce, the Federation of Small Businesses, manufacturers′ organisations and the Institute of Directors talked about their concerns. Discussions included how they can do more to help their members prevent on-line credit card fraud and metal theft and assist the policing of hauliers. They also discussed the need for businesses to report crime to the police and not simply accept losses from crime as inevitable.
John Dwyer added, "The figures for business crime in Cheshire are very low. Last year just 91 business robberies were reported, a 14% decrease on the previous year. Commercial burglary fell by 16 %.
In this economic climate, the police and businesses need to work together to ensure that we are doing all we can. I have seen some great work being done by the police at ground level; for example, in helping to prevent people making off from fuel stations without paying."
Councillor Rod Menlove said in a statement to the Cabinet today: “It is with the greatest of regret that I stand here today and announce that I am resigning from my position as portfolio holder with responsibility for environment.
“I have taken this decision after a great deal of soul searching and reflection on issues that have arisen following the proposal to site a waste transfer station at Lyme Green.
“This, I am sure everyone will agree, has been a wholly regrettable incident and one that has caused the reputation of the Council to be called into question.
“I am not an operational officer. I am a Cabinet member with a portfolio that, as people are well aware, is significantly larger that some of the other areas. I work on the basis that officers discuss issues with me, we agree a course of action and I then trust the officer to follow due procedure and process in carrying out the action.
“All decisions I make are for the good of the taxpayer, and are done so using the information that I get from officers. I expect to be given all information and issues, no matter how unpalatable, so that together we can agree a course of action.
“However, as I have consistently stated, at no time was I informed of the gathering issues regarding the potential waste transfer station in the north of the Borough.
“I cannot though, in all conscience, ignore the fact that this situation arose on my watch. Hindsight is a wonderful thing and had I been party to such information in relation to Lyme Green in a timely fashion, undoubtedly such conversations would have taken place which may have resulted in a different outcome.
“As it is, it did happen whilst I was responsible for that area and I find that the only honourable course of action for me to take is to step down.
“I am proud of what I have achieved during the three years that I have held this portfolio: Recycling rates have increased significantly – we one of the best performing authorities in the North West; in the last year we filled over 40,000 potholes; there has been a considerable increase in the investment in highways and my personal commitment to energy saving has seen a reduction in our carbon footprint. Come April, this will be even more important because of the tax penalties we could face.
“I have found my time as a Cheshire East Cabinet Member immensely rewarding and I have enjoyed carrying out my duties. It is, therefore, a regrettable culmination of circumstances that necessitates my resignation.”
Cheshire East Council Leader Councillor Michael Jones thanked Councillor Menlove for his excellent, hard work over the past three years.
Councillor Jones said: “He has left his portfolio in a strong state and this legacy means that we can now go on and deliver even further improvements.
“We have cleared 46,000 potholes in a year and we are looking to deliver the same this year.
“I wholeheartedly thank him for his time his unstinting efforts and the energy he has brought to the role. Rod should be recognised as a true champion of change. He has demonstrated this in his efforts around carbon reduction and fiscal savings, and will always be recognised as the lead for the highest-ever investment in roads on Cheshire East.
“It is with great regret that I accept his resignation but I look forward to using his vast knowledge and experience in the future.”
Former Cheshire East Council Leader Councillor Wesley Fitzgerald, who first appointed Cllr Menlove to the Cabinet in January 2010, said: “Having just learned that Councillor Rod Menlove has resigned from the Cabinet, I am not surprised that he has done the honourable thing in the matter of the waste transfer site debacle.
“Rod is a good man who has done excellent work as portfolio holder for environment since the beginning of 2010, and it is a matter of great regret that a person of such quality has had to step down.
“I have no doubt that he will continue to be an extremely effective ward member for Cheshire East Council and his reputation, in that respect, goes before him.”
It has been a busy time over Christmas for the Leader and Chief Executive at Cheshire East Council, as they responded quickly to the findings of the independent investigation into the causes of the failure of the Lyme Green development project.
Although the Council last year put in place a comprehensive Action Plan to improve its systems, procedures, and staff training for project management, local people are eager to have a better understanding of what went wrong and to have the assurance that the Council has acted on the lessons to be learned.
As a result, the Council’s Leaders will shortly publish a report which will tackle the serious management failings identified by the investigator, by making bold and sweeping changes to the Council’s management structures and ways of working.
Leader of the Council, Michael Jones, explained that “Lyme Green has exposed serious weaknesses in our organisational culture, which are a product of the separate professional silos in our current management structure. These have caused confusion and inefficiency and have led to poor decisions by some senior staff, because it was not clear who had authority to act and who was ultimately accountable for the success or failure of the Lyme Green development project.
“The lack of proper communication between different Council services, together with uncertain lines of reporting up the management hierarchy, has led to poor management of the risks involved. As a result, public confidence in the Council has been dented and we must act swiftly to restore this.
“The investigator’s report reveals a culture amongst some managers where, regrettably, there was no clarity about what was required to ensure a successful outcome at Lyme Green, and a lack of care over important parts of the process involved, such as early consultation with the local residents affected by the project.
“Lyme Green required staff from a range of different services to work together as a team, but relationships between the different professionals involved were sometimes strained. For this reason, necessary advice was sometimes neither sought nor taken at key stages in the project and, therefore, wrong assumptions were made as a result. This approach also meant there was insufficient challenge over key decisions and judgements, with staff not having the confidence to question these or being too reactive.
“To cure these failings quickly, I asked our interim Chief Executive, Kim Ryley, to bring forward proposals for sweeping changes to the Council’s current management arrangements. These are designed to make us more effective in the future, by reducing management costs and overheads, whilst improving service performance accountability for outcomes. This will give the public better value for money.
The Council’s Chief Executive, Kim Ryley, clarified that “As Head of Paid Service, I have a statutory role to advise elected Members of the Council on the best form of organisational structure, and on the numbers and types of posts needed to carry out the Council’s functions, within the resources available to us. It is clear from the Lyme Green report, and from other major changes affecting us now and over the next few years, that we need to boldly rethink how the organisation is led and managed, from top to bottom.
“My proposals will seek to break down outdated professional silos, so that the Council works as a single team, with greater clarity over shared objectives and the desired outcomes to improve quality of life for local people. This has meant that a thorough and complete review of management roles and responsibilities at all levels is needed, and that necessary changes and improvements need to be put in place quickly over the coming months.
“The revised management arrangements will reduce the numbers of tiers of management, and will increase spans of responsibility to reduce the overall number of management posts by at least a quarter. As well as reducing costs to protect frontline jobs and services, the proposed changes will clarify managers’ personal accountabilities and change working methods to strengthen integrated team effort and solutions across the organisation as a whole, so that everyone involved is clear of their role and responsibilities.
“The new structure will separate those whose job it is to design and purchase services for local people from those who are responsible for delivering services to them. It will bring together related functions and types of expertise to provide a more seamless, joined up approach to our wide range of activities. This will also have the benefit of making it easier for our local partners in the Police, Health, and Fire and Rescue Services – as well as for the public – to do business with us in the future.
Recently, some interim changes have been made which already move the council in this direction, and our managers are keen to have an opportunity to show that it is unfair to judge the council on the basis of past failings. I believe that this approach will be supported by our staff and the trade unions, by our local partner organisations, and by councillors, given the obvious benefits involved.
“Once the proposals have been agreed by Councillors, the first phase of the new structure affecting the Council’s top 40 staff will be in place by Easter, with the full management review being completed by the Summer. The approach will be designed to keep and develop the skills and experience of our most talented managers, and to retain enough capacity to carry out the major programme of service changes and improvements the Council has planned over the next few years.”
Council Leader, Michael Jones, said that “Although the Investigator’s report must remain confidential, this report by the Chief Executive will provide the transparency that local people want about the causes of the Lyme Green project’s failure, and will demonstrate that we have acted swiftly and decisively on the lessons learned about the need for more effective management of such important projects in future.”
Cheshire East Council and Age UK Cheshire, in association with their partners and the Local Adult Safeguarding Board, are offering a range of advice and support to residents on how to keep warm, well and safe this winter.
The Council has put together a wealth of detail in one place at: www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/winter where residents can find advice on a wide range of topics from heating, eating and winter safety to school closures and public transport.
This week, we look at the offer of electronic assistive technology and how it can keep people independent in their own homes for longer.
Electronic assistive technology – keeping people independent
Cheshire East Council aims to help people be as independent as possible and to remain in their own homes for as long as they can.
Through its social care support programme, the Council is using electronic assistive technology to play an important role in achieving these aims.
Staff sit within the Council’s SMART teams (Skilled Multi-Agency Response Teams), which are made up of social care workers, occupational therapists, district nurses and community matrons and are aligned with local GP practices.
Councillor Janet Clowes, Cabinet member in charge of health and adult social care services, said: “We want people to stay safe in their own homes and there are various ways in which this can be done. Homes can be fitted with sensors which will trigger an alert if smoke or a rapid rise in temperature is detected.
“Carbon monoxide or water on the floor, which may indicate a flood, can also be sensed automatically. Alerts can be set up so that someone is contacted immediately and action taken to help prevent more serious results.
“We aim to help people to be independent, which can be achieved by light sensors, which turn lights on and off automatically, save energy and reduce the likelihood of falls.
“Sensors can also be placed in the bath to make sure that the temperature is just right and so that the bath isn’t overfilled.
“If falls do occur, assistive technology can help by ensuring help is there when needed. For example, wearing a fall detector can alert a chosen person automatically in the event of a fall, amongst other options.”
There are a number of different technological aids which can also keep people in touch with their family and friends and ensure a full assessment of need.
A service called Telecare plays an important part in the offer of assistive technology and is provided to Cheshire East customers with eligible needs.
At a small charge of £1.14 per week, responders can be available 24 hours per day, 365 days per year to come out to properties, if this is required, within 45 minutes of an alert being raised.
Should an incident be deemed more urgent and require the emergency services, then Telecare will act on this immediately following the alert.
Sean Reynolds, the chair of the Local Adult Safeguarding Board, said: “Telecare is the use of technology that helps to give people a better quality of life by improving their confidence, developing and maintaining their independence, and enabling them to stay living at home.
“It offers more choices for people living at home and can provide reassurance for carers. I support any initiative which can help to improve people’s health and wellbeing.”
Cheshire East Council’s service is available to all adults over the age of 18 who have been assessed by a care manager or occupational therapist as being someone likely to benefit from Telecare.
For more information on this service, which is operated by Peaks & Plains in Macclesfield, call 0300 123 5010 or email contactcentreenquiries@cheshireeast.gov.uk
There is still time to sign up and shimmy into the spotlight for this year’s sparkling St Luke’s (Cheshire) Hospice’s ‘Strictly Learn to Dance 2013’ fundraising event.
If you’ve always dreamed of being a dance diva or you’re keen to lead your partner round the dance floor with grace, now is your chance to get involved as the deadline for the Winsford Hospice’s hugely popular ‘Strictly Learn to Dance’ extravaganza has been extended.
Whether you’re a couple who would love to learn to dance or an individual, who would be happy to be paired up with a partner who is learning to dance too, the event will see up to 20 dance couples transformed into confident dancers.
It doesn’t matter if you have two left feet, as from 22 January, 2013, regular Salsa and Tango tuition, of 45 minutes per week, will be given all the participants in Tarporley every Tuesday evening. The event will culminate in a fun Grand Finale Show at Nantwich Civic Hall on Sunday, April 28, in which a panel of judges will watch the couples dance and pick an overall winner!
Participants will be asked to register and commit to try to raise sponsorship of £300. St Luke’s knows that money is tight this year and asks that people just try to do their best to help fundraise. Tickets for the Grand Finale will be on sale from March to raise money for the St Luke’s Hospice, which cares for sufferers of cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.
Liz Wells, Fundraising Events Co-Ordinator, said: “We’ve extended the deadline so that even more dancers, especially gentlemen, can take part! Gents we REALLY need you, we have 7 ladies waiting for partners”
“The first Strictly Learn to Dance event was a huge success raising over £20,000 profit for our wonderful Hospice and I think we can do even better in 2013.”
If you’re keen to get involved in ‘Strictly Learn to Dance’ contact Liz Wells at St Luke’s Hospice on 01606 555816 Mon-Fri 10am-6pm or email: liz_wells@stlukes-hospice.co.uk.
Crewe’s Lyceum Theatre is now one of the key venues on the touring circuit for some of the world’s top comedy performers.
The keys to the Lyceum have been handed to HQ Theatres, the venue’s new operator and tickets have already been snapped up for the likes of Micky Flanagan, Rich Hall and Andy Parsons.
The town centre theatre, which celebrated its centenary in 2011, will be given a new lease of life under the management of HQ Theatres, the country’s second-largest theatre operator.
It will transform the venue, programme and hospitality opportunities as the theatre enters a new and exciting phase of its history.
Cheshire East Council will continue to part-fund the venue, but with a much-reduced subsidy, ensuring a better deal for tax payers.
Work has already started on a refurbishment of the foyers, in which a stylish new bistro is being created. This will be open daily from April, as well as a pre-theatre dining experience to add a touch of luxury to visits to the Lyceum.
The programme will be developed to include some of the UK’s top comedians including Micky Flanagan, whose show sold out within hours of going on sale, and some huge acts yet to be announced.
The theatre will also stage classical and popular music concerts, opera and ballet as well as national tours of well-known family shows (appealing to all ages) and great stage plays and musicals.
The highlight of the theatrical calendar will be a star-led, traditional family pantomime staged by HQ Theatres’ sister company Qdos Entertainment; the largest pantomime producer in the world. The star cast will be announced later in the spring.
A new Theatre Director, Alistair Armit, is now in place and, alongside his team, is busy overseeing the refurbishment and preparations for the new season, which will be announced in mid-February.
Alistair has spent his whole life in theatre and joins the Lyceum from the newly-rebuilt Floral Pavilion in Merseyside, so has experience of breathing new life into venues.
He said: “This is a very exciting period for the beautiful Edwardian theatre; we have big plans to put it back on the map and attract bigger and better shows that will appeal to everyone.”
Until April the theatre will be staging performances including Agatha Christie’s ‘A Murder is Announced’ with an all-star cast that includes Dean Gaffney and Gemma Bissix – both of Eastenders fame.
There will be a welcome return of ‘That’ll be the Day’, the rock ‘n’ roll spectacular, and Crewe Amateur Musicals will be bringing to the stage a thrilling production of Sondheim’s ‘Sweeney Todd’.
In April, the venue will be re-launched with the opening of the café and bistro and a grand gala performance with a celebrity line-up to be announced.
Alistair added: “Look out for the new brochure in February and then come down for some lunch and a chat to the staff about the exciting new programme when we re-open in April. This is the time to be involved in this great theatre.”
Councillor Michael Jones, Leader of Cheshire East Council, said: “This is the beginning of an exciting new era for the Lyceum Theatre, which the Council is proud to support.
“We managed to get the best deal possible for the Lyceum and the people of Crewe and Cheshire East.
“Now, I hope that people will make use of the facility, which is in the hands of HQ Theatres – one of the leading theatre management companies this country has to offer.”
A man has been charged with murder following an incident in Crewe on the evening of Friday 4 January 2013.
The incident took place at around 1925 hours on the evening of Friday 4 January 2013 in Wistaston Road, Crewe when police received a report of a 26 year old local man having suffered a stab wound to his stomach. The victim was taken by ambulance to North Staffordshire hospital in a critical condition. Sadly, despite the efforts of medical staff, he died in hospital shortly after midday on Saturday 5 January 2013.
Two men were arrested on the evening of 4 January, as a result of police enquiries. One of the men, a 27 year old man from Crewe, was released without charge late on Saturday evening. A second man has been charged with murder and will be appearing at South Cheshire Magistrates Court on the morning of Monday 7 January. The man charged is Paul Ward, 26 years, of Alton Street, Crewe.
Police are continuing to appeal for anyone who witnessed the incident, or has any relevant information, to make contact with Runcorn Police using the non emergency number, 101, and quoting incident number 773 of 4 January.
A Crewe man has died from his injuries following an incident in Crewe on the evening of Friday 4 January 2013.
The 26 year old local man was taken by ambulance to North Staffordshire Royal Infirmary in a critical condition after being found with a stab wound in Wistaston Road, Crewe around 1925 hours on the night of Friday 4 January 2013. The victim died in hospital in the early afternoon of Saturday 5 January 2013, despite the efforts of medical staff. His family are aware.
Two men, both in their twenties, were arrested on Friday night, and are continuing to help police with their enquiries into the incident.
Police are also appealing to anyone who witnessed the incident in Wistaston Road, Crewe after 7 p.m. on Friday night, or who may have any information which could assist police in their enquiries, to contact Crewe Police on the non emergency number, 101, quoting incident number 773 of 4 January.
Alternatively, information can be left anonymously on the Crimestoppers hotline - 0800 555 111.
Cheshire Police continues to drive out the message ‘rape shatters lives, there is no excuse.’ For over a year now Cheshire Constabularies Dedicated Rape Unit which brings together specialist officers to work with victims of rape, have been working closely with the Crown Prosecution service to get justice for victims of rape.
Historically, the number of rapes and sexual assaults show a rise during the winter months and in particular the spikes happen in the run up to Christmas. Cheshire Police through the ‘rape shatters lives’ campaign are determined to raise people’s awareness about the fact there are more rapes and sexual assaults occurring at this time of the year than at any other time.
To get this message across, Cheshire Police have been able to speak to a victim of rape who has allowed us to tell her story about how rape shattered her life.
Her experience starts when she is a teenager during her first sexual relationship. She was inexperienced, and really young at the time, she speaks about ‘being quite vulnerable ‘as this was her first proper relationship and she didn’t have anything to compare it to.
To protect her identity we will refer to her as Sasha and this is her account in her own words of how rape shattered her life.
"I was young and I thought I was in a normal relationship and although I didn’t think what he was doing was right, I didn’t really know he shouldn’t be doing that in a relationship. It is only now that I am coming out of it that I now see how bad it was"
She explains how she went to the police a lot during the relationship. "I’d been given cards and things with numbers on and other information from the police including call this number if you have been a victim and things. To be honest I never did, in the whole time of the relationship, I never did contact anyone. I did make use of a women’s refuge a couple of times though."
When the Dedicated Rape Unit was established in September 2011, Sasha’s case was brought to the attention of the specialist officers in the Unit. She talks about the difference it made to her having officers who, because they dealt with many cases of rape, really understood from her perspective what she was going through. "The officers have just been a big support. They didn’t just come out and take a statement from me and leave me. They would phone me, and ask me if I was ok."
Officers from the Dedicated Rape Unit build relationships with the victims by taking the time to listen to and support each person they have contact with.
Sasha comments, "The officer dealing with my case would phone me in the week, and ask "how are you? how’s your week been?" and it was really nice. It just made you feel like someone was there and they are supporting you all the way through. You are not just a number to them. They are not trying to win a case; they actually care about you all the way through it. I needed it at that point."
Sasha went on to say how not having to speak to more than one officer every time she rang the unit really helped her to form a close bond and build up that trust − one thing she has found it difficult to do with everyone she has met since her abusive relationship.
She continued: "It was almost like she had been there the whole time. She knew everything and could jog my memory of incidents that had happened, because I would forget. It is all a big blur and all blurs into one because all sorts had gone on. But she would know and she’d say, "you said in your statement this happened then". I needed that right up to the court case, because I was really panicking about everything and couldn’t think straight. She was able to calm me down and just helped me all the way through it."
Talking about what it was like after the court case, Sasha comments:
"It was a big relief afterwards. When the officer told me what the verdict was, I just cried. It was just loads of emotions. I was upset, I was pleased. It was just a really strange experience. It was an end to 10 years of hell."
Sasha went on to describe how after it was all over, she felt empowered knowing her ex was in prison, giving her a sense of freedom and security and with the help of her dedicated officer from the Rape Unit she has been able to piece her life back together and think about her future more positively. She continues;
"Now that I know that he’s gone, that’s it. He can’t do anything else to me. I’m in control of my life now; I will do what I want to do. Without him going to prison, I don’t think he would have ever left me alone. So knowing that he’s locked up and can’t get to me is a massive weight off me".
In the short time that the Dedicated Rape Unit has been established, the Unit has worked closely with the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (RASASC) and the Sexual Abuse Referral Centre (SARC) based at St Mary’s Hospital in Manchester to provide that much needed support to victims.
You can read more about the rape campaign at www.cheshire.police.uk.
Cheshire Police will be offering a limited number of places for young people to take part in its work experience week.
Successful applicants, who must be in Year 10, 11 or sixth form, will be given the opportunity to try their hand at the variety of roles available within the force.
To be considered for one of the places, pupils will be asked to explain, in no more than 250 words, what policing means to them and why they would like to attend the work experience placement.
The placements will take place from Monday 1 July to Friday 5 July.
Application forms can be downloaded from the Cheshire Police website and should be returned by Monday 21 January 2013.
For more information, visit http://www.cheshire.police.uk and click on ‘Jobs′.
A Council grant has helped Age UK Cheshire East install a disabled lift at the organisation’s health and wellbeing centre in Macclesfield – benefitting hundreds of older people throughout the Borough.
Age UK had been fundraising for 16 months to raise the necessary £19,490 to install the lift at the building on the corner of Elizabeth Street and Crossall Street.
Cheshire East Council awarded them a community grant of £3,000 towards the costs.
The lift allows many older people, who were previously excluded from taking part in events on the first floor, to enjoy activities such as gentle exercise classes, art and craft sessions as well as scrabble and book clubs.
Kathleen Shivers is from Macclesfield and regularly uses the centre, she said: “The stairs in this place are open tread and I’m too unsteady on my feet to cope with that.
“Now I can use the lift, I can go to all the clubs upstairs. It’s great.”
Councillor David Brown, Cabinet member in charge of strategic communities, said: “I am delighted that our community grant has helped Age UK Cheshire East to raise enough money to install this lift.
“Age UK Cheshire East carry out vital work in the Borough and this lift will make a big difference to so many of our older residents.”
Madelyn Bridge, Chief Executive of Age UK Cheshire East, commented: “As a local charity we rely heavily on local donations to fund our work.
“We are delighted that the Council is supporting our flagship health and wellbeing centre by opening up the facility to people with mobility issues.
“The centre is a fantastic local resource, doing great things to help everyone have a healthier and more fulfilled later life.”
Welcome to this my 131st news bulletin.
Keep our countryside green
There has been plenty of discussion about house building in the national media recently, and I wanted to make one thing clear as a result: I am a big supporter of the green belt and our countryside.
Only last week I received a petition, which I launched back in July, from campaigners against the proposed housing development in Stapeley.
I will be presenting this to Cheshire East Council and making my views very plain.
Local people do not want this site, and it looks like the Council are listening.
There has been no change in national green belt protection. The green belt is an important protection against urban sprawl, providing a ‘green lung’ around towns and cities. The Coalition Agreement commits the Government to safeguarding green belt and other environmental designations, and brownfield sites should be prioritised for development.
In addition, new planning guidance on traveller sites has strengthened protection of the green belt and open countryside.
More widely, the Government’s reforms to the planning system are about giving local communities a greater say on planning by scrapping top-down regional targets. The Act allows for the abolition of Labour's Regional Spatial Strategies, which sought to bulldoze the Green Belt around thirty towns and cities across the country.
It has always been the case that local councils can amend the green belt – including creating new, additional green belt around large new developments to prevent urban sprawl. The draft Local Plan provides an opportunity to do just that.
Forward to 2013
2012 has been a year of action for me in Crewe and Nantwich.
I organised a successful Jobs Fair with the Chronicle, attended by over 2,000 people at Crewe Alex, and welcomed the Olympic torch to Crewe. I lobbied successfully for funding for new and renewed road and rail infrastructure, and ran my 8th London Marathon raising over £6,000 for a local children's charity (this time with Mrs Timpson!). I prevented another travellers' site taking root.
I've also rolled up my sleeves working in both Leighton Hospital and a local primary school, opened new businesses, sung with the Funky Choir, judged local beer in Nantwich, rolled a fig pie down the hill in Wybunbury, and fought for the future of local residents in sheltered housing.
We shared the joy of Beth Tweddle winning an Olympic medal, Crewe Alex getting promoted in such exhilerating fashion, and the prevailing of common sense that saw local man Sgt Danny Nightingale reunited with his wife Sally and two young daughters in time for Christmas.
This is just a taste of the busy life of your local MP, and 2013 promises to be much the same.
In a difficult economic environment you have to fight for and justify every penny, and much of my time is spent in Westminster helping make the case for Crewe and Nantwich, the infrastructure we need, and the skills and talents we have to offer in return.
2013, like 2012, will be a year of opportunity for us on this front. We in Crewe and Nantwich have to present ourselves in the best light to ensure success, and work hard to convince the Government that we are well placed to deliver the jobs and growth that the country so badly needs.
To do that, I need your help, so if you have any ideas or you need some assistance, do get in touch.
I wish all of my constituents a very merry Christmas, and a happy New Year.
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
Read my most recent Crewe & Nantwich Talk
Click here or on the image
Edward with the finalists of his 2012 Christmas Card Competition
You can view all my photos and video at edwardtimpsonmp.com
Home Heat Helpline
The helpline advises people worried about paying their fuel bills and keeping warm during the winter. It also gives advice to low-income households in urgent need of heating help and advice. It is free to call and is open 9am-6pm Monday to Friday, and 10am-2pm on Saturdays.
Calls to the helpline are answered by friendly expert advisors at the Home Heat Helpline call centre. They can give you quick, clear information on the grants, benefits and payment schemes that you may be entitled to as well as basic steps that you can take to save money on heating bills by making your home more energy efficient.
For information visit the Home Heat Helpline website or call them on 0800 33 66 99.
Do you have community news to share? Email me and it could be here too!
Nantwich News
Rural areas of Nantwich will get superfast broadband after the Government earmarked £3.24 million for Cheshire.
The move has been welcomed by politicians who say it will help Crewe and Nantwich deliver jobs and boost growth.
The EU gave the £530 million rural broadband investment across the UK the green light after several months of delay and Government pressure.
Nantwich MP Edward Timpson said: “This decision is great news for Cheshire.
“Britain is in a global race and we cannot allow our rural areas to get left behind because of bad infrastructure.
“Cheshire will now get the infrastructure to match its aspiration, providing local people and local businesses with the tools they need to get on and prosper.
“We are working hard to make sure rural areas are not left behind as the Coalition strains every sinew to help create growth, jobs and future prosperity.”
Nantwich News
A 4,000-name petition calling for the Green Gap around Nantwich and Crewe to be protected, has been backed by local MP Edward Timpson.
Campaigners launched the "Save the Green Gap" effort in Willaston two years ago to safeguard the area from excessive urban development.
Mr Timpson, MP for Crewe and Nantwich, has thrown his support behind the campaign and presented a petition with over 4,000 signatures to Cheshire East Council and Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.
The petition is made up of over 250 children's signatures and 4,000 signatures from Crewe and Nantwich residents, collected by Cllr Derek Bebbington and his team.
Mr Timpson said: "I stand behind the residents of Crewe and Nantwich, who are understandably worried about the plans that Cheshire East Council have for our green fields.
"The council needs to understand that people care deeply about their local environment and want it protected."
The Green Gap around villages such as Shavington, Willaston, Wybunbury, Weston, Haslington, Leighton and Maw Green was originally protected from development by the former Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council in 1993.
But Cheshire East Council has been reviewing its plans for the development of the borough, and current draft plans do not mention the Green Gap.
In November 2010, a campaign was started by the Willaston Green Gap Action Team.
They handed in a petition of 1,221 signatures to Cheshire East Council in December 2010 asking for the retention of the Green Gap to be included in the Cheshire East Core Strategy development document.
Crewe Chronicle
CREWE and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson pushed the button to officially switch on a new service offering free WiFi access in South Cheshire.
The free internet access is being offered by Wulvern Housing, local community group the Beech Drive Project and Internet Central. It will be available to Sherborne Estate residents in Crewe with plans to expand the service across South Cheshire soon.
The project is the first in the North West.
Wulvern director and All Change for Crewe board member Rob Allen said: "All Change for Crewe recognises that there is a need for wider access to the internet in our priority neighbourhoods, particularly for vulnerable people.
"Access improves the quality of life for residents. It impacts on a whole range of issues from education, to finding the latest money saving offers.
"Our aim is to make the internet accessible to communities across South Cheshire giving them opportunities and support to get connected.
"After registering with Wulvern WiFi, users can access the internet via any enabled device as well as a whole host of services, local businesses, schools and community facilities."
Wulvern is also encouraging residents to get on-line by offering a free computer loan scheme, free repairs to IT equipment and software, free computer classes and a free digital helpline via telephone and email.
Beech Drive project manager John Bottomley said: "Of the 8.7m UK adults who have never used the internet, over 4m are among the most vulnerable in society.
"We are delighted to be able to offer this fantastic service.
"Our aim is to make the internet accessible to communities across in South Cheshire giving them opportunities and support to get connected."
Nantwich News
Crewe & Nantwich MP Edward Timpson has welcomed the rise in apprenticeship positions across the borough.
Latest figures show half a million people started an apprenticeship last year in the UK, and 1,490 of those were in Crewe and Nantwich.
Mr Timpson says that's an increase of 810 apprentices compared to the year of the last General Election 2009/2010.
"It is fantastic that 1,490 people in Crewe & Nantwich started an apprenticeship last year," he added.
"We are getting behind people who work hard and want to get on in life. Apprenticeships are a great way to help people get the skills they need to make a better future for themselves.
"I want many more people in Crewe and Nantwich to have the chance to earn and learn at the same time.
"I would urge everyone to think about whether they can benefit from the many apprenticeship opportunities that are now available."
Crewe Chronicle
A SCHEME to curb anti-social behaviour at night has been launched in Nantwich.
The ‘street pastors’ initiative was launched on Saturday in a joint project between Nantwich’s churches and the local police.
Twenty volunteers undertook the first of a dozen training sessions at Nantwich Methodist Church and enjoyed lunch with guests of honour, MP Edward Timpson and Nantwich deputy mayor John Lewis.
The mini army will be out on the streets during the busiest nights to assist visitors to pubs and clubs and help them get home safely.
Joint co-ordinator David Maidment explained: “The four-person teams will operate independently, but in close liaison with the police, and offer a friendly presence and help to those that need it.
“That might include the provision of advice to those with transport problems getting home, water or help for those feeling unwell, the clearing of dangerous litter and provision of flip-flops to those too unsteady in their high-heels, and the calming of situations where problems seem to be developing.
“Where the scheme has been running in other towns, a significant reduction in crime and anti-social behaviour due to drunkenness has been reported.
“Guests at the launch spoke of their support for the scheme and the value they believed it would bring to Nantwich’s nightlife.”
Nationally, 300 street pastor schemes are in operation – with successful local schemes in Middlewich, Chester and Wrexham.
The volunteers have embarked on a training course in street safety, listening skills and conflict management, as well as national street pastor procedures.
They will be fully trained and out in force by Christmas.
Sergeant Richard Tomlinson of the Nantwich Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “A lot of what they do will help take pressure off our officers and it’ll be good to see them out there.
“It’s had success in other towns so I’m sure it will be a success here too.
“We’re all working to the same ends to make sure people can come out to Nantwich and have a safe and enjoyable night.”
Sgt Tomlinson added he hoped Cheshire Constabulary’s ArcAngel scheme – the quality standards initiative for licensed premises – will be introduced soon.
