Westminster Park Residents Association

Support for families over February half term
As lockdown restrictions continue, Cheshire West and Chester Council is highlighting the range of support available to families over the upcoming February half-term week.

The Council is working with partners, including the Welcome Network, to support children and families throughout the borough.

A full list of all the support available to families during the half-term can be found on the Council website.

Useful resources for the half term (cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/halftermsupport)
Details about the Winter Grant Scheme payments are included on the webpage. This scheme is still available for families and individuals who have been struggling throughout the Covid-19 pandemic to get help with essentials, such as the cost of food, fuel and water bills over the winter period, up until the end of March. Eligible families, who haven’t already applied for the funding, are encouraged to make an application online. Families only need to apply once for the Winter Grant Scheme. The one off, single payment will be made directly into their bank account.

The Winter Grant funding is also providing support through the Council’s Help in Emergencies for Local People (HELP) Scheme. This scheme provides urgent needs assistance to individuals and families in the borough.

Families can find out if they are eligible for these schemes on the Council website.

Food support for residents is available all year round, including during the school holidays, through the Council-backed Welcome Network.

Local community groups, currently providing food and support across the borough, have been mapped on the Welcome Network website, so that residents can access the information in one place.

The Welcome Network – get support (welcomenet.co.uk/get-support)

Steph Ellis, Manager of the Welcome Network, said: “It’s great to see communities coming together and supporting each other during these challenging times. There is a brilliant network of support available across the borough, not only in the school holidays but throughout the year too. The amazing people and groups involved in these local projects are committed to working together to help each other so no one in our communities goes hungry.

“The map on our website provides all the details for the groups providing support and we’re here to help anyone that may be struggling to find provision local to them.”

The Live Well Cheshire West website provides various resources about supporting children and young people during the lockdown including a section on mental health and wellbeing.

Live Well Cheshire West – Information for parents
Anyone struggling with their mental health can call the Cheshire West Mental Health Crisis Helpline on 0800 145 6485. This is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for adults, children and young people.

Councillor Bob Cernik, Cabinet Member for Children and Families, said: “The restrictions put in place to help reduce the transmission rates of the Covid-19 virus have been difficult for many families. We want all our residents to know that there is a range of help available throughout the borough to support them at this challenging time. If you need some support, please get in contact.”

The Council’s library service will be posting some fun and creative recyclable crafts, as well as activities on their social media pages at 10.30am every weekday during half term. At 3pm every day, one of the librarians will also be reading a chapter from some of the library team’s favourite children’s books.

Covid-19 mass vaccination site to open in Chester
The first NHS large-scale COVID-19 mass vaccination centre in the borough is set to open at Chester Racecourse in mid-February.

This new mass vaccination centre will be able to deliver thousands of COVID-19 vaccines every week to residents across the borough in key priority groups as part of the national vaccination programme.

Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, Cllr Louise Gittins said “This is fantastic news and a positive move forward. Let’s all play our part in this process and get vaccinated when invited. This past year has been a huge struggle for many people, and we can all help to turn this around by getting vaccinated and playing our part in the fight against the virus.

“The offer from the Racecourse to use their facility is really appreciated and working in partnership in this way, brings with it support and skills that will be invaluable. It’s great to see the public sector working in partnership with a private sector organisation in such an important response to the pandemic.”

Chief Executive of Chester Race Company, Richard Thomas said “We were really keen to ensure that our local area could benefit from a mass vaccination centre and are very pleased to be able to support the NHS with their essential vaccination program.

“We plan to offer our facilities for seven days a week, apart from race days, and our staff are proud to have the opportunity to support as volunteers to help deliver the facility.”

The mass vaccination centre at Chester Racecourse will be by appointment only and staffed by clinicians, led by the Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Trust, and a range of qualified volunteers and racecourse staff.

Other local NHS hospital trusts, GP practices and Pharmacies have established vaccination clinics across the borough to maximise the delivery of the COVID-19 vaccination. The NHS will get in touch with residents when it is your turn to be vaccinated.

The Council will provide advice to people travelling to the Racecourse to receive a vaccination to ensure safe and convenient access by public transport, cycling, walking or by car.

To find out more about the COVID-19 vaccination programme in the borough, please visit https://www.cheshireccg.nhs.uk/news/news-stories/covid-19-vaccination-programme-what-you-need-to-know/

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This response has been received from Taylor Woodrow to the Principal Planning Officer at CWAC after we raised the matters of flooding and noisy pumps:

As you quite rightly point out we have experienced some severe and prolonged weather which has created flooding issues across the whole of our area of operations. Particularly in Cheshire this is exacerbated by the sub-strata being predominantly heavy clay.

Both our area and that of Redrows, of construction are positively drained which will alleviate some of the water runoff. It would appear years of neglect to the ditch along the boundary have created an issue – we have cleared the ditch to ensure no water runoff from the field enters onto adjoining residents properties. As works progress and more positive drainage is installed the problem will ease further.

I will speak with Ian regarding the lines of communication and ensure acknowledgements to correspondence from the WPRA are issued. We are holding regular meetings with them and believe this is the ideal forum for concerns to be raised, addressed and relevant information disseminated.

I will also speak with the site teams regarding the generator / pumps and look at noise attenuation.

Good Afternoon Everyone

Cheshire West and Chester Council is asking residents to give their views on how it manages recycling and waste services in the recently launched Waste Management consultation. I attach a comprehensive document with further information.

The Council plans to produce a new Waste Management Strategy, which will shape how the Council delivers waste services over the next 10 years and covers a range of issues, including:

1. Household waste and recycling services – comprehensive proposals are being consulted upon, with some radical alternative provision being discussed
2. The way non-recycled waste is processed
3. Green waste collection and possible charges to be introduced for this service
4. Household Waste and Recycling Centre services

The eight-week consultation period started on 21 January 2021 and closes on 18 March 2021.

Residents can give their views by taking part online at: https://participatenow.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/waste-strategy-consultation

Residents’ comments can also be sent to the Council by the following methods:

1. Email: wasteconsultationresidents@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
2. Postal address: Waste Strategy Consultation, Cheshire West and Chester Council, Wyvern House, The Drumber, Winsford, CW7 1AH

The questionnaire is also available in accessible formats (alternative languages, braille) upon request.

Please disseminate this information amongst your networks as it is likely to be of considerable interest to residents

Take Care and Stay Safe.

Many Thanks

Best Wishes

Razia

Cllr Razia Daniels

Shadow Cabinet Member for Children and Families

Member of Cheshire Fire Authority

Equality & Diversity Member Champion for Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service

HANDBRIDGE PARK WARD

Home –  01244 312392

Mobile –  07481234411

https://www.facebook.com/CllrRaziaDaniels/

Twitter – @CllrRDaniels

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Residents of Cheshire West and Chester are being asked for their views on a proposed waste strategy which will shape how the Council delivers waste and recycling services over the next 10 years.

The ‘Don’t let your future go to waste’ consultation describes the current waste service in the borough, shares the challenges and opportunities the Council faces over the next 10 years and asks for feedback on proposed key priorities for the new Waste Strategy and options currently being considered.

The scope of the consultation includes the household waste and recycling collection service, and the way in which the non-recycled waste is processed.  Future proposals seek to address how the borough can continue to reduce the amount of waste it produces and encourage greater recycling.

The eight-week consultation period starts on Thursday 21 January 2021 and closes on Thursday 18 March 2021  Residents can give their views by taking part online at: https://participatenow.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/waste-strategy-consultation.

Comments can also be sent to the Council by Email: WasteConsultationResidents@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk

or

Post: Waste Strategy Consultation, Cheshire West and Chester Council, Wyvern House, The Drumber, Winsford. CW7 1AH

Please see attached notification of planning application. Please note this is a new application and the deadline for comments is 5th February 2021, if you wish to make any comments.

Here is the link to view this application:

https://pa.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/online-applications/


Take Care and Stay Safe.

Many Thanks

Cheshire Fire Authority is seeking residents views on its plans to increase its share of council tax (called its precept) for the 2021/2022 financial year.

How are we funded?

The Authority receives the majority of its funding through Council Tax. It also receives grants from central government and some funding through business rates.

The Authority levies its share of council tax on properties across Cheshire. This precept currently stands at £79.29 per year for a Band D property. You may pay more or less than this amount depending on the council tax banding of your own home.

For 2021/2022 we are proposing to increase our precept by 1.99%. This would see our share of council tax increase by £1.58 to £80.87 per year for a Band D property.

Why are we proposing this?

The Authority’s plans up to 2024 are set out in its Integrated Risk Management Plan 2020-2024. This is an ambitious plan that will improve how we provide cover across Cheshire to respond to fires and other emergencies. Within this plan we also detail our plans to modernise many of our premises. This is to ensure our older fire stations across Cheshire can meet modern standards and be fit for the future.

The Authority also has ongoing capital requirements such as replacing fire engines and equipment as necessary. Since 2014, the Authority has received no capital funding from central Government so must meet all of these needs through its own revenue budget.

The forecasts in our Medium Term Financial Plan assumes that going forward we will receive no, or very small, increases in the funding we receive from Government. This will not be sufficient to cover additional costs such as inflation, so we need to bridge the gap ourselves.

The Authority has been fortunate to receive some funding from Government to help with the impact of Covid-19 on our services. This has enabled us to make temporary changes to our operations to keep our staff safe and available to respond to fires and other emergencies; and to provide assistance to the NHS and local partner agencies in the community by delivering thousands of prescriptions, food parcels and other essentials to those in need.

However, we are also affected by the impact of Covid-19 on our partner local authorities; for instance if local authorities collect less council tax or business rates income than they originally expected. The way the Authority is funded means that we are also liable to make up some of this shortfall if less income is received than was originally forecast.

Let us know what you think

Between now and 28 January 2021 we are seeking the views of residents on our proposed increase in our share of council tax. Please let us know what you think by completing a short online survey, which you can access through the link below.

Complete our short online survey

Alternatively, you can provide your views by emailing consultation@cheshirefire.gov.uk, telephoning 01606 868700 or in writing to Freepost Cheshire Fire Consultation (no stamp required).

Over the past year, metal detectorists have been damaging the archaeological site at Heronbridge, which lies on both sides of Eaton Road between Heronbridge Cottage and the bridge over the A55. This is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and metal detecting there is illegal.

Heronbridge is uniquely important to local and regional history as the site of a Roman settlement, a rare early medieval earthwork and the location of the 7th-century Battle of Chester between the forces of Northumbria and Mercia and the Welsh kingdoms.

Perpetrators can be prosecuted for Theft by Finding if they remove objects from the site. They can also be prosecuted under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act for damage to a protected monument; use of metal detectors on a Scheduled Monument; and removal of items from a Scheduled Monument.

The site is already being watched by the Cheshire Police Rural Crime Team as part of Operation Arrowhead, which targets Heritage Crime across the country, but you can play your part as well.

If you are in the area you can help to stop this damage by visiting the site and looking out for illegal activity. If you see any metal detecting, do not get into a confrontation but phone 999 as it is a Heritage Crime in progress. If it is safe to do so, take the registration numbers of any vehicles that may be associated. Please report any other relevant information by phoning 101.

While you are out and about, be sure to observe the current lockdown restrictions. Many thanks for your help in helping to protect our shared history!

Chester Archaeological Society

If you would like to know more about Heronbridge, there are two recent articles in the journals of Chester Archaeological Society:

D J P Mason, III: The Heronbridge archaeological research project: an interim report on the 2002 and 2003 seasons of the Society’s new fieldwork initiative, JCAS 78, 2003, 49-106

C V Tolley, V: Æthelfrith and the Battle of Chester, JCAS 86, 2016, 51-95

Your Chance To Put Your Questions To Chief Constable and PCC

Cheshire Police Chief Constable Darren Martland and Police and Crime Commissioner David Keane will be holding three virtual public engagement sessions over the coming weeks for Cheshire residents to attend.

It’s part of a new consultation to obtain your views on policing priorities and funding and community safety.

The sessions will take place on the following dates:

Tuesday 12 January, 6.30pm-8pm
Saturday 16 January, 1pm-2.30pm
Tuesday 19 January, 6.30pm-8pm

If you would like to attend one of the virtual sessions please email your name and address, the date of the session you’d like to attend and your question for the Commissioner or Chief Constable to pcc@cheshire.pnn.police.uk.

Registration for each session closes 24 hours before it takes place. The link to join the sessions will be emailed to those registered shortly before each session.

Questions can also be submitted by those unable to attend the sessions to pcc@cheshire.pnn.police.uk using the subject title ‘question’.

Alternatively, if you’re unable to attend the sessions but you’d like to give your views on policing priorities and funding, you can complete this short online survey: https://wh1.snapsurveys.com/siam/surveylanding/surveylogin.asp?sk=160759151682