On Tuesday 23^rd April we are hosting a short 4 hour Work Shop on Art and Mindfulness at Northwich Work Zone:

You will explore ways of relaxation and rejuvenation using your creative skills , no art experience necessary

Tel Northwich Work Zone on 07833 236675 for further information

Stephen Smith

Area Skills and Employment Coordinator for Winsford/Northwich Work Zones

Economic Growth

Date: 13 March 2024

Reference Number: 6515

Cheshire West and Chester Council is looking to support local projects through the Community Innovation Fund on the Cheshire West Crowd, helping create a stronger future where we all play our part in thriving, caring and sustainable communities. 

Gold standard projects could receive up to a maximum of £20,000, or 75 per cent of their funding target, should they demonstrate community support from 50 or more backers and align with the majority of the six coproduced missions for the borough.

• Starting well
• Tackling hardship and poverty
• Resilient people living their best lives
• Opportunity in a fair local economy
• Neighbourhood pride
• Greener communities

Councillor Louise Gittins, Leader of the Council and Champion for the Cheshire West Crowd, said: “We’re delighted to be launching the fifth funding round and pledging more funds to community projects.

“Since the Cheshire West Crowd first launched a couple of years ago, 132 projects have raised nearly £2.2 million from almost 7,000 backers.

“This crowdfunding platform, created by the Council and delivered in partnership with Spacehive, empowers local communities to turn project ideas into reality by not only pitching to the Council for funds, but also calling on backing from communities and generating real community spirit.

“I’d encourage anyone with a project idea that would benefit their local community to think about using the Cheshire West Crowd.”

Funding available from the Council

There are two Council funding pots during this latest funding round.

• Community Innovation Fund – worth £166,902
• Climate Change Emergency Fund – worth £60,000

Potential project creators should note that most eligible projects receive around 50 per cent of their funding target – in the region of £5,000 to £10,000 – from the Council.  

How you can get involved

• Plenty of support is available from Spacehive and the Council’s Communities team. Express your interest now by completing this short project idea form or emailing: chesterlocality@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk to unlock help.
• Project creators pitching for Climate Change Emergency funding are encouraged to access free professional advice before submitting your project on the platform. Please email your draft project idea as soon as possible to: george.ablett@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk to improve the likelihood of receiving the Council’s support through this fund.
• An online workshop is being held on Wednesday 8 May from 1.30pm to 2.30pm so you can hear more about the Cheshire West Crowd and how projects can benefit from using this innovative funding opportunity. Register for the launch event.

The deadline to create your project, pitch for funding, submit for verification and launch your crowdfunding campaign is Wednesday 5 June. 

Please note that it would be useful for you to complete these steps as early as possible as this will allow you to attract plenty of community backing ahead of assessment.

Several funding panels will take place throughout the summer and all projects must hit their crowdfunding targets by Wednesday 25 September.

Please find attached a temporary road closure notice for Sandfield Lane, Acton Bridge which commences on 14^th March 2024. This is necessary for safety reasons to enable highway patching works, works to be carried out by Cheshire West and Chester Council.

Should you require any further information regarding this closure, please contact Highways on 0300 123 7036.

Regards

Technical Support Team

Transport and Highways Service

Winsford & Northwich Highways Office

Tel: 0300 123 7036

Email: highways@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk

Location: Browning Way, Woodford Park, Winsford, CW7 2RH

Visit: Cheshirewestandchester

This year the Easter weekend runs from Friday 29 March (Good Friday) to Monday 1 April (Easter Monday).

During this period Network Rail will be carrying out essential upgrades to railway infrastructure which will impact both London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway services.

The primary impacts on the West Midlands Trains network are:

• No trains will operate to/from London Euston between March 29-April 1 inclusive
• No trains will operate between Northampton and Milton Keynes on March 30 or March 31 (Easter Sunday)
• No trains will operate between Watford Junction and St Albans Abbey (Abbey Line) between March 29-April 1 inclusive
• No trains will operate between Lichfield Trent Valley and Birmingham New Street (Cross City Line) between April 2-April 5 inclusive

Rail replacement transport will be in operation on all affected dates. Customers travelling to London Euston are advised to travel either side of the Easter weekend, or use alternative routes.

More information on these works and travel advice for customers is available on the following dedicated web pages:

London Northwestern Railway: www.lnr.uk/easter

West Midlands Railway: www.wmr.uk/easter

Kind Regards,

West Midlands Trains – Stakeholders Team

stakeholders@wmtrains.co.uk

Please find attached link to a temporary road closure notice for Cliff Road, Acton Bridge which commences on 25th February 2024. This is necessary for safety reasons to enable utility works, works to be carried out by Cadent. 

Click to access 5-day-notice_137570421_3691564_5156a88329.pdf

Should you require any further information regarding this closure, please contact Steven Bentley on 0300 123 7036.

Regards

Technical Support Team

Transport and Highways Service

Winsford & Northwich Highways Office

Tel: 0300 123 7036

Email: highways@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk

Location: Phoenix House, Clough Road, Winsford, CW7 4BD

Visit: Cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk

A consultation on the future for wildlife in Cheshire has just launched.  For details, please visit:

Working together for a Wilder Cheshire and Warrington | Cheshire West and Chester Council

In summary the Local Nature Recovery Strategy is intended to provide a blueprint to help wildlife thrive, improve our ecological network, but also target where investment in nature could help us adapt to climate change or improve the quality of the local environment, for people and the economy.

As many views as possible are sought about what matters and what a Local Nature Strategy of Cheshire and Warrington needs to achieve to help nature. 

We would be very grateful if you could help us by promoting this opportunity so people in your Town/Parish can have their say.  There’s an opportunity for individuals and organisations to also pledge action they are prepared to take, so we have a full picture of action being taken by everyone, so not limited to landowners, Local Authorities or NGOs like Cheshire Wildlife Trust.

We are also asking landowners to put areas forward where they could be interested in attracting investment in helping nature to recover, through a call for sites. We can then put them in touch with organisations that can help them access government related grants or for support to develop biodiversity units (that could be sold to developers, when they need to invest in local opportunities to improve nature as part of Biodiversity Net Gain – the extra 10% that needs to be delivered for nature as part of major planning applications from 12^th Feb and scheduled for minor applications from the start of April).

After this consultation there will be rounds of online and in person workshops across Cheshire and Warrington to confirm the priorities, targets and agree ways we can work together, across the Local Nature Partnership, with other organisations, landowners and individuals to support nature’s recovery over the next 10 years (with known pressures and future opportunities in mind). Details on this will follow when available.

If you have any questions, please email: naturesrecovery@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk.

What is happening?

The Council is currently consulting on the future of Libraries and Museums Services in Cheshire West and Chester. A number of principles and proposals are being put forward about how the services are managed and when they open.

This includes proposals about changes to library opening hours which could affect the library at Hope Farm.

When is the consultation?

5 Feb to 2 April

How can I share my views?

The Council wants to understand the views of service users, residents, and stakeholders on the principles and proposals for the libraries and museums services. What you tell us will be used to help shape future plans.

You can find out more and review the consultation documents and complete a survey on our website: www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/librariesandmuseums