Residents across west Cheshire can get involved in the UK’s biggest celebration of community action to tackle climate change and protect nature during this year’s Great Big Green Week.

Running between 24 September and 2 October, the week will see a selection of events running throughout the borough and nationwide.

As part of the week-long celebrations, Eco Communities has organised a Great Big Green Week Festival on Saturday, 24 September, 11am – 4pm, at Chester Grosvenor Park, supported by Cheshire West and Chester Council, Cheshire West Voluntary Action, Chester Zoo, the Co op and Sykes Holiday Cottages.

There will be something for everyone at this year’s festival with a fun palace and fair zone, nature activities, workshops and stalls selling sustainable goods.

Find out more by visiting: Chester Great Big Green Week Festival 2022 – Great Big Green Week (great-big-green-week.com)

There are lots of other events taking place across the borough.

Saturday, 24 Sept - Great Big Green Week Clothes Swap

Fancy a new outfit without spending a single penny? Bring the clothes you no longer wear to the Grosvenor Museum’s clothes swap and trade them for new and exciting pieces. Between 10.30am and 4pm, drop off your old clothes and exchange them for something new.

Find out more about the clothes swap

Saturday, 24 Sept – Sunday, 2 Oct – ‘Chester Creates’

During Great Big Green Week, the Save The Children charity shop in Chester will be showcasing their Upcycled range, including shirts, bags, cushions and furniture.

Find out more about 'Chester Creates'

Saturday, 1 October – Frodsham’s Big Green Day

Climate Action Frodsham is hosting a Big Green Day on Saturday, 1 October, 10am to 4pm, at Frodsham Community Centre on Fluin Lane. There will be a range of stalls, plus displays and talks from experts to help you learn more about our changing climate and ways to reduce our impact on the world.

Find out more about Frodsham's Big Green Day

Sunday, 2 October – Make Smaller Footprints

The Cheshire Federation of WI’s is hosting an event outside of the Delamere Forest visitor centre on Sunday, 2 October, 9am to 4pm. Their theme this year is ‘make small footprints’, with ideas being shared around the small changes we can make in the home and garden. There will be activities for children, ideas for using up leftovers, bee hotel building, wild corners, nectar bar window boxes and homemade cosmetics.

Find out more about Make Smaller Footprints

To find out more about Great Big Green Week and all the events taking place nationally, visit: greatbiggreenweek.com.

Information correct at time of being published. Please check for updates on the individual event organisers’ websites before attending.

With the recent announcement of the new energy price cap increase, which comes in to place in October 2022, there are lots of stories in the media about the rise in costs and what households can do to manage their bills.

We’ve pulled together links to some useful advice from a range of organisations to help you reduce your energy use and manage your household bills.

• Energy Saving Trust – Quick tips to save energy
• Energy Saving Trust – Reducing home heat loss
• Green Doctor – useful downloadable guides on range of energy saving measures, including installing draft strips and tackling damp
• British Gas – Energy saving tips
  

What does the rise in the energy price cap mean?

Ofgem has published some useful information on their website to explain about the price cap and what is means for households.

• Ofgem – Check if the energy price cap affects you

The Money Saving Expert website also has some useful information.

• Money Saving Expert website – What is the energy price cap?

We’d love to hear of any other ways you are considering saving energy this year. Please add details to the ‘your stories’ section of the website to share your tips.

Further support
The Council’s cost of living support page provides advice for residents that may be struggling with the cost of living crisis, including information about welfare rights, benefits and debt advice, and support getting all the money you're entitled to.

• Cost of living support | Cheshire West and Chester Council

Ellesmere Port is the latest area to benefit from new solar-powered litter bins with increased capacity meaning fewer bins are needed on the streets.

Cheshire West and Chester Council has installed 19 new solar-powered litter bins in the town centre.

The new litter bins, use solar energy to compact the waste inside, providing five times the capacity of a standard litter bin.

Councillor Karen Shore, the Council's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Strategic Transport, said:

"We've been able to remove old bins and create more space on the pavements in the town centre boosting accessibility, without losing any capacity.

These clever bins let our teams know when they need to be emptied, cutting down the time spent on bin emptying rounds, so they can now carry out other duties in the area. Avoiding unnecessary bin emptying journeys also benefits the environment and our Climate Emergency activities.

This project ties in closely with our Waste Strategy and our aims to deliver an efficient and cost-effective waste management service and tackle the climate emergency. Good quality litter bins in our communities make it easy for residents to dispose of their rubbish, helping to keep our streets clean and tidy."

The 19 new bins have replaced 39 standard bins with no lack of capacity, the Council worked with local ward members and key stakeholders locally to agree the locations for the new bins.

Earlier this year the Council announced it was one of the first, if not the first, to use QR codes on bins to allow residents to check when a bin is due to be emptied by StreetCare teams.

The Council is looking to increase the number of compacter bins in the borough following the installation of 17 new bins in other parts of the borough and will keep up to date with smart bin technology to spot further opportunities.

Tattenhall Repair Café raised nearly £3,000 through the Cheshire West Crowd, providing an opportunity for the local community to get household equipment repaired and helping tackle the Climate Emergency at the same time.

The Cheshire West Crowd, which is being run by Cheshire West and Chester Council in partnership with Spacehive, is the ideal chance for community-led ideas to be created so the borough can become more vibrant, resilient and connected.

Tattenhall Repair Café ran a successful crowdfunding campaign on the Cheshire West Crowd in spring 2022, receiving donations from 40 different backers and accessing funding pots from both Cheshire West and Chester Council and Tattenhall Parish Council.

The repair sessions, which are part of the Transition Tattenhall project, are held monthly at the Barbour Institute as a group of volunteers receive equipment from the local community and work their magic.

• More about Transition Tattenhall and the Repair Café

Peter Radley, who helps run Transition Tattenhall and the Repair Café, said:

"The process with the Cheshire West Crowd worked well and the Spacehive staff were really helpful.

They gave us a lot of guidance and it’s a comprehensive set up so it makes you think about your project.

When we came to actually doing the crowdfunding, we used social media and the community just got behind us.

The good thing was that we were able to say you’d only pay money if the project actually goes ahead so people knew they were putting money towards a viable project.

As part of Tattenhall Parish Council’s annual funding round, it gave us £500 towards the Repair Café and we added this towards our crowdfunding total on the Cheshire West Crowd.

Cheshire West and Chester Council also supported our project and that was a big help because, while the project might look like a simple thing, there are costs for room hire, insurance and electrical testing equipment."

Tattenhall Repair Café has run one session to date and it’s been a real hit with the local community.

Peter added:

"We were full of people, our repairers were busy all the time and we actually overran by nearly an hour because we had so much to do.

Everybody was really pleased and we repaired loads of kit, stopping equipment going to landfill.

We’re against equipment going to landfill, want to reduce consumption and, if we can fix something for someone, we will.

People were really happy to see a zip going into their jacket, a table being mended, a pushchair being fixed or other simple things that you wouldn’t normally pay people to do, throwing it away and getting another one.

We’re not interested in major repairs that you might get a tradesperson to do as these are small bits of kit that you might normally throw away.

We’ve got a good team, but we do need to rotate people and they’re all volunteers so we’re always looking for new people to get involved."

After launching in 2021, the Cheshire West Crowd has already had two funding rounds and, with around £400,000 contributed by the Council and nearly £760,000 raised in total by local projects, it is one of the most successful initiatives Spacehive has run.

Project creator workshops will be run by the Council and Spacehive to help projects get ready for crowdfunding, with monthly support sessions taking place in local libraries from August to November 2022.

• Project creator workshop on Tuesday 6 September at noon

The deadline for projects being added to the Cheshire West Crowd is Wednesday 2 November 2022 as the Council will be allocating funds from the various pots in December 2022.

All projects will need to reach their crowdfunding targets on the Cheshire West Crowd by Tuesday 28 February 2023.

The following funding pots will be available from Cheshire West and Chester Council in the autumn 2022 round.

• Community Innovation Fund – £250,000
• Youth Fund – £20,000
• Cheshire West Crowd Fund – £90,000
• COVID Recovery and Renewal Fund – £47,885
• Climate Change Emergency Fund – £10,000
• Tackling Poverty Fund – £9,865

Cheshire West and Chester Council has welcomed news of funding for year three of the national Trees for Climate programme, which is playing a major part in increasing access to nature for communities across England.

The funding will see tree coverage across the borough increase, with the area's local Community Forest, The Mersey Forest, managing both national delivery of the Trees for Climate programme and delivering trees in the ground locally.

England's 13 Community Forests aim to plant around 1,433 hectares (ha) of trees – or around 2,007 football pitches – across England, thanks to over £34 million of funding announced for year three of the Trees for Climate programme.

The funding will help to provide grants that cover up to 100 per cent of the costs for tree planting and 15 years of maintenance payments, to ensure that any planting continues to deliver long term value for the landowner.

The Mersey Forest team can support landowners with the funding application and provide free, no obligation advice to people or organisations considering tree planting, whether you have a small pocket of unused land on your property or are a farmer with several hectares of land looking to diversify income streams.

Cheshire West and Chester Council is playing a leading role, nationally, by acting as the legal accountable body for the whole Trees for Climate programme and has pledged to support schemes to accelerate tree planting in the borough in their Climate Emergency Response Plan and Land Action Plan.

• West Cheshire Climate Plan

Councillor Matt Bryan, Cabinet Member for Housing, Planning and Climate Emergency, said:

"The Mersey Forest is one of 13 Community Forests across England helping to create woodlands near to cities, towns and villages, providing more deprived communities with greater access to nature and helping to bring a range of benefits to neighbourhoods, including improving people's health and wellbeing.

This funding will provide a vital boost to both the borough and the country's efforts in the fight against climate change."

Paul Nolan, Director of The Mersey Forest and Chair of England's Community Forests, said:

"This latest round of funding will allow us to establish even more woodlands for local communities across the country to benefit from.

Over the past two years, England's Community Forests have worked closely with DEFRA, Forestry Commission, Natural England and over 70 local authorities and a huge range of landowners to establish more than 1000 hectares of new woodland. We are looking forward to continuing this joint endeavour and helping the country to reach its net zero goal."

Collectively around 2,300 hectares of trees – equivalent to around 3,220 football pitches – will be planted as part of this year's total funding allocation from the Nature for Climate Fund of £44.2 million. The funding will benefit 13 Community Forests, as well as the National Forest, Northern Forest, Northumberland Forest, the Forest for Cornwall and Woodlands for Water. These projects will expand woodlands near our cities, towns, villages and rivers - giving more people greater access to nature and improving health and wellbeing as well as playing an important role in Government ambitions to treble tree planting rates by the end of this Parliament and reach net zero.

Large, small, well-designed and diverse woodlands created thanks to this funding will be more resilient to climate change, as well as natural hazards such as wildfire and storms – playing an important role in helping us adapt to a warmer world. They will help to reduce flood risk in vulnerable areas, provide sustainable UK grown timber and provide more places for nature and biodiversity to thrive.

Lord Zac Goldsmith, Forestry Minister, said:

"Our economies, livelihoods and well-being all rely on nature.

As well as tackling the impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss, this significant funding will create diverse treescapes across the country and improve the health and wellbeing of local communities by giving them more opportunities to enjoy nature on their doorstep."

The announcement comes following a successful planting season in 2021/22, which saw The Mersey Forest plant over 100 hectares of new woodland.

During the last planting season they supported a landowner near Frodsham to create over 7ha of new woodland and a native mixed wildflower meadow that, when established, will become a carbon store and a space where wildlife can thrive.

The team has also supported a number of community projects in west Cheshire this year including at The Five Villages Hall, Backford, numerous school sites and the COVID-19 reflection areas, created in parks across the borough.

All trees planted in Cheshire and Merseyside are helping to grow The Mersey Forest and the larger Northern Forest, which stretches from Liverpool to the Yorkshire coast.

Any landowners, farmers or organisations with land suitable for tree planting and interested in getting involved in the next phase of planting, which is due to start in the autumn, can contact The Mersey Forest team by calling: 01925 816217 or emailing: mail@merseyforest.org.uk

The second phase of dredging works on the Marshes at Parkgate on the Dee Estuary has begun.

The works will create a new pond near the site of the Old Baths, which will help to control the number of mosquitos in the area and create a viewable habitat for wildlife.

The work to-date has successfully cleared nearly two kilometres of ditches which will help manage the potential of flooding in the future.

The cleared gully stretches from the Old Quay to past the Boathouse car park. Short sections of gullies/grids leading from the Parade are also included to improve water flow management.

Councillor Louise Gittins, Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council said:

"Good progress has been made and should result in better water flow and in turn help to control the mosquitos when the new pond is completed.

I'm sure bird watchers will also welcome the new pond by the Boathouse. The project is part of the constant maintenance of the Parkgate Marshes."

The new pond will create an area for mosquitos to lay their larvae. As the pond will be large and shallow, any mosquito eggs will be laid along its edge which will provide easily accessible food for the pond wildlife and therefore reduce the number of mosquitoes hatching in the local area.

Chair of Neston Town Council's Community and Environment committee, Councillor Brenda Marple said:

"The new pond should be a great help in further controlling the mosquitos. Neston Town Council is working with partners to manage the marshes and at the same time we hope to see the wild birds using the new area as well."

The work has been arranged with the landowners, RSPB, using their approved contractor.

Funding for the project has been received from Cheshire West and Chester Council, Neston Town Council and the 'More from Trees' project managed by The Mersey Forest.

Residents in homes that are not connected to the gas network could be able to access a new grant to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

The Home Upgrade Grant, secured by Cheshire West and Chester Council from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, is available to eligible properties which are not heated by mains gas. Typically, the main heating source for these properties will be electric, Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG), oil or solid fuel.

Households will need to apply for the funding and the measures installed could include such things as external and internal wall insulation, loft insulation, under-floor insulation, air source heat pumps, single glazed window and door upgrades, high heat retention electric storage heaters and solar panels.

To be eligible to apply for the funding households must meet the following criteria.

Have an annual combined household income of £30,000 (gross) or less per year (there is some flexibility on household income if there are children in the household) or be in receipt of a qualifying benefit (Universal Credit, Pension Credit Guarantee, Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance, Income-Related Job Seeker's Allowance, Tax Credits (Child/Working) and Income Support

You must be a homeowner or private tenant (tenants must have their landlord's approval to apply)

Your property's Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is Band E, F or G. If your property does not have a current EPC, we can arrange one for you if you qualify for the scheme.

Councillor Matt Bryan, Cabinet Member for Housing, Planning and Climate Emergency, said:

"With energy rates on the rise and the current cost of living crisis affecting so many of our residents, the Home upgrade Grant will be essential in helping households living in some of the most inefficient homes across the borough. The energy saving improvements will help to reduce households heating bills, providing warm, safe homes which can significantly improve residents' health and wellbeing.

These improvements also play an important role in reducing emissions in the borough and will contribute to our target of becoming a carbon neutral borough by 2045."

Mr Parry, from Ellesmere Port who had external insulation installed at his home during the last round of funding, said:

"I'm more than happy with the workmanship that has been carried out on my property. There have been a few chilly nights and you can feel the benefit due to the external cladding already. The workmen involved were very professional, clean and efficient. The property, apart from being a lot warmer is also now very quiet. I am sure there will be a lot of savings once the winter approaches."

All energy efficiency measures are fully funded for homeowners. Eligible private tenants can apply with their landlord's approval. In the case of a tenanted property the landlord is required to make a minimum one-third contribution.

The improvements must increase your home's EPC rating by at least two bands to qualify. For example, if your home is currently a band F or G it will need to reach band D, and if your property is currently band E it should reach band C.

To apply for the grant online visit:

• Home energy help for residents

Alternatively, residents can apply in person at the receptions desks at the Council office at Wyvern House in Winsford and at The Portal in Ellesmere Port or request an application form by calling: 0300 123 8 123.

Residents who are worried about the cost of living and rise of energy bills can find some useful information from the Council and other local organisations on the Council's website:

• Cost of living support

Cheshire West and Chester Council has called on water companies operating in the borough to address the levels of raw sewage being released into its rivers. This comes in the same week as Chester Zoo has written an open letter to one of the water companies calling for action about sewage released into the River Dee.

Councillor Louise Gittins, Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, said:

"We fully agree with the view stated by Chester Zoo and agree that what appear to be frequent discharges of sewage into the River Dee are just not acceptable.

Because we realise the importance of the issue, the Council itself has recently invested over £8 million in a new, one kilometre long rainwater drainage tunnel under Chester. This is to reduce flooding and untreated sewage discharges into the River Dee arising from the old, combined sewer system.

This new drain can handle 1,000 litres of rainwater per second and serves an area of around 50,000m2 - which equates to around nine football pitches.

The Council's contribution is just a small part of what is required, and we now call on the water companies themselves and the Government to follow suit and to address the situation."

22 August 2022

Chester’s Northgate scheme is set to open in late autumn, the much-anticipated scheme is the biggest development in Chester for decades. Chester Northgate is not a new shopping centre; it is a development of open streets, a new central Exchange Square and Coachworks Arcade that will integrate seamlessly with the surrounding parts of the city centre; including a new: indoor market hall, six-screen Picturehouse cinema, cafés, bars and restaurants, multi-storey parking and office suites.

Northgate will also provide parking for 100 cycles – 50 indoor and 50 outdoor, made up of both short and longer stay cycle parking options. The New Market Parking will include a 50-space cycle hub on the ground floor – the city centre’s first dedicated indoor cycle park. Work is underway to fit-out the secure cycle hub which will include a repair station and e-bike charging facilities, plus scooter parking places. This facility will also be in addition to the cycle lockers that were situated on Princess Street, these were relocated to the Frodsham Street car park when construction on Northgate commenced in summer 2020.

The 50 outdoor cycle spaces will be incorporated into the central Exchange Square, along Princess Street and Hunter Street. These will be mainly hoop type stands and with ten push-in type stands with side brackets incorporated into the square’s stone landscaping.

We are grateful to the Chester Cycling Campaign for their support in designing the cycle hub and advice on the types of cycle parking stands used around the scheme.

For more information on Northgate visit: www.chesternorthgate.com