Climate Emergency

24 January 2022

Cheshire West and Chester Council has successfully secured £100,000 of funding to develop ‘social prescribing’ options in Ellesmere Port, following a bid to the Department for Transport (DfT).

This could see people in the town being prescribed cycling or walking activities by their GP, nurse or other general practice staff to boost their health and wellbeing.

Earlier on in 2021, the DfT invited local councils to express an interest in taking part in a pilot scheme for areas with relatively poor health and low physical activity rates.

Following two successful rounds of assessment, the Council has successfully reached the Feasibility Study stage of the project, along with just 11 other local authorities.

If successful at the final stage, the project will see NHS staff prescribing cycling or walking where appropriate, making bicycles available as well as cycle training, access to cycling groups and peer support to keep motivation and participation high.

The application was a partnership between transport and public health colleagues at the Council along with One Ellesmere Port Primary Care Network – which is six GP Practices working together across the town - and a wide range of partners from the charity and voluntary sector.

The Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Strategic Transport, Councillor Karen Shore said: “This is really good news. We will now be able to build on our valuable cycling and pedestrian improvement projects that have already taken place in Ellesmere Port, so people can choose from a range of active travel options.

“If we are successful at the final stage, we will be able to build on existing social prescribing and develop a range of tailored cycling and walking activities with the ultimate aim to increase the number of “active travel” journeys taken by residents to improve their health and wellbeing.”

Active travel projects already completed for cyclists and pedestrians include the shared use pathways on the A5117, Sutton Way Boulevard Ellesmere Port to Chester Canal Tow path; part funded by Local growth funding awarded by the Cheshire and Warrington LEP, and also Stanney Lane Boulevard and Thornton Road.

Infrastructure improvements will be planned to increase the attractiveness of cycling. The Council’s Local Walking and Cycling Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) provides a strategic approach to identify where cycling and walking improvements are required at a local level over a 10-year period. Projects could include access to good quality green spaces and routes away from traffic with potential segregated lanes, low traffic neighbourhoods, and secure cycle parking.

Dr Emily Morton, Co-Clinical Director One Ellesmere Port, said: “I am extremely happy to see this project get going. It reflects strong partnership working, bringing the Council, the Department for Transport and the local health service together to improve quality of life in Ellesmere Port. This represents the type of planning, that has the power to really improve the well-being of our residents.”

The project team hope to secure final stage funding from April 2022 onwards.

If successful, experience and learning from the pilot will be shared to support other areas who are keen to take a similar approach.

Anyone in Ellesmere Port interested in active travel prescribing can speak to their GP receptionist. There are many opportunities to be more physically active across west Cheshire, with guided walks taking place in various locations, you can find out more information by going to the Live Well Cheshire West website and searching for ‘Eat Well Be Active’.

17 January 2022

To celebrate Chester becoming a Queen’s Green Canopy Champion City, volunteers came together to plant 360 trees at a community event in the Countess of Chester Country Park on Saturday, 15 January.

Over 40 volunteers joined The Mersey Forest, The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) and the Friends of the Countess of Chester Park group to plant a range of native trees including Oak, Birch, Hawthorn and Hazel.

The woodland will form part of the Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC), a unique, national tree planting initiative to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee this year.

Chester has been recognised as a QGC Champion City, joining 13 other cities nationally, and will work with The Mersey Forest to undertake a wide range of tree planting projects across the borough, throughout the year.

Alongside the woodland planting, The Lord-Lieutenant, Lady Redmond planted a Jubilee tree on the site, before presenting a plaque to the Sheriff of Chester, Councillor Jill Houlbrook, on behalf of the Queen’s Green Canopy Foundation, in recognition of the city’s status as a QGC Champion City.

The Jubilee tree species is an Oak, a native species which will grow to up to 40 metres high and supports more life than any other native tree species in the UK.

The Sheriff of Chester also planted an Oak tree on the day to mark the 900th anniversary of the role of Sheriff of Chester.

The Lord-Lieutenant, Lady Redmond MBE, said:

“I am extremely proud that Chester has been given this well deserved award as one of the QGC’s Champion Cities. Congratulations on a fantastic plan for planting new trees and establishing new woodland within the city, as well as supporting local people to be trained in woodland creation and management; an impressive and important legacy celebrating Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee.’”

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

“It’s great to see so many people getting involved with the tree planting at this popular local park. This site forms part of the wider Mersey Forest, which is connecting people with nature, something that we know is beneficial for our residents’ health and wellbeing. As it establishes, the woodland will become a carbon store, playing an important role in helping the borough to become carbon neutral by 2045, as well as boosting biodiversity in the area.”

The trees planted have been funded by The Mersey Forest Foundation. The Foundation is the charitable arm of The Mersey Forest Partnership and allows local people and businesses to donate towards tree planting across Merseyside and Cheshire.

14 January 2022

As we approach Blue Monday on 17 January, recognised by many as the least cheerful day of the year, Cheshire West and Chester Council is hard at work making sure its parks look great for everyone to enjoy the great outdoors.

Though it might be the middle of winter, the Council’s maintenance teams are out and about making sure the borough’s parks, open spaces, bowling greens and football pitches are well cared for. Work undertaken by the Council’s StreetCare teams and Greenspace officers includes hedge cutting, grass cutting on pitches and greens, hedge laying, bin emptying, litter-picking, pruning plus other habitat management - anything from reed removal to putting up owl boxes.

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

“I’m very grateful to our maintenance and Greenspace teams for all the hard work they do to keep our lovely parks and green spaces looking good over the winter months. We’ve had some extreme weather over the past couple of months, and it’s challenging, particularly in cold or wet weather.

“Next Monday, 17 January may be ‘Blue Monday’ but what better way to beat the winter blues than a walk in one of our lovely parks and open spaces? They can look particularly stunning at this time of year.

“The pandemic has shown how good getting outdoors can be for us, and our teams are busy doing a wonderful job of keeping everything looking great. I would also like to thank the many volunteers and ‘Friends of’ groups in the borough for their work all year round as well. They are incredibly dedicated and really help us get our parks and open spaces looking their best – thank you.”

• Parks and open spaces in west Cheshire

With energy bills rising, many of us are looking at ways to reduce our costs and keep our homes warm at the same time.

The Citizens Advice and the Energy Saving Trust are sharing useful advice about keeping warm this winter. Here are some simple steps that could save you money and reduce the amount of energy you are using, which, in turn, will also reduce your personal carbon footprint.

• Only fill and boil the kettle with as much water as you need. The most energy-saving kettles have a low minimum-fill line, and switch off quickly after boiling.
• Cutting your shower time by just one minute could make you savings. If everyone in a four-person household with a water meter did this, you could save £50 a year.
• By turning your appliances off instead of leaving them on standby, you could save £40 a year and cut your carbon footprint.
• If it’s time to replace a lightbulb, switch to a light emitting diodes (LEDs) lightbulb and save up to £9 per year, compared to a 100 watt incandescent bulb.
• Draught proofing your home could save you £30 a year on your bills and will help to keep your home warmer. For tips on reducing home heat loss, visit the Energy Saving Trusts website.
• Installing a chimney draught excluder could save you around £20 a year on your bills and make your home feel more comfortable.
• Try turning your room thermostat down by just one degree and you could save around £65 a year on your energy bill.
• Drawing the blinds at dusk can reduce heat loss by 13-14 per cent and curtains from 15-17 per cent.

Staying healthy this winter

The NHS, Age UK and British Heart Foundation have a good range of information on keeping warm and safe in winter.

• Have regular hot drinks and food such as porridge, soups and stews. Eating regularly helps keep you warm.
• Keep as active as possible to boost your circulation. Move around at least once an hour and avoid sitting still for long periods. Even light exercise will help keep you warm.
• When you do sit down, put your feet up as it’s coldest nearest the ground.
• Dress in layers and wear a hat, gloves and scarf when you go out. When inside wear warm socks and slippers to keep feet warm.

Grants and payments

• Green Homes Grant – If you have an annual combined household income of £30,000 (gross) or less and your property has an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of E, F or G you could benefit from the Council’s Green Homes Grant, which offers funding for a variety of energy efficient measures for your home. These include wall, loft and underfloor insulation, and low-carbon heating such as air source heat pumps, solar panels, heating controls and replacement doors and windows. These measures will help reduce costly energy bills, whilst also lowering energy use and associated carbon emissions. Find out more about the scheme and how to apply.
• Winter Fuel Payment - If you were born on or before 26 September 1955, you could be entitled to the Winter Fuel Payment - an annual one-off payment to help you pay for heating during the winter. Find out more and how to apply on GOV.UK.
• Warm Home Discount Scheme - If you are on a low income or you get the guarantee credit part of Pension Credit, you might be able to get £140 off your electricity bill or a £140 voucher for your prepayment meter through the Warm Home Discount Scheme. Find out more and how to apply on GOV.UK.

Energy efficient heating

If you are interested in making your home heating system more energy efficient, saving money on your fuel bills, as well as reducing your carbon emissions, the Energy Saving Trust has a useful guide on heating your home. This includes information on air source heat pumps, biomass and solar water heating.

Further support

The Council has worked with a range of partner organisations to develop a package of support for those most in need, supporting what we already have in place to help vulnerable households and individuals. More information about this can be found on the Council website.

Source:

• Energy Saving Trust – Energy at home
• Energy Saving Trust lighting advice
• Citizens Advice – Grants and benefits
• NHS - how to stay well in winter
• British Heart Foundation
• Age UK - keep well this winter

The Council has had a fantastic response to the Green Homes Grant scheme, which was open for applications from last month, and are encouraging more residents to apply whilst funding is still available.

The scheme offers a variety of energy efficient measures from wall, loft and under-floor insulation, to low-carbon heating such as air source heat pumps, solar panels, heating controls and replacement doors and windows. All of these measures will help reduce costly energy bills, whilst also lowering energy use and associated carbon emissions.

The funding does not cover fossil fuels and therefore the scheme is not able to offer new mains gas, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) or oil heating systems. This is because the funding is aimed at supporting the move away from our reliance on fossil fuels, to more cleaner technologies.

To be considered for measures, you must meet both criteria below.

• Annual combined household income of £30,000 (gross) or less, includes households in receipt of qualifying welfare benefits
• Your property must be classed as inefficient and have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of E, F or G. (In addition, there is some limited funding available for EPC ‘D’ rated properties and we are encouraging applications from these properties as well.)

If you aren’t sure what your property’s EPC rating is, you can check using the Energy Performance Register. If your property does not have an EPC, and your household meets the income threshold, we can carry-out an assessment free of charge to see if your house is eligible.

Eligible households will have an initial survey carried out to identify which energy efficiency measures are most suited to their property.

The scheme will operate on a first-come, first-served basis, and all measures offered are fully funded with no contribution required from residents.

Private rental properties with an eligible tenant are also able to apply. There is no cost to the tenant for any energy efficiency measures installed, but the landlord is required to contribute one third of the cost, with two thirds (to a maximum grant value of £5,000), being provided by the grant. For example, if the total cost of measures is £7,500, the landlord will be required to pay £2,500, with £5,000 available from the grant fund.

The quickest and easiest way to apply is on-line at: www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/greenhomesgrant , alternatively residents can visit the following Council offices on the specified days and times:

• Ellesmere Port (Civic Way) each Tuesday between 9am – 2pm
• Winsford (Wyvern House) each Wednesday between 9am – 2pm

Residents visiting an office to apply will need to bring with them all evidence they need to prove their household’s annual income is below the £30,000 (gross) threshold. Evidence could include for example: three monthly pay slips, pension statements, benefit letters, or three monthly bank statements.

14 January 2022

A year on from Storm Christoph causing widespread flooding across our region, Council leaders say that enormous steps have been made by teams across the Council to ensure the borough is better prepared for future flood incidents.

Storm Christoph hit the country on 19 January 2021 flooding the homes and premises of many residents and businesses across the borough, particularly in Northwich which was severely flooded.

Over the past year, the Council has worked closely with communities, businesses and partner organisations such as the Environment Agency and United Utilities to explore and tackle the key issues involved, setting up a Flood Risk Action Group (FRAG) to develop responses and actions that need to be undertaken.

Together, we are working to reduce the impact from flooding and to help communities prepare for any future storm events.

In collaboration with the Environment Agency and United Utilities, additional temporary pumping equipment has been tested in Northwich ready for immediate use. Measures have been put in place so that additional pumping from the river can be provided, if needed.

Multi-agency emergency response plans have been improved to help reduce the impact of future flooding. The Council has updated the information available to residents and businesses on its website advising how to respond to future flood incidents.

The Council’s gully (grid) annual cleaning programme, which aims to clean 86,650 grids across the borough at least once before March this year, is running ahead of schedule. This involves large-scale drainage jetting and sweeping operations to keep drainage systems and road surfaces as clear of debris as possible.

Councillor Karen Shore, Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Strategic Transport, said:

“Serious flooding can happen at any time and climate change projections suggest extreme weather will happen more frequently in the future.

“In addition to the practical actions the Council and partner agencies are carrying out to make us more prepared, it is important that our communities become more resilient to react to future flooding incidents.

“We have updated available information on the Council website to inform people of the issues and to offer advice and resources on how to be more flood resilient. Visit: Flooding (cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk).”

As part of the new surface drain reinstatement works in Chester, a Jubilee Tree has been planted on the Grosvenor Roundabout by the Council in partnership with The Mersey Forest and VINCI Construction UK.

Following the completion of the 1km long surface water drain, which will provide many future-proof environmental benefits for the city including reducing sewage outfalls into the river Dee, the new tree is one of 100 being planted by The Mersey Forest in Chester to replace the eleven trees that were felled in 2020 as part of the drain enabling works.

The Jubilee Tree species is a Amelanchier Arborea Robin Hill which will provide white spring flowers and rich autumnal colour; and will be part of a borough-wide contribution to the Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC), a unique tree planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022 which invites people from across the country to “Plant a Tree for the Jubilee”.

Chester has been recognised as a QGC Champion City, joining twelve other cities nationally, and will undertake a wide range of projects across the borough throughout the year including:

• Creating a new Green Task Force with 30 military veterans who will be offered training and paid job opportunities in woodland creation and woodland management, as a steppingstone into full-time work
• Installing 20 leaky woody dams in the Lower Dane Catchment and Rivacre Valley and creating 2.6ha of woodland on the banks of rivers and streams
• Upskilling 10 young people (age 18-24) to create a specialist tree nursery including the propagation of scarce, difficult to source, native tree species and pioneer woodland wildflower species.
• Hosting a community tree planting event at the Countess Country Park on Saturday 15th January. The public are invited to help plant 360 trees, to take part register in advance as places are free but limited: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tree-planting-at-the-countess-country-park-chester-tickets-224117299877

The planting of the Jubilee Tree has been sponsored by VINCI Construction UK, the Council’s principal construction partner for the new surface water drain and Northgate development set to open in 2022.

Further information about the QGC is available: www.queensgreencanopy.org

Councillor Richard Beacham, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Growth, Economy & Regeneration, said: “The trees in the area around the Grosvenor Roundabout are an important feature on the skyline as you approach our city from the south. Being able to re-plant a tree in this location is a sign that the large drain construction project is finally coming to an end, and although it will take a long time to grow, this tree will one day stand tall at the entrance to our city and will be a lasting legacy of the Queen’s Green Canopy."

Colin Rankin, Business Development Director of VINCI Building said: “This location is a key gateway for the city so its fitting that we will be planting a Jubilee Tree and celebrating its royal links dating back over 800 years, with the title of Earl of Chester having been granted to heirs to the throne since 1301”.

Paul Nolan, Director of The Mersey Forest, said: “Planting more trees and establishing new woodlands will provide many benefits for our communities and help to lock up carbon on our journey to becoming a carbon neutral borough by 2045. Alongside our work of establishing Community Forests, we’re also delighted to be able to support local people to be trained in woodland creation and management, providing them with the skills to join the industry and play their part in protecting and enhancing nature in their communities.”

20 December 2021

Trips made on Cheshire West and Chester Council’s e-scooters trial in Chester city centre have now covered 150,000 miles – more than six times the circumference of the earth.

The Council, in partnership with e-scooter provider Ginger, launched a 12-month trial in December 2021, as part of a Department for Transport (DfT) initiative to encourage greener travel methods.

Due to its popularity it has now been extended to 31 March 2022. Currently 130 e-scooters are available, with over 47 dockless parking bays at various key locations around the city centre.

The pay-as-you-go scooters are hired via a mobile app, that has 14,500 registered local users who have taken an average of five rides each. One user has taken a total of 301 rides!

A total of 74,800 journeys have been taken since the start of the trial and 91 per cent of recent journeys are from a different start and end point (as opposed to circular journeys).

The Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Strategic Transport, Councillor Karen Shore, said: “E-scooters offer a healthier, more environmentally friendly alternative to using the car for shorter journeys and will also help tackle air pollution. They are proving very popular. Extending the trial will enable more accurate data to be obtained for this alternative method of getting around the city, as much of the previous data was gathered during lockdown restrictions.”

Councillor Matt Bryan, Cabinet Member for the Climate Emergency explained: “Ginger work in partnership with a local business, Dandy’s Nationwide Landscape Supplies Ltd, using the latest solar panels and Tesla battery charging facilities to power and recharge the Ginger e-scooter fleet. This means that every scoot across the city of Chester on a Ginger rental e-scooter is now 100 per cent powered by the sun.”

The e-scooters have proved to be most popular with residents at Garden Lane who have made over 5,000 journeys, followed by White Friars with a similar number of journeys and Chester Train Station, 4,500+ journeys.

The scooters will not move unless unlocked by a valid driving licence holder, they will cut out if taken into a location that is not approved for their use and there is a speed limiter.

Ginger manages the e-scooters in Chester and full details, FAQs and location maps for the Chester scheme are available on their website. Users will need to download the Ginger Shared Transport App from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. The e-scooters cost £2 per 20 minutes of journey time and 50p per 10 minutes of pausing time.

Scooters will continue to charge their user until they are parked properly in a designated e-scooter parking area and the user has ended the ride on the app. This approach has resulted in 99 per cent of e-scooters being parked properly at the end of their journey.

Anyone hiring e-scooters with Ginger needs to be aged 18 or over, with a valid driving licence (full or provisional) or a motorcycle licence. A unique age and licence verification process with facial recognition technology is in place to ensure this. It is a criminal offence to hire the e-scooter for someone else.

To date eight registered users have had their accounts blocked due to non-compliance of the rules and they will not be able to hire a Ginger scooter again.

20 December 2021

Work will begin on a safe, segregated pedestrian and cycleway between Helsby High School and Frodsham on 4 January 2022.

Cheshire West and Chester Council developed the scheme which will provide a new cycle facility between Helsby High School and Howey Lane, Frodsham.

The scheme will upgrade the current marked cycleway into a safer segregated route, separated from traffic by a kerbed area.

The scheme will also provide a widened pavement between the caravan park and Helsby High school and a new ‘toucan’ push button crossing facility which caters for both pedestrians and cyclists. (Called so because ‘two can’ cross at the same time.)

The Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Strategic Transport, Councillor Karen Shore, said: “I am really pleased that the recently adopted local cycling and walking Infrastructure plan is bearing fruit and we are now seeing real infrastructure delivery on the ground to benefit residents and school children in the area. This compliments the recent investment across the borough on Sutton Way Boulevard, the A5117 and the Chester to Ellesmere Port canal towpath scheme, delivered through local growth funding provided by the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership.”

Following consultation in February 2021 and positive feedback, the Department for Transport approved funding to implement this scheme under tranche two of their Active Travel Fund.

Construction works on the scheme is due to start in early January 2022 and will be ongoing until Easter. Construction works are to be carried out by the Council’s Highways contractor Ringway. More details will follow soon.

17 December 2021

With nearly £300,000 raised by community projects through the Cheshire West Crowd to date, people are being encouraged to add their ideas to the platform ready to pitch for funding in the spring 2022 round.

The Cheshire West Crowd, which is being run by Cheshire West and Chester Council in partnership with Spacehive, is an exciting digital crowdfunding initiative, providing an opportunity for community-led ideas to come to life so the borough can become more vibrant, resilient and connected.

The first funding round ran earlier this year and the Council pledged nearly £200,000 to 20 different projects through its various funding pots, while residents, businesses and donors all got behind the Cheshire West Crowd and made donations.

Barbara, who has been part of the crowdfunding efforts for the Restore the Ancient Well of Burton project, said: “Having the Council’s pledge has been a vital boost to our campaign."

“Not only did it bring us much closer to our target, but it has also given other backers confidence in our cause, encouraging pledges from individuals who were motivated to help us reach the final amount. On a personal level, getting the backing from the Council gave the whole team a real lift and kept us focused on achieving our goal.”

As part of the spring 2022 round, a workshop is being led by Councillor Louse Gittins and Jackie Weaver from noon to 1pm on Tuesday 1 February to help projects get their ideas ready for crowdfunding.

• Register for this workshop: Projects will need to be added to the Cheshire West Crowd and pitch to relevant Council funds by Wednesday 23 March.
• Create your project on the Cheshire West Crowd: Local projects providing a wide range of services, from an arts trail to walking wheelchairs, have used the Cheshire West Crowd to crowdfund. The Council’s funding pots available in spring 2022 will be announced in the New Year.