Climate Emergency

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The Climate Emergency facing our world is a very real issue, but there is plenty we can do to take action to help protect our planet.

Cheshire West and Chester Council declared a Climate Emergency in the borough in 2019 and put forward its Climate Emergency Response plan, which aims to help the borough become carbon neutral by 2045.

This is a space to share ideas, stories and tips about what you are doing locally to reduce your carbon emissions and impact on the environment. Now's the time to react and play your part to make our borough carbon neutral.


The Climate Emergency facing our world is a very real issue, but there is plenty we can do to take action to help protect our planet.

Cheshire West and Chester Council declared a Climate Emergency in the borough in 2019 and put forward its Climate Emergency Response plan, which aims to help the borough become carbon neutral by 2045.

This is a space to share ideas, stories and tips about what you are doing locally to reduce your carbon emissions and impact on the environment. Now's the time to react and play your part to make our borough carbon neutral.


  • Sustainable summer events

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    This summer, there is a brilliant selection of sustainable events taking place across the borough providing you with lots of information and inspiration to help you to live a more sustainable lifestyle.Below you’ll find details of all the events we’re aware of in the borough.

    If you are organising a sustainable event and would like it listed here, please email: climatechange@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk

    Great Big Green Week
    Various locations
    10 – 18 June

    Great Big Green Week is the UK's biggest celebration of community action to tackle climate change and protect nature. Find out about events taking place near you and get involved by visiting the Great Big Green Week website.:

    There will be a range of activities and information sessions available at local libraries throughout the borough. From recyclable children’s crafts to energy advice drop-in sessions, there will be something for everyone.

    Find out more and what activities are taking place at your local library.

    Storyhouse in Chester also have several events taking place on Saturday, 10 June to celebrate Great Big Green Week. Join them for a range of free events (including a paper recycling workshop, a treasure hunt, and colouring-in sheets) from 1pm.

    🌳 The Great Big Green Week Activities
    🌳 Paper Recycling Workshop


    Chester Green Expo
    Castle Drive, Chester
    15 - 17 June

    Join the second Green Expo in Chester to see what has been achieved in the region on progress to net zero and climate change, and how it will impact how we live, work and play. Learn how energy use and sustainable options for the home, office, communities, towns and cities are changing. Find out how alternative sources and renewable solutions for energy, transport, waste and water can help and meet the organisations driving this forward, including charities and artisan producers.

    This year’s Green Expo will be comprised of two parts:

    🌳 A Youth Conference, free for school and college students on Friday, 16 June, led by the young leaders of ChesterYouthCAN (Chester Youth Climate Action Network) with the support of the University of Chester.

    🌳 The Green Expo Exposition organised in conjunction with Chester-based Eco Communities UK. It’s free for anyone to attend and will run alongside the River Dee in Chester, on Castle Drive, from Thursday, 15 June to Saturday, 17 June.


    People, Planet, Pastry
    At the Green Huts talk area, Castle Drive
    15 June, 1pm

    As part of Green Expo 2023, this People, Planet, Pastry event will enable you to meet others interested in sustainability in your community, share local stories and ideas, and accelerate local climate action. It’s free, but make sure to reserve yourself a spot on Eventbrite.


    People, Planet, Pint
    At the Green Huts talk area, Castle Drive
    16 June, 6pm

    An alternative to the People, Planet, Pastry event, this People, Planet, Pint event will take place at the Green Huts Talks area of the Green Expo, Castle Drive, from 6pm until 8pm. There’s no agenda, workshops or webinars; just chat over a drink. Come and meet others working and interested in the net zero, Bcorp and environmental space. This event is free but please reserve a spot on Eventbrite


    Active Travel Festival Chester
    Castle Square, Lower Car Park, Chester, CH1 2DN (opposite Abode Hotel).
    18 June, from 11am

    ATfest is an active travel festival taking place in the historic city of Chester and will be a fun-filled day, jam-packed with activities for all the family to enjoy.

    The aim is to inspire local residents of all ages and abilities to make cleaner, greener, healthier and sustainable transport choices in their everyday lives.

    Visit the ATfest website to see a schedule of all the activities taking place throughout the day.



    Sustainability Festival - Chester Grosvenor Museum
    8 July, 10.30am – 5pm

    Festival for the Future is back for a second year running. Fun for all the family, and a great way to learn tips and tricks for living a greener lifestyle. All activities are free and drop-in.

    Kicking things off on Saturday, 8 July, Grosvenor Museum will be exploring how the world has changed through time and what a sustainable future might look like.

    There is an opportunity to see real fossils from the museum’s amazing Natural History collection up close, meet dinosaur experts who’ll answer all your burning questions, and try your hand at foraging for fossils to take home in our onsite dig.

    There will also be a clothes swap on the day and specialists talks in the lecture theatre.

    Find out more on the West Cheshire Museums website

    Climate Crafts - Chester Grosvenor Museum
    8, 9 and 10 August

    During this week of August, the focus will be all things climate. Join the group at Grosvenor Museum for some climate crafts inspired by their collections and latest exhibitions. More details can be found on the museum's website.


    Sustainability Festival – Stretton Water Mill
    15 July, 10.30am - 5.00pm

    Festival for the Future travels to beautiful Stretton Watermill on Saturday, 15 July. Between 10.30am and 5pm, join us for a peaceful day in the Great Outdoors, mucking about with water and exploring how hydropower was used to mill flour. There will be a cash charge for mill tours, but all other activities are free and drop-in.

    Bring a picnic and enjoy a day of woodland activities, seed planting, and wet play. We’ll also be running ‘Sketch and Explore’ nature journalling workshops, where visitors can relax with a sketch pad and have a go at drawing and documenting the wildlife around them. This workshop is perfect for all ages and skill levels, and no previous experience in art or nature journalling is required. So, grab your pencils and join us for a day of creativity, education, and connection to nature. Full details can be found on the museum's website.


    Sustainability Festival – Lion Salt Works
    22 July, 10.30am – 5pm

    For our final Festival of the Future weekend, we’ll be at the Lion Salt Works in Northwich from 10.30am – 5pm on Saturday, 22 July. Barnton Circus are back with more incredible, gravity-defying performances throughout the day, and there’ll be drop-in workshops for visitors to have a go at perfecting their circus skills. Join eco-storyteller, Creeping Toad, in hunting for stories around the site, and create your own puppet characters to bring to life. Visitors of all ages can enjoy forest school activities, face painting, and spending time with nature in our onsite butterfly garden and play area.

    Eco Communities will be onsite with another spectacular craft fair, so you can shop for sustainable products and learn about local sustainability projects, and Transition Northwich will be joining us with workshops and activities.

    For those interested in exploring sustainable living and its role in shaping a better future, get creative with our all-ages art workshops led by illustrator India Hackett.

    Find out more on the West Cheshire Museum website


    Sustainable Cheshire Festival
    23 September, 10.30am – 7pm

    The annual Sustainable Cheshire Festival, organised by Eco Communities, will be taking place later this year on 23 September. Join us in Grosvenor Park for an exciting community event hoping to build a greener and more sustainable future.

    🌳 Get your free tickets for the event on their eventbrite link.

  • World Environment Day

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    Today is World Environment Day, a global event led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to highlight that the protection and health of the environment is a major issue, affecting the wellbeing of people and economic development throughout the world.

    Since this year’s theme is ‘solutions to plastic pollution’, we’ve put together some top tips and ideas for being more sustainable. With plastic-free July coming up, now is the perfect time to start gradually making the change to using less plastic.

    Swap out non-reusable items

    A person wrapping a sandwich in a re-useable wrap While you’re out and about this summer, why not exchange your non-reusable plastic materials for a sustainable alternative which can be reused in the future?

    In England, it’s estimated we use approximately 1.1 billion single-use plates and more than four billion pieces of plastic cutlery per year.1 Whether it’s carrying a reusable coffee cup or flask, buying picnic items which can used again in the future, or eating in a coffee shop instead of getting food to-go, your actions could make a difference.

    Buy loose fruit and vegetables or grow your own

    Buying loose vegetables can be a great way of cutting down on plastic packaging while also allowing you more choice when it comes to ensuring your produce is high quality.

    Fruit can also make a great snack rather than having something such as crisps or sweets which might come in extra plastic packaging.

    Recycling your plastic

    When you do use plastic, make sure to always reuse and recycle. To find out more about recycling in your local area, including what can be recycled in your household’s recycling bins or boxes, visit the Council’s website.

    Make the switch from shower gel to soap bars


    To reduce plastic waste from items like shower gel and shampoo bottles, make the switch to soap bars. There are many reasons to switch to bars, including that they usually last longer than shower gels. A study also found that the carbon footprint of liquid soap is 25% larger than bars of soap on a per-wash basis.

    Help collect litter in your local area


    People collecting litter in green waste bags

    Many residents across the borough do their bit collecting litter in their local area. Eco Communities, a local community enterprise supporting the whole of Cheshire to live more sustainably, has set up some litter pick hubs across the borough to encourage more people to get out picking.

    Details about where the Litter Pick Hubs are located can be found on Eco Communities website. To take part you simply need to register on their website, take a bag and litter picker from one of the hubs, go for a walk and fill the bag. You are then encouraged to recycle what you can, leave your bag at the agreed location and take a photo and log your findings. Remember to return your equipment to the hub location at the end so it’s available for more people to use.

    The Council’s library service has also teamed up with StreetCare colleagues to provide free litter picking kits for residents to borrow from all libraries across the borough. The kit contains a litter picker (adult or junior size), high visibility vest (adult or junior size) and litter bags. For more information ask at your local library.

    Sources:

    1 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64205460

    Every effort has been made to ensure the information used in this article is accurate. All information used to inform the article has been taken from reputable sources, and those sources are given at the end of each article.

    We are aware, however, that data will change over time and that some information across the internet and printed matter can be contradictory.

  • Get on your bike for Bike Week 2023

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    Cheshire West and Chester Council is urging people get on two wheels for Bike Week 2023 – to save money, boost their health and the environment.

    The annual campaign, which runs from Monday 5 to Sunday 11 June this year, is all about encouraging as many workplaces as possible to help their staff to cycle during the week.

    Councillor Karen Shore, the Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Highways said: “Cycling is not only good for our physical and mental health but also has other benefits.

    “If your journey to work is around five miles or less then it is worth considering travelling by cycle. Cycling to work can improve your health, save money and help the environment.

    “We as a Council support cycling and more active travel, for all the benefits it brings to people and their communities. Many Council officers have taken the challenge for Bike Week and have included some bike travel in their working week. We have also organised a staff bike ride, led by the Chester Cycling Campaign, later this week.”

    Bike Week is organised by the charity Cycling UK and it suggests several ways you can help support this year’s campaign, such as:

    • Organise a ride with your workplace
    • Take on a Bike Week 100 challenge– with options available for new, returning and experienced riders, there's a challenge for everyone.
    • Organise a cyclists' event– put on a cyclists' breakfast to encourage commuters to switch the car for the saddle.

    Cycling UK is encouraging riders to share photos on social media using the hashtag #BikeWeek100

    For more information about Bike Week, visit the Cycling UK website.

    If you’ve been meaning to give cycling to work a try but lack confidence, a Chester Cycle Buddy could help. Chester Cycle Buddies is a scheme run by the Chester Cycling Campaign, experienced volunteer cyclists offer help with planning cycle-friendly routes, and ride with you to test out the routes and answer any queries.

    For more information see their website: Chester Cycle Buddies Scheme – Chester Cycling Campaign (chestercyclecity.org)

    AtFest, the very first Active Travel festival in Chester city centre, takes place on Sunday 18 June between 11am and 4pm at Castle Square car park, Chester CH1 2DN. This fun filled day will be jam packed with free walking, wheeling and cycling activities for all the family. This follows a successful crowdfunding campaign and support from Cheshire West and Chester Council.

    The aim of the event is to inspire local residents of all ages and abilities to make cleaner, greener, healthier and sustainable transport choices in their everyday lives.

    The organisers would like everyone to complete the pre-event survey before, or on, arrival, which can be found on their website www.atfest.uk and then to fill in the post-event survey as soon as possible after the Festival.

    Anyone who completes both surveys will be entered into a free draw with the opportunity to win a £1000 bike voucher and other prizes.

  • Large capacity smart technology bins to be installed in Chester

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    New bins that will compact an impressive 1,000 plus litres of rubbish inside are to be installed across Chester city centre.

    During June, Cheshire West and Chester Council teams will install 57 of the new bins, which use innovative solar technology so energy can be collected, even without direct sunlight, ensuring optimum performance all year round.

    The new bins will also include a foot pedal, so you don’t have to use your hands to open the bin and they even have the option to thank people for depositing their rubbish with a cheery voice message. It is hoped this facility will be activated soon after installation.

    The Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Highways, Councillor Karen Shore said: “These smart bins are ideal for use in very busy areas with high footfall, like the city centre.

    “They store over 1,000 litres of rubbish and use smart technology to let us know when they’re ready to be emptied, ensuring our street stay litter free while making efficiency savings and cutting C02 emissions, by reducing the number of vehicle journeys to empty them.

    “We made a commitment in our Waste Management Strategy to provide good quality and appropriate bins that make it easy for residents and visitors to dispose of their waste in the right way.”

    The Council will ensure minimum disruption while the new bins are being installed, but there may be missing or duplicate bins in some areas for a very short time.

    Following installation of all bins, QR codes will also be applied to the bins, so any damage to the bin can be reported.

  • Some of the borough's most inefficient homes set to benefit from £2.5 million of funding

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    Cheshire West and Chester Council has secured an additional £2,587,500 of funding to help improve the energy efficiency of some of the borough’s most inefficient homes.


    Over the last three years, the Council has helped improve over 250 properties across the borough through the Green Homes Grant scheme and the first round of Home Upgrade Grant (HUG) funding. Thanks to a second round of HUG funding, secured from the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), more eligible homes in the borough are set to benefit.

    Home Upgrade Grants are available to homes which are not heated by mains-gas and have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of Band D, E, F or G. Properties heated by electric (such as storage heaters), oil, LPG or solid fuel, which have a mains-gas supply for cooking purposes only, are eligible to apply if all other eligibility criteria are met.

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

    To qualify, you must be a homeowner or private tenant and meet one of the following income criteria.

    • You receive an income related benefit (for example, Universal Credit, Pension Credit Guarantee, Council Tax Support, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, or Tax Credits).
    • Your total combined annual household income before tax, National Insurance and other deductions is no more than £31,000.
    • Your total household income before tax, National Insurance and other deductions is no more than £20,000, after your housing costs have been deducted (by housing costs, we mean mortgage payments, rent payments and Council Tax).

    Councillor Matt Bryan, Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency, Energy and Green Spaces, said: "Having endured a winter with the highest energy costs in living history, the Home Upgrade Grant will be essential in helping households living in some of the most energy inefficient homes in the borough. The energy saving improvements will help to reduce household heating bills and improve residents’ health and wellbeing. The welcome inclusion of Band D properties in this second round of funding will help us to further reduce domestic carbon emissions across the borough, helping us to meet our target of becoming a carbon neutral borough by 2045, whilst helping households to save money."

    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, which are subject to survey, must increase your home’s EPC rating by at least two bands. For example, if your home is currently EPC Band E it will need to reach EPC Band C. If you are eligible to apply, but don’t currently have an EPC, the Council can arrange for one to be carried out for you.

    To apply for the grant online, visit:

    Home energy help for residents

    Alternatively, residents can request a Home Upgrade Grant paper application form by calling the Council’s Contact Centre on: 0300 123 8123.

    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:

    Cost of living support
  • Rewilding scheme approved for grassland in Winsford

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    A managed grassland project has been approved, which will see areas of Winsford boosting biodiversity.

    Selected grassed sections of green space will be removed from the usual fortnightly cutting schedule, to be cut once in spring and then again in the autumn. Allowing any wild flowering plants to establish themselves naturally.

    An area in Winsford approved for the new managed grasslands project.An area in Winsford approved for the new managed grasslands project.

    The new natural grassland areas will benefit creatures great and small from the humble beetles and other insects, right up to the barn owls that venture out at night looking for food.

    The scheme will add 43,000 square metres to the National Nature Recovery Scheme, which has also seen the Council create 101 native wildflower meadows across the borough. The project is now in its second year. The new scheme will now see natural species of grasses and plants growing unaided, without the need to sow seed.

    Careful consideration was given in selecting these sites, choosing areas that will not directly impact local community life. Some small areas must still be mowed to prevent encroachment on roadways and paths, as well as sight lines at road junctions around subway entrance points and pedestrian crossings.

    The Council's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Strategic Transport, Councillor Karen Shore, said: "This is great news. Our StreetCare teams plan to mow winding pathways through the managed grassland areas, so people can walk through them enjoying nature in all its glory.
    The Council is keen to find other sites around other towns and villages specifically for rewilding. If you have a site you think may be suitable please contact the Council's Your Streets team at: yourstreets@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk and our officers will look into the viability of transforming that area too.

    Council teams currently cut around 3.2 million square metres of grassed areas across the whole borough.

  • First school in the borough receives active travel award

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    St. Saviour's Catholic Primary and Nursery School has become the first school in Cheshire West and Chester to earn the Bronze Modeshift STARS schools' award for its commitment to sustainable and active travel.

    Image of Council Road Safety Officers alongside two junior safety officersLeft to right: Road Safety Officer Gemma Rhodes; Junior Safety Officers, Urszula and Chloe and Vikki Abbate, JSO Buddy from the school.



    Awards under the national scheme are given to schools that have shown excellence in supporting cycling, walking and other forms of sustainable and active travel.

    The school's Junior Safety Officers (JSOs), Urszula and Chloe, were presented with the award earlier this month.

    The scheme includes initiatives like the School Parking Charter, where the children are involved in educating their parents/carers to park away from the school and walk the last five to 10 minutes into school, making the school environment safer for everyone. The school has even featured on the BBC's Politics North West Show to talk about these issues.

    The Council's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Highways, Councillor Karen Shore, said: "Our Road Safety Team has been very impressed with the commitment shown from St. Saviour's Catholic Primary and Nursery School to achieve this Bronze Award. Huge congratulations to them on such a wonderful achievement.
    We know because of the fantastic dedication of everyone, including their Junior Safety Officer Buddy, Vikki, they will soon be up for the Silver Award."

    The Modeshift STARS scheme results in healthier students by encouraging active, healthy lifestyles for young people through more walking, wheeling and cycling, as well as making the environment around school safer.

    The scheme offers ways to reduce car use and increase active and sustainable travel, involving the whole school community - students, parents and teachers working together to make a difference.

    Other schools are welcome to take part - to find out more about how sustainable travel can help your whole school community, contact the Council's Road Safety Team:

  • Council's energy efficiency measures recognised at regional awards

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    Cheshire West and Chester Council has won the Local Authority Body of the Year Award at the North West Regional Energy Efficiency Awards.

    The Energy Efficient Awards are open to anyone involved in the energy saving and efficiency sector in the UK and recognise best practice in energy efficiency projects that took place between January 2022 and March 2023.



    As part of the Council's target to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 for Council services and 2045 for the borough, a number of energy efficiency schemes have been introduced to reduce the amount of energy being used across Council services.

    • 14 council buildings* have switched from primary gas heating to air source heat pumps and had solar photovoltaic systems and LED lighting installed, where appropriate, thanks to £5.8 million of funding secured through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (round one).
    • A further four schools have been supported to install energy efficiency measures including air source heat pumps, LED lighting conversion, solar photovoltaic systems, roof refurbishment with additional insulation and installation of double glazing, where appropriate, thanks to £3.5 million of funding through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (round 3a).
    • Streetlights across the borough have finished being converted to LED lighting, during the second round of improvements to the street light service. This is helping to reduce the electrical demand across the borough by 9GWh per year, the equivalent of the electricity use in 2,000 average homes. The reduction of demand has saved around £2 million pound in energy costs.

    The Council's awards submission will now be entered into the national Energy Efficiency Awards, with results to be announced in September.

    The Council continues to invest in ways to reduce energy use across the borough and, this year, has plans to refurbish leisure centres, libraries and schools with further energy efficiency measures. Home Upgrade Grant funding has also been secured to improve the energy efficiency of homes in the borough which are not heated by mains-gas and have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of Band D, E, F or G.

    Cllr Matt Bryan, Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency, Energy and Green Spaces, said: "Since declaring a Climate Emergency in 2019, we've been working hard to reduce carbon emissions across Council-owned buildings to help us achieve our target of carbon neutrality by 2030. With the energy market continuing to fluctuate, this has saved the Council money and cut the amount of energy we're using, and I’m pleased we've been recognised for these improvements by winning this award."

    The Council has also set up a Climate Emergency Inspire Hub, providing residents with advice and tips to help reduce their carbon footprint and make energy saving measures. Individuals and organisations are encouraged to share what energy saving measures they are making on the 'your stories' section of the website too.

    Participate Now: Climate Emergency
  • Ellesmere Port transformation

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    Transformation plans are progressing well for Ellesmere Port. The project using £13,378,478 from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities' Levelling Up Fund will include preparations for low carbon town centre housing around Coronation Road to help bring new footfall to the town centre and exciting plans for Ellesmere Port Market.

    The third element of the transformation plan will improve pedestrian and cycle links with secure bike storage to make it safer and easier to walk or cycle from Ellesmere Port railway station into the heart of the town centre.

    The Council has now been awarded an additional £274,000 from the Active Travel Fund 4 (ATF4) managed by Active Travel England.

    The additional funding will enable an extended walking, wheeling and cycling route to be designed for future delivery between the M53 underpass and the Sutton Way/Stanney Lane junction. This longer route forms part of the Council's adopted Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan.

    The Active Travel Fund nationally will deliver a range of schemes across the country, including 121 miles of new cycle track, 77 miles of new paths and greenways and initiatives to make streets safer around 130 schools.

    The design team will consider all transport methods, including bus stop infrastructure/routes and loading requirements for businesses. They will also consider the requirements for the market, as well as opportunities for signage and wayfinding. The new proposals will tie into existing cycling and walking routes such as those on Stanney Lane.

    Councillor Karen Shore, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Highways, said: "We are committed to improving areas across the borough, Ellesmere Port joins projects already underway in Winsford and plans for Northwich and Chester.

    "Engineering specialists are being commissioned to design the new active travel route, and their plans will be shared in the autumn with residents, commuters, and businesses along the route.

    "Construction work on the Levelling Up Fund project elements is provisionally scheduled to start in Spring 2024 and completed winter 2024."

    The Ellesmere Port project will include enhancements to the public areas around the market in addition to York Road and Wellington Road. Improvements will be made to the pedestrian entrances to the market plus a new multi-functional spill-out space for businesses and events.

    Traders and residents have been involved in conversations over the past few months as the plans for Ellesmere Port Market are developed and these will be shared more widely when they have been completed.

    This part of the project will include transforming the flea market into a flexible space for specialist markets and events, creating an entrepreneurial start up space and importantly changing the fabric of the building so that it will be much more energy efficient and fit for the future. The Market will also have new 'changing place' facilities for disabled customers and their carers.

    Added Councillor Shore: "Ellesmere Port is at the centre of major investment projects, and we are working alongside the private sector led investment in industry and housing. Last week we officially launched Origin and its multi million investment opportunities for the industrial area of Ellesmere Port."

  • Whitby residents invited to have their say on format of hydrogen village poll

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    Cheshire West and Chester Council is holding an engagement exercise to understand how the community in Whitby, Ellesmere Port would like a poll on the proposed hydrogen village to be run.

    Whitby in Ellesmere Port is being considered as the UK's first hydrogen village, under proposals put forward to Government by gas distribution network Cadent. The area has been confirmed as one of two locations across the country being considered as the first to use low carbon hydrogen on this scale.

    At an engagement session earlier this year, Councillor Louise Gittins, Leader of the Council, confirmed that the Council would hold a poll on the proposed hydrogen village to test public support. Part of this agreement included engaging with the community on what form this would take and what questions would be included.

    Once the community's views on the format of the poll have been received and analysed, the Council will carry out the poll later this summer.

    The poll will measure 'public support' for the trial, one of the five tests that the Council is asking the gas distribution network (Cadent) and the Government to meet. The results of the poll will be published for residents to see and will be fed back to Government, prior to them making a decision on the location of the trial hydrogen village area.

    The Government (not the Council) will decide if the Hydrogen Village trial goes ahead. The Government have stated that they will only progress with the trial if there is local support. However, the poll is non-binding, and it is up to Government to decide.

    Councillor Louise Gittins, Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, said: "We have heard clearly from residents how they want to have a poll on the hydrogen village and also that they wanted to be involved on how the poll will be run. I made a commitment at the public engagement event in February that residents would be involved at all stages.

    "Local elections in early May meant that we had to delay the start of this engagement exercise, but I’m pleased to confirm that people in the proposed hydrogen village area will receive a letter about how to submit their views on the format of the poll, as part of this initial engagement process."

    People can submit their views in a number of ways, before the engagement exercise closes at 10am on Monday 5 June 2023.

    • Complete an online feedback form
    • Attend the drop-in session: The Council’s Research Team will be running a drop-in session where you can come and talk to us about how the poll could be run on 23 May 2023, between 10.30am and 7.30pm, at Theatre Porto, Whitby Park, Stanney Lane, Whitby, Ellesmere Port, CH65 6QY.
    • Email your views: WhitbyPoll@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
    • Write to us: Whitby Poll, Insight and Intelligence, Cheshire West and Chester Council, The Portal, Wellington Road, Ellesmere Port, CH65 0BA
    • Telephone: 0300 123 8123 to speak to the Council's Contact Centre, quoting ‘Whitby Hydrogen Poll’

    Paper copies are available on request using the contact details above. From 22 May 2023, you will also be able to pick them up from the following locations:

    • Ellesmere Port Library, Civic Way, Ellesmere Port, CH65 0BG
    • The Portal, Wellington Road, Ellesmere Port, CH65 0BA

    Alternative formats are also available on request.