Your ideas for building a stronger future

Reset all standalone pedestrian crossings to a maximum 5 second wait time

It is frustrating as a pedestrian to wait for a significant amount of time to cross the road. It sends the message that cars are being given priority, and means that people often cross before the lights change. This is also annoying for car drivers who then have to stop for no reason.

Encouraging wider use of the River Dee - paddle boarders, kayaks, canoes, swimmers

River Dee - Chester through Sandy Lane / Red House. During lockdown there has been a huge increase in the number of paddle boards, kayaks / canoes and swimmers using the river. This has been facilitated by the lack of motorised traffic on the river. For example on a trip from Alford to Sandy Lane I passed over 100 non-motorised craft last week - paddle boards, kayaks etc. This number is now a regular level. Lockdown has changed the nature of use of the river opening it up to 100's of individuals and families, and these now represent the largest user group of the river, especially the stretch between the Red House and Chester - and they will still be the largest group once the rowers and pleasure boats return. This changing use encourages fitness, community, and enjoyment of our wonderful river in a quiet, non-polluting and inclusive way. However this will become dangerous and difficult once motorised craft return - especially those acting without regard to these new river users - a fast boat with large wake simply overturns paddle boards, is dangerous for swimmers and dominates the river in a non-inclusive way. I would like to suggest: 1. The 5 mile / hour speed limit is more strictly enforced especially between Chester and the Red House; 2. The River Patrol have powers to fine / remove licenses of motorised craft that exceed the speed limit; 3. The River Patrol's presence is extended into the evenings when fast boats tend to launch from Sandy lane; 4. The 5 mile per hour limit is prominently displayed at Sandy Lane where almost all motorised boats launch; 5. A self-service kiosk is placed at Sandy Lane for day licenses for motorised boats and all motorisied boats are required to purchase a license before launching; 6. The River Patrol have powers to check for licenses and issue fines for non-purchase; 7. Rowers and their coaching boats should not exceed the 5 mile per hour speed limit from Chester and the Red House. A racing Eight an accompanying coaching boat can exceed 2km in under 10 mins - so over 12km per hour and as they are rear-facing can find it difficult to see small craft and swimmers. [I am an ex-rower and love the sport. Restricting the speed limit up to the Red House would not be too onerous as all rowing outings begin with a series of slow warm-up exercises which in practice take a squad pretty much up to the Red House, and it would be very possible to use the return from the Red House as a cool down period]; 8. The rowing coaching boats moving between different groups of rowers should not exceed the 5 mile per hour speed limit. These are some of the most dangerous boats as they regularly travel at excessive speeds to catch-up with their rowers. This is already in the River Dee Courtesy Code (Feb 2014) which governs the use of the river and should be enforced by the clubs / River Patrol. Point 10 of the Code states 'Coaching boats are only granted permission to exceed the speed limit while they are close to the rowing boat being coached'. 9. All boats passing paddle boards, kayaks etc. should slow down and reduce their wake appropriately. 10. Keeping to the right on the river should be enforced and be prominently displayed. This applies particularly to the pleasure boats rented from Bithall's. I'm sure Bithall's explain this to their renters, but it needs enforcing on the river - boats do u turns, zig-zags, travel on completely the wrong side with no awareness of other users which is dangerous to paddle boarders and swimmers in particular, Again the River Patrol should have the power to stop this behaviour. Thank you for your consideration.

Use CIL for health based Community Improvements

50% on new homes bonus + CIL should be allocated to measures that improve health in communities. More green space/walking/cycling improvements/footpaths/air quality

Increase frequency of communication from the Council

Needs to be more regular, interactive and responsive than the current consultation approach (i.e. less form filling and more conversation) E.g. - Facebook / Instagram lives - 'Talk to your Councillor' Zoom meetings where people can dial in/submit questions

Open libraries and leisure centres as soon as possible.

Now that pubs and restaurants have opened we need to see our libraries and leisure centres open as soon as possible. Children have had 3 months without school so let’s get them back reading and exercising.

Drive inward sustainable investment in Cheshire West valuing people, community ownership, participatory democracy, and place.

Community Wealth Building (Preston Model)

Work more closely with the Canal and River Trust to improve the towpaths for walking and cycling, for visiting the linked parishes and towns

Marbury Maid.

Covid has shown we can take care of people. No more homeless on our streets invest in solutions that work for them and our community.

Support Communities!

Where there's capacity and the will, support communities to get things done. Remove the bureaucracy that gets in the way of change.

Climate change measures as a priority

In the link related to the question what is most important to build a stronger future, there are many ideas linked to climate and protecting the environment. Supporting local businesses, local food, invest on low energy public transport, review insulation standards for buildings to reduce energy, invest in rain water collection , invest in technologies that will allow safe use of grey water, enforce a motor off policy on car parks, all would help in reducing carbon emissions. Then it would be great to identify the future jobs needed to support these actions and review the education needs to achieve this.

More supported volunteering

The Council needs to invest more in volunteer organisers, for example Green Space Rangers so that more volunteer hours can be effectively managed. This will have the added benefit of reducing demand on health and social care are members of the community will also have improved health and wellbeing

Just do something

One of the better aspects of the pandemic has been people looking out for neighbours and offering help. Sometimes we can all be too backwards at asking for, or offering help from friends and neighbours. So many things that sounds small add up to bigger things. We can't all do eveything, but we should all try to: support local shops, restaurants, cafes and pubs, vote, give blood, recycle, home compost, walk or cycle short journeys, pick up some roadside litter ocasionally, talk to people, join a local group or society and so on.