Cabinet approves plans to transform waste and recycling services in Cheshire West and Chester

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Plans to transform waste and recycling services in west Cheshire have been given the green light by the Council’s Cabinet. 

At its meeting on Wednesday 9 June, Cabinet members agreed to accept the recommendations of a report into the new Waste Management Strategy, which will make the service more sustainable, fairer and provide better value for money. 

The existing Waste Management Strategy is outdated and in need of modernisation. 

The new model will put a greater emphasis on reducing the amount of waste the borough produces and provide residents with more opportunities to recycle. 

It will help the borough respond to the challenges of Climate Change and support the Council’s target of making west Cheshire carbon neutral by 2045. 

The key changes approved by Cabinet today, include: 

  • Household waste collected fortnightly using a 180 litre wheeled bin (as per the current arrangement). 
  • Two larger capacity recycling bins on wheels collected fortnightly to replace existing 55-litre boxes.
  • Food collections weekly using existing small food bin (as per the current arrangement).
  • People will be supported with special arrangements if their housing circumstances make it more difficult to accommodate larger bins.
  • A chargeable garden waste collection service to be provided over 40 weeks of the year, covering the growing season between March and November.
  • The garden waste collections to continue fortnightly, in line with the frequency of the proposed kerbside collection service.
  • There would be a charge of £40 per year per container for garden waste collections. This equates to £2 per collection and is in line with the current additional capacity charge.

The changes to the service would reduce carbon emissions by 220,000kg a year. 
The majority of local authorities across the country already charge for garden waste collections and revenue generated from the charges would help to fund vital Council services that people in the borough rely upon. 

The new service would also respond to residents’ concerns by removing the existing boxes that some people find difficult to carry and are easily damaged. 

The changes to the services would reduce carbon emissions by 220,000kg a year.

The recommendations in the Waste Management Strategy follow consultation with residents which took place earlier this year. 

More than 73 per cent of those who responded agreed with the Council’s key priorities to reduce waste, maximise recycling and deliver an efficient and cost-effective service.

Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment. Highways and Strategic Transport, Cllr Karen Shore said: “It is clear that our waste management system could better support our residents to reduce, reuse and recycle the waste we produce.”

“Our Waste Management Strategy needs to move with the times, recycling levels are good but there is room for improvement and we need to continue the conversations with our residents and work with them so we can all play our part to meet our Climate Emergency objectives.”

“We appreciate that introducing a choice-based system will be unpopular with some due the charging element but we have to balance this in the context of the budget challenges, the Climate Emergency and the other pressures the Council is facing.”

“Garden waste collection is a discretionary service and we will be introducing a choice-based system that people can opt into. “People may also choose to home compost or take their waste to the Household Waste Recycling Centres.”

Cllr Shore added: “Through the strategy we want to create a cleaner, safer borough and a more sustainable waste service for generations to come. We look forward to working with our residents to achieve this aim.”

The proposed new Waste Management Strategy will now move forward to be debated by the Full Council at its meeting on Thursday 15 July. If it is adopted, the changes will be introduced in 2022. 

For more information about the new Waste Management Strategy, visit: 

https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/residents/waste-and-recycling/waste-management-strategy.aspx

Rededication of memorial plaques to the “Fallen Men” of Acton Bridge

Georgina Hayward

Originally sited in the former Methodist Chapel in Chapel Lane, two plaques to the fallen men of World War I and World War II were relocated to the Parish Rooms in September 2020. The Parish Council also purchased a new plaque detailing the origin of the Chapel plaques and all the names of those from the Village who fell in both World Wars. Thanks go to the Rev T Simms, formerly of the Methodist Chapel who performed a rededication service on 13th July 2021 and to local businesses Edmund Nagle, Yoxall Ltd and Whitby’s who removed, restored and mounted the plaques free of charge, and also to Bob Heaton who co-ordinated the whole project.

Services this weekend 10th & 11th July 2021 on London North Western Railway and West Midlands Railway

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There are a number of significant sporting events taking place this weekend, and the Parish Council have been pre-warned that resourcing the train operations is proving a challenge as well as the ongoing ordinary issues with train crew availability. In addition, there are some pre-planned engineering works on the West Coast Main Line which alter West Midlands and other operators timetables.

West Midlands Railway are planning to run as many trains as they can, protecting last services from the major towns and cities that they serve such as London, Liverpool and Birmingham. They will also have standby rail replacement bus services available at locations across routes to step in if necessary.

The message to passengers is please check before you travel.

War Memorial, Weaverham – Centenary Service – 24th July 2021 at 11:00 a.m.

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The War Memorial standing outside St Mary’s Church, Weaverham was dedicated and unveiled on 24th July 1921.  Weaverham Parish Council is arranging a service to commemorate the centenary of the memorial on Saturday, 24th July 2021 at 11:00am.

As Acton Bridge is within the ecclesiastical parish of Weaverham there are some Acton Bridge residents named on the memorial.

Weaverham Parish Council would, therefore, like to extend an invitation to Acton Bridge Parish Council and any residents of Acton Bridge who may wish to do so, to attend the service, which will be held next to the Memorial.  There will be light refreshments in the Church Hall after the service.

Parish Council meetings

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Meetings of the Parish Council were suspended in June and July because of the spike in Covid infections in the locality.  The Parish Council business has, in this period, been monitored by the team initially established at the outset of the pandemic (before Zoom) consisting of Chairman (Bob Holt) Vice-Chairman (Trevor Brocklebank) and Clerk (Carole Robinson).  Full consultation was maintained with all Council Members by email. Residents could also contact the Clerk by email if they wished (clerk@actonbridgeparishcouncil.org).

Prior to this latest re-arrangement, the Parish Council business had been successfully managed using ‘Zoom’ during the restrictions imposed to combat the virus.  When further meetings by ‘Zoom’ were prohibited, as decided by the High Court judgement in May, arrangements had been made for face-to-face Parish Council meetings to resume in June. A risk assessment and a strategy for attendance had been completed but these actions were negated by the surge in infections. It is now anticipated that the next meeting of the Parish Council will be face-to-face in September, all being well. August has been set as the ‘holiday month’ of the Parish Council for many years.

The Parish Council AGM was held on Tuesday 4th May at 7-30pm, by Zoom but before the High Court judgement came into force.  Minutes of AGM and the May meeting are on the web site.