POLICE AWARD FOR COMMUNITY SPEEDWATCH GROUP

I am delighted to announce that our Community Speedwatch Team has been awarded a Community Police Grant of £407.45 from the Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner. The grant is being received on the group's behalf by Alderley Edge Parish Council and will be used to support the work of our Community Speedwatch volunteers, as well as helping to pay for essential equipment including:

- increased signage and awareness of Alderley Edge as a Community Speedwatch area

- a second "speed gun" to help the volunteers carry out sessions at more locations

- high-vis jackets for our Community Speedwatch volunteers

On hearing the news, our Community Speedwatch Co-ordinator and local resident Margaret Bilsborough commented "During the pandemic we have had to curtail our regular Community Speedwatch activities, but we are grateful for this Community Police Grant which will help to raise awareness of our activities, as well as providing extra equipment for our volunteers. We are looking forward to starting our sessions again, as soon as it is safe and legal to do so".

The Parish Council would like to record its thanks to our local PCSO, Callum Edwards, who put the group forward for an award. Responding to the grant announcement, Callum added "Alderley Edge Community Speedwatch has been successful in its application to Police & Crime Commissioner David Keane's Community Police Fund to deliver a project to make Alderley Edge Safer. I am proud to have played a part in making this possible".  

(photograph taken before the pandemic, with previous PCSO Anna Jenkinson)

GULLY EMPTYING - PLEASE AVOID KERBSIDE PARKING

Cheshire East Highways continues to carry out annual gully-emptying on primary routes; however, Alderley Edge Parish Council has decided to supplement this programme, enabling gullies to be emptied on a number of residential streets across the village.

Government funding paid to local authorities for highways maintenance has fallen in real terms over the last few years, meaning that there are a number of non-primary routes where there is little prospect of gullies ever being emptied by Cheshire East Council.

The Parish Council has compiled a list of "Secondary Routes" and engaged with a private company (UBU Sweepers, who carry all the appropriate licences and comply with the Council's exacting environmental standards) to carry out the work on its behalf.

"Secondary Routes" include: Davey Lane, Elmfield Road, Oakfield Road, Heywood Road, Moss Road, Moss Lane, Chorley Hall Lane, Trafford Road and South Street. If time allows, Devonshire Drive, Beaufort Close, Marlborough Avenue, Talbot Road & Stamford Road will also be included.

We are conscious that many residents are concerned, particularly in the light of recent heavy rainfall and therefore the Parish Council has decided to step in. Gully-emptying vehicles will be in the village on Monday 1st and Tuesday 2nd February.

We are asking residents and visitors to Alderley Edge to assist with the operation, by remembering not to park their vehicles on any of the above streets on Monday or Tuesday next week. The Parish Council will review this operation and if successful, potentially look to extend it to other streets in future.

MOSS LANE TO CLOSE FOR CARRIAGEWAY REPAIRS

I have received confirmation from Cheshire East Highways that Moss Lane is to be included in this year's (Level 2) carriageway repair programme. Towards the end of 2019, all Cheshire East Councillors were invited to submit up to five priority roads within their Wards for assessment and consideration for inclusion within the annual capital repair programme for 2020/21. Initially, only 29 of the 82 Ward Councillors across Cheshire East responded (as you would expect, I was one of the 29 who responded).

My five priority roads for 2020/21 were: Trafford Road, Moss Road, Moss Lane, South Street and Eaton Drive. Thankfully, following an assessment by engineers from Cheshire East Highways, both Trafford Road and Moss Road scored highly and work was able to be carried out earlier this year. Following additional funding made available this year by Cheshire East Council, I have now received the welcome news that Level 2 patching will also be carried out on Moss Lane in this financial year.

As a result, Moss Lane will be closed (other than for access to residential properties) for two days next week - Thursday 28th and Friday 29th January, between 9.00am and 3.30pm. Signage will be put out by Cheshire East Highways over the coming days, advising of the work to be done (weather permitting). Residents and visitors are kindly asked not to use Moss Lane for parking during the period of the works, to enable planing and re-surfacing vehicles to access the road unobstructed.