STATEMENT ON CHESHIRE EAST COUNCIL BUDGET SETTLEMENT

 

EXTRA INVESTMENT HELPS ENSURE LOCAL ROAD REPAIRS

Many of you will be aware that Cheshire East Council recently approved an extra £19m investment in our Highways Capital Programme (this includes Level 2 carriageway patching and Level 3 resurfacing), including an extra £7m to be spent during 2022/23. This has had to be funded through borrowing, since the Council's funding from the Dept for Transport for road maintenance has been cut by 21%.

Nevertheless, I am pleased that the Council has made this decision. Whilst I have successfully fought for repairs to our local roads over recent years (including Heyes Lane, Macclesfield Road, Brook Lane, Wilmslow Road, Mottram Road & Trafford Road - to name just a few), the condition of our road network across the wider borough has continued to deteriorate due to continued underinvestment.

So, I am delighted to share the news that this extra investment will deliver results for several of our local roads and that during the first quarter of 2022/23, Level 2 carriageway patching works are to be implemented on South Street, Stevens Street, Eaton Drive and on Church Lane. As always, I would like to thanks Highways Officers for working with me and responding positively to my requests.

The additional investment the Council is making over the next three years is expected to prevent an additional 6,000 potholes from forming across the borough and this in turn will have a positive impact on the amount the Council has to spend from its day-to-day budget on reactive pothole repairs (which are the least efficient and least cost effective form of repair, but necessary to keep the roads open).

DROPPED KERB TO BE INSTALLED ON CHURCH LANE

In response to a request from the Parochial Church Council of St Philip & St James, I am pleased to confirm that Cheshire East Highways are to install a dropped kerb outside the main entrance on Church Lane. I was first approached by the PCC last year and before Christmas held an onsite meeting with our Local Area Highways Officer.

The PCC have asked for a dropped kerb to help visitors using the two disabled parking bays on Church Lane, as well as to assist funeral directors who are attending services at the church. Following my discussion with the Local Area Highways Officer, I am delighted that the dropped kerb will be installed next week (between Monday & Wednesday).

As well as the PCC, I have also emailed Mrs Lindsey Walsh, Head Teacher at Alderley Edge Community Primary School, to advise that the footway on Church Lane will be closed (along with a number of the existing parking bays) next Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday and to ask parents not to use Church Lane for pick-up and drop-off on these days.

Traffic management will be in place whilst the works are being undertaken. As always, I would like to thank officers from Cheshire East Highways for responding positively to my request.

LIBRARY OPENING HOURS TO BE EXTENDED

A number of residents have recently contacted me to ask about the current restricted opening hours at Alderley Edge Library. Firstly, I would like to reassure everyone that the future of the library is not under threat; however, the Library Service has lost three members of staff over the course of the last few months, including one to retirement, one to long-term sickness and one to alternative employment.

I have spoken to the Library Manager to ask for an update on recruitment and am pleased to report that so far there has been a healthy number of applications both for the 18-hour post and the two 16.5-hour posts (the deadline is this Friday, 4th March). Once the interview process has been completed and offers of employment both made and accepted, the proposed new opening hours will be as follows:

Monday        Closed

Tuesday        09:30 - 17:00 (13:00 - 17:00 volunteer-led)

Wednesday   09:30 - 13:00 & 14:00 - 17:00

Thursday      09:30 - 13:00 & 14:00 - 17:00

Friday           Closed

Saturday       09:30 - 13:00 

I have also asked what can be done to extend the opening hours at Alderley Edge, pending the recruitment of new staff, since our local volunteers are currently covering more hours than the paid Cheshire East Library Officers and am pleased to report that as a result, from w/c 14th March, the library will also be open on Wednesday mornings between 09:30 - 12:00.

This will mean that library staff will be on hand on both Tuesday and Wednesday mornings for the foreseeable future and that visitors will have access to the full range of library services (including blue badge applications and people's network) during these times. I would like to take this opportunity to once again thank our group of local volunteers for their support on Tuesday afternoons.