News in Macclesfield

A dedicated walk-through Covid-19 testing site in Macclesfield is now open for pre-booked appointments.

The semi-permanent site, known as a Local Testing Site (LTS) is located on Commercial Road and offers bespoke walk-through appointments.

A surge in Christmas tree sales could benefit the collection service run on behalf of East Cheshire Hospice.

Organisers are hoping the sales bonanza increases demand for their service on the weekend of January 9 and 10.

Cheshire East Council has reaffirmed its commitment to ending bullying in the borough at a recent meeting of its full council.

The commitment was made when a motion proposed by Middlewich representative Jonathan Parry won unanimous support.

Cheshire East will remain in tier 2 over the Christmas holiday period, the health secretary has announced.

Rates of infection in the borough sits at 119 cases per 100,000 in the most recent data, which shows a rise on the week before.

Cheshire East councillors have voted to approve 'the principle of introducing 20mph speed restrictions, where appropriate' following farcical scenes.

Members debated the motion during the authority's final full council meeting of the year — the third to be held virtually — with discussions including three amendments, bitter words exchanged, and some councillors not being aware of what they were voting on.

Cheshire East Conservative councillors have withdrawn plans to suspend parking charges in 'Council-owned car parks' for 'the borough's towns'.

Ahead of CEC's final full council meeting of 2020, Conservative group leader Cllr Janet Clowes, proposed a motion to introduce free parking after 3pm in the authority's council car park over Christmas in an effort to encourage residents to 'shop local'.

Police are appealing for information following reports of an incident in Prestbury.

Sometime between 3.30pm and 4pm on Sunday 22 November a 16-year-old girl was walking along Chelford Road when a man approached her.

A county lines gang responsible for supplying crack cocaine and heroin from Liverpool to Macclesfield have been jailed for a combined total of more than 25 years.

Four members of the 'Mitch' gang were sentenced on 14 December at Chester Crown Court for their part in a drugs conspiracy with a potential value of between £71,000 to £142,000.

The Coronavirus vaccine is set to be rolled out in Macclesfield GP surgeries this week, a senior doctor has confirmed.

Dr Andrew Wilson, the head of the Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said that Macclesfield is the first of three towns across Cheshire to begin the rollout.

In her latest column, Cllr Sarah Bennett-Wake urges us all to think about those who are less fortunate this Christmas, particularly those sleeping rough following the death of John Whyte earlier this month.

Two years ago, I wrote the following article about meeting rough sleepers. The homeless people on the streets of Macclesfield that night inspired me to stand as a councillor.