News in Macclesfield

Cheshire East Council is to launch its new 'social value' policy with aims of supporting local businesses and improving environmental standards.

The policy means that all suppliers and providers of council services are expected to meet the core values set out by the council – ranging from climate change to health inequalities.

The government's decision to provide £400 million to support poor children and their families during school holidays has been welcomed by Cheshire East's Labour councillors, who describe it as a "massive climbdown".

A winter grant scheme will support families in need with support for food and bills as well as the expansion of a holiday food and activities programme was announced over the weekend.

The MP for Macclesfield has urged residents to comply with the latest lockdown restrictions to help bring down the rate of Coronavirus infections locally.

David Rutley said in a video message to constituents: "It's vital that we all go on playing our part and abide by the latest regulations working together we will get through these challenging times."

A Macclesfield student has found her vocation caring for others after placing her education plans on hold due to Coronavirus.

As many students receive online tuition whilst locked down in their halls of residence, 18-year-old Nimra Zubair has deferred starting her medical degree, choosing to become a support worker at Belong Macclesfield, instead.

NHS supported home births will continue on a "case-by-case basis" despite the current coronavirus lockdown.

Bo Hamilton-Cody, Head of Midwifery at East Cheshire NHS Trust said, "We are pleased to be able to offer our homebirth service to women of East Cheshire following an individual assessment and discussion.

Cheshire East Council's highways service have painted a specially designed poppy on a Macclesfield road to mark Remembrance Sunday.

The markings on Churchill Way is among a ten installed at locations in Cheshire East.

Cheshire East Council's Remembrance Sunday commemorations have gone virtual this year as the second lockdown prevents people from gathering as normal.

The council has prepared a short virtual service led by the borough's mayor, Barry Burkhill and people have been urged to perform their own act of remembrance.

Macclesfield-based independent Estate Agents Holden and Prescott have been named as the Best Estate Agent in the UK by the Best Estate Agent Guide, beating over 25,000 other branches nationwide.

The BEAG awards, organized by Property Academy and supported by Rightmove, independently assessed the performance of all 15,000 estate agency brands nationwide, looking closely at 25,000 branches for sales and lettings to discover the agents that are the best in their field within marketing, results and customer service.

Police in Macclesfield are urging residents to review their home security measures as burglaries are expected to rise with the darker evenings.

DS Dave Jarvis, of the Macclesfield Local Policing Unit, said: "Investigations are ongoing in relation to the recent burglaries and we're following a number of lines of enquiry.

Children living in Cheshire East have a unique opportunity to tell world leaders how they feel about climate change.

The borough's library service is running a year-long project for children, the results from which will be shared with organisers of COP26 – the United Nations climate change conference, due to take place in Glasgow, in November 2021.