News in Macclesfield

Virtual council meetings could continue once the coronavirus pandemic is over, according to Cheshire East councillor Amanda Stott.

Cllr Stott, the CEC cabinet member whose responsibilities include IT, told the LDRS that "the Local Government Association has been asked to lobby the government to retain the regulations, so as to enable local authorities to continue to hold formal virtual public meetings without any time limit".

The chief constable of Cheshire Police has joined his counterparts in forces across the North West to issue a warning to residents who breach Coronavirus restrictions as we head into the second lockdown.

In an open letter to the public, Darren Martland and his fellow police chiefs said they would be taking a "firmer stance" when it comes to the enforcement of the rules.

The proportion of positive coronavirus tests in Cheshire East has risen to 8.7 per cent over the last week, according to one Director of Public Health in the county.

Ian Ashworth told officials on Cheshire West's Covid-19 outbreak board that the CEC rise in positive tests were recorded in a week which saw a 13.6 per cent fall in the number of residents getting a test.

More than £600,000 has been spent on body-worn video cameras by Cheshire police since 2017, the LDRS can reveal.

A freedom of information request to the force shows that £535,000 was spent on equipping "frontline operational" officers with the technology since 2018, with another £90,000 for "taser officers and football spotters".

Cheshire East residents are being asked to give their views on proposals to control the number of houses in multiple occupation in parts of the borough and to raise their standards of accommodation.

Consultations have begun on proposed new planning rules concerning houses in multiple occupation, known as HMOs. Everyone, including residents, landlords and tenants, is invited to take part.

Cheshire East Council has extended the community response and recovery fund so that it can continue to support local organisations through this pandemic with a grant up to the value of £20,000.

The original aim of the Covid-19 community response and recovery fund was to support not for profit organisations to adapt to new ways of offering support to communities, both during and following the coronavirus pandemic, as well as maintain and continue to offer services whilst government restrictions are in place.

A Macclesfield pub which has only had a few weeks of "normal trade" since opening has criticised the government's handling of the pandemic as England prepares to go into a second national lockdown.

The Shamrock Bar on Mill Street first opened their doors on 28 February and quickly built up a loyal customer base, only to be forced to shut weeks later as the Coronavirus spread across the world.

In her latest column, Cllr Sarah Bennet-Wake gives us another glimpse into the life of a mayor during the pandemic.

Half Term

Macclesfield Town Council has praised the efforts of charities and community groups that have worked to "ensure that no child goes hungry during school holidays".

The mayor, Cllr Sarah Bennett-Wake, paid a visit to St Paul's Church, who have distributed over 100 free packed lunches this week, as well as Cheshire Streetwise and CORE, who have also been joining in the effort.

Cheshire East Council has called on landlords to help meet the need for one-bedroom homes across the borough to help formerly homeless people into settled accommodation.

The council says since the national lockdown in March this year, their housing team has accommodated a "significant number" of homeless residents in supported accommodation.