Welcome to this week's newsletter.
It is extremely sad that the Shavington Youth Club Building is now in the process of being sold off. This represents a wasted opportunity to do something worthwhile with the site that is valued by the community – such as continuing as a youth club or allowing other groups to use it - with hundreds of residents completing a survey indicating they wanted the building saved. The newly elected Labour Councillor for Shavington pledged to save the building from being sold off and they haven’t delivered. I had a clear plan for selling the school house to fund the repair of the main building but Cheshire East wouldn't consider it . I am disappointed we haven't been able to save it despite best efforts.
You may have seen the news regarding Crewe Truck Stop having to find a new home. I have met with Network Rail and helped secured them a 3 month extension - but we need help finding a new place for the site. Please do get in touch if you know of anywhere suitable. Not an easy ask I know but it is an important facility for people who deliver our food and medicines and much more which we all learnt to appreciate more during the pandemic.
The Government have announced plans to free up more police hours - with mental health teams now being called out to mental health incidents. This not only gives those suffering from mental health with more specialist support but frees up more time for our police to fight crime.
You will have seen the wildfires that are affecting many tourist areas of Greece over the last week. For anyone out there on holiday, or know someone who is below are important contact numbers:
Call +4420 7008 5000 for consular assistance 24/7
Contact your travel operator directly about rescheduling flights
Make sure you have Greece 112 Emergency Alerts Activated on your phone to get the latest local information
You can see the latest FCDO travel advice here:
http://gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/greece
There was good news this week that, real GDP in the UK has grown faster since 2010 than other comparable European countries, such as France, Italy, Germany and Spain. This just goes to show the potential that this country has.
I shall be holding a surgery in Crewe next week. Please do get in touch to book an appointment if you have an issue that I can assist you with.
Finally, summer is a great time to come down to London and have a tour of Parliament. If you would like to come down and have a look around email my team at kieran.mullan.mp@parliament.uk.
Have a great weekend.
Shavington Youth Club
Crewe Truck Stop
Freeing Up Police Hours
Barony Skatepark
Alleyways Project
Greece Wildfires
UK GDP Growth
Crewe Surgery
Traffic Report
Shavington Youth Club
There was considerable local support from residents for the building being saved for community use with hundreds completing a survey indicating they wanted the building saved.
The failure of Labour-led Cheshire East Council to maintain the building or listen to ideas for how to fund its repair has removed the options for those that want to keep the building for community use.
The Council allowed the roof to get into a state of disrepair, despite being obliged to maintain it which made it hard for any community groups to take it on.
I worked with Parish Cllrs to launch a campaign to encourage the council to find a way to make the building available for community use, knowing there was a serious risk that they would try and offload the building to private developers. Cheshire East put out a call for a community purchaser but it became clear the roof repair costs were prohibitive to any local charities interested in taking the building on.
I asked developers to visit the site and they confirmed that it would be possible to sell off the schoolhouse as a private home to fund repairs to the roof but Cheshire East refused to consider this to unblock the issue.
It is extremely disappointing that the Shavington Youth Club Building is being sold off. This represents a wasted opportunity to do something worthwhile with the site that is valued by the community – such as continuing as a youth club or allowing other groups to use it.
This is a building at the heart of the village that holds so many memories for local people, both when it was a school and a youth club. There was a solution for funding the roof repairs but the council refused to consider it.
Residents didn’t want to pay for it through the Parish Council because quite clearly they already pay Cheshire East a lot of tax and they expect at least some of it to be spent on local facilities for them.
The newly elected Labour Councilor for Shavington pledged to save the building from being sold off and they haven’t delivered.
Truck Stop
Crewe Truck Stop, on Cowley Lane, has been operating for 15 years – and according to google reviews, is one of the most popular such stops in the country – resting hundreds of truck drivers every night.
However, due to land rail requirements, the site has been sold to network rail – leaving the future of the business uncertain.
I was first contacted by Ian, the Director of Crewe Truckstop when he asked to meet about the issues he was having finding a new premise for his business.
I held a meeting with network rail to discuss his situation and was able to help secure the business an additional 3 months to find somewhere new.
If you know of a site that would be suitable, please do get in touch and suggest it to us. I know, from the reaction of drivers to the news, that this is a well-used and important local family run business. Trucks and lorries are essential for us all, they keep the country going and it would be nice to have somewhere for drivers to stop. Any help in finding a new home for the Truck Stop would be greatly appreciated.
Freeing Up Police Hours
The Government has freed up 1 million police hours through its mental health partnership between the health services and police forces.
Police will now only be sent to a mental health incidents if a crime has been committed or there is a threat to safety.
I know, from working on both sides as a doctor and a volunteer police officer, that we use police officers too often in these sorts of situations where a mental health professional is far more suited.
With this new plan, those suffering from mental health will get the specialist help that they need - and our police can get on with fighting crime.
Barony Skatepark
Great to chat to the team from Canvass working away on the new skatepark. Both keen skateoark user's themselves! Completion weeks away!
Alleyways Project
Great to be out helping in the alleyways again with Gary from Crewe Residents Again Fly Tipping, Glynis from Cheshire East, Sam from enforcement, Cllr John Rhodes, volunteer Frank and of course the residents! Part of the Cleaner Crewe project with ANSA, CTC and CE.
Greece Wildfires - Important Emergency Contacts
You will no doubt have seen the wildfires across Rhodes, Corfu and other parts of Greece.
For anyone out there on holiday, or know someone who is below are important contact numbers
📞 Call +4420 7008 5000 for consular assistance 24/7
✈️ Contact your travel operator directly about rescheduling flights
⚠️ Make sure you have Greece 112 Emergency Alerts Activated on your phone to get the latest local information
You can see the latest FCDO travel advice here:
http://gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/greece
The FCO have also sent a Rapid Deployment Team to Rhodes.
The team is supporting British nationals at the airport by:
- assisting with emergency travel documents
- liaising with travel operators & Greek authorities
UK GDP Growth
According to analysis from the IMF, real GDP in the UK has grown faster since 2010 than other comparable European countries, such as France, Italy, Germany and Spain.
I know we are living through tough times, and the Government is continuing to support people with the cost of living. But I think it's helpful to recognise that our country remains one that has potential and can do well.
Crewe Surgery
📆 4th August
📌 Crewe
⏰ 5:30 - 7:30
Do you have an issue that I could help you with? I shall be holding a surgery in Crewe next week. If you would like an appointment, please give my office a ring on 01270583432 or email kieran.mullan.mp@parliament.uk.
Traffic Report
The following are road closures for the week ahead as reported by Cheshire East.
Delamere Street, Crewe (Between Flag Lane and St Marys Street) - Until 7th August
Mill Lane, Oakhangar - Until 31st October
Flowers Lane - Until 26th November (see below re Leighton closures)
Smithy Lane - Until 1st November (see below re Leighton closures)
Minshull New Road (Between Badger Avenue and Rolls Avenue) - Until 31st August
Turner Street, Nantwich (From the junction of Turner Street to the junction of Imperial Court) - 11th August
Church Lane, Wistaston - 4th August
Middlewich Street, Mellor Street and Mickelwright Avenue - Until 25th August
Mablins Lane - Until 5th August
Weston Road Service Road - 1st August
B5074 (Between Imperial Court and Turner Street) - 31st July until 11th August
CLOSURES AROUND LEIGHTON:
Full details of closures around Leighton: https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/highways_and_roads/roadworks/major-projects/north-west-crewe-package-nwcp/north-west-crewe-package.aspx
The traffic lights at the end of Flowers Lane will be replaced with a roundabout as will the other accesses onto the new houses off the A530. The rear of Leighton hospital will have an improved access from Flowers Lane and the Hospital main entrance access on Smithy Lane will also be improved.
In the near future Minshull New Road will be stopped off at the Leighton academy to through traffic, but access will still be provided to the school for children from the north and south creating a much safer entrance.
Part of the problems with creating a diversion is that the traffic can only be diverted onto roads of the same or a superior category. Diverted traffic cannot be diverted onto minor roads.
At the end of the Highways project all the new roads and roundabouts will be providing easier and safer access to Leighton and its surrounds. Work can then start on the new houses with the confidence that current residents will be less affected by more traffic.