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Excellent response from Audlem Parish Council to the proposed CE car park charges. Well done to all those involved.

For the shoppers amongst us – Matalan is set to open its doors on Crewe's Grand Junction Retail Park on Saturday 18 November.

Well done to everyone who was involved in the organisation of the march on Saturday, it looked a great success +we were very sorry not to be there.
We totally agree with the comments made by Peter Kay, Jody Morgan+Harrison Lister. Why anyone can be so critical of people who are trying to do their best for the village is beyond belief+as others have said 'get your facts right first' before passing a comment. All organisations in the village rely heavily on volunteers so thank them not dam them+better still offer an hour or two of your own time +I am sure you will quickly have a different opinion!!

I spoke to one of the contractors on Saturday who has been working on the job at Swanbach. he told me that the drain which runs to the Duckow brook is now clear and running after they jetted it through. On the left of the bridge (Adderley side) there is a very large excavation from which the soil on the road. (there is no way this will be opening anytime soon) further excavations will now be done back towards the dip still on the left side, where there is a collapsed culvert. this will need to be rectified and then the ground reinstated. i reckon two weeks minimum before the road opens. At least we have a professional team of drainage contractors on the job,

Geoff Oakes,
I doubt that the A529 at Swanbach is open at weekends.
You might want to look on Audlem Life Facebook, where Chris Spring has posted some updates on the ongoing work with photos recently.
I only discovered this Facebook page recently.

From my recollection it's any Council's job the world over, to spend other people's money. Unless they are spending it on themselves of course ! There has been an overwhelming PUBLIC demand for direct action against these proposed parking charges, so why do some people feel the need to go against the majority. ? What is their motive ? Unless, perhaps, they work for Cheshire East, or within the parking industry ? !? If people didn't like any part of what the APC had planned they would not have turned out in such numbers (which in any case were probably reduced by the weather). If the embittered think there are enough people who agree with them, why don't they mount a protest march, against the last protest march ? See you all on the car park next Saturday (while it's still free to park your cars) . Majorities should rule – not a handful who disagree, It's called democracy.

Having re-readmy earlier message, Imust apologiseto Audlem at large for the errant fingers( and brain?) leading to ahost oftypo errors. Hopetheessence ofthge message remained intelligible? Sorry, everyone, Andy S.

The placards for the protest were privately funded by individuals , this was explained at the end of the march during the speech.

I note with concern the posts about Parish Council money and the protest march with their implication that some wrong has been committed. We are lucky to have volunteers to take on the roles that a parish needs. Many organisations find it difficult to fill essential posts. If there are concerns about Parish Council expenditure these should be made privately to the Council. Only when the enquiry reply actually raises a matter of public concern should it be made public.

Asformer Civil Engineer working on roadbuilding projects, Ifind it very hardto believe CEC PROJECT MANAGEMENT IS NOT WILLING OR ABLE TO TRACK ALL COSTSSPECIFIC TO EACH PROJECT THEY UNDERTAKE and tat theCouncil would requirethisdatato prepare future busgetsandcost estimates forapproving thework to be doneestimatesestimatesto approve futuetimates for future budgetting

Councillor McLaren-Brown has explained the funding of the hearse and horses for the protest yesterday but has failed to confirm whether or not the PC contributed any money towards the march.
The placards and banners featured on photographs looked particularly expensive.
Did the PC give any funds at all to yesterdays event and if so, how much and was it authorised by the whole council?

Does anyone know anybody that could put a new radio in my VW van? It's had one in already so it's a replacement but I can't get it to work. I can only find someone in Stoke and wondered if there was anyone nearer. Happy to pay of course
Thanks

I would like to thank everyone for supporting the protest and making a success of it.

If you have photos / videos to share, can you please contact me via brian.bugeja@gmail.com

Is the road at the old bridge at Swanbach open at weekends when workmen are not working?

My post yesterday about the FOI request is truncated when I look at it on my phone in portrait mode. If I turn the phone round and look at it in landscape mode the full text is displayed.
The key part of the section that was truncated is
'We are unable to provide the information you request as we do not capture costs specific to the criteria
you refer. We allocate costs to many specific headings such as key schemes and key disciplines e.g.
drainage, surfacing, pothole repairs etc. but in many cases this is not required to be broken down into
specific locations.
In this specific instance we believe you are referring to the A529 Green Lane, Audlem adjacent to the old
railway bridge at Swanbach. Whilst we record that we have had 11 specific notifications at this location
since 2019 (2019 2 no., 2020 4 no., 2021 1 no. and 2022 4 no.) as captured under our out of hours and
emergency work stream, we are not able to apportion specific costs to these.'

There is a link to the 'Disclosure Log' of FOI requests to CEC and their responses embedded in text at https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/council_and_democracy/council_information/open-data-and-transparency/freedom_of_information/freedom_of_information.aspx

Could this cat be a stray? He was nearly run over in the doctors carpark last night. Luckily the driver spotted him at the last minute.

Below is an extract from a response dated 28th April 2023 from CEC to an FOI request from someone whose name has been redacted in the response, as has the name of the author of the response. It wasn't submitted by me.
Obviously this response has been compiled with a great deal of care and intelligence, confirming in one sentence that CEC holds the information requested and then in the next sentence stating 'We are unable to provide the information you request...'
The statement that they do not hold the information in the requested form is depressing: if they don't hold the information how can they effectively manage the relevant budgets, or know how much they're spending on repeated trips to and work at the same location?
=========================================================================================

'Information Request – 19742085 – Costs relating to Old Railway Bridge Swanbach
I am responding to your request for information, which has been considered under the Environmental
Information Regulations 2004 (EIR) and logged as case 19742085.
Your request is as follows:
What is the cost to the highway service budget from October 2019 to date of:
1. Attending of flooding at Old Railway Bridge Swanbach
2. Jetting of flooding at Old Railway Bridge Swanbach
3. Signage of flooding at Old Railway Bridge Swanbach
I can confirm that Cheshire East Council holds the information you have requested. I have detailed below
the information that is being released to you.
We are unable to provide the information you request as we do not capture costs specific to the criteria
you refer. We allocate costs to many specific headings such as key schemes and key disciplines e.g.
drainage, surfacing, pothole repairs etc. but in many cases this is not required to be broken down into
specific locations.
In this specific instance we believe you are referring to the A529 Green Lane, Audlem adjacent to the old
railway bridge at Swanbach. Whilst we record that we have had 11 specific notifications at this location
since 2019 (2019 2 no., 2020 4 no., 2021 1 no. and 2022 4 no.) as captured under our out of hours and
emergency work stream, we are not able to apportion specific costs to these.
Please quote the reference number 19742085 in any future communications.
An anonymised copy of this response may be published in the Council's Disclosure Log, which is
available online at the following address: www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/foi
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your request or if you are not happy with the way your request
has been handled, you can request an internal review. Internal review requests should be submitted
within 20 working days of our response by emailing foi@cheshireeast.gov.uk or in writing to the
Information Rights Team, Cheshire East Council, 1st Floor, Westfields, c/o Municipal Buildings, Earle
Street, Crewe, CW1 2BJ.
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to apply directly to the
Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
https://ico.org.uk; Tel: 0303 123 1113; or Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane,
Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. The Information Commissioner will not normally investigate your case
until the Council's internal review process has been completed.'

A big thank you to Liz Huntbach for the Floodgate/Swanbach Ford update, complete with photos. This is especially welcome in the apparent news blackout from Cheshire East Council about the ongoing work and probable duration of the road closure.

I can now put my purchase of an amphibious vehicle on hold.

It is obviously very unfortunate that the female supervisor on site has experienced abuse and intimidation. It seems that there will always be some who take out their frustration, understandable in this case, on the wrong people and in an unjustifiable manner.

Please can anyone help urgentlty with a flood at the charity shop.

We need somethng that can suck water from the floor.

Any help appreciated.

What a mess chapel lane has become with so many vehicles using it as a diversion option even though it's clearly signed "access only".

Being physically pushed out of the way by a Sainsbury's delivery driver is a new low point.

The works are likely to take some time yet according to the team carrying them out and chapel lane cannot cope with the level of traffic. The road is now in a very messy condition and I suspect it won't be long until the wall of the house on the corner of Hardy's lane and chapel lane suffers some damage.

Roger Green- we are looking forward to your findings on your FOI request – please do inform us of the outcome. However, one can't help feeling that establishing the facts first, ahead of jumping the gun, may have been a kinder route, than accusing a group of volunteers, who are trying their best for the vast majority of people who are against parking charges in Audlem. To be hoped, like the face of the 529 traffic lights, that green does not turn to crimson, in this instance.

I have recently received 2 emails from, apparently, Norton AntiVirus telling me I have signed up for 3 years protection. These are fakes and should not be responded to.

Is anyone missing a black and white cat very friendly handing outside the chippy in Audlem trying to get into peoples cars and walking in and out of the road

Let's hope, that whatever the outcome everyone continues to support the village businesses and traders as much as possible. Regardless of how the demonstration has been achieved, we should be thankful that there are those people that have volunteered their time in organising the campaign.

I have submitted a freedom of information request from the parish council regarding this planned March. If they have spent public money on funeral horses then this truly will be a slap in the face of the residents especially after the recent alleged fraud.