Cheshire East
 | Parts of this article (those related to Administration section) need to beupdated.(June 2024) |
Cheshire East | |
|---|---|
 Crewe,a historic railway town and the largest town in Cheshire East | |
 Coat of arms | |
| Motto: Working together for excellence | |
 Cheshire East shown withinCheshire | |
| Coordinates:53°08′46″N2°22′01″W/ 53.146°N 2.367°W | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Country | England |
| Region | North West |
| Ceremonial county | Cheshire |
| Incorporated | 1 April 2009 |
| Administrative HQ | Westfields,Sandbach |
| Government | |
| • Type | Unitary authority |
| • Body | Cheshire East Council |
| •Executive | Committee system |
| •Control | No overall control |
| • Leader | Nick Mannion[1] |
| •Mayor | Rod Fletcher |
| •MPs | 5 MPs |
| Area | |
| • Total | 450 sq mi (1,166 km2) |
| • Rank | 19th |
| Population (2022)[4] | |
| • Total | 406,527 |
| • Rank | 16th |
| • Density | 900/sq mi (349/km2) |
| Ethnicity(2021) | |
| •Ethnic groups | |
| Religion(2021) | |
| •Religion | List
|
| Time zone | UTC+0(GMT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1(BST) |
| Postcode areas | |
| Dialling codes |
|
| ISO 3166 code | GB-CHE |
| GSS code | E06000049 |
| Website | cheshireeast |
Cheshire Eastis aunitary authority areawithborough statusinCheshire,England. The local authority isCheshire East Council,which is based in the town ofSandbach.Other towns within the area includeCrewe,Macclesfield,Congleton,Wilmslow,Nantwich,Poynton,Knutsford,Alsager,BollingtonandHandforth.
History
[edit]The borough council was established in April 2009 as part of the2009 structural changes to local government in England,by virtue of an order under theLocal Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.[6]It is an amalgamation of the former boroughs ofMacclesfield,CongletonandCrewe and Nantwich,and includes the functions of the formerCheshire County Council.The residual part of the disaggregated former County Council, together with the other three former Cheshire borough councils (Chester City, Ellesmere Port & Neston and Vale Royal) were, similarly, amalgamated to create the new unitary council ofCheshire West and Chester.
Cheshire East has historic links totextile millsof theindustrial revolution,such as seen atQuarry Bank Mill.It is also home toTatton Park,a historic estate that hostsRHS Show Tatton Park.
Geography
[edit]Cheshire East lies withinNorth West England.It bordersCheshire West and Chesterto the west,Greater Manchesterto the north,Derbyshireto the east as well asStaffordshireandShropshireto the south. It is home to theCheshire Plainand the southern hills of thePennines.The localgeologyis mostly glacial clay, as well as glacial sands and gravel.
Climate
[edit]According to theKöppen climate classification,like most areas of theUK,the climate is classified as “oceanic”or "Cfb".
Demography
[edit]| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 328,500 | — |
| 1986 | 331,700 | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 340,500 | +2.7% |
| 1996 | 349,900 | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 352,100 | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 362,000 | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 370,700 | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 381,400 | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 400,500 | +5.0% |
| All totals rounded to nearest hundred Source:NOMIS | ||
The population of Cheshire East was 406,527 in 2022.[4]
Ethnicity
[edit]According to the 2021 Census, ethnic white groups account for 94.4% of the population (376,543 people), with 5.6% of the population (22,229 people) being in ethnic groups other than white (Asian, Black, Mixed, Other).[5]
Religion
[edit]A breakdown of religious groups:[5]
- Christian: 54.3% (216,629 people)
- No religion: 37.7% (150,257 people)
- Muslim: 1.0% (4,140 people)
- Hindu: 0.5% (2,046 people)
- Buddhist: 0.3% (1,314 people)
- Jewish: 0.2% (640 people)
- Sikh: 0.1% (371 people)
- Other religions: 0.4% (1,558 people)
- Religion not stated: 5.5% (21,815 people)
Administration
[edit]Wards
[edit] | This section needs to beupdated.The reason given is: Table does not reflect the changes to bouderies in the 2024 election.(July 2024) |
The 52 wards of Cheshire East are:[7]
- Alderley Edge
- Alsager
- Audlem
- Bollington
- Brereton Rural
- Broken Cross and Upton
- Bunbury
- Chelford
- CongletonEast
- Congleton West
- CreweCentral
- Crewe East
- Crewe North
- Crewe South
- Crewe St Barnabas
- Crewe West
- Dane Valley
- Disley
- Gawsworth
- Handforth
- Haslington
- High Legh
- Knutsford
- Leighton
- MacclesfieldCentral
- Macclesfield East
- Macclesfield Hurdsfield
- Macclesfield South
- Macclesfield Tytherington
- Macclesfield West and Ivy
- Middlewich
- Mobberley
- NantwichNorth and West
- Nantwich South and Stapeley
- Odd Rode
- PoyntonEast and Pott Shrigley
- Poynton West and Adlington
- Prestbury
- SandbachElworth
- Sandbach Ettiley Heath and Wheelock
- Sandbach Heath and East
- Sandbach Town
- Shavington
- Sutton(Sutton Lane Ends)
- Willaston and Rope
- WilmslowDean Row
- Wilmslow East
- Wilmslow Lacey Green
- Wilmslow West and Chorley
- Wistaston
- Wrenbury
- Wybunbury
- Notes
- ^1:Civil parishes highlighted in bold have unilaterally declared town status under section 12A of theLocal Government Act 1972.
Members of Parliament
[edit] | This section needs to beupdated.The reason given is: MPs in Cheshire East, 2008 onwards table does not include results of 2024 general election.(July 2024) |
| Election | 2008 | 2010 | 2015 | 2017 | 2019 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Congleton | Ann Winterton | Fiona Bruce | |||||||||
| Crewe and Nantwich | Edward Timpson | Laura Smith | Kieran Mullan | ||||||||
| Eddisbury | Stephen O'Brien | Antoinette Sandbach | Edward Timpson | ||||||||
| Macclesfield | SirNicholas Winterton | David Rutley | |||||||||
| Tatton | George Osborne | Esther McVey | |||||||||
- Notes
- ^2:From the last election before the borough of Cheshire East was established.
Elections
[edit]At the last Cheshire County Council election in 2005 there were 15Conservativecontrolled wards, 6Labourcontrolled wards, 5Liberal Democratcontrolled wards and 1 ward controlled by anindependentwithin the unitary authority boundaries.[8]
The first elections for Cheshire East Council took place on 1 May 2008, with theConservative Partytaking overall control. The Conservatives took 59 of the 81 seats with the others being held by the Liberal Democrats (12), Labour (6), 3 members ofMiddlewich Firstand one Independent.[9]The first leader of the authority was Wesley Fitzgerald who was elected at Cheshire East's inaugural meeting on 13 May 2008. Wesley Fitzgerald is a Councillor for the Wilmslow South ward. Having decided in February 2012 to step down, a leadership contest was triggered. Michael Jones – a relatively new councillor having been elected in the May 2011 elections – was elected as the Leader of the Conservative Group on 17 March 2012.
The administrative centre for Cheshire East Council is Westfields inSandbach,the former Headquarters ofCongleton Borough Council.[10]The site could be expanded if needed as there is space around the newly built centre.[11]Cheshire East is an observer member of theAssociation of Greater Manchester AuthoritiesofGreater Manchester,which borders Cheshire to the north.
Media
[edit]Television
[edit]The area is served byBBC North WestandITV Granadawith television signals received from theWinter Hill TV transmitter.[12]
Radio
[edit]Radio stations for the area are:[13]
- BBC Radio Manchester(coveringWilmslow,MacclesfieldandKnutsford)
- BBC Radio Stoke(coveringCrewe,NantwichandCongleton)
- Heart North West
- Smooth North West
- Capital North West & Wales
- Greatest Hits Radio Manchester & The North West
- Greatest Hits Radio Staffordshire & Cheshire
- Signal 1
- Cheshire's Silk Radio
Transport
[edit]Roads
[edit]Motorwaysand primary routes in the borough which are maintained byNational Highways(trunk roadsde jure) include theM6,M56and theA556.Other primary routes which are maintained by the council (principal roadsde jure) include theA6,A34,A49,A50,A51,A54,A56,A500,A523,A525,A530,A534,A536,A537,A538,A555,A556,A5020andA5033.
Major road projects
[edit]A556 Knutsford to Bowdon Improvement:A new five-mile four-lane dual-carriageway bypass of Bucklow Hill and Mere Crossroads on the A556 has been by Highways England at a cost of between £165-£221 million. The new road contains the first 'green bridge'wildlife crossingin theUnited Kingdom.The existing road has been narrowed to one lane in each direction and re-designated as the B5569 under the maintenance ofCheshire East Council.[14]
M6 Junctions 16-19: Smart Motorway:Highways England are preparing to convert the hard shoulder to a permanent running lane and introduce a variable speed limit along this section of the M6, meaning that it will become the firstsmart motorwayinCheshire.The scheme is expected to cost between £192-£274 million.[15]However, in Spring 2023 the Government abandoned all plans for further Smart Motorways to be constructed following concerns regarding their safety.
Crewe Green Link Road South:A dual-carriageway extension of Crewe Green Link Road is being constructed between the A5020 and Weston Gate Roundabout on the A500 by Cheshire East Council at a cost of £26.5 million.[16]
LED improvements:The Cheshire East Council, for multiple years now, has been investing inLEDs (light emitting diodes)as they are energy-efficient lights that are more likely to avoid sleepiness on the road as of their blue tint.
Rail
[edit]
White:East Midlands Railwaystations;
Blue:Northern Trainsstations;
Red:Avanti West Coaststations;
Green:Transport for WalesstationsBuses
[edit]D&G bus is the primary operators of buses in cheshire east serving the county Monday to Saturday. Sunday services are limited to 84 Chester to Crewe operated by D&G bus, 3 crewe to hanley operated by First potteries and 58 operated by high peak Macclesfield to Chatsworth House via Buxton. Additional services are operated by Aimees travel, High Peak, Mikro coaches, Stagecoach Manchester, Warrington's own buses and Hollinshead coaches.
Local sites of interest
[edit]The area is home to a large number of sites of public interest:
- Tatton Parkis the venue for a variety of events: classical concerts; fireworks displays; classic car shows; open-air theatre and the Country Show (massed pipes and drums, sheepdog trials, competitions, crafts fair, and dancing).[17]
- The Tatton Estate is privately owned with over 1,000 people living and working on it in town (Knutsford), in villages such as Rostherne and Ashley, and in the rural parishes surrounding. The new Ashley Hall Showground and Event Centre hosts events such as the Cheshire Ploughing and Hedge Laying Competition, the Ashley Hall Traction Engine Rally and charity barn dances.[18]
- Jodrell Bank Observatoryis home to a number of significant radio telescopes including theLovell Telescope;and is involved in a range of international research projects such asMERLIN.
- Gawsworth Hallis a half-timbered hall, and possibly once home to Shakespeare's'Dark Lady'.Concerts are held in the grounds, and each summer there is an open-air theatre season, featuring Shakespearean classics and light opera, comedy, jazz, and drama.[19]
- Cuckooland Museumis a reputed museum which exhibits the world's largest and finest collection of antique cuckoo clocks.[citation needed]
- Arley Hallis a Victorian-Jacobean Grade II listed country house, sometimes used as locations for filming. There have been twoCoronation Streetweddings filmed here.[20]
- Quarry Bank Millis set in the village ofStyaland is a working water-mill and living museum.[21]
- Capesthorne Hallis a Jacobean-style stately home which plays host to a variety of events.[22]
- Alderley Edgeis a great sandstone escarpment that overlooks the Cheshire plain.[23]The Edge itself has been mined for copper since at least the time of the Roman invasion, and is the centre of the legend of the Wizard of Alderley,[24]made famous by local authorAlan Garner's booksThe Weirdstone of BrisingamenandThe Moon of Gomrath.Nowadays it is said that the Wizard wasMerlin,but this is an addition that only appeared over the past thirty years. Tours of the mines are available, but should not be attempted without an experienced guide – the Edge is riddled with mineshafts.
- St James' and St Paul's Church, Martonis a 14th-century house of worship which lies on an artificial mound or earthwork.[25]
- Knutsfordis best known as the site whereKing Canuteforded the Lily Stream, and as the home of Victorian authorElizabeth Gaskell,and the town holds a May Day parade and festival every year.[26]
- Lyme Parkis an estate and park located nearDisley.Lyme Hallis the principal feature of the park.[27]
- Little Moreton Hallis one of the country's best-preserved half-timbered and moated manor houses.[28]
- Sandbach Crossesare twoAnglo-Saxonstone crosses now erected in the market place in the town ofSandbach,Cheshire, England.[29]They are recognised as a Grade Ilisted building[30]and ascheduled monument.[31]
- Old Hall Hotelin Sandbach is a Grade Ilisted building.[32]The Hall is on English Heritage's Buildings at Risk Register as priority A, this is the highest grading.[33]
Twin towns
[edit]The former borough of Macclesfield was twinned withEckernförde,Germany.[34]
Congleton has been twinned withTrappessince 16 September 1962[35]
Twinning remains active in the Crewe and Nantwich area. The town of Crewe began twinning with the town of Mâcon in France in 1957. This continued when the borough of Crewe and Nantwich was formed in 1974. The borough added the town of Bischofsheim in Germany in 1991. In 2003 the administration of twinning was passed to CANTA, the Crewe and Nantwich Twinning Association, a voluntary association supported by the borough. The association immediately added Dzierżoniów in Poland as a Friendship Town. The association has received continuing support from Cheshire East after the borough became part of the new authority.[36]
References
[edit]- ^Ryan, Belinda."Cheshire East Council leader resigns over bankruptcy risk report".BBC News.Retrieved17 July2024.
- ^"Council and Democracy".Cheshire East Council.Retrieved13 January2024.
- ^"Mid-Year Population Estimates, UK, June 2022".Office for National Statistics.26 March 2024.Retrieved3 May2024.
- ^ab"Mid-Year Population Estimates, UK, June 2022".Office for National Statistics.26 March 2024.Retrieved3 May2024.
- ^abcdUK Census(2021)."2021 Census Area Profile – Cheshire East Local Authority (E06000049)".Nomis.Office for National Statistics.Retrieved17 December2023.
- ^"The Cheshire (Structural Changes) Order 2008".Archived fromthe originalon 17 May 2009.
- ^"Ward Profiles".Cheshire East Council. Archived fromthe originalon 9 March 2013.Retrieved6 March2013.
- ^Cheshire county council elections 2005.Archived7 July 2013 atarchive.todayRetrieved 9 August 2007.
- ^"Council and Democracy".Cheshire East Council.Archivedfrom the original on 18 August 2010.Retrieved26 August2010.
- ^Wilmslow ExpressArchived28 August 2008 at theWayback MachineCouncil's seat of power is Sandbach
- ^"Westfields to be extended".thisisstaffordshire.co.uk.Archivedfrom the original on 3 August 2008.Retrieved24 July2008.
- ^"Full Freeview on the Winter Hill (Bolton, England) transmitter".UK Free TV. May 2004.Retrieved3 May2024.
- ^"North West Radio Stations".Northwestradio.info.Retrieved3 May2024.
- ^"A556 Knutsford to Bowdon Improvement".Highways England. Archived fromthe originalon 6 December 2015.Retrieved5 December2015.
- ^"M6 Junctions 16-19: Smart Motorway".Highways England. Archived fromthe originalon 13 December 2015.Retrieved12 December2015.
- ^"Crewe Green Link Road South".Cheshire East Council Highways Service. Archived fromthe originalon 20 December 2015.Retrieved12 December2015.
- ^Tatton Park.Archived29 March 2009 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 1 September 2007.
- ^Tatton Estate.Archived12 June 2015 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 1 June 2015.
- ^Gawsworth Hall.Archived11 April 2009 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 1 September 2007.
- ^Arley Hall and Gardens.Archived28 February 2009 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 1 September 2007.
- ^Quarry Bank Mill.Archived7 April 2009 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 1 September 2007.
- ^Capesthorne Hall.Archived25 June 2007 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 1 September 2007.
- ^Information site about Alderley Edge.Archived9 March 2009 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 1 September 2007.
- ^Wizard of Alderley information.Archived30 September 2007 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 1 September 2007.
- ^St James' and St Paul's Church, Marton information.Archived9 May 2007 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 1 September 2007.
- ^History of Knutsford.Archived28 September 2007 at theWayback MachineVirtual Knutsford. Retrieved 1 September 2007.
- ^Lyme Park Information.Archived9 August 2005 at theWayback MachineNational Trust. Retrieved 1 September 2007.
- ^"Little Moreton Hall".The National Trust. Archived fromthe originalon 4 December 2008.Retrieved27 November2008.
- ^Revealing Cheshire's Past: Saxon places to visit,Cheshire County Council,archived fromthe originalon 10 July 2007,retrieved12 October2007
- ^Historic England,"Sandbach crosses (1159937)",National Heritage List for England,retrieved17 July2007
- ^Revealing Cheshire's Past:Sandbach Crosses,Cheshire County Council,archivedfrom the original on 5 March 2012,retrieved4 April2009
- ^Historic England,"Old Hall Hotel, Sandbach (1310849)",National Heritage List for England,retrieved27 March2008
- ^Don't let old hall crumble,crewe chronicle, 17 June 2008,archivedfrom the original on 23 July 2011,retrieved25 August2008
- ^Details of twinning arrangements.Archived13 August 2008 at theWayback MachineMacclesfield Borough. Retrieved 25 September 2007.
- ^"Les jumelages"(in French). Trappes.Retrieved28 October2021.
- ^"association".The Crewe & Nantwich Twinning Association.Archivedfrom the original on 9 January 2014.
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