Chester News Spring 05

8/14/2019 Chester News Spring 05

1/17

THE MAGAZINE FOR ALL RESIDENTS OF CHESTER DISTRICT

ChesterCity Council


2/17

P3 Experts poised to uncover new amphitheatre secretsP4 Improved disabled access at Blacon Nature Park

P5/8 Best Value Performance Plan summary

P9/11Chester TOGETHER tackling anti-social behaviour

P12 Riverside walkway breathes new life into Old Port

P13 House of Fraser joins Northgate quarter

P14 Chester website clicks with internet judges

P15 Booklet spells out Chesters 20 year vision

P16 Charity womens race set to return to city

P17 VIP guest joins Chester Food & Drink Festival

P18 Cabinet responsibility who does what?

P19Whats On in Chester your daily guide

p20 Direct line to your service

All Human Life The Kaleidoscopeof Victorian Painting, showing at

the Grosvenor Museum on May 24(see Whats On guide, page 19)

House of Fraser to anchor280m Northgate scheme

see page 13

Star chef set to make Food & Drink Festival a sizzling success see p17


3/17

Chester News 3

HistoryA

RCHAEOLOGISTSare gearingup for a

second season ofexcavationsfollowing last yearssuccessful dig at theamphitheatre.The site has beencovered during thewinter months toprotect it from theweather, but

archaeologists havebeen working hardbehind the scenes onthe wealth of artefactsand informationunearthed.This has led to anumber of excitinginsights into theamphitheatres past,both during and afterthe Roman occupation.

Findings include:

Evidence that therewere actually twoamphitheatres built onthe site. The first wasimpressive, but it wasdwarfed by the laterbuilding, which had amassive 2.7m widesandstone foundation.

Evidence of externalstairways otherwiseknown only atPompeii. This makesChester a veryimportant site for thestudy of thearchitecturaldevelopment ofamphitheatresthroughout the RomanEmpire.

A large proportionof chicken bones andbeef ribs, implying thatsnacks were sold tospectators who were

there to watch theentertainment. Fastfood Roman style!

Tantalising cluesabout the use of theamphitheatre in theperiod after theRomans. For example,one of the mainentrances was certainlywalled up perhaps tomaintain theamphitheatre as a

fortress?The discovery ofmedieval artefacts,including a bone haircomb, a completepottery jug and aparchment clip.

Over 40 musket ballsunearthed. Theseprobably date fromthe siege of Chester in1645, when the EnglishCivil War was at itsheight.

There were many

other fascinating finds,including the Romansword handle featuredin last autumnsedition of ChesterNews.Why not check outChester Visitor Centre,located opposite thesite, to learn moreabout the excitingdiscoveries beingmade?The building nowincludes an

interpretation centrewith specialinformation kiosks,displays andexhibitions that bringthe project to life andprovide details of allthe findings to date. Acomputer-generatedmovie can also beviewed on a largescreen, providing avivid picture of howthe amphitheatredeveloped.The specially

constructed gangwayover the site will alsolet members of the

public get a close-upview when the newdig begins in May. Thisyears excavations willhopefully help shednew light on the earlypost-Roman period of

Chesters history.If you cant get downto the amphitheatre,

try logging onto thewebsitewww.chesteramphitheatre.co.ukThe website is packedwith information andis linked up to a web

camera so you canwatch the dig overthe internet.

The amphitheatre isthe focus of a threeyear project involvingthe city council andEnglish Heritage. Thefindings will be usedto draw up a plan for

the futureconservation of thesite.

We found

evidence offast food Roman style


4/17

IMPROVEMENTS thatwill give disabledpeople greater accessto a popular park havebeen welcomed.

The city council hasresurfaced thepathways in BlaconNature Park to allowbetter wheelchairaccess. To mark theimprovements, the

Lord Mayor of Chester,Councillor Terry Ralph,recently took part in atree plantingceremony along withlocal schoolchildren,councillors andresidents.

The park was firstopened in 1989 and isrun by the city councilwith help from theFriends of BlaconNature Park group.The site includes wild

flower meadows, apond and woodlands.

The 14,000improvement scheme,which involvedresurfacing thepathways withbitumen, has beenfunded by the landfilltax credits of local

landfill operator WasteRecycling Group Ltd,administered byenvironmental bodyWREN (Waste,Recycling andEnvironmentalNetwork).

The Lord Mayorsaid: "The park hasalways proved verypopular with the local

community and theFriends of BlaconNature Park do someterrific work to helppreserve, maintain andrun the site.

"These resurfacedpathways will helpensure that everyonecan enjoy what thepark has to offer."

Richard Smith,WREN area projectmanager said: "We aredelighted to have

been involved in theaccess improvementsat Blacon Nature Park.This valuablecommunity resourcecan now be used by alland we hope itcontinues to be wellused for years tocome."

4 Chester News

Lord Mayor Cllr Terry Ralph escorts residentSandy Lyth around Blacon Nature Park


5/17

GOVERNMENT inspectors havepraised Chester City Council forthe way it handles its finances.In its annual letter to the council,the Audit Commission says theauthority is continuing to deliverquality services while setting anexample for other councils inareas like financial management.The letter says the council has

built on the excellentComprehensive PerformanceAssessment (CPA) rating itachieved last year, and is a"source of good practice forother authorities."The council is also praised forthe way it proactively plans forand manages financial issues likeSingle Status.Councillor Paul Roberts, ChesterCity Councils cabinet memberfor resources, said: "The letterfrom the Audit Commissionshows that we are continuing tobuild on our excellent CPA score,

and that our approach tofinancial planning is a particularstrength.

Auditors giveus top marks

Chester News 5

"WELCOME to our spring 2005Best Value Performance PlanSummary where we set out someof the work we have been doingand outline the projects andtasks ahead in the comingmonths.

This special edition looksahead to some of the big issueswell be dealing with, while theresults of our recent performanceas your council are also laid outfor you to examine.

Like local councils all over thecountry we face many challengesand city councillors, officers andour partners in the communityhave been working hard to findthe right solutions.

Our research shows that safer,cleaner communities are a toppriority for many people. Wehave decided to introducecommunity wardens patrollingstreets and parks to help tackleanti-social behaviour such aslittering, dog-fouling or noisenuisance.

Improved public spaces,regeneration and bettertransport facilities are also key toa better quality of life. Wevealready secured 280m ofinvestment for new shops,

homes, a library, theatre, busstation and modern market aspart of the NorthgateDevelopment.

Were also redeveloping theGorse Stacks and DelamereStreet and will improve transportamenities such as a new coachreception facility and toilets atthe Little Roodee car park.

We are working with partnersto improve Chester RailwayStation and its links to the citycentre.

Your council already providesconcessionary travel discountsabove the minimum set out bycentral government, but this yearwe will consider how we canmake these discounts moregenerous and ensure publictransport is more accessible toolder people.

In 2003, the governmentjudged Chester City Council anexcellent local authority theonly excellent district council inthe North West.

In 2004 the Audit Commissionsaid that Chester: ".has builton its excellent ComprehensivePerformance Assessment rating,becoming a source of goodpractice for other authorities."

However, we know that thereis always much more to do.

We are determined to learnfrom the best practice of other

councils and well continueworking to improve and toprovide top quality services forthe people of Chester.

How well take onthe big issues

Safer Communities

Issues of crime and community safety come out as the top priorityin almost every residents survey we do, despite relatively lowcrime levels in the Chester District. In fact, people see low crimeas the most important factor in making somewhere a good placeto live whether its in the city centre, the suburbs or thecountryside. The main offences residents want to see tackled areburglary, youth nuisance and dangerous driving.

What we are already doing to help:

extending the network of CCTV cameras across the city centre

and district, supported by a 24 hour CCTV command centre withdirect links to the police

Improving activities for children and young people

providing burglary prevention training

controlling the consumption of alcohol in the street

What we plan to do:

extend CCTV coverage across the city centre and key outlyingcentres such as Kingsway Parade in Newton

invest in mobile CCTV which can be quickly moved betweenhotspots across Chester District and used in rural areas wherepermanent cameras would stand out

build youth shelters, so that young people have somewherewhere they can hang out together

Last year we said we would:

undertake a comprehensive audit of crime and disorder toinform a new Community Safety Partnership strategy and a threeyear action plan - we completed these projects

Council LeaderCllr David Evans

Deputy leaderCllr John Price

We listen closely to your viewsto ensure that the prioritieswe set accurately reflect yourconcerns. We do this throughregular consultation andevents such Ask the Audiencewhere 100 local people spent aday with councillors and senior

officers discussing the issuesfacing Chester District.

These are the six areas thatresidents told us wereimportant you:

safer communities

affordable housing

the environment

travelling around Chester

a strong economychildren and young people

YOUR TOP SIX PRIORITIES


6/17

Best Value Performance Plan summary

What does the council do?

Sometimes its the things thatare all around you that you areleast likely to notice. You mightjust be surprised at the range of

services that Chester CityCouncil offers. Some you mightuse everyday, some once in alifetime, others you may benefitfrom but have never stoppedand wondered who providedthem.

Chester by numbers

Every day

around 370 people visit thecouncil offices

the CCTV control centremaintains 24 hour surveillance of

the city centremore than 200 people visit theNorthgate leisure centre

Every week

we empty bins from 53,800homes

almost 21,000 park and ridejourneys are made into the towncentre

benefits are paid to 840Chester residents or landlords.

we process an average of 44planning applications ranging

from loft conversions to multi-million pound schemes such asthe Northgate Development

We cut 341,000 square metresof grass in the summer

more than 600 residents havethe opportunity to tend theircouncil allotment

we empty more than 200 dogbins

around 430 people use thedial-a-ride, rural ring-a-ride orwomens safe transport services

Every month

over 440 tonnes of householdwaste is recycled the equivalentweight of nearly sixty double-decker buses

our food hygiene teaminspects 50 food premises

nearly 7,000 people visit themuseum

all 40 city council play areasand skate parks are inspected

Chester Crematorium catersfor 18 burials and 170 cremations

48 people get married inChester Town Hall.

we collect council tax from53,800 households on behalf ofChester City Council, Cheshire

County Council, the Police andFire Service

we collect business rates from4,200 businesses

we conduct 275 land searchesfor house buyers

Every yearwe receive almost half amillion phone calls

more than 1.25million peoplecontact our tourism informationservice

we maintain 60,000 squaremetres of shrub beds androckeries

we provide 50 affordablehomes

our licensing team processesmore than 100 hackney cablicences and over 500 private hiretaxi drivers licences

your council secures hundredsof thousands of pounds ofexternal funding fromorganisations such as theNational Lottery or EuropeanUnion

your local area holds four AreaCommittee meetings to informand consult you about what ishappening where you live

2,700 local people aresurveyed to help us set prioritiesand find out what residentsthink of the services we provide

last year a survey on housing

needs went to a further 15,000households

So what exactly dowe do..?

6 Chester News


7/17


Affordable HousingAffordable housing means bringing homes withinthe reach of people who cant afford to either rentor buy on the open market. In the past year houseprices in Chester District have risen by over 20%,with the average terraced house now costing140,000. To successfully apply for a mortgage forthat amount you would need a household incomeof almost 47,000 per year.


working with local housing associations likeChester and District Housing Trust which providesmore than 6500 local affordable rented homes

securing extra funding to build houses

As a council we demand that 25% of all newhomes built in our area are affordable. In otherwords, to be allowed to build and sell 40 newluxury flats, developers must build 10 affordablehomes. This currently brings around 50 newaffordable homes a year for Chester, but newrestrictions on house building in the North Westwill mean fewer new houses, so we need to lookelsewhere for next years affordable homes.

What we are planning to do:

increase investment in affordable housing

provide more affordable homes to rent

look across the District to find sites where newaffordable houses can be built

work with the owners of empty properties tobring them back into use

provide grants and support to homeowners inneed who want to improve or adapt their homesrather than move

The EnvironmentThe countryside and built environment play ahuge role in making the District a pleasant place tolive and we are committed to maintaining them.In a recent survey of residents, cleaner streetswere identified as a top five priority forimprovement.


street cleaning

maintaining public spaces and parkland

using planning rules to protect historic Chesterand public spaces

improving the standard of the public toilets thatwe provide

providing kerbside collections of recyclablewaste

we have piloted doorstep collection of glass andbatteries for recycling

managing our environment for the protection ofour residents

What we plan to do:

improve the quality of street cleansing through: more frequent street washing removing chewing gum litter

increase recycling opportunities

review the way we provide groundsmaintenance services


introduce a pilot recycling collection scheme forglass and batteries we did

increase the frequency of rural street cleaning we did

Travelling around ChesterIn a recent survey residents set out .being ableto travel around Chester easily as a priority forimprovement and as one of the five mostimportant things that makes somewhere a goodplace to live.


our older residents are entitled to a 50%discount on bus journeys starting or finishing inCheshire

offering door to door accessible transportthrough dial-a-ride

providing shop mobility services and Blue Badge

parkingmore than one million people a year use thePark & Ride service, reducing the numbers of carsdriving into the city centre

as a part of the Northgate Development we arebuilding a new bus station and a new coachterminal at the Roodee

we are working with partners to improveChester railway station

What we plan to do:

this year we will examine how we can extendour Concessionary Travel Scheme, making it evenmore generous and ensuring that our olderresidents are able to travel around the county

consider how we can offer extra accessibletransport options for rural areas.

Thecountryside

and builtenvironmentplay a huge

role inmaking the

District apleasant

place to live

and we arecommitted to

maintainingthem.

Chester News 7


8/17


A strong economy

Chester has a healthy economy withbelow average levels of unemployment,although there are pockets of higherunemployment. The priorities of localresidents as set out in the CommunityPlan include more job opportunities andemployment for all.


Employment

attracting new investment

working with expanding businesses

supporting self-employment

providing a grant scheme for ruralbusinesses

Regeneration

working with partners to improve thearea around Chester Railway Station

Shopping

redeveloping and improving theNorthgate area

organising and publicising events andfestivals

offering shopping discounts throughthe Charisma Card

promoting Chester as atourist destination

What we plan to do:

Employment

buy land and buildworkshops to rent

target new businesssectors

offer help to thoselooking for work

provide young peoplewith training in new andtraditional skills

offer a grant scheme forthe whole of the District

help people startbusinesses

develop more ITResource Centres

work withneighbouring councils to spreademployment opportunities

Shopping

promote distinctive shoppingmarket Chester more effectively as atourist and shopping destination

refurbish and bring empty shops backinto use

develop a city centre street wardenservice

Children and YoungPeople

Chester District is home to almost 22,000people under 16 years old, who makeup 18.5% of our residents. In a recent

survey you identified improvingactivities for teenagers as your fourthhighest priority for the District.


providing safe, cheap places to hangout, including youth shelters whichprovide a purpose built place whereyoung people can meet at a time thatsuits them and at no cost

supporting for Blacon and Lacheadventure playgrounds which offer safeplay environments for children

talking to young people to find out

what they wantsupporting schools in delivering thenational curriculum

giving grants to organisations thatwork with young people

What we plan to do:

create more sports and leisurefacilities

reduce costs to increase participation


spend 90,000 on improving playareas - we did

spend 5,000 on providing disabledchildren with access to play areas wedid

ask children and young people whatissues they want to see dealt with wedid

What do you think?

If you have any comments or questionsor would like more information on anyof the projects set out in this summaryplease contact:

Morgan Jones, Performance Officer,Chester City Council, The Forum,Chester, CH1 [email protected]: 01244 402 123

The full Best Value Performance Plan willbe published in July and contains moredetailed information on the councils

performance. It will be available in locallibraries, at www.chester.gov.uk or fromMorgan Jones at the above address.

8 Chester News


9/17

Chester News 9

CHESTE

R

The Governmenthas chosenChester amongonly 50 othertowns and citiesin England as anAction Area forcombating crimeand anti-socialbehaviour.Action Area status recognises howChester Community SafetyPartnership under the "TOGETHER"campaign, is dealing with anti-social behaviour in the District.The Action Area status alsorecognises how the partnership isleading the way in targeting repeatoffenders.The Home Office has awardedsignificant funding to ChesterCommunity Safety Partnership toassist future initiatives and tosupport Chesters Action Areastatus under the "TOGETHER"campaign.

Cllr John PriceChairman of Community SafetyPartnership

Chester Community Safety Partnership brings togetherChester City Council, Cheshire Constabulary, Cheshire FireService, Cheshire County Council, Cheshire West PrimaryCare Trust, Connexions, Cheshire Youth Offending Team,

National Probation Service and a range of community andvoluntary organisations to tackle crime, anti-social

behaviour and the fear of crime.

Community needsare our priority...

OUTLINE OF THE PROJECTS

"TOGETHER" is a national campaign that will take a stand againstanti-social behaviour, putting the local communitys needs first.Chester TOGETHER will deliver a co-ordinated and targeted approachtowards addressing anti-social behaviour in Chester District.

The project will:

Engage with local communities to ensure that people who live orwork in Chester are fully involved with the project.

Recruit a case worker to co-ordinate all the work relating to thedevelopment and enforcement of the Anti Social Behaviour ActionArea status.

Establish an Anti-social Behaviour Hotline as a single point of contactfor people in Chester who are experiencing anti-social behaviour.

Develop a marketing strategy to ensure that all who live or work inChester are aware of the actions being taken to address anti-socialbehaviour across the District.

Identify, implement and monitor a range of actions designed toaddress anti-social behaviour in Chester.

AIMS OF THE PROJECT ARE TO:

Increase public confidence in the capability of local partners,

working with communities to tackle and reduce anti-social behaviourin Chester.

Raise awareness of the actions taken by partners and localcommunities, to tackle and reduce the incidences of anti-socialbehaviour.

ChesterTOGETHER will

deliver aco-ordinatedand targeted

approach

towardsaddressing anti-social behaviour

in ChesterDistrict.


10/17


11/17

12 Chester News

WORK on a new riverside walkwayis well underway as theregeneration of Chesters Old Portcontinues apace.

The pedestrian and cycle route hasbeen under construction since mid-September and is due to be finished bycontractors Harry FaircloughConstruction Ltd by the summer.

It will act as a link between theexisting walkway built as part of theWatkin Jones development, and afurther section that may be constructedif the proposed residential element ofthe development of the Old Port byDavid McLean Homes is given the go-

ahead.The aim is to create a continuous

route along the entire length of theRiver Dee in the Old Port, and toimprove existing flood defences.

Councillor Jim Latham, cabinetmember for development, said: "Theparticular section of walkway underconstruction at the moment will runalong the riverbank fronting CraneWarf, the TS Deva building and theelectricity compound.

"Some sections of the woodenboardwalk are suspended over thehistoric river wall using a cantilever

structure, while others are actuallysuspended over the water itself, helpingto create a pier-effect. There are also

viewing platforms that will allow peopleto take-in the beautiful scenery alongthis stretch of the river, which will beaccessible to the general public for thefirst time in over 200 years."

The project is being driven by thecity council, with additional fundingfrom WREN (the landfill tax credits

body), West Chester Regeneration Boardand the Northwest RegionalDevelopment Agency (NWDA), whichhas contributed 840,000 to the project.

Chris Koral, NWDA area manager forCheshire, said: "The NWDA is pleased tosupport the regeneration of ChestersOld Port, culminating in a riversidepromenade.

"Comprehensive access to the RiverDee will enhance the historic value ofthe area and boost Chesters tourismoffer. Increased flood protection willalso unlock derelict and underused landfor further regeneration."

The promenade in the Old Port willeventually link to two similar walkwaysalong neighbouring stretches of the

Dee, creating an uninterrupted routefrom the Groves in Chester toQueensferry in Flintshire.

Plans for a walkway stretching fromthe Groves were given the green lightby the citys planning board inDecember. The scheme is being part-funded with European money under the

Water in Historic City Centresprogramme a partnership projectinvolving cities in Belgium, theNetherlands and Ireland.

At the same time, the other end ofthe Old Port section will link to ariverside route being planned inpartnership with Flintshire CountyCouncil, stretching from Queensferry tothe Welsh-English border at the edge ofthe city.

This will eventually create one of thelongest and most impressive riversidepromenades in the country, helpingpeople get greater access to and

enjoyment from the Dee by providing apractical, green journey route forpedestrians and cyclists.

Dee-lightfulwalkwaybegins totake shape


12/17

Chester News 13

Retail giant boostsshops developmentLEADING retailers, House of Fraser,will form the lynchpin of the

redevelopment of the Northgatequarter of the city when it sets upshop as part of the 280m scheme.

House of Fraser has taken a 35 year leaseon the 160,000 sq ft anchor unit located tothe northwest of the site which comprises afurther 60 units, including three majorstores.

The overall development of Northgatewill provide 440,000 sq ft of shop space, anew performing arts centre, library, markethall, bus station, council offices, several civicsquares, as well as 112 new residentialapartments.

The scheme, undertaken by NorthgateLimited Partnership, part of ING Real EstateDevelopment UK, will replace the Forumshopping centre and Gateway theatre andrelocate the central library and market hall.

Chester City Council leader, CouncillorDavid Evans and deputy leader, CouncillorJohn Price said: "This is great news. TheHouse of Fraser name and the new retailprovision will complement and enhance theexisting shops in the city, making the citycentre much more attractive for shoppersacross the region."

Steve Hibbert, operations director ofHouse of Fraser said :"We are pleased tohave secured such a significant unit in oneof the most exciting retail led mixed use

schemes planned for the UK. Northgate willprovide the flexible shop area we need andwhich was not previously available in

Chesters historic shopping area. "Siep Hoeksma, joint managing director of

ING Real Estate Development UK said: "Weare delighted to have attracted one of thetop retail names to the city for the firsttime.

"This important step forward sends amessage to local people that we are

committed to making Northgate a reality."The plans for the substantial

redevelopment of an under-utilised area ofChester city centre comprises a site frontingonto Northgate Street and behindWatergate Street and encompasses much ofthe northwest quarter of the city inside theRoman walls. The historic town hall willremain untouched at the heart of thedevelopment, along with all other buildingsof architectural and historical importance.

An open style streetscape will bereintroduced based on the historic streetpattern lost more than 30 years ago. Thenew quarter will integrate with the citys

historic townscape, with modern buildingsproviding two level rows of shops.

Work should be completed in 2008.

PUBLIC safety, anti-socialbehaviour and generalnuisance will be majorconsiderations as Chester CityCouncil begins consideringlicensing applications thisspring.

In February we took up ournew responsibilities under theLicensing Act 2003, whichused to be dealt with bymagistrates, with fullresponsibility from Novemberthis year.

The activities covered bythis new Licensing Act are thesale of alcohol, publicentertainments and late nightrefreshments.

These will now be coveredby a range of new "premises"and "personal" licences. TheAct also allows applicants toapply for longer hours to sellalcohol.

We will consider all licencesand applications against thefour main aims of the Act:- The prevention of crimeand disorder Public safety The prevention of public

nuisance The protection of childrenfrom harm

We will also consider themagainst our own LicensingPolicy Statement.

Cabinet portfolio holderfor health and wellbeing,councillor Mia Jones said: "Wehave had an excellentresponse from the licensingtrade and other interestedparties to our consultationcarried out towards the end oflast year.

"This new law imposesimportant obligations on thecity council and we aredetermined to exercise ourresponsibilities correctly.

"Pubs, clubs andrestaurants are vital toChesters social life and publicimage, but we wont be afraidto use the powers to tackleany antisocial and publicsafety issues surrounding thesale and consumption ofalcohol."

The councils LicensingPolicy Statement is available infull on the council websitewww.chester.gov.uk or a copyor additional information isavailable from the licensing

team on 01244 402138 ore-mail [email protected]

House of Fraserto form hub ofNorthgate plan

Licensed toget rid of

drink louts


13/17

A NEW Chester websitere-launched at the endof 2004 has been ratedas one of the best in itsfield in the entirecountry.

At the time of going topress Chester City Councilsnew website was ranked 13thout of 460 council websites bySite Morse, one of Britainsleading automated websitetesting organisations. Trafford

Metropolitan Borough Councilwas first while Doncaster MBCwas at the bottom of thetable.

Rankings are based on howthe website functions, howaccessible it is, how it performs

and on technical points ofdesign.

The city councils site scoredhighly thanks to a "contentmanagement system," whichallows staff throughout the

council to update and managethe content.

Many of the improvedfeatures were driven by publiccomments. The website nowincludes:a completely new search

engine, structure and A-Zsystem, making it even easierto find informationtext-only and print versions,which are easier to reada design for use with screen

reader technology, which helpsvisually impaired users more information andadvice for dealing withemergencies, health andeducation matters and anews and views section

a webcam covering thesummer Chester Amphitheatreexcavations and two moreplanned - one of themfocusing on the Town Hall

City council portfolioholder for e-government anddeputy leader councillor JohnPrice said: "People can get agreat deal from the newimproved site. From telling usabout graffiti that needsremoving to viewing straydogs in need of a new home.Residents can use it to paycouncil tax while tourists canbook hotels online. Anyonecan read our press releases orthe latest issue of ourmagazine Chester News.

"The website is there tohelp people contact us, findout about council services andget general advice. It has beenranked in the top 10 districtcouncil websites in two out ofthe last three years, so to be13th in comparison with allcouncils in the UK - district,county, unitary andmetropolitan, is a marvellousachievement by our dedicatedweb team and shows thecouncils commitment to e-government "

To check out the newwebsite log on towww.chester.gov.uk

14 Chester News

A NEW series of sight-seeing excursionstakes to the road in March thanks to RuralSafari Bus Tours.

The tours will take residents and visitorson exciting trips into the Cheshire,Shropshire and North Wales countryside.

Departing from Chester Visitor Centre bythe Roman Amphitheatre (and by ChesterCathedral on Sundays), the tours willexplore the secret delights and hiddentreasures of the surrounding area.

A full tour programme is currently beingdeveloped including Land of the RedDragon, Chomping around Cheshire, SecretGardens, Haunted Cheshire, Border Battlesand River of No Return.

Other trips in development areexcursions to off-beat events like Bawmingof the Thorn, Erddig Apple Festival,

Carriage Driving Contests and World Worm

Charming Championships and Sing with aWelsh Choir.

Mainstream events will also be coveredincluding crowd-pullers like Holly Holy DayCivil War Battle, the Motorbike Mania ofThundersprint 2005, the massive Inland

Waterways Festival sailing into Preston

Brook next August and Pontcysyllte 200 the bicentenary of Britains biggest sail-in-the-sky aqueduct in November!

Full details of the tours are to befeatured in Whats On in Chester and thenew visitchester.com web-site wherepeople can book on-line.

Tickets will be on sale at the Town HallTourist Information Centre and ChesterVisitor Centre.

The new 205,000 project is beingfunded by Cheshire Rural RecoveryProgramme and Leader+ England andWales and co-ordinated by Chester CityCouncil Tourism. It runs until September2007.

Contact: Gerald Tattum, TourismDevelopment OfficerTel: 01244 402150 e-mail:

[email protected]

All aboard for the sight-seers Safari tours

Site nets top praise


14/17

Chester News 15

WE have recently invested inimprovements to threechildrens play areas across theDistrict bringing them up tostandards laid down by theDisability Discrimination Act.

Chester City Council setaside 25,000 for playground

improvements split betweensites run by the council, parishcouncils and localmanagement groups.

Up to 14,000 was ploughedinto works at Grosvenor Park,Sandy Lane and AlexandraPark which were completed inthe New Year.

Grosvenor Park

A flush level roundabout sochildren or carers can get onto the roundabout withouthaving to step up to theplatform. This makes it easierfor children with mobilityproblems to play together

with other children.Two new spring mobileswith upper body supports forchildren who need them tohelp them play.

Sandy Lane

A dish roundabout thatprovides access for childrenwhatever their abilities.A 'talking bob' - aninteractive stand alone playitem that 'talks' to the userthrough a wind upmechanism.

Alexandra Park

Music pipes and smallseating area.A 'talking bob'.

Cash aid toimproveplay zones

SCORES of development schemesthat will literally shape ChesterDistricts future for the next 20 years

have been outlined in one easy toread booklet for the first time.

Project Chester is a 57 page illustratedguide to a series of exciting programmes inand around the city, piecing together the jigsaw of development, regeneration andimprovement schemes earmarked or alreadyunderway.

The book outlines the city councils "bigpicture" which covers culture, tourism, theeconomy, sport and leisure, enterprise,wildlife conservation and Chester at night.It also highlights how we and our partnersare successfully tackling "crime and grimeissues."

Following extensive consultation in 2001the city council and leading partnerslaunched a community plan known asChesters Way Ahead, a long-termblueprint for action on social and economicissues facing the District.

Project Chester is an attempt to put ourcontribution to that plan into onecomprehensive document to stimulate

discussion between the partners.In a joint statement city council leader,

Councillor David Evans, deputy leader,Councillor John Price and leader of theopposition, Councillor Margaret Parkersaid: "With our partners Chester CityCouncil is delivering a challenging agendaand Project Chester now illustrates this bigpicture that is unfolding all around us, inthe city and rural areas.

"Chester is being transformed, but thistransformation is based upon the people ofChester, its culture and its distinctivecharacter. We aim to make Chester a city ofworld stature and we are asking residents,

businesses and all organisations here tojoin us in our endeavours"Project Chester is available in hard copy

or on disc from Elaine Penlington on 01244402218 oronline www.chester.gov.uk/projectchester

Big Picture...the

Booklet spells out 20 years of development plans

Dont lose your voice make democracy workCHESTER City Councilselectoral team make it possiblefor you to have your say in allelections- Parliamentary,European, Chester City Council,Cheshire County Council andParish Council.

The busy team:books up to 98 premises forpolling stations

employs more than 300 staffto work at the variouslocations on polling day

produces and processes54,000 registration forms sopeople can be registered tovote

organises the counting ofthe votes and declaring theresults

If you are not registered tovote you cannot vote in anyelection.There are no Chester CityCouncil elections in 2005.There are Cheshire CountyCouncil elections and

possibly a General Election.Make democracy work - useyour vote.

Children from Dorin Park School help the Lord Mayor open the new play area at Grosvenor Park


15/17

16 Chester News

THIS summer CancerResearch UK's Race forLife, supported by ChesterCity Council and Tesco,will be returning toChester for the eighthtime. The popular 5km,women-only fundraiser

will take place on June 8at Chester Zoo.In 2004, more than 2,500

women in the area raised136,000. This year, CancerResearch UK is hoping to topthat figure with a fundraisingtarget of 150,000 for womentaking part in the Chester race.In total, Race for Life is aimingto raise 23million.

The money raised providesmuch needed funds for CancerResearch UKs continuing workto cure cancer.

The latest figures show thatmore than 31,000 people in theNorth West are diagnosed withcancer every year. More thanone in three people in Britainwill develop cancer at somepoint in their life and one infour will die from the disease.

Former Blue Peter presenterSarah Greene is patron of Racefor Life and has participatedevery year since it began. Shesaid: I have taken part inaround 50 Race for Life eventsnow, and while each has beendifferent, the atmosphere at

every one has beenunforgettable.

"I encourage anyone who

hasnt taken part in Race forLife before to try it this year.Not only is it a hugelyenjoyable experience, it alsocontributes to a cause thattouches most of our lives insome way. Those that havetaken part before will, I amsure, need no encouragement

to do so again.James Dunphy, Race

Organiser, said: Every singlewoman who takes part in andraises funds through Race forLife makes an invaluablecontribution in the fightagainst cancer. Huge advanceshave been made in cancerresearch since Race for Lifebegan in 1994, due in part tothe 70 million that the pastevents have raised.

Cancer Research UK's Racefor Life is a series of 162

fundraising walks or runs opento all women across the UK.For more information and tosign up for this event andother similar events takingplace in Chester please visitwww.chester.gov.uk/sports orphone 08705 134 314

As always, spaces in Racefor Life are strictly limited, so ifyou want to raise money forCancer Research UK, why notsign up today? Last years racewas extremely popular with allplaces filling up nearly six

weeks before the closing date!The event is open to women ofall fitness levels.

Ladies first asRace for Lifereturns to city

Every singlewoman whotakes partmakes aninvaluablecontribution inthe fight

against cancer.

MEMBERS of the publicare being urged to helpmark the cards of carcriminals in Chester andEllesmere Port.

The campaign toencourage the public toprovide informationabout people whocommit car crime entersits second phase thismonth as part of a jointinitiative involving thelocal councils, police andfire service.

Posters, leaflets, signsin car parks and newsstories are just some ofthe tactics beingemployed to get themessage across thatproviding informationabout car criminals canhelp catch offenders and

reduce the amount of cartheft, car break-ins andvandalism.

The publicity followson from last yearscampaign to encouragepeople to be moresecurity conscious whenleaving their cars parked,for example by makingsure they lock their carproperly, park in a well-lit spot if possible andavoid leaving anythingon display.

Project Autocrime is

an ongoing initiativesupported by ChesterCommunity SafetyPartnership. In additionto the awarenesscampaigns, the initiativealso involves specialpolicing operationstargeting the fewpersistent criminals thatcommit the majority ofvehicle crimes in Chesterand Ellesmere Port.If you have anyinformation about carcrime, or any other

crime, call Crimestopperson 0800 555111.

Car crime

campaignsteps upa gear...


16/17

Chester News 17

CELEBRITY chef Gary Rhodes will beamong those showing off their

culinary skills at the Chester Foodand Drink Festival this spring.Chester will host its fourth Food and

Drink Festival from Saturday March 26 toSunday April 3 to coincide with the schoolEaster holidays so families can enjoy thefood, drink and special events in andaround the city.

The 2005 festival, with a substantiallyincreased programme of events, celebritiesand celebrations will be centred on amassive marquee in the Crown Court carpark next to Chester Castle.

Marquee events include a largeproducers market from Bank Holiday

Monday March 28 to Wednesday March 30,which will act as a showcase for thedistricts impressive variety of top qualityproduce, from cheeses, meat products, fruit,vegetables, ice cream, shrimps, salmon andcider to homemade chocolates andpreserves.

The marquee will also hold celebrity chefdemonstrations throughout the festival,and the Gala dinner on Thursday, March31.So far, celebrity chefs Gary Rhodes,Simon Rimmer and Andrew Nutter havesigned up to the event. There will be specialoffer meal deals and events at top venuesacross the region with a new focus onregional and local retailers and producers.

The festival is run by a committee ofrepresentatives from the local food anddrink sector chaired by Stephen Wundke

who has extensive experience and isinvolved with city restaurants Pastarazzi,The Globe and the historic Boat Inn atErbistock in north Wales.

He said: "Our region has an amazingwealth of fine foods and produce, as wellas many fantastic eating and drinkingvenues. The aim of this festival is toencourage all the different sectors to work

together to produce an event befitting thishistoric and exciting city, its residents andvisitors.

"The marquee will be a venue for a hostof different events such as wine tasting,cookery demonstrations and a cocktailcompetition. It will add to the special offersat eating and drinking venues aroundChester and Cheshire that proved to be sopopular in 2004 and the key events like thecheese rolling competition on Wednesday,March 23, the ale assize and the medievalbanquet on Saturday, April 2.

"It all adds up to an extra special reasonfor residents and visitors to be out and

about Chester during Easter Week."For more information check out:

www.chesterfoodanddrink.com

Sizzling successCelebrity chef aims to cook up a spring treat

SAY CHEESE: competitors enjoy the traditional cheese rolling contest in Eastgate Street

A NEW grant scheme to helplocal businesses in Chester hasbeen given the go ahead.

Grants of up to 3000 couldbe available after Chester CityCouncil approved a scheme thatwould see the rent income fromone of its own propertiesploughed back into thecommunity to help new andexisting businesses and socialenterprises across the District setup or develop a project.

To qualify applicants must bebased in the Chester District,employ fewer than 50 people,have an annual turnover of lessthan 2.5m and have a viableproject. They must also be up todate on council tax or businessrates and have the necessaryplanning consents.

The city council, which willadminister the scheme, hopesthe new initiative will enablesmaller businesses to grow whileat the same time meeting its

own aims of raisingemployment, environmentalimprovements and qualitystandards.

Applicants will be encouragedto take a work placement, agreeto a free environmental auditand demonstrate a commitmentto social or community contracts.

Any grant would not exceed75% of the cost of the projectwith the applicant meeting atleast 25% of the cost themselves.

Cabinet portfolio holder ofthe economy, Councillor ReggieJones said the scheme

demonstrated the councilswillingness to back the localeconomy with significantresources.

He said: "This grant regimewill harness the knowledge andexperience of those involved inthe city centre, the rural areasand those developing theneighbourhood renewal strategyfor Chester District.

"It provides support forexisting businesses and offers anincentive for the development ofsocial enterprises essential tostimulate economic activity. This

in turn will foster businessgrowth and create jobopportunities."

Grant schemeto give new

firms a lift...

Standards


17/17

18 Chester News

Maintaining our

YOUR CABINETHow theCabinetworks

FULL Councilappoints thecabinet, whichis made up ofthe CouncilLeader, DeputyLeader and

PortfolioHolders.

The cabinetmeets once amonth andmust makedecisionswithin thecouncils policyframework andbudget.

Cllr David Evans,Council Leader and

community leadership

Cllr Paul Roberts,resources

Cllr Bob Rudd,community safety Cllr Mia Jones,health and well-being

Cllr Jim Latham,development

Cllr Ruth Davidson,people, performance

and improvement

Cllr Rob Jordan,environment

Cllr Reggie Jones,economy

Cllr Ann Farrell,culture

YOUR council has a committeethat looks at the standards ofpublic life and public service weprovide.

The committee aims to promote highethical standards in the organisation soresidents and others dealing with uscan continue to rely on the good nameof Chester City Council and itscouncillors and have trust in thedemocratic process.

The Ethics and Standards Committee

has seven councillors and three non-councillor members selected following apublic advertisement and an interview.There is also a parish councilrepresentative.

The committees first annual reportdeclared that it was satisfied that thecouncil has been acting ethically. Youcan view the annual report on our website at www.chester.gov.uk

Nationally, the Standards Board forEngland seeks to promote highstandards in public life and will

investigate any conduct that appearsnot to reach nationally set standards.You can contact the board onwww.standardsboard.co.uk or Tel:0845 078 8181.

Councils must appoint a MonitoringOfficer. At Chester, this is CharlesKerry, solicitor to the council, who canhelp answer any queries.

He can be contacted on 01244402118 or via e-mail [email protected]

Cllr John Price,Deputy Leader and

e government &technology

Standards

Documents

Chester News Spring 05