The Best Guide for the Neston Area

First Annual Town Meeting takes place in Neston

Neston Town Council held their first annual Town Meeting last night, with over fifty local residents in attendance.

A wide range of topics were raised by local people, and Councillors took the opportunity to show their commitment and support for the community.

Chairman of the Council, Moira Andrews, opened the meeting with a presentation of her Annual Report which, along with the Financial Reports, can be downloaded at the foot of this article.

Attendees were invited to put questions to the Council, which was represented at the meeting by members from all five wards. 

A number of attendees asked for clarification of why Neston needs a Town Council, what the added value is to residents.  It became clear through the responses by Councillors to this direct question, and also through discussion of other issues raised, that one of the Council's prime objectives is to ensure Neston is given at least the same attention as other market towns in the Cheshire West and Chester area.  It also has the ability to apply to outside organisations for additional non-local-authority funding, for projects that will improve the lives of those who live and work in the area.

A particular example given by Cllr Derek Gaskell is that of the transport system.  The transport problems faced by Neston residents and workers have not been properly addressed for some years, resulting in a very poor service, particularly in the evenings and at weekends.  The Council intends to work with all necessary bodies to improve the situation, to make it easier for people to access the town, and for residents to reach other locations outside the CH64 area, both for leisure and work purposes.

Some of the issues raised by attendees related to how Neston is currently being treated by Cheshire West and Chester Council.   Serious concerns were raised about the Markets - that there is a lack of support for the traders and a lack of adequate promotion of the markets, especially during the disruption caused by the ongoing Sainsbury's development.

Deputy Chairman Cllr Mike Wellman stated that the Town Council recognises the intrinsic value of the markets, that they are a crucial part of Neston and that full support will be given to ensuring their future. The Council has already made representations to Cheshire West and Chester, along with other interested bodies such as the Chamber of Trade, to ensure that financial support is given via the Section 106 money relating to the development, and it will lobby for greater liaison and support for the traders on an ongoing basis.

Later in the meeting it was pointed out that Cheshire West and Chester is also a relatively new council. Many experienced members of staff with local knowledge were lost in the various re-shuffles, and some new officers who attended the Safari organised by ch64inc last October were clearly visiting Neston for the first time.  Clearly there is an education process that needs to continue, to ensure that decision-makers are fully conversant with the needs and wishes of the residents of Neston.

It was also suggested that Neston and Parkgate should be promoted alongside Chester as a tourist destination, and that work also needs to be done with Merseyside and Wirral.

Local resident Rob Ward asked if there was any possibility that the Town Council might be located in the Town Hall.  Cllr Wellman responded, explaining that one of the issues under consideration with relation to the Section 106 money is the improvement of the rear of the Town Hall and that the Council, whilst happy in their current accomodation at Neston Community & Youth Centre, will continue to discuss the possibility of utilising the Town Hall at some point in the future.

An issue was raised regarding planning applications - one resident found it difficult to view re-submitted plans for Lees Lane, having been told by the relevant Cheshire West department that he would have to travel to Chester to view them.  Town Clerk Mrs Alison Kunaj explained that this is as a result of a general policy to cut down on paper-usage.  However, she also advised that the Town Council usually has at least one paper copy of planning applications, which residents are welcome to view at the Council office, though they are advised to telephone first to ensure the papers are available before visiting.

A slightly contentious point of view, put forward by Friends of Parks Field Chairman Brian Elias, was that in general Neston did not need to change, that further interference by new authorities such as the Town Council and Cheshire West, resulting in new initiatives, would be unwelcome.

This view was countered by local resident Mr Alan Banks, who likened the previous speaker to 'a turkey that looks forward to Christmas' - to the amusement of many attendees.

Cllr Gaskell reiterated that what the Town Council want to see is improvements that bring Neston into line with comparable Market Towns in the region, not to change its fundamental character.

Cllr Andy Williams added that the Council will be working with the businesses at Clay Hill, to promote what is already there, and to improve signage and the general look of the industrial estate with a view to bringing in more businesses and therefore more jobs.

At the end of the meeting thanks were given to the Council by Neston Community & Youth Centre and Dee Sea Scouts for their support.

Editor's Note: It is difficult to convey the contents of an entire meeting without getting into the realms of "minutes," but to summarise, and speaking as a resident, parent and business-owner in Neston, I left the first Annual Town Meeting with a feeling of confidence that now the Council has found its feet after a year of attending to basic setting-up tasks, there is a great deal they can do to improve the area we live and work in. 

Neston is geographically at the very edge of the Cheshire West authority's area, and having a Town Council made up of local residents who care very much about what happens on our doorsteps, willing to take up our issues and apply for outside funding for projects, can only be a positive thing.

I would encourage other residents to attend the regular Council meetings, both to learn more about how Neston Town Council operates, and also to ensure that issues that matter to you are brought to the attention of people who can do something about them.

Download : Chairman's Annual Report 2009-10

Download : Income & Expenditure Account

Download: Balance Sheet

More information about Neston Town Council

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Comments

Rob Ward

At 14:13 on 18th April 2010, Rob Ward commented:

It seems obvious that Neston Town Council should be in Neston Town Hall. I'm sure the police are working hard, but has anybody been in their Town Hall offices? Could they move to Neston Community & Youth Centre? There would be room for their cars, and they would help the finances.
I do hope the Town Council can improve the back of the Town Hall. Otherwise people shopping in the brand new Sainsbury's and new Market Square will see the ugly backside of the Town Hall and some other buildings. There isn't long!

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Rob Ward

At 07:52 on 23rd April 2010, Rob Ward commented:

Thanks, Carrie, for your excellent report! What I got from this meeting fits with the comment by John Cartlidge on Neston Town Council's meeting on 20 April. Why are CWaC people so slow doing anything? (Somebody commented recently 'CWaC is not CWiC'.) Why don't they communicate with our Town Council and our market traders? Why do some of them not even know Neston is in CWaC?
It is a pity no CWaC councillor was at our Town Meeting. I suspect they and the CWaC 'workers' are too busy in too many meetings!

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,

At 09:55 on 23rd April 2010, , commented:

When I dealt with EP&NBC some years back I found them to be more than a little slow and one one matter I had to get our local councillor, Kay Loch, involved to get them to do anything. Fortunately Kay can be persuasive so the matter was sorted but I shouldn't have had to take her valuable time to get a simple maintenance task completed !

Again dealing with CWaC recently seems no better, dare I say worse, so I ask again why is money not diverted from CWaC to the Neston Town Council so it can be managed locally rather than us having to pay extra for it this year ?

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