Here is an update on what I’ve been doing in the last two months since my previous blog.
Get in touch if you’d like to discuss your priorities for Congleton. Email cllrkay.wesley@congleton-tc.gov.uk or call or text 07711 459740
Or you can come to one of my online surgeries on the first Tuesday of every month – check out my Councillor Facebook page to find out when the next one is.
Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence
I am a member of the Cheshire East Domestic and Sexual Abuse Partnership Board and have been involved in developing the strategy for the coming years. I also attended a meeting of the DAFSU (Domestic Abuse Family Safety Unit) at which it launched its new documentary and awareness campaign.
I brought the posters brought back to Congleton to place in our notice boards and information centre. Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence are the most prevalent violent crimes in Cheshire.
I helped set up a peer support group for DA Survivors in Congleton. It is still running on the last Friday of the month. Get in touch with myCWA for details: 01270 250390.
Equal Access Congleton
This group of people with disabilities, chaired by Deborah Lawson, is helping us to make Congleton more accessible for all. We are continuing to work on our Accessibility Plan which covers events, shops and premises, the town centre, communications and public attitudes.
Our disability welcome scheme for shops continues, and we have decided to make it easier for businesses to take part, by making the criteria more easy to understand.
We presented a prize of a book, Damson’s Friendship Wish, to a youngster who won the colouring competition in the summer Play Days. The competition and the book, both created by the Chair of our group, Dr Deborah Lawson, feature a young deer who is ‘different’ but learns that he can still make friends.
The group’s next task is to give input to the new Cheshire East Transport Plan consultation, and to investigate the possibility of a community toilet scheme in Congleton. We are also putting Dr Lawson’s disability guide for businesses on our Council website.
We have invited the Cheshire East Equality officer to attend a future meeting of the group.
If you own a shop, café or pub and you are interested in being in our Disability Guide to Congleton, you can download the checklist to complete on the Town Council website.
Combatting Crime
I chair the Community Safety Working Group of the Town Council, and we work closely with the local Beat Team, the Cheshire East Antisocial Behaviour team, the Fire Service and the CCTV service, to help prevent and combat crime.
The full Council has considered the Code of Conduct the group drafted, and came up with some constructive input. The Working Group will now consider this, and also the communication and naming of this as we don’t want to ‘police’ behaviour in our town, we want it to be positive and pleasant for everyone who visits or shops here.
I now chair the Police Community Cohesion meetings, where the public scrutinises the work of the local police and comments on how it is carried out. There are a really good opportunity for everyone to learn more about our policing which should be ‘by consent’. If you’d like to attend these, please get in touch with me.
I also participated in the Cheshire Police’s recent consultation on how it handles hate crime.
White Ribbon
Congleton Town Council is White Ribbon Accredited, which means we strive to eradicate men’s violence against women and girls and all gender-based violence in Congleton.
We are now getting ready for White Ribbon Day 2025 on 25th November. The theme this year is #WeSpeakUp against sexism, violence and abuse.
Several local councils in Cheshire East and a number of local businesses are now White Ribbon Supporter organisations. The National Association of Local Councils is also White Ribbon Accredited and I sit on its steering group.
If you’d like to make your White Ribbon Promise, or if your organisation would like to get involved, you can learn more here: www.whiteribbon.org.uk
If you’ve been affected by domestic abuse or sexual violence you can get support locally – phone 0300 123 5101.
‘Growing Up Wired’ evening for parents
The White Ribbon Group and I designed and led the organisation of an evening for parents in Congleton entitled ‘Growing Up Wired – helping your child through adolescence in a complex word’.
The White Ribbon team partnered with Visyon (young people’s mental health), Cheshire Constabulary (online safety) and young people themselves on this event.
The Council’s Chief Officer David McGifford, a White Ribbon Ambassador, opened the evening welcoming around 50 parents/carers to the event.
They heard from Andy Cornall, the Youth Liaison Officer of Cheshire Police, who described ways to keep young people safe online, and participated in a workshop with Visyon on the impact of cyber-bullying on wellbeing and mental health.
White Ribbon Ambassadors outlined the risks faced by young people, especially with online influencers and incel culture.
Barney Mitcheson and Harriet Worthington of Congleton Sixth Form gave a very insightful talk about the challenges young people face and the ways parents and other adults could support them.
The feedback from delegates was very positive, and several parents stayed behind afterwards to share their experiences.
Town Hall Visits
I’m very pleased that the new Mayor, Cllr Brittain, has continued with the Town Hall Tours for youth groups this year. I have supported him on a couple of them, helping run the quiz about Congleton’s history and the Council, for the Dane Valley Scouts and Congleton West Rangers.
While there these two groups brainstormed some ideas for the Youth Council too.
The Town Hall Tours are also available for adult groups and would work very well for a 90-minute business visit, perhaps followed by dinner in the Great Hall. If you’re interested, please email bookings@congleton-tc.gov.uk with subject line ‘Town Hall Tour’, or get in touch with me.
Youth Council
The Council approved that we should go ahead with forming a new Youth Council in Congleton. I’ve worked with Barney Mitcheson who was my Mayor’s Cadet, on this, together with the current Cadet, Haru Pepper.
Barney and Haru made some TikTok videos to promote a survey of young people in Congleton. The results were very interesting, with a ‘climbing wall’ being the most asked-for new facility.
I then designed and helped organise a Workshop which 20 young people attended. In this we discussed how to organise a Youth Council, who should be in it and how and where it should meet. The group then prioritised the survey ideas and those from the Scouts and Rangers, and developed the most popular ones into programmes for funding and development. These were: a youth café, a gaming facility, a water park and a Halloween event.
Our next steps are to set up the Youth Council proper and have the first meeting. Many thanks to all the young people who helped, your ideas and energy were inspirational!
Congleton Sunday Trains
I joined fellow Councillors Robert Douglas and Suzy Firkin and resident Richard Eadie, in setting up a petition and campaign to bring Sunday trains back to Congleton. We met with a group of campaigners on the platform, including Cllr Susie Mead, Cllr Heather Seddon and MP Sarah Russell as well as Congleton Sustainable Travel, to launch the petition.
The online version now has over 800 signatures and the paper one around 500. We plan to present the petition at parliament in November.
Please sign the online petition here: bit.ly/CongletonSundayTrains
In standing on the station in the early morning gathering signatures and chatting to commuters, it became clear to me that there are many other improvements needed to our train services – late night trains from Manchester, more services, longer trains, and so on.
To support the ongoing debate I started a Facebook Group that you are welcome to join, called Congleton Train Users.
Bus Services
I am delighted to report that, after some years of lobbying from me and the Town Council, Cheshire East Council has added another bus service to Congleton! The number 93a and 93c (anticlockwise and clockwise) will go from town in a circular route to Viking Way and Holmes Chapel Road. The route and timetables can be found here.
I also met with CEC officers to discuss more bus services for Congleton, and the option for providing some ‘free bus days’ in the town. Discussions are ongoing.
I have continued to try to get some improvements to the new station entrance which is still not a safe place for pedestrians. CEC is now conducting a safety audit of this area.
In order to continue the conversation about bus services in Congleton I have started up a Congleton Bus Users’ Group on Facebook. Feel free to join if you are interested.
Bromley Farm Hub Group
I am Secretary of this group that has a number of activities and clubs.
The Hub is hosting new introductory training courses led by Macclesfield College and on subjects such as computer skills, smartphones and back-to-work skills. The SheTalk mental health group is still meeting every other Monday and I helped them get some posters into the town boards to promote the group.
If you’re interested in any of the groups at Bromley Farm Hub check out its Facebook page or email email bromleyfarmhub@gmail.com to learn more.
LGBTQIA+ Support
I attend the Trans Advisory Group which deals with domestic and community abuse of trans people. This has been a difficult period for trans and non-binary people since the EHRC has been discussing new draft guidance to potentially exclude them from facilities. It has been good to see businesses and other organisations signing public letters of support for them and promoting their own inclusion policies.
Witchy Wednesday
Once again I volunteered at the town centre Witchy Wednesday on 29th October in the Town Hall. A great day was had by all!
Neighbourhood Plan
The Neighbourhood Plan sets out what Congleton people want for their town and how they would like it to develop in future. We have incorporated feedback from the public, and the document is now in ‘Regulation 26’ which means Cheshire East Council is consulting on it. Hopefully this will be a smooth process so that we can move to the next step which is examiner review, then we can get it to a full referendum of Congleton residents.
other team members. It now goes to the Cheshire East for the next steps. We still hope to get it to referendum this year.
You can access the Cheshire East Consultation here https://cheshireeast.oc2.uk/document/16
But please be aware that if you gave input at the Regulation 14 stage, your views have already been taken into account. Thank you.
Case Work and other activities
I help some vulnerable residents access essential services, especially relating to crime, financial advice, domestic abuse and mental health.
I have followed up on a number of residents’ queries including tidying up grass verges, facilitating residents taking responsibility for local areas and dealing with antisocial neighbours. Many thanks to the residents around Henshall Hall Drive and Avon Drive who are maintaining their local areas!
I have continued to work with residents of Sheldon Ave about the bins that are left on their street. I met with Cheshire East Council officers and the owner of the nearby flats. The flats owner has reduced the number of bins by half, but the remaining bins are commercial ones. I have been in touch with the companies that supply them, who say it is up to their customers, the business owners, where the bins are placed. Unfortunately the shops continue to leave them out on Sheldon Avenue, which creates an eyesore for the residents.
I attended the service of thanksgiving for the United Reformed Church as it left its premises on Antrobus Street. Many thanks to the Rev. Murray George and team, and all the congregation, who have contributed to our community and will continue to do so from their new home.
I was asked to judge the Radis Care Awards and enjoyed learning about the amazing and dedicated care workers who were nominated, many of whom were local to Congleton but also from around the country.
Meeting Attendance
I have attended 94% of my Council meetings and working groups in the past 2 months (17 of 18) and 100% of my statutory Council committees (5 of 5).
The Equality Party 