Latest news with #NorthwestEngland
BBC News
08-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Mid Cheshire: 'This area has massive untapped potential'
Despite Mid Cheshire boasting a proud heritage, some of its residents think it has often been overlooked and overshadowed by the likes of Chester, Liverpool and its councils are going to promote Mid Cheshire in an attempt to encourage more business investment in the area and lure more region comprises the three salt towns of Middlewich, Northwich and Winsford - where the commodity has been extracted since prehistoric times - and the surrounding what's included in the plan, what could it mean for the area, and what do residents want to see? "A bold and ambitious 15-year vision," is how the new plan for Mid Cheshire was described by Cheshire West and Chester Council at a recent covers areas including business investment, skills and infrastructure, and will also include the creation of a business-led board named the Mid-Cheshire Partnership."It's about tying together the areas in Mid Cheshire that have a shared history and a shared heritage, as well as having strong economic ties," said the council's deputy leader Karen local authority is keen to emphasise that the plan will not be led by the it is designed to be a collaboration with businesses, community groups and councillors are not Lynn Gibbon said that while the plan offered a "compelling vision" for the area, she had concerns."Vision without delivery is just a story and right now the Mid Cheshire Plan has serious weaknesses in its foundations especially when it comes to growing our rural economy," she told the meeting where it was ultimately approved."I support the ambition but I challenge you to sharpen the evidence, cost the actions and get serious about rural delivery because we can't afford another strategy that sounds good but delivers little." Andrew Cooper is the first MP for Mid Cheshire for more than 100 previous Mid Cheshire seat was abolished in the 19th it was reinstated in 2024 as a result of a boundary review, all three of Mid Cheshire's major towns were in different parliamentary was part of the Congleton seat, Northwich was included in Weaver Vale, while Winsford fell within the Eddisbury while the Mid Cheshire plan was approved by Cheshire West and Chester Council, Middlewich is actually part of the neighbouring Cheshire East a result, the plan includes the two councils working closely together."Something that I've pushed for a lot - for a long time - is trying to eliminate this idea of 'borderland thinking'," said Labour MP Cooper."So we have an arbitrary line that goes between Cheshire West and Cheshire East, sort of skirting around the outside of Middlewich."But the economies of Northwich, Winsford and Middlewich? They're not separate entities, they're interdependent, they're integrated into one another."I've felt for a long time that the councils need to work more closely together and need more of a strategic vision about how you make the economy of Mid Cheshire work." But what do people in the area think? And what do the want to see?On Witton Street in the heart of Northwich, Paul Esling told me that while he believes the town has a lot to offer, it sometimes gets "overlooked".He would like to see the return of free parking and a reduction of business rates to encourage more independent and artisan shops."I think we get a bit lost," said Mr Esling, "because we're sandwiched by Chester, Liverpool, Manchester."You've got towns like Alderley Edge and Knutsford that are seen to be quite salubrious and I think we can [also] get overlooked in that respect."But he said annual events, such as the Pina Colada Festival and the River Festival, certainly helped."If they can do more of this here, the traders would have a better chance."But also it brings people in who wouldn't normally be here and then they come along and think 'this is alright, actually'." 'A bit run-down' Viv Powell lives in Winsford and regularly visits her daughter and grandchild in told me she wanted to see more investment in local high streets to encourage people to stay in the area."I think they should spend a bit of money, because there are a lot of people who live in this area that would do a lot more shopping here," said Ms Powell."But if you go to Chester there's no point in coming back into Northwich to buy a loaf."That's what they should be encouraging people, saying you don't have to go far to have a good time. Stay in your local area."Shelia Forrest lives in the village of Hartford, which is about two miles (3km) southwest of Northwich and only about six or seven miles from Winsford and would loved to see more cultural activities in the area, as she currently often heads to Knutsford or Chester."Maybe a bit more art-centred things here to see," she Forrest praised Northwich's cinema and theatre but said she'd like to see more exhibitions in the also said Mid Cheshire's town centres could use a little TLC."It's a little bit run-down," she explained. "The area's nice where they built the cinema but I think they could have probably done a bit more."I think they could improve the centre, clean it up. If you go out to Knutsford, it isn't like that, it's nice. If you go to Chester, it's nice."You don't want people going out of area so I think this would improve it." The Mid Cheshire plan was approved in May and is still at an early funding has yet been secured, although Cheshire West and Cheshire Council believes the plan's mere existence will help with bids for MP Andrew Cooper is very optimistic."I genuinely believe that Mid Cheshire has massive amounts of untapped potential," he said."I hope people from Middlewich, Northwich and Winsford will see that their concerns about how much attention, how much economic planning goes into the development of the places where they live, [have] been taken seriously, it's happening and people are on it." Read more stories from Cheshire on the BBC and follow BBC North West on X. For more local politics coverage, BBC Politics North West is on BBC One on Sunday at 10:00am and on BBC iPlayer.
CNN
30-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Liverpool car ramming suspect appears in court after crash that shocked the city
The suspect in the car ramming that injured dozens of fans celebrating Liverpool's Premier League title on Monday has appeared in court after police charged him with a range of offenses. Paul Doyle, a 53-year-old man from the outskirts of the city in northwest England, spoke to confirm his name during his first hearing on Friday. Doyle, dressed in a black suit, looked emotional as he was brought into the courtroom from his cell, according to a PA Media reporter following proceedings. The UK's Crown Prosecution Service authorized several charges against the father-of-three on Thursday, including dangerous driving, causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent, wounding with intent to cause GBH, and attempted GBH. The incident, which saw a car veer across a packed street in the center of Liverpool and plough through crowds of supporters, shocked the city and the football world. Police previously said the car that struck pedestrians was able to enter Water Street, which was closed off to vehicles, by following an ambulance. A total of 79 victims were injured in the crash, of whom seven remain in hospital, police said on Thursday. Doyle's charges will be kept under review as police investigations continue, Sarah Hammond, chief crown prosecutor for CPS Mersey-Cheshire, said in a statement Thursday. 'The investigation is at an early stage. Prosecutors and police are continuing to work at pace to review a huge volume of evidence,' Hammond said. 'This includes multiple pieces of video footage and numerous witness statements. It is important to ensure every victim gets the justice they deserve,' she added.
CNN
30-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Liverpool car ramming suspect appears in court after crash that shocked the city
The suspect in the car ramming that injured dozens of fans celebrating Liverpool's Premier League title on Monday has appeared in court after police charged him with a range of offenses. Paul Doyle, a 53-year-old man from the outskirts of the city in northwest England, spoke to confirm his name during his first hearing on Friday. Doyle, dressed in a black suit, looked emotional as he was brought into the courtroom from his cell, according to a PA Media reporter following proceedings. The UK's Crown Prosecution Service authorized several charges against the father-of-three on Thursday, including dangerous driving, causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent, wounding with intent to cause GBH, and attempted GBH. The incident, which saw a car veer across a packed street in the center of Liverpool and plough through crowds of supporters, shocked the city and the football world. Police previously said the car that struck pedestrians was able to enter Water Street, which was closed off to vehicles, by following an ambulance. A total of 79 victims were injured in the crash, of whom seven remain in hospital, police said on Thursday. Doyle's charges will be kept under review as police investigations continue, Sarah Hammond, chief crown prosecutor for CPS Mersey-Cheshire, said in a statement Thursday. 'The investigation is at an early stage. Prosecutors and police are continuing to work at pace to review a huge volume of evidence,' Hammond said. 'This includes multiple pieces of video footage and numerous witness statements. It is important to ensure every victim gets the justice they deserve,' she added.
CNN
30-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Liverpool car ramming suspect appears in court after crash that shocked the city
The suspect in the car ramming that injured dozens of fans celebrating Liverpool's Premier League title on Monday has appeared in court after police charged him with a range of offenses. Paul Doyle, a 53-year-old man from the outskirts of the city in northwest England, spoke to confirm his name during his first hearing on Friday. Doyle, dressed in a black suit, looked emotional as he was brought into the courtroom from his cell, according to a PA Media reporter following proceedings. The UK's Crown Prosecution Service authorized several charges against the father-of-three on Thursday, including dangerous driving, causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent, wounding with intent to cause GBH, and attempted GBH. The incident, which saw a car veer across a packed street in the center of Liverpool and plough through crowds of supporters, shocked the city and the football world. Police previously said the car that struck pedestrians was able to enter Water Street, which was closed off to vehicles, by following an ambulance. A total of 79 victims were injured in the crash, of whom seven remain in hospital, police said on Thursday. Doyle's charges will be kept under review as police investigations continue, Sarah Hammond, chief crown prosecutor for CPS Mersey-Cheshire, said in a statement Thursday. 'The investigation is at an early stage. Prosecutors and police are continuing to work at pace to review a huge volume of evidence,' Hammond said. 'This includes multiple pieces of video footage and numerous witness statements. It is important to ensure every victim gets the justice they deserve,' she added.
Reuters
29-05-2025
- Climate
- Reuters
Drought declared for northwest England amid sunniest spring on record
LONDON, May 29 (Reuters) - Britain said on Thursday the northwest of England was now officially in drought status after the driest start to spring in decades caused water levels in rivers and reservoirs to decline. Through March, April and May, Britain has basked in its sunniest spring on record, according to the Met Office weather forecaster, though the lack of rainfall has raised some concerns about conserving water supply. The Environment Agency (EA) said reservoir storage levels in northwest England - home to the picturesque Lake District as well as the cities of Manchester and Liverpool - were lower than during the same time in the 1984, 1995 and 2022 drought years. Scientists say climate change is making droughts and drier summers more frequent. The EA said it would ensure that water companies, including major northwest supplier United Utilities (UU.L), opens new tab, are ready to support customers to reduce demand if needed. "I'm doing everything in my power to hold United Utilities to account to ensure we have the regular supply of water that is needed across the region," Water Minister Emma Hardy said in a statement. The agency said ministers would convene a meeting of the National Drought Group next Thursday to assess the situation across the country.
