MIDDLEWICH TOWN COUNCIL RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACTIVITIES

Middlewich Town Council hold responsibility for a variety of tasks and activities. Listed below are some of the duties that we carry out as part of our obligations as a local council.

Middlewich Town Hall and the Victoria Hall

The town council is located in the Town Hall and we maintain both the main town hall and the adjoining Victoria Hall. The two buildings provide a public/community space for working/business activities and community use.

We administer all bookings for regular and other events and provide meeting rooms and hall space for businesses, organisations, local groups and individuals at affordable rates. The Victoria Hall is also host to many weekly groups including the popular Youth HUB, indoor bowls, Judo, dance groups and more.

For details of availability and booking click the link:

Town Hall/Victoria Hall Bookings

For details of groups/events and activities, including external events in the town, click the link:

Middlewich Events and Activities

Communication Point/Information Centre

The town council is open on the following office days:

Monday to Thursday, 9am until 5pm
Thursday, 9am until 1pm

Access to the town council building is through an intercom system located next to the main front door.

Middlewich Town Ranger Service

Middlewich Town Council employs a Town Ranger. The Ranger carries out multiple tasks on behalf of the council including the clearing of overgrown areas and maintenance of some public open space.

Key aspects of the rangers work are clearing foliage and plants that impinge on residents ability to walk around the town on our pavements and footpaths.

Some of our Rangers work can crossover with the work that ANSA is required to carry out locally. Where possible, tasks are handled by the responsible party, but sometimes this is not always practical and common sense is applied.

If you know of an area of our town that is causing a problem, email the Admin Team on: adminsupport@middlewich.org.uk

Events and Activities

Middlewich Town Council have been responsible for a large variety of events and activities over many years. The three main core events either organised by the council and/or delivered in partnership per year are:

  • Mayor Making Ceremony
  • Remembrance Sunday
  • Middlewich Christmas Lights Switch On

Christmas Lights Display/Bunting

The annual lights display is funded and organised by Middlewich Town Council and, when required, we also fund and install bunting along the high street when special occasions arise.

Middlewich Town Council Grants Scheme

The town council sets asides funds each year to provide local organisations with the opportunity to secure funding for a local project or activity. Applications are open all year round.
If you have a new or existing project/activity/event that you would like to be considered as part of the council grants scheme, head over to our Finance and Grants Scheme website section. Click on this link:

Middlewich Town Council Grants Scheme

The link will take you to our grant information page and all the documents you need, including the funding form, to enable you to submit a funding bid.

Fountain Fields Park and Middlewich Play Areas

Cheshire East Council (CEC) and ANSA (a company owned by CEC) are responsible for all our local play areas and Fountain Fields Park. All maintenance, upgrades and improvements are carried out by CEC/ANSA. However, Middlewich Town Council host the Middlewich Parks & Play Areas Group. This informal group consists of local Councillors, MTC Staff, CEC/ANSA Staff, the Police and other stakeholders. Through this group, any problems, vandalism and opportunities or projects are identified and actioned where possible/appropriate. This group was responsible for e.g. the renovation of Fountain Fields Park and installation of local CCTV.

A copy of the full Cheshire East Parks Strategy can be viewed/downloaded here: Cheshire East Parks Strategy 2030

CCTV

Middlewich Town Council coordinate with the CCTV team and the local police to monitor/report any CCTV activity.

In previous years, the town council has worked with local partners to fund the current CCTV schemes in the town.

Middlewich Town Floriculture

Each year, the town council pays for the planting of the numerous hanging baskets that are located outside the town council building and outside selected business premises on Lewin Street, Hightown and Wheelock Street. In additional, the council is also responsible for the large planters, lamp post planters and troughs that you can view throughout Middlewich town centre. The main displays occur in Summer but over the past few years a Winter planting scheme was instigated to make the town more attractive all year round.

Bus shelter/Street fixtures

Middlewich Town Council hold responsibility for the four brick Bus Shelters located within our town and for the main large floor planters/troughs/baskets used as part of the annual floriculture scheme.

Middlewich Neighbourhood Plan

Neighbourhood planning was introduced in the Localism Act 2011. It is an important and powerful tool that gives communities statutory powers to shape how their communities develop.

In very simple terms, a neighbourhood plan is:

  • A document that sets out planning policies for the neighbourhood area
  • Written by the local community, the people who know and love the area, rather than the Local Planning Authority
  • A powerful tool to ensure the community gets the right types of development, in the right place

Middlewich Town Council are working towards the completion of a Neighborhood Plan for Middlewich.

To view the historic path of the un-adopted Middlewich Neighbourhood Plan please click here: CEC Middlewich Neighbourhood Plan History

Planning

The local planning authority is Cheshire East Council.

Middlewich Town Council has no direct powers over planning control. However, the town council has to be notified in writing of every planning application in the defined area and can make representations to the local planning authority at planning inquiries or through written representations.

Middlewich Town Council may also make representations on consultations about Local Plan documents and supplementary planning documents such as design briefs.

If a member of the public wants to view/comment/object to a Planning Application, all Planning Applications are published on the Cheshire East Council Planning Portal: Planning Portal Link

Middlewich Boundary

Below is a map of the the official Middlewich Official Boundary 2023.

This is the area that Middlewich Town Council operate within.

In 2018, Cheshire East Council began a Community Governance Review of all the parishes within the Borough area. The Review relates to the whole of the Borough. The results of that Review can be viewed below. Changes to the previous Middlewich Boundary are listed:

Appendix 2 – CEC CGR Final Recommendations Maps Report – FINAL

Middlewich Town Council Responsibilities