Cheshire Independent Issue 202

3 JUNE 2025 Visit our website: www.independentnewspapers.co.uk A DATE has been set for this summer’s 1261 Festival after last year’s event saw tens of thousands of people flock to Macclesfield. The festival and parade day will take place on Saturday August 23 with organisers prom- ising another celebration of the town’s creativ- ity and communities. This year Macclesfield Town Council has created a ‘community funding stream’ that will enable local individuals, businesses and groups to apply for financial support to contribute “unique and engaging activities” to the event. It is offering up to £250 to use towards a project for the festival. Funding can be used to host live music performances, create cos- tumes, props or stage designs or to organise live art displays. The cash can also be used to support other “innovative and engaging activity” that con- tributes to the festival atmosphere. Official figures from Macclesfield Town Council showed almost 30,000 people vis- ited the town centre last year to take part in the activities, which included live music and street theatre. The new festival was a celebration of the town’s creativity and community. It was named after Macclesfield’s charter year. More than 300 people took part in the festival’s ‘One World Parade’ through the town centre. It was co-ordinated by Macclesfield Commu- nity ArtSpace and featured a host of commu- nity groups. Other events saw Macclesfield Concert Band entertain visitors to Victoria Park with an afternoon of musical favourites. And ‘1261: The After-Party’ featured14 musical acts entertaining across six venues in the town. The weekend also saw the town’s popular Treacle Market attract visitors. Town’s summer festival returns Big parade: Hundreds of people took part in the parade through town (Photo credit: Maccles!eld Town Council) CALL FOR MAJOR TRANSPORT CASH Joint statement: Nick Mannion (left) and Michael Gorman ‘Don’t leave us behind!’ C H A NC E L L OR Rachel Reeves has been urged to deliver the major invest- ment needed to fund vital transport pro- jects that will release the full potential of Cheshire East. The call came in a joint statement from the local authority’s leader and deputy Nick Mannion and Michael Gorman, issued days before her government Spending Review announcement. And it followed the government’s unveiling of a £15.6billion fund- ing package for trans- port projects in city regions, including Man- chester and Liverpool. Manchester is to get £2.5bn for programmes including extensions to the Metrolink. The council has warned: “Without invest- ment in our plans we will be left behind.” Chesh i re East ’s ‘shopping list’ includes improved rural con- nectivity, funding for the Middlewich East- ern Bypass, the A500 and its ambitions for the Crewe360 hub rail station. Cheshire East’s joint statement said: “For too long we have been rely- ing on government deci- sions and investment to deliver infrastructure that will release the full potential of our borough and the wider region. “With devolution on the horizon for Cheshire and Warrington, as part of the government’s pri- ority programme, trans- port priorities will be a key catalyst to realise the growth ambitions for our region as a com- bined authority. “Funding such as the £15.6bn which has been announced for combined authority areas will be crucial to that. “However, we are not there yet, and it is vitally important to recognise that investment in trans- port infrastructure in Cheshire East and other parts of the country is needed now if we are to truly deliver growth.” The statement added: “For some considerable time now, we have been waiting for a decision on Government funding for Middlewich Eastern Bypass to be approved – a critical infrastructure improvement for the town that would unlock up to 1,950 new homes and employment land and potentially create up to 6,500 jobs in the local area. Without invest- ment in our plans we will be left behind. We need to gain momentum now working with this gov- ernment on our journey through to devolution and an elected mayor. “We cannot afford to stall our infrastructure plans for over 12 months – we have to deliver for residents and busi- ness now.” Meanwhile, invest- ment plans have been announced for Chesh- ire East’s highways and transport network – with the biggest amount in 10 years set to be spent on improving the condition of the borough’s roads. The council says it will invest more than £53m in 2025/26 in its transport infrastruc- ture. Over the next 12 months, the council will complete a programme of schemes that will see key A-roads across the borough treated. It will also carry out complex investigation and repair works along the B5470 Macclesfield Road in Rainow, which was closed due to a land- slip following a signifi- cant amount of rainfall. A council spokesper- son said: “The council understands how frus- trating this closure is for residents and businesses and is working hard to reopen the road as soon as it is safe to do so.” It also aims to com- plete phase one of a 1.5-mile walking and cycling route between Wilmslow town centre and Handforth, along the existing B5358 Manchester Road. Other projects include the repair and recon- struct a collapsed sec- tion of the Mill House Bridge on the A523 Manchester Road, Adlington, as well as replacing the bridge over Waterless Brook along the B5391 Pickmere Lane in Tabley, which had to be demolished earlier year. The ‘16-19 Bus Saver’ discount scheme for young people aged 16 to 19 who live in Cheshire East will be continued as will the Silk Town Ticket trial, which will run until March next year. The multi-operator weekly bus ticket allows passengers to travel on any of the bus services provided by four dif- ferent operators within the trial area using a single ticket.