Council leaders to confirm plans for wildflowers, green spaces and play

Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Cabinet is set to decide on how services relating to wildflowers, parks, green spaces and outdoor play areas will operate in the borough in the future.

At its meeting on Wednesday 9 June, cabinet members will discuss three proposed Environmental Management Strategies, which cover parks and green spaces; wildflowers and grasslands; plus a review of the existing Play Strategy.

In December, the Council embarked on a major consultation exercise, which asked residents for their views on a range of proposals for the three strategies.

• Parks and Greenspaces Strategy – this will provide a framework for the priorities and development of Council-owned parks and greenspaces.It includes proposals like using Fields In Trust, an independent charity, to protect parks and greenspaces for future generations.
• Wildflower and Grasslands Strategy – this aims to improve biodiversity on wildflower and grassland habitats on Council-managed land.Proposals include encouraging engagement with communities to improve biodiversity and habitats for pollinators, like bees.It includes a review of grass cutting regimes and machinery and will identify appropriate verges and open spaces where grass cutting can be reduced or take place later.
• Review of existing Play Strategy – this builds on the previous Strategy to include new concepts like Play Streets.Also play areas created through residential development and proposals to explore more ‘natural’ areas for play.

Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, Planning and Climate Emergency, Councillor Matt Bryan, said: “Thank you to all those residents of the borough who took part in the Environmental Management consultation.

“Our outdoor areas, green spaces, natural environment and play areas are vitally important to the health and wellbeing of our residents, as well as having considerable implications for biodiversity and climate change.

“We will make a decisions for these services which will provide the best long-term outcome for everyone in our borough.”

The Cabinet meeting will take place at 10am on Wednesday 9 June and can be viewed via the Council’s website:

www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk.

In 2019 Cheshire West and Chester Council declared a climate emergency following consultation with residents. The declaration stated that climate change posed a threat to our way of life. The authority has pledged to work to make the borough carbon neutral by 2045, and the Council carbon neutral by 2030.

Pictured - Councillor Matt Bryan.