Planning for the future in Longridge and Shaw Heath

Community Update 9 October 2024 - Young Voices in Knutsford Youth Services

Young Voices in Knutsford Youth Services Survey is now closed – Community Update (29 April 2024)

Thanks to everyone who took part in our Young Persons Survey. We have had over 200 responses which is fantastic. We will be spending some time collating the results and sharing with partners in the next month. We will report back to you soon on how we plan to use your feedback to improve the local offer for children and young adults.

Young Voices in Knutsford invited to take part Youth Services Survey (April 2024)

Knutsford’s young people are being given the chance to help shape future youth services in the town by taking part in a survey being organised by Great Places.

In response to customer and community feedback on youth services in the area, Great Places, in collaboration with Knutsford Town Council and Cheshire East Youth Service, is running a survey to get the views of young people of Knutsford on what changes they’d like to see.

The feedback collected will be instrumental in shaping and co-designing future youth services in the area. The survey is open to young people aged 5 to 19 years. You can take part in the survey here https://forms.office.com/e/wivSbMjumG by Friday 26 April 2024.

Commenting on the survey, Becky Banks, our Community Project Manager for the Longridge area in Knutsford, said:

“Great Places is an organisation rooted in social purpose and we’re committed to supporting customers to build strong sustainable communities.

Feedback from a recent consultation we carried out with residents and stakeholders in our Longridge neighbourhood highlighted the need for improved youth services in the area and so we set up the survey in collaboration with the Town Council and Cheshire East Youth Service to understand what young people themselves want.

We’re delighted with the response so far, but we’d like to hear from as many young people as possible to tell us about what they want. It’s quick and will only take a few minutes of your time to complete, but your input could make a lasting impact on the community.”

Adam Keppel-Green, Town Clerk at Knutsford Town Council, added:

“The Town Council is committed to improving the provision of services and facilities for the younger members of our community and this survey will help guide us to ensure their needs are being met – the more responses we get the better, so please do encourage any young people you have contact with to take five minutes to share their views

Planning for the future in Longridge and Shaw Heath - Community Update (November 2023)

An update on our Neighbourhood Master Plan

In April we started talking to customers, other residents, businesses, partners and stakeholders in the area about what is important to them to help us shape our Neighbourhood Master Plan for the area. Thanks to everyone who completed the survey either in person at our events or via the dedicated page on the Our Voice customer engagement portal.

We’re in the process of completing a final evidence-based report, but from the initial findings key priorities you’ve told us are most important are:

• Community Safety – Anti-social behaviour / community policing
• Young people - support and provision
• Local transport – provision, bus stops
• Environmental – street lighting, litter

Over the next few months we’ll be considering all our initial findings. We’ll then be back in touch to let you know the full findings, and provide details of additional events and focus groups we’re looking to run to have a more in-depth discussion to progress these matters.

How your feedback is already helping us

Our Masterplan may still be in the making, but you’re feedback is already helping us make a difference. Thanks to your feedback via the quick poll about children’s holiday activities we ran a Halloween themed spooky arts and crafts session in the half-term school holidays, and we have another one planned for Christmas.

Also, thanks to everyone who has visited our Interactive Map on the ‘Our Voice’ page to tell us about environmental issues such as lighting, access, hot spots, grot spots, fly tipping and your ideas for improvement. Our Neighbourhood Services Manager has already started to look at the information you’ve provided and what we can do to tackle some of the issues you’ve raised. To date this includes:

• We have repaired the lighting at Northfields.
• We have been working with Cheshire East Council to address the bin issue at Mallory Point.
• Our Facilities Management team will be starting communal hedge and tree work this autumn and we will be working with vulnerable individuals who may be struggling to manage their own gardens.
• We have contacted Cheshire Highways about the parking issues at Northfields. Whilst this is outside of our control we have asked for consideration of other residents when future applications for dropped kerbs are assessed.
• We will consider if there are different design solutions that could help to address environmental issues in the longer term through the Neighbourhood Masterplan.

You’ve said that community safety is a priority.

• We meet regularly with the Cheshire Police. We will raise awareness and feedback your concerns.
• We recognise that there are “hot spot and grot spot” areas of recurring fly tipping and anti-social behaviour. We are investigating the use of CCTV and other long-term strategies to deter offenders. We will work in partnership with Cheshire Police in these matters.
• We will consider if there are different design solutions that could help to address community safety issues in the longer term through the Neighbourhood Masterplan.

In terms of exploring future provision in Longridge and Shaw Heath, your feedback told us you’d like to see more investment in health and wellbeing. What we are doing includes:

• We already support delivery of a ‘build a better you’ course, so we will plan to deliver further sessions.
• We have started working with Age UK Cheshire East to support customers age 55+ with money advice and other support.
• We’ve invested in counselling services for children and young people from Longridge and Shaw Heath, working in partnership with Swans CIC.

You told us that support and provision for young people is a priority.

• We’ve increased our work with Manor Park Primary and Knutsford Academy as part of a raising aspirations programme, so we will plan to continue this for the 2023/2024 academic year.
• We have delivered school holiday science related activities and trips, and will plan to do more in 2024/2025.
• We’ve started work with Cheshire East Council and Knutsford Town Council to map existing young people services. We would like to consult with local young people to explore further what activities they would like to get involved in, and what opportunities we can help young people access.

You’ve highlighted that public transport provision is a challenge and said that the bus stops are inadequate.

• We have shared your feedback with Cheshire East Council and Knutsford Town Council and will discuss this matter with our partners.

We’re also considering the other areas you told us you’d like us to explore and how these can support our future work in Longridge and Shaw Heath. Please keep checking back here for further updates and consultations.

You can view previous consultations and updates in our news feed section below.