Dear fellow residents,

Hope you’re all keeping well and coping in the heat we're having recently.

Another month has passed and it's time for quick round up of just some of what I've been up to in June, around St Barnabas ward and across Crewe over the past month, including a meeting with Cheshire's PCC, a project with the Kings Trust, Pride day, Armed Forces day and issues with trees and a problem with a gate in our area plus many more updates!

If you want to see my previous newsletters you can read them all online.

You can always see my latest updates on my facebook page.  Remember to click like and follow to stay updated.  I'm also on Instagram and now Tiktok too.

Please forward or share this newsletter with your St Barnabas area friends and neighbours so I can keep other residents up to date on what I am up to in our area.

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www.crewestbarnabas.org.uk/newsletter

If you've missed a previous newsletter, you can view them all online here.

MEETING WITH CHESHIRE’S POLICE AND CRIME COMMISSIONER - RAISING YOUR CONCERNS LOCALLY

I met with Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire Dan Price and Inspector Josh Jones from Crewe Police to discuss a wide range of concerns raised by residents in St Barnabas, including speeding, dangerous parking, antisocial behaviour and drug activity in our community.

Thank you to everyone who took part in the recent survey and shared their feedback – it was invaluable in shaping the discussion.

We’re now exploring the possibility of holding a police Q&A session for residents to raise any local concerns directly with the team and receive updates on the work being done to keep our community safe.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this idea.   Let me know if you’d find a meeting useful. 

Following this meeting, I also helped to secure funding for the children's Start Well service at Wishing Well Project from Dan's SWAP fund.  Another great result!

Read about the meeting in more detail here

🌿 YOUNG PEOPLE FROM THE KING'S TRUST TRANSFORM OUTDOOR SPACE AT UNDERWOOD WEST ACADEMY 🌿

It was a pleasure to return to Underwood West Academy for the reopening of the school’s newly revamped outdoor space!

Over the past couple of weeks, a fantastic team of volunteers from The King's Trust have transformed the wooded area outside the school into a brilliant, usable space for the children to enjoy.

It was lovely to speak with the young people about what they learned, the new skills they’ve gained, and their aspirations for the future. Their initiative – from fundraising at Morrisons to reusing materials sustainably – was really inspiring. The creative artwork they added which I saw being worked on yesterday was the perfect finishing touch.

School council pupils also got involved, asking great questions about the project and hearing about the team's experience.

A big thank you to everyone who made it possible – including the volunteers from The King's Trust, Kenny from The Guinness Partnership, MKM building supplies, Crewe Town Council, and Morrisons for your kind support, donations and funding.

A brilliant example of what can be achieved when people come together to support their community.

📸 See more photos and find out more here

🥊 VISIT TO SOUTH CHESHIRE AMATEUR BOXING CLUB 🥊

I was proud to be at the opening of South Cheshire ABC's fantastic new facility on Mirion Street, Crewe. With two rings, a gym, training areas and youth space, this is a real boost for young people in our town.

It was great to meet some of the young boxers and hear how the club is helping them build confidence, discipline and skills for life.

Huge thanks to Nathan, Mike & Rob, all the amazing volunteers, and the local businesses and partners whose funding and support made this possible, including £1.19m funding from the Towns Fund, secured during the previous government.

Find out more about this and see more photos here

CREWE PRIDE 2025

What a day! Crewe Pride 2025 was a vibrant, joyous celebration of love, diversity and community spirit – and it was all thanks to the community of Crewe. From the colourful flutter of the parade, which assembled from Market Square to Lyceum Square, to the live performances, market stalls and family-friendly fun throughout the town centre, we couldn’t have asked for a better turnout.

See more and watch my video here

I NEED YOUR HELP: TELL ME IF TREES NEAR YOUR HOME ARE CAUSING PROBLEMS 🌳

I want to hear from people living on Frank Webb Avenue, Badger Avenue, Kettell Avenue, Darlington Avenue, and nearby streets.

Some trees on your road might cause problems like:

🌳Branches in the way when you walk

🌳Trees blocking street lights

🌳Leaves making paths slippery

🌳Damage to homes or cars

🌳Bits of tree falling into gardens

I have asked Cheshire East Highways many times to fix these problems and even had a meeting with the head of highways, but still not much has been done.

I need your help to show how many people are affected. Your answers to this short survey will help me ask the council to take action.

Please fill in the survey and tell your neighbours too.

Thank you to everyone who has filled in the survey so far, I've requested a site meeting with a senior highways officer to discuss the concerns raised which I hope to attend as soon as a date is confirmed.

🎉 CREWE DAY FESTIVAL IS NEARLY HERE – JOIN THE FUN THIS SATURDAY! 🎉

Get ready for a fabulous FREE family-friendly celebration in the heart of Crewe this weekend! 🌟

📅 Main Event Day: Saturday 5th July, 12pm - 6pm

📍 Various town centre locations

Expect a packed day of colour, creativity and community, including:

👑 A stunning carnival procession featuring 13ft tall Carnival Queen puppets from Global Grooves, joined by local performers

🤸 A Giant Wheel parade from Autin Dance Theatre, with brilliant community participation

🎤 Live music, dance and street performances across the town centre

🎁 An artisan market from JDLminimarkets

🎪 Traditional funfair rides on Queensway

Crewe Day marks the anniversary of the first trains passing through Crewe Station on 4th July 1837 – a key moment in our town’s industrial story that helped shape the Crewe we know today.

Events and community celebrations will be taking place across the weekend – but the main event is this Saturday!

❤️ The Crewe Day Festival is a celebration of our town, created with the people of Crewe at its heart. Come along and be part of it!

Thanks to Crewe Town Council

Find out more here!

PICNIC IN THE PARK 2025 - A GREAT DAY FOR CREWE!

What a fantastic day we had at Picnic in the Park! Queens Park was alive with the sound of music, laughter, and community spirit as hundreds of residents came together to enjoy one of Crewe’s most loved annual events.

With a brilliant lineup of live bands performing throughout the day, there was something for everyone to enjoy – from toe-tapping classics to upbeat family favourites. The atmosphere was buzzing, helped along by the glorious setting and even a few welcome spells of sunshine!

This event truly showed Crewe at its best. It was a day for families, friends and neighbours to relax, connect and celebrate our vibrant town, and the sun finally came out for us!

A massive thank you to Crewe Town Council for organising such a fantastic day, to the Friends of Queens Park for their continued support, and to all the talented bands who kept the crowds entertained. And, of course, a huge thank you to everyone who came along and helped make it such a memorable day.

Watch the highlights from the day in my video

ARMED FORCES WEEKEND IN CREWE: A COMMUNITY CELEBRATION

Armed Forces Weekend in Crewe was a resounding success. It was fantastic to see so many residents, families, veterans and visitors come together in Queens Park to show their support for our service personnel – past and present.

The event truly had something for everyone. From the moment you arrived, it was clear how much thought and effort had gone into planning the day. A striking collection of military vehicles from all eras was one of the main attractions, drawing crowds of all ages. It was both moving and fascinating to see the evolution of our armed forces through these machines, each with a story to tell.

Queens Park was alive with colour and activity. Engaging displays, exhibitions and memorabilia offered a glimpse into military history and life in service. Information stalls provided valuable resources for veterans, families and those interested in getting involved or learning more about armed forces life.

The event was also supported by RBL Crewe Branch, Crewe Armed Forces Breakfast club, Help for Heroes, Crewe & District Military Vehicle Club, Department for Work & Pensions, Crewe Town Council, Royal British Legion, 4th Battalion Parachute Regiment, SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, The Army Cadets, Soldier Soldier military clothing, Cheshire East Council, Men in Sheds, Cheshire K9 Training, Keith Stanworths fun fair, Hops on Board, plus many others. Thank you to all that supported the weekend.

I would also like to extend a special thanks to Steve, Audrey and Richard for their incredible dedication in bringing this event to life. From months of fundraising and careful planning to their tireless efforts throughout the weekend, their commitment was truly invaluable and made all the difference.

See more photos and a video of the highlights here

LISTENING TO YOU – AND TAKING ACTION 💬💪

After residents raised concerns about an illegal encampment on the field between Frank Webb Avenue and Brooklands Grove, I stepped in and contacted the Cheshire and Warrington Traveller Team. They responded quickly to evict the group ✅

To stop it happening again, I asked Cheshire East to secure the field. Despite chasing it up, I heard nothing – so I was just as surprised as everyone else when a large gate suddenly appeared! 😮

It was blocking access for people with prams, mobility scooters and more I’ll be raising this with Cheshire East.

In the meantime, I took direct action and cleared a way through myself – because residents need access now.

Following this, the gate has now been removed. We are currently awaiting the installation of permanent drop-down bollards. These bollards will allow residents to access the footpath easily while also enabling grass cutting and maintenance in the area. This improvement will help address the concerns around unauthorised encampments and ensure better management of the space for the community.

Read more about this here

WINDSOR AVENUE / SANDIWAY ROAD ALLEY CLEAN UP

Thanks to residents who contacted me about the alleyway between Windsor Avenue and Sandiway road.

I got in touch with the Crewe Town Council Rangers who came out and gave it a once over, removing the weeds and making it more accessible. Thanks guys!

If you've spotted a problem that needs sorting please report it online or let me know.

🌿 DARLINGTON/KETTELL AVENUE ALLEY CUT BACK 🌿

We might be called the West End, but it’s not supposed to be the Wild West!

The bushes along the footpath from the corner of Darlington Avenue and Kettell Avenue (heading through to Morrisons Daily past Monks Late) had become so wildly overgrown it was a real struggle to get through.

I got in touch with Guinness Partnership housing , and I’m pleased to say they’ve now given the area a proper cut back. Big thanks to Sophia at Guinness for helping get this sorted!

If you’re a Guinness tenant and there’s something that needs attention either at your property or nearby, give them a call on 0303 123 1890.

Let’s keep the West End looking good and easy to get around! 👍

🚗 ROAD MARKINGS UPDATE - ROLLS AVENUE / GROSVENOR PARK ESTATE 🛑

If you’ve been wondering what’s going on with the road markings around the Grosvenor Park estate - here’s the latest!

I recently raised concerns about the lack of markings, and I’m pleased to report that progress is being made. ✅

You might have noticed that many of the side roads off Rolls Avenue have already been completed. These roads are still unadopted (or 'private'), so the original housing developer has taken responsibility for marking them out.

As for the rest of the estate, these roads are maintained by Cheshire East Council, and they’ve now been added to a wider programme of relining works due to be carried out by Cheshire East Highways in the near future.

That’s also why you’ll see the “no road markings” warning signs in place - they’re a temporary measure while we wait for the works to be completed.

🚧 MINSHULL NEW ROAD - TEMPORARY CLOSURE FOR FLOODING WORKS 🚧

🗓 Wednesday 9th July

🕤 9.30AM - 2.30PM (approx)

📍 Between Rolls Avenue junction and the Flowers Lane/Bradfield Road roundabout

I regularly hear from parents walking their children to and from Leighton Academy  about flooding on the footpath, especially in winter. It’s something I’ve been working to improve - and while I previously arranged for the gulleys near the school to be cleared, I’ve been asking for that entire road section to be addressed.

I’m pleased to confirm that further drainage works are now scheduled for Wednesday 9th July. This will involve a temporary road closure between Rolls Avenue and the Flowers Lane/Bradfield Road roundabout, including work near the roundabout itself where flooding has also been a problem.

Thanks for your patience while these essential works are carried out - they’ll help make this route safer and more accessible for everyone who walks it.

That's it for now as I can't fit everything on this monthly newsletter - but there are many more updates on local issues and upcoming events on my Facebook, Instagram and now tiktok so please do follow them to stay updated.

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If you have something you'd like me to look in to please do get in contact.

Councillor James Pratt

Crewe, St Barnabas Ward

Cheshire East & Crewe Town Council

Promoted by James Pratt of CNCA, 13 Churchyardside, CW5 5DE