What's New?
ChALC Annual Meeting 2026
Thursday 15th October – 6pm to 9pm
Cheshire View, Plough Lane, Christleton, Chester CH3 7PT
ChALC member councils are invited to send up to three representatives to our Annual Meeting, which will commence from 6pm with light refreshments and an opportunity to browse the exhibition stands.
EXHIBITORS confirmed to date -
Please contact sharonangus-crawshaw@chalc.org.uk or nikkirobefrts@chalc.org.uk in the CHALC office to reserve your place!
KOMPAN IN WEST PARK, MACCLESFIELD
KOMPAN recently designed and installed the new ‘WOW’ feature at West Park, Macclesfield. We had an opening event with hundreds of attendees that came to see and try out the new equipment. Children took part in our colouring competition, tested their bravery on the unit’s climbing and sliding challenges, and took goodie bags home as part of our thankyou to the community.
The feature piece at this site is one of the KOMPAN Giants units. This piece offers:
- Sensory
- Tactile
- Sliding
- Climbing
- Crawling
- Imagination
- Relaxing
- Swinging
- Communication
- Competitive & negotiation play
- Gliding
Millie is based in Cheshire, and available for site visits upon request. We offer no-commitment site visits, site designs and quotations, funding application support and play and fitness industry knowledge. We also have an on-the-road Inspections and Maintenance team to support with existing equipment from any supplier!
Contact – MilMan@kompan.com – 07868350754
Creative Play - Playground Consultation – Design – Manufacture – Installation – Aftercare
A good community playground needs to do more than fill a space.
It needs to make efficient use of the available budget, work for the families who use it, and provide value for a generation of children.
Creative Play have been helping local authorities tackle these challenges for over 35 years. This experience has equipped us with a practical understanding of the pressures councils face, from making the most of an existing site to attracting more families and encouraging local activity.
Specialising in sustainable timber play equipment – our uprights carry a 20-year material guarantee – we design distinctive playgrounds that sit naturally within community spaces. Projects range from small parish schemes to ambitious destination play areas, with experience and expertise that often allow us to see opportunities in a site that aren't immediately obvious.
Based in Cheshire, everything is manufactured in the UK, and our dedicated aftercare team helps keep play equipment in good condition long after a grand opening.
Whether you’re replacing an ageing playground, making better use of an underused space or planning something entirely new, come talk to Creative Play.
You’ll be surprised by what can be achieved.
NALC Star Council Awards 2026
ChALC is pleased to announce that it will be supporting the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) Star Council Awards again this year to celebrate the hard work and dedication of the parish and town council sector.
The awards are the only awards programme in England specifically designed to acknowledge the impact and contribution of parish and town councils. The awards are open to parish and town councils, councillors, county associations and clerks across England.
The nomination period ends on 25 September 2026, and NALC will announce the winners at a Parliamentary Reception in the House of Lords on 23 February 2027. If you know a community champion who has gone above and beyond for their community, consider nominating them for a Star Council Award!
Find out more: https://www.nalc.gov.uk/support/star-council-awards.html
Free Wellbeing Sessions for Parish Clerks and Councillors
Parish Online Wellbeing is helping town, parish and community councils tackle the growing pressures facing clerks and councillors. Delivered by experienced business psychologist Sarah, the service offers free confidential one-to-one wellbeing sessions for eligible clerks, alongside a programme of free online group sessions providing practical advice and strategies to help manage stress, prevent burnout, build resilience and improve workplace wellbeing.
As part of Local Authority Technology CIC’s commitment to delivering social value, these sessions are designed to support those working in local councils with the challenges of modern council life.
Upcoming free online wellbeing sessions:
- Tuesday 22 September 2026, 12–1pm – General Session
- Tuesday 6 October 2026, 12–1pm – Stress Less
- Tuesday 3 November 2026, 12–1pm – Beating Burnout
- Tuesday 1 December 2026, 12–1pm – Bounce Back (Improve Your Resilience)
Need more personalised support? Free confidential one-to-one wellbeing sessions are also available for eligible clerks.
To book a one-to-one session or join one of the webinars, visit www.parish-online.co.uk/support/wellbeing
Don’t lose your vote! Residents urged to check their voter registration details
Residents are being urged to check their electoral registration details or risk losing their chance to vote on decisions that will affect them. There will be elections for all seats on Cheshire East Council on 6 May 2027, as well as for all town and parish councillors in the borough and – for the first time – an elected mayor of the Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority. The new combined mayoral authority has newly-devolved powers and an investment fund of £650m (over 30 years) for matters including strategic transport, homes and infrastructure, investment, growth, skills and jobs. It will work in partnership with its member local authorities (Cheshire West and Chester Council, Cheshire East Council and Warrington Borough Council) to make our area a better place to live, work and invest, while building a stronger, more connected region.