What's New?

PREPARING FOR ELECTIONS in 2027 

ChALC has been able to secure Breakthrough Communications to deliver a suite of FOUR ONLINE TRAINING SESSIONS – one a month – which have been tailored to support councils to prepare for the elections in 2027.    This is a great opportunity for councils to obtain advice and guidance from experienced trainers at an affordable rate.

1 Friday 6th November 2026 at 10am – Building your 2027 election and new term success plan
Work through what your council needs to do before and after May 2027 – from building community understanding and encouraging candidates, to preparing for induction and the start of the new council term.

2. Wednesday 2nd December 2026 at 10am – Telling your council's story
Your council has more stories to tell than you might think. Learn how to spot them and turn projects, services and everyday council activity into engaging content that helps residents understand the difference your council makes.

3.Tuesday 12th January 2027 at 1pm – Reaching more of your community
Putting information out doesn't mean the right people will see it. Explore practical ways to identify who you're missing and reach different parts of your community through the right channels, places, networks and people.

4. Tuesday 2nd February 2027 at 1pm – Encouraging more people to stand
Move beyond “Could YOU be our next councillor? ” and “Make a difference ”. Explore more creative ways to talk about becoming a councillor and create messages that help different people imagine themselves in the role.

Details have been circulated to council clerks and chairs or contact sharonangus-crawshaw@chalc.org.uk  in the ChALC office for further information.  

Cheshire West and Chester Council – Let's Talk Budget consultation

The Council has recently launched a Let’s Talk Budget consultation, which seeks views on the Council’s budget for next year. There is also an opportunity to take part in the budget simulator challenge, to help us understand what is important to you and shape future budget proposals.  Like all councils, we continue to face rising costs and growing demand. It is not possible to do everything we would like to do. We need to focus resources on what matters most to local people and continue to rethink how our services are delivered.

We currently have a funding gap of around £40m over the next four years – including over £20m in the next financial year. This makes it more important than ever to make sure the budget available is used in ways that reflect the needs and priorities of residents, communities, and businesses.  Your feedback will help shape how we could close the funding gap and there are lots of ways to get involved and have your say:

• Visit www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/letstalkbudget to find out about our plans, complete a survey and take part in our budget simulator
• Email your views to us at: councilbudget@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
• Write to us at: Let’s Talk Budget, Communication and Engagement, Cheshire West and Chester Council, The Portal, Wellington Road, Ellesmere Port, CH65 0BA
• Call the Council’s Contact Centre on 0300 123 8123 quoting ‘Let’s Talk Budget’ to share your views
• Paper copies will be available in public libraries and on request using the contact details above. Alternative formats are also available on request.

This consultation exercise will be open until Wednesday, 2 December 2026.

FOCUS ON ChALC ANNUAL  MEETING  EXHIBITORS

The below companies came along to the 2026 Annual Meeting – check out what they can offer.

BASEPLAN 

Baseplan helps councils and local authorities create clear, consistent site plans for markets, festivals and public events. Designed for the practical demands of event planning, it brings layouts, trader allocations and team collaboration into one shared workspace.

Plot stalls, stages, welfare facilities and access routes, then adapt your plans as requirements change. Reusable assets help teams maintain consistent layouts across recurring events, while live collaboration keeps colleagues working from the latest version.

Share focused views with relevant teams and external partners, making it easier to communicate arrangements without overwhelming people with unnecessary detail. From town centre markets to civic celebrations, Baseplan supports a more coordinated approach to planning public spaces.

By reducing repetitive work and the confusion of multiple plan versions, Baseplan gives officers more time to focus on delivery, supporting local traders and creating welcoming events for residents and visitors, with practical plans that are easy to understand and update.

PARISH COUNCIL PIGEON

A noticeboard your parish will love.   Turn any TV in your village hall or community centre into a bright, friendly digital noticeboard.  Events, news and photos roll gently past, and you update it all from your phone or using our simple web-based control panel.   

How it works – a small box, any screen, no fuss

• Plugs into any TV
• Portrait or landscape
• No design skills needed
• Update from your phone
• Runs to your timetable

Real people, here to help – our friendly Chester based team help you get set up and are on hand whenever you need us. 

One simple price – First screen £25 a month + VAT

 Ready to light up your village hall?  Book a free demo, with no hard sell and no obligation  01244 478727  info@parishcouncilpigeon.co.uk   

Wicksteed Leisure – Playground Design, Manufacture, Installation & Aftercare

Great play spaces start with understanding the needs of your community.

Established in 1876, Wicksteed has a proud 150-year heritage in British manufacturing and has been creating play spaces since 1918. Today, we work with town and parish councils, schools and communities across the UK to create places where children can play, explore and thrive.  From replacing ageing equipment and revitalising existing playgrounds to creating completely new play areas, our experienced team can support you at every stage — from initial ideas and bespoke design through to British manufacturing and installation.

We offer solutions for a wide range of spaces, needs and budgets, including inclusive play opportunities that help more children enjoy playing together. Whether you’re planning a small village playground or a larger community space, we’ll work with you to explore the possibilities.

Your Local Wicksteed Contact

Planning a new playground, considering a refurbishment or simply looking for advice? Lewis Herridge, our local Area Sales Manager, is on hand to discuss your ideas, answer questions and help you explore the possibilities for your community.

Lewis Herridge | Area Sales Manager | 07843 630705 | lherridge@wicksteed.co.uk

Alternatively, contact our team:

 01536 517028 | sales@wicksteed.co.uk 

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.