After applying in June 2019, the Parish Council was awarded a grant to improve the sport field by developing an outdoor gym as well as surfacing the perimeter pathway. The Outdoor Gym was completed during the first week of December but unfortunately the extremely poor weather over Autumn and Winter meant that the path surfacing needed to be postponed…. and then the pandemic set in.
 
We’ve now had the good news that the contractor is able to start the work on the perimeter path as from Monday 15 June. Due to the nature of the work and the surface material, it will require an initial partial closure of the foot path for two weeks whilst the works are being done. After the works have been completed the path surface material needs to harden, which can take around 2 weeks. We will be asking users to avoid using the path to allow this to happen.
 
Please bear these restrictions in mind when you use the sports field as from Monday 15 June.
 
We are sorry for the inconvenience but hope the results will be worth the wait and patience.

Cheshire West and Chester Council have issued an update on household waste recycling centres:

Household Waste Recycling Centre update
22 May 2020
 
Residents were reminded to only visit if absolutely necessary and consider how essential their trip is before setting off.  The recycling centres are for the use of Cheshire West and Chester residents only.

Northwich, Neston, Ellesmere Port, Winsford and Chester HWRCs - update
After two weeks we have reviewed each of the sites and will be returning to normal operating hours, days and traffic management procedures.  These sites will return back to normal on Wednesday 27 May after the bank holiday weekend, so we can manage the expected increase in visitors during the bank holiday.

Opening Hours from Monday 25 May – transition to normal hours and days
Monday – extended (Ellesmere Port, Winsford, Chester, Neston, Northwich, Frodsham)
Tuesday – extended (sites as above)
Wednesday -  Neston & Northwich closed ( EP, Winsford, Chester, Frodsham – 8am-8pm)
Thursday – Northwich closed ( EP, Wins ford, Chester, Frodsham – 8am-8pm.  Neston 9am-5pm)
Friday Neston & Northwich open 9am-5pm (EP, Wins ford, Chester, Frodsham 8am-8pm)
 
Frodsham will remain with extended hours up to and including Friday 29 May. From Saturday 30 May sites will be operating as normal with the exclusion of Tattenhall.
Tattenhall remains closed until further notice.
  
Vehicle access –update
We continue to monitor the type of vehicles that can access the sites.  These vehicles are currently not allowed to use the recycling centres:

1. All vans, obvious van with panelled sides are not to be allowed.

1. All trailers are not allowed.
2. All pickups are not allowed.

Please see the PDF below for information from CWaC relating to the garden bin collection changes.

29 March 2020 –2pm to 4.30pm
Meet @ St Mary’s Church Car Park, Dodleston OR
Meet @ The notice board by Moor Lane, Lower Kinnerton
 
Equipment – old gardening gloves, warm clothes, a high viz jacket or vest if you have one, walking shoes or Wellies.
 
We have litter picks to borrow if you don’t don’t have your own as well as high viz vests. We supply strong Great British Spring Clean litter bags.
 
Welcome to the Great British Spring Clean 2020 and thank you for getting involved the country’s biggest mass-action environmental campaign.
 
Together, we can make a massive difference. All our individual actions can help to transform our country for the better, creating cleaner streets, parks and beaches, protecting our wildlife and, ultimately, stopping the tide of plastic that is doing so much damage to our oceans and marine life.
 
The Great British Spring Clean is about demonstrating that you love where you live – whether that’s by pledging to pick while you’re walking the dog or taking the kids to school, hosting a clean-up or joining someone else’s clean-up.
 
Last year, more than 560,000 people took part and this year we are aiming to get 600,000 #LitterHeroes out there.
 
The time has come around to host our own local annual litter pick which always coincide with the national Great British Spring Clean campaign. This year the date falls on Sunday 29 March 2020 which is also the date to put our clocks forward and gain that extra hour of daylight.

Have you ever walked or driven past the barren corner of Penfold Way and Church Road and wish it could have a bit of colour?
Well we have some good news! The Parish Council has agreed to fund some Spring bulbs to get that corner of the village in bloom.
All we need now are some volunteers to get them into the soil as we have a very limited window of opportunity left before hard frost set in. We need a few days of warmer temperatures and a Saturday so according to the weather forecast, Saturday 30 November seems a good date!
Have you perhaps got some Spring bulbs that you don't have space for in your own garden?
In addition to the Parish Council contribution , we are happy to accept any other contributions of Spring bulbs - in particular Daffodils, Tulips, Crocus and Hyacinths. Even just a few will add to the Spring display.
Bring a hand trowel or a bulb planter if you have one. A kneeling mat might also come in useful. We do expect that the soil might be slightly hard so a few garden forks might also help!
We want to start at 10am on Saturday 30 November and if you can spare some time to help we would be very grateful. The more hands the lighter work!
Please confirm with Welna Bowden at Welnabowdendpc@gmail.com or Whatsapp/text 07717574185 your help so we can anticipate numbers. Alternatively just turn up if your plans have changed and you have some spare time.
We look forward seeing you there!
Let's get Dodleston in bloom.

Dates for Parish Council meetings in 2020 have now been set.  All meetings to start promptly at 7pm.  Members of the public are welcome to attend.

Monday 13th January
Monday 9th March
Monday 11th May - AGM
Monday 13th July
Monday 14th September
Monday 9th November

Dodleston Parish Council is keen to survey the parish community views about the local bus service and in particular, we would be keen to know whether the local service is fit for purpose and serve the needs of the community - young and older! We have design a survey similar to the Field Survey that we used last year and would like to encourage everyone to complete it either through the web link or picking up a paper copy from the shop (paper copies should be returned via the shop as well). 

This is your opportunity to have a say about your local bus service - we are keen to improve the service but need your help!

The closing date is 20 May 2019. 
Please access the survey here : https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FV8TXXV

Once the survey results have been processed the Parish Council will publish a summary in the Local Life and discuss next steps.

If there are particular views that you would like to express in private, please email either 
Cllr Chris Ward - chris.ward@dodlestonparishcouncil.co.uk
or
Cllr Welna Bowden -welna.bowden@dodlestonparishcouncil.co.uk

Dodleston Parish Council has pledged its support for this year’s Great British Spring Clean, run by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy.  The campaign, which runs from March 22nd to April 23rd, will see up to half a million people taking action to clean up streets, parks and beaches across the country.

The Great British Spring Clean brings together individuals, community organisations, businesses and councils to make a difference to the environment on our doorstep and in 2018 around 370,000 #LitterHeroes collected more than 630,000 bags of rubbish.  Last year, Dodleston Parish Council took part in the Great British Spring Clean and collected 7 bags of rubbish using two local events.  

Keep Britain Tidy Chief Executive Allison Ogden-Newton said: “The Great British Spring Clean is an opportunity for the millions of people who care about the environment on their doorstep to do something positive that will make a visible difference.  We are delighted that Dodleston Parish Council is supporting this year’s campaign and would like to thank them for their support.  Without councils across the country giving the campaign their backing, our volunteers would not be able to do the incredible job they do.”

This year’s campaign will not only see tonnes of litter being removed from the environment on our doorstep, it also aims to rescue thousands of the plastic bottles and aluminium drinks cans that are simply thrown on the ground but could, very easily, be recycled.  Using the ‘three bags full’ approach, volunteers will be asked to separate the litter they pick into three bags: one for plastic bottles; one for aluminium cans and a third for the rest of the rubbish.

Cheshire West and Chester Council will then collect these bags to ensure that they are recycled appropriately.
​
To find out more about the Great British Spring Clean visit www.keepbritaintidy.org

23 March : 10am to 12.30pm
Meet at Dodleston Park next to St Mary’s Church

24 March : 2.30 to 4pm
Meet at Dodleston Park next to St Mary’s Church 

Please bring: A high Viz Vest to wear and a litter pick if you have one
Gloves and thick rubbish bags will be supplied