Parish Council Calls on Cheshire West to Tackle Overgrown Weeds

Kingsley Parish Council has taken a firm stand in addressing the growing issue of overgrown weeds throughout our parish. We have officially written to Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC) to express our disappointment and frustration regarding the lack of responses to our repeated enquiries about recent maintenance activities within Kingsley Parish.

Specifically, we have sought clarity on the kerb sweeping and weed control along kerb lines and pavements. Despite assurances from CWaC that weed control would be undertaken twice annually and road sweeping would occur once per annum, we have yet to receive specific dates and locations where these services have been rendered. Local observations indicate that these activities have not been performed for several years. The only notable maintenance activity was a manual edging exercise on Hollow Lane a few years ago.

However, the rest of the pavements throughout Kingsley, particularly those connecting the village to neighbouring towns such as Frodsham, have become impassable for pedestrians, especially for those using wheelchairs or pushing prams. This neglect is severely impacting the wellbeing and community pride in Kingsley, with residents increasingly unable to access local services on foot. This situation is directly at odds with the CWaC’s public health aims to help people start well, live well, and age well.

We have requested that a dedicated team be deployed in Kingsley to apply a weed control product and return a few weeks later to manually remove them. This comprehensive approach is essential to addressing an issue that has worsened with each passing year.

Poor maintenance of pavements not only affects the physical accessibility of our community but also has significant implications for social isolation and loneliness. According to the Cheshire West Place Plan, access to well-maintained open spaces is crucial for preventing these issues. The plan emphasises the importance of the places and communities we live in and how they can support our overall health and wellbeing. The current state of our pavements undermines these goals and highlights a critical gap in service delivery that needs urgent attention.

We, Kingsley Parish Council, urge CWaC to take immediate action to deploy a maintenance team to Kingsley and provide us with detailed records of past and planned maintenance activities. This will help us understand the service levels our parish is receiving and ensure that future maintenance schedules are effectively communicated and executed. This will also enable the Parish Council to plan for its future and agree on any supplementary work it may wish to undertake.

A full copy of the letter sent to CWaC can be viewed here.