News in Sandbach

Lockdown is firmly set in, and it can feel as if the Covid-19 nightmare will continue for months, which it may well do.

In light of this, this Weekend Feature will not only look at what's worrying leaders, but the good news in Cheshire's coronavirus fight.

"About five per cent" of Cheshire East residents have already had their first doses of the Covid-19 vaccination, according to council leader Sam Corcoran.

Giving his regular Twitter update on CEC's standing in the pandemic this morning (January 15), Cllr Corcoran said: "The vaccination programme is going well. I estimate that about five per cent of the population of Cheshire East have already been vaccinated.

Aldi has joined other supermarkets in cracking down on customers who don't wear masks.

The German discounter, which has a store on Middlewich Road in Sandbach, said that people who refuse to wear a mask without a valid medical exemption will be turned away.

Cheshire East is set to receive a much-needed connectivity boost from leading broadband provider, Airband.

The council says the project will deliver gigabit-capable, full-fibre broadband connectivity to over 4,000 properties (including local businesses) across rural or hard-to-reach areas within the Connecting Cheshire partnership region, for improved connectivity.

More concerns have been raised over a potential merger of Cheshire and Merseyside NHS services.

An NHS England consultation into the planned introduction of integrated care systems (ICS) across the country from April 2022 has just closed, which would replace clinical commissioning groups in some cases.

The body organising Covid-19 vaccines has said it is "confident we will meet" national "targets" for inoculating high-priority groups.

Clare Watson, Accountable Officer for NHS Cheshire CCG which runs the vaccination programme, told Cheshire West council's Covid-19 outbreak board: "We have got three targets nationally. Although they are ambitious, they are quite helpful to have.

Our local list is a free register of businesses in the Sandbach area.

We have lots of businesses on our site - but we want to sign even more businesses up for free advertising and promotion!

The leader of Cheshire East Council has joined his counterparts across the county in calling on the government to clear up the "ambiguity" that surrounds the Coronavirus restrictions.

In an open letter to the secretary of state for health, Matt Hancock and the secretary of state for local government, Robert Jenrick, the council leaders said the "liberal interpretation" of the lockdown meant more people are out of their homes compared to last spring.

Sandbach residents have been urged to hold onto their charity shop donations until the end of lockdown after items were left outside of a closed Oxfam.

A suitcase surrounded by bags and other items were pictured on Monday evening on the shop's doorstep on Bold Street.

A new shared vision 'for children and young people in Cheshire East' has been formally endorsed by the borough's cabinet.

The vision includes aims such as making 'families and communities strong, welcoming and supportive, where differences are celebrated' and supporting young people to build on their strengths, develop resilience, and achieve their full potential'.