On Thursday 28thMay 2026, Sandymoor Parish council held it's Annual Parish meeting to round out another busy year. During the meeting, the Chair, Cllr Mahon, gave the following report summarising the work of the Parish Council over the 12 months.
Dear Residents & Stakeholders,
It is with pleasure that I present the annual Chairs report for Sandymoor Parish council covering the period of May 2025 to April 2026. This year the Parish Councillors, Clerk and RFO have once again been working hard to improve Sandymoor for its residents.
I have listed below an overview of how this year has been spent serving the public.
Sandymoor in Bloom
My thanks go out to the dedicated volunteers who this year gave the Parish a lovely display of floral arrangements. Given the extremely hot summer of last year, they spend endless hours maintaining and watering the containers to give residents an amazing show.
For all the enthusiastic gardeners in the Parish we are launching a best kept garden in bloom competition this year. Anyone wishing to enter their garden will be judged by the Sandymoor in Bloom volunteers along with Councillors. There will be accolades of Gold, Silver, and Bronze for the top three gardens. It is expected to take place around the end of July / early August.
Maintenance of Defibrillators
The Parish Council continues to maintain three defibrillators in the community. One of these was accessed this year thus proving their need to have them placed in easy to access spaces within the Parish. These defibrillators are integrated into the Ambulance Services Circuit network and are checked monthly by the Clerk. The plan is to continue to place more machines as the Parish grows.
Remembrance Day
Councillors gave up their free time to install (and remove) large poppies in support of Remembrance Day. I was genuinely touched by the number of people who thanked us for placing them on lampposts and around the shops area.
It is planned to double the number of installations from 50 to 100 poppies in 2026 to cover more of the Parish.
Grant applications
Every year the Parish allows for grants within its budgets and is always very keen to hear from interested groups who can use support for the good of Sandymoor residents.
This year the Parish Council were delighted to award a grant to Age Concern to assist in the excellent work they do for our elderly residents.
Speed Awareness
The Speed Indicator Device (SID) has continued to be deployed around the Parish. We have been working with the Police to deter speeding and raise awareness within the community. The results are downloaded and are available to be seen on the council’s website under the projects/ traffic management section. We are using this data to pressure the Borough Council to take seriously the need to install safe crossings for residents. In addition, the Police will be installing some of their own speed detection equipment in known speeding hot spots to support our aims in this matter.
Third Year of Christmas Tree Installation
The third annual Christmas tree installation at the Coop was a success, with improvements over the previous year. The Parish Council funded proper electrical connections and upgraded lighting, and we have allocated additional funds in the 2026 budget to continue this festive tradition.
Public Open Space (POS)
We have been working with the Borough Council to develop the pathways around the Parish. The expectation is that it will be of benefit for all age groups and consider the diversity of opportunities to connect with the residents’ lifestyles.
The Parish Council continues to work with developers for the acquisition of POS. The Bloor Homes estate is close to being finalised and is expected to be onboarded during Summer 2026.
The Morris Homes development is likely to be next once the issues surrounding Acton Woods Lane and the sewerage system adoption are resolved. This is expected to be onboarded during 2026 but maybe subject to delay as the Borough Council work with the developer.
Finally, the Swans Reach estate and Lea View estate are proving the slowest as David Wilson Homes are incredibly slow at responding to the Council. However, we maintain regular pressure upon them to get the matter resolved. It is likely that Swans reach will be completed first with Lea View later.
Keepmoat who are building out the Sandymoor South development are likely to be using a management company the same as Linden homes to manage their POS. These estates POS management will not be the responsibility of the either the Parish or Borough Council.
Residents’ Concerns
The Parish Council has continued to address and resolve numerous concerns raised by residents. This is thanks to our Clerk and Proper Officer Arthur Neil who has developed close cooperation with Halton BC officers the Police and other agencies along with the support of our Borough Councillors which has been vital in ensuring quick resolutions. However, the Parish Council continues to raise awareness of anti-social behaviour, littering and current issues affecting residents’ lives. The attendance at meetings has been good especially if there is a hot topic which needs urgent attention.
Diversifying Investments & Audit controls
The Finance working group lead by Councillor Graves continues to help the Parish Council to have a well thought strategy to keep the various funds we have safe yet producing the best possible returns. The outcome has been that the Council approved the diversification of funds between more accounts, so we are aligned with FSCS bank protection limits. In addition, the separate public open space and playing fields replacement funds continue to be managed through the CCLA platform to give safety and longevity to meet the perpetuity test of 20 years.
The Council were delighted to pass both internal and external audits again this year and my thanks goes to Louise Irvine for ensuring the Council is operating both legally and correctly.
Conclusion
This report highlights the Parish Council’s continuous commitment to enhancing the quality of life for residents and fostering a vibrant, engaged community. We look forward to building on these achievements in the year ahead. It is clear that because of the dedicated team of Councillors, Clerk and RFO, our strategic approach of strengthening our asset base as the developmental plan for Sandymoor unfolds, we are well poised to deliver in a more meaningful way for the residents in the next few years.
I would like to finish by paying tribute to the Clerk & Proper Officer Arthur Neil and Responsible Financial and Digital Officer Louise Irvine for their dedication and hard work this year, they are the glue that holds the Council together. Finally, I would like to thank my fellow Councillors who continue to work by giving up their own time for no other reward than wanting to help make Sandymoor a better place.
Steve Mahon
Chair, Sandymoor Parish Council May 2026
