Two men sign paperwork whilst smiling at the camera and sat at a table.

Council takes ownership of its offices

Knutsford Town Council has taken ownership of its Toft Road offices and the surrounding grounds.

The freehold of the Council Offices, along with its grounds and the library garden, have been gifted to Knutsford Town Council by Cheshire East Council as a community asset transfer. Negotiation between the councils has been ongoing for several years since Cheshire East Council formally approved the transfer in 2018. This is the fourth transfer from the borough council through its community asset transfer programme following public toilets (2013), the Market Hall (2014) and allotments (2015). The Tabley Hill chapel and cemetery and were also taken back under local management in 2016 and 2020 respectively although these had always been owned by the town council. 

The Grade II listed Council Offices was built in 1844 as the Prison Governor’s House and was acquired by the Knutsford Urban District Council for £1,000 in 1930 after the prison closed. Following local government reorganisation in 1974 the offices were transferred to Macclesfield Borough Council although the Town Council retained an office and use of the chamber. Since the 1970s the building has also housed a tourist information centre, the offices of the Knutsford Guardian and private businesses.

The Town Council sought the transfer to ensure it retained a long-term low-cost office within the centre of Knutsford. The transfer was subject to a covenant that the building forever be used for the benefit of the local community. Cheshire East Council required the town council to take ownership of the Library Gardens as part of the transfer for the whole site to be managed as one space.

The council’s intention is to undertake a renovation and modernisation of the building to provide improved office and community use accommodation. The council aims to install a lift to make the historic council chamber accessible for council meetings and to subsidise the building through letting office space to tenants. The improvements would expand the number of community organisations and public services which can use the building. A sub-committee of councillors will be exploring options and developing proposals for the council.

Cllr Peter Coan, Chairman of the council’s Assets and Operations Committee said “I am thrilled to see the Council Offices return to local ownership and look forward to developing an improvement scheme for both the grounds and building so they better serve the needs of our community” 

Pictured: Cllr Peter Coan and Cllr Stewart Gardiner sign the transfer documents.

Cllr Jan Nicholson and Cllr Andrew Malloy stood near the sign to Knutsford Cemetery

Town Council takes back Knutsford Cemetery

Knutsford Town Council marked the turn of the new year by becoming a burial authority as Knutsford Cemetery returned to local control; this followed a review of options which took place in September 2018 when the council decided to terminate the service agreement with Cheshire East Council.

The five-acre site on Tabley Road opened in January 1902 and whilst it had been managed by Cheshire East Council and the former Macclesfield Borough Council since 1974 the ownership of the site has always been held by Knutsford Town Council.

“Our aim is to have a place of remembrance in which we can all commemorate, remember and spend time with our loved ones, a place which the community can be truly proud of and we believe the town council is best placed to deliver this.”

Cllr Andrew Malloy, Mayor of Knutsford

During 2020 the council will be introducing a number of changes as part of ambitious plans to make the cemetery the best in Cheshire. The council’s plans include:

  • Installation of new bins across the cemetery to make it easier for visitors to dispose of on-site waste
  • Creation of new flower beds at the entrance to the cemetery
  • Installing additional benches to provide a place for visitors to sit and reflect
  • Planting trees to replace those which have been felled in the past
  • Re-standing fallen grave stones
  • Removing the existing ‘road blocks’ made with old grave stones and replacing them with flower planters

A new part-time post of Cemetery Groundskeeper has been created and will start in March with the mission of ensuring the cemetery is continually well cared for. On top of the essential maintenance the groundskeeper will be levelling lawns and tackling areas which have been overtaken by weeds. The groundskeeper will help the council minimise costs and cut carbon emissions by composting all green waste generated at the cemetery, creating compost which will be used on site.

The transfer of the cemetery operation is being delivered at no cost to the Knutsford taxpayer as costs are forecast to be covered by the fees charged for burials.

“We have been exploring the options on how best to manage the cemetery for a number of years and with it now back under direct town council control we are looking forward to making improvements and maintaining a quality cemetery for our residents”

Cllr Jan Nicholson, Deputy Chairman of the council’s Assets and Operations Committee and member of the council’s cemetery working group

The council welcomes feedback on all the services it offers and especially suggestions as to how it can work it make the cemetery as welcoming and pleasant as possible.