Middlewich Town Council

10/04/2026

04/02/2026

PRESS RELEASE - DATED 04 FEBRUARY 2026

Middlewich Town Council vs Middlewich Cemetery Committee & Others – Approved Judgement

On 4 February 2026 Deputy High Court Judge Burge KC gave judgment in the second set of proceedings that the Council has brought for recovery of the Middlewich Cemetery and its management. Since at least 2019 the Cemetery Board has been controlling and managing the Cemetery without any Council authority.

Some Board members past and present and Mr William Walmsley, a former Mayor of Middlewich, defended the proceedings on the basis that the Cemetery was not owned by the Council. The judge concluded that the Cemetery is owned by the Council and the defence was dismissed.

Since 16 July 2025 the Council has had the benefit of an injunction requiring the relevant defendants to deliver to the Council all records relating to the Cemetery and documents relating to a Barclays bank account and transfer the funds. The Council’s clerk, Ms Safia Kauser, undertook substantial investigations. She discovered that the Cemetery Board had a further bank account and that cemetery funds had been placed in a bank account controlled by one of the Defendants, Claire Armstrong.

The judge made the injunction final and extended it to cover the Cemetery Board’s email account. The judge held that there had been some misappropriation of Cemetery funds and ordered the relevant Defendants must now give an account for the loss Ms Kauser had identified of £109,234.89. He held that Miss Armstrong’s explanation for her use of the Lloyds account ‘neither helpful nor credible’.

Following an account the specific liabilities of the relevant defendants will be determined at a further court hearing.

Comments Town Mayor, Cllr Simon Whittaker:

”It’s been a long journey and many things would have slipped through the net and would never have been brought to court, had it not been for our Clerk Safia Kauser who carried out substantial investigations that formed part of our complex case, the Tomlin order would have remained in place and put the defendants beyond scrutiny and challenge. Looking ahead, the next stage will be to recover the losses of £109,234.89 plus the councils legal costs. Although, the council has won its case, the monetary value of misappropriated funds combined with our legal fees is to be determined and recovered via the courts”.

A full copy of the judgement is available to download from the Town Council website, see link:

Middlewich Town Council vs Middlewich Cemetery Committee & Others – Approved JudgementWednesday February 4th, 2026/in News/by ClerkOn 4 February 2026 Deputy High Court Judge Burge KC gave judgment in the second set of proceedings that the Council has brought for recovery of the Middlewich Cemetery...

26/01/2026

Middlewich Cemetery ICCM Consultant Reports

The Town Council resolved at the meeting held on Monday, 19th January 2026, to release the ICCM-approved consultant reports concerning the Middlewich Cemetery, along with the Forensic Audit report by Safia Kauser, in the interest of public transparency, whilst ensuring that any sensitive information is properly redacted.

These reports formed part of the council’s legal case relating to the Middlewich Cemetery, which was the subject of a three-day trial held in December 2025 at the Royal Courts of Justice. At present, the reserved judgment is pending.

A copy of these reports can be found in the Accounts, Audits & Reports section of the website. Additionally, the reports are accessible via the download link provided below.

Middlewich Cemetery ICCM Consultant ReportsMonday January 26th, 2026/in News/by Clerk The Town Council resolved at the meeting held on Monday, 19th January 2026, to release the ICCM-approved consultant reports concerning the Middlewich Cemetery, along with the Forensic Audit report by Safia Kauser,....

26/01/2026

VACANCY FOR A COUNCILLOR

There is a vacancy for a Councillor for the Cledford Ward of the Parish of Middlewich due to the six-month non-attendance of Sam Dutton.

An election to fill the vacancy will be held if ten electors for the said electoral area give notice to the Returning Officer requesting such an election within 14 days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Good Friday or a bank holiday) of the date of this Notice.

The address of the Returning Officer is:
The Returning Officer
Cheshire East Council
Elections Office, Macclesfield Town Hall
c/o Delamere House
Delamere Street
Crewe
CW1 2LL

If no such notice is given the Parish Council will fill the vacancy by co-option.

Date 26th January 2026
Signed S.Kauser (Clerk)

For further advice on procedure please call the Elections Office at Cheshire East Council 01270 685922

https://middlewichtowncouncil.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2026.01.26-Casual-Vacancy-Notice-Cledford-Ward.pdf

25/01/2026

Cledford By-Election - Statement of Persons Nominated

The Nominations closed at 4pm Friday 23rd January 2026 for the Middlewich Town Council – Cledford Ward by-election.

As the election is contested it will take place on Thursday 19 February 2026.

Poll cards will be delivered to all eligible registered electors.

23/01/2026

Notice is hereby given than an Extraordinary Full Council meeting will be held on Thursday 29th January at 7.00pm, Town Hall. The agenda and supporting documents are available on the Town Council website.

Full Council Meetings take place in: Victoria Hall, Civic Way, Middlewich. Cheshire. CW10 9AS All Full Council Meetings start at 7:15pm.

21/01/2026

The Town Council is exploring the asset transfer of the Sutton Lane Playing Fields on a 99 year lease from Cheshire East Council and in conjunction with the proposals from Middlewich Town Football Club. The Asset Transfer comes attached with £220,000 of S106 funding that is available.

A public consultation carried out by the Middlewich Town Football Club is scheduled to take place on Monday 26th January at 7.00pm at the club on Finneys lane to share the proposed plans and development of the site with the public.

Middlewich Town Councillors will be present and answer any questions from the public.

Background papers and proposals for the scheme are available on the Town Council website.

All members of the community are welcome to attend.

Full Council Meetings take place in: Victoria Hall, Civic Way, Middlewich. Cheshire. CW10 9AS All Full Council Meetings start at 7:15pm.

21/01/2026

2026/2027 Budget & Precept Update

The Town Council has set its annual precept for the 2026/2027 financial year. Members reviewed the budget and project plans for the upcoming year during the council meetings held on the 07th January and 19th January 2026.

A total revenue expenditure budget of £633,700 was agreed, with an income budget of £94,615. An allocation of £140,350 was contributed towards the council’s general reserves and ring-fenced reserves for future initiatives.

The precept amount of £679,435 represents a 3.05% rise. A Band D property will incur an annual cost of £131.39, which includes an increase of £3.89.

The Town Council oversees a variety of responsibilities and services, including:
- Community Grants & Town Centre CCTV Funding
- Community Events, including the annual Christmas Lights Switch-on Event
- Provision & Maintenance of the Christmas Displays Scheme
- Management & maintenance of local assets including the Town Hall Building, Victoria Hall, and Middlewich Cemetery
- Delivery of the Town Ranger service
- Provision of hanging baskets, flowers, and troughs in the Town Centre

The council’s ring-fenced reserves, amounting to £249,000, will enable the council to accumulate the necessary funds to execute future projects, such as the refurbishment of Victoria Hall, supplemented by the available S106 funding of £226,000. Additional earmarked reserves will aid the council’s plans for future service delivery and projects while ensuring that financial risks are effectively managed. A full breakdown of the budget is available on the Town Council Website.

Comments, Town Mayor: Cllr Simon Whittaker:

”The precept has been set with a small increase, just under the level of inflation. Following a period of financial stability, we are fortunate to be in a position to allocate ring-fenced reserves towards future projects, service delivery and maintenance of existing assets”.

”Due to the financial state of Cheshire East Council, we have no idea of what liabilities we may be asked to take on in the next 12-month period. Whilst the town council has chosen to reject the asset transfer of the Southway & Town Bridge toilets in its present form, this may be revisited at a later date”.

19/01/2026

The Full Town Council meeting takes place this evening at 7.15pm, Victoria Hall. The agenda and supporting papers are published on the Town Council website.

Full Council Meetings take place in: Victoria Hall, Civic Way, Middlewich. Cheshire. CW10 9AS All Full Council Meetings start at 7:15pm.

12/01/2026

Due to some technical difficulties, a few of the Christmas Lights have stayed illuminated longer than planned. An engineer has been scheduled to turn off the lights manually this evening.

02/01/2026

Notice is hereby Given that an Extraordinary Council meeting has been scheduled to take place on Wednesday 07 January 2026 at 7.15pm, Civic Hall, Middlewich to consider the 2026/2027 budget.

* The agenda and supporting documents are available and published on the Town Council website.

*Draft minutes of the November and December Full Council meetings are available and published on the website.

Full Council Meetings take place in: Victoria Hall, Civic Way, Middlewich. Cheshire. CW10 9AS All Full Council Meetings start at 7:15pm.