Cheshire East
Unitary authority area and borough
Crewe, a historic railway town and the largest town in Cheshire East
Coat of arms
Motto: Working together for excellence
Cheshire East shown within Cheshire
Coordinates: 53°08′46″N 2°22′01″W / 53.146°N 2.367°W / 53.146; -2.367
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
CountryEngland
RegionNorth West
Ceremonial countyCheshire
Incorporated1 April 2009
Government[2]
 • TypeUnitary authority
 • BodyCheshire East Council
 • ExecutiveCommittee system
 • ControlNo overall control
 • LeaderNick Mannion[1]
 • MayorRod Fletcher
 • MPs 6 MPs
  • Aphra Brandreth (C)
  • Andrew Cooper (L)
  • Esther McVey (C)
  • Connor Naismith (L)
  • Tim Roca (L)
  • Sarah Russell (L)
Area[3]
 • Total450 sq mi (1,166 km2)
 • Rank19th
Population (2024)[4]
 • Total421,298
 • Rank16th
 • Density930/sq mi (361/km2)
Ethnicity (2021)[5]
 • Ethnic groups List
  • 94.4% White
  • 2.4% Asian
  • 1.8% Mixed
  • 0.6% Black
  • 0.8% other
Religion (2021)[5]
 • Religion List
  • 54.3% Christianity
  • 37.7% no religion
  • 1.0% Islam
  • 0.5% Hinduism
  • 0.3% Buddhism
  • 0.2% Judaism
  • 0.1% Sikhism
  • 0.4% other
  • 5.5% not stated
Time zoneUTC+0 (GMT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (BST)
Postcode areas
  • CW1–5
  • CW10–12
  • SK9–12
  • SK23
  • ST7
  • SY14
  • WA13–16
Dialling codes
  • 01260
  • 01270
  • 01477
  • 01565
  • 01606
  • 01625
  • 01829
  • 01948
ISO 3166 codeGB-CHE
GSS codeE06000049
Websitecheshireeast.gov.uk

Cheshire East is a unitary authority area with borough status in Cheshire, England. The local authority is Cheshire East Council. Towns within the area include Crewe, Macclesfield, Congleton, Wilmslow, Nantwich, Poynton, Knutsford, Alsager, Bollington, Handforth and Sandbach.

History

The borough council was established in April 2009 as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England, by virtue of an order under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.[6] It is an amalgamation of the former boroughs of Macclesfield, Congleton and Crewe and Nantwich, and includes the functions of the former Cheshire County Council. The residual part of the disaggregated former County Council, together with the other three former Cheshire borough councils (Chester City, Ellesmere Port & Neston and Vale Royal) were, similarly, amalgamated to create the new unitary council of Cheshire West and Chester.

Cheshire East has historic links to textile mills of the Industrial Revolution, such as seen at Quarry Bank Mill. It is also home to Tatton Park, a historic estate that hosts RHS Show Tatton Park.

In December 2024 Cheshire East council's headquarters in Sandbach closed.[7]

Geography

Cheshire East lies within North West England. It borders Cheshire West and Chester to the west, Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east as well as Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. It is home to the Cheshire Plain and the southern hills of the Pennines. The local geology is mostly glacial clay, as well as glacial sands and gravel.

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification, like most areas of the UK, the climate is classified as “oceanic” or "Cfb".

Demography

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1981 328,500—    
1986 331,700+1.0%
1991 340,500+2.7%
1996 349,900+2.8%
2001 352,100+0.6%
2006 362,000+2.8%
2011 370,700+2.4%
2016 381,400+2.9%
2021 400,500+5.0%
All totals rounded to nearest hundred
Source: NOMIS

The population of Cheshire East was 421,298 in 2024.[4]

Ethnicity

According to the 2021 Census, ethnic white groups account for 94.4% of the population (376,543 people), with 5.6% of the population (22,229 people) being in ethnic groups other than white (Asian, Black, Mixed, Other).[5]

Religion

A breakdown of religious groups:[5]

Administration

Wards

The 52 wards of Cheshire East are:[8]

Members of Parliament

Constituency Member of Parliament Political party Year first elected Parliamentary profile
Chester South and Eddisbury Aphra Brandreth Conservative Party 2024 Profile
Congleton Sarah Russell Labour Party Profile
Crewe and Nantwich Connor Naismith Profile
Macclesfield Tim Roca Profile
Mid Cheshire Andrew Cooper Profile
Tatton Esther McVey Conservative Party 2017 Profile
MPs in Cheshire East, 2008 onwards[Note 2]
Election 2008 2010 2015 2017 2019 2024
Chester South and Eddisbury Aphra Brandreth
Congleton Ann Winterton Fiona Bruce Sarah Russell
Crewe and Nantwich Edward Timpson Laura Smith Kieran Mullan Connor Naismith
Eddisbury Stephen O'Brien Antoinette Sandbach Edward Timpson
Macclesfield Nicholas Winterton David Rutley Tim Roca
Mid Cheshire Andrew Cooper
Tatton George Osborne Esther McVey
Notes
  1. ^ 2: From the last election before the borough of Cheshire East was established.

Elections

At the last Cheshire County Council election in 2005 there were 15 Conservative controlled wards, 6 Labour controlled wards, 5 Liberal Democrat controlled wards and 1 ward controlled by an independent within the unitary authority boundaries.[9]

The first elections for Cheshire East Council took place on 1 May 2008, with the Conservative Party taking overall control. The Conservatives took 59 of the 81 seats with the others being held by the Liberal Democrats (12), Labour (6), 3 members of Middlewich First and one Independent.[10] The first leader of the authority was Wesley Fitzgerald who was elected at Cheshire East's inaugural meeting on 13 May 2008. Wesley Fitzgerald is a Councillor for the Wilmslow South ward. Having decided in February 2012 to step down, a leadership contest was triggered. Michael Jones – a relatively new councillor having been elected in the May 2011 elections – was elected as the Leader of the Conservative Group on 17 March 2012.

Cheshire East is an observer member of the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities of Greater Manchester, which borders Cheshire to the north.

Media

Television

The area is served by BBC North West and ITV Granada with television signals received from the Winter Hill TV transmitter.[11]

Radio

Radio stations for the area are:

Transport

Roads

Motorways and primary routes in the borough which are maintained by National Highways (trunk roads de jure) include the M6, M56 and the A556. Other primary routes are maintained by the council.

Major road projects

A556 Knutsford to Bowdon Improvement: A new 5-mile (8.0 km) four-lane dual-carriageway bypass of Bucklow Hill and Mere Crossroads on the A556 has been by Highways England at a cost of between £165-£221 million. The new road contains the first 'green bridge' wildlife crossing in the United Kingdom. The existing road has been narrowed to one lane in each direction and re-designated as the B5569 under the maintenance of Cheshire East Council.[12]

M6 Junctions 16-19: Smart Motorway: Highways England are preparing to convert the hard shoulder to a permanent running lane and introduce a variable speed limit along this section of the M6. The scheme is expected to cost between £192-£274 million.[13] However, in Spring 2023 the Government abandoned all plans for further Smart Motorways to be constructed following concerns regarding their safety.

Crewe Green Link Road South: A dual-carriageway extension of Crewe Green Link Road is being constructed between the A5020 and Weston Gate Roundabout on the A500 by Cheshire East Council at a cost of £26.5 million.[14]

Cheshire East Council, for multiple years now, has been investing in LEDs (light emitting diodes).

Rail

Local sites of interest

The area is home to a large number of sites of public interest:

Twin towns

The former borough of Macclesfield was twinned with Eckernförde, Germany.[32]

Congleton has been twinned with Trappes since 16 September 1962[33]

Twinning remains active in the Crewe and Nantwich area. The town of Crewe began twinning with the town of Mâcon in France in 1957. This continued when the borough of Crewe and Nantwich was formed in 1974. The borough added the town of Bischofsheim in Germany in 1991. In 2003 the administration of twinning was passed to CANTA, the Crewe and Nantwich Twinning Association, a voluntary association supported by the borough. The association immediately added Dzierżoniów in Poland as a Friendship Town. The association has received continuing support from Cheshire East after the borough became part of the new authority.[34]

References

  1. Ryan, Belinda. "Cheshire East Council leader resigns over bankruptcy risk report". BBC News.
  2. "Council and Democracy". Cheshire East Council.
  3. "Mid-Year Population Estimates, United Kingdom, June 2024". Office for National Statistics. 26 September 2025.
  4. "Mid-Year Population Estimates, United Kingdom, June 2024". Office for National Statistics. 26 September 2025.
  5. UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Cheshire East Local Authority (E06000049)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics.
  6. "The Cheshire (Structural Changes) Order 2008". Archived from the original on 17 May 2009.
  7. Green, Stewart (5 December 2024). "Historic last meeting is held at Westfields". Congleton Chronicle. p. 3.
  8. "Ward Profiles". Cheshire East Council. Archived from the original on 9 March 2013.
  9. Cheshire county council elections 2005. Deprecated link archived 7 July 2013 at archive.today Retrieved 9 August 2007.
  10. "Council and Democracy". Cheshire East Council. Archived from the original on 18 August 2010.
  11. "Full Freeview on the Winter Hill (Bolton, England) transmitter". UK Free TV. May 2004.
  12. "A556 Knutsford to Bowdon Improvement". Highways England. Archived from the original on 6 December 2015.
  13. "M6 Junctions 16-19: Smart Motorway". Highways England. Archived from the original on 13 December 2015.
  14. "Crewe Green Link Road South". Cheshire East Council Highways Service. Archived from the original on 20 December 2015.
  15. Tatton Park. Archived 29 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 1 September 2007.
  16. Tatton Estate. Archived 12 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  17. Gawsworth Hall. Archived 11 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 1 September 2007.
  18. Arley Hall and Gardens. Archived 28 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 1 September 2007.
  19. Quarry Bank Mill. Archived 7 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 1 September 2007.
  20. Capesthorne Hall. Archived 25 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 1 September 2007.
  21. Information site about Alderley Edge. Archived 9 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 1 September 2007.
  22. Wizard of Alderley information. Archived 30 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 1 September 2007.
  23. St James' and St Paul's Church, Marton information. Archived 9 May 2007 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 1 September 2007.
  24. History of Knutsford. Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine Virtual Knutsford. Retrieved 1 September 2007.
  25. Lyme Park Information. Archived 9 August 2005 at the Wayback Machine National Trust. Retrieved 1 September 2007.
  26. "Little Moreton Hall". The National Trust. Archived from the original on 4 December 2008.
  27. Revealing Cheshire's Past: Saxon places to visit, Cheshire County Council, archived from the original on 10 July 2007
  28. Historic England, "Sandbach crosses (1159937)", National Heritage List for England
  29. Revealing Cheshire's Past:Sandbach Crosses, Cheshire County Council, archived from the original on 5 March 2012
  30. Historic England, "Old Hall Hotel, Sandbach (1310849)", National Heritage List for England
  31. Don't let old hall crumble, crewe chronicle, 17 June 2008, archived from the original on 23 July 2011
  32. Details of twinning arrangements. Archived 13 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine Macclesfield Borough. Retrieved 25 September 2007.
  33. "Les jumelages" (in French). Trappes.
  34. "association". The Crewe & Nantwich Twinning Association. Archived from the original on 9 January 2014.
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