Christmas 2025
Dunham Hill lights switch on took place on Sunday 7th December 2025 and was a great success, Santa arrived to turn on the lights! Thank you for the help and support of the Village Hall Committee who provided hot drinks, mince pies and a an opportunity for small children to meet Santa in his grotto and receive a gift.
Thank you to the Boshaw Centre for their colourful display once again, another great success.
Hapsford Christmas Tree and Lights, the Parish Council wish to thank the local resident who donated the tree and those who decorated the area, it all looks fantastic.
A Merry Christmas to all the Residents of Dunham on the Hill and Hapsford from your Parish Council.
CHESHIRE WEST AND CHESTER COUNCIL
Public Rights of Way and access to farmland
Cheshire West and Chester Council have been asked to provide impartial advice on the public’s rights of access to the countryside in terms of leisure use, following the report of numerous incidents across the Borough.
The general public is permitted by law to access areas of the countryside along formal Public Rights of Way (PROW), which are categorised as Public Footpaths, Public Bridleways, Restricted Byways and Byways Open to All Traffic (BOAT’s).
Other forms of access are provided for use by the public by landholders in the form of Permissive Paths. These routes are provided by the landholder’s permission and as such the public has no rights to use them, nor do they have any formal, legal protection. These permissive routes can be withdrawn / closed at any time.
General advice on the appropriate use of PROW is as follows:
• The public have a right to pass and repass along these routes and are permitted to stop along them to enjoy a view, but not to stop for a picnic or other such activities unless express permission has been sought and received from the landholder;
• Dogs are permitted on PROW, but have no legal right to do so. They are accepted as a usual accompaniment to a user of the PROW and should be kept under close control, especially when in the vicinity of livestock. Landholders are legally permitted to shoot a dog if it is found to be worrying / chasing or attacking their livestock;
• Do not deviate or allow your dog to stray from the line of a PROW, as it is an act of trespass against the landholder, for which the individual could find themselves prosecuted privately in the courts by the landholder. You may only legally deviate from the line of a PROW to circumnavigate an obstruction that impedes your way, for example, a large puddle, and that right only permits moving directly around the obstruction;
• Keep to the PROW and other designated access routes / areas. Farmland is private property and to access it not on a PROW or other designated route / area would be an act of trespass for which you could be prosecuted in the courts;
• The “right to roam” does not cover general farmland. More information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/topic/outdoor-access-recreation/rights-of-way-open-access. Using land exempt from the “right to roam”, could again result in prosecution for trespass;
• Always consider the Countryside Code when out in the countryside
(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-countryside-code).
If you need any further advice or encounter any issues on the PROW network within Cheshire West and Chester, please report them by phoning: 0300 123 8 123, emailing:
enquiries@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk or the Council’s website at
https://eforms.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/?page_id=134 .
Richard Ankers
Public Rights of Way Officer
DUNHAM HILL AND HAPSFORD PARISH COUNCIL
Parish Councillor Vacancies
- Do you want to serve your Community?
- Do you have time or expertise which could benefit your Community?
- Do you want to make a difference to all those around you?
- Are you concerned about your local area?
The Parish Council currently have Parish Councillor vacancies and would like to fill all these places as soon as possible.
If you would like to put yourself forward as a Dunham Hill and Hapsford Parish Councillor, then please either get in touch with the Clerk to the Council clerk.dunhamhillpc@gmail.com or come along to the next meeting of the Parish Council to introduce yourself.
All meetings are open to press and public. There will be an opportunity during the meeting for members of the public to raise any parish matters of concern.
What are the Parish Council’s Responsibilities?
Basically, a Parish Council is the same as a Town or City Council, it has the same powers, responsibilities and is governed by the same legislation. However, your Parish Council has less than 700 residents, 525 electors and only has a small income. Therefore Cheshire West and Chester Council undertake most of the responsibilities on our behalf. So what are our responsibilities?
- Bus Shelters
- General spending – we can spend a limited amount of money on projects which may benefit the community.
- Recreation including planters.
- Highways – right to enter into discussions about new roads, road widening, diversions, traffic signs and tree planting
- Seats
- Litter – provision of bins and support for anti-litter campaigns (CWAC are responsible for emptying bins)
- Signs
- Traffic calming
- War memorials
We regularly seek sponsorship/grants from other sources where and if available to help to fund additional equipment/work e.g. the purchasing of SID (Speed Indicator Device) – traffic calming board.
The Parish is very active and meets every other month. Resident are welcome to attend and are allowed to raise any issues. If you wish to attend one of our meetings please contact the Parish Clerk by emailing clerk.dunhamhillpc@gmail.com.
At our meetings we raise specific issues with CWAC and seek the support of our local Councillor, Hugo Deynem.
We hope this brief synopsis helps you to understand our role and responsibilities.
Fly Tipping
Please do not drop litter in the Parish. During the first four weeks of lock-down we noticed an unprecedented amount of rubbish being illegally dumped within the Parish. It was sad to see, especially as we have made great efforts to eliminate litter and improve the area in which we live.
Spring Clean
This year we were about to embark on a Great British Spring Clean but sadly Covid-19 put a stop to this because our priority was to ensure Parishioners stayed safe and well. However, Great British September Clean (organised by Keep Britain Tidy) is to take place between 11th-27th September 2020 and we would like you to get involved. If you could pledge some time, even just 15 minutes, to either undertake your own individual clean-up or organise 5 family/friends to join in.
Please pledge to help and inspire everyone to eliminate litter now and for future generations.
Dog Fouling
It is great to see so many residents out walking and enjoying the Parish’s countryside. Sadly however a small number of dog walkers are not cleaning up after their dogs on both pavements and green spaces. This is anti social behaviour, is unacceptable and offensive. Anyone who fails to clear up after their dog can be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice so please take note.
Speed Monitoring Device
It’s official, the Parish Council now has its own Speed Indicator Device (SID) which will be used to encourage motorists to drive safely and sensibly within the Parish. In raising speed awareness, now is the time to look out for hedgehogs on the roads. Your Parish Council is investigating whether we can be a ‘Hedgehog Zone’. These animals are not used to the increase in traffic as the lockdown eases off. If they run on hearing a car they can move pretty fast but sadly they often freeze on the spot – not the best survival tactic!
Defibrillators are located:-
- Dunham on the Hill – in the old telephone box opposite the Bowshaw Centre
- Hapsford – in the old telephone box adjacent to the bus stop
- Cheshire Park Homes (off Chester Road, behind Cafe Fresh), Dunham on the Hill – Mr Wilson-King
A Special Thank you
| A big thank you to Dave and his team of helpers at Singleton House Farm & Nursery for continuing to supply plants/flowers for our village planters ensuring that they look bright and cheerful throughout the year. |
Is your Internet Slow?
Several residents have expressed an interest in looking into options to try and increase the internet speeds available across the parish. We would like to know if more people are interested in this and if it is something that you as residents would like your council to look into further. If this is something you would like us to do, please contact us via email to register your interest.
THE TROUTS OF TROUTBECK
If you have wondered why the crest of Dunham on the Hill has three trouts in the middle, Andy Jones had researched the origin:
Troutbeck, of Dunham The family seems to have originated from Westmoreland, their ancient coat of arms being three interlaced trouts. Later a wreath of trouts encircled their crest. Our story begins in 1412 when Prince Henry commissioned William Troutbeck, Chamberlain of Chester. By purchase, William became Lord of Dunham-on-the-Hill, near Helsby. Stoney Dunham, as it was called, had been held up to this time by the Earls of Arundel. In 1415 the Earl died at Agincourt and William Troutbeck came to own a third of Dunham. He too fought at Agincourt. By 1444, the whole manor of Dunham was vested in the Troutbecks. William was succeeded by his son Sir John Troutbeck, Chamberlain of Chester and Sheriff of Cheshire in 1447.
WHOSE JOB IS IT?
The Parish Council has a range of responsibilities but we do get requests from residents to deal with issues that fall under the remit of Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWAC).
CWAC are responsible for highways, including gritting, pot holds, parking restrictions and speed limits. They are also responsible for waste collection, bin emptying and recycling.
If there is something you wish to report to Cheshire West and Chester Council then you can do so by visiting their website:-
https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/residents/contact-us/report-it/report-it.aspx
MEET OUR LOCAL COUNCILLOR – HUGO DEYNEM
I have lived and worked in our Sandstone ward for many of my 54 years. I am married to Deb with three children. Currently I am working for E.ON Energy having previously run a number of small companies for myself for some 16 years.
I was first elected to represent Kelsall on the old Chester City Council in 1993 and have been pleased to serve Kelsall and Tarvin as a councillor on the new Cheshire West & Chester Borough Council since its inception in 2009.
Following re-election on to Cheshire West & Chester Borough Council in May 2019 I now sit as the ward member for our new Sandstone ward. Sandstone Ward, what is that I hear you ask ? Following the recent independent electoral review, of the warding arrangements in our Cheshire West & Chester Borough, carried out by the LGBC for England, the Commission’s final recommendations proposed that CWaC should be represented by 70 councilors, 5 fewer than the previous arrangement. As a result a new ward, Sandstone, has been created and within its boundaries has 7 Parish Councils; Alvanley, Ashton Hayes, Dunham on the Hill, Hapsford, Kingsley, Manley, Mickle Trafford & Mouldsworth it crosses 3 Parliamentary Constituencies; Eddisbury, Ellesmere Port & Neston and Weaver Vale.
My contact details are hugo.deynem@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk or you can write to me at Daisy Bank, Church Rd, Ashton Hayes, Chester CH3 8AB or call me on 07525 241433, follow me on twitter www.twitter.com/CllrHDeynem and on Facebook www.facebook.com I regularly update these social platforms with news on planning issues and other topical ward and council topics, as well as my own personal thoughts and comments.
HAVE A COMMENT TO MAKE?
Contact our Parish Clerk – Trudy Ryall-Harvey. e-mail clerk.dunhamhillpc@gmail.com or telephone 07784 486 767