Cllr Graham Gowland

08/06/2026

Know a young person looking for a real leadership challenge?

I was in the University Officers’ Training Corps at uni and it was a great experience. The confidence, teamwork and leadership skills have stayed with me — and I use them every day as your councillor.

If you want that kind of challenge, check out the Army Officer Internship 👇

What you get:
• 6-18 months with a regular Army unit, leading a team of up to 30 soldiers
• World-class training at Sandhurst — the same as full-time Officers
• Paid throughout — around £23,000 pa
• Sport, adventurous training & exercises. No operational deployments
• You can do it before, during or after uni 

Who it’s for:
Aged 17 years 10 months to 28, with a firm uni place or graduated in the last 2 years. Need 72 UCAS points and to pass a basic fitness test 

It’s not a long-term commitment, but it sets you up for life. For me, OTC was the first step. This internship takes it further.

Apply any time:
jobs.army.mod.uk

Parents, teachers, youth workers in Warrington — if you want to know more about what I got from OTC and how this could help a young person you know, always happy to chat.

Considering joining the Army? Explore our career centres and hundreds of various Army roles. Find your ideal job and start your application today.

04/06/2026

⚠️ Upcoming Roadworks – A56 Church Road (Night Closures)
I wanted to let residents know about some important highway maintenance works scheduled for A56 Church Road (between Elm Tree Road and Rectory Lane).

🛠 When?
Starting 29 June 2026, for up to 8 weeks
⏰ Working hours: 7:00pm – 1:00am (night-time closures)

🚧 What to expect:

Full closure of Church Road and side roads during working hours
Work is being carried out at night to minimise daytime disruption
Footway improvements will also take place:

From the zebra crossing by the dam to the bus stop (north side)
From the zebra crossing by the dam to Crouchley Lane (south side)

Some daytime works (9:30am–3:30pm) with temporary traffic signals may also be needed

💧 Additional works:
United Utilities will be carrying out investigation and maintenance work near the dam while the closures are in place.
📢 More information:

Advance signs will be put out before works begin
Letters will be sent to nearby residents and businesses
Updates will be available here:
👉 www.warrington.gov.uk/roadworks

I appreciate this will cause some disruption, but these works are essential to maintain the condition and safety of the road. Please plan journeys accordingly during this period.

If you have concerns or questions, feel free to get in touch.

03/06/2026

On trust, policing, and why lived experience matters - everywhere

Sentencing was passed on Monday on the murder of Henry Nowak in Southampton.

Henry was 18. The judge was clear: he was unarmed, walking home alone. He didn’t attack anyone. Yet he was arrested and handcuffed at the scene because police were given false information.

The officer who realised the truth immediately began CPR.

The judge also said this case has stirred racial tension and left many Sikhs worried for their safety through no fault of their own.

I’m raising this not because it happened in Warrington, but because the lessons don’t stop at city boundaries. Trust in policing isn’t automatic.

Last week I spoke with a Warrington officer about a local resident who finds it hard to engage with police. He told me that, where he grew up, people didn’t go to the police for help. That experience still shapes him now.

When I explained this, I caught myself. I didn’t want to sound like I was making assumptions about his background. We talked it through. The point isn’t nationality. It’s that individuals carry lived experience with them.

For some, a uniform means safety. For others, it means fear. And for officers, the information they get in a split second shapes everything. When lies enter that chain, as they did in Southampton, everyone suffers.

As a Warrington councillor, my job is to bridge those gaps here. To make sure officers understand the barriers some of our residents face, and to make sure every resident feels safe enough to speak up. Policing by consent only works if that trust is built.

We owe it to Henry’s family to learn from what happened. And we owe it to our own communities to get this right in Warrington.

If you’re a resident or an officer with thoughts on how we do this better locally, I’m listening.

02/06/2026

Update for Local Landlords: Important Action Required on the Renters’ Rights Act

As your local councillor, I want to make sure all private landlords in our community are aware of a critical regulatory change that recently took effect.

The Government has introduced a mandatory requirement under the Renters’ Rights Act. Most private landlords and letting agents were required to issue an official Government Information Sheet to their tenants by 31 May 2026.

If you have not done this yet, it is vital that you act immediately. Failing to provide this document can result in local council enforcement action and a fine of up to £7,000.

What you need to do right now:
Download the exact document: You must download the official PDF directly from the government website. Sending an outdated version or a different document will not count.

Serve it correctly: You must provide the document either as a printed hard copy (handed over or posted) or as an electronic PDF attachment via email or text. Crucially, simply texting or emailing a web link to the tenant is not legally valid.

Ensure everyone gets a copy: If there are multiple tenants named on the tenancy agreement, every single person must receive their own copy.

Letting Agents: If you use a management agent, they must ensure this is sent, but the legal responsibility ultimately rests with the property owner.

Are there any exceptions?

You do not need to issue this to lodgers.

Furthermore, if you served a valid Section 21 or Section 8 notice to your tenant before 1 May 2026, you have a slight extension: you must provide the information sheet within one month of that notice expiring or the court proceedings concluding (if possession wasn't granted and a periodic tenancy continues).

The legislation does not require you to rewrite your existing tenancy agreements, but providing this sheet is a strict legal necessity to ensure your tenants understand how the new Act changes their rights.

Official Links & Resources
Please use the following links to download the sheet and review the official guidance:

View the Guidance and Download the Sheet: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-renters-rights-act-information-sheet-2026

Direct PDF Link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69bc04b8f7b1c24d8e23ce60/The_Renters__Rights_Act_Information_Sheet_2026.pdf

Please share this with any other landlords or property managers in the area so we can ensure everyone in our community remains compliant and avoids these severe penalties. If you have any questions about how the council handles these regulations locally, please feel free to reach out to my office

01/06/2026

🏛️ Cabinet Meeting Next Week – What’s Coming Up

Next week’s Cabinet meeting covers a number of important issues that will affect residents across Warrington, including here in Lymm South.

Here are some of the key items I’ll be keeping a close eye on:

🏠 Major Changes for Renters
Cabinet will receive a briefing on the new Renters Rights Act. This includes the end of “no fault” evictions and stronger protections for tenants. While this is a big shift in the right direction, it will also place more pressure on council enforcement – something I’ll be watching carefully.

🏘️ Controls on HMOs (Shared Housing)
New planning rules are proposed to better manage the spread of HMOs across the borough. Many residents have raised concerns about overconcentration, parking and impact on communities – so it’s important we get this right.

🏗️ Local Investment Projects
There are decisions on regeneration funding, including improvements to community facilities. Some of these schemes have been scaled back due to rising costs, so scrutiny of value and delivery is key.

📉 Council Finances & Governance
The reports also highlight the scale of the challenge facing the Council following external scrutiny of its finances and decision-making. This includes concerns about governance and the need for much stronger transparency and oversight.

Getting this right is essential — both to rebuild trust and to protect services in the long term.

📊 Council Performance & Priorities
We’ll also see the latest performance report and updates on how the Council is doing – and where improvements are needed.

My Local focus
As your Independent councillor for Lymm South, I’ll be focused on:

Making sure decisions represent value for money
Ensuring proper scrutiny and transparency
Protecting the interests of our local communities

Cllr Graham Gowland
Independent – Lymm South ✅

31/05/2026

If you’re planning to get out on a kayak, canoe or paddleboard this summer, here’s a simple step that could make a real difference in an emergency.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is offering free waterproof identification labels for paddlesport equipment.

If a canoe, kayak or paddleboard is found drifting in the water with no owner in sight, emergency services may have no way of knowing whether someone is in danger. That can trigger a major search and rescue operation.

Adding a waterproof ID label with your contact details allows rescuers to quickly establish whether there’s an emergency or whether the equipment has simply become separated from its owner.

The labels are free, take just a few minutes to apply, and could save hours of uncertainty for both emergency services and your family.

You can order yours here:
https://mca-ws.apsmos.com/ViewProduct.html?sp=Swaterprooflabels

Please share this with anyone who enjoys paddlesports. A small label could make a big difference.

Stay safe and look out for each other.

27/05/2026

A heartbreaking reminder about water safety this summer

I was deeply saddened to hear that police recovered a body from Pickmere Lake yesterday, believed to be that of a 17-year-old boy who went missing in the water on Tuesday, May 26 around 4.50pm. My thoughts are with his family and friends at this devastating time.

Cheshire Police, the fire service, the police helicopter, and the specialist Underwater Search Team carried out an extensive search after he was last seen in the water.

Locally, we’re surrounded by water – the Bridgewater Canal, River Mersey, River Bollin, Lymm Dam and other open water spots. They look beautiful, especially in warm weather, but they’re not safe for swimming.

Open water is dangerously unpredictable. Cold water shock can incapacitate even strong swimmers in under 60 seconds. Canals have steep banks and hidden debris. Rivers have strong undercurrents. Dams and lakes have sudden deep drops and weeds that can trap swimmers. There are no lifeguards.
Please, can I ask all parents, carers and young people:

• Talk about the risks – Canals, rivers, Lymm Dam and Pickmere Lake are not safe for swimming. If you choose to swim, take sensible precautions https://rnli.org/safety/choose-your-activity/open-water-swimming/top-tips-open-water-swimming-for-beginners

• Choose supervised venues – Local leisure centres have trained staff and safe water.

• In an emergency: Call 999 and ask for Fire & Rescue. Don’t go in after someone – call, tell, throw.

• Stay on the path – Canal and river banks can crumble. Keep dogs on leads near water.

One tragedy is one too many for our community.

Let’s look out for each other this summer.

For advice: Royal Life Saving Society UK and Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service “Be Water Aware” campaign.

https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/26151235.familys-touching-tribute-teen-died-pickmere-lake

27/05/2026

🚨 LYMM SOUTH — HAVE YOUR SAY ON WARRINGTON’S NEW LOCAL PLAN 🚨
Deadline: 5pm, Sunday 1 June 2026

Warrington Council is writing a brand new Local Plan. This decides where new houses get built for the next 15+ years — including whether Green Belt around Lymm is protected.

If we don’t speak up now, decisions get made ABOUT Lymm, not WITH Lymm.

HOW TO RESPOND — TAKES 10 MINS
1. Go to: https://www.warrington.gov.uk/update-warringtons-local-plan
2. Click “Local Plan Update Scoping Consultation”
3. Answer online or email: [email protected]
4. Subject line: “Lymm Response”

Paper copies at Lymm Library.

WHAT I’VE ASKED FOR ON YOUR BEHALF

1. ROADS FIT FOR PURPOSE BEFORE MORE HOUSES
No new estates approved until our highways, ship canal crossings and toll bridge bottlenecks are fixed. Developers pay for upgrades BEFORE homes are lived in.

2. YOUTH + GP FACILITIES, NOT JUST PROMISES
Lymm South has 19.5% children but no proper youth centre. 23.6% are 65+ and our GP is full. I’ve demanded land + money for a new youth hub and expanded primary care, with legal guarantees they’re built and staffed.

3. GREEN BELT PROTECTION + GOLDEN RULES FOR GREY BELT
New Govt rules created “Grey Belt”. I’ve told WBC they cannot touch it unless:
- It passes a full Green Belt test
- It delivers 50% affordable housing
- Infrastructure is secured first: roads, schools, GPs
No infrastructure = no development. That’s national law now.

4. RIGHT HOMES, NOT JUST MORE HOMES
Lymm’s 2025 Housing Need Assessment shows we need affordable 1-2 bed homes and bungalows for downsizers, not more 4-5 bed executive houses. I’ve demanded WBC enforces this.

5. PROPER CONSULTATION FOR EVERYONE
23.6% of Lymm South is 65+. Digital-only surveys exclude people. I’ve insisted WBC runs physical drop-ins in village halls, posts letters to affected homes, and publishes a “You Said, We Did” report.

WHY THIS MATTERS NOW
WBC says without a new plan we get “unplanned development”. The new NPPF also says we can refuse development if infrastructure isn’t delivered. My response gives WBC legal grounds to say NO to speculative Green Belt applications.

But it only works if you respond too. Inspectors count how many residents back these points.

Please respond by 1 June. Even 3 sentences help:
“I support an infrastructure-first Local Plan”
“Protect Lymm’s Green Belt unless Golden Rules are met”
“We need youth facilities and GP capacity before more houses”

Questions? Comment below

Cllr Graham Gowland
Lymm South Ward
May 2026

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21/05/2026

Can I suggest if you have a view on this (I certainly do!), you record it here from the 27th www.rushgreenroad.consultationonline.co.uk

I will obviously share links to any official application, but in the interim, any responses to this consultation must be presented as part of the proposal, so get your views in - Yes, the proper planning application consultation is also important, but so is this.

And to add - it's in Lymm North & Thelwall, so not my ward - but I was fairly sure you'd want to know about it.