In the Community

University and Community Liaison Committee

This Committee meets once a term and steers the work of the Community Liaison Manager (CLM).

The Committee is made up of University staff, Chester Students’ Union representation, Cheshire West and Chester locality and regulatory services staff, Councillors, Police and Community Safety Wardens and Local Residents’ Associations. The interests and concerns of members of the local community are represented by both their elected Councillor’s and Chairs of local residents’ associations.

Positive Engagement

The CLM attends meetings of Local Residents’ Associations and is happy, on request, to update Residents’ Associations on their work.

The CLM represents the University on:

• Purple Flag Steering Group for CH1ChesterBID, the Business Improvement District
• Outside In helping to coordinate and challenge the work of voluntary, public and business organisations by working together to end homelessness in Chester 
• Chester Community Action City Walks

The CLM works with internal partners including the Volunteering team, Wellbeing Project team, Residential Life and Facilities and Estate team to encourage positive community engagement.

This partnership working lead to the setting up of two student lead, community orientated volunteering projects in 2018.  We are very proud of all those students involved in the Chester Student Dog Walkers  and Welly Wednesday projects. 

If you have a community engagement project that you would like the CLM to help with please feel free to get in touch.

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Good Neighbours

The University recognises that it is a community with a significant part to play in the wider communities in which it is located and that its obligations to its students extend to these wider communities.  All students are, therefore, asked to abide by a student code of conduct.

Our new students receive advice about their host city before they even arrive and, once here, they will attend talks in their University accommodation on the University’s expectations of their behaviour throughout the academic year. They also receive education on sustainable travel choices and waste and recycling management.

Students moving into private sector accommodation in the city are directed to our Chester Student Community Guide.

Complaints About Student Behaviour Off Campus

The University treats complaints about student misconduct in the community very seriously and there is a process in place to address and monitor reported problems. We will formally communicate with students who are known to have behaved in an unacceptable manner. The objective is to end such behaviour and to avoid any repetition of it.

What to Do if You Are Experiencing a Problem

• In the first instance we would ask you to try to resolve the matter with the student(s). For some students this may be their first time living independently in the private sector and they may not have realised that their behaviour has affected anyone else. An effective approach with regards to noise problems is to take the students' mobile numbers and to agree that you will give them a call or text if you are disturbed in the future.
• If possible find out the name of the student(s) you wish to complain about. You may also wish to take the matter up with the landlord or letting agency.  You can find out the name and address of any landlord via the Land Registry.

If you are unable to resolve the issue with the students then the Community Liaison Manager will be happy to help.  Telephone on 01244 511023 or email community@chester.ac.uk  Your message will go directly to our Community Liaison Manager who will be in touch to discuss the problems you are having.

The University works in partnership with Cheshire West and Chester Council regulatory officers and Cheshire Constabulary.  However, it is important to remember that the University does not have legal enforcement powers in many situations and, therefore, you may wish to contact the organisation that does have more appropriate powers in the issues of:

Noise

Cheshire West and Chester Council have powers to deal with noise complaints, including Noise Abatement Notices, formal cautions, prosecution (maximum fine £5,000 for domestic cases) and in extreme cases involving loud music, confiscation of the music equipment.

You can find a guide to making a noise complaint on the Council website

Anti-Social Behaviour

You can find out more about who to call in cases of anti-social behaviour from Cheshire Constabulary’s website.  If you feel that there is an emergency please call the police on 999.

Rubbish and Waste

To report an issue related to rubbish or waste please log the problem on the Council website

Parking

The enforcement of yellow lines, time-limited parking and other parking restrictions in Cheshire is entirely the responsibility of the local authorities and their parking enforcement teams.

A vehicle causing an obstruction is one which has been parked and left unattended in such a way that it is considered to be a hazard to pedestrians or other road users. For example, a car parked on a bend in the road. This also includes blocking free passage to pedestrians and blocking access to private or public property.

If you need to contact the police because a vehicle is causing a safety hazard or an obstruction on a public road, please contact Cheshire Police on the non-emergency number, 101.

You can also report parking issues on public highways on the Council website

Purpose Built Student Accommodation Blocks

Please note that the University has no jurisdiction within private purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) provided by commercial companies. Problems with residents of purpose built student accommodation should be directed to the manager of the building concerned.