Town Hall scoops ?1.6m
to make borough safer
by David Skentelbery
TOWN Hall chiefs at Warrington have campaigned for and secured ?1.6 million government funding to help make communities across the borough safer and stronger.
The Bewsey, Dallam, Longford and Greater Blackbrook and Grasmere and Greenwood areas of Warrington are set to benefit from the cash boost, which will be spread over four years.
Under a government initiative called the Safer and Stronger Communities Fund, the cash is being made available to try a new approach to co-ordinating existing services that tackle things such as fear of crime and antisocial behaviour, keeping areas clean and pleasant to live in, increasing educational, qualifications and skills and improving health.
As a result of the Council’s success, there will be more people on the ground in these communities, listening to what local residents and businesses think and coordinating their work better so that they can be more effective – and the Council will be working with other agencies and services including police, health, housing and voluntary and community groups to deliver these initiatives.
Coun Mike Hannon, executive member for Safer Communities, said: “This is a great step forward for us and the communities involved. Our success in securing the funding from the government highlights our commitment to helping to further improve and make a difference to communities across Warrington.
“A very important part of success will be involving people living and working in the agreed area in making decisions about what needs to be done and what is most important. This is just one of the initiatives being introduced to help the council achieve its aim of making communities safer and stronger for the benefit of everyone.”
Following on from the success of this pilot, it is anticipated that similar schemes will be developed across the borough in the future.
Back to basics
for dancer Vicky
by Mark Hemmings
IT’s back to the daily routine of classes for dance student Vicky Burrows after three months of mixing with the stars.
The 19-year-old is again under the watchful eye of her teachers at the Hammond School of Dance after working with Coronation Street’s Lucy Jo Hudson – “Killer Katie” – and comedienne Faith Brown in the pantomime Cinderella at The Lowry.
Vicky, from Great Sankey, Warrington is in her second year at the Chester dance school and won a place in the cast of Cinderella after a tough audition.
She said: “There were only four female places available to us at Hammond, so it was always going to be a tough audition. Thankfully I impressed the production team enough to be selected.”
Vicky was made to feel at ease very quickly.
“All the cast introduce themselves to each other on the first day. Lucy Jo and Faith made me feel really welcome and I soon felt part of the team.”
Vicky has a final year to complete at dance college but has already shown she has what it takes to be a success having worked professionally on the stage of Liverpool’s Neptune Theatre in 2002 and The Lowry in 2003.
A former pupil of the Felicia Burns School of Dance, Warrington, Vicky has been dreaming of a stage career since she was six and would love to one day appear in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s smash hit musical CATS.
“I know a career as a dancer and singer will take a lot of hard work, but the experience I have had so far has been brilliant for me,” she said.
Police probe
sex trade
by Lesley Wilkinson
POLICE in Warrington are taking part in a high-profile operation to tackle the trafficking and sexual exploitation of women and children by gangs of organised criminals.
Cheshire Police are urging people in Warrington to help them establish the extent of the problem in the area as part of the national Operation Pentameter.
They say women and children originally from Eastern European countries including Lithuania, Romania, Estonia and Poland, are most at risk to being exploited and lured into the sex trade.
Often they are enticed to the UK under the guise of a respectable-sounding job in childcare or as a waitress, only to discover upon arrival that they are sold into sexual exploitation or other forms of slave labour and their passport is taken away from them.
Officers say the crime is often hidden by a veil of secrecy and so they are seeking the public’s help.
They would like to hear from victims or witnesses in a bid to build up a profile of the crime in Cheshire.
Police are asking anyone who may have any information to contact the Crimestoppers helpline, 0800 555111, where they can leave details for an officer to call them back, or leave information anonymously if they if they are concerned about being identified.
Safer parking plan
outside busy shop
by David Skentelbery
PLANS have been revealed to end parking problems outside the busy Co-op Late Shop in Knutsford Road, Grappenhall, near Warrington.
Borough highways chiefs have drawn up proposals to provide road markings and bollards to show a safe parking area on the road outside the shop and also introduce parking spaces on the wide pavement, with lowered kerbs to provide access.
But double yellow lines will be painted on the opposite side of Knutsford Road to prevent people parking and crossing the road on foot.
Coun Mike Biggin, of Grappenhall and Thelwall Parish Council, said: “The parish council has been lobbying the borough for a long time over this.
“It has been a major concern because it is an extremely popular shop and the number of cars parking outside frequently cause a hazardous situation.
“People have been parking on the pavement for years so this plan will regularise what is already happened and, by improving the junction with Georges Crescent it will make it much safer.”
Students take in
the sights of Paris
by John Hendon
TWO sets of students from different departments at Warrington?s Priestley College have been enjoying the late winter in Paris.
Seventy youngsters left college in search of adding some Parisian flavour to their lives.
More than 40 were from the Early Years, Health and Social Care department And took part in a new form of study experience held at the Disney Resort in Paris.
Meanwhile a further 26 Travel and Tourism students also visited Disneyland for a three day residential course in which the group attended seminars and also learned about the business side of the resort’s operation.
It wasn’t all work and no play however as the students were also able to meet up with their favourite Disney characters, enjoy the rides and also pay a visit to the centre of Paris and enjoy the time honoured tourist tradition of going up the Eiffel Tower.
Bev Whittaker, curriculum manager for the Early Years, Health and Social Care department said: “The students will benefit from the study experience greatly having expanded their understanding of the curriculum specification and curriculum based assignments.
“The students and staff really enjoyed the trip and look forward to a return visit next year.”
Picture shows students at the top of the Eiffel Tower.
Elderly man saved
from house blaze
by staff reporter
AN elderly man was rescued from a blazing house at Warrington.
The blaze was at a house in Sycamore Crescent, Hollins Green and the ground floor was engulfed in flames by the time fire engines reached the scene.
Flames spread quickly to the upper floor and three fire engines were eventually involved in the operation.
The occupant was taken to hospital by ambulance suffering from the effects of smoke. But he was not seriously hurt.
Four charged after
early morning arrest
by staff reporter
FOUR Liverpool men are due to appear before Warrington Magistrates Court on Tuesday February 28 after being arr
ested in Grappenhall.
The men, who are all in there twenties and from the Wavertree and Toxteth areas of Liverpool, are charged with going equipped to steal.
They were arrested on suspicion of going equipped to steal by targeted patrol team officers in Grappenhall at 3.00am on Monday, February 20.
They were charged later the same day.
All four have been released on conditional bail on condition they not enter Cheshire until the date of the next hearing and they observe a curfew in place between 10pm and 7am.
