MP attacks council
over “lack of effort”
on the environment
by David Skentelbery
WARRINGTON North MP Helen Jones has attacked the borough council for failing to put enough effort into improving the environment in which local people have to live.
In a speech in Parliament, Ms Jones stressed the need for the council to improve its service and provision when it came to local neighbourhood environments.
She said: “In authorities like mine there is not enough effort put into improving the general environment in which people live. Litter, graffiti and vandalism need to be tackled quickly before an area goes downhill.
“I am sick of decent, hard-working people having their lives made a misery by a minority around them. I am sick of having people in my surgery who cannot get action on it. I am sick of passing legislation in the House which is not being used. I have seen examples of people who have waited two years to get anything done about their anti- social neighbours.
?I have seen people who have filled in nuisance neighbour diaries, which have been lost. I have seen people who had monitoring equipment installed, which failed.
“I urge the government to get tough on those who refuse to act on anti-social behaviour. My constituents are fed up with people having tea and biscuits and discussing the Respect Agenda. What they want is the people who make their lives a misery to be removed from their estates.
?They would like their lives back. So let us send in the Respect Squad if we must, but let us penalise local authorities or registered landlords which do not act because my constituents cannot wait any longer for them to act.”
Turning to education the MP urged government to ensure skills and retraining for older people were priorities, as well as provision for children and college students.
She focused on the need to extend policies aimed at increasing participation in all forms of learning and said that education must reach out to those who would ?never go through the doors of a college.”
Education should equip people to earn their own living but also how to behave, to learn and to live in a society that encapsulated respect for its values, she said.
?There are things that money cannot buy, such as respect for other people, a commitment to the service of others, the ability to discuss the great issues of the day, the ability to use leisure. There are the values which we as adults pass on to young people.
?If young people do not understand the value of learning, we are to blame. We are the adults and we must ask why, for instance, some of our young people see as the only use of leisure as going shopping or getting so drunk they fall down in the street.
?Why, in an information age, have we neglected to teach our young people sufficiently how to sort good information from bad and how to deal with the huge amount of information that comes over the internet.
“The passing on of those values is a job that our schools must undertake, and they must ensure that we engage our young people actively in their communities through the government’s youth strategy and through their plans for extended schools. Citizenship should be active, but it cannot be fact-free or value-free.
“To build strong, good communities we must start with young people. We must get them engaged and active and we should recognise that most young people are decent, hard-working youngsters. Very often we speak about the bad in young people.
The majority of our young people are not like that. We need to say so and nurture the good, positive qualities in our youngsters. That is our job as adults, and if we fail in it, we will be failing for the future.”
Four youths arrested
after attack on video man
by staff reporter
FOUR youths have been arrested at Warrington in connection with an alleged attack on a man who had filmed a gang of thugs wrecking his garden fence.
The youths ? all juveniles ? were held in custody overnight and are being questioned by police today.
They are three 15-year-olds from Penketh, Winwick and Wrexham and a 14-year-old from Orford.
Fifty-five-year-old Robert Anderson, of Culcheth near Warrington was attacked after a gang of youths spotted him filming them with his video camera as they vandalised his garden fence.
He was punched in the face, suffering a cut to his mouth.
It was the last in a series of incidents suffered by Mr Anderson and his wife, Shona over a period of 10 days.
On previous occasions, troublesome youths had thrown stones and eggs at their house.
Police are still investigating the incidents and anyone who can help is asked to call PC Paul Fairhurst on 01244 612622.
Award for pupils who
offer a helping hand
by John Hendon
A WARRINGTON project which offers children a helping hand as they face up to the challenge of switching from primary school to secondary education has won a prestigious national award.
The Healthy Schools Transition and Peer Mentoring Project (TPMP) based at William Beamont High School has gained the title ?Approved Provider Standard for Good Practice? from the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation, a national body that advocates mentoring and support.
The project has achieved accreditation for its excellence at providing a Peer Mentoring scheme.
TPMP is a scheme that has been successfully running in Warrington for more than three years. It assists children in making the transition from primary to secondary by providing guidance and support from ?peer mentors? in Year Eight.
The peer mentors run regular workshops with Year Six pupils who would benefit from extra support during the transition phase. The mentors receive special training in preparation for these sessions, where they learn communication skills, how to boost confidence and how to offer help if needed.
The support network is then continued as the pupils move up a year, with Year Nines providing a ?buddy? scheme for Year Sevens, with drop-in sessions, after-school clubs and classroom visits. Once in Year Ten, the peer mentors then take on additional responsibilities such as reading and curriculum support.
Evaluation has shown that the pupils, both mentors and recipients alike, have experienced raised standards of attendance and attainment. Most of all, the programme has developed their confidence and maturity.
As well as the award, the scheme has attracted recognition and interest from the DfES and the Department of Health, it has been included in a white paper, currently going through Parliament.
Kim Singleton, project manager for TPMP, said: “I’m delighted that we have been recognised nationally and this new award is a real testament to how successful the scheme has been.
“It is now a massive part of school life at William Beamont. The peer mentors often run activities during their free time, so it shows how much they enjoy and value it, as the children who they are helping do too.
Pupils who were initially mentored when vulnerable in Year 6 have now become mentors themselves. We would like to extend the programme to more school across the borough, as the benefits of transition support is really too good to keep to ourselves!”
For more information on TPMP, contact Kim Singleton at [email protected] or on 01925 579500 ext.56.
Euro MP calls for
lower drink-driving limit
by staff reporter
WARRINGTON-based Euro MP Brian Simpson has called for a reduction in drink driving limits as part of a European Union Road Safety Plan.
Speaking at the Parliament’s Transport Committee in Brussels Mr Simpson (pictured)supported moves to bring in a level of 0.5 across the EU and 0.2 for inexperienced younger drivers under 24 with less than two years experience.
He said: “I appreciate this move may be controversial, but the fact is that there is an increase in drink driving incidents in both the UK and across Europe and some
thing needs to be done.
?The UK level of 0.8 is the highest in Europe and was set 30 years ago. It is about time this level was reduced.?
Many members of the European Parliament wanted lower limits, including the zero option, but Mr Simpson pointed out that this would be difficult to enforce.
“To have zero alcohol blood levels is impossible to enforce. One drink of some medicines and you would go over the limit, which is why my solution of 0.5 is not only reasonable, but also enforceable,? he said.
Other ideas contained in the Road Safety report include compulsory daytime running lights on cars, which Mr Simpson opposes, compulsory seat belts on buses and coaches and for a study to be set up to examine the issue of driver fatigue.
The European Parliament’s view will now go back to the Council of Ministers and the European Commission for their opinion.
Power walk will help
provide drinking water
by David Skentelbery
A POWER walk to be held at Culcheth, near Warrington in February to raise money to provide safe drinking water and sanitation for some of the poorest people in Africa, Asia and the Pacific region.
About 100 people will be taking part in the walk which will start from the Harrow public house at 12 noon on Sunday, February 18.
The event is in aid of WaterAid which, since it was set up in 1981, has helped more than 9.5 million people and now works in 17 of the world?s poorest countries.
Those taking part will be able to do a half marathon (13.1 miles) or an 8.5 mile power walk.
It is estimated that more than one billion people worldwide have no access to clean water. More than two and a half billion have no access to sanitation. Every 15 seconds a child dies from water related diseases.
The power walk will symbolise the lengthy walk that many women have to make to get clean water for their family ? sometimes through the night.
Organiser Amy Driver said: ?We are hoping to raise ?3000. It costs ?15 to provide one person with clean water, sanitation and hygiene education, so this event would help 200 people out of the cycle of poverty.?
Anyone who wants to take part should contact Amy Driver on 01925 766550 or email [email protected] or visit www.angeld.f2s.com/walkforwater. Places are limited.
New development
chief appointed
by business staff
WARRINGTON-based Martin Dawes Systems – an international provider of billing, customer care and revenue assurance solutions for the communications market – has announced the appointment of Pete Taberham as head of development.
He will lead the development of the company?s software solutions and work closely with the newly promoted team of Tony Wilson, chief operating officer, and Gary Steen, product strategy director.
Mr Taberham joins Martin Dawes Systems from Onetel, the telecommunications arm for Centrica, where he was head of business systems from 2000.
At Onetel, he was responsible for several key programmes including delivery of a replacement billing and CRM system resulting in a saving of ?12.5m per annum.
He also led the system consolidation programme to bring Onetel, British Gas Communications and Centrica Business Services together.
Prior to this Mr Taberham worked for Martin Dawes Telecommunications from 1988 to 2000.
He said, ?When the opportunity to rejoin Martin Dawes Systems came up I was happy to put myself forward. I gained much of my industry knowledge with the company and having widened my experience at Onetel I am confident in taking on this important role. My aim is to drive delivery of our products and customers? requirements, and build on the company?s success in bringing dynamic, high quality solutions to the rapidly developing communications industry.?
