Grandson rescues woman
from smoke-filled house
by David Skentelbery
AN elderly woman was rescued from her smoke-filled house by her grandson in the early hours of today.
The blaze was at a house in Wilton Lane, Culcheth near Warrington and the 18-year-old man used a ladder to rescue his grandmother from a bedroom window.
She had been aroused by a smoke alarm which was also heard by her neighbours ? her son, daughter-in-law and grandson.
The serious fire broke out in the lounge where furniture and fittings were badly damaged. Smoke also caused extensive damage throughout rest of the property.
After the grandson had placed a ladder up to the bedroom window, the elderly woman managed to climb out onto a ledge before being assisted down the ladder.
Fire crews arrived on the scene shortly afterwards and tackled the blaze.
A spokesman for Birchwood Fire Station said: ?This lady was extremely fortunate to escape unhurt, thanks to the actions of her family but also thanks to the smoke alarm. If no alarm had been fitted, the consequences could have been extremely serious.
?We would advise anyone who hasn?t got a smoke alarm fitted to get one immediately. We are prepared to supply and fit them free of charge?
Housing support for
vulnerable only “fair”
by David Skentelbery
A REPORT by the Audit Commission has rated Warrington?s ?7.7 million housing support programme for the vulnerable only as ?fair.? Council chiefs have expressed disappointment at the finding ? but point out that the authority has been subjected to a ?harder test? than previously because higher standards are expected as the programme matures.
They also stress that the Commission says the service has promising prospects for improvement.
On a scale of zero to three stars, the Commission, in partnership with inspectors from HM Inspectorate of Probation and Commission for Social Care Inspection, gave the council a one star ‘fair’ rating.
Paul Clarke, lead housing inspector at the Audit Commission, said: ?Warrington is making fair progress in its delivery of the supporting people programme. The council has completed an effective review of services, identifying improvements to raise the standard of services.
?It has also implemented a framework to scrutinise costs and eligibility, resulting in savings which have been reinvested in additional services to extend the capacity of the programme. ? Mr Clarke said there were some areas requiring further development, particularly the involvement of service users, carers and advocates and a consistency of attendance at governance meetings of all stakeholders.
Inspectors made a number of recommendations. These included:
Improving arrangements to involve carers, advocates and service users in the programme.
Encouraging consistent attendance at governance meetings of all stakeholders.
Assessing outcomes of the Supporting People programme, particularly for service users.
The upgrading of IT services to reflect the needs of the service.
Warrington received a Supporting People grant of ?7,745,015, for 2005/06 to meet the cost of its housing related support services. These include supported housing for older people, teenage parents and women fleeing domestic violence. In addition the council receives ?137,886 to pay for the costs of administering the Supporting People Programme – the government’s funding and planning regime for the local delivery of housing-related support services to a wide range of vulnerable people.
The council’s Community Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee will consider the Commission’s report tomorrow (Tuesday).
Copies of the report are available from Warrington Borough Council or from the Audit Commission website at www.audit-commission.gov.uk/reports
Students ready for
trip of a lifetime
by staff reporter
STUDENTS at Warrington?s Priestley College are set to make their dreams come true when they leave on the trip of a lifetime to Kenya.
After two years of meticulous planning the 33 strong group will follow in the footsteps of former Priestley students and become the latest visitors to the country in an initiative that has now been in existence for over 10 years.
The primary destination for the group is the East African Rift Valley where the students will complete a range of coursework and cultural exercises.
However this year’s trip is even more special as the students will be able to see just what an impact “The Runo School Appeal” project has had on the local community.
Following a string of fund raising initiatives more than ?4,000 has already been sent to the country in order to build a new school and also raise the general standards of living in Runo.
Among the events that have taken place since the college last visited in 2005 is the remarkable story of Cheshire fire fighter Les Spencer who climbed Kilimanjaro for the appeal and raised more than ?600 for the cause.
Newton and District Jubilee Rotary Club also pledged their financial support and student initiatives such as the one by Sarah Dodd, who went swimming with sharks have all contributed to the fund raising.
Initial feedback received by the College from Kenya has already been rewarding as an initial school building is now in place while benches and tables have been hand carved by local tribesmen and new teaching staff employed all thanks to the appeal.
Students also hope to bring further cheer to the children of the village when they arrive with a range of practical gifts that even include basics such as pens, paper and games.
The students leave Priestley on February 3 and return to the UK on February 13 with expedition leader Bev Whittaker, keen to highlight the benefits to all concerned.
She said: ?The nature of this culturally enhancing project will be of real benefit to our students, many of who are yet to leave the country, let alone visit somewhere as remote as Runo in Kenya.
“We have been blown away by the amount of support and the momentum that the Runo School Appeal gathered and thank everybody who was able to contribute. I for one cannot wait to gauge the reaction of the local community when we arrive at our destination.”
Charity wins contract
to train health workers
by John Hendon
WARRINGTON-based charity The Relationships Centre, which provides services to those affected by unhealthy relationships, has been awarded a 12 month training contract with North Cheshire Hospitals.
The charity will deliver awareness training in domestic abuse throughout this year ? using a specially developed training package for health staff.
Nikki Richardson, named nurse and midwife, Safeguarding Children, North Cheshire Hospitals said: ?We are pleased to be able to commission The Relationship Centre to deliver awareness training in Domestic Abuse during 2007.
?A package of training was developed to meet the needs of health staff by The Relationship Centre. It has raised awareness of the impact and effects of domestic abuse which enables staff to screen more confidently for domestic abuse and be more proactive when there is a disclosure.
?Since the training began staff have reported that they feel more confident in approaching the issue with patients when in the past they have not felt equipped.
?The training has coincided with the development of a pathway to make appropriate referrals, risk assess and give advice and support to victims at the point of disclosure or screening.”
Relationships Centre spokeswoman Lucy Hindmarch said: “With 30 per cent of domestic violence starting when a woman becomes pregnant, and domestic violence being identified as a prime cause of miscarriage, still birth or even maternal deaths during childbirth, health professionals play an important role. We are delighted to be working with North Cheshire Hosp
itals.”
Works units
hit by fire
by David Skentelbery
FOUR industrial units at Risley, near Warrington were hit by fire during the night.
The blaze broke out in one unit and spread to three adjoining properties in Ravenhurst Court.
Fire crews had to use breaking-in tools to tackle the blaze, using hosereels and breathing apparatus.
Two fire engines from Birchwood and Warrington were involved in the operation.
The cause of the outbreak is under investigation by fire service experts and the police.
Council team kept
busy after storm
by John Hendon
BIRCHWOOD Town Council?s maintenance team has been kept busy clearing up debris across the area following the severe storm of January 18.
The council was blitzed with calls for help and advice regarding damaged property and fallen trees.
During the storm itself, normal duties were suspended while the team braved the high winds, patrolling Birchwood?s footpaths, to clear debris, large branches and the smaller toppled trees.
The following day was ?all hands on deck? as the clerk worked alongside the maintenance team, cutting up and removing fallen trees including a particularly large tree that had come down in the play area at the back of Locking Stumps Primary School, one on Copperfield Close and two at the back of Dove Close.
Since then the team has continued to clear many smaller trees, large branches and a lot of excess waste that was blown about the area during the storm.
A Town Council spokesman said: ?We know the Borough Council had hundreds of reports of fallen trees throughout Warrington, so our maintenance team is clearing what it can in Birchwood. There are some tasks that the team does not have the training or the equipment to undertake, but we have assisted with the clean up operation wherever possible.?
MP’s welcome for
“media city” move
by John Hendon
WARRINGTON South MP Helen Southworth has welcomed the BBC?s decision to move production of many of its services from London to the North West ? and believes the move could benefit Warrington.
The move to mediacity:UK, a new creative media hub based in Salford Quays which already houses the Lowry and the Imperial War Museum North, is good news not just for the North West but also for Warrington, she says.
The move will provide licence fee payers with improved value for money and will create thousands of new jobs and add ?170 million to the regional economy.
Mrs Southworth (pictured)said: ?I am delighted the BBC has given the go-ahead to move some key departments to mediacity in Salford.
?This marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for broadcasting in the North West and, with up to 10,000 jobs being created, could offer many new opportunities to the people of Warrington. Local people are producing very innovative and creative ideas, and we can make a huge contribution to new media development .
?The media city project will open up lots of job opportunities locally. I have been working hard with the media city team to get this decision from the BBC, and I am very pleased by the announcement.?
New help line to deal
with consumer advice
by Mark Hemmings
A NEW telephone help line has been launched to help cope with the increasing number of calls from people seeking consumer advice at Warrington.
Consumer Direct is a government backed initiative ? and should make it easier for Warrington residents to get advice.
Currently, Warrington Trading Standards deal with more than 7000 enquiries a year. But increasing demand for the service has made it harder for residents to get the advice and assistance they needed in busy periods.
A highly trained team of advisers at Consumer Direct handles all complaints about consumer issues, while urgent matters and more complex cases on doorstep crime, underage sales and public safety are referred directly to Warrington Trading Standards.
Vulnerable consumers will continue to receive the same high level of protection as before.
Coun Roy Smith, Warrington Borough Council?s executive member for Community Services, said: “There is growing demand from the public for consumer advice, and research has shown that even a national award winning Trading Standards service like ours, at certain times, can occasionally find it difficult to keep up with the demand and offer the level of service Warrington residents have come to expect.
“By using Consumer Direct as the first contact for consumers, our staff will be freed up to tackle the more serious problems of consumer fraud, rogue traders and doorstep criminals.”
Consumer Direct can be contacted on 08454 04 05 06 People who call the existing Trading Standards consumer helpline will be put through to Consumer Direct at no extra cost. The number for textphone/minicom users is 08451 28 13 84.
Consumer Direct North West opening times are Monday to Friday 8am to 6.30 pm and 9am to 1 pm on Saturdays, excluding bank holidays and public holidays.
