Planners reject shops
scheme a second time
by David Skentelbery
A CONTROVERSIAL plan to build shops and flats in a two-storey block overlooking historic Lymm Cross has been thrown out by Warrington?s planning bosses.
It is the second time the borough?s development control committee has rejected plans for redevelopment of the site of a detached house at the junction of Pepper Street and Rectory Lane, Lymm.
The earlier scheme involved a three-storey building and is now the subject of an appeal to be heard at a forthcoming public inquiry.
Although objectors acknowledged the new plan was not as bad as the earlier one, they still believed it unacceptable for such a sensitive site.
Coun Ian Marks told the committee he accepted the existing house ? which would be demolished ? was no architectural gem.
But he dismissed a claim by planning officers that the site was outside the defined village centre as ?rubbish and lacking in common sense.
? He said: ?It?s a few metres from Lymm Cross which is the village centre!?
Coun Marks said although the new plan was two storeys rather than three, it had been reduced in height by only one foot.
?It would dwarf the Cross which is a major landmark in our town,? he said.
He also objected on road safety grounds because the building would be on a busy corner on a bus route. The idea of having vehicles parked on the corner to make deliveries to the shops was ?appalling.?
After the committee had refused permission for the development Coun Marks said: “I am delighted with this decision. It is always good when the views of local residents win through”.
Coun Sheila Woodyatt added: ?This was an excellent decision because the Cross is not only important to people in Lymm but also to people from a wide area who come to see it. I do not object in principle to some form of development on this site, but it must be something that complements the area.?
Rugby star proves
Real Men Read!
by James Balme
WARRINGTON Wolves star Mike Wainwright was on hand to help launch The’Real Men Read’ campaign to encourage men to take five minutes a day to read to their children.
Just five minutes can make all the difference – looking at the pictures in a book, reading a story or rhyme or laughing at some jokes will bring you closer together and snatch some quality time that doesn’t always feature in hectic schedules.
Free reading sessions especially for men and children will take place every Wednesday from 11:45am to 12:15pm at Isle of Books, Sandy Lane Children’s Centre in Orford. Each session will have a variety of books and stories that can be enjoyed together, as well as a spot of free lunch!
Coun Roy Smith, Executive Board Member for Community Services, says, “The new reading sessions are only half an hour – which is a small amount of time that can make the world of difference to you and your children. I hope dads across the town will take advantage of this new initiative and get reading!”
Conference centre opens
for young offenders
by John Hendon
A NEW conference facility was officially opened at Warrington?s Thorn Cross Young Offenders? Institution by North West Development Agency chief executive Steven Broomhead.
Unveiling a plaque to mark the occasion, he said: “There is a great deal of excellent work being done by the prison service and the Learning and Skills Council to improve the education and skills of prisoners in preparation for release.
?Yet despite these efforts, ex-offenders still face barriers to obtaining employment. It is important that we support this initiative to help young offenders get into work and reduce the worklessness figure in the North West.” The NWDA has provided a ?50,000 seed-corn fund to establish projects leading to sustainable schemes to help prisoners become “job-ready”.
Thorn Cross is a purpose built open young offender institution opened in 1985 on the site of a former Royal Naval Air Station, which was initially used as an open young adult establishment.
Young offenders are offered training in a range of public facing roles including, catering, hospitality, horticulture and also business administration.
The aim of Thorn Cross is to raise the trainees’ self-esteem and self-confidence, showcase the talents of the trainees and get the public to use the centre to break down widespread prejudices and fears of young offenders.
Pensioners in talks
over Parr Hall
by Mark Hemmings
PENSIONERS? representatives are to meet with leader of Warrington Borough Council Ian Marks and other councillors on Friday, March 2 at the Town Hall to discuss their proposal to take over the running of the Parr Hall.
Representatives from all of the major charities who work with older people will also be present to support the plans of the Older People’s Forum and the North West Pensioners Association.
Members of these two groups believe they can turn around the council owned building by slashing the running costs from ?250,000 a year to just ?100,000.
Inspired by government initiatives and a similar project at St Sampson’s Church in York the pensioners believe that with an annual financial commitment from the council in the region of ?100,000 they would be able to manage and run the Parr Hall themselves without the need of such massive investment.
A spokesman for the OPF said: “We are looking forward to meeting with the council. We are sure we can offer them something, which could work if they consider the whole picture.
“Right now the Parr Hall is an expense to them which is growing year on year. With our proposal, this expense would at the very least be lessened, meaning that a building, which was given to the people of Warrington 90 years ago could be used and maintained by the people of the town, for the people of the town.”
“Excellent” housing group
wins place in the top 10
by staff reporter
WARRINGTON’S Golden Gates Housing (GGH) has been described as ‘excellent’ by the Audit Commission.
GGH is one of only 10 housing organisations in the country to attain this prestigious standard and one of only two in the North West of England.
The announcement came after an intensive inspection lasting more than two weeks and the award is a major achievement for the organisation, which manages 9,000 homes in the town.
Yvonne Davies, the Audit Commission’s head of housing in the North, said: “The range of services we inspected showed good services being delivered, with more significant strengths in many service areas. Customer care is embedded throughout the organisation and previously identified weaknesses have been addressed, and there is a willingness to learn from others. Improvement plans are challenging and resources are being directed to address priorities. There are strong ambitions for the service, being driven by clear and strong leadership. Performance management is also driving improvements. Together these factors create excellent prospects for improvement.”
The report highlights some key strengths in the service, saying that customer focused access arrangements are supported by an effective interactive website and telephone systems. The group has a sustained focus on diversity ensuring that this is embedded and reflected in all aspects of service delivery for customers. Its lettings, rents, supported housing, asset management, estate and tenancy services, and the repairs delivery are of high quality.
However, it also highlights a number of items for improvement. These include a backlog of non-priority adaptations and a substantial waiting list and weak performance in completing work on time.
Peter Mercer, chief executive of GGH said, “The award is something we have been striving for since GGH was set up in 2004. Our challenge now is to build on this platform and continue to improve the quality of the services we deliver”.
Couple’s bi
d to raise
money for baby unit
by Mark Hemmings
GRAPPENHALL Heys couple and local business people, Andrew and Jill Clarke are gearing up for a charity gala night at Warrington Wolves? Halliwell Jones Stadium.
With all proceeds going to Warrington Hospital’s Neonatal Baby Unit, Andrew and Jill are sure that their plans for the evening will be a resounding success.
Before becoming an estate agent, Jill was a member of the Northern Ballet Company based in Manchester so has managed to recruit the help of jazz singer Cole Page who will be performing on the night.
Jill said: “With us having a business which has done well locally, we felt it was only right to put something back into the community and decided to focus on the hospital.
“We know that the Neonatal Unit at Warrington is not as advanced as others in the area mainly because it doesn’t get a lot of money to update itself. Hopefully we can raise enough to enable them to do this.”
The Martin Dawes Stand will host the event on Friday March 10. Tickets are priced at ?45 per person with tables of 10 and 12 welcome.
For more information and tickets contact Jill Clarke on 01925 600200.
Parr Hall stages
a “funny festival”
by Mark Hemmings
WARRINGTON’S Parr Hall is gearing up for Comic Relief with ?The Funny Festival? – a programme of comedy events running throughout March.
On Saturday March 3 the hysterical Mark Little reprises his Olivier award winning role in Defending the Caveman, the comedy by Rob Becker examining the ongoing misunderstandings between men and women.
A week later on Saturday March 10 the regular sell-out Comedy Store returns Pyramid, with line up of live stand-up comedians.
The festival’s finale weekend kicks off on Friday March 16 as Pyramid And Parr Hall salute Comic Relief’s BIG One in style and raise money too.
The festivities begin with a lunchtime Laughter Workshop, which demonstrates the health-giving properties of laughter through a series of techniques and exercises. In return audiences donate their lunch money to Comic Relief.
Later that day another session of the Laughter Workshop opens. Budding home grown comedians will be given the chance to take to the stage, plus Comic Relief’s live TV show will be screened.
Natalie Haynes, described as “the fastest-thinking female comic in the business” presents Hot on Her Heels on Saturday March 17, followed on Sunday March 18 by Jimmy Carr, who comes to Warrington direct from presenting the fourth series of his hit TV show “8 out of 10 Cats”.
