BANK HOLIDAY
MONDAY being a Bank Holiday, Warrington-Worldwide will take its usual break and will not be updated, unless there is a news item of exceptional urgency. However the site will remain on-line and the popular Reader’s Forum will be operating as usual. We will be back with all the latest news on Tuesday, May 29.
Planners’ second thoughts
on school-in-park scheme?
by David Skentelbery
PLANNING chiefs have put off a decision on proposals to build a new primary school in Warrington?s St Elphin?s Park ? after hearing of strong objections from nearby residents and from Sport England.
Members of the borough council?s development control committee have decided to visit the site before deciding if a new St Elphin?s Primary School can be built.
They heard the development would take 40 per cent of the 6.5 acre park ? but that a soccer pitch, tennis courts, bowling green and formal garden would be retained.
The site is bounded to the north west and south west by houses on Salisbury Street and College Close respectively. Manchester Road and Farrell Street bound the site to the north-west and south-east respectively.
A public footpath between Salisbury Street and Farrell Street would have to be diverted to allow the proposed sports pitch to be part of the school site.
Sport England pointed out the scheme would mean the loss of 1.2 hectares of public open space in an area where there was a high level of demand for football and rugby pitches and bowling greens. Further loss of open space should be ?strongly resisted.?
West Fairfield Residents’ and Tenants’ Association objected on the grounds of loss of public open space and lack of public consultation.
An exhibition held locally was dismissed as ?a charade? and was said to have left people frustrated, angry and cynical about the borough council.
In a statement, the association said: ?The local community consider this application appears to be the result of covert meetings and policy manipulation. If the school has to be relocated other sites should be sought which do not involve robbing local people of a well used and important open space.?
They said the matter had been referred to the Local Government Ombudsman and the Audit Commission.
There were also concerns about possible traffic and parking issues.
Labour launches “save
the crest” petition
by David Skentelbery
LABOUR activists in Warrington have launched a campaign with the title: ?Save the Crest ? ditch the logo.
? Party members ? including members of the Labour group on the borough council ? started collected signatures for a massive petition designed to show the strength of feeling across the town.
Coun Terry O?Neill, leader of the Labour group, said: “The current Lib Dem/Tory coalition seems hell-bent on introducing the new logo and abandoning the historic crest without asking the people of the town.
“We have been inundated with requests to start a petition so that the strength of opposition to this move can be heard. The crest belongs to no political party, no council officer – it belongs to the people of Warrington and the voice of the town is not being heard in the corridors of power at the Town Hall.
“But this is only the tip of the iceberg – the council also wants to abandon the use of the primrose and blue colours associated with the town and Warrington Wolves.
“I appeal to all Warringtonians to support the petition which we have launched today calling for the retention of the crest and the primrose and blue colours.”
Coun Mike Hannon, Labour?s deputy leader, said attempts by the Labour Group to retain the crest and colours had been voted down by the ruling Lib Dem/Tory group who had resisted all attempts for a proper debate at the Town Hall.
It was still unclear how the decision making process was arrived at administration appeared to be hiding behind a smokescreen.
Coun Hannon added: “The current administration have deliberately placed obstacles in our path and denied elected councillors the opportunity to debate this issue. It is now time for the people to speak up and tell the council to ‘Save the Crest and ditch the logo’.”
Earlier in the week, council leader Ian Marks told a meeting of the council’s executive board, that the historic coat-of-arms, or crest, would not be abandoned. As a compromise, he said, the new logo and the crest would both appear on council stationery. But the crest will be gradually phased out on vehicles and buildings.
Rosie will be the
next Rose Queen
by Gary Skentelbery
TWELVE-year-old Rosie Johnstone has been selected as Thelwall Rose Queen for the June 16 event.
Rosie, a pupil at Lymm High School from All Saints Drive will be officially crowned on the parish hall field at around 2.45pm following a parade through the village.
The parade will set off from 1.30pm from the parish hall.
Entertainment ont he field will include a dog display, morris dancing and all the usual attractions.
Anyone seeking more information about the day should call Davina on 01925 266679.
A chance to help shape
town’s future housing
by John Hendon
WARRINGTON Borough Council is inviting residents to help shape the approach to future housing plans in the borough.
A public consultation process is being launched so people can give their opinions on revised planning guidelines aimed at controlling the issue of further planning consent for new housing.
Under the council proposals, developers would have to show that new housing is immediately necessary and give reasons why work should not be delayed.
If the developer can satisfy the council’s test, they must then show the scheme will also give social, economic and environmental benefits.
This may include helping regeneration of an older part of town, providing a high proportion of affordable housing, and building homes with low energy ratings to help cut carbon emissions and reduce the impact on climate change.
The council is aware it must adopt a balanced planning policy, as new housing development often brings substantial investment in important buildings such as the Cheshire Lines warehouse, redundant industrial sites such as the Britannia Works and more generally to regenerating parts of the town.
The draft guidance is on show at all libraries and at the Town Hall, New Town House, or the Information Centre, as well as the council website www.warrington.gov.uk Paper copies can be obtained by telephoning 01925 442839 or writing to:- Patricia McBride, Environment and Regeneration, New Town House, Buttermarket Street, Warrington WA1 2NH June 15.
Emergency dental
service has moved
by staff reporter
WARRINGTON?S Dental Access Centre ? which provides a service for people in acute pain who do not regularly attend a dental practice ? has moved.
After several years in the Cockhedge Shopping Centre, it has relocated to the dental department at Garven Place, in Sankey Street.
It continues to provide dental treatment for members of the public who do not regularly attend a dental practice and who are suffering from acute pain.
A spokesman for Warrington Primary Care Trust said: ?Due to extensive work which is being carried out to upgrade the premises, the Dental Access Centre is currently providing a reduced service, and will resume normal service shortly. Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience.?
Anyone requiring access to this service should call 01925 243620 after 9am.
Peter lands plum job
working in television
by staff reporter
A WARRINGTON student is looking forward to working behind-the-scenes on hit television show ?Big Brother? this summer.
Peter Johnson, a television production and business management students, will be working as a ?runner? on the eighth series
of the show and its sister programme ?Little Brother.?
The 21-year-old?s responsibilities could include buying the housemates’ shopping, operating one of the numerous cameras which monitor the house 24 hours a day, and playing a part in the creative team that designs tasks and day-to-day activities.
Peter said: “I’m a big fan of the show so this is a dream job for me. It will be great to meet everyone, especially Dermot O’Leary and Davina McCall, and get a first-hand look at how the programme will develop this year. Everyone has been asking me about getting them tickets to attend – I’ve had about 70 requests so far!”
Peter, a student at the Warrington Campus of Chester University, has his sights set on becoming an executive or technical producer in the industry. He landed the plum role by ringing around production companies seeking work over the summer.
He explained: “I was going to send speculative letters to production companies and was ringing around to get contact names. Endemol, which produces Big Brother, put me straight through to the Human Resources department and I was told they were recruiting for BB8. They asked me a couple of questions on the spot, and the next day I was asked to attend an interview in Shepherds Bush.
“This is a perfect opportunity for me. The industry is so hard to get into and the experience of working on Big Brother will be invaluable.”
