Town signs up for ?20m
“affordable” homes deal
by Lesley Wilkinson
A ?20 million pound deal will provide almost 200 high quality and affordable new homes on the Anson and Blenheim estate at Padgate, Warrington.
The agreement, signed between Arena Housing Association and Warrington Borough Council, is to carry out what will be the largest new build social housing Private Finance Initiative (PFI) project in the country to date.
Arena was selected from a group of 12 bidders after a 12 month process.
The Anson and Blenheim project has been chosen as a national pathfinder for housing PFIs by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, to prepare guidelines for future UK schemes. Future projects will provide new social housing and refurbish poor quality council housing.
Homes on the Warrington estate have been demolished and will be replaced with 105 two and three bedroom family homes for rent and 87 for sale.
Another 90 properties for rent will be developed on sites in other areas of Warrington.
Arena, working in partnership with Cruden Construction and John McCall Architects, will fund, design and build the new properties and manage and maintain the rented housing for the 30-year span of the contract.
Coun Pat Wright, the council’s executive member for housing and urban renewal, said: “This is tremendous news and shows our commitment to providing affordable housing within Warrington. It is extremely rewarding when tenants and homeowners have been successfully relocated, the site cleared and work due to start to provide new homes.”
Stephen Kinsella, assistant director of Arena Partnerships, added: “Our PFI consortium now hopes to transfer our knowledge and experience to future PFI projects with other local authority partners. We’re very confident about our ability to undertake further successful PFIs based on this groundbreaking model.”
Child threatened by
10-year-old with knife
by Lesley Wilkinson
A WARRINGTON woman whose child was threatened with a Swiss army knife by a nine-year-old schoolboy has been left shocked by the incident.
Her 10-year-old son was collected from school by a friend who was babysitting for him after school.
The child was playing outside in the street when the incident occurred.
The attacker, who attends the same school as the victim, approached him brandishing the serrated blade of a knife. The victim’s mother believes there has been no trouble between the two boys before.
Fortunately the babysitter, who had gone into her home to drop off some shopping, returned just in time to stop the incident developing.
Police were called and investigated the matter but it is not thought the alleged offender is likely to be dealt with by way of a caution.
The victim’s mother said: “I am surprised and shocked that a nine-year-old could attack my son. The boy said he was going to stab him, which could have been serious.
“It makes you wonder what kind of society we live in. We were all shocked and traumatised, but the police are now dealing with the incident.”
Major re-vamp for
mental health home
by David Skentelbery
A MAJOR plan to re-develop one of Warrington’s largest independent care homes to bring it in line with the latest standards, has been given the go-ahead by borough planners.
The scheme will result in the phased demolition and replacement of the Delph Park Specialist Care Centre at Delph Park, Townfield Road, Winwick.
Currently, the home can provide for up to 92 patients, although since March a number of places have not been used because the facilities do not meet current requirements.
But when the scheme is complete, the centre will consist of three buildings providing for a 40-place low security unit and a 20-place psychiatric intensive care unit.
The site is owned and run by Speciality Care Ltd, one of Britain’s largest independent providers of long term specialist care, operating 300 care homes and facilities nationwide and catering for more than 5,700 people.
New buildings on the site will be designed to meet Department of Health standards, providing rooms with en suite bathrooms to cater for patients with a wide range of mental health care needs.
Top national award
for local woman
by John Hendon
A WARRINGTON woman has won the title of Customer Services Manager of the year at the prestigious National Customer Service Awards held at The Grosvenor House Hotel in London.
Wendy Jones, a customer services manager with The AirMiles Travel Company in Birchwood, was the only finalist from the travel industry. She beat the three other finalists, chosen from the 1,800 applicants for the title.
She said: “I am absolutely delighted to have won this award and couldn’t have done it without the support of the team. Giving customers the best possible experience is really important to me – I am thrilled to have made everybody so proud by going the whole way and actually winning the title!”
Wendy, from Lowton, has been with the company for five years and in that time her performance and dedication has been recognised by her peers and senior team.
Mark Oakes, director of sales at Birchwood, said: “We are very proud of Wendy’s achievements. Customer service is extremely important at The AirMiles Travel Company and Wendy’s commitment, skill and professional manner are an example to us all.”
Highway problems anger
parish councillors
by staff reporter
PROBLEMS with roads and traffic in Lymm – including the resurfacing of Rushgreen Road/Birchbrook Road – are to be reported to Warrington Borough Council.
Lymm Parish Council highlighted a number of highway problems that they want the council to deal with.
Coun Ian Marks said: “We get no end of complaints about these issues and its about time something was done.”
Coun Claire Wright complained about the time it was taking to resurface Rushgreen Road/Birchbrook Road.
“The first part of this repair was carried out satisfactorily but in recent weeks there have been big problems and hold-ups for residents. The council needs to look at how traffic management can be improved in the future,” she said.
Booths Hill councillor Bob Barr said there were ongoing problems at the junction of Cherry Lane and Booths Hill Road.
“The way this junction has been laid out means that cars have to reverse out of parking places into the path of vehicles turning in from the main road. Some people are still travelling both ways on the one-way system despite the narrowing of the entrance. Whatever happened to the promised new crossing on Booths Hill Road?” he said.
Deputy chairman Coun Pam Marks complained about potholes near the mini-roundabout in Eagle Brow, which, she said were a hazard, especially for cyclists. She said road markings were poor and there was confusion about priorities.
Coun Tim Harwood asked for clearer markings on the road at the junction of Sandy Lane/Stage Lane/Oughtrington Crescent.
The parish council also agreed to write to the Highways Agency asking them to consider putting a quiet surface down on the Thelwall Viaduct as part of the repair works.
Dogs really are
man’s best friend
by staff reporter
A SURVEY has revealed that dogs really are man’s best friend – with 20 per cent of Warrington people saying that their favourite way of relaxing is to spend time with their dog – rather than going to the pub or gym.
According to the report only 14 per cent of people in the town chose going for a drink as their favourite way to relax, and eight per cent chose going to the gym.
Figures showed that 69 per cent of Warrington dog owners felt that having a dog improved their social life and helped them to meet people. Of the non-dog owners questioned 22 per cent said they longed for a pet, compared to just 20 per cent who wanted the latest toy or gadget.
The Man’s Best Fr
iend Report questioned more than 2,000 people throughout the country, with and without dogs, to measure the impact on people’s lives and health of having a dog.
Medical studies show that having a dog helps lower people’s blood pressure and cholesterol. Exposure to pets in childhood is believed to strengthen the immune system of children.
The study found that people benefited from the exercise and relaxation of walking a dog, and that it encourages them to meet people. Stroking a dog was also found to be relaxing.
Passenger trapped in
motorway accident
by David Skentelbery
EMERGENCY services were called to the M62 near Warrington when a car went out of control and overturned.
The driver walked free of the wrecked vehicle but the passenger was trapped.
Fire crews used cutting gear to release the passenger and both the occupants were taken to hospital for treatment to injuries.
No other vehicle was involved in the incident just east of Juncton 11.
Later, fire crews were called to the Burtonwood service area on the eastbound carriageway of the M62 after a high vehicle struck the canopy over the petrol station, causing extensive damage.
The vehicle – a fairground lorry carrying dodgem cars – brought signs and cladding crashing down and it was necessary to close the petrol station while pumps were checked for damage. No damage was found, but the petrol station remained closed overnight. No-one was hurt.
