Labour at
the double
by Gary Skentelbery
THERE were no surprises in Warrington as the “two Helens” both triumphed for Labour.
Helen Southworth held Warrington South although her majority was cut by half, to just over 3,500.
But the Labour vote swung to Lymm based Lib Dem Ian Marks, with the Tories high profile candidate Fiona Bruce, selected at the country’s first ever “primary election” failing to improve much on the Tory efforts of four years ago.
Both Ian and Fiona pledged to fight on, indicating they would be prepared to stand for their parties next time, if selected.
Commenting on her defeat Fiona said: “No battle worth winning is easily won and I will continue fighting for a better society, a strong community and family values.
“I would have loved to have served my home town but I will come back to fight again.”
Ian added: “Like Fiona I intend to stick around and we live to fight another day. The swing to the Lib Dems is very encouraging and I hope to see a Lib Dem MP for Warrington South one day.”
Helen was delighted with her victory and said she was honoured to be able to continue serving the people of Warrington South.
“It has been an honour to represent the people for the past eight years and I am very happy the people have decided to ask me to continue.
“Every campaign is important and it has been hard work. But I have focused on meeting people and discussing issues important to them. I have now got a long list of things to be done!
“We are starting to see the benefit of the the past eight years in Warrington with virtually full employment, a strong economy, low mortgage rates and tremendous local investment. Not everything is perfect but things are improving.”
Meanwhile in Warrington North Helen Jones won with considerable ease. Former council leader Mike Hughes, who was deselected following political infighting, lost his deposit standing for the Community Action Party, managing just 573 votes.
The detailed results were:
Warrington South
Helen Southworth (Lab)….18,972*
Fiona Bruce (Con)………15,457
Ian Marks (Lib Dem)…….11,111
Gerald Kelley (UKIP)…… 804
Paul Kennedy (Ind)…….. 453
Warrington North
Helen Jones (Lab)………21,632
Andrew Ferryman (Con)…..9,428
Peter Walker (Lib Dem)….7,699
John Kirkham (UKIP)…….1,086
Mike Hughes (CAP)……… 573
At the last election in 2001, the results were:
Warrington South: Helen Southworth (Lab) 22,419; Caroline Mosley (Con) 15,022; Roger Barlow (Lib Dem) 7,419; Joan Kelley (UKIP) 637.
Warrington North: Helen Jones (Lab) 24,026; James Usher (Con) 8,870; Roy Smith (Lib Dem) 5,232; John Kirkham (UKIP) 782.
Street party to
celebrate VE Day
by John Hendon
THE 60th anniversary of VE Day will be celebrated in Warrington with a big “street party” in the town centre.
Warrington Museum and the Golden Square shopping centre have got together to present the event, which will feature music, jive, children’s competitions and a performances by the Northern All Stars dance band.
People can relive the 1940s war years and the end of World War II with face painting and a prize for the best children’s World War II costume.
There will also be a children’s street party – although booking is necessary on 01925 655053.
The event is part of the national “Their Past Your Future” celebrations to mark the VE Day anniversary this Sunday.
The celebrations have been made possible thanks to a grant jointly funded by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council and The Big Lottery Fund.
Warrington Museum is also organising a series of World War II workshops in schools, which includes a visit to the North at War exhibition at the Imperial War Museum.
Pictured: one of Warrington Museum’s photographs of a VE Day street party.
Walton Gardens – 60
years a public park
by staff reporter
THE diamond jubilee of Warrington’s best-loved park – Walton Hall Gardens – is to be celebrated with a wide range of events between May 15-22.
Over the week, the gardens will be home to a variety of activities to see and enjoy, marking its 60th year as a public park.
There will be entertainers, the 20th birthday of ‘Bobo’ the donkey, school groups performing 40s hits and numerous activities for children.
As a special feature there will be chance for visitors to explore Walton Hall, which will be open to the public. There will be a 1940s style tea dance (on a ticket basis) with tea and cakes to the musical accompaniment of the Norman Roy Orchestra – a 13-piece big band.
There will be a veteran cycle parade from 10.30am on Sunday May 22 and the Heritage Centre will stage a photographic display of Walton Gardens through the decades.
The Ranger Service will offer interpretations of life at Walton Gardens through the ages and “Living History Walks” on Sunday May 15 and Wednesday May 18.
Everything will be free except for the tea dance and ‘Bobo’ the donkey’s birthday celebrations.
Walton Hall was originally the home of the Greenall family, of the Greenall Whitley Brewery. It was built around 1840 and acquired by the borough council in 1941, along with the extensive gardens. Although part of the original hall had to be demolished, the imposing main building was retained and refurbished.
A fifty grand day
out for St Peters
RESIDENTS of the St Peters area of Warrington are celebrating with ?50,000 towards their new community hall after reaching the final of the Waste Recycling Group Village Hall and Community Centre Challenge.
Although they missed out on one of the top two prizes of ?250,000, delegates attended the presentation in London to collect their cheque and commemorative plaque as one of six runners-up in the national challenge.
The villages of Outwell in Norfolk and Branston Booths near Lincoln were triumphant with ?250,000 each from the Landfill Tax credits of Waste Recycling Group Ltd, distributed by WREN and the St Peters bid was one of six finalists to collect ?50,000.
The inaugural Challenge was launched last year by Gwyneth Dunwoody MP who commented: “St Peters should be congratulated on their success; the funding they have received will provide a valuable contribution to their community.
“The level of interest in the Challenge has taken us all by surprise. It has clearly demonstrated that communities everywhere take a pride in the creation and development of communal facilities.”
The Landfill Tax Credit Scheme currently gives waste management companies the opportunity to invest up to six per cent of their Landfill Tax bill into community and environmental projects in their immediate area and has provided ?? billion in funding to almost 20,000 projects since 1996. The Landfill Tax credits of Waste Recycling Group Ltd have, since 1997 helped to renovate and refurbish more than 600 village halls across the UK with ?8 million in funding and more than 3000 projects in total with almost ?75 million.
Vandals close
pedestrian subway
by staff reporter
VANDALS and graffiti artists have forced the temporary closure of a pedestrian subway and footpath at Warrington.
The subway on Wellfield Street from the northern footway of Sankey Way opposite 97 Wellfield Street for a distance of 80 metres in a southerly direction will be temporarily closed for about two weeks from May 31.
An alternative route will be signposted via Sankey Way and Baxter Street.
The closure – which will operate as and when signs are in place on site – is to allow the removal of graffiti and the treatment with anti-graffiti coatings and re-tiling of the subway walls.
News in brief
Hospital lo
ttery
WINNING numbers in the weekly lottery run by the League of Friends of Warrington Hospital were 2, 5, 9 and 16 – but there was no winner for the ?447 jackpot. The ?25 consolation prize went to S Taylor. Next week’s top prize will be about ?700.
Pedestrian crossings
PEDESTRIAN crossings in Sankey Street and Winwick Street are to be re-located because of work on the re-development of the Golden Square shopping centre and Warrington Bus Station. Objections must be made to borough council solicitor Howard Norris by May 26.
Play area
PLANS for a children’s adventure play area and a cafeteria have been drawn up for Unit 12 at Chetham Court, Winwick Quay, Warrington.
Roof protection
BIRCHWOOD CE Primary School is seeking planning consent for a rota-spike intruder protection system on three flat roofed areas of the school in Admiral’s Road, Birchwood, Warrington.
Withdrawn
CONTROVERSIAL plans for an 18-hole golf course at Holcroft Hall Farm, Holcroft Lane, Culcheth near Warrington have been withdrawn by the applicant.
