Council struggles
to retain quality
planning staff
by David Skentelbery
WARRINGTON Borough Council could face problems in recruiting high calibre planning staff because of the “highly competitive market” in which it is operating.
Other councils – particularly in the South East – are now offering “Golden Welcomes” as financial inducements to potential employees.
Smaller authorities, dealing with smaller and much less complex workloads, are able to achieve higher levels of performance and receive higher grants from the Government, enabling them to offer more attractive packages for potential employees.
This is revealed in a report to be considered by Warrington’s Sustainable Environment and Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
Warrington has been criticised for poor performance in the past and while its performance has improved the council continues to fail to meet the target of 50 per cent of major applications dealt with within 13 weeks.
However, on minor applications, the council achieves national targets or gets within one percentage point of the target. This compares favourable with figures for previous years, the report by planning chief John Groves states.
Warrington recruited additional planning staff last year. The council was fortunate to secure high quality staff, says Mr Groves.
But because of market demand, two of the extra staff appointed last summer have already moved on.
Mr Groves says there is no case for “golden welcomes” to attract staff to Warrington at present, but he says the practice illustrates the competitiveness of the market place.
By comparison with many councils, Warrington experiences significant development pressures. However, the total number of major applications – 86 in 2004-2005 – is small and this makes statistics unreliable and subject to fluctuation when measured over short periods.
The long running controversy over housing proposals for Longbutt Lane, Lymm, resulting in seven applications which were the subject of much local interest. As a result they were considered at length and were subject to deferral by the development control committee. All seven failed to meet the 13 week deadline which meant that 25 per cent of major applications in that were quarter were “out of time.”
Mr Groves notes that the Government recommends an average caseload for a planning officers of 150 applications a year. Despite the staff increases at Warrington, the current caseload is 200 per officer.
The report reveals that 12 complaints were made to the Local Government Ombudsman on planning matters last year – a reduction from 20 the previous year. No cases of maladministration were found.
Village festival offers
something for everyone
by Lesley Wilkinson
COMEDY, music and spooky tales are among the host of activities for this year’s Lymm Festival which runs from Thursday June 30 to Sunday July 10.
It starts with a Street Fun and Food Festival, and celebrations include more than 35 events featuring old favourites and innovative new ones.
National touring company Oddsocks return with a highly entertaining version of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”, suitable for family audiences with children over seven.
Newcomers Indigo Moon, a puppet theatre company, will tell the story of “The Worm that Squirmed” using Indonesian rod puppets. They will also run workshops for families to make puppets. Other newcomers Four Blondes and a Blackhead perform comedy, sketches and songs at the Spread Eagle, prior to taking the show to Edinburgh.
Also at the Spread Eagle, Function Factory will perform “A Cold Light Singing” that tells the chilling true story concerning the famous Pendle witch trials. Following this, Word of Mouth storytellers will perform some spooky tales.
For those who prefer poetry there will be a series of readings chosen by local people, and there will also be a Blues Night at Lymm Cruising Club.
Following last year’s sculpture event there will be a week of “Art in the Garden”, this time including two-dimensional works, including two enormous pictures created by local adults and children.
Also on a gardening theme there will be a Gardener’s Question Time featuring a team of Tatton Park garden staff, a Manchester Bonsai Society exhibition, an Open Gardens afternoon, and the Regatta Kids’ Country Code Treasure Hunt.
Music lovers have a host of events to look forward to including a Summer Baroque Concert by Lymm Festival Orchestra. This will feature players from many orchestras from the region combining under the direction of Lymm resident Nicholas Cox, principal clarinettist with the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, and featuring the Alteri singers. An organ recital will be performed by the talented young musician John Ward, from Lymm.
Other events include a bigger and better Scarecrow Trail, a week-long Folk Festival in the marquee at the Railway, Heatley, and the popular Lymm Hall picnic on July 9.
Further information about the festival is available by telephoning 01925 759128 or via the website at www.lymmfestival.co.uk
Author to bring local
history to life
THE woman who wrote the definitive history of Culcheth, near Warrington, is to bring the story of the village to life with a talk in the local library.
Rosemary Keery, author of “Historic Culcheth: The Story of a Village” will be giving the talk in Culcheth Library on June 14 at 7pm.
Admission will be free – but the library is asking people to contact them on 01925 763293 to reserve a seat as spaces are limited.
There will also be a display of photographs in the library to accompany the talk.
The event is one of a number being held linked to an exhibition, “Warrington in Close-up” being held between July 30 and November 12.
Library staff are asking people to take a closer look at the history of Warrington and its districts.
They are posing the questions: “What do you know about the history of your district and its landmark buildings?
“Have you ever puzzled over where your district or street got is name?
“What do you know about the history of your house or about the people who lived there?”
The exhibition will provide an introduction to the history of Warrington and its districts. It will explore displays of paintings, objects and archives from the collections.
It will show how to find out more about different districts through community displays put together by volunteers and local groups, interpreting the history of areas where they live.
Rosemary Keery’s book was published about five years ago. It draws on a number of earlier works and provides, probably, the most up-to-date and comprehensive history of Culcheth yet produced.
Controversial homes
scheme is approved
by Lesley Wilkinson
MORE than 100 people signed a petition objecting to a housing development in Gladstone Street, Bewsey, – but Warrington planners gave it the go ahead.
Neighbours complained that plans for 98 one and two-bedroom apartments, with car parking and landscaping, would be overbearing and out of character with the area. They claimed it would mean a loss of privacy, as many of the apartments have balconies, loss of view and daylight.
Residents also said the development, by Bett Homes (North West) Ltd, would cause extra parking and traffic problems, would put pressure on local services and was too dense for the area.
But the borough council’s development control committee was told the development, which is partly sited on a former tip, was suitable for the site as it is near to the town centre. Tests would be carried out to ensure the site is not contaminated.
Planners argued that there were adequate arrangements for access and parking. But they added that because it would have an impact on the junction of Tanners Lane and Froghall Lane, the applicant had agreed to
donate ?30,000 to improve cycling and pedestrian facilities.
Museum to close
for repair work
by staff reporter
WARRINGTON Museum is to close for six weeks while major repairs and restoration works are carried out.
The museum will close from Monday (June 13) and should reopen on July 30.
Work being carried out involves the front entrance hall, the roof and improvements to the lighting.
The museum will reopen with a new exhibition about Warrington summer holiday fun and news of a programme of events to launch celebrations of the museum’s 150th anniversary.
A borough council spokesman said: “The repair work being carried out is of an essential nature.”
While work goes on, the adjoining Warrington Library will remain open.
It will also be open on Saturdays, between 9am and 4pm.
