Police training centre
to close next year
by David Skentelbery
WARRINGTON’s Bruche Police Training Centre is to close in May next year.
Centrex, the Central Police Training and Development Authority, made the announcement – confirming the exclusive forecast in Warrington-Worldwide last year.
Bruche was at the centre of a storm last year after a BBC reporter filmed probationary police officers secretly making racist comments. As a result, a number of officers were suspended and later resigned from the police.
The closure is not related to this incident, however. Centrex says it is a direct result of the migration from the current Probationer Training Programme (PTP) which was delivered regionally, to the new Initial Police Learning and Development Programme (IPLDP), designed for local delivery of probationer training in force.
Centrex’s police training centres in Ashford, Kent and Cwmbran in South Wales, will also close.
The IPLDP is being developed by the Home Office, with the help of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), Centrex, and other key stakeholders.
The principles of the IPLDP, which have been agreed nationally, are that the main responsibility for the training of new officers should rest within forces. Officers will be trained more closely within the communities they will ultimately serve, with less emphasis on long periods of residential training. Due to the move to localised training of new officers, there is a reduced demand for central Centrex site capacity.
Centrex will continue to deliver the current probationer training programme until it ceases at the end of May next yyear. Centrex entirely supports the philosophy of IPLDP and is working to support forces through transition to full implementation.
“This decision has been taken in full consultation with the Home Office and ACPO”, said Norman Bettison, chief executive of Centrex. “We have informed our staff today in order to give everyone time to consider their future plans, and will be working through a formal process of notification over the coming months.
“Centrex staff and seconded officers have been responsible for training literally tens of thousands of new recruits to the police service over the years. They have done a marvellous job and I am very proud of what we have achieved. It is regrettable that some staff will no longer be engaged in their current role.
“I need to emphasise that the closure of these three centres across the UK does not in any way diminish Centrex’s commitment to helping to develop policing – we continue to work with forces to deliver specialist training, operational support and consultation services.”
There has been a police training centre at Bruche for more than 50 years.
?45,000 “missing”
prize money in town
by John Hendon
WARRINGTON people are missing out on more than ?45,000 in unclaimed Premium Bond prizes.
A total of 782 prizes, ranging from ?25 to ?500 remained unclaimed by people living in various parts of the borough, according to National Savings and Investments.
The figure has been revealed following research by Fairfield and Howley councillor Yvonne Fovargue.
She is urging local residents to check if they are missing out on a premium bond prize.
Coun Fovargue (pictured) said: “Recent research revealed that one in six people who moved house in the last 12 months forgot to pass on their change of address details to all their financial providers. This is why prizes go unclaimed.
“National Savings and Investments is keen to reunite winners with their prizes and urges bond holders to get back in touch and check if they are a winner.
“There is no time limit on claiming. Each unclaimed prize is held until the winner can be tracked down. The oldest national unclaimed prize dates back to the first draw in June 1957.
“Some people might not be aware they have Premium Bonds, which are entered into the prize draw each month. They might not remember making their original investment or perhaps they, like many others, were given Premium Bonds as a child and have simply forgotten about them.
“That’s why I’m highlighting this issue locally – we must reunite Premium Bond customers with the ?45,150 in unclaimed prizes and I am urging those bond holders who’ve forgotten to tell National Savings they’ve changed address to get in touch to check if they are a winner.”
If Premium Bond holders have changed their address and told NS&I, it’s unlikely that they have any unclaimed prizes, but if they think they have missed out on a Premium Bond prize they can either log on to www.nsandi.com or write to Premium Bonds, National Savings and Investments, Blackpool, FY3 9ZW.
The more details that can be given, such as past names and addresses, bond or holder numbers, the easier it will be for NS&I staff to trace prizewinners.
College student lands
top national award
by staff reporter
A WARRINGTON college student is celebrating after being a top, national science award.
Emily McNicholas, a student at Priestley College, has gained a bronze medal in the finals of the British Biology Olympiad, which pits Britain’s brightest young scientists against each other in a rigorous testing procedure.
The 18-year-old from Cinnamon Brow, a former Birchwood High School pupil, has just come to the end of her stay at college having completed her A-Levels in biology, chemistry, maths and French and will soon embark on a degree in medicine at the University of Hull.
The Olympiad is only open to highflying students who have excelled themselves in an academic setting.
Emily travelled to London where she was presented with her medal by famous scientist and television personality Lord Robert Winston.
She said: “I was glad to take part in the Olympiad and to pick up the award from Lord Winston was a real thrill.”
Dr Louise Norbury, Priestley’s head of biology, added: “Emily has continued to be a shining light within our department and I congratulate her on a fine achievement and also wish her well for the future.”
Pizza firm wins
takeaway battle
by David Skentelbery
A MAJOR pizza chain has won permission to sell takeaway meals in the centre of Stockton Heath, near Warrington.
Pizza Express will be able to provide takeaways from its restaurant in Victoria Buildings.
Borough planners refused consent for the takeaway operation last year but the company appealed and a planning inspector has ruled in their favour.
The decision has disappointed Stockton Heath Parish Council.
Coun Celia Jordan said the decision would allow a use that was out of character with the Victoria Square development.
The inspector who heard the company’s appeal noted that the restaurant was located in a busy village centre and that the appellant maintained the level of takeaway use would be insignificant compared with the restaurant. He did not think there would be additional noise or disturbance for local residents nor that there would be any increase in road safety hazards.
He suggested a condition to stop takeaway sales after 11.30 on weekdays and 10.30pm on Sundays.
Alan Stephenson, Warrington’s director of environmental services, said the decision was a “reasonable assessment” of the particular application rather than an apprailsal of wider concerns. It could have remifications for proposals for other restaurant uses in the Stockton Heath area.
Is this camera
really needed?
by David Skentelbery
WHY is there a speed camera on the A49 London Road, near its junction with Dudlow Green Road, Appleton?
Does it serve a useful purpose – and should it be retained?
Asking the questions were members of the Cheshire Safety Camera Partnership, in a letter to Appleton Parish Council.
Puzzled councillors expressed surprise – but clerk Peter Briggs suggested the
camera may have been in place before the Safety Camera Partnership existed.
The council decided the camera DOES serve a useful purpose and should be retained.
Coun Brian Axcell said there had been a number of nasty accidents some years ago – including one involving a vehicle leaving Warrington Golf Club.
Coun John Price added: “The presence of the camera does provide a check – it slows drivers down.”
Village pub seeks
3am opening
by staff reporter
MEMBERS of Appleton Parish Council are to object to “unrealistic” applications for longer drinking hours at the Thorn Inn at Appleton Thorn.
The council was told the pub was applying for a licence to sell drink until 3am on Saturdays, 2am on Fridays, 1am Monday to Thursday and midnight on Sundays.
Coun Brian Smith said he considered the proposed hours were excessive and unrealistic.
“This is a country pub in the middle of the village,” he said.
Clerk Peter Briggs pointed out that the applications were for the sale of alcohol and the pub would in fact be able to stay open an hour later.
The council decided unanimously to object.
