Town’s waste strategy
could be in jeopardy
by David Skentelbery
WARRINGTON’S waste management strategy – hammered out over a period of up to eight years – could be in jeopardy because of a breakdown in talks with the neighbouring authority of Halton.
Officials of both councils are today staying tight-lipped about reports of a disagreement.
But it is understood that a party of officials from Halton visited Warrington earlier this week and intimated they were pulling out of arrangements for a joint strategy on waste management drawn up over about eight years.
A spokesman for Warrington Council declined to comment on what he described as a “rumour.”
But Coun Phil Harris, Halton Council’s executive member for the Environment, said: “Waste management is a major issue for any local authority and in ensuring we look after our residents’ interests properly we have a responsibility to explore all options.
“The matter will be discussed in public at a future meeting but it is not appropriate to comment on confidential meetings that may be held between two local authorities.” It is believed Halton intends to make its position clear in public at a meeting next week.
Both councils have waste management strategies – and both refer to working in partnership with other authorities.
One controversial possibility that has been discussed is of a major incineration plant producing energy from waste situated near the Fiddler’s Ferry Power Station – in effect on the border between Warrington and Halton.
Joint recycling of “green” waste has also been discussed.
Halton Council already sends more than 80 per cent of its waste for landfill ? the vast majority of it to Warrington?s Arpley landfill site.
Warrington’s waste management is based on eight strategic principles.
First is that any solution must aim to be sustainable for the environment and community in the long term, having regard to the needs of the community, protection of the environment, costs, alternative solutions and technical and practical limitations.
Second is that Warrington will seek to dispose of its own waste within its own boundaries or, if working in partnership with other authorities, within the partnership area.
Third is that Warrington will seek and develop partnerships with neighbouring local authorities and the waste industry where such partnerships lead to sustainable solutions for waste, and where the ?proximity principle? is also satisfied.
Another principle involves reducing reliance on landfill. Warrington’s landfill sites currently import many times more waste than is generated within Warrington and Halton but the aim is to reduce this by encouraging local authorities further afield to dispose of their own waste.
Warrington’s eighth principle deals with “community awareness, education and participation.”
It states: “Any strategy will only work if the public and business community actively support it by being involved in waste minimisation, recycling and recovery. The authority will therefore continue to take steps to educate, inform and seek the views of all sectors of the community to win their understanding, support and participation in the strategy.”
Tree-mendous recycling
achievement by schools
by staff reporter
SCHOOL children across Warrington are setting a good example as they triumph in a recycling competition.
St Monica’s Catholic Primary School, Appleton, is celebrating after scooping the ?Gold Oak? title and top prize of ?300 in Warrington’s Yellow Woods Challenge -an environmental competition for schools run by Yellow Pages, working in conjunction with the council and the Woodland Trust.
Youngsters from St Monica’s collected 906 old Yellow Pages directories for recycling, achieving the best recycling rate of 6.38 per pupil in the Warrington area. They were also rewarded for their efforts with a pack of native tree saplings to plant in the school grounds.
As runners-up in the local competition, St Andrews CE Primary, Orford won ?200 and the Silver Birch certificate and Green Lane Special School came in third, receiving ?100 and the Bronze Beech certificate.
All participating schools will now join around 1,800 others in the Yellow Woods Challenge 2006 UK Finals, where schools can win cash prizes of up to ?2,000.
Executive member Coun Brian Axcell said: “I’d like to thank all the schoolchildren, teachers and communities and organisers that took on the Yellow Woods Challenge and made it such a success. Fifty three schools took part and collected a total of 9,888 old Yellow Pages directories, so everyone should feel very proud of this achievement.?
For every pound awarded to schools, Yellow Pages gives a matching pound to the Woodland Trust’s ?Tree For All? campaign, which aims to plant a tree for every child in the UK. In support of this, native tree saplings have been awarded to the top three winning schools and to Appleton Thorn Primary, Grappenhall Heys Primary and Thelwall Infant School for achieving 4th, 5th and 6th place in the local Yellow Woods Challenge.
Raiders threatened
shop assistants
by David Skentelbery
TWO men got away with cash and cigarettes from a Warrington convenience store after threatening members of staff.
The robbery was at the Spar Shop in Cinnamon Lane North, Fearnhead.
A member of staff was erecting shutters prior to the shop closing when she was approached by two men, one brandishing what appeared to be a screwdriver.
He threatened her and took her to the door where he banged on the door. Another member of staff inside the shop opened the door and the offenders entered. One kept watch at the door while the other stole cash and cigarettes.
They left the scene in a black Vauxhall Vectra car with a number similar to V84 OFM.
Neither of the shop assistants was hurt but both were badly shaken.
One of the offenders was in his 20s, about 5ft 8 inches tall, of average build and either of mixed race or very tanned. He had a goatee beard and was wearing a baseball cap. He spoke with a local accent.
The second man was about the same age, 6ft tall, of average build and was unshaven. He was wearing a tracksuit top and dark bottoms and also wore a baseball cap. He also spoke with a local accent.
Anyone who witnessed the robbery or has any other information is asked to contact PC Neil Gallagher on 0845 458 6390.
Council praise
for volunteers
by John Hendon
WARRINGTON Borough Council has offered congratulations to a group of local volunteers for their hard work and success.
Disability Awareness Day (DAD), organised by the Warrington Disability Partnership and the largest event of its kind in Europe, and its hundreds of volunteers received Royal praise recently when they were awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.
The council ? which fully supports the annual event ? has added its own congratulations.
Executive member Coun Roy Smith (pictured) said: “To receive such an accolade really is a fantastic achievement and is well deserved. On behalf of the council, I would like to congratulate all the volunteers for their hard work and commitment because they are the ones who make this event such a success.
?Disability Awareness Day has really helped put Warrington on the map and has inspired many others to hold similar events around the world.”
Disability Awareness Day 2006 will be held on Sunday July 9 at Walton Hall Gardens. The event attracts hundreds of exhibitors from voluntary, statutory, private and business organisations who can provide a wealth of information and advice for everyone.
Police probe
linked burglaries
by staff reporter
POLICE are investigating a series of burglaries in the Stockton Heath and Appleton areas of Warrington which appear to be linked.
All occurred on the same night and in each case the offenders gained entrance to houses
through downstairs windows or conservatories. Among roads targeted were Whitefield Road and Calderfield Close at Stockton Heath and Kingsley Drive and Birchdale Road, at Appleton.
A police spokesman said. “The burglaries were all very similar, which indicates the same person being involved. Residents are advised to close and lock all doors before going to bed or leaving the house unoccupied. It is easy to forget to do this, especially in the warm weather, but burglars will look for easy opportunities.”
Residents are being asked to call police on 0845 4580000.
A warning for parents
in Child Safety Week
by staff reporter
NEXT week is ?Child Safety Week? and in Warrington ? where last year 144 school aged children attended A&E for burns and scalds alone ? a warning has been issued to parents.
The Child Accident Prevention Trust is aiming to alert parents, carers, children and teachers that everyone can be a ?life saver? through their theme, Avoid the worst – put child safety first.
Child and accident prevention officer with Warrington Primary Care Trust Razia Chesworth is urging everyone to use this awareness week to check the safety in their homes, when outdoors or on journeys to cut down the chances of an accident or a death.
She said: ?Accidents are the biggest cause of death and put more children in hospital than any other cause. However just one small change or a simple safety check can make a big difference when it comes to preventing serious accidents to children.
?Deaths represent only a tip of the injury ‘iceberg’. For every child who dies from an injury, many more are admitted to hospital, attend accident and emergency departments, or general practitioners.?
Some types of injury result in considerable levels of trauma and disability.
Scalds, for example, represent only a small proportion of deaths but they can result in considerable long term disability and disfigurement and can be among the most distressing and painful injuries a child or young person can receive.
During the last year in Warrington 144 school aged children attended accident and emergency with a burn or a scald. Fifty two per cent were under four years old.
The Westy and Sandy Lane Children’s Centres together with the nurseries will be actively promoting the safety messages during the week. Since summer is the peak time for accidents, Razia is asking everyone to get involved by checking out the risks in their homes and having a plan to get out of the household safely if their was a fire.
For a free assessment for smoke alarms ring 0800 389 0053.
