3,660 homes made “decent”
– but 1,520 more to go !
by David Skentelbery
WARRINGTON?S Golden Gates Housing has made a total of 3,660 homes ?decent? since it launched a major programme of improvements in November 2004.
But it launched a housing stock condition survey at the same time and as it has progressed, the forecast number of ?non-decent? homes has risen until now, with 95 per cent of homes surveyed, it has reached 6,180.
When the survey started, the forecast number of non-decent homes was 3,023 and in 2004-5, when 35 per cent of the stock surveyed, the forecast was 3,606.
To be classified as ?decent? a home must meet the current statutory minimum standard for housing, be in a reasonable state of repair, had reasonable modern facilities and services, provide a reasonable degree of thermal comfort and meet the requirements of the Housing Health and Safety Rating System.
A report to be considered by the borough council?s community services overview and scrutiny committee next week says Golden Gates Housing received funding of ?65 million to carry out the work.
As a result of the additional 3,000 non-decent homes coming to light, the ?65 million budget will not be enough to make all properties decent by next year ? even though the average spend on each property has been reduced from ?9,000 to ?5,000.
But a review of the lifecycle of components has reduced a forecast deficit of ?4.7 million to ?2.5 million, which will be met from next year?s capital budget.
This will not reduce the quality or specification of work customers will receive and it will enable 5,580 tenants to have decent homes work completed by March next year ? more than 2,500 more than originally planned.
But about 600 tenants will not qualify for decent homes until after 2010.
A working group which has been investigating the decent homes programme says it believes Golden Gates Housing and its partners ? the contractors carrying out the work ? have already done well by completing more than the original 3,023 properties in the original budget.
The group notes that Golden Gates Housing underwent a further inspection by the Audit Commission last December and was one of only 10 Arms Length Management Organisations (ALMOs) in the country to receive a score of three stars with excellent prospects for improvement. In 2004, it received two stars.
New buses take
to the road
by Gary Skentelbery
TWELVE new buses have taken to the streets of Warrington this week at a cost of ?1.2 million.
This follows on from Warrington Borough Transport’s success of adding one million new passengers last year – an increase of more than 13 per cent – compared to a national decline of minus one per cent.
The bus company has also achieved 98 per cent customer satisfaction in a recent survey and offers a “no quibble” money back guarantee for any disatisfied customers.
MD Nigel Featham said one of the key successes was working in partnership with key organisations across the borough.
“This is a shared vision to build on Warrington’s position as one of the North West’s fastest growing economies and establish its reputation as a vibrant and attractive premier league town.
“We strongly believe the hallmark of a successful town is a modern, efficient and accessible public transport system. Working together we can help Warrington go from strength to strength,” he said.
Over the past six years the bus company has invested in 77 new passenger friendly buses which are equipped with wheelchair and buggy facilities, ultra clean low emission engines, electronic destination displays, extra leg room and on-board CCTV systems.
Other successes including helping reduce peak time traffic congestion in the town centre by 15 per cent in the last 12 months.
A special promotional video has been produced to celebrate the achievements.
Schoolgirl bids for
Teen Queen title
by Lesley Wilkinson
A WARRINGTON teenager is through to the final stages of the first Miss Teen Queen UK competition and is hoping to gain a place in the finals to be held in London in the summer.
Julie Duane, 16, of Adey Road, Lymm, entered the competition at The Clothes Show in Birmingham in December.
She competed against more than 4,500 girls to get to the next stage of the contest. She was invited to London, given a make-over and took part in a professional photo shoot.
Her mother Tracey said: “We are very proud of her. She entered the competition and got through the initial stages. We never expected to hear any more.”
The competition is organised by the same people as the Miss England contest. The UK winner will be taken to Barbados in July to compete in the international Miss Teen Queen competition.
Julie, who has a brother Johnny and sister Kelly, is in the Lower Sixth at Lymm High School. She is studying for A’ Levels in English Literature, Sociology, Performing Arts and Biology, and hopes to become a special needs teacher.
She does voluntary special needs teaching in Warrington, sings and plays netball for the school.
Canal boat project
nominated for award
by Lesley Wilkinson
PUPILS from two Warrington schools are celebrating the news that the town’s Canal Boat Adventure Project has been nominated for the prestigious Spirit of Merseyside award.
Youngsters from Sir Thomas Boteler CE High School and St Monica?s RC Primary School are members of the award-winning canal boat based social inclusion project.
Norma Hornby, of Appleton, has been chairman of the project for more than 28 years and full time manager for the past six years.
She said: “The project involves young people in drama, music, issue based workshops, arts projects and volunteer work. It works closely with Kids and Co, an educational charity in East Berlin.
“The fact that four young people from the project are against all odds, studying at university with another five intending to follow this path in 2008 is proof that many young people who are labelled failures are actually very talented.” Norma, who is president of Warrington Rotary Club and has won several awards for her work, said the project is often featured in the media in the UK and abroad.
The project has been praised by local MPs and Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown.
It has also been praised by celebrity patron Ken Dodd who said: “This is a great project bringing lots of happiness to young deserving people.” Norma is encouraging local people to join Rotary Clubs in voting for the project on www.cfmerseyside.org.uk The project is raising funds for a replacement boat, which will have full disabled access, following an arson attack in November.
Events planned include a 60s concert at the Liverpool Empire, including Gerry Marsden (of the Pacemakers) and several other bands. The group has also received a ?25,000 grant from Children in Need to provide specialist disability access to the new boat.
Council to use CCTV
to catch flytippers
by David Skentelbery
TOWN Hall chiefs at Warrington are to use CCTV cameras to catch flytippers.
The cameras will be hidden in the undergrowth at Old Barleycastle Lane, Appleton Thorn – a favourite dumping ground for the flytippers.
Coun Judith Walker said: “We are not just talking about old mattresses – piles and piles of rubble is being dumped there.”
The plan has been welcomed by members of Appleton Parish Council who have been fighting a losing battle with the fly-by-nights for years.
Several years ago, the borough council – with support from the parish – placed a number of large concrete blocks at the site to try and prevent access by the dumpers’ vehicles.
But the dumping has carried on. Rubbish is tipped in front of the concrete blocks – and behind them as well.
Borough council workmen recently removed 20 tonnes of rubble
from the site.
A sign warning that CCTV cameras are in use will be erected – but the location of the cameras, or the times when they are operating, remains unknown.
Coun Walker said: “That has to be a secret – but they will be hidden in the undergrowth.”
Masked gang in raid
on filling station
by John Hendon
A GANG of masked raiders got away with cash and cigarettes from a petrol station at Warrington.
The raid was at the filling station in Dewhurst Road, Birchwood, close to the Asda store.
Four or five men wearing ski-masks forced their way into the kiosk, threatened staff and grabbed cash and cigarettes. One member of staff was punched in the face.
The raiders then made off and are believed to have had a car parked in Birchwood Boulevard.
All are described as being in their early 20s and speaking with local accents.
Police are anxious to talk to anyone who witnessed the raid at about 8pm on Tuesday (March 20). Anyone who can help should call DC Ian Thompson on 0845 458 0000.
