NEWS FLASH
Woolston High
School to close!
MEMBERS of Warrington Borough Council’s Executive Board have unanimously voted to close Woolston High School in 2012 due to falling pupil numbers, despite a massive demonstration, involving hundreds of demonstrators outside the town hall.
A full report, including exclusive video footage and interviews with the protesters can be viewed tomorrow, Tuesday.
Major facelift for town’s
ancient water mains
by Gary Skentelbery
WARRINGTON town centre?s ancient water mains ? laid by the Victorians more than 100 years ago ? are being given a major facelift for the 21st century.
While the works are set to cause major traffic disruptions in the town centre, United Utilities and Warrington Borough Council have been working hard to ensure these are kept to a minimum to allow “business as usual.”
United Utilities engineers will start work on the first phase of the project next Monday (September 24), which will see approximately 6km of old cast-iron mains replaced with modern plastic pipes.
The ?1.4 million improvements will help reduce leakage and improve the quality of drinking water to 6,000 properties, complimenting the ongoing regeneration of Warrington and the town centre.
This first phase will last for six weeks and will take place across the town centre, including areas around Mersey Street, Buttermarket Street, Scotland Road and Orford Street. The second phase will include Wilson Patten Street and Bridgefoot.
The schedule has been subject to rigorous planning and has been staggered into phases – the first finishing on November 9 as the town gears up for the rush of Christmas shoppers.
Engineers will also use a ?no dig? technique to lay the new mains. The technique, almost like keyhole surgery, involves inserting the new plastic pipes into the old ones, which means only small holes need to be dug.
John Nock, project manager for United Utilities, said: ?This is a major scheme we are undertaking to improve Warrington?s drinking water.
?It is projects such as this which residents? water bills help to fund and it highlights our continuing commitment to improve the quality of water supplies for all our customers.?
John added: ?A diversion will be put in place to reduce any inconvenience to road users. We would like to ask town centre shoppers, traders and motorists to please remain patient whilst these improvements are carried out and we are hoping to complete the work as quickly as possible.?
Andy Farrall, Strategic Director of the council?s Environment and Regeneration Services, says: ?The improvements being carried out by United Utilities are yet another positive sign of Warrington?s regeneration. Upgrading the water system is a clear indication of the growth of the town and the proper infrastructure needed to support its development.
?Both the council and United Utilities have gone through a painstaking process of working up a plan to allow ?business as usual? as far as possible in the town centre. We are committed to keeping the town on the move by working with bus companies and local businesses to promote alternative routes whilst the works are ongoing and we will keep all residents and commuters informed of where and when they will be happening.?
The work is part of United Utilities? ?2.9 billion water quality and environmental improvement programme between 2005 and 2010.
Cyclist dies after
plunging into ditch
by Gary Skentelbery
A 54-year-old Warrington man was killed when his bicycle plunged into a seven foot ditch as he cycled home from work at IKEA down a dark path.
The man, who was cycling with a Polish colleague at around 11pm on Saturday night, (Sept 15) strayed a couple of feet off the path.
It is believed he died instantly after banging his head on a concrete wall, suffering a broken neck.
Fire crews were called out to rescue the deceased, who has not yet been named.
Danny wins chance of a
life time at top hotel
by Gary Skentelbery
A 15-year-old Warrington youngster has won an once in a life time opportunity to gain work experience at one of Manchester’s top hotels.
Danny Miller was presented with his prize at the glittering “Hell’s Kitchen” style Great Northern Cook Off Competition awards ceremony when he was offered a lucrative modern apprenticeship place at the Macdonald Manchester Hotel.
Danny, who lives in Warrington, will now have the opportunity to not only work as part of the kitchen brigade at the new hotel, which opens on October 1, but to also attend Macdonald Hotels? culinary academy at Motherwell College and earn qualifications such as: Elementary Food Hygiene, SVQ Level 2, Intermediate Food Hygiene and SVQ Level 3.
On successful completion of the scheme, he will become a qualified chef to both the standards set in Macdonald Hotels and Resorts and to national standards and his apprenticeship includes course fees, chef?s whites and a professional knife set.
The culinary competition, organised by local events company Inspiring Connections, saw 32 young people who are all participants in the Prince?s Trust in the North West?s XL Programme, battle it out in the kitchen to produce their own culinary masterpiece. Macdonald Manchester Hotel sponsored the XL Award and chef?s whites for the winners.
Hotel Manager Garin Davies said: ?Encouraging and supporting young people in the hotel industry is a personal passion and a mainstay of Macdonald Hotels? philosophy, so I am thrilled to sponsor and present the award to our winning young chefs, and to also offer this unique apprenticeship prize and a genuine head-start in the hotel industry for Danny Miller, who all the judges agreed had the potential to develop his skills to become an excellent professional chef.?
Danny said : ?I still can?t believe it. I have wanted to be a chef since I was about 6 years-old and I am really excited about this amazing opportunity?.
Paul Williams, project co-ordinator for the Prince?s Trust XL Programme in the North West commented: ?The Great Northern Cook Off has provided a fantastic opportunity to support the XL Programme in the North West and the cooking competition at South Trafford College was truly memorable.
It was great to see so many young people meet the challenge head on and they produced some very tasty and healthy food. On top of this we are absolutely delighted that Macdonald Hotels have decided to support one of these young people by offering a funded apprenticeship. This is what the XL Programme is all about – offering young people that have had a difficult time in school the chance to really achieve something and giving them the best possible start in life.?
Hunt for
gang of four
by Gary Skentelbery
POLICE in Warrington are hunting for a gang of four young men who terrorised a disabled man outside a chip shop in Great Sankey on September 4 at 6.15pm.
The 46-year-old man who walks with the aid of a walking stick was leaving the Golden City takeaway on Old Liverpool Road, when one of the gang attempted to grab his wallet.
As a result the man dropped his bag of food, which was then picked up by one of the gang who all fled the scene.
Two of the youths were particularly aggressive towards the victim.
It is believed a woman in the take away witnessed the incident and police are appealing for her to come forward.
Any one who witnessed the incident is urged to contact Pc McCullogh at sankey Police Station on 01925 612620.
Shadow Minister Condemns
Pension Failure
SHADOW Minister for Work and Pensions, Chris Grayling and David Mowat, the Tory candidate for Warrington South, addressed a business breakfast in Warrington on the subject of the pension system and attacked the failure of the Government Welfare to Work programme.
After the meeting at the Lymm Hotel Mr Grayling visited Dawsons, the music business in S
ankey Street, Warrington, to be briefed by the management team on the issues faced by medium sized businesses in complying with the government regulations in this area.
Grayling, who once stood in Warrington South as a Tory candidate when he was defeated by current MP Helen Southworth, condemned the Government for the yearly raid of ?5billion which is removed from occupational pension schemes and has resulted in over 80% of final salary schemes being closed in Gordon Brown?s period as chancellor.
He pledged assistance from a future Conservative Government to the 125,000 workers who had lost their pensions, many of whom are now in considerable financial distress.
Meanwhile Mowat criticised the waste of talent caused by over 2500 young people from Warrington not being in education or work.
“It is not good for the individual and not good for society,” he said.
Fight for
freedom concert
FRESH from the fantastic ‘Songs of Praise’ held at the end of the Lymm Festival, the next event in the Churches Together calendar will be the United Service at Lymm High School on Sunday 14 October at 6.30pm.
This will be a performance of ‘Cargo’ and Churches Together are delighted that Paul Field, the composer, will be there to direct and sing in his composition. ‘Cargo’ expresses the fight for freedom past and present in music, words, dance and images.
This year is the 200th anniversary of the Act that abolished Britain’s involvement in the slave trade in 1807. Just as hundreds and thousands were forced to journey the seas of the world to slavery, so ‘Cargo’ is a very moving journey from the abolitionist movement that began in the 18th century to the present day. The musical ends by asking what difference we can make in our world where poverty, prejudice and unfair trade still create slavery.
For more information about this performance, look out for the posters or contact the Revd Michael Burgess on 01925 752388 or email [email protected]
