MP hits out over
shopworker abuse
by John Hendon
WARRINGTON North MP Helen Jones ? a long time supporter of workers in the retail trade ? has tackled the town?s Crime and Disorder Partnership over the growing problem of abuse against shopworkers.
She has been shocked by a survey which showed that one third of shopworkers are subjected to vicious verbal abuse every month.
The survey was carried out by the shopworkers union, USDAW.
Ms Jones said: ?I am shocked at these results. People should be able to work free from mindless abuse.
?Shops are the heart of our communities but if we don?t tackle a significant minority of shoppers who believe that it is acceptable to abuse shop staff, then we could lose those local stores as retailers seek to protect their workers.
?I believe our local Crime and Disorder Partnership has a key role in reducing the unacceptable levels of abuse in some of our stores. I?ll be urging our Partnership to talk to local shopworkers and retail employers about how to deal with crime and anti-social behaviour in and around shops.
?A wide range of measures have been introduced and should be used to tackle persistent offenders, thus giving shopworkers some much needed protection.?
USDAW general secretary John Hannett said: ?Our members in Warrington are delighted to have the support of Helen Jones who has been a consistent supporter of our Freedom from Fear Campaign over the last five years.
?This campaign has help reduce physical abuse aimed at retail staff but the levels of vicious verbal abuse, threats and assaults against shopworkers is still far too high.
?USDAW has worked hard with retailers to improve in-store security that has helped protect staff but we are urging a minority of shoppers in Warrington who abuse staff to change their behaviour and respect shop workers who are only doing their best to serve their communities.?
Picture shows a Freedom from Fear event at Warrington?s Birchwood Shopping Centre.
Residents fight plan
for store extension
by David Skentelbery
ANGRY residents are fighting a plan to extend a convenience store at Appleton, Warrington, because of fears of parking problems.
Householders in Dudlows Green Road believe the rear extension at the Spar Shop will reduce the size of the existing car park, increase the size of the shop and result in delivery vehicles parking at the front.
Appleton Parish Council has also lodged an objection to the scheme.
The single-storey extension will take up space on the car park at the rear of the shop and other shops in Dudlows Green Road. But planning officers say the extension will result in only a 22 per cent increase in retail floor space – well within the size of a small-scale shopping facility meeting purely local needs.
Although some parking spaces will be lost, these can be made up in areas not currently marked out for parking.
The parish council argues that the extension will reduce much needed parking space and will also have an impact on delivery and waste collection vehicles. Councillors claim vehicles already park in front of the shop, in Dudlows Green Road and claim the proposals will exacerbate the situation.
Borough council’s development control chiefs will make the decision.
The true meaning
of “recycling”
by Lesley Wilkinson
LITTER pickers found the true meaning of “recycling” when they were collecting rubbish in Walton.
Warrington Clean Team volunteers were helping at the pick organised by Walton Parish Council when they found ? among the litter an abandoned bike in good condition.
Organiser Coun Trudi Wood said: “As luck would have it two cycling enthusiasts came by and offered to help.
?They explained how they go on many cycle rides for charity and rather than disposing of this bike could put it to good use in their charity work. A good result all round and it also gave me the opportunity for my worst pun so far this year… true recycling!” Earlier, a litter pick was organised in Appleton, focusing on the area near Broomfields Leisure Centre.
Coun Wood said there were not many volunteers and not much litter so they soon adjourned to a nearby member’s home for a hot drink.
Next litter pick will be this Sunday at Gatewarth Recycling Centre. Volunteers should meet by the fence outside the site, where parking is available.
The team is not working during August and their next pick will be on September 9 in Poulton North.
Dog owners warned:
keep your pets safe
by Lesley Wilkinson
DOG owners in Warrington are being warned to keep their pets secure or the animals may be rounded up by the Dog Warden Service.
The service is encouraging owners to use identity tags and chips on their dogs.
Runaway dogs and strays collected in the borough will now be housed at Cheshire Dogs Home in Grappenhall, where they will stay for a maximum of seven days before being re-homed.
Owners may only reclaim their dogs if they can provide proof of ownership and make a payment of ?50 for up to three days’ stay, or ?75 for up to a week.
The home is open to visitors between 1pm and 5pm, Monday to Saturday and from 1pm to 4pm on Sunday.
Further information is available from the home at 225 Knutsford Road, Grappenhall, on 01925 269500.
Council gives ?250
grant to mobile shop
by David Skentelbery
APPLETON Parish Council has agreed to give a ?250 grant towards the cost of a mobile shop run by a local employment project.
They have also put forward a number of suggestions for places where the shop ? run by the Walton Lea Project, could call.
These are Appleton Thorn Village Hall, Wright?s Green, near the bus stop, the junction of Dale Lane and Hinton Crescent and the junction of Arley Lane and Parkland Close ? all areas selected because there are no shops nearby.
The Walton Lea Project trains up to 30 adults with learning difficulties in horticulture in a Victorian walled garden at Walton Gardens. They sell their produce ? and the mobile shop helps them to do so.
One attraction of the service is that the project specialises in heritage varieties of fruit and vegetables difficult to obtain elsewhere.
Fire crews tackle
motorway blaze
by John Hendon
FIRE crews from Warrington and Birchwood were involved in a battle to extinguish a blaze on the M62 near Warrington yesterday (Tuesday).
The motorway was completely closed in both directions for a while, but later the westbound-carriageways were opened as dense smoke began to clear.
Firefighters tackled the blaze which involved a tractor being carried on an articulated lorry. They were forced to wear breathing apparatus during the operation.
Highways Agency officers and police also attended the scene.
No-one was hurt and the motorway was completely re-opened after about two and-a-half hours.
News of the incident was reported by Warrington-Worldwide yesterday.
Firefighters were called to Sankey Valley Park, Warrington, early today after hooligans dumped a stolen Peugeot 206 and set it alight. The car was virtually burned-out.
