Council set for ?4.7m
property sell-off
by David Skentelbery
TOWN Hall bosses at Warrington are considering a sell-off of up to 75 council-owned buildings and sites across the borough to raise about ?4.7 million.
They include the disused Warrington Baths building, off Legh Street, Griffiths Building, in Bank Street, the Longbarn Local Centre and the Fiddler?s Ferry Yacht Haven.
The list was put to a private meeting of the council?s executive board earlier this month by property and facilities chief Peter Moffatt.
Subsequently he has written to all councillors asking whether there are any factors that they consider would impact on the advisability of the proposed disposals.
Each property on the list has been extensively researched as to its current use, rental income to the council, revenue cost and potential value. As a result, Mr Moffatt feels that most of the properties on the list are suitable for immediate disposal.
Originally, he asked for councillors? responses by December 31 but following a protest to council leader Ian Marks by Fairfield and Howley councillor Paul Kenny, Coun Marks has agreed to extend the consultation into the New Year.
Coun Kenny said: “To be presented with a list of sites upon which members are expected to consult with local residents and community groups during the busy festive season is totally unacceptable.
“I am pleased that Coun Marks has indicated that he will extend the consultation period into the New Year.”
Coun Kenny said many of the sites recommended for disposal are within deprived inner wards and he believed any capital raised from the sale should be re-invested in those wards, including Fairfield and Howley.
“If the council raises nearly ?5 million from this sale I want to see that money reinvested in the local communities from which it has been obtained and not ploughed into the council coffers and spent elsewhere,” he said.
Other properties on the list include the Jolly Tanner pub in Statham Avenue, the PLP Motors site in Liverpool Road, the Co-op Late Shop in Gough Avenue, Terminus Garage, in Liverpool Road, the Roy Trevor depot in Napier Street, the East Lodge at Warrington Cemetery, Holcroft Grange, in Jackson Avenue, Culcheth and shop units in Bridgewater Avenue, Central Avenue, Martin Avenue, Greenwood Crescent and Cotswold Road.
Club may be forced
to rip up car park
by David Skentelbery
THE new ?1.25 million Grappenhall Village Sports Club may be forced to rip up a newly-laid car park, following a controversial planning decision.
Warrington?s development control committee voted 7-4 to refuse a retrospective planning application to retain a hard surfaced area used for parking at the club in Stockton Lane.
Nearby residents and Grappenhall and Thelwall Parish Council had opposed the application because of its impact on neighbours? homes and on the Green Belt.
Planning officers had recommended the scheme be allowed, subject to conditions on landscaping and screening of the site.
But after hearing of the problems of nearby residents, who claimed the car park was too near to their homes, the committee decided to refuse the application. This could result in enforcement action to make the club remove the hard-surfacing.
The club has been created out of the merging of the former Grappenhall Village Tennis Club and Grappenhall Sports Club. It has eight new all-weather tennis courts, five of them floodlit, three full-sized soccer pitches, two junior pitches, a new clubhouse and football and tennis changing facilities.
An official opening ceremony is due to take place shortly.
Officers said the land had a history of use for parking and this could continue, with or without the hard surfacing. The club had not realised planning consent for the hard surface was required.
They believed the hard surfacing, with landscaping, improved the situation from visual and residential amenity points of view.
However they accepted the hard surfacing was of poor quality, was much closer to residential property than previously and that users of the car park had been poorly managed with little regard to the benefits of neighbourliness.
Students impress in
national maths challenge
by staff reporter
TWO students from Warrington?s Priestley College have impressed in a nationwide Maths challenge open only to the most able students
Jakub Stefula and Helen Browne showed although nationally teenagers are turning their backs on academic based subjects in favour of creative pathways, Priestley students are bucking the trend
The United Kingdom Maths challenge was set up to stimulate greater interest in maths across the 11-18 age group and Priestley have been entering their first year students in the event for a number of years
The nature of the competition is best highlighted by the statistics with 57,800 students entering in 2006 from 1754 separate centres
After the results had been calculated Jakub and Helen were the top achievers from Priestley and landed silver awards after coming in the top 12 per cent of candidates in the country
Both students had previously landed A grades in the subject at secondary school with Jakub’s success, even more remarkable taking into account he has only been in the country for 18 months after arriving from Slovakia
Meanwhile other students to impress at the College included Daniel Meir, Stephen Wolstenholme, Katherine Findlay, Wesley James and Emily Bird who all scooped bronze awards
Maths tutor Dave Kay commented: “A lot has been made in recent times about an ever widening skills gap in the area of Maths and Science, which if reports are to be believed could have a dramatic impact on our country in the future.
“At Priestley we do everything possible to support students who have shown promise in these areas and I congratulate all of our entrants following their success in the UK Maths Challenge 2006.”
Heartless thieves
target church
by Gary Skentelbery
HEARTLESS thieves broke into a church and stole presents from under a Christmas tree.
The gifts at All Saints Church, Glazebury, had been destined for children at Warrington Hospital.
Following the theft four stained glass windows were also smashed causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.
A number of windows were also smashed at the nearby Glazebury Methodist Church when bricks were hurled through the glass.
Now local council chiefs are appealing for witnesses to come forward and identify the culprits.
Clerk to Culcheth and Glazebury Parish Council Sandra Barker said: “It is particularly sickening that this kind of crime happens just before Christmas.
“Members of the church congregation have rallied around and provided replacement gifts for the children’s ward and someone has put up a reward for information which will help catch those responsible.”
Recycling cards to
help needy children
by staff reporter
PEOPLE in Warrington have the opportunity to help children in remote parts of Africa by recycling their Christmas cards.
From December 27 to January 20, cards can be recycled at the ASDA store in the Cockhedge Centre.
Cards will be collected by the Salvation Army and the money raised will fund the purchase of hundreds of Life Line Solar Powered wind-up radios and laptops. These will be distributed by the Free Play foundation to children in remote parts of Africa, to facilitate distance learning.
Store manager Colin Trainer said: “We want to educate as many of our customers and colleagues as possible about the importance of recycling.
“The fact that monies raised from our recycling appeal goes to such a worthy cause is an added bonus.”
Rescuers urge people
to be aware of ICE
by Lesley Wilkinson
A RESCUE charity is urging people to be aware of ICE – a national initiative that helps trace relativ
es in an emergency.
The North West Air Ambulance (NWAA), which often comes to the aid of people in the Warrington area, is asking people to store their next of kin – In Case of Emergency – under the abbreviation ICE on their mobile phone.
The charity reports that in an emergency situation, those with an ICE contact in their address book will massively assist emergency service personnel and hospital staff in locating and contacting next of kin.
Lynda Brislin, charity chief executive officer, said: “The North West Air Ambulance is in full support of the ICE initiative. Our paramedics are called to a variety of emergency situations and if an ICE contact can make their job a little easier and allow the patient and their loved one to feel at ease more quickly, it is something we are eager to promote.
“Since the arrival of our helicopter ‘Katie’ last year, we now have a passenger seat for a loved one to accompany the patient to hospital which offers great comfort. If the ICE initiative can bring the patient and next of kin together more quickly and give them that same sort of comfort, then it is a positive step forward.” The ICE initiative was founded by a paramedic who realised that almost everyone has a mobile phone but it is often unclear who the emergency services should call. He concluded that a nationally recognised name could combat the issue and speed up contacting the next of kin.
NWAA receives no mainstream funding yet operates throughout the region 365 days a year serving a population of seven million. It costs ?1.3 million a year to maintain and relies on donations from the public and businesses.
Residents pledge ongoing
battle over “school run”
by David Skentelbery
RESIDENTS of Beechways, Appleton, have warned of a continuing campaign to get “school run” traffic banned from their road.
A deputation attended a meeting of Appleton Parish Council and pledged to continue attending meetings until action was taken to stop parents dropping off Bridgewater High School pupils outside their homes.
They allege “school run” traffic causes unacceptable congestion and that pupils walk across their lawns and damage gardens.
In particular, residents are concerned that a proposal to relieve the problem by creating a “drop-off” lay-by in London Road might no longer being going ahead.
A spokesman said council minutes were now stating the lay-by was now “under consideration” when previously it had suggested it was definitely to go ahead.
Coun Brian Axcell said as far as he was aware, the lay-by was a firm proposal. But he would raise the issue with the borough council’s transportation director.
The Beechways residents also expressed concern that a “range war” could be starting with residents from Park Crescent, who had complained at the amount of consideration being given to Beechways.
Park Crescent residents felt that any restrictions on traffic in Beechways would only move the problem elsewhere and that people living near a school should accept that at times there would be difficulties.
The Beechways residents accept that Park Crescent residents face similar problems and say the two groups should co-operate to find a solution to help all residents.
[ 22.12.2006, 15:09: Message edited by: DS ]
