Tuesday 2nd January 2007

0


Council chiefs warn
of tough year ahead


by David Skentelbery

TOWN Hall chiefs at Warrington have warned of a tough year ahead as the borough council ? currently facing a shortfall of ?8 million ? considers its forthcoming budget.

New areas for investment have been identified ? but council leaders admit they face extremely difficult decisions.

Leaders of the Lib Dem-Conservative alliance running the council, Ian Marks and Keith Bland have issued a joint statement
on the future strategy.
Council leader Ian Marks (Lib Dem) said: “Warrington, like most other local authorities, is facing a tough year financially, with a shortfall of ?8m.

?We have to make some difficult decisions as we consider how to settle our budget. We are pleased that having examined the figures closely, we believe many of the savings can be delivered by modernising the way we do things. But the council still needs to find around ?4m for 2007-8 to balance the books, which will inevitably mean more hard choices.

“The council is committed to concentrating on our priorities and ambitions. We must ensure that wherever possible, funds are directed to improving those services that people value, while still keeping council tax as low as possible.”

The ?Which Way Warrington?? public consultation event at the Parr Hall in November gave an insight into many public concerns and the council, anxious to engage residents in discussion about its future spending plans, has used the results of the event to guide its thinking on next year’s budget.

For example, 43 per cent of residents stated that community safety was a concern. As a result, the council is planning to invest ?250,000 to fund 22 new Police Community Support Officers across the borough.

Residents also said that they wanted to see investment in the local environment, so the council is looking to spend an additional ?200,000 per year on ?green? initiatives, including recycling and making sure that streets, parks and green spaces are cleaner and tidier.

The council is also giving priority to meeting the increasing demand for adult social care and developing frontline services for young people – both of which were rated as important by residents.

The council plans to meet the budget shortfall and respond to the issues raised by residents from consultation by doing things more efficiently. This will involve a range of measures, including:

<LI> ensuring that all council buildings are being used to best effect
<LI> streamlining administration
<LI> monitoring vacancies and reducing staff absence
<LI> improving the purchasing of social care services
<LI> looking at the way technology can best be used to deliver services, for example, by reporting faulty street lights online.

By improving services, the council is on target to receive ?350,000 per year in external funding up to 2009 to improve employment opportunities, tackle congestion and improve street cleaning.

For 2007-8, an extra ?100,000 of external funding will also be allocated to the town to enable local people to become more involved in decision-making and improving services in their area.

Coun Keith Bland, (Cons) deputy leader of the council added: “The council has earmarked millions of pounds of investment in Warrington over the next three years and we are committed to continue spending on delivering quality public services. To do that, we will focus on what is really important to local people and ensure we make the right decisions about future spending plans.”


Mayor gives the thumbs
up to new look gym

by Gary Skentelbery

WARRINGTON’s Mayor was special guest at Broomfield’s new impressive state of the art gymnasium which has
been extended into a former bar area.
Coun Linda Dirir and her consort husband Allin checked out the new facilities at the Appleton based leisure centre, which are proving hugely
popular with regular users.
To help celebrate the launch of the facility there was a sp[ecial Warrington Charity Work Out involving]guessing the distance
users would row, with all proceeds being donated to St Rocco’s Hospice.
First prize was a years membership at the Select gym.
It is the second year running the event has taken place and last year raised over ?6,000.


Car park expansion
plan thrown out

by David Skentelbery

PLANNING chiefs have narrowly voted to throw out a bid to enlarge an office car park ? despite support for the scheme from nearby residents and local councillors.

Warrington?s development control committee voted 6-5 to refuse permission for the major extension to the car park at Carphone Warehouse, Standford House, Birchwood.

Officers had recommended the scheme be refused to discourage staff from travelling to work by car.

Neighbours and Birchwood Town Council had argued the scheme be allowed ensure there is adequate off-road parking in the area, however.

Planners argued that the availability of parking had a major influence on people’s choice of transport.

A spokesman said: “Increasing the level of parking would detract from the important objective of promoting sustainable travel choices.”

The company wanted to increase the number of parking spaces from 223 to 343.

Local people say parking by Carphone Warehouse staff in nearby Glover Road is causing road safety problems – particularly for primary school pupils. The company has had limited success in persuading staff not to use their cars.

There was also opposition to the scheme from planners on the grounds the development would result in the loss of trees and shrubberies which form part of a “greenway” network throughout the Risley employment area.


Wanted: balloon
launch sites in town

by staff reporter

THE Guild of Photographers is looking for a suitable venue for a charity balloon launch in Warrington.

At least one site is needed in the borough and the guild wants to hear from wedding and reception venues who would like to take part in a national balloon launch in aid of Red Nose Day next March.

Guild director Joan Roberts said: ?We recently unveiled our national balloon competition, which is designed to help raise awareness of the Guild and our UK wide members, and are now looking for venue to host launches in Warrington next year.

Wedding and reception venues which take part in the competition can invite brides and grooms-to-be to set off balloons from the site to be in with a chance of winning ?1,000 towards the cost of their wedding photography, plus a further ?1,000 if their photographer is a guild member.

Regional winners will also be selected to win ?500 each to go towards their wedding photography. Runners-up prizes include the chance to have an engagement portrait taken by a guild members and other wedding goodies.

The Guild is donating all proceeds from the initiative to Comic Relief and to tie in with the charity is selling red balloons for ?1 each or ?5 for six. It hopes to sell 10,000 balloons by March 1 and during the run up to Red Nose Day on March 16, wedding venues will be able to host their own balloon launches.

The person who finds the overall winning balloon that has travelled the furthest will win a hot air balloon flight for two.
Balloons are on sale on the websitewww.gwp-weddingdirectory.co.ukuntil March 1.


Accountants on the
ball for charities

by Gary Skentelbery

WARRINGTON accountants WatkinsonBlack celebrated their
Chrismas Dinner at Panama Hatty’s Tarporley and called upon Mr Philip
Wilson, Manager to

draw the winning ticket in their recent raffle in
support of Claire House Childrens Hospice and Warrington Disability
Partnership.

The lucky winner, Warrington taxi driver Steve Cooke, is pictured
receiving his prize, a signed Wayne Rooney England Shirt.

WatkinsonBlack partners David Watkinson and Margaret Black said nearly ?2,000 had been raised from the shirt and Claire House will
benefit by nearly ?1,300 with over ?600 going to Warrington Disability Parnership.

David and Margaret who are pictured with taxi driver Steve Cooke,who purchased the shirt during a Casino night organised
by Warrington Disability Partnership.


Shoebox gifts

by John King

Pupils at Statham Community Primary School near Lymm, Warrington, filled 142 Christmas Shoeboxes which have been sent to Brazilian children.
Pictured with the boxes are members of the school council from left, Abbie Hobden, Amelia Hession, James Pritty, Edward Keiger, Hayden Wilce, Alice Willcock, Neal Llewellyn and Alex Caldwell.

[ 04.01.2007, 08:52: Message edited by: DS ]


0 Comments
Share.

About Author

Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.

Leave A Comment