New political party
launched to fight
borough elections
EXCLUSIVE by David Skentelbery
A NEW locally-based political party has been set up to fight council and Parliamentary elections at Warrington.
The Wigan-based Community Action Party – which won 18 seats from the ruling Labour Party on Wigan Borough Council in June – has formed a branch at Warrington.
It is also considering forming branches in Bolton and St Helens.
Formed little more than two years ago, the CAP has rocked Labour at Wigan.
Concentrating on local issues such as traffic, parking, the environment, keeping green spaces, etc., the new party won 18 seats and narrowly missed-out in five others. The deputy leader of the Labour group was among those to lose his seat.
CAP leader Peter Franzen told Warrington-Worldwide: “We did not set out to become a national movement, nor even a movement anywhere outside of Wigan.
“But following our success in June we have been approached by people disenchanted with the existing parties from all over the country.
“In some cases we have simply given advice on how to set up their own party, but when we had approaches from Warrington and other neighbouring districts we realised it made sense to work together.
“The inaugural meeting of the Warrington branch has already been held and we already have quite a few enthusiastic members.
“We aim to put up candidates in Wigan and Warrington at the General Election and, of course, we shall be fighting the local council elections.
“In Wigan we have changed the political map. Labour used to have 69 of 72 seats. Now there are 42 Labour councillors and 33 others – with ourselves, with 18 seats, the largest opposition group.
“The situation in Warrington is a little different to that in Wigan in that there is already a sizeable opposition to Labour. But in a sense that could be to our advantage as we might have to win only a handful of seats to hold the balance of power.”
Coun Franzen said applications to join the CAP were arriving on a daily basis. Many were from people who were already members of other parties but had become disillusioned.
“The evidence is that there are a lot of people out there interested in our sort of grassroots community politics,” he said.
The CAP can be contacted through their website www.community-action.com
Storm breaks over
eyesore fence
by staff reporter
A STORM of protest has broken following the erection of 6ft high steel fence around a Lymm beauty spot.
The fence has been erected around open land at the junction of Rushgreen Road and Orchard Road, near the Farmer’s Arms pub.
Nearby residents have condemned it as a “monstrosity” and local councillors Sheila Woodyatt and Ian Marks have both expressed outrage.
The fence, coloured white, has been put up by Antler Homes, which has offices in Crouchley Lane, Lymm.
Antler own the site, but in November 2002 were refused permission to build 13 houses and four flats there. The inspector who conducted a public inquiry said the proposed development would have “a materially adverse effect on the character and appearance of the surrounding area because of the loss of openness”.
Coun Marks said: “I am horrified by this fence. It is a monstrous eyesore which is quite out of keeping with the surrounding area. This field is a ‘green lung’ in a part of Lymm that has suffered from gross overdevelopment.
“We tried very hard to get it designated as a ‘village green’ to preserve it as open space in perpetuity. Sadly we couldn’t find the right evidence to pass the laid down legal test.
“The developer appears to be doing this to deliberately antagonise the community.. Cynics are saying it’s just an attempt to soften up residents and minimise opposition for the next time Antler puts in a planning application. I think it will have the opposite effect and mobilise opposition against this local company in the future.”
Coun Woodyatt said: “The fence is an eyesore and it ruins what is a very attractive piece of land with nice mature trees. It is a valuable piece of green space – but now it looks like the outside of a prison camp.
“I have spoken to Antler Homes and they say they have erected the fence to protect the land. But to protect it from what? I have no evidence of any damage being caused to the site.
“The company told me that because the fence is two metres high they don’t need planning permission and I think that comment was very revealing.
Local resident, Liz Malone added: “Thwarted by their attempt to put houses on the site, Antler Homes seem determined to blight the lives of local residents by installing a hideous fence around what used to be a beautiful paddock.
Rumours are flying round about what they might be wanting to store behind the fence.”
Antler Homes were not available to comment.
Picture shows Heatley parish councillor Bob Carville holding the “save our space” sign with borough councillors Ian Marks, Sheila Woodyatt and local residents.
Baths campaigners’ plea
rejected by watchdogs
by John Hendon
TOWN Hall watchdogs at Warrington have thrown out a request by opposition parties to have the controversial axing of plans for a new town centre swimming pool looked at again.
Members of the Labour-controlled scrutiny committee decided there was no need for the council’s executive board to reconsider the issue.
Liberal Democrat and Conservative councillors had joined forces to “call in” a long term strategy for sport and leisure in the borough which omitted a planned replacement for the town centre Warrington Baths, which closed earlier this year.
Scrutiny committee chairman Eric Bromley agreed to hear the argument – but only on the grounds that there may not have been adequate consultation before the decision was made.
But after hearing leisure supremo Colin Froggatt outline a consultation process dating back to September 2002, Coun Mike Maher moved that there had been extensive consultation and that no recommendation be made to the executive board.
The committee heard representations from the opposition parties and from local swimming groups.
Former international swimmer Judy Brown claimed an action group fighting the closure of the original Warrington Baths had been consulted too late and, as a result, were unable to present evidence that might have resulted in a different decision.
She said under the criteria accepted by the council, it was acceptable for 78 people to use the pool at Woolston Leisure Centre at the same time.
“They wouldn’t be able to move, never mind swim,” she declared.
Nearly 40,000 people without their own transport, who would find it difficult or impossible to use pools in outlying areas, had not been consulted.
The satellite pools were essential, she said, but they needed a “shining bright sun in the middle” and a new town centre pool was not unaffordable.
Coun Froggatt said using criteria set by Sport England, Warrington had an over-supply of water space of some 419 sq metres.
If a new pool was built in the town centre it would mean another pool closing.
But at some time in the future a new pool could be built in an appropriate area, linked either to a school or health facility.
After the meeting, Tory councillor Sheila Woodyatt described it as a “shambles” which proved the council’s scrutiny system did not work.
Liberal Democrat leader Coun Ian Marks said: “Predictably the Labour members of the committee turned down our request for this issue to be looked at again. I’m very disappointed with this because I firmly believe the wrong assumptions were used. The council should have sat round the table with the experts and agreed the best set of parameters to use. The council owe this to the town.”
Four years on, sailor’s
death still a mystery
EXCLUSIVE by David Skentelbery
THE tragic death of a naval rating four years ago remained a mystery following an inquest at Warrington.
Coroner Nicholas Rheinberg recorded an open verdict on Michael Smith, 28, who plunged to his death from a fifth floor balcony at a hotel in Gibraltar.
The inquest heard that although keep-fit enthusiast Michael, of Elliott Avenue, Padgate, Warrington, had been drinking, he was not drunk.
But he had suffered a number of blackouts following a boxing injury, his widow, Victoria, 32, told the hearing.
The coroner said: “It is pure speculation, but it is possible he could have wandered onto the balcony, suffered some sort of blackout and then fallen.”
Mother-of-two Victoria Smith told the inquest that in June 2000 her marriage to Michael was going through a difficult period. There had been talk of divorce and they had separated. But she was hopeful of a reconciliation.
Michael had been on leave and was flown out to Gibraltar to join his ship, the nuclear submarine HMS Tireless.
Her husband had been a keen boxer but in 1994 had suffered a nasty injury when he was knocked out by a blow to the head. After that he had suffered from headaches and occasional blackouts. He had blacked out on the stairs at home once and had described the experience as being like an electric shock through his body.
Once he had blacked out while on board ship, but the medical officer believed he had tripped.
Victoria said Michael had not been a “perfect husband” and she knew he had been seeing another woman in Gibraltar.
The inquest heard that on June 18 Michael went out to several clubs in Catalan Bay with barmaid Helen Harper. He had been seeing her although it was not a “serious affair” according to shipmates.
It was believed he had drunk several pints of beer and four or five vodkas and orange. But when he and Helen went to his room at the hotel where he was billeted he was not drunk.
Helen awoke during the night to find he was not in bed. She could not find him in the apartment and looked out of the window and saw him lying on a flat room about three floors below.
Hotel staff and shipmates were the first to reach him but he was found to be dead.
The inquest heard Michael had received two good conduct badges while serving in the Navy and was regarded as an “above average” rating. There was no suggestion of foul play nor of suicide.
German press to
focus on Warrington
THOUSANDS of people in Germany are to be given an insight into life in Warrington when the country’s leading newspaper Die Welt prints a feature on the town. Die Welt and another newspaper Berliner Morgenpost, working in co-operation with the British Chamber of Commerce in Germany, plan to publish a special supplement on the UK on October 29. And Warrington will feature prominently. The supplement coincides with an official visit by the Queen to Germany at the beginning of November. Berlin journalist Jochen Clemens visited Warrington to research a feature and said there will be “quite a big piece on Warrington”. His visit coincided with an advert in Die Welt, by Warrington Borough Council’s Economic Development Team, promoting the town as a commercial investment location.
Clampdown on
fine dodgers
by Lesley Wilkinson
A CLAMPDOWN on fine dodgers is being staged in Warrington and those who do not pay up will face arrest.
Police and court enforcement officers are targeting those who owe money to the courts in a joint operation.
Letters are being sent to people who have unpaid fines from criminal cases warning then to pay up, attend court or face arrest. A special court session to deal with them will be held on Wednesday October 13.
Inspector Brian Heywood, of Warrington Community Action Team said: “This operation is sending out a clear message to defaulters that we will not tolerate the non-payment of fines.
“Those people who owe money to the court should take the opportunity to pay their fine now, or expect a knock on their door from police – it’s that simple.”
Robbers tried to set
fire to victim
by John Hendon
POLICE are investigating a bizarre robbery in which a man was knocked unconscious by thugs who then apparently tried to get his clothing alight.
The 27-year-old man awoke to find he had been robbed, that his clothing had been burned and that he had burns to his hands.
Police are seeking witnesses of the attack which took place in broad daylight on the A574 Birchwood Way at Birchwood, Warrington.
The victim was walking along the side of the road carrying a suitcase when he was confronted by two men who demanded his hand over the suitcase.
He refused but one man grabbed the case and tried to pull it away from him. During the struggle the second man struck him on the head from behind, knocking him unconscious.
When he recovered the men had gone, taking his case, which contained clothing and personal belongings.
He flagged down a passing motorist who took him to hospital where it was found he had bruising to his head, a dislocated shoulder and burns to his hands.
The offenders were both aged about 20/30, slim and were wearing tracksuits and training shoes. One had short fair hair and the other short dark hair.
Teachers and parents
to go “up the wall”
by staff reporter
REFURBISHMENT work at a Warrington school is sending teachers and parents literally “up the wall.”
To celebrate improvements at Appleton Thorn Primary School and raise money for a new interactive whiteboard, teachers, parents and children will be taking part in a sponsored climb at the school on October 22.
Improvements include two additional classrooms, a new library and ICT research base, a new staff room, staff room toilets, children’s toilets, an external storeroom and an extended playground.
Other work included converting an existing staff room into a “withdrawal room” for teaching small groups of children including gifted and talented pupils. The existing library has been refurbished to provide a reprographics room and a mobile classroom has been demolished to make way for a new infants’ playground.
MP for Warrington South Helen Southworth and guests from Warrington Borough Council, the school and the construction company will attend the event and mark the completion of work.
Head teacher Jackie Stillings said: “Everybody is really excited by the new build and we are all eagerly awaiting the opening. The builders have been wonderful in integrating the new with the old, so much so that it feels like it has always been here.
“The new build has inspired us to become involved in a Playground Partnerships bid, so that we all feel fully involved in improving our environment. Let’s hope we are as successful with that bid as we have been with the new building,” she added.
Drugs man charged
by staff reporter
A 34-year-old man from Merseyside, arrested on the M62 near Croft, Warrington appeared before the town’s magistrates charged with three offences.
He was charged with possession of heroin with intent to supply and two offences of possessing a firearm without a licence.
Police claim they recovered heroin with a street value of more than ?1 million when they stopped the man’s car.
Kitchen blaze
FIRE crews from Stockton Heath and Warrington were called to a house in Poacher’s Lane, Latchford when fire broke out in the kitchen.
The blaze was caused by a pan of food left on a cooker. A man was overcome by smoke and was given first aid at the scene.
