Gardens clean-up
after poisons
found in soil
by David Skentelbery
NEARLY 30 householders at Warrington have been informed their gardens will have to be excavated and the top soil replaced following the discovery of poisonous substances including arsenic, lead, nickel and mercury.
Letters have also been sent to several hundred other homes in the area, informing them that test will have to be carried out in their gardens.
The homes are at Sankey Bridges, Warrington and the metals and other substances found in the gardens are a legacy of the 19th century soap industry in the town.
Houses where the borough council propose to remove up to three feet of topsoil from the gardens are in Roughley Avenue, Broadhurst Avenue and Rostherne Close. A total of 28 properties, of which about 15 are council houses and the rest owner-occupied.
Other houses to be investigated are in the Liverpool Road area.
Andrew Gilbert, Warrington’s environmental health chief, stressed that the poisons had been found only in small quantities.
He said: “People would have to literally eat the soil in substantial quantities to come to any harm.”
Waste from the soap industry was used as infill when the course of Sankey Brook was altered in the late 19th century. No records exist as to who authorised or carried out the work.
Between the World Wars, the area was developed for council housing and private bungalows were built in the mid-60s.
In 1989, evidence of alkali waste was found in a nearby allotment which was subsequently closed. It was then decided to investigate the nearby gardens.
Mr Gilbert said there was no evidence of any “cluster” of any particular illness in the area. But the council had an obligation to properly deal with any contamination so residents could fully enjoy the use of their homes and gardens.
The council has set up a hotline 01925 443245 where worried residents can seek advice – and find out exactly what was found in their particular garden.
Arsenic, consumed over many years, can caused generalised weakness, affect the digestive and nervous systems and cause cancer. Lead can damage internal organs. Nickel may cause respiratory problems, allergic reactions and lung cancer. Mercury can affect the nervous system and cause kidney damage.
Work on cleaning-up the 28 gardens so far identified is likely to start some time next year. In the meantime, residents are advised not to eat produce from their gardens or let children play with the soil.
Transport staff scoop
positive action award
by John Hendon
STAFF at Warrington Borough Council’s transport department are celebrating after scooping a positive action award.
And tomorrow (Thursday) they will be eagerly awaiting the results of the National Bus Awards to see if they can add to their collection.
The department received news that they had won the service provider category at the Positive Action Awards held at the Halliwell Jones Stadium in Warrington on October 14.
The award recognises the council’s commitment to developing transport services for disabled people and their carers, such as improving access and facilities at bus stops, disability awareness training and assistance for people with communication problems.
Coun Linda Dirir, the borough council’s executive member for transport, said: “I am very proud we have won the Positive Action Award and that we are making transport more accessible to people with disabilities across the borough.
“By consulting with people and listening to what they had to say, we were able to produce and deliver new services that would be of benefit to them and we will endeavour to do so in the future.”
The team’s “Enabling the Independent Traveller” project has been shortlisted for an award at the National Bus Awards but staff will have to wait until tomorrow to see if they have been successful.
Residents to have
a say on policing
by staff reporter
RESIDENTS of the Whitecross area of Warrington are being given a chance to have a say on how their community is policed.
This weekend, a group of local volunteers will take part in a ‘CAT Walk’ around the area as part of a new initiative which brings together police and partner agencies with local communities to identify the problems which are affecting that community.
Members of the group will walk a set route around Whitecross, identifying areas of criminal damage, graffiti, litter and vandalism. Everyone will then work together to solve the identified problems.
The “CAT walks” will take place on Saturday at 7pm and on Saturday at 1.30pm, giving the team an insight into the issues affecting local residents during the day and night.
Once the CAT Walk is complete local residents will be invited to take part in a survey to give them the chance to have a say in how their local community is policed. The results of this, together with the findings from the CAT Walk, will be used to determine one key priority for police and partner agencies to work on.
But it will be up to Whitecross residents to decide what the key priority will be by voting on the issues at a Community Action Meeting (CAM). The first meeting is due to be held in December.
PC Tony Davidson, of the Warrington Community Action Team (CAT), will lead the walk together with Community Support Officer Kath Harkin.
He said: “If you want to make a real difference and help to solve some of the issues affecting the area then come along to the Community Action Meeting. This is your chance to get involved and have a say on the issues which really matter to you.”
MP wants new law to
ban “silent” calls
by John Hendon
WARRINGTON North MP Helen Jones is calling for new laws to ban “silent” sales calls.
Many people will have experienced the practice used by some companies where computer-generated random numbers are selected and when one call is answered many others are automatically terminated.
Ms Jones said: “This practice causes disturbance and annoyance but more worryingly can engender fear that the call is being made by people up to no good.
“A number of elderly constituents have expressed concern over these phone calls and I do believe that the extent of fear, suspicion and mistrust they generate is seriously underestimated by the telephone marketing industry.
“If the industry will not take action I think the government should take action and ban the practice outright.”
Music societies
join in harmony
by Lesley Wilkinson
TWO well-known musical societies in Warrington have merged in a bid to bring an extended programme to larger audiences.
Warrington Musical Society Choir has joined forces with North Cheshire Orchestra to form a new organisation called WMS. The two groups will perform both together and separately.
The choir management committee and musical director Eric Silk have had a long-term ambition to bring a local orchestra under the WMS banner. The merger was welcomed by members of both societies, when it was ratified at the annual meeting.
A Grand Christmas Concert on Saturday December 11 from 7.30pm at the Methodist Church, Walton Road, Stockton Heath, will launch the new WMS season.
The programme includes Mozart, Overture to The Magic Flute and Mass in C, and a selection of carols and music for Christmas. Tickets, ?5 and ?4, are available by ringing Eddie on 822029, or on the door.
Warrington Musical Society was founded in 1833, and originally consisted of both choir and orchestra, performing regularly at the Parr Hall.
The 2005 season’s programme is:
Saturday February 5: Borodin, Overture Prince Igor, Borodin, Polovtsian Dances, Tchaikovsky, Eugene Onegin, Frank, Symphony.
Saturday March 19: Poulenc, Gloria, Saint-Saens, Symphony No 3.
Saturday May 21: Choral Concert, to include music from the Feb5 concert and a selection of songs and instrume
ntal solos.
Saturday June 11: Last Night of the Proms, including Land Of Hope And Glory, Jerusalem and pieces from the society’s repertoire.
?233m “errors” – but council
gets clean bill of health
by David Skentelbery
THE District Auditor has given Warrington Borough Council a clean bill of health – despite discovering errors which resulted in gross income and expenditure being overstated by ?233 million.
Accounting errors were also found on the collection fund which resulted in the debtors balance being overstated by ?26 million and the creditors balance by ?14 million.
Some balances were incorrectly shown as net instead of gross, the auditor has reported.
But auditor Julian Farmer told the council’s executive board that although they involved “big figures” they were simple errors which had no overall effect on the accounts.
He pointed out that the 2003-04 accounts were closed earlier than usual to comply with new government regulations.
“The council has performed well both in terms of preparing the financial statements well within these statutory deadlines and also in its financial planning and management of resources during the last year,” he said.
Mr Farmer said the errors could have been discovered by council officers had they had more time. There was nothing to suggest any problems in the way the authority was submitting its accounts.
The summary report on the 2003-04 audit states that the net cost of services of ?189 million in the consolidated revenue account was reported correctly but, because of a compilation error, gross expenditure and gross income was overstated by ?146 million in respect of education and ?87 million in respect of central services – a total of ?233 million.
Mr Farmer said nothing had been discovered by the auditors which could not have been found by council officers had they had more time.
The misstatements which had been adjusted were accounting adjustments and had no net effect on the council’s overall financial position.
Overall, the accounts reflected great credit on the council’s officers.
