Angry walk out over
council parking plan
by David Skentelbery
ANGRY members of the public walked out of a meeting of Warrington Borough Council’s executive board after being told they were not allowed to speak.
They had tried to ask questions about the council’s plan to take over responsibility for enforcing parking regulations from the police.
But council leader John Joyce(pictured)told them there was no provision for members of the public to speak at the meeting.
He said: “It is a meeting in public – not a public meeting.”
A group of people walked out of the meeting, claiming it had been “a waste of time.”
Coun Joyce said if they sent their questions to him, he would personally ensure they were answered.
“I am prepared to give that commitment,” he said.
The board authorised officers to proceed with proposals to introduce decriminalised parking enforcement in Warrington with 13 parking wardens issuing about 16,600 fixed penalty notices a year. The penalty would be ?60 – or ?30 if paid within 14 days.
Coun Jeff Richards stressed that the idea was not to raise money for the council but to ease the problems caused by motorists parking on yellow lines across the borough.
But the scheme had to be financially sustainable in the long term.
Police currently employ no parking wardens in Warrington – the last remaining warden recently stepped up to become a police Community Support Officer.
The council says the new measures will only be introduced after full consultation with all interested parties.
Exhibition captures the
days of cobbled streets
by Lesley Wilkinson
THE days of cobbled streets and traders using horses and carts, are captured in a special exhibition of photographs in and around Warrington Market.
People in the town were asked to loan old pictures of the market as part of its 750th anniversary celebrations – and many responded.
More than 50 photographs, many not previously shown in public, are now featured in the permanent exhibition that shows the changing cultures, architecture and communities from recent history to the 1850s.
Each image tells an interesting story of times gone by.
Mike Butterworth, a member of the Market Traders Association who has run a stall for many years, is featured in a picture from 1961. He has provided first-hand information on how the market used to be.
Market manager Stephen Pickering said: “This exhibition has taken a while to put together but I believe all the efforts of everyone involved have been well worth it. There are many fascinating stories behind the pictures, which will also feature in a commemorative publication at the end of August to celebrate our 750th anniversary.”
Also pictured is the market clock, a well-known local feature that was on display in the market for more than 100 years. When the old market place was demolished, the clock was saved and has recently been lovingly restored by an ancestor of the original clockmaker.
Mr Pickering said that family business is one of the market’s strengths with many traders having generations of experience. One picture features Reardon’s fishmongers, that has been a part of the market for 150 years. And a vintage picture of the family shows an amazing family likeness to those working on the stall today.
Chef on a mission
for healthy foods
by Lesley Wilkinson
CUSTOMERS at a Warrington supermarket were surprised to see one of the town’s top chefs, dressed in his gleaming whites, among the busy shoppers.
But Carl Jenkins, head chef at Heathcotes at Warrington, was too busy to notice the puzzled glances.
For he was on a shopping mission – he was swapping healthy eating tips with Warrington’s Food and Health Team as he looked for ingredients for a healthy buffet for Warrington Primary Care Trust’s Open Day.
The produce, donated by Tesco Extra Warrington, was prepared by Carl and his team for the trust’s staff and partner event at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
It was a chance for organisations involved in health and social care to share best practice, and so improve services for people living in the town. The event marks the official opening of the trust’s new healthcare facility at the stadium.
Trust chairman Robin Brown said: “The Open Day is a chance for Warrington’s healthcare professionals and their colleagues in other organisations to come together to learn more about healthy working and living, as well as the future of health and social services.”
Emma Bashall, of the Food and Health Team, said: “It was good to see professional chefs take nutrition and healthy eating so seriously. We chose a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables, which are vital for a healthy, balanced diet.”
Council to be quizzed
on medical waste plan
by David Skentelbery
ENVIRONMENTAL campaigner John Mulhall plans to quiz borough council chiefs about controlversial plans for a clinical waste processing plant off Winwick Road, Warrington.
He has put down a question for answer at the next meeting of the full council on July 11.
Mr Mulhall will ask if the council will sell, lease or rent any land which adjoins the site of the proposed plant, either to the present developer or any other that wishes to use the land for waste treatment or as a waste transfer station.
As a supplementary question, he plans to ask if the present plant involves any council-owned land.
New proposals have been submitted for a multi-million ? plant to process hospital waste on the site, which is only 160 yards from hundreds of houses.
The plant would handle up to 10,000 tonnes a year of clinical waste from hospitals, clinics, dental surgeries, vets, etc across the North West.
Angry residents have vowed to fight the scheme. But planning consent for a larger project has already been approved following a public inquiry two years ago.
The scheme has only been blocked by Warrington Borough Council’s refusal to sell part of the site which is in council ownership.
But now the applicants have scaled down the proposals so they can be accommodated on part of the site which is privately owned The plant – the first of its kind in the UK – would be built by Sterile Technologies Inc – and would process medical waste from hospitals and health centres all over the North West.
Borough planners originally refused permission because of potential traffic problems in an area of the town already suffering from severe congestion.
Residents’ objections are based on health fears although the applicants say the plant will involve state-of-the-art, environment friendly technology.
Mr Mulhall believes the borough council could still block the scheme by continuing to refuse to sell its land in the area – land that might be needed for access.
Meanwhile, two public meetings for residents of the immediate area have been called to discuss the proposals – one at Orford War Memorial on Tuesday (June 28) at 7.30pm and another the following night at St Mark’s Church, Dallam at 6.30pm.
Save ?500 – by
using real nappies
by staff reporter
MUMS and dads are being urged to make savings of up to ?500 per baby – by swapping disposable nappies for real ones.
The call is made during Warrington’s promotion of “Real Nappy Week.”
Warrington Borough Council is emphasising the savings that parents could make by changing to traditional nappies. The Real Nappy Campaign is offering a 75 per cent discount on a nappy starter pack and an introductory offer to the weekly nappy laundry service, both provided by Cotton Tails.
Council staff are at ASDA Westbrook and the Cockhedge Centre this week to offer parents advice.
The campaign is funded by the Waste and Resources Action Programme and co-ordinated by the Women’s Environmental Network, and 390 local authorities are joining in.
The campaign says that three billion nappies a year are thr
own away in the UK with disposal costs of hundreds of thousands of pound a year. Tips on the energy-efficient way of using real nappies are available from Jo Steward, assistant waste minimisation and recycling officer, on 01925 442604.
Firm’s bright idea
for flatpack furniture
A WARRINGTON company is full of bright ideas – and that’s official.
Flatpack Installations, a business that arranges home visits to assemble flatpack purchases, won first prize of ?2,000 in The Visa Business Card Bright Ideas Awards.
The competition is to find the small firm with the most innovative business idea.
Michael Street founded the company last year and it aims to take away customers’ stress and increase the lifespan of the furniture, by providing a professional assembly service. It also offers its skills to furniture shops throughout the region.
He said: “I used to help family and friends with building furniture and then decided to do it for a business. Winning this award has been a great boost to me and has improved staff morale.
“You see couples coming out of shops like IKEA – the woman has a big smile on her face because she has bought something they want, but the man is miserable as he’d rather watch the match than assemble furniture.”
Gabriele Cappelletti, head of commercial solutions at Visa Europe, said: “We have been very impressed with the standard of entries we received in the North West area and Flatpack Installations is definitely a worthy winner.”
Hotel’s marquee
plan rejected
by staff reporter
PLANS to erect a marquee for weddings and business functions adjacent to a hotel at Glazebrook, Warrington, were turned down after claims it would add to noise problems for neighbours.
The borough council’s development control committee refused permission after hearing of local objections.
Planning officers recommended that the 24X12 metre marquee with 6X6 metre catering tent adjacent to the Rhinewood Inn, Glazebrook Lane, should approved on a temporary basis until November next year.
They said the marquee, to be used between March and November only, was necessary to allow the hotel to function properly and would help create six full-time jobs by the extra business generated.
Although the plan was “inappropriate” for Green Belt land it was in line with the established nature of the hotel and grounds.
But the committee refused the application following objections from Rixton-with-Glazebrook Parish Council and environmental protection chiefs who were concerned that noise from marquee events would have a detrimental impact on nearby residents.
The parish council claimed noise disturbance was already experienced from the existing hotel and was concerned that the marquee would add to problems.
Warehouse blaze
by staff reporter
FIRE crews from Birchwood and Warrington dealt with a blaze at the Fujitsu warehouse in Daten Avenue, Risley.
The blaze involved packaging materials in a large computer warehouse. Firefighters quickly had it under control, but a spokesman said the blaze had the potential to have wrecked the entire building and its contents.
The cause is being investigated.
River rescue
by staff reporter
A MEMBER of the public rescued a man from the Mersey at Bridgefoot, Warrington.
The man is understood to have jumped into the river near Mr Smith’s Club.
Paramedics and fire crews were called to the scene but the man had been pulled from the water by the time they got there. He was taken to hospital suffering from a throat injury.
