Council chiefs hit back
over town centre criticism
by David Skentelbery
TOWN Hall chiefs have hit back over claims of traffic chaos and an ?imbalance? in new housing in Warrington town centre.
Coun Terry O?Neill, the council?s executive member for Regeneration said: ?I would like to know where the traffic chaos is ? and I don?t think there is any imbalance in new housing.
?We are repopulating the town centre ? and we are very happy about that.?
Liberal Democrat councillors David Earl and Judith Wheeler raised the issues at a meeting of the borough council.
Coun Wheeler said in view of parking problems around Warrington Wolves? Halliwell Jones stadium on match days and the general congestion in the town, the council should investigate the possibility of running buses from various pick-up points around the town to the stadium as a means of reducing traffic.
?This would help people such as the elderly to get to the stadium and join in the success of the club,? she said.
Coun Earl asked if the council was taking steps to correct an apparent imbalance between flats and apartments and family housing in the plans for the redevelopment of the town centre.
But Coun O?Neill said he had been closely involved with the rugby club and was unaware of any serious problems.
?I would like to know where the chaos is,? he said.
All visiting clubs were advised of the location of car parks and most Warrington fans walked to the stadium.
?As far as I am aware, everything is working well. The stadium is in an ideal place and I have heard of no major issues about getting to the ground.?
Dealing with housing, he said some 1,250 houses and 2,312 flats had been approved. This did not seem to him to be an imbalance.
?We are repopulating the town centre ? making it a more diverse town centre. That can only be good for the future of the town,? he said.
Top planner sees town
expansion in progress
PRESIDENT of the Royal Town Planning Institute Ron Tate was given a warm welcome when he visited Warrington.
Council planners and Robert Turley Associates, planning consultants for the extension to Golden Square, invited Mr Tate to the town to see the various regeneration and redevelopment projects taking place.
Town Hall Officers were able to point to the number of partnerships and benefits arising from a variety of projects.
They discussed the development of Golden Square, which is helping to improve the range of shops in the town and, in conjunction with the developers Bovis Lend Lease, has prompted a project to train and recruit local people for construction jobs and to provide scope to take up new job opportunities when retail vacancies become available.
Mr Tate was taken on a tour of the construction works for the new bus station, to be called Warrington Interchange, and was able to view the works to the pedestrian areas of the town centre, which have previously been given a prestigious RTPI national award.
Coun Terry O’Neill, the council’s executive member for Sustainable Regeneration, said: “It is pleasing to be able to show the lead representative of the planning profession the manner in which development in Warrington has been able to maximise benefits for the people of the town – not only improving the environment physically but also securing environmental, economic and social benefits.
“The Golden Square project is not unique in this respect. The Tesco and Halliwell Jones Rugby Stadium developments have also secured training and jobs for local people who may have otherwise struggled to gain employment and to provide accommodation to allow continuation of the award winning Warrington Wolves Community Learning and Sport Foundation.”
New men’s magazine aims
to tackle health problems
by Lesley Wilkinson
THREE celebrities, including pop star Rachel Stevens, are being used in a groundbreaking Warrington NHS publication aimed at getting healthy lifestyle messages across to younger men.
Chelsea soccer manager Jose Mourinho and television’s Big Brother’s Kate Lawler are also among the stars who appear in the groundbreaking magazine published by Warrington Primary Care Trust.
It aims to tackle local health concerns including binge drinking, teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and obesity. The trust sees the magazine, called FIT, as a way of communicating with young and underprivileged groups.
It contains important local health service information, such as where to find help to quit smoking, where to get advice and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, and where to get help about drinking worries.
It is produced with independent health information company Dr Foster and will be distributed free of charge through local retailers, colleges and clubs over the next couple of weeks.
Jose Mourinho, talking to FIT about Britain’s Sunday league footballers, said: “I have a lot of respect for them if they take care of themselves. If they keep fit, you could say they have a better character and personality than the professional footballer.”
FIT magazine has been praised by readers, health professionals and the police for the way it encourages young men to change their life-styles to improve their health.
Allison Cooke, Warrington PCT chief executive, said: “We decided to produce FIT magazine with Dr Foster as we realise the importance of tailoring health messages to different target audiences.
“Younger men are notoriously difficult for the NHS to engage with. FIT speaks to them using language and images that both inform and entertain. Targeting young men in this way is proven to be an effective means of getting our health and wellness messages across,” she said.
?550,000 “gamble”
on the horses
by Terry Johnson
A ?550,000 “bet” is being placed on growing equestrian businesses across Warrington, Halton and Cheshire.
The race is on to boost the equine industry ? thanks to the cash injection by growth agency, Business Link Cheshire and Warrington.
Its “Saddle Up” campaign targets new businesses, jobs, tourism development and sales in a “horsy” market-place already pulling in multi-millions.
Business Link?s Hilary Centeleghe said: ?Saddle Up will assist those equestrian businesses who have the drive and ambition to further their industry and grow their businesses.
?We are aiming at projects which are innovative or maximise a company?s growth potential?.
Businesses will be helped develop safe off-road riding in areas where bridleway systems are sparse.
Saddle Up is backed by the Cheshire and Warrington Tourism Board.
Said Hilary: ?The horse industry is considered to be the sport of the wealthy. In truth, many riders and horse owners sacrifice to fulfil their passion for horses.
?Riding schools have suffered greatly from rates and insurance fee increases?.
Drunken man breaches
order a second time
by court reporter
A 45-year-old Warrington man has been arrested a second time in two weeks for being in breach of an Anti-Social Behaviour Order.
Cyril Maher, of no fixed address, was arrested within hours of being released from custody after serving 14 days of a 28-day sentence imposed by magistrates for breaching the ASBO within hours of it being served.
Under the terms of the two year order, Maher (pictured) is prohibited from; drinking, or being found in possession of alcohol in any public place, being found drunk in a public place and entering Bridge Street and Sankey Street in the town centre.
But within hours of being released from prison Maher was re-arrested after town centre CCTV operators alerted police to his presence in Bridge Street with an open bottle of alcohol.
On arrival officers found Maher in a drunken state in Sankey Street – another area he is prohibited from entering.
He has now been remanded on bail until December 2.
PC Mark Williams, of t
he Warrington Community Action Team, said: ?We will not tolerate such blatant disregard for Anti Social Behaviour Orders. Magistrates impose strict conditions on offenders to curb their behavior and any breaches of these conditions are taken very seriously by police.?
College offers
free training
by staff reporter
FREE training in computer skills and English is being offered by Warrington Collegiate.
There are three different courses, funded by the Learning and Skills Council to help develop English, internet and e-mail skills.
There?s also an opportunity for those joining courses to research and write about their family history.
The sessions ? held on different days to offer more choice ? are on Tuesday and Friday mornings and Thursday afternoons at Fordton Leisure Centre?s computer suite.
