Parking wardens back
on the streets next year
by David Skentelbery
PARKING wardens will be patrolling the streets of Warrington again from February next year, if Town Hall plans go-ahead.
It will bring to an end the existing situation under which motorists are able to park on yellow lines in various parts of the borough in the knowledge they are unlikely to be “booked.” The wardens, who will start work at midnight on February 4, will be employed not by the police but by the borough council.
Council chiefs agreed in June last year to seek Department of Transport approval for an order allowing them to take over responsibility for enforcement of parking regulations across the borough.
Since then, tenders have been prepared and a list of six companies produced to bid for the contract to enforce parking regulations.
Consultations has taken place with more than 640 separate stakeholders and talks have also taken place about on-street pay and display parking.
Parking wardens have largely disappeared from Warrington’s streets after the police decided they could no longer enforce the regulations.
At one time it was widely known that Warrington had only one parking warden.
More recently, Police Community Support Officers have been authorised to do the work, but because of other duties do not seem to have been particularly active in this respect.
But when the new wardens arrive, it will spell the end of the “honeymoon” period for local motorists.
A report to be studied by the borough council’s executive board suggests that public acceptance of the scheme will be closely linked to their perceptions of its fairness and purposes.
Experience in other areas has shown that if new parking restrictions are introduced around the time the new regulations come into force, this could lead to accusations that the council is trying to generate income by trying to “catch drivers out.”
So it is proposed call a halt to new restrictions, other than in the case of temporary or emergency situations for three months prior to February 4 and four months after.
College plugs into
its vocal talent
by staff reporter
STUDENTS at Warrington with an interest in pop music got an opportunity to be judged by their peers when “Priestley Unplugged” was staged on campus.
The event was much in the manner of an open microphone session allowing anyone brave enough the opportunity to take the stage in the CafE9 Bar and belt out a tune.
Devised as an ?enrichment activity? the event was well received in all quarters and looks set to become a regular part of campus life.
The college is keen to promote a range of fun and often practical Activities away from the normal syllabus with new events springing up all the time.
From self defence to sign language, sports to driving theory, students Do have the added opportunity to leave the college with further skills on Top of their academic qualifications.
Senior Tutor Margaret Southern commented: “We are always looking for new enrichment activities and listen to the students opinions on what they would like to set up.
“From the performances it was clear we have a full range of vocal talents on campus and one thing is for sure everybody had fun, which was the main thing.”
Recycling for mums and tots
RESIDENTS of the Fearnhead Cross area of Warrington have collected and recycled 45 kg of aluminium cans to raise money for local mums and tots.
Warrington North MP Helen Jones took two sacks full of cans as her contribution to the effort.
The MP visited the Fearnhead Cross Youth and Community Centre to support the scheme. Money raised from recycling the cans will be given to the Mums and Tots fund at the centre.
She said: “This is a great scheme which will benefit the Mums and Tots group at the Fearnhead Cross centre and I am delighted to support the initiative and to be able to provide two sacks full of cans. It also highlights the wider issues of recycling and how doing so can not only benefit the environment but also provide extra resources for the community.”
Cash prizes for the
most inviting church
by John Hendon
CASH prizes are being invited for the ?most inviting? local church.
Ecclesiastical Insurance, a leading insurer of church property, is running a national competition to recognise those churches that have been most successful in adapting to a modern society and changing local communities.
Church in Warrington and district are being invited to enter the competition.
New figures show that church attendance is holding steady, so Ecclesiastical wants to know what churches are doing to address the changing needs of current church members and how they’re attracting and keeping new people with very different expectations. Specifically, the competition asks how churches are:
changing and adapting patterns of worship
communicating with their local community
providing facilities for community groups and incorporating them into the life of the church.
Rev Lynda Barley, head of research and statistics for the Archbishops’ Council, said: “Patterns of churchgoing are changing. Although weekly Sunday attendance has dropped, levels of both weekly and monthly churchgoing have remained steady and attendance at church services outside Sundays continues to add a significant number to local congregations.
?There are signs in several areas of the country of more sustained growth beyond special occasions. This is tremendously encouraging news for local churches as they seek to meet the increasingly evident spiritual needs of their neighbourhoods.”
The competition is offering cash prizes for the best entries – first prize is ?1,500, with second and third prizes of ?750 and ?500 respectively. The top 12 finalists will all feature in Ecclesiastical’s 2007 calendar with a national circulation so that the best ideas can be shared among churches all over the country.
The competition is open to churches of all denominations and the deadline for entries June 30.
Council will be hit
by pensions strike
by staff reporter
COUNCIL services in Warrington will be disrupted today as thousands of employees take part in the national strike over the pensions dispute.
Bob Williams, the borough council?s head of communications, said: “Although this is a national issue, there will be local implications on the day.
“While essential services provided by the council will be maintained, there will be disruption to non-essential services, although every effort will be made to keep this to a minimum.”
Council buildings will be closed to the public and telephone contact will be disrupted.
No refuse will be collected and next Tuesday (April 4) any additional refuse left with the bin will not be taken away. However, local recycling and household waste centres will be open as normal.
The closure of schools is a matter for individual head teachers. However, the council says that where schools may be affected, the head teacher has advised parents.
All libraries will be closed but the Registrar?s office will be open as normal.
Mr Williams said: ?We apologise for any inconvenience this situation may cause.?
British Legion women
plan “birthday” show
by David Skentelbery
THE women’s section of Culcheth Royal British Legion is planning a special show to mark the Queen’s 80th birthday – and the 85th anniversary of the Legion itself. It will be staged at the club on June 23 and although there will be an artist, a highlight of the evening will be a performance by the women’s own entertainment group, The Misfits who have drawn packed audiences on previous occasions. Women’s section chairman Ivy Lamont said: “The show will be open to Legion members and the public as well. “It will celebrate the Queen’s official birthday and also the 85th anniversary of the Legion and we
are promising a very good night.” The British Legion has had a presence in Culcheth since 1933 when it was in a timber building near the CPS supermarket. It moved to its present site in Wigshaw Lane in the late 1960s but the current building dates from around 1972 when it was rebuilt after a fire. Mrs Lamont said: “It is a thriving club and our membership keeps increasing.” Nationally, the Royal British Legion has more than 450,000 members. Its “Poppy Day” appeal has become one of the best-loved events in the calendar. It was originally inspired by the poem “In Flanders’ Fields” by John McCrae
