Residents lose battle
over mobile phone mast
by Lesley Wilkinson
ANGRY residents have lost a battle to block plans for a mobile phone mast on the central reservation of the A57 Sankey Way dual-carriageway at Warrington.
Objectors turned up in force to oppose the proposals when they were put to the borough council?s development control committee.
But councillors reluctantly decided the scheme had to be approved.
T-Mobile were granted permission for the 14.
7 metres high mast on the western approach to the intersection with Penketh Road.
Seventeen letters of objection had been sent in by local residents concerned about health risks of the mast and other issues.
They claimed the mast was too big and out of character with the open aspect of the area and the residential setting.
Residents said that three other more suitable sites had already been turned down, so the current site should also be rejected.
A representative of Sycamore Lane Primary School complained about lack of consultation and inaccuracies with the planning statement using the wrong postcode meaning that original correspondence was sent to the wrong school and councillors.
The school also objected on health grounds, loss of amenity and road safety issues.
They claimed other sites were more suitable.
Planners said the nearest homes were about 25 metres from the proposed site.
Other street features and trees would provide some screening.
The nearest school, Sycamore Lane, was 320 metres away – sufficient to rule out any harm.
The scheme conformed to health guidelines.
Teenagers set up
their own youth club
A GROUP of teenagers in Warrington have helped to set up their own youth club.
The youngsters from Croft – along with the help of Police Community Support Officer Stephen Dodd – spent almost six months researching their idea and securing funding.
Now their dreams have become a reality with the opening of the club.
It was just before Christmas that the issue of a lack of youth facilities in the area was raised at a community action meeting.
The teenagers attended the meeting and listened to the comments from residents before approaching PCSO Dodd to ask if he could help them set up their own youth club. Some of the residents also offered to help get the project off the ground.
Five of the teenagers – along with PCSO Dodd, two local residents and a local councillor formed their own steering group and have regularly met over the past few months.
In that time they have researched what funding is available and managed to secure about ?7,000, which includes a grant from Warrington Youth Services.
Croft Parish Council also agreed to give then ?2,000 to pay for a youth worker for the project.
he teenagers have taken the lead with the project but there has been plenty of help from Coun Meril Cummings, Karen Nash – the local brownie leader and Rev Chris Stafford from Christ Church in Croft.
“This is a great example of what can be achieved from our Community Action Meetings,” said PCSO Dodd. “This has been totally youth led and shows what can be done by sitting down and working as a team for the benefit of the whole community.
“We have listened to the local youths to see what they want in the local community – rather than telling them what they can have and this has made a huge difference.
“Although Croft suffers very little anti-social behaviour I am sure this is a step forward in reducing it even further.”
Vandals may have
suffered burns
by David Skentelbery
VANDALS who set fire to an electricity sub-station at Warrington, cutting off power supplies to around 1,500 people, may have suffered burns while committing the offence.
Police are appealing to members of the public to come forward if they know of anyone who has suffered burns.
The fire, which blacked out about 550 homes in the Station Road area of Latchford, was exclusively reported by Warrington-Worldwide yesterday (Friday).
A number of small explosions were heard as fire crews battled to extinguish the flames in the sub-station near the Cantilever Bridge.
Roads were sealed off as fire crews tackled the outbreak and the Knutsford Road Swing Bridge was immobilised due to the power failure, bringing shipping on the Manchester Ship Canal to a standstill.
Power supplies were off for about 90 minutes before Manweb technicians were able to restore electricity via a different route.
A police spokesman said: ?We think the offenders probably burned themselves so we are appealing to public to report anyone they know what has suffered burns.
?We would also like to hear from anyone who saw anything suspicious in the Station Road area on Thursday night.?
Anyone who can help is asked to call PC Emily Cole on 01244 615886.
Music festival
given the go-ahead
by staff reporter
THE controversial Creamfields music festival at Daresbury, near Warrington, has been given the green light.
As expected, Halton Borough Council licensing chiefs approved an application for the event to go ahead on August 25-26 on land owned by Lord Daresbury.
Hundreds of local residents had objected, following last year’s event which attracted more than 40,000 people and led to complaints of noise, hooliganism, vandalism, traffic congestion and drug dealing.
Police have given assurances that lessons have been learned from last year’s event and that there will be tighter control this time.
Warrington Borough Council, which lodged an objection last year, did not do so this time.
Organisers of the event claim the festival has an economic benefit for the Warrington and Halton areas, which hotels, shops and other businesses all cashing in.
University offers
two new degrees
by Lesley Wilkinson
TWO new degrees being offered in Warrington will support Government reforms aimed at protecting the welfare of children and encouraging their development.
The new Foundation Degrees offered at the Warrington campus of the University of Chester, are in response to developments in children’s services.
Foundation Degrees in Early Years Practice and Teaching Assistance will be offered by the School of Education and Children’s Services from September. They will provide training to those working with babies and infants, and primary school children.
The courses are part of the university’s commitment to address the needs of children and young people within the Government’s Every Child Matters Agenda (ECM).
Programmes co-ordinator Andy Hamill, said: “ECM involves drawing together professionals from education, social care and health to provide integrated services. This requires sharing information and co-ordinating approaches to ensure the welfare of children and to help them achieve their goals in life.”
Both programmes will be offered at the Warrington campus on a part-time basis over three years.
Mr Hamill said: “Foundation Degrees can act as a springboard to other professional postgraduate qualifications. They are employment-related degrees that combine traditional university study with learning that takes place at work.”
Town joins the fight
against illegal tobacco
by staff reporter
WARRINGTON joined the fight against counterfeit tobacco by marking World No Tobacco Day.
The event encouraged governments across the world to clamp down on the smuggling of cheap, unregulated tobacco for sale on the black market.
Smoking kills half of all smokers and the trade in illicit tobacco products, often imported from Eastern Europe, undermines government attempts to reduce smoking through taxes and health warnings.
One in six cigarettes and around 50 per cent of rolling tobacco in the UK is sold illegally, losing the government more than ?2 billion in revenue, while more than half of cigarettes seized by Customs in the
UK last year were counterfeit.
Smokers in Warrington were warned that buying and smoking smuggled tobacco both helps fund organised criminal activities, as well as being hazardous to health.
The borough council is putting in place initiatives aimed at reducing the level of counterfeit tobacco in Warrington, including the appointment of a Tobacco Enforcement Officer.
Coun Roy Smith, (pictured)the council’s executive member for Community Services, said: “This exciting new initiative which aims to tackle tobacco control and smokefree issues will help to maximise the benefits of the changes in the law.
“It is essential that we do what we can to limit access to tobacco and I am delighted that this initiative will give extra focus to this fight”.
Warrington Stop Smoking Service can be contacted on on 01925 843713.
Pub customers can
carry on smoking
by David Skentelbery
SMOKERS at Culcheth?s New Inn will be able to carry on enjoying a cigarette after the ban on smoking in enclosed public places comes into force in July.
Planning chiefs have given the go-ahead for a smoking shelter outside the pub ? despite objections from Culcheth and Glazebury Parish Council.
The shelter, which will have three open sides, will be accessed from a side conservatory.
Planners say it will not be visually inappropriate and the three open sides will provide good ventilation. But they stress that fire escape doors must be kept free of obstructions, such as chairs and tables.
The parish council argued that people using the smoking shelter could obstruct the pub?s fire exit and that the plan needed rethinking.
But members of Warrington?s development control committee decided there was no technical objection to the proposal.
Man, 21, charged after
attack on woman
by staff reporter
POLICE have charged a 21-year-old Warrington man following a serious assault on a 61-year-old woman.
Nicholas Hague, of Reynolds Street, Latchford, appeared before magistrates at Warrington charged with causing grievous bodily harm and possession of a bladed object in a public place.
The woman is in hospital at Liverpool with injuries to her head, face and arms and is said to be in a serious condition. The alleged attack took place in Tilston Avenue on Wednesday.
Temporary
driving ban
by staff reporter
WARRINGTON Borough Council is to make an order for a temporary prohibition of driving in Woolston Grange Avenue, between Chesford Grange and Kingsland Grange.
The measure is due to come into force from Monday, July 2 and is expected to remain in force for about seven days.
At the same time, the experimental 7.5 tonne weight limit on Long Lane and Orford Green will be suspended.
An alternative route will be signposted via Manchester Road, Lythgoes Lane, Winwick Road, Long Lane, School Road, Orford Green Orford Lane, Birchwood Way and Woolston Grange Avenue.
The reason for the temporary order is to allow for installation of new drainage and ducting works associated with a road widening scheme.
News in brief
Hospital lottery
NUMBERS selected in the weekly lottery run by the League of Friends of Warrington Hospital were 7, 9, 15 and 16. There were no winners although a ?25 consolation prize was awarded. The jackpot was rolled over to next week.
Mersey walk
MEMBERS of Warrington Ramblers Association are organising a walk along the Mersey from Howley Weir to Fiddlers Ferry on Tuesday (June 5) starting at 10.30am to mark World Environment Day.
Memorial service
A MEMORIAL service will be held at the Church of St Cross, Appleton Thorn, Warrington tomorrow (Sunday) for men and women who served at the Royal Naval Air Station HMS Blackcap, Stretton and who lost their lives during World War 2.
Organ recital
TOP organist Michael Wynne – who was born at Newton-le-Willows but now travels the world as a recitalist, composer and teacher, – will play at St Oswald’s Church, Winwick, near Warrington tomorrow (Sunday) at a special service to mark the 10th anniversary of the church organ. The recital starts at 6.30pm and admission is free.
[ 21.06.2007, 08:35: Message edited by: DS ]
