Cllr Nigel Ash

The Beat it Team

2012-01-10T09:45:00.003Z

The Beat it team is coming to Ashton next week. This team will clean up litter and sort out other grot spots in the Ashton ward.

If you know of any areas that need cleaning up please let me know by contacting me on this blog or phone me on 736216.

New Police number - dial 101

2011-12-13T16:05:00.002Z

The police now have a new non emergency number - it is 101.
For genuine emergencies you can still dial 999

Signs of the times

2011-12-12T12:28:00.003Z

I learnt the disappointing news last week that the Ashton Branch of Argos is due to close in January when their lease expires

I also read that Peacocks, the ailing fashion retailer, is considering closing up to 200 stores, as it seeks to reduce its debt burden. The group, which has 611 Peacocks stores and 394 Bonmarché shops, has debts of £240m with a syndicate of banks, including Goldman Sachs, Barclays and Royal Bank of Scotland. A Peacocks spokesman said: "We continue to progress our restructuring discussions and plans, with no decisions taken at this point.Peacocks faces a huge rent bill on 25 December. Hopefully the Ashton store will stay open.

At the same time Amazon sold 3 million items in 'Cyber Monday' frenzy last Monday making it the firm’s busiest day ever and John Lewis, recorded sales of £113.6 million in the week to December 3, a 9.6 per cent increase on the same week last year and a 15.1 per cent rise on the previous week.

I would welcome readers comments about what is happening and will happen to shops on the high streets, especially in small towns such as Ashton.

Frequently asked questions

2011-11-25T11:20:00.004Z

Having listened to residents' comments about the proposed Community Health Centre there seem to be common questions which I try to answer here. I am happy to answer other questions about the proposed centre as I have been doing since Monday both on the phone and at the consultation meetings.

1. Why is the PCT looking at the Town Hall site?

The PCT, through Foundation for Life (FfL), Wigan’s LIFT Company, wishes to have the new facility in Ashton town centre. The Council are prepared to consider selling the Town Hall site which would make it more affordable for the PCT as well as using an existing publicly owned site.

2. What criteria are used to decide on a particular site?

The PCT must meet a range of criteria for a new scheme to be approved. These are mainly determined by the Department of Health and include:
• The development must be affordable for the PCT
• The site must be accessible to all
• The development must offer facilities for local community use as well as for health services
• Where possible, existing public sector assets should be used

3.What other sites have been considered?

A range of sites have been considered within Ashton town centre and surrounding areas over the past 5 years. The reasons for not considering them or why the development did not progress include:
• The site did not meet the accessible criteria
• Land conditions made the scheme unaffordable eg contaminated land, flood plain
• Land price made the site unaffordable – this was mainly when the site was in private ownership

4.Why is the PCT not developing the existing Ashton Clinic site?

The site is too small for the development and would require taking part of the George V playing fields which is not appropriate.It is likely that Queens Road would not be deemed fit to take the extra traffic attracted by the new centre. In addition, it does not meet the criteria for allowing appropriate access for a range of community services. It is also less accessible for people without cars as very few buses run down Wigan Road. The cost of providing temporary accommodation for the clinic whilst the new facility was being built would make the scheme unaffordable for the PCT.

5.What parking arrangements will there be with the new centre?

Once it is clear that the Town Hall site is the preferred option, FfL will work with the Planning and Highway departments to agree a Travel Plan for the development. In the meantime, FfL have commissioned a full traffic survey of the area.
The Planning process will identify the number of car park spaces we will have to provide as part of the development. The PCT recognise that this is a major concern but until a site and the draft design of the centre have been agreed, it is difficult to be more specific at this stage

6.Will the field and bowling green behind the Town Hall be used for parking?

Neither of these facilities has been considered as part of the development.

7.Will St Oswald School be moved to another location?

No. This has never been considered as part of the development and it is not within our remit to consider it.

Ashton Community/Health Centre - more consultation dates

2011-11-25T11:13:00.002Z

As part of the PCT’s community engagement programme for the above development, there will be two Public Exhibition and Drop In sessions, one in Bryn and one in Ashton. Details of the sessions are as follows:

Tuesday, 6th December – Venue: YMCA Children’s Centre, Hilton Street, Ashton, WN4 8PD. The session will start at 6-30 until 8-00 and light refreshments will be available.

Wednesday, 7th December – Venue: Our Lady Immaculate School, Downhall Green Road, Ashton, WN4 0LZ. The session will begin at 6-30 until 8-00 and light refreshments will be available.

Ashton Health / Community Centre Questionnaire

2011-11-24T13:09:00.003Z

If you want a copy of the questionnaire you can now log on to http://www.alwpct.nhs.uk/ and download one from Ashton Wigan and Leigh PCT web page.

New opening times for Ashton Library

2011-11-23T14:50:00.002Z

When Ashton library re-opens after the Christmas holidays,it will be a Library Local. The opening hours, starting 3rd January 2012, will be:

Monday 9.30am – 7.00pm
Tuesday 9.30am – 5.00pm
Wednesday 9.30am – 7.00pm
Thursday 9.30am – 5.00pm
Friday 9.30am – 5.00pm
Saturday 9.30am – 3.00pm
Sunday Closed

Please note, that the last Sunday when the library will be open is Sunday 18th December 2011.

These changes are part of the implementation of the ‘Next Chapter’. You can read more about this at: www.wlct.org/nextchapter.

The proposed Health and Community Centre - have your say

2011-11-18T12:32:00.003Z

There is a proposal currently being considered to build a new Health and Community facility on the site of Ashton Town Hall on Bryn Street. It is intended that the new building will have GP provision and wider health services as well as a range of community services. It is also envisaged that the services currently being delivered from this building will continue to be delivered from the new facility

Over the next few weeks there will be a consultation process which will aim to find out what residents of Ashton think of the proposals and what they would like to see in the proposed centre. The consultation will be done by means of questionnaires and events held on Ashton market and the Gerard Centre. Local community groups will also be distributing the questionnaires to residents in their area.

Below is a list of dates and places where members of the public can pick up and hand in their completed questionnaires and talk to members of the Health Team and councillors about this project

Ashton Library
From Sunday 20th November Ashton Library there will be questionnaires available to the public in Ashton library. A member of the Health Team will be on hand to answer questions on Monday 21st from 9.30 to 12.00 pm, Wednesday 23rd from 2.30 to 5.00 pm Friday 25th from 12.00 to 3.30pm

Monday 21st November
Questionnaires will be in Ashton Town hall, Ashton Surgery 233 Wigan Road, Medicentre185 Wigan Road, Ashton Clinic, Queens Road. A member of the Health Team will be on hand to answer questions between 9.30 -12:00pm

Tuesday 22nd November Ashton Market
Members of the Health Team will be present to answer questions and give out questionnaires from 10am to 4pm.

Gerard Centre Saturday 26th November
Members of the Health Team Representatives of the PCT and Councillors will be present to answer questions and give out questionnaires from 10am to 4pm.

All questionnaires are to be returned by 7th December either in the envelope provided or in the box at the following venues: -
Ashton Town Hall
- Ashton Library
- Ashton Surgery, 233 Wigan Road
- Medicentre, 185 Wigan Road
- Ashton Clinic, Queens Road

I hope that you will take this opportunity to have your say in what could provide Ashton with both a much needed community centre and a state of the art medical facility which is fit for the 21st century. Please contact me with your views.

If you need any more information about the proposed plan or need a questionnaire please do not hesitate to contact me.

Not so friendly Friends of Ashton

2011-11-06T10:44:00.004Z

I attended a meeting of the Friends of Ashton on Friday night with the intention of discussing the proposal for the new Lift centre in Ashton and to listen to local residents' views.

The meeting started well enough with Cllr Paul Tushingham explaining that the Friends of Ashton was a non political group who welcomed everybody regardless of their political views. He then gave a measured outline of the proposal for the proposal, why the town hall was the favoured site and what disadvantages there were to the site - ie lack of parking. A discussion then took place between residents and councillors. So far so good.

What happened after that was extraordinary. The vice chairman Cllr Don Hodgkinson launched what I can only describe as a vicious tirade against Wigan Council and the Labour Party saying in effect that they cannot be trusted. The chair Paul Tushingham did nothing to control this - so much for it being non political - and eventually myself, Cllr Ann Rampling and three other residents saw no point in being there and walked out. I learned later that other members of the public did the same after we left. So in the end probably half the audience of at 20 at most had left the meeting before it ended.

Now I have no problem with being slagged off by opposition politicians. But what I do object to is the sheer hypocrisy of this group who pretends to be non political trying to masquerade as something else. When you have the Chair and Vice Chair who are members of the Independent group, the official opposition on Wigan Council, using this meeting as a platform to criticise the Labour Party and the Labour controlled Council then the only conclusion an objective person can come to is that this is a political group.

And if it is a political group then I have to ask why is it allowed to meet in a room owned by the Council and if it receives money from the Council, why. I have today asked Council officials to look into these two issues and will report back their findings in this blog.

Extended Licence for off licence in Bolton Road part 2

2011-11-02T10:17:00.003Z

I note from the Wigan Evening Post that the new owner of the store wants to work with the community.

Well I think the first thing he could do is to close the store at 11 pm and not keep it open until 3 in the morning. That will go a long way to promoting community harmony.

Extended Licence for off licence in Bolton Road

2011-10-31T16:16:00.004Z

Last Friday I attended the licencing meeting at Wigan Town Hall to support local residents in their objections to an application for an off licence on Bolton Road - formerly Hughes the Booze - to extend the opening hours from 6am to 2am from Monday to Friday and 7am to 2am at the weekend. From 11pm the store will serve customers through a hatch for security measures.

I was amazed that that the committee gave the go ahead for this application and not at all surprised that local residents are furious with this decision and intend to fight to overturn it.The police also are very much against this application.

Of course I will continue to support the residents in their campaign to overturn this surprising decision.

Community/Medical Centre for Ashton

2011-10-17T14:13:00.002Z

Readers will no doubt be aware that there are plans to build a community / medical centre in Ashton. I must emphasise that this centre will not just be a medical centre - it must have other facilities that will serve the community of Ashton.

The scheme is now at Stage 1 which means putting the business case together for the Board of the PCT. This will be a detailed document identifying the site, the size and cost of the scheme backed by detailed analysis of the health needs of the residents of Ashton and other services that the could be provided from this new facility.

I am a member of the patient/public community group which is looking to reach as many people in Ashton as possible in order to ask them what they would like to see in this centre. As part of this process representatives of local groups have already been made aware of the plans for this centre. The aim of the consultation process which will begin in earnest at the beginning of November will be to inform local residents of the plans for the centre by contacting them directly,by holding exhibitions and open days throughout the area. Details of the consultation process will be given as soon as they are finalised by the committee.The results of the consultation will then be taken to the board of the PCT.

The preferred site at the moment for the new building is Ashton town hall.Other sites have been looked at - one reason for the delay in beginning the scheme - but have been rejected for reasons such as land costs, access to the sites and land conditions.In the current climate the Government has made it clear that it expects public bodies to work closely together to ensure the best value for money. This has been happening in Wigan under the Capital Asset Pathfinder programme. Using a site owned by the Council which could be soon surplus to the Council's requirements will ensure that a public sector owned asset is used appropriately to support a new public sector scheme. It will also help towards regenerating Ashton town centre.

I will give details of the consultation process in this blog. I would be very interested in any ideas readers have for services that could be included in this centre - remember it will be a community centre as well as a medical facility.

Please contact me if you require any further information.

The re-painted Bay Horse - as it looks now

2011-10-10T14:26:00.004Z

SIDE VIEW

FRONT VIEW

The Bay Horse - part 2

2011-10-07T16:24:00.002Z

On arriving home I found a letter waiting for me from Spirit Pub Company making the following points:

1. An apology from the company if local residents and myself were unhappy with the colour. The orange colour is a part of the distinctive decoration associated with the 'Flaming Grill' brand.

2. In light of my comments a review of the paintwork has been carried out and as a result of comments made the firm will be painting the front bay windows in cream but the gable end will remain orange to stay in line with the brand specification.

3. The works will be completed before the opening date of 15th October

4. Spirit Pub Company will welcome any further comments I may receive into the improvements they have made.

All comments welcome.

Bay Horse Orange - update

2011-10-07T14:49:00.003Z

Following residents' complaints made to me about the new colour of the Bay Horse pub I contacted the Flaming Grill company last Tuesday to ask if they would change the lurid orange to a more neutral colour. I also pointed out that having looked on their web page I noticed that not all of the pubs in their chain were painted in this shade of orange.

I am delighted to announce that I have just contacted the Flaming Grills press office today and have been advised that as I write this blog they are toning down the lurid orange colour - I will publish a photo of the new scheme on my blog soon.

New proposals for waste collection

2011-08-15T10:31:00.002Z

Wigan Council’s Cabinet will this week (18th August) consider proposals to modernise the borough’s refuse collection and recycling services.This is a response to the demand from Central Government that it has to make £66 million of cuts in the next four years. The following will be considered:

1 Black bins would be emptied one week, and food and garden waste the next from all properties, all year round. Householders would also enjoy greater choice in recycling services. Residents will have the option of using their black bin to recycle food waste if they so wish - see para 3

2.Following a successful trial involving 7,500 households, the council will soon roll out improvements to its paper collection service by providing all households with the option of a blue bin which will also take cardboard and drinks cartons. This will run on a four-weekly collection.

3.Under the arrangements being proposed, green bins will be collected fortnightly all year round rather than a break for winter, and take green waste and food waste. Households with green bins would be given plastic caddies and compostable caddy liners to put their food waste in before transferring it to the green bin.

4.Disposing of food waste through the black bin means it is going to costly landfill and the council will be urging residents to put all their food waste in their green bin/food caddy to save money and reduce greenhouse gases.

5 Households without green bins would be given the same kitchen caddy and liners as green bin households, plus a larger outdoor caddy to put their food waste out for collection. These properties would have their collections using the same crew and vehicles as those with green bins, with collections every other week.

6.The brown bin service would continue as present. This service already provides a greater opportunity to recycle more plastics than the majority of neighbouring authorities which only collect plastic bottles for recycling.

7. As I understand it these proposals will be reviewed after a year

I would be interested in any comments you may have about these proposals.

Paul Tushingham - CAP defector

2011-05-11T11:50:00.002Z

I believe that local Councillor Paul Tushingham has defected from the Community Action Party and joined the Independent group. I am not surprised at this. Paul Tushingham is following a long line of local Councillors who were once in CAP and are now Independent, including Councillor Don Hodgkinson who has been a member of three parties in his time including the Labour Party. These Councillors also share one thing in common - they never told the electorate that they were leaving the party they stood for at their election.

The Community Action Party has now just one member left in the Council chamber and is finished as a political force. Given the pathetic campaign they ran in Ashton and the consequent drubbing they received from the local electorate Councillor Tushingham has clearly jumped ship because he knows that he has no chance of being re-elected while standing for CAP.

This is pure political opportunism and the voters of Ashton will see this as such at the next local election

Great night for Labour in Ashton

2011-05-11T11:38:00.002Z

May local election result

Joel Haddley Labour 1595
Walter Carney Independent 710
Leanne Brotherton Community Action Party 626
Marie Winstanley Conservative 344.

Labour gain from Independents

I would like to thank everyone in Ashton who voted Labour and elected our new councillor Joel Haddley.

It was a good night for Labour throughout the Borough – we gained six seats and now have 58 out of 75 seats in the Council.

I would also like to thank Walter Carney the losing candidate for the honourable campaign he fought and would like to wish him well in the future.

Camapaigning against AV

2011-04-26T12:32:00.002Z

Picture above shows the Labour Team campaigning against AV in Ashton town centre last Saturday. It was very noticeable that the majority of people agreed with us.

A lot of people were simply swayed by the fact that Nick Clegg supported AV,saying 'if he is for it then I am against it'.

AV - the debate continues

2011-04-19T08:45:00.003Z

No doubt some readers will be voting for or against fundamentally changing our voting system on May 5th. My recent canvassing experience has come up with the following reactions on the doorstep:

1. Is there a referendum?
2. Why is there a referendum?
3. What is AV - alternative voting?
4. I will be voting at the local elections but not the referendum because I don't know what it is.

One woman asked me for my opinion and when I said I was against it she said 'that's good enough for me - I'll be voting against it'

Another man quite rightly pointed out that despite there being several choices on a ballot paper a person can still vote for one person and does not have to use the other preferences.

As I have said I am dead against AV but in the interest of fairness I attempt to explain what AV is below.

There are different versions of AV, but it boils down to redistributing votes until one candidate achieves more than 50% of all votes cast.

Under the Alternative Vote System, voters run down the list of Candidates, ranking them in their order of preference by physically writing 1, 2, 3 etc.

Once all votes have been cast and counted, if any one candidate polls over 50%, they are elected and there are no additional rounds, but if no candidate achieves the magic percentage, the candidate who polls the least votes is eliminated, and all the second and third preferences (and so on) are redistributed to the remaining candidates.

This process continues until someone achieves over 50%, even if only two candidates remain until the end. That’s how you get your winner, moreover, the successor can be said to have been voted for, in one form or another by the majority of voters in percentage terms.

Simples isn't it?

Now I have tried to go through this explanation on the doorstep but I noticed people's eyes glazing over halfway through and then the inevitable questions - why are we changing the present voting system and how much is this costing?

If you like me are against AV make sure you vote No on May 5th - don't abstain and let the Yes vote win it.

Petition handed in to Council

2011-04-04T10:03:00.003Z

Following the very successful day in Ashton Town Centre where hundreds of residents supported our campaign to keep Ashton Library open we have now submitted all the petitions we have received including the on line petition started on this blog to Wigan Leisure Trust. Above is a picture of myself and Trevor Allen presenting the petitions to Councillor Brian Baldwin, Cabinet member for Leisure and Culture. Cllr Baldwin said he was struck by the strength of support to retain the library and by how much local people valued the services offered by the library.

The result of the consultation should be known at the end of June.

Save our Library campaign continues

2011-03-14T10:24:00.006Z

Campaigners Joel Haddley and Trevor Allen together with local MP Yvonne Fovargue at the Gerard Centre last Saturday.

Our Save Ashton Library campaign took another step last Saturday when we held a street stall on the Gerard Centre. We were delighted with the response - nearly 500 people signed the petition. So far 70 people have signed the on line petition which can be found on http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/saveashtonlibrary/

We will be presenting these two and other petitions which other people have started to Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust at the end of this month.

As from February 2011 the number of questionnaires issued by and returned to Ashton library stands at 250. This is the 4th highest number in the Borough - Atherton, Standish and Shevington have submitted more questionnaires than Ashton

Can you participate? Cancer Patient and Carers Partnership Group

2011-02-21T15:39:00.000Z

The Cancer Patient & Carers’ Partnership Group has been established since February 2006, and serves the borough of Ashton, Leigh & Wigan.

The group is open to participation from anyone with an interest in improving and developing the provision of cancer services in the local area or within Greater Manchester.

National statistics state that 1 in 3 people will be diagnosed with cancer within their lifetime, and the group is eager to recruit new members.

Many people are affected by cancer, not only the person diagnosed but also close relatives, friends and neighbours.

With a population of approximately 310,000 Ashton, Leigh and Wigan has a significant number of patients suffering from the four main cancers - breast, bowel, lung and prostate – as well as the less common types of cancer.
‘CAN YOU PARTICIPATE?’ The group meets monthly to work in partnership with professionals to discuss improvements and developments in the provision of cancer services. Your views are needed to improve, develop and expand services for the people who live in your community.

If you would like more information please contact:

Val Gough

Ashton Leigh and Wigan Community Healthcare.

The provider arm of NHS Ashton, Leigh and Wigan

Chandler House,

Worsley Mesnes Health Centre,

Poolstock Lane,

Wigan

WN3 5HL

Tel: 01942 481578

Fax: 01942 481494

A new word

2011-02-17T10:49:00.001Z

I have heard that young people now use a new verb - to clegg. It means to say one thing and do totally the opposite.

Big Society - Big Con

2011-02-14T09:03:00.002Z

I see David Cameron is trying to relaunch his idea of the Big Society. I think the fact that he has to re-launch it in the short time after the last general election speaks volumes.

Clearly he should start by telling his own party what it is because judging from their comments they have no idea. A former Cabinet Member recently asked an interviewer not to ask him to explain the Big Society because he had no idea what it was, describing it as a lead balloon. Tory MP Mark Reckless said that most Tory MPs had no idea how to explain it on the doorstep at the last election and another Tory MP said that it was example of the party’s leadership trying to be too clever by half.

I have my own theory how it came about. In 1997 the Tories were soundly beaten by Labour and for the next thirteen years did not look like they would be in Government – in fact they are only in Government now because of a coalition with the Liberal Democrats. Their polls told them that one of the reasons people did not vote for them was because they were perceived to be the nasty party. So in the thirteen years that they were not in power they had to come up with some more fluffy voter friendly policies and the Big Society was one of them. It sounded good and had the added advantage of countering Margaret Thatcher’s famous statement that there was no such thing as society. Unfortunately like all good political sound bites it is exactly that – a sound bite with no substance.

The problem with the Big Society was that it was launched at the same time as the Coalition Government were making the most draconian cuts to local services ever. David Cameron’s much vaunted project is being undermined by these cuts which are in fact destroying volunteering.

Dame Elisabeth Hoodless - dubbed recently as the mother of the Big Society after serving 40 years at the top of the voluntary sector - was recently a big supporter of the concept when it was first announced last year but now has changed her mind. She told the Times newspaper that the Government had failed to provide tangible opportunities to do more in their communities. In some cases massive cuts imposed on local councils had actually taken them away.In an interview with the Times she said –‘ Does one hand know what the other is doing? ‘

Dame Elisabeth also makes the very valid point that once you close a library there is nowhere for a volunteer to help because very few people want to be in charge of running the library. Most people want to feel there is an expert on the premises. They are quite happy to issue and re-shelve books but taking the final responsibility is more than most people want to do.

The majority of people questioned about the Big Society in a recent poll said they thought it was just a Government ploy to hide the effects of the cuts and that it would not work.

If the Big Society is just about people volunteering more I really don’t think that Ashton needs any advice from David Cameron. In this town we have five residents groups, various sports and leisure clubs, the Brownies, Guides and Scouts , the Boys Brigade, football and rugby teams catering for all ages, mother and toddler groups and a community centre. All these are run by hundreds of individuals who are giving up their time for no pay and who are making Ashton a better place to live in.

In short the idea of the Big Society will end up in the dustbin of previous political initiatives where it will join John Major’s Back to Basics and the Cones Hotline

You couldn't make it up

2011-02-07T21:16:00.002Z

Hindley Green Councillor Bob Brierley has left the Independent group. He now calls himself an Independent Independent.

Campaign against unfair cuts

2011-02-01T09:27:00.005Z

I have copied below an article from the Manchester Evening News opposing the unfair Condem Government's cuts in the North West.If you agree that these cuts are grossly unfair there is a petition you can sign on the front of the M.E.N or online.

I wonder if our local paper the Wigan Evening Post is considering a similar campaign.

The M.E.N. today calls on the people of Greater Manchester to stand up against unfair spending cuts.

We revealed how our region is bearing the brunt of massive reductions in council grants – while rich southern shires escape relatively unscathed.

Vital services to vulnerable communities will be slashed and thousands of jobs lost.

Today, we team up with senior politicians to demand the government gives us our fair share.

We are calling on communities across the region to sign the biggest petition Greater Manchester has ever seen.

Comment: How can the cuts be deemed fair?

Manchester council, which is suffering a massive £110m budget cut, will this week launch the petition. Other town halls have already lent their support – and pledged to follow suit.

Council % cut
Manchester 21
Rochdale 20.5
Salford 19.6
Oldham 18.9
Bolton 18.3
Wigan 17.3
Bury 16.6
Tameside 16.5
Trafford 15.6
UK AVERAGE 15.2
Stockport 13.8

The table shows the percentage cut in central government grant over the next two years.

The M.E.N. is backing the petition because of the scale of the injustice facing our councils.

Over the next two years, councils nationally will lose an average 15.2 per cent of their grants.

But NINE of the 10 local authorities in Greater Manchester are losing more.

Only Stockport has done better than the average – and then only just – while affluent regions face much smaller losses.

The cuts will lead to nearly 6,000 job losses, despite Greater Manchester having some of the highest levels of deprivation in the country. Salford will have to lose 800 staff, Rochdale 300, Oldham 800, and Bolton 1,500.

Cash-strapped Bury council will lose 184 jobs, while Stockport and Trafford will lose 250 and 150.

The petition will be launched in Manchester after a full council meeting on Wednesday.

Jim Battle, deputy leader of the council, said: “It will be the biggest petition that Manchester has ever seen. It will be online and in shopping centres.

“We will be going into streets, communities and churches to encourage people to stand up and fight for Manchester.”

Many town hall leaders across the region say they will introduce similar motions.

John Merry, leader of Salford, said: “It is important for everyone, regardless of political persuasion, to stand up against these unfair cuts which hit people in our area harder than anywhere else.”

Tameside’s leader Kieran Quinn said: “It’s something that we absolutely support and we will make enquiries to have a similar motion in our council.”

But Tory-led Trafford Council, which has to shed £15.2m by 2013, say they will not support the motion. Leader Matt Colledge said: “It isn’t something we would put our names to. We are concentrating on finding solutions to the problem.”

How can the cuts be deemed fair?

Public meetings to discuss library service

2011-01-18T16:12:00.003Z

A SERIES of public meetings regarding Wigan and Leigh’s Library Service will take place throughout January and February.

Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust, who manage libraries on behalf of Wigan Council, is currently conducting a four month survey in order to gather as much information as possible to help shape future library provision.

Following the government’s spending review in October Wigan’s library budget is facing a 25 per cent cut of £1.1m as Wigan Council looks to make savings of £55m over the next three years.

This consultation will play an important part in any future decisions on the service.

The reduction in library service budget will mean change in the scale and way library services are delivered. But at this time no decision has been made on the number and location of libraries that will close.

Consultation is also being carried out through a range of mechanisms including questionnaires, focus groups and public meetings and ends on 31 March 2011.

Further information on the consultation can be found by visiting your local library or by going on line and visiting www.wlct.org

All of the following public meetings will take place between 7pm and 9pm in the evenings.

Monday 24 January
Venue: Wigan & Leigh College Parson's Walk Wigan
Car parking is available in nearby streets and the college is a short walk from the bus station. There is no car parking at the venue itself.

Wednesday 26 January
Venue:Platt Bridge Community School Rivington Avenue Platt Bridge
Free car parking is available at the school, which is also located on bus routes.

Tuesday 8 February
Venue:Atherton & Tyldesley Botanical Gardens Association 232, Tyldesley Road Atherton
Free car parking is available at the rear of the building, which is also located on bus routes.

Wednesday 9 February
Venue: Leigh Sports Village Leigh Stadium Sale Way Leigh
Ample free car parking is available on-site.

Thursday 10 February
Venue: Westfield Community School Montrose Avenue Pemberton
Free car parking is available at the school, which is also located on bus routes.

Save Ashton Library - sign the petition

2010-12-10T10:12:00.003Z

This month, I joined Cllr Ann Rampling and Makerfield MP Yvonne Fovargue in highlighting a review of Library provision in the Borough.

Council Bosses have now started a review which could lead to the closure of Ashton Library.

Please sign the online petition I have started here.

You can also contribute your views to the council's consultation here.

Things for to do in the school holidays

2010-08-09T10:30:00.005Z

I was happy to attend the opening of the Stubshaw Cross summer events for young people with Yvonne Fovargue our local MP.

Rock FM were there and over the next few weeks there will be activities organised for young people on Golborne Road park.

For further details contact Ken Barston on 272605

And more fun --

2010-08-09T10:20:00.002Z

On 21st August there will be a Beach Day on Ashton market from 10am to 2pm. Attractions will include donkey rides children's entertainer and face painting. All free!

And even more fun on Jubilee Park

2010-08-09T10:10:00.002Z

The following events are to be held in Jubilee Park over the summer.

9.11,13 August 12.30 - 2.00 pm - Rounders

10,12 August 12.30 to 2.00 pm - Street Dance

620 Saved

2010-08-09T09:41:00.004Z

Talks to safeguard a vital bus route have proved successful following an intervention by Abram Ward Councillor, Eunice Smethurst.

Those avid readers of my blog will remember that in October 2008 I together with the local MP Ian McCartney and other local Labour Councillors supported a campaign under the name of Use it or Lose to save the 620 bus route from being scrapped.

It is with great pleasure that I can now announce that thanks to the work of Abram Councillor Cllr Smethurst we have now obtained the support of GMITA to continue the service on a permanent basis, by advocating an extension to the service which will now link Hindley, Platt Bridge, Bamfurlong, Ashton and Stubshaw Cross with St Helens, rather than terminating in Ashton.

Last week Cllr Smethurst was joined by myself and Cllr Keir Stitt (Hindley Green) to celebrate the safeguarding of the route. - see picture above.

Two great awards for Ashton residents

2010-08-03T11:16:00.004Z

Congratulations to all involved with Jubilee Park for their achievement in gaining the prestigious Green Flag award for the park and to the Town Green Residents group for their award of a Green Pennant for their beautiful garden on Bolton Road

Lib Dems at rock bottom - and it could get worse

2010-08-02T08:13:00.002Z

It was with some delight that I read yesterday that the Liberal Democrats support has fallen to 12% and Nick Clegg's rating is now +8 from a high of +72.

Clearly voters have seen what a set of self seeking set of politicians these Liberals are. They - much like their friends in the Council Chamber the Community Action Party - have always told people exactly what they want them to hear to gain votes. They have no policies as such. And now they have been found out because, unlike in the past when they had no power, they have to be accountable for their actions. In effect voters have made the judgement that Nick Clegg was not honest about his policies and has abandoned any principles the Party might have had. A good example of this is the rise in VAT to 20 % which Nick Clegg and his party labelled as a Tory tax bombshell but which now they support wholeheartedly.

I am looking forward to the next local elections when the Community Action Party will have to explain to local voters the reasons they support this Government and then justify the massive cuts that will be made and which will be so harmful to the residents of the Borough.

Skateboard Park

2010-07-27T13:21:00.002Z

I am happy to announce that the skateboard park is back on track and negotiations are now taking place with a view to completion.

Cllr Robert Bleakley

2010-07-16T10:00:00.005Z

At the Council meeting on Wednesday Liberal Democrat Councillor Robert Bleakley read out a statement to the full Council in which he apologised for bullying a female office of the Council. The Standards Board of Great Britain found him guilty of failing to respect others and as a result has been barred from standing as Councillor for six months.

This is not the first time Robert Bleakley has been found guilty of breaching the code of conduct.In 2004 Mr Bleakley was disqualified by The Standards Board for England for three years after being found guilty of “failing to show respect to others'.

His leader Nick Clegg is very keen to recall politicians who fall below acceptable standards of public behaviour. Perhaps, given his record over the past six years Councillor Bleakley should be considered for recall by his leader and the voters of Tyldesley be given a chance to elect another less controversial councillor.

When the going gets tough the Community Action Party disappear

2010-07-16T09:35:00.002Z

At Wednesday night's Council meeting a motion opposing the increase in VAT proposed by the Con Dem coalition was discussed. Each party has its own opinion about this increase - I together with my Labour colleagues think the rise to 20% is pernicious because it hits the poor and disadvantaged more than the rich. It will also take large amounts of money away from charities. The Tories on the Council opposed the motion and supported the rise.

However we will never know what the Liberal Democrats and their allies the Community Action Party thought because their leader Cllr Tushingham had disappeared before the motion was discussed together with most of his colleagues.

I, together with the voters of Wigan, would have been very interested to know how they viewed this rise. It should be noted here that Community Action has joined the Liberal Democrats in the Council to form the Democratic Alliance and that in doing so is supporting the Con Dem alliance in Parliament.

Fun Day on Jubilee Park

2010-07-12T10:49:00.012Z

Congratulations to all those who organised the Fun Day yesterday. The weather was excellent and it brought out crowds of people who seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves when I was there in the afternoon

The pictures are as follows:

1. the staff from Ashton Library at their stall
2. the University of the Third Age stall
3. David Cameron makes a surprise visit
4. a young guitarist entertains the crowd in the flower park

Skateboard Park

2010-07-12T10:26:00.002Z

Recently there was a rather misleading article in the local paper about the skateboard park in Jubilee Park being scrapped.

First of all I would like to correct this. No project has been scrapped - yet. Projects are on hold until the Cabinet knows exactly from central government what future funding it will have.

I believe that the skateboard scheme should have special consideration for the following reasons:

1. The whole project cost £44,000 which was funded as follows: £15,000 from Ibstock Corey, £4,000 from my Brighter Borough funding, £10,000 from 106 monies, and £15,000 from Wigan Leisure Trust

2. The funding from WLT has already been spent in preparing the area for the skateboard park

3.In short most of this funding has originated from other sources than the 106 monies

4. This project was just on the point of being given the go ahead before this review was announced.

5. You will be aware of the long history of this project which has been going on now for 8 years or more. Young people in Ashton have been promised on several occasions that this much needed facility would go ahead In fact some of them even made the decision as to the lay out of the skateboard at a meeting held with the Friends of Jubilee Park. To withdraw this project will send a very negative message to a group of young people who have acted responsibly during the creation of this park.

I have made representations to the leader of the Council and the Cabinet outlining these points and I hope for a positive outcome.

I must say that if there had not been so much antipathy to this park - which is now deemed acceptable by most people involved - when it was first mooted six years ago young people of Ashton would probably have had a skateboard park by now and what we now should have been looking to fund was an extension to the park

Carpe diem, baby as Kojak used to say

Bryn Station

2010-07-12T10:16:00.003Z

As a user of Bryn station I was very pleased to learn that funds have been allocated to improve it - and about time. I think I read somewhere it was nominated as the worst station in Greater Manchester.

The access for the disabled and for young mothers with prams at this station is very poor. It is extremely difficult to get a pram or a wheelchair up the ramp when you get off the station from Wigan because of the steps.

I will be working with our MP Yvonne Fovargue and local Councillor Ann Rampling pictured below with Trevor Allen to upgrade the disabled access for the station

Katherine Jenkins

2010-07-12T09:52:00.003Z

I was lucky enough to be in the audience to see Katherine Jenkins at Haigh Hall last week,an event organised by Wigan and Leigh Culture Trust.

Now normally I would not go to an event like this but I'm glad I did. Katherine put on a fantastic show. What I liked about her was that she connected immediately with the audience and not only enchanted them with her singing but chatted to them and on occasions made them laugh.

She was the opposite of another very famous opera star I once saw in Manchester who left the stage after every two songs. I remarked at the time that she wouldn't go down well in Bryn Labour Club doing that.

Yes, the picture of the sky was taken at Haigh Hall last Wednesday.

Brychall Founders Evening

2010-07-12T09:39:00.003Z

I attended Brychall Founders Evening held at Haydock Park race course last Tuesday and was very impressed with the organisation of the event and with the young people who entertained the large audience during the evening.

This event is nothing like the Speech Days I have often attended when I was at school and when I taught. Prizes are distributed in year groups but after pupils of each year group receive their prizes, students from the school perform musical and dance items. And what a talented bunch there were.

The result of this programme was that instead of being bored witless for over an hour my attention was held and the time just flew past.

Well done to those involved!

Museum of Wigan Life

2010-07-12T09:27:00.002Z

One of the projects that has survived the cuts is the Museum of Wigan Life in Library Street,the opening of which I attended recently.

I did not have time to look round the museum properly but it looks very good with plenty to interest local people.

If you have visited it tell me what you think.

Scenes from the Armed Forces Day

2010-07-12T08:24:00.004Z

Last month I attended the Armed Forces Day in Leigh Sports Village which was very well attended and very well organised.

One of the exhibitors in the Sports Hall was Frank Brown from Stubshaw Cross who has a remarkable collection of WW2 memorabilia - anything from machine guns to Rinso tins.
Mr Brown told me that he is looking for a building in which he can permanently display his very large collection and create a museum. I have passed his request on to Wigan Council.

Mr Brown's company is called Pegasus WW2 displays and he has a web page on www.pegasusww2displays.co.uk

Cuts - Part two

2010-06-24T09:47:00.002Z

On the agenda of next week's Ashton and Bryn Township Forum was an item on the Big Reward. This scheme was to make available capital funds in each Township in the current financial year. This scheme was to seen as an important opportunity to support partnership working in communities and the Ashton Bryn Township was to receive £76,000 which local groups could have bid for.

I have just learned that this scheme also has been cancelled because of the cuts.

Cuts - Part One

2010-06-24T09:19:00.002Z

I have just learned that free swimming scheme introduced by Andy Burnham is to be axed as part of the cuts in Local Government expenditure. The health and fitness boosting scheme is deemed to to have been a failure by Coalition Ministers as according to them it did not attract enough new regular swimmers. The scheme will end in July and will save £40 million.

As chair of the Adult Health Committee I find this announcement particularly disappointing. This area suffers from a particularly poor health record and I saw this scheme as one way that people could improve their fitness

As for it not attracting enough people that is now what I saw at our newly refurbished local baths where people were queueing to get in every time I went there. It will be a blow to the 50,000 residents who have been enjoying these free sessions and especially for those on low incomes who will find it difficult to go swimming on a regular basis.

Congratualtions to Michael

2010-05-18T07:18:00.002Z

I was very pleased to learn that locally based Councillor Michael Winstanley is to become mayor of Wigan tomorrow.

Despite the fact that Michael is a Conservative I have always had a good rapport with him. I can now reveal that over the years I have tried to convert him to the Labour cause but despite the many leaflets I have put through his door and a recent attempt at canvassing him he has stubbornly remained in the Conservative Party.

I am sure that Michael will be an excellent advocate for Wigan in his role as mayor and I wish him all the best for the coming year

Unashamed triumphalism - black day for Labour

2010-05-09T10:00:00.003Z

WARNING - THIS ARTICLE SHOULD NOT BE READ IF YOU DO NOT LIKE THE LABOUR PARTY.

I am still coming down from the results on Friday. I have rarely experienced a political event like Friday's count and I will probably never experience one like it again in my lifetime.

The Labour Party won 10 seats and now holds 51 out of the 75 seats on the Council. We actually won in 23 out of the 24 seats up for election.

Added to these fantastic results Labour is now again in control of St Helens and Liverpool.

According to some sections of the press Thursday was a dark day for Labour.

Not here it wasn't.

HEADLINES WE WERE SPARED

2010-05-09T09:58:00.001Z

ITS THE SUN WOT DID IT

Post election thoughts 2 - Proportional representation

2010-05-09T09:06:00.003Z

I have been asked if I support PR. The answer is a very firm no. And before it is said that first past the post has suited me in this election I would remind you that I had to suffer the dreadful Thatcher years because of this system but during that time I cannot ever recall arguing for a change in the voting system. We live in a democracy and we have to respect what the people have decided through the ballot box. I think this present result is an excellent indication of the mood of the people - a plague on all your houses and we do not really trust one single party to govern this country.

First past the post is clean and usually gives a clear result. What is happening now between Clegg, Cameron and perhaps Brown in due course is normal in Europe where PR is the norm - it can take up to a month to form a Government and there will be a lot of fudging of policies which the electorate may not have voted for.

I also believe that any voting system must be understandable to ordinary people. I invite readers of this blog to explain to me how the Euro election results were arrived at - and while you are at it please explain the Duckworth Lewis method of deciding a cricket matched affected by rain.

They say that PR will give the people better representation. Can I remind you that one of your Euro MPs is BNP leader Nick Griffin who was elected purely because of a totally incomprehensible PR system used in the Euro elections. There is not one poll I have seen since which has convinced me that his party has amassed enough votes to warrant a seat in Europe on any basis - it was only elected because of PR.

There is another system of PR which requires the winner to have 50% of the vote. On the ballot paper the voter will number the candidates in order of his/her preference. If the candidate with the most votes does not have 50% of the votes cast then the candidate who is last will drop out, his/her votes will be looked at again and the second preference will be allocated to the other candidates. This will be repeated until one candidate has 50% of the total vote. In this system who can tell whether I would have won or not because nobody can say which candidate the voters would have chosen as second.

The only qualification I will make to my stand on this issue is that if a referendum is held and the people support PR then naturally I will go along with their decision.

Post election thoughts 1

2010-05-09T08:46:00.002Z

Of course I am delighted with the result from Friday but it was a very close run thing.

I would like to thank the Community Action Party for running a clean and I must say very effective campaign. To get a candidate who is virtually unknown in Ashton - please do not read this as a criticism just a fact - to within 200 votes of winning the seat is an achievement which I, as a seasoned election campaigner, must acknowledge. There was one point during Friday when I thought I was going to lose the seat.

I would like to thank the Independents for fielding a candidate but that's all. I hoped that this campaign would be a clean one but I was not impressed by the last minute flier put out in Ashton and the description of Ann Rampling in their material put around Bryn. The Labour Party will remember this for future elections.

I would like to thank the Conservative candidate Malcolm Childs for a pleasant conversation on election night and the BNP candidate for doing absolutely nothing during the campaign and sparing the good people of Ashton from having to read the obnoxious guff that emanates from this now irrelevant party.

Oh dear dear

2010-05-08T12:09:00.003Z

I have just read that the BNP are in tatters after resounding defeats in its stronghold areas including Barking, East London where Nick Griffin came third.

The national losses were compounded by its failure to maintain a single seat on Barking and Dagenham Council where it previously had 12 seats. It has lost every single parliamentary and council seat across the country where it has faced an opposition.

In Barking the Labour candidate Margaret Hodge gave Nick Griffin a drubbing defeating him by 18,000 votes.

The Deputy Chairman Simon Darby came fourth in Stoke Central and the party's vote collapsed in Burnley.

The voters of Makerfield also overwhelmingly rejected the BNP - their Parliamentary candidate came a poor fifth getting just over 4 per cent of the vote. And I have no idea who the candidate for Ashton was as he did not put out a leaflet nor do anything else to my knowledge.

Those local election results in full

2010-05-08T09:31:00.001Z

Ashton

Nigel Ash - Labour - 2,208

Joanne Bradley - CAP - 1,980

Malcolm Childs - Conservative - 571

Barry Longstaffe - BNP - 352

Frank Merry - Independent - 574

Total 5,685 - 62.88% of the electorate

I would like to express my sincere thanks to everybody who supported me in this election. I promise that I will continue to work hard for all the residents in Ashton.

Bryn

Kenneth Haslam BNP 531

Brian Merry Independent 1,697

Ann Rampling Labour 2,274

Joseph Sheedy Conservative 525

Kevin Williams CAP 609

Total 5,636 62.17% of the electorate

Welcome to my new reader

2010-05-07T08:21:00.002Z

I found a convert to this award winning blog at last night's count. In the course of political discussions with John Mather, the Independent candidate for Makerfield, he told me how much he enjoyed reading this blog.

Well, John. thanks for that. You have probably doubled my readership.

Those Makerfield results in full

2010-05-07T08:16:00.001Z

Makerfield - total eligible to vote 74,255
Turnout 43,771 (58.95%)

Itrat Ali Conservative 8,210 18.76% (11.06%)

Robert Brierley Independent 3,424 7.82% (4.61%)

David Crowther Liberal Democrat 7,082 16.18% (9.54%)

Yvonne Helen Fovargue Labour 20,700 47.29% (27.88%)

Kenneth Haslam BNP 3,229 7.38% (4.35%)

John Mark Mather Independent 1,126 2.57% (1.52%)

Total 43,771

Oh dear

2010-05-05T21:42:00.004Z

I think the following article on Yahoo written by Ian Dunt might be of interest to readers at this election time.

The British National party's (BNP) beleaguered election campaign hit a new disaster today when its head of online operations quit the party and took the website with him.

Simon Bennett, directed traffic to his own website, where he posted an outspoken attack on the party and its leadership, the Times reported today.

Mr Bennett suggested the party was disorganised, amateurish and constantly wasting membership fees.

"This will no doubt [sic] come as a shock to many of those that read this, particularly those who really don't want to hear it," he wrote.

"However, I have a duty to the members and my conscience, but most of all to my wife and children, to tell the truth behind the spin."

The website was briefly down yesterday afternoon before it was reactivated, but the comments quickly spread across the web.

Party leader Nick Griffin and election fundraiser James Dowson w e re branded "pathetic, desperate and incompetent" by Mr Bennett.

It is just the latest incident of infighting threatening to the derail the far-right party's general election campaign.

Mr Griffin himself recently informed police that someone in the organisation was trying to kill him.

Dreaming

2010-05-05T07:47:00.002Z

I dreamt I was watching Sky TV this morning and that according to one of the latest opinion polls the Labour Party could be the largest party in a hung Parliament on Friday.

I woke up and found it was actually true.

The Liberal bounce - but not in Makerfield

2010-05-05T07:33:00.006Z

If you were a resident of Makerfield and you did not have a TV or radio you would not know that there has been a Liberal surge in the country - in fact you would not know there was Liberal party at all because to my knowledge the candidate has not put out a leaflet nor has he been seen canvassing on the streets. He did not even bother to attend the hustings in Hindley held recently.

Does new wonder boy Nick Clegg realise how little effort this candidate has put into his campaign or is he relying on the now dwindling Liberal bounce to get him some votes and possibly save his deposit?

I think we should be told.

Confusion in Ashton Town centre

2010-05-03T12:42:00.004Z

Candidates and followers from different political parties were in Ashton Town Centre on Saturday. However people were apparently very confused as to who the different candidates were representing. I believe the following parties were there:

1.The local Independent candidates and helpers

2. The two Independent Parliamentary candidates and helpers

3. The CAP local candidates and helpers

4. The BNP

5. The group opposed to the BNP

People tell me that they were confused because the Independent and the CAP were wearing exactly the same colours. They could not understand why there were two Parliamentary candidates and why all these 'independent' groups are asking for their votes when they seem to be saying the same thing.

I just say that democracy is a wonderful thing and I am glad to see it alive and kicking in Ashton.

Your questions answered

2010-04-29T10:35:00.002Z

Here are the answers to points that have been raised in previous postings

1. Will I leave the Labour Party and go Independent?

No to the first question despite recent events.

I have a problem with the concept of being an Independent politician. While they may be effective for individual issues within a community and do not have to answer to a party whip the fact that they are independent seems to stop them from having a coherent policy on major issues.

The situation in the Council chamber is a good example of this lack of cohesion. There are three groups of Independents- Community Action, the Independents and the Independent Conservatives. If you asked them what their policies on say education or any other major issues that effect most people they would all say different things. I even believe that within their own grouping they have different ideas. Nothing wrong with that but I firmly believe that people want to feel that Parties have coherent policies if they are asked to vote for a party and not be confused by them. Again I attended the Parliamentary hustings on Sunday night and even the two Independents there could not agree on policies.

2. Would I vote against the Labour Whip?

Yes if I felt that the issue under discussion was not to the benefit of the Ashton ward. Not long ago I campaigned strongly against development in the Stubshaw Cross and lobbied Cabinet to oppose the development which eventually was rejected. If this issue had come to Council I would have voted against it.

3. Why I don't use a local printer.

Well this is only partly true. I have produced two leaflets since March - one was produced at Douglas Printers in Wigan and the other outside the area. My out cards are also produced by Douglas printers.

My second leaflet was part of a national print run procured by the national Labour Party which offered considerable benefits to those local constituencies taking part.

I would also point out for a local election a candidate can only spend by law roughly £900 to £1000. I strongly believe that during a campaign the electorate should be contacted as often as possible within the permitted budget.

4. Roads.

Yes I do agree that there should be a four way junction at junction 25. I also support the scheme for the A5225.

5. I agree with the post about quangos and I am disappointed that more of these have not disappeared under this Government.

6. I have always been strongly in favour of a skateboard park young people of Ashton. That is why I suggested the scheme to the Township Forum in 2004 and that is why I committed a large amount of my Brighter Borough funding to the scheme at that time. For information a councillor's Brighter Borough funding is about £5000 a year. .

7 Police

I am waiting for the exact figures about how many police officers and PCSOs are detailed to patrol on Friday and Saturdays.

I would like to see more police at the weekends in the town centre. Together with the other councillors I have regular meetings with the police to discuss ways of reducing anti-social behaviour in the Ashton ward

And last but not least

I thank Alan for his comments about this blog. And so I say to all my readers - make sure to vote for me becasue if I am defeated this blog will disappear.

Two new faces in Ashton Town Centre

2010-04-27T16:56:00.002Z

The borough’s three main town centres of Wigan (including Wigan Pier Quarter and Robin Park), Leigh and Ashton will soon be home to 15 Life Guides. The two working in Ashton are pictured above.

The Guides will be on hand to help residents and visitors find out where to go, what to do and what events are taking place, as well as generally promoting our borough.

Wigan Council’s Cabinet Champion for Regeneration and the Environment, Cllr David Molyneux says: “The Life Guides will be based in the town centres to provide information on the local area and upcoming events. They will be an extension of our town centre management function and will help to make the areas more accessible to visitors and residents alike.”

The Life Guides are funded by the Department for Work and Pension’s Future Jobs Fund. They will be employed by Groundwork Lancashire West and Wigan and will receive full training in health and safety, first aid, stewards’ training and training from the North West Tourist Board.

If you see them say hello from me.

Your candidates for the general election

2010-04-21T18:43:00.002Z

The candidates at the general election for the Makerfield Constituency are as follows:

1. Itrat Ali - Conservative

2. Robert Brierly - Independent

3. David Crowther - Liberal Democrat

4. Yvonne Fovargue - Labour

5. Kenneth Haslam - BNP

6. John Mather - Independent

Access to polling stations

2010-04-21T15:49:00.003Z

I have been asked by Scope if our local polling stations are accessible for people with disabilities. I will be looking into this issue but if anyone reading this has encountered a problem with accessing their polling station please contact me.

Beware - poster thief

2010-04-21T15:30:00.002Z

Some sad individual or individuals has/have been stealing and destroying our Labour posters. It reminds me of my student days.

I would offer a reward for their return but the party is so hard up we can't afford it. So if anyone knows where these posters have gone I would be grateful for any information. The reward is a personally signed copy of my election leaflet. I have contacted the police and a Sergeant B. Stickers has been assigned to the case.

And on the subject of the colour of the CAP poster the words 'lurid yellow' were used by the person who complained to me. I don't think the posters are lurid yellow or turgid yellow or even motorway jacket yellow. I think they are just yellow.

Where have all the posters gone?

2010-04-20T11:10:00.002Z

There were lots of Community Action posters on the bridge on Bryn Street in Ashton Town Centre up until today but they have all disappeared.

Is there a reason for this? Could it be that CAP has acted upon the complaints I have received that these lurid yellow posters are spoiling the town centre.

I think we should be told.

The Beat it Team comes to Ashton

2010-04-18T19:35:00.002Z

The Beat it team will be in Ashton from the 7th to the 11th June. If you know of any areas that need a major clean up please contact me and I will pass the information to the Team

Viridoor Wood car park

2010-04-06T13:36:00.002Z

Following the clean up at the Viridor Wood car park off Bolton Road I have been asked about installing a No Dog Fouling/Litter sign there.

I have been advised that the site in question is under the ownership and management by the Forestry Commission. Wigan Council have had some dialogue with the Forestry Commission about funding a sign or signs there and installing a litter bin which the Council would empty.

I will update readers of progress made on this issue.

Election 6th May

2010-04-06T13:12:00.002Z

I will be standing as the Labour Party candidate in the local elections on the 6th May and if any reader of this blog would like to ask me questions about local issues and what I will do for Ashton if elected I will be happy to answer them.

Two conditions:

1. I would prefer any questioner to give their name

2. The questions should be reasonable and preferably be about local issues.

If you wish to ask the Labour Party candidate a question about her policies, local and national, then you can contact her by email at yfovargue@aol.com or on her website yvonnefovargue.com

Town Centre event

2010-03-30T11:56:00.000Z

Last Saturday and today (Tuesday) there have been two buses on Gerard Centre and the market promoting healthy living and safety awareness.

The health check initiative came from a meeting of a sub group of the Ashton Bryn Township Forum which looked at ways of making people aware of how they could improve their health. The group was concerned that life expectancy in the Wigan area was much lower than in other comparable areas and men especially were prone to ill health. This check was thought to be a good start to make people aware of how they could improve their life style.

On one of the buses there were nurses who checked your height/weight/BMI, took your blood pressure, measured your body fat rating and cholesterol and blood glucose levels. In addition they gave advice on diet and exercise - an excellent free service.

I was told today that this service had proved very popular and that more men than expected had the check done. There will be a report back to the Township Forum at the next meeting and I will be encouraging the Community Health Authority to repeat the initiative or something similar in the near future.

Safety seats for children - a grandparent's lament

2010-03-30T11:54:00.000Z

One thing I did learn at the event was how to fit a child's safety seat correctly.
As a grandparent I have found everything that a child needs now - cots, high chairs, push chairs and safety seats so difficult to assemble or make safe. You need a great deal of spatial awareness and the ability to solve jig saw puzzles - neither of which I possess - to assemble these essential children's items.

I hate to say this but in my day when we had our children things seemed a lot simpler.

Ashton pool - re-opening date

2010-03-30T11:53:00.001Z

The revamped swimming pool at Ashton Leisure Centre will be re-opened on 12th April and there will be an open day on 24th April. From 1st April everyone will be able to swim for free not just here but in any of the five swimming pools in the borough. All you need to do is to sign up to a Life Style card for just £1.50 which will allow you to swim for free for a whole year plus you will get discounts on other activities across the Borough.

I use the card when I play golf - the way I play it is better than my golf clubs

New Facilities in Ashton and Bryn

2010-03-30T11:52:00.001Z

The swimming pool is just one of the new leisure facilities that have been improved in the area. Other improvements are the new play equipment on Jubilee Park and a new skateboard facility on the same park which should be open in May.

The cost of the refurbished swimming pool at Ashton Leisure Centre is a total of £715,236 for the refurbishment of the pool, reception and changing facilities.

The cost of the new play equipment on Jubilee Park is a total of £81,393 and the cost of the proposed skateboard park on Jubilee Park is £44,000 to which I contributed £4,000 from my Brighter Borough Fund

Latest litter pick in Ashton by the Beat it Team

2010-03-25T15:51:00.003Z

The following areas were cleaned up by the Beat it Team from the 8 - 12 March 2010

1.Car park at the Viridor Wood

2.The back alleys from 431 to 497 Bolton Rd

3.School Street – back alleys behind 105 North St

4.Backs between 93 – 103 North St

5.Wasteland on North St behind Barton’s off licence

6.Strip of land between the wall and house on Chetwode Ave off Warrington Rd, Ashton

7.Footpath from Liverpool Rd to Old Rd

8. Market area where the temporary steps are

9.Alley way from Greenfields Crescent to Alexander Rd

Anything from now until polling day that is published here and seeks to influence people to vote Labour is:

Promoted by Nigel Ash of 7 Averham Close Ashton in Makerfield WN4 9PR on behalf of the Labour Party Candidates care of 39 Victoria Street London, SW1H 0HA. Hosted (printed) by Blogger.com (Google Inc) of 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043 who are not responsible for any of the contents of these posts.

Please note however, that The Labour Party is not responsible for the content of this website or individual posts as, unless specifically stated, I am writing solely in a personal and individual capacity.

New - police surgeries on Ashton market

2010-03-22T17:57:00.002Z

Here is a list of the dates that the police are planning to hold surgeries on Ashton Market. The surgeries will be between 11.00 and 12.00 on Tuesdays this year

27/04/10
22/06/10
20/07/10
17/08/10
14/09/10
12/10/10

Can you help?

2010-03-16T13:43:00.002Z

Wigan Born and Bred? this includes Ashton

I have received the following letter from Julia Bennett of Manchester University. If you can help please contact me on 736216 or Christine Charnock on 244991.

Are you from round here? Maybe you can help me...

I want to collect the stories of the everyday lives of Wigan families, why they have stayed in Wigan, why some have moved away. Following down the different generations to see what stays the same and what changes (for example, more of the younger generations go to university). How do family stories change and get passed on, where ‘a member of my family’s probably lived in this street since the turn of the century’ does this put pressure on the younger generation to stay put (as can happen on family farms)?

The idea for this research comes from previous work I did talking to farmers, many of them lived in the house they had grown up in and one farm had been in the same family for seven generations. All had a strong emotional attachment to ‘their’ land. I wondered about people who live in towns, could they ever have that same level of attachment to their place? Wigan, due to its stable population, seems an ideal place to test out this theory.

The longer you’ve lived in a place the more people you’re likely to know:‘when I go up Wigan I bet I meet about 70 people, hello, hello and you know all the family history don’t you, you know, through the generations’ and ‘Growing up I found it quite hard actually, especially when I was about the age 18, 19 when I was going for a drink, everywhere I went I’d see people me mum knew’. How does it feel to live in the kind of community where ‘everyone knows everyone’ ?

I am looking for families who have at least two, ideally three or more, generations living in Wigan, where all are Wigan born and bred. I would like to interview one or two from each generation about their lives, in a very open way, I don’t have a fixed list of questions. I expect each interview to take about an hour. I would like at least one person from each family to complete a photo diary over the course of a week, taking photos of each place visited and making brief notes about who they met there. I can supply cameras. People who have done this so far have said how much they enjoyed it. This will be followed by another shorter interview to discuss the content of the diary.

All identities will be disguised, taking part is completely confidential. This research is for my PhD in Sociology at the University of Manchester; I expect some of the findings to be published in the future.

Brown bins

2010-03-16T13:31:00.002Z

The brown bin scheme originally introduced in 2008 was expanded in 2009 to 100,000 more properties. The remaining suitable properties will be added onto the scheme during 2010.

The majority of properties that have not yet got brown bins will receive them by the end of June 2010. There will however be a smaller number of properties, mainly flats and those on our rural collection round,that will get bins before the end of December 2010.

If you need a smaller bin than the normal one you can tell the Council by phoning 404364.

Rare Tara

2010-03-01T15:05:00.002Z

I attended the meeting of Rare Tara - the Riding Lane Tenants and Residents group - last Thursday and once again found it to be a pleasant experience, a mixture of serious discussion and humour.

The issues that I said I will help the group with are as follows:

1. The cleaning of the backs at the top of Bolton Road

2. The tidying up of the car park for Viridor Wood off Bolton Road

3. The cleaning up of the backs off North Street

4. Helping the group to combat dog fouling in the area

5. Deterring HGVs using Riding Lane/Edge Green Road as a route to Golborne - it was thought that this happened because of the use of sat navs by drivers who did not know the area.

I will report on any progress made at their next meeting

Alley Gating

2010-03-01T14:53:00.002Z

Some of you will no doubt have noticed that alley gates have been installed in several places in Ashton, often as a request from residents who have suffered from anti-social behaviour in their locality.

Below is a list of the gating orders that have been completed.

1 157 to 167 Princess Road,
2 1 to 19 Duke Street
3. 2 to 22 Princess Avenue
4.169 to 187 Princess Road,
5. 2 to 28 Duke Street and
6.1 to 27 Peter Stree
7.5-35 Windsor Road.

The programme for Ashton has been completed for the time being but if you feel that alley gating could be an answer to anti social behaviour where you live and there is clear evidence of such behaviour please contact me to discuss the matter.

Old Hall Drive - pavement renewal

2010-03-01T14:49:00.002Z

The Council will soon be working on Old Hall Drive pavements.

The works are programmed to begin during the week of 1 March 2010 providing that the contractor has not having been delayed by poor weather elsewhere.

The Council will begin by rebuilding the pavement and replacing damaged kerbs. Where it is required to replace the existing kerb with new kerbs on vehicle crossings, residents have been requested not to use the new crossings for at least a day afterwards whilst the concrete sets.

If residents have any questions about the works, they should ring 404364.
They can also speak to a Council representative on site.

Jubilee Park - looking good

2010-02-22T12:41:00.010Z

Here are the latest pictures of the new equipment on the children's playground on Jubilee Park.

Credit Union opened in Ashton

2010-02-22T10:28:00.002Z

UNIFY EXPANSION

I was very pleased to be invited to the opening of a new branch of the Credit Union at Captain's Lane Community Centre last week. As someone who has worked with people suffering because of large debts and who have borrowed from lenders who charge extremely high interest rates I have seen at first hand what a difference joining a credit union can make to people's lives.

Unify Credit Union, Wigan’s largest financial co-operative has just opened its newest Community Collection Point at Captain’s Lane Community Centre in Aston-in-Makerfield, each Tuesday from 2.30pm to 3.45pm. The collection point is the second in the Ashton area as one also exists at the Priory Road Day/Community Centre each Thursday from 2.30pm to 3.45pm. This is Unify’s seventeenth community collection point, in addition to their 22 school collection points (where children can save alongside parents and school staff) and their main branch in Ince. Work is now underway to open their second branch at 12 Market Street, Leigh, enabling residents on the eastern side of the borough closer access to low cost loans, safe savings and financial help and support.

Background to the credit union

Unify was established in 2002. Its membership has grown year on year and currently Unify has over 5000 members saving with them and borrowing from them. With loan interest of just 1% per month (12.7% APR) on the reducing balance, you would be hard pressed to find a better place to borrow from, particularly in the current credit crunch climate. As a not for profit organisation members receive a share of the profits each year in the form of a dividend. In 2009 members received a 2% dividend on their savings. They also offer adult members free life insurance.

Anyone wanting further information should telephone 01942 701706.

I would also like to thank Ann Rampling her daughter Charlotte,Sheila Brown, Ken Barston and Joan Jones for giving up their time for free to make the credit union such an asset for the people of Ashton.

Labour's candidate for Makerfield

2010-02-09T14:49:00.003Z

Following the hustings at Stubshaw Cross Labour Club last Saturday the members of Makerfield constituency overwhelmingly selected Yvonne Fovargue to stand as Labour Party candidate for the forthcoming Parliamentary elections.

Yvonne is currently a Warrington Councillor and is Chief Executive of St Helens District Citizens Advice Bureau.

Ian McCartney, our retiring MP said that he was delighted with the choice that the members had made and that Yvonne was the best candidate to continue the excellent work his office had been doing for constituents over the past 23 years.

If you have questions for Yvonne or would like to know more about her please contact me on this blog or phone 07981509709

•

Rare Tara

2010-02-01T20:40:00.003Z

Last Thursday I attended a meeting of the tenants and residents association held at Stubshaw Cross Labour club.

It was a pleasure to attend the meeting mainly because it was business like but at the same time conducted with an underlying sense of humour. It was good to hear the progress made in the area, especially the reduction of anti social behaviour.

The issues I promised to deal with were dog fouling, the provision of salt bins on the estate and problems of an unadopted road. I will be giving an update at the next meeting.

Skateboard park update

2010-02-01T19:11:00.001Z

I attended a meeting of the Friends of Jubilee Park recently where the issue of a skateboard park was discussed.

Three potential skateboard schemes were presented to the group which included local skateboarders. After the presentation the skateboarders went on to choose the scheme they thought was the best and they unanimously agreed on one project

The scheme will now go ahead subject to certain checks by the Council and has to be finished by the end of March. It will be sited on one of the disused tennis courts in the park

Traffic calming in the Windsor Road area

2010-02-01T19:03:00.002Z

Following the building of the new housing estate on Weavermill residents who lived in the vicinity were concerned about the extra traffic that the new houses would generate.

In an effort to minimise the risk of accidents Wigan Council will take the following
measures

1 There will be a mandatory 20mph speed limit on Flora Street, Violet Street, Park View,Windsor Road, Heath Road and Weavermill Park, Ashton

2 Highway improvements will be undertaken within the area.

Improving the environment

2010-02-01T18:52:00.002Z

Since sending my latest letter to residents regarding the work of the PACT team in Ashton residents have told me of the following grot spots which have been cleaned up.

Litter
Salkeld Avenue
Satinwood Road
On the footpath between Old Road and Council Avenue
In the alleyway from St Oswalds Road to Townfield
In the passageway from C Court to Gerard Street

Graffiti has been cleaned up at the front and back of the Queen's Club, Crompton Court, Heath Road, and on the fencing from Westonby Court to Dunsdale Avenue.

Greenfields Crescent Improvements

2010-02-01T18:48:00.002Z

The Council will soon be working on Greenfields Crescent pavements.

The works are programmed to begin on Monday 1 February 2010 depending on the weather

The Council will begin by rebuilding the pavement and replacing any damaged kerb. The existing flagged footway will be relayed with the exception of the flags over vehicle crossings which will be replaced with bitumen macadam.

Avoid the Christmas debt hangover

2010-01-19T14:44:00.001Z

Unify Credit Union is warning people in Wigan and Leigh to avoid doorstep lenders and loan sharks as a way of dealing with the post Christmas financial hangover. A report by Circle Anglia has shown that over 100,000 people resorted to loan sharks to finance their Christmas spending and many more have obtained loans from high interest doorstep lenders charging in excess of 184% interest.

Carol Isherwood, Chair of Unify said ‘We are aware that many people borrowed from high cost lenders leading up to Christmas and are struggling to make their weekly repayments. Unify can help and if you are in this position, you need to give us a call on 01942 701706. ‘

Unify Credit Union is working in partnership with Trading Standards and the Illegal Money Lending Team to offer an alternative to residents of Wigan and Leigh. Unify provides low cost loans costing from just 1% per month (12.7% APR) and encourages members to start saving towards next Christmas.

A loan of £500 from a doorstep lender costs £17.50 per week at an interest rate of 272.2% and you would end up paying £410.00 in interest!

A Unify Saver loan for £500.00 would cost £10.60 per week, with an interest rate of 12.7% and the total interest would be £29.98, saving a massive £380.02!

Unify, regulated by the Financial Services Authority, now has over 4000 members using their services across the borough and has plans to open a new office in Leigh town centre in the coming weeks.

For further information telephoned 01942 701706 or 01942 517894 or call into the main branch at Smithy Green in Ince.

Bin collections - latest information

2010-01-11T15:17:00.002Z

I have just been talking to Wigan Council who have informed me that the bins will be collected as normal from tomorrow. Unfortunately the Monday collection will not be done until next Monday. They tell me that excess rubbish will also be collected.

Transport - latest news

2010-01-11T11:16:00.002Z

GMPTE is advising passengers to expect the ongoing disruptions to public transport services to continue on Sunday, with temperatures likely to stay well below freezing and the possibility of light snow showers.

Many bus services have been operating today, but main roads continue to be the best served routes. Metrolink services are running and rail operators will continue to operate as a full a service as possible.

Information about service levels will be made available over the course of the day.

Bus passengers are advised to check www.arrivabus.co.uk, http://www.finglands.co.uk/, www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/northwest/manchester/service_disruptions/, www.rossendalebus.co.uk/serviceupdate/index.html, www.southlancs.com, www.stagecoachbus.com/serviceupdates.aspx, http://www.trentbarton.co.uk/news-and-media/travel-updates.aspx and www.warringtonboroughtransport.co.uk/indexnew.htm for bus service updates.

Rail passengers are advised to check www.nationalrail.co.uk for service updates before travelling.

For the latest advice from Greater Manchester Police, log on to www.gmp.police.uk.

Northern Rail

Sunday 10 January

A normal timetable will be in operation on all routes

Passengers are advised to check for up to date train running information, before travelling, online via Northern’s Live Departures page https://www.northernrail.org/travel/livedepartures or by phoning National Rail Enquiries on 08453 017 641, or Northern Rail’s Customer Relations team on 0845 00 00 125.

Passengers travelling to airports for flights should check with their airline, as flights may also be affected.

Known disruptions to bus services

First Manchester

Wigan

600 - Wigan to Leigh The service is currently not operating along Old Road, Ashton-in-Makerfield due to parked cars and ice conditions.

621/628 this service cannot use Helvelyn Road due to the icy condition.

Wigan Buses

611 - will try to operate via normal route, subject to Back Lane being clear and not icy

Bin collection - new arrangements

2010-01-10T10:50:00.004Z

From Monday 11th January, weather permitting Wigan Council is attempting an emergency bagged collection using smaller vehicles. These vehicles will transport the bagged waste to the refuse wagons at location points positioned within Monday's collection areas. To make you aware of these location points please see attachment. Please note this information relates to Monday's collections only, I will publish the relevant information for Tuesday's collections on Monday 11th January.

To assist collections from properties where the Council would normally collect from the rear of these properties it would be of great help if residents could place their bagged waste, if feasible, at the front of their properties as oppose to the back. This would greatly assist the teams in accessing as much bagged waste as possible, as the backs to these properties are very treacherous under foot.

REFUSE VEHICLE LOCATION POINTS FOR MONDAY

Landgate La Landgate
Downall Green Rd (Nr Downall Gr R.C. Primary School) Bryn
Cooke St off Downall Green Rd Bryn
Junction of Low Bank Rd / Whitledge Rd Ashton
Low Bank Rd (pit pony car park) Ashton
Woodedge (spare land opposite Alderton Dr) Ashton
Junction of Wigan Rd / Osbourne Road Ashton
Junction of Bryn Rd / Lockett Rd Ashton
Junction of Bolton / East St Stubshaw Cross
Junction of Warrington Rd / Park View Ashton
Gerard Shopping Precinct (car park)

Gritting

2010-01-10T10:45:00.002Z

I think most residents do realise that it is not possible to grit all roads in the Ashton area and Wigan Council's policy is to keep the main roads clear.

However, if readers of this blog think that there are areas that do need gritting because of special circumstances they should contact me with their concerns.

Happy New Freezing Year

2010-01-10T10:41:00.002Z

I would like to wish my reader a happy new year.

As somebody who is only happy when the temperature is 30 degrees Celsius (not Fahrenheit) I am finding the present conditions particularly difficult.

The aim of this blog while this freezing weather lasts is to give information which I hope will help residents of Ashton and elsewhere in the area.

And the winner is ___

2009-12-22T08:55:00.003Z

Pictured above is Samantha Rigby proprietor of Makerfield Florists (www.makerfieldflorists.co.uk) being presented with the first prize for the best dressed Christmas window in Ashton town centre. The Shimla Spice restaurant Ashton donated the prize which is a meal for two.

Dave McKendrick

2009-12-15T11:59:00.004Z

It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of Dave McKendrick last week. Dave was a very good friend of mine whose support during a bad time in my life I will always remember. He always had time for me when I needed advice or just to have a laugh with.

Motivated by his strong sense of social justice and caring for people Dave was a life long Labour supporter and a party member for over 20 years. He was a very active member of the Ashton branch and together with his wife Sue would always take a leading role in election campaigns, delivering leaflets and canvassing for candidates at local and national elections. For many years he was the Branch Treasurer for the Ashton branch and was agent on several occasions for local candidates.

Dave cared deeply for the town of Ashton. It was through his drive and enthusiasm that Captain's Lane Community Centre is now the success it is, being used by many different local groups and is a great asset to the community of Ashton. Together with his wife Sue he devoted many hours of his time voluntarily to make Captains Lane the thriving centre it is today.

He cared passionately for the local environment and played a leading role in the renovation and development of Ashton Heath. He would spend many hours working on his beloved Heath and doing environment improvements on the Three Sisters.

Dave was an individual who did make a difference to the local community. His work can be seen on Ashton Heath, the Three Sisters and at the Community Centre in Captains Lane. He will be sorely missed by the people of Ashton and my sincere condolences go out to Sue, his wife, and his family.

He really was a great bloke, one of the best and I will miss him very much.

Burglar alarm con

2009-12-14T22:10:00.000Z

Conmen are using high pressure sales techniques and bogus claims about crime to scare vulnerable people into buying burglar alarms.

The initial telephone sales pitch often features hyped-up claims about burglaries in the area, designed to feed off people’s natural fear of crime.

Fitting of the alarm is said to be free with a charge for the monitoring and servicing of the system, but that can run into thousands of pounds.

Claims are also made that the alarm system is part of a Government scheme, in response to the British Crime Survey. However, Wigan Trading Standards warns this is simply a trick used to get a foot in the door.

Cllr. Paul Prescott, Wigan Council’s champion for lifestyles, says:

“We would urge people to be on their guard. Don’t buy anything based on a cold call and if you intend to make a major purchase always research the market and get quotes from reputable companies. If you have a complaint about a business or an individual trader, the first port of call should be to Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06, who will offer appropriate advice.”

Wigan Trading Standards is keen to point out that consumers have a legal right to cancel any contract within seven days – known as the ‘cooling-off’ period - whether it is made at their own home, at someone else's home, or at their place of work.

Ashton Library now a Grade II listed building

2009-12-14T22:01:00.003Z

Ashton Library has recently been listed as a Grade two building for the following reasons

1. It is a good example of an early 20th century former lecture hall and library constructed at the expense of the benefactor Andrew Carnegie and displays significant architectural presence

2.The building possesses a variety of original fixtures and fittings within an internal layout which is little changed despite some modernisation

Update from the local neighbourhood team

2009-12-14T21:39:00.004Z

This is what your local neighbourhood team has been doing in Ashton during November. If you think they could help solve a problem near you just contact me on 736216

Litter and dog fouling

Following reports of dog fouling and litter problems in the St Oswalds Road area extra cleaning has been arranged and a letter drop was undertaken to residents of St Oswalds Road, Townfield Avenue/Elmwood and Oakwood Avenue advising them of the problem and penalties for dog fouling

The team has organised a litter campaign focused on Ashton Town Centre. To date publicity has been in the press and fixed penalty signs have been displayed.The Campaign was launched at a market stall on Tuesday 1st December and is now featured on the Council’s website (http://www.wigan.gov.uk/News/BananaSkinMan.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+WiganCouncilNews+%28Wigan+Council+News%29)

Banana Skin Man, a Town Crier, Police and Neighbourhood Officers patrolled the streets giving advice and information (as well as free stubbies and poop scoop bags) and 1 fixed penalty notice was issued. In addition, the RSPCA offered free dog micro chipping and 10 dogs benefited from the service. The Team was on the Market stall again from 10am-2pm on Saturday 5th Dec.

Graffiti

Seven incidents of graffiti have been removed from Hilton Street, York Road, Edward Drive and the Queens Nightclub. Further sites have been identified in Ashton Town Centre to be dealt within the forthcoming environmental campaign.

Fly posting

Several incidents of fly posting on the highway have been responded to by cleansing in and around Ashton. The posters have been removed and the displayed Computer company details will be passed over to the Highways Enforcement Officer.

Highways

The team have dealt with 8 jobs in the ward this month: a defective manhole at Park View has been reported to United Utilities for their attention.

They have also received a number of highways enquiries from residents of adjoining unadopted streets and it was explained to these residents that Wigan Council do not maintain unadopted highways.

Alley Gates

Gating consultation has been completed at Flora Street and gates are due to be erected at Queens Avenue, York Road, Princess Road, Violet Street, Heath Road and Ladysmith Avenue.

Improved lighting on Garswood Street

2009-11-21T21:33:00.004Z

Following a particularly violent robbery at the Going Places Travel Agency during which a knife was held to the throat of an employee shopkeepers in Garswood Street called for additional security features to make the local environment safer for shop workers and customers.

The businesses voiced their concerns to the Ashton Business Forum and called for action to be taken to address on street security with particular reference to the poor street lighting.

I was horrified when I heard the full details of what had happened during the robbery at the Going Places Travel Agency and impressed upon the Council the serious nature of the assault and how worried shopkeepers were deeply concerned that a similar incident could happen again.I am delighted that the Council have acted so quickly to improve the lighting in this street.

In the picture is Anne Lawrenson of Anne's Fruit shop outside her shop.