Last night was the first meeting of the Prestwich Local Area Partnership for the new municipal year. This is the body that brings together the nine local councillors in Prestwich (who are all Lib Dems now!), key partners like the police, NHS and fire service and community representatives from business, charities and local groups.

The main item on the agenda last night was the URBED study into the Prestwich Village Centre, which I’ve already reported on below. Other than that the main issues were:

- Local Grants - we’ve received applications for grants from the Prestwich (anti) Litter Campaign, to purchase Graffiti Cleaning Equipment and to support the Bent Hill area for environmental improvements. The grants were referred to the Finance Working Group to study in detail. Personally I hope that this can be done as quickly as possible as, with the graffiti in particular, there is a issue that needs dealing with as soon as possible.

- Highway Maintenance Program - each year the Area Partnership is asked for its views on which local roads and pavements should be repaired. My view is that this is becoming a bit of a joke - we’ve been given a budget of £108,000 for the whole of Prestwich and the “worst” road, which was deferred from last year because it wasn’t done then, would cost £152,000! I’m not sure how we’re meant to do with that!
In our ward of Holyrood, the most urgent roads were Oaklands Drive, a part of Cuckoo Lane, Mount Road and Parrenthorn Road. We’ve asked the Town Centre Working Group to look into these in detail and make a decision on our £108,000. Obviously with such limited funds lots of people are going to be disappointed, I suspect that the Lib Dem group will be taking this up at a Council level to see what can be done to improve the situation.

- Youth Manager Update - we received an excellent update from the Prestwich Youth Manager on some of the different activities for young people that are being organised. This includes the regular youth facilities which are at the Phoenix Centre in St Mary’s Park and also at Parenthorn High and Rainsough Community Centre. The groups that meet at the Phoenix Centre include time for disabled young people, young mums and young people who are involved in the Duke of Edinbugh scheme. Another good initiative is the “BRAG” scheme, which is running in the half term and summer holidays an d includes a really good value bus pass - more information here.

- Prestwich Cash Office - we received another presentation on the possible closure of the Prestwich Cash Office (see earlier post), yet again we made the points that some people do need a face to face service and ask for this to be considered during the consultation.

Tim

At tonights Prestwich Local Area Partnership (6.30-8.30pm Longfield Centre) the “URBED” design consultants who have been appointed to come up with plans for the future of the Prestwich Village Centre will be making an initial presentation of options to local people.

As your councillors we got a “sneak preview” last night, and there are some excellent ideas, but ones which give us all lots to think about. Issues we need to consider include:
- the link between Tesco’s and the Village, and whether Tescos should/could be rebuilt on the “road front” to bring it closer to the village centre.
- ideas for new buildings in the whole village centre area including shops, housing above shops, a new Health Centre and Library and extended open spaces.
- What do we do with the Longfield Centre? - its an excellent public facility now, but if it was removed would there be any chance of it getting paid for again?
- How do we make the A56 through the Village Centre a more “friendly road” for shoppers and pedestrians whilst maintaining its through traffic role both for local people and as a trunk route into Manchester?
- Is there scope for re-opening up a second road onto the A56 from the east to relieve Fairfax Road?

For me the most important thing is that as many people as possible get the chance to say what they think about the plans and options. Its our village centre and we need to get it right! Do come along to the Area Partnership meeting or to other events. As soon as I have some links or electronic versions of the options I’ll post them on this site.

More information from URBED here.

Prestwich Local Area Partnership will launch its Love Prestwich Anti-Litter Campaign for the summer which aims to target Prestwich Village Town Centre to promote respect of the environment to residents and businesses to Love Prestwich and keep it clean.

The campaign is aimed at local businesses, schools and residents to work alongside Council officers to make Prestwich a cleaner, safer, greener place to live.

Aims of the Campaign

Raise awareness
- raise awareness of fixed penalties for fly tipping
- encourage residents and businesses to be greener and cleaner
- promote street care team

Take Action
- schools, residents and businesses sign up to the BURY STREET CARE PLEDGE
- educate local businesses on their DUTY OF CARE to legally dispose of business waste
- educational school visits and poster campaign
- community clean up day

Catch’em
- identify hotspots
- encourage reporting
- undertake enforcement where necessary

Do you want to become a Community Champion for Prestwich?
You can sign up to the LOVE Prestwich Anti-Litter Campaign by filling out the form below and handing it in to Prestwich Library, or alternatively contact :
Carran O’Grady (LAP Manager)
Tel: 0161 253 7245 EMail: c.o’grady@bury.gov.uk

You can download an application form http://www.bury.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/1F1891E5-F291-4F06-953F-7497A9B816F8/0/LOVEPrestwichLitterCampaignFlyerweb.pdf

Last night was the regular meeting of the “Local Area Partnership” in Prestwich. This is the body that brings together your local councillors, together with partner agencies (health, police, schools, voluntary sector etc) and community reps.

We received an update on some of the important work that the Partnership is involved in to improve our local community:

Cllr Donal O’Hanlonreported on the work of the Town Centre Working Group. This group is looking at how we develop the Prestwich town (or “village”) centre. The Council is paying for a study to be undertaken over the coming nine months which will hopefully ensure we have a clear plan for a better village centre.

I clarified that traffic would be considered in the study as well as redevelopment (yes!), and also that we find ways to consult with everyone who lives in Prestwich, not just those in the Village area.

Cllr Ann Garner reported on the important work around Developing Communities. Prestwich has been given some money to improve the community in the some of areas of Prestwich that perhaps need money most (Rainsough and Polefield have been identified first off). Improved community facilities, and hopefully a children’s centre outreach are planned for Rainsough, and we’re looking at more facilities for young people in Polefield.

Two main issues were raised by members of the public. The first was around the Whittaker Lane shopping area, although just outside our ward, the facilities on Whittaker Lane (apparently the oldest shopping area in Prestwich!) are used by many of us. Shopkeepers are concerned about parking and the lack of parking in the area and we agreed to take the issue forward.

A large number of residents from Beeston Grovecame to voice their concerns about the possible siting of a young people’s recreational facility on the Heaton Park Primary School site on Cuckoo Lane. I have an enormous amount of sympathy for the residents who back onto the site. Next week there is a consultation “drop in” at the school (Wednesday 3.30-6.30pm) where local residents will be able to see the plans and chat to council officers and councillors (I’ll be there in the afternoon!). I really hope we can find a solution - there aren’t any play or recreation facilities between Bailey Street and Simister - leaving a massive gap right in the heart of our area - but clearly it will only happen if its what the local community want.

Please get in touch if you need to know more or have any views.

Tim

Last night was one of the meeting of Prestwich Local Area Partnership. This brings together your councillors, partner agencies like the police, NHS and fire service and a wide range of community representatives. At the meeting was actually agreed to co-opt four new community reps - Churches Together in Prestwich, the Prestwich Clough Centenery Group, the Prestwich Business Group and the Simister Village Community Association.

The two main issues that the Partnership are currently working on dominated the meeting. On developing communities - where we are looking at working to improve some of the areas of our community that perhaps need input most, we heard about some excellent schemes where partner agencies are working together to develop youth and community facilities in both the Rainsough and Polefield areas of Prestwich. I welcomed the plans for Polefield, but insisted that if we are to have new play facilities in the area then we need to work very closely with residents who surround any new facility to ensure that we’re not causing a nuisance.

On the town centre we heard about the final stages of the plan to appoint a professional firm to help us develop a planning strategy for the town (or village!) centre of Prestwich. A company has now been appointed and will start the important work of finding out what local people want over the coming year.
I raised two points - firstly that ALL of Prestwich needs to be involved in the consultation - not just the 4000 or so houses near the village! - and secondly that we should ensure that the brief for the development plan has a sustainable and “green” village centre at its heart.

Highfield Road dominated the public open forum - with some real concerns about employee parking (M&S, Croma etc) disrupting residents parking. Its a major issue that we’ll need to take up as a work out a future design for the town centre - but hopefully something can be done in the meantime to make life easier for the Highfield Road residents.

The next meeting of the Area Partnership is on Tuesday 15 January 2008 at St Monica’s High School. Formal meeting 6.30pm, Open Forum 7.30pm.

Tim

A site visit by the Council’s Planning Committee is scheduled to take place next Tuesday, 20 November 2007, to consider the planning application made by the club.

The Committee will be at the Club at 3.50pm on Tuesday where they will look at the proposals for improved car parking, fencing and floodlights prior to a decision being made on the appliation at the Planning Meeting that evening at 7.00pm.

I am planning to be at the site visit, to brief members of the Planning Committe of the concerns that many residents have raised concerns over the proposals.

Tim

Residents, shopkeepers and visitors will be glad to know that work on the “Retreat” water feature in Prestwich Village centre nears completion.

The replacement granite wall is currently being constructed (See Picture) and final completion is expected early in December.

Last night was the termly meeting of Prestwich Arts College Governors. This is one of two local schools that I represent you as a Local Education Authority Governor.

It was a very good meeting, and the mood of the school certainly seems very good after the difficult times it went through two years ago when it was threatened by closure.

 We looked in depth at an analysis of exam results from summer 2007. In general the schools key results were up 1% on last year, 46% of children achieved the most commonly used indicator - five A*-C grades at GCSE including English and Maths. The school has plans in place for getting this level up again this year. It was particularly good to see that the “gender gap” between boys and girls fell with boys only being 11% behind girls, compared to 17% last year. Poor performance of boys has been something the school has been concerned about for a few years and it is great that things are moving in the right direction.

 There is a concern about the lack of support that Bury Council is able to provide to the growing number of non-English speaking children who are coming to the school. Prestwich has a growing Polish and East European community, many of whose children attend Prestwich Arts - but in all 27 different languages are spoken by children at the school. Obviously help is needed to get children up to speed on English, and I’ll be supporting the school taking this issue up with the Authority.

Prestwich Arts College was almost full at last year’s intake, a really positive sign when some other schools in the Borough are having problems. The school’s website has recently had a makeover and is now packed with information about the school.

 Tim

Last night was the meeting of Prestwich’s “Local Area Partnership”. It was only the second meeting of the Partnership in its new form, and it was good to see a wide range of partner organisations round the table. This included health (Bury PCT), police, fire service, schools, the youth forum, Prestwich Council of Churches as well as your local councillors.

The meeting discussed Alleygating (gating or partial gating of back alleys and ginnells). Bury Council is currently drafting a new policy on alleygating and we all urged the Council Officers to get on with drafting the policy. I asked if the council could be more supportive to small groups of local residents who are keen to estabish an alleygating scheme for their houses by ”clubbing together” to raise the money.

 We also received a report on street cleaning. At present Prestwich is cleaned on a six week rota, which obvoiously means that some areas can look messy again before their turn comes round again. We agreed to have a discussion with the cleansing team to see if some busy areas (e.g. the precinct) need cleaning more often. I asked about the review of street litter bins - I know that this has been an issue for some residents who live near Heaton Park. Some new bins are on their way, but the Council is limited by its small budget for this area.

The Area Partnership agreed its largest grant ever (£10,000) to support the refurbishment of the Rainsough Community Centre for young people - a very welcome move. The other half of the “community development money” that’s been given to Prestwich has been earmarked for the Polefield area. We’re going to agree how to spend this money at the next meeting - hopefully on activities for young people.

 The next meeting of Prestwich L.A.P. is on Tuesday 27 November 2007 at Sedgley Park Primary School (Kings Road). (Business meeting 6.30pm, public forum 7.30pm.)

 Tim 

Bury Council has given the financial go-ahead for not one, but two Children’s Centres in Prestwich.

At it’s Executive Committee on 12 September at which I represent the Liberal Democrat Group, the Council agreed just under £500,000 for a second children’s centre to be located at Butterstyle Primary School. Go ahead has already been given earlier in the year for a Children’s Centre at Sedgley Park Primary on Kings Road.

The Butterstyle scheme still has to seek approval from the Planning Committee for the physical aspects of the project. At the Executive Committee I said the money for the Children’s Centre was brilliant news, but that we need to make sure that that local residents are happy with the plans and that we address some of the congestion issues in the area. I know that my colleages Donal O’Hanlon and Richard Baum who are councillors for that part of Prestwich have been working hard on this issue.

The two children’s centres have been placed in areas which have most need for them according to information from census and other data that the Council collects. Hopefully the Government will be announcing more money for children’s centres in the future. Clearly its a very long way down to either Butterstyle or Kings Road from the North of Prestwich, so we’ll be arguing that a next centre should be at this end of the area.

The Bury Manchester Metrolink line is back up and running again after a summer long closure during which we’ve been dependent on bus replacement services.

I haven’t had chance to go on the tram since the upgrade yet, but work seems impressive! On Heaton Street where I live many of us have the tramline at the back of our houses, and its a significant difference in the noise made by the trams. The track prior to work was laid on wooded sleepers and (apparently) dated back to the days of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway before 1914!

I know that in some parts of Prestwich - particularly nearer to the Village where the line is more elevated that my area - residents have had enormous problems over noise. Hopefully this will mean a smoother and quieter time for passengers and residents alike!

At the last full meeting of Bury Council I submitted a written question on the safety of the tram network at night. The tram is an excellent service for all of us, but I’m worried that many people are frightened of using the serivce in the evening - especially in the darker months. I’ve asked Cllr Andrew Garner, who is Bury’s spokesperson on the Passenger Transport Authority to take this up for me.

Residents who live alongside the Metrolink line need to be aware that the contractors currently working on renewing the track have informed the Council that some limited work may be needed during the night. Your local councillors have protested against this proposal, and we have received assurances that no heavy cutting or noisy work will take place, and that work will only take place if the recent wet weather continues and work cannot be completed during the day.

 Please contact me or one of your other councillors if work is disturbing you during the night and we will report this immediately to the relevant authorities.

Tim