Cllr Paul Kenny

A failing campaign requires desperate tactics

noreply@blogger.com (Cllr Paul Kenny) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:53:00 +0000

Warrington Worldwide (click heading to view story) reports the opportunistic Lib Dems and Tories alledging that plans for a Titan Prison are back on track.

Political insiders tell me that for all the glossy newsletters and headline grabbing of the Lib Dems that central support for the Warrington South seat has been pulled because their own polling evidence shows that the seat is a straight fight between Labour and the Tories. I could have told them that if they had cared to ask me!
The truth was revealed back in April this year when Justice Secretary Jack Straw in straight parliamentary language ruled out a Labour Government siting a Titan Prison on the Omega site. Hansard records the following exchange (27th April 2009);

Helen Southworth (Warrington, South) (Lab): My right hon. Friend is well aware that my constituents want the Omega site in Warrington to develop as a high-quality business park containing quality offices, new technology manufacturing and associated hotels and retail premises. Will he assure us that his statement today that the Department is not seeking to locate a prison on the Omega site will hold for now and for the future?

Mr. Straw: Yes, I can give my hon. Friend that assurance. As far as this Government are concerned, that is an absolute guarantee. We have, and will have, no plans for a prison on that site. We cannot say that about everywhere, but one of the compelling arguments that she and my hon. Friend the Member for Warrington, North (Helen Jones) have advanced is that Warrington already has two prisons—Thorn Cross and Risley.

Both Helen Southworth and Helen Jones put together a strong case and won a decisive victory for local people.

It is nothing short of disgraceful for the Lib Dems and the Tories to play politics on an issue that was put to bed earlier this year.

Warrington Guardian reports nursing home victory

noreply@blogger.com (Cllr Paul Kenny) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:56:00 +0000

Click on the headline to view the Guardian's take on the Norris Street Nursing Home planning appeal.

Nursing Home Application Dismissed

noreply@blogger.com (Cllr Paul Kenny) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:45:00 +0000

A 12 month campaign by local residents to stop an imposing 40 bed Nursing Home on land at Norris Street is celebrating a victory today as the Planning Inspectorate dismissed an appeal submitted by the applicant.

As local ward councillor I am delighted that the independant inspector agreed with the central themes of our objection to the scheme - the character of the area would undoubtedly be compromised by such a development.

Particular thanks must go to local residents Len Smith and Bernie McDerra who galvanised the local community. Fairfield resident and planning consultant Ian Smith for his expertise on planning matters provided the campaign with the technical knowledge required to build a case and lastly the support of my fellow Labour Councillor Mike Hannon.

The full appeal decision can be viewed by clicking on the title above (pdf file).

Orford Park Project

noreply@blogger.com (Cllr Paul Kenny) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:13:00 +0000

The Orford Park Project was granted outline planning approval on the 17 September 2009. The design team have now developed the final detailed site plan and building floor plans, and it is intended to put these on display at locations in the Orford area and at key Council information points from 5th October onwards.

Members of the Project Design Team will be attending some of the venues to discuss the plans with local people. By clicking on the heading above, the attached document gives details of the display locations and the availability of the design team.

Howley Play Area's Update

noreply@blogger.com (Cllr Paul Kenny) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:36:00 +0000

Work transforming three sites in Howley is well underway as the picture opposite shows.

Well done to Howley Residents Association and council officers for delivering the projects on Harbord St, Parr St and at Howley Park

Howley Carnival

noreply@blogger.com (Cllr Paul Kenny) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 09:41:00 +0000

Cllr Yvonne Fovargue officially opens Howley Carnival on Saturday, 18th July.

Farrell St Subway

noreply@blogger.com (Cllr Paul Kenny) — Wed, 13 May 2009 12:08:00 +0000

The Council has recently contacted me regarding a proposal to close the subway located on Farrell St.

The subway attracts vandalism, suffers from flooding after heavy rainfall and requires investment to remove and replace uneven flags on the approach to the subway.

The puffin crossing located near the school provides an alternative to the subway and a second crossing via a S106 planning agreement has been secured for a nearby residential development to the south of the subway (although in the current climate it is unlikely that work will start on housing developments in the area for some time).

Both local residents groups have been consulted by Cllr Bennett and myself and have no objections to the closure.

The council will have to undertake a consultation exercise before a Stopping Up Order can be put in place.

If you have any views on this matter then please leave a message and I will pass all comments to the council officer concerned..

Plans list week ending 1st May

noreply@blogger.com (Cllr Paul Kenny) — Thu, 07 May 2009 08:45:00 +0000

Click on the heading to download a pdf document containing the latest list of planning applications submitted to the council.

The Mersey Forest

noreply@blogger.com (Cllr Paul Kenny) — Thu, 07 May 2009 08:37:00 +0000

From helping local primary school pupils 'green' their school grounds, to creating new woodlands and green spaces, to supporting volunteers to care for their local woods, The Mersey Forest has a wide-ranging role within the Warrington community.

Click on the heading to download a pdf factsheet on the quiet revolution that is transforming local woodlands.

Plans list week ending 24th April

noreply@blogger.com (Cllr Paul Kenny) — Thu, 07 May 2009 08:34:00 +0000

Click on the heading to download the latest planning application list in pdf format.

Titan Prison ruled out on Omega

noreply@blogger.com (Cllr Paul Kenny) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:05:00 +0000

As I write Jack Straw MP is at the dispatch box confirming that the prestigious Omega site will not be home to a Titan Prison.

This is good news and one that will be welcomed by campaigners across the town.

Both Helen Jones MP and Helen Southworth MP have worked very hard to secure this important victory for the town.

Victory in planning battle

noreply@blogger.com (Cllr Paul Kenny) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:43:00 +0000

Norris Street residents are celebrating after planners threw out plans for an overbearing residential home on land at the junction of Norris St and O'Leary Street.

I was pleased to play a small part in supporting local residents and want to pay tribute to Len Smith, Bernie McDerra and Ian Smith who went beyond the call of duty in running the campaign alongside Cllr Mike Hannon and myself.

It remains to be seen if the developer appeals the decision.

Planning Applications week ending 3rd April

noreply@blogger.com (Cllr Paul Kenny) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:48:00 +0000

Click on the heading to download the latest planning applications submitted to Warrington BC.

New Safety Fence erected on busy railway line

noreply@blogger.com (Cllr Paul Kenny) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 09:04:00 +0000

Following complaints from local residents I have secured new fencing adjacent to the railway bridge on Marsh House Lane.

I received reports of youths accessing the railway line due to the damaged fencing. Apart from putting themselves at risk, residents of Hume St had complained that some youths used the vantage point of the railway line to throw missiles into back gardens causing damage to property and belongings.

Substantial work to the bridge has recently been undertaken leading to the recent closure of this stretch of Marsh House Lane. I contacted Nicki Mayers, Network Rail -Community Relations North West to request that new safety fencing be erected as part of the upgrade works.

I am pleased that this new section of fencing will increase security and am grateful to Network Rail for their quick response to this issue.

Whilst we can never rule out the possibility of individuals accessing the rail line the fence will act as a physical barrier and will hopefully contribute to a safer and more secure railway line.”

Planning Applications List

noreply@blogger.com (Cllr Paul Kenny) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 12:42:00 +0000

Click on the headline to download the latest submitted planning applications at week ending 20th March 2009.

Bearwood Corporate Services

noreply@blogger.com (Cllr Paul Kenny) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 14:07:00 +0000

The Electoral Commission has launched a formal investigation into donations made to the Conservative Party by Lord Ashcroft's Bearwood Corporate Services.
According to figures on the Electoral Commission’s database this includes a £5,000 donation to Warrington South in April 2005 during the run-up to the General Election in May.

David Cameron should stop accepting all donations to the Conservative Party from Bearwood Corporate Services while such a serious investigation is going on. Lord Ashcroft is not just the Conservative Party's biggest donor, but sits in Central Office running their election campaign. It's time Cameron stopped ducking the issue of Lord Ashcroft's relationship with the Tory party and sorted out their shadowy funding arrangements.

People in Warrington are entitled to know whether the local Tories will agree to stop receiving any more money from Lord Ashcroft while this investigation runs its course.”

The Electoral Commission has launched a formal investigation into donations to the Conservative party that were channelled from overseas by Lord Ashcroft, the party’s deputy chairman.

Deja Vu - Nursing Home application

noreply@blogger.com (Cllr Paul Kenny) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:05:00 +0000

Plans to build a nursing home on land at the junction of Norris St and O'Leary St have been submitted to the council. Last year similar plans were withdrawn by the same developer after it became clear that planning officers were likely to recommend refusal.

The new application is still not acceptable and the access/egress from Venns Rd and the scale of the development are of real concern and will cause harm to residential amenity.

I will join with the local community in objecting to the application.

C-Charge given the boot!

noreply@blogger.com (Cllr Paul Kenny) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:13:00 +0000

In the last hour I have picked up the details of a resounding No vote in every Greater Manchester Borough which effectively kills the Transport Infrastructure Fund (TIF) proposals from being implemented.

I need to say at this point that I am no fan of referenda - political parties and candidates must live and die by their manifesto commitments.

This blogger is not surprised by the result and rather than analysing the pros and cons the simple facts as presented to voters led me to believe from day one that the Yes campaign was doomed to failure.

In particular;

1. The c-charge had nothing to do with relieving congestion on busy trunk roads. It was an arbitrary decision to use the M60 outer and inner ring road network as the starting points for the charge.

2. Tax payers expect to receive a fair share of public spending and not a 'gun' held to the head - You can have £2.5billion of investment in public transport but you have to vote yes to the charge first'.

From a Warrington perspective there was precious little in the TIF to encourage support. Indeed Cllr Kennedy (Con - Hatton, Stretton & Walton) was unable to obtain figures on the number of Warrington people who travelled into Manchester on a daily basis - road bosses in Manchester couldn't provide accurate figures. I suspect this runs in to tens of thousands of vehicle movements a day.

I am not opposed to congestion charging - it may be the right way to relieve congestion on certain road routes but the Greater Manchester proposal was doomed from the start.

Orford Park Project gets go-ahead

noreply@blogger.com (Cllr Paul Kenny) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 08:53:00 +0000

Nearly twenty years after it was first proposed, Warrington's £30 million Orford Park community sports village has finally been given the go-ahead.

The Council's Executive Board have now approved the overall plans - which will now lead to major cash injections from national and regional sponsors.

The Sport's Village will be transformed into a real community asset providing leisure, health and education facilities on one site including football pitches, library, health centre and many other facilities.

Cllr Terry O'Neill leader of the Labour group, said: "The Orford Park project is a symbol of what can be achieved by working together with a broad coalition of public and private sector partners to deliver an exciting vision for Warrington and the region."

"It was initiated by the ward Councillors and with the local community at the heart of the project. It was their vision and hard work that laid the foundation for this exciting initiative, and there are some very exciting times ahead for all."

Local Orford Councillors Mike Hannon, Kate Hannon and Terry Whelan have worked very hard and invested a lot of time to ensure that the project went ahead. When completed the facilities will serve not just the local community but the wider Warrington area.

Latest Approved Planning Applications

noreply@blogger.com (Cllr Paul Kenny) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 15:04:00 +0000

Click on the title heading to download the latest approved planning applications by council planning officers under delegated authority.

Drive Safely Over The Festive Season

noreply@blogger.com (Cllr Paul Kenny) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 09:33:00 +0000

As the holiday season approaches I am urging people in Warrington to ensure that they leave their cars at home if they plan to drink this Christmas.

In the North West, 290 people are killed and seriously injured every year because of drink driving and in 2006, 60 people died on North West roads. That’s why I am backing the Government’s THINK! Campaign, which is raising awareness of the devastating consequences of drink driving.

It's simple, Drink Driving can ruin lives. Last year 460 people died across the UK as a result of this recklessness and families across Britain were shattered by the menace of drink driving. It is critical that people understand the destruction they could cause. With this in mind, the Government has launched a national TV and radio campaign to remind people of the consequences of drinking and driving.

Hard-hitting adverts will be running throughout the festive period to help get this message home: TV advertising: 1st - 31st December 2008; Cinema advertising: w/c 12th & w/c 26th Dec 2008; Radio advertising: 1st - 31st December 2008; Ambient advertising (in-pub): 8th Dec - 13th Jan

Latest Planning Applications

noreply@blogger.com (Cllr Paul Kenny) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:26:00 +0000

Click on the heading to download the latest weekly planning application list submitted to the council.

Axe the Beer Tax

noreply@blogger.com (Cllr Paul Kenny) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 11:08:00 +0000

Last week industry and consumer representatives joined forces to launch a campaign to save the Great British Pub.

Here in Warrington we know the pub industry is under severe and sustained pressure with a number of local pubs closing over the past few years. Sales of beer are now at their lowest in almost 40 years while the number of pubs closing has risen from two a week in 2005 to 36 a week today.

In what is an easy hit for the Chancellor, duty on beer now accounts for a third of the price of a pint and the accelerator announced in the 2008 budget will increase duty by a further 2% above inflation for each of the next four years.

So the British Beer & Pub Association and The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) have joined forces with brewers from across the country to set out five demands to save the Great British Pub.

Last Orders - A five point plan to save the British pub can be downloaded by clicking on the title heading above.

You can also add your name to the growing list of supporters by visiting the campaign website at www.axethebeertax.com

Police meetings welcomed

noreply@blogger.com (Cllr Paul Kenny) — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 08:44:00 +0000

I attended both Police Community Action Meetings in Fairfield & Howley this week.

We are blessed with a dedicated team of Police CSOs in the area and they make a welcome contribution to community life providing a reassuring presence for local residents.

ASB continues to be the No.1 concern for the majority of people who attend and the police gave re-assurances that a number of operations are ongoing in the area particularly around the Watkin St area which has been subject to gangs of youths causing damage to property.

CCTV is now playing a significant role in the area and will lead to action being taken against the ringleaders.

STOP PRESS

Planners gave consent last night for the former Fairfield Primary School to be converted into a hub for community use. This is good news for the area and special thanks must go to the trustee board who have worked very hard over the past 6 months.

Traffic Notice affecting Marsh House Lane

noreply@blogger.com (Cllr Paul Kenny) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 11:10:00 +0000

Official notice of essential works to the railway bridge located on Marsh House Lane have been posted by the council.

WARRINGTON BOROUGH COUNCIL
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984

THE BOROUGH OF WARRINGTON (MARSH HOUSE LANE) (PROHIBITION OF DRIVING) TEMPORARY ORDER 2008

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, in not less than 7 days from the date of this Notice, the Council intends to make an Order under Section 14 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The effect of which will be to introduce a temporary prohibition of driving on Marsh House Lane from its junction with Godfrey Street to its junction with Hume Street.

The Order will be effective from Monday 5th January 2009 and shall remain in effect for a period up to 18 months or such lesser period as determined by the earlier completion of the works, however it is anticipated that the closure will only be in operation for a period of 6 weeks. The closure will be in place as and when the signs are in place on site. Access will be under the control of the relevant Contractor for the duration of the works.

The alternative route will be via Battersby Lane, A57 Manchester Road, Padgate Lane and vice versa.

The closure is required to allow for essential maintenance works to be undertaken by Network Rail to the railway bridge.

DATED 27th November 2008

Reference Number TRANSPT/1063

I MASON
ACTING SOLICITOR TO THE COUNCIL
CORPORATE SERVICES DIRECTORATE
QUATTRO BUILDING
NEW TOWN HOUSE
BUTTERMARKET STREET
WARRINGTON
WA1 1BN