Merry Christmas from your Labour Councillors!

The Labour Councillors have all been posting Christmas cards throughout Hyndburn with contact details and important emergency numbers over the festive period. The Council offices are currently closed but will reopen on January 2nd 2013.

The Hyndburn Labour group would like to wish all residents a very merry Christmas!

(Photograph courtesy of the Accrington Observer)

Hyndburn faces maximum funding cuts from Conservative government

A statement was made by Communities Secretary, Eric Pickles MP, on 19th December 2012 regarding the Conservative-run government funding for district Councils. Cuts range from around 1.3% to 8.8% but Hyndburn will take the biggest hit with a maximum reduction in grants and East Lancashire fares worse than most of the rest of England. Conservative-controlled Ribble Valley will only face a 1.3% reduction and many of the Councils in southern England will actually have their grants increased. A BBC news article has full details of each borough:

BBC News - Eric Pickles outlines funding cuts for England Councils

Council Leader, Cllr Miles Parkinson has spoken in response to the recent settlement announcement:

“The headline figure is a reduction in Council Spending power of 8.8%, the toughest in the country. The figure could have been much worse at over 17% except for strong lobbying by local MP Graham Jones for additional funding of £2.1m not to be withdrawn. The Government finally agreed to continue this extra funding but reduced it by over £900,000. This extra funding will only last 2 years and after that the impact of Government reductions will exceed 17%. This is on the back of previous reductions over the last 2 years of over 20%.

The actual reduction in Government support is significantly higher than the headline figure of 8.8% as this figure includes amounts raised in local taxation. Initial calculations indicate that the Government has reduced funding to the Council by more than 13%, though we are still working on the detail to confirm this figure.

The overall Local Government Grant Settlement this year shows that local government is continuing to face the brunt of reductions in spending by Government and that deprived councils particularly in the North are suffering the most under the Government’s reforms of local government finance.

The Council however remains strongly committed to ensuring services and jobs are protected wherever possible and that in these times of economic hardship for the people of Hyndburn, there should be no additional burden from increases in local taxation. Therefore despite the significant reduction in funding from the Government there will be no rise in the Council Tax in 2013/14 and we will still deliver quality, value for money services for our residents.

Hyndburn Council has a strong track record over many years of delivering good quality services efficiently and we will continue to find ways to do more for less.”

The Cabinet member for Finance, Cllr Joan Smith, has calculated the following figures about the reduction in spending power per dwelling in this borough over the period of 2013/14 and 2014/15:

2013/14

HBC spending is reduced by £38.56 per dwelling (8.8% reduction)
LCC reduction of £37.47 per dwelling (2.2% reduction)
Fire and Rescue reduced by £4.67 per dwelling (4.5% reduction)

2014/15 

HBC spending is reduced by £60.87 per dwelling (15.2% reduction)
LCC reduction of £60.55 per dwelling (3.7% reduction)
Fire and Rescue reduced by £3.22 per dwelling (3.2% reduction)

The total reduction works out at £205.64  less on public services per dwelling over the next two years. The Hyndburn Labour group are unwilling to incorporate any grants into that figure as there is no guarantee that any will now be available in future years.

Second wave of 2011 Census results

The second wave of information from the 2011 Census has now been released. This concerns details at district level, with a third wave expected next year regarding individual wards. This is the Hyndburn report:

Ethnicity
The ‘White’ population in Hyndburn (Including White British, White Irish, White Gypsy & Traveller and White Other) has fallen from 91.7% in 2001 down to 87.6% in 2011. This includes White Other and Gypsy and Travellers that could be described as minority ethnic.
Nationally 85.5% of the population describe themselves as ‘White’, falling down from 90.9% back in 2001.
The proportion of ‘Asian’ population has grown from 7.6% in 2001 upto 11% in 2011. This compares slightly higher than the national figure of 7.7% - rising from 5% in 2001.

Religion
The largest religious belief in Hyndburn is ‘Christian’ with 66.4% (falling 9.9% since 2001), followed by ‘Muslim’ with 10.3% (rising 3.1% since 2001). The biggest increase has been with those stating ‘No religion’ rising from 9.2% in 2001 upto 17% in 2011.
Nationally 59.4% of the population would describe their religious beliefs as ‘Christian’, falling down from 71.7% in 2001. Those who stated ‘No religion’nationally rose from 14.6% in 2001 upto 24.7% in 2011.

Property Type
The proportion of ‘detached’ properties and flats has slightly increased in the borough from 10.6% in 2001 upto 11.7% in 2011. The proportion of ‘purpose built flats’ has also increased from 6.7% upto 7.5%. The borough is still significantly dominated by terraced housing with 52.6% in comparison with 24.5% nationally.

Tenure
Hyndburn’s ‘Private Rented stock’ has risen from 7.9% upto 18.1% in 2011 (ranked 76th in the country out of 348 local authorities). Across Lancashire private rented stock stands at 15.1%, England & Wales it stands at 16.7%, 13.7% in the Ribble Valley and 19.3% in Burnley.
The proportion of people who ‘own a property with a mortgage’ has fallen from 48.3% in 2001 down to 34.3% in 2011, with the proportion of people ‘who own outright’ staying the same over the past decade.

Central Heating
5.2% of households in Hyndburn ‘do not have Central Heating’ (1,786 households) – this is the third highest in Lancashire behind Pendle with 6% and Blackpool 5.5%. Hyndburn is ranked 19th highest in the country.

Households
In 2011 Hyndburn had 34,341 households (32,979 in 2001) with a total population of 80,734 (81,470 in 2001) which comes to an average 2.3 household size in the borough; this is similar to the national average of 2.4 people per household.
Hyndburn is ranked 5th highest for the proportion of ‘Male lone parents who are not in employment’. The actual numbers are quite low 149 in comparison to 183 ‘Male lone parents in employment’.

Education
Nationally there are more people (27.4%) who have attained ‘Level 4’ qualifications (equivalent to a Diploma or Certificate of Higher Education) than those with ‘no qualifications’ 22.5%.
In Hyndburn there is a higher proportion (28%) with ‘no qualifications’ compared to 18.9% with ‘Level 4 qualifications’ and above. However, this shows a 6.1% rise in Level 4 qualifications over the past 10 years and a fall of 7.5% in those without any qualifications.
In Lancashire Hyndburn have the second highest rates of people who have gained an ‘Apprenticeship’ with 5.5%, just slightly lower than the South Ribble with 5.8% in comparison with 3.6% nationally and 3.9% across the North West. Hyndburn was ranked 8th across all local authorities nationally for people who have gained an apprenticeship.

Employment
Hyndburn is ranked 15th for the proportion of ‘workers working in the manufacturing industry’ with 16.9%.
The largest employment sector in Hyndburn is the ‘Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles’ (broad range of employment sectors) with 18.4% of the workforce ranked 40th in the country.

We will keep you posted when the next wave of data is released.

Co-operation sees local Milnshaw Residents receive Low Energy Security Lighting

This week sees the completion of a project on the Laneside estate that sees low energy security lighting fitted to Milnshaw residents properties on both Ribblesdale Ave and Ribbleton Drive Accrington. The Residents, pictured along with Cllr Paul Cox and Laneside Residents Association Chairman Malcolm Sommerville, are delighted with the new security lights outside their properties.

The project shows how in these austere times local partners working together can provide a solution to residents concerns. Late last year Cllr Paul Cox noticed how these flats at their entrances, due to there construction, where poorly light Working with Laneside Residents it was also discovered that a hand rail was needed on one of the blocks of flats to help assist residents who accessed both Laneside community centre and properties along Ribblesdale Avenue.

Cllr Cox and Mr Sommerville contacted both Hyndburn Homes and Church and Milnshaw Community Group to help provide the funding for this proposed project. Both Hyndburn Borough Council, through Church & Milnshaw Community Group (CMCG) and Hyndburn Homes were fantastic in their responses to the needs of the community. Both organisations provided the much needed funding, with Hyndburn Homes also providing the help of the Neighbourhood Manager , Mr David Motley, who working with Cllr Cox and Laneside Residents association to helped see this work completed.

Cllr Cox stated, ” to see local partners working together in cooperation like this can only be of benefit to the local community, to often organisations fail to work as a team, to often in the past silo thinking has led to good projects failing to see the light of day”

Malclom Sommerville also added, “we at Laneside have established a good working relationship with both Cllr Paul Cox and Hyndburn Homes which has enabled us to help give our residents the much needed lights that will make them feel a little safer in their homes as the winter evenings draw in”

Milnshaw borough councillor Paul Cox also said ” it is very important to listen to the needs of the community and act in a way to help the most people with what little funding is available Community groups have to realise that funding is limited. So, like Laneside Residents association, the need is one of combined efforts deliver the best rewards.

Hill Top, Baxenden update

Chris Coxhead, Head of the Property Group at LCC has confirmed that it is LCC’s intention to bring forward a planning application to demolish the building and structures at Hill Top early in the new year.

LCC also confirmed that Hill Top will be a priority for Carillion. I will be writing to Carillion regarding their interest in the site.

Living wage increase at HBC

Hyndburn Council has continued its policy to pay its employees no less than the ‘Living Wage’ rate, which has increased recently from £7.20 to £7.45 per hour for those aged 21 and over.

The idea of a Living Wage rate was initially developed in London but more recently a Living wage rate has been determined for the rest of the country. The principle underlying the Living Wage is a simple and powerful one and it is that work should bring dignity and should pay enough to provide families the essentials of life.

The Living Wage differs from the National Minimum Wage and recognises that the statutory minimum pay requirements don’t always ensure that families can afford the necessary goods and services that they need to achieve a minimum acceptable standard of living.

Since its launch the Living Wage campaign has become a powerful force for change in London and it is estimated that over 10,000 families have been lifted out of working poverty as a direct result of the campaign. Outside London the campaign is less well known but it is starting to gain momentum. In total, over 140 employers from every sector have adopted the Living Wage.

Cllr Joan Smith, Cabinet Member with responsibility for pay and employment conditions, said “Paying our employees a living wage makes good business sense and ensures our lowest paid employees are not overly disadvantaged during a period of public sector pay freezes. We are also keen to raise awareness about the Living Wage and hope that our decision will encourage other employers in the area to become Living Wage employers.”

St James' Church refurbishments now complete

Work to improve the grounds of St James’ Church in Accrington is now complete. Council Leader, Cllr Miles Parkinson, said; “It’s great to see the refurbishment of this important green space within the town centre, which makes this whole area more welcoming for visitors with an events space for the whole community to enjoy.”

The improvements include new stone paved paths, with the focus on the 18th century grade II listed church, which will also have new lighting to the church’s facades.  Cllr Parkinson added; “The refurbishment of the grounds complement the planned opening up of the church for community use, music rehearsal and performance.”

Gordon Whewell, Deputy Church Warden said; “'St. James' congregation are delighted with this recent enhancement to our church grounds. The whole of St. James' Square is one of Accrington's treasures and the forthcoming additional planting within the grounds and floodlighting of the grade 11 listed church will compliment this area with charm and elegance. Sympathetic changes within the church are also planned to facilitate greater community use and ensure the church continues to be a place of worship and prayer.”

Hyndburn Green Spaces Forum have helped to secure £40K towards the cost of this project. Neil Mooney chair of HGSF said ‘."The forum is very active at promoting and improving green spaces within Hyndburn, we were very pleased to help raise this money for St. James Church."

The work was funded by Community Spaces, Lancashire Environmental Fund and Hyndburn Borough Council.

Allotment holder wins prize

Local allotment holder, Ian McHugh, has bagged a range of gardening goods after taking part in a Council consultation to find out what people think about allotments. Ian’s prize, which was donated by The Garden Village of Clayton-le-Dale, included lots of things for allotment growing including planters, grow bags, trowel, fork and seeds.

Cllr Ciaran Wells, Cabinet Member for Allotments said; “We’re very grateful to everyone who took part and gave us feedback about allotments. It’s a great pleasure to give Ian his prize, he clearly spends a great deal of time tending and caring for his allotment plot, which is immaculate. I’d also like to thank The Garden Village for kindly donating the prize.

Cllr Wells added; “We’ll use everything allotment holders have told us to form the Council’s strategy for providing and improving allotments in the future. The strategy will be produced next year after more consultation with local allotment associations and the Hyndburn Federation of Allotments. Anyone with a Council allotment still can still find the questionnaire online on the Councils website. Any ideas are welcome”.

Receiving the prize Ian said, “I’ve had the allotment here for four years and really enjoy it, I grow all my own veg all year round and it’s a great way to get some fresh air and exercise.”

If you fancy growing your own then the Council still has vacant raised beds in Great Harwood, Oswaldtwistle, and Accrington. Raised beds are very small plots raised by wooden boarding. These are not only suitable for elderly and disabled people, but also for those who just want a very small area to discover the pleasure of growing. The Council also has larger plots available at its allotment site at Meadoway, Queens Road West, and Woodnook Vale.

Call Ian Marfleet, allotment manager at Hyndburn Borough Council on 01254 356180 for further information.

Consultation on Taxi Licensing

The Council is seeking to adopt a Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy.

In March 2010, the Department for Transport (DfT) issued an updated version of its best practice guidance for taxi and private hire licensing. The guidance is not statutory but the document is intended to assist Licensing Authorities. Paragraph 4 states that "it is for individual licensing authorities to reach their own decision both on overall policies and on individual licensing matters, in the light of their own views of the relevant considerations".

The Council has responsibility for licensing hackney carriage and private hire vehicles, drivers and operators within Hyndburn Borough Council. The Council has traditionally exercised this responsibility through a number of different policies and procedures that have developed piecemeal over a number of years. Some procedures are based upon custom and practice only and have never been set out in document form.

It is therefore, the council's intention to bring together these policies and procedures, updating them where necessary and incorporating them into one policy to ensure greater transparency and consistency in the decision making process.

The policy is available by clicking on the following link Draft Policy Document

The public notice is available by clicking on the following link Consultation Public Notice

If you have any comments regarding the draft policy, please respond to the licensing department by noon on 4th February, 2013.

Living wages at Hyndburn Council

Hyndburn Council has continued its policy to pay its employees no less than the ‘Living Wage’ rate, which has increased recently from £7.20 to £7.45 per hour for those aged 21 and over.

The idea of a Living Wage rate was initially developed in London but more recently a Living wage rate has been determined for the rest of the country. The principle underlying the Living Wage is a simple and powerful one and it is that work should bring dignity and should pay enough to provide families the essentials of life.

The Living Wage differs from the National Minimum Wage and recognises that the statutory minimum pay requirements don’t always ensure that families can afford the necessary goods and services that they need to achieve a minimum acceptable standard of living.
Since its launch the Living Wage campaign has become a powerful force for change in London and it is estimated that over 10,000 families have been lifted out of working poverty as a direct result of the campaign. Outside London the campaign is less well known but it is starting to gain momentum. In total, over 140 employers from every sector have adopted the Living Wage.

Cllr Joan Smith, Church Ward councillor and Cabinet Member with responsibility for pay and employment conditions, said “Paying our employees a living wage makes good business sense and ensures our lowest paid employees are not overly disadvantaged during a period of public sector pay freezes. We are also keen to raise awareness about the Living Wage and hope that our decision will encourage other employers in the area to become Living Wage employers.”

Help shape the future of Hyndburn

Council Leader, Cllr Miles Parkinson, is calling on residents, local businesses and anyone who has an interest in Hyndburn, to help shape the Borough in the future and have their say on an important planning document, the Development Management Development Plan Document (DPD), which the Council is currently working on. 

Cllr Parkinson said; “Make sure you have your say on the Development Management Development Plan Document (DPD), which will set out the detailed day-to-day planning policies through which development within Hyndburn will be delivered, and which planning applications will be judged against. The consultation is now open and runs until Friday 18th January 2013.”

Cllr Parkinson continued; “We’ve already produced the first version of the Development Management DPD to encourage discussion on a range of issues earlier this year. The next stage of the Development Management DPD is the Preferred Policy Options Document, which is where we’re at now and so we’re asking for comments now on the policies which have been presented. All comments will be considered and help inform the next stage of the documents production in Spring 2013, so please make sure you register you views.”

You can comment on the Development Management document from Friday 23rd November 2012 until Friday 18th January 2013 through the Council’s website at www.hyndburnbc.gov.uk; at local libraries and at Council Offices, Scaitcliffe House, Ormerod Street, Accrington, BB5 0PF, during normal working hours.

Please email your comments to email to planning@hyndburnbc.gov.uk, or post to ‘Development Management Consultation,’ using the above address. All comments should be received by 5pm on Friday 18th January 2012 and will be made available for public inspection, and will therefore not be treated as confidential. After taking account of comments received, the next stage will be to produce the publication edition later in 2013.

Church and Milnshaw triple Christmas lights switch on's

Dyke Nook gardens was the final location for Church & Milnshaw’s trio of Christmas lights switch on's, Wednesday 5th of December, residents of both Milnshaw and Laneside were joined by the Mayor Cllr Joan Broadley and Mayoress Mrs Jean Broadley. At the lights switch on was also Father Lawrence and players from Accrington Stanley Football Club.The Mayor switched on the new Christmas lights in Dyke Nook so completing the Christmas displays within Church and Milnshaw.

Cllr Paul Cox, one of the event organisers, stated I’m really proud of our local community here in Church &Milnshaw, He added, All three displays have shown how resident involvement coupled together with community groups along with Church & Milnshaw Councillors have worked in cooperation to achieve successful local events.

This display follows on from two christmas lights switch on's in Church ward earlier in the week. The Mayor and Mayoress of Hyndburn along with local Church ward councillor, Joan Smith joined together in switching on the first ever Christmas lights display in the Church Kirk area of Church.

Cllr John Broadley, stated that even in such tough economic times an area such as this can join together and work to achieve such a wonderful thing is a credit to the people of Church Kirk and something to be very proud of.

Cllr Joan Smith also added “It was really great to see so any people there and I said to one resident that local issues really drive the community together and considering the size of this area the turn out is amazing”.

Textiles recycling benefits Hyndburn charities

Local charities in Hyndburn will now receive a donation from the sale of textiles donated by residents and collected via the kerbside recycling scheme. The charities set to receive a donation are the Accrington Blind Society, Homewise and East Lancashire Hospice. 

Every household in Hyndburn will soon receive a new textile recycling bag along with the new 2 year recycling calendar. Residents can participate in the scheme by filling the green textile bag with any unwanted clean clothing, shoes, curtains, bedding and duvets. Please present the bag along with your other recycling containers by 7.30am on your usual recycling collection day. A donation will then be made to the three chosen charities.

Councillor Munsif Dad, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for environmental issues said; ‘Hyndburn residents already do a fantastic job with recycling their waste and recycling textiles is a fantastic way of diverting waste from landfill. In fact last year a massive 76 tonnes of textiles was collected kerbside and a further 40 tonnes was donated using bring banks in the borough. The added bonus is that residents can now recycle their textiles and know that they have helped a local charity’.

Look out for your new textile bag and 2 year recycling calendar and residents can collect additional recycling containers from the Council offices at Willows Lane.

Final Christmas lights switch-on

The last two Hyndburn townships will have their Christmas lights switched on this week:

• Altham - 10th December, 6.30pm
• Huncoat - 13th December, 6.30pm

The Labour group would like to wish a Merry Christmas to all in Hyndburn!

Pennine Lancashire Question Time - December 2012

Hyndburn Borough Council and Accrington & Rossendale College have teamed up to host a Pennine Lancashire Question Time event. The format, based on the BBC television programme has been arranged by students of the College’s Stanhill Enterprise Academy assisted by the Council’s Democratic Services Department. Local residents were invited to attend the production on Friday 7th December between 2.00- 3.15pm in the Coppice Theatre at the college on Sandy Lane. 

The host of the programme was 2BR radio breakfast presenter Chris Dean, and the panel was made up of the following people:

· Clare Pritchard- Deputy Leader Hyndburn Borough Council

· Jake Berry- MP for Rossendale

· Inspector Catherine Platt- Lancashire Constabulary

· Miles Parkinson- Leader Hyndburn Borough Council

· Peter Britcliffe- Leader of Conservatives in Hyndburn

· Rob Heyes- Chief Executive Accrington Stanley FC

The audience consisted of pupils from the college and every high school and 6th form centre across Hyndburn and the Rossendale Valley who were invited to send representatives and ask questions. This ground-breaking partnership project had been arranged by Hyndburn Borough Council to promote local democracy and the students are using the event as part of their practical studies.

· Media students have built a Question Time set and will be filming the programme as live television show.

· Beauty therapists are providing hair styling and make up to members of the panel.

· Those studying business and admin are assisting in the planning for the event and managing attendance in the theatre venue.

Council Leader, Cllr Miles Parkinson said “ It’s great to be involved in events like this which bring politicians together with future generations of electors and really help to get young people involved in local democracy.”

Former Cllr Dave Mason passes away

The Labour group would like to extend their condolences to the family of former Councillor Dave Mason, who passed away on Friday 30th November. Mr Mason was an Independent Councillor for Great Harwood until 2011 and had served on HBC for 11 years. His funeral will be held on Monday 10th December at 1.00pm at St Bartholemew's Church, Great Harwood.

A full story has been run in the Accrington Obsever this week:

Death of former Councillor David Mason

Cllr Clare Pritchard on BBC Northwest Tonight

Cllr Clare Pritchard, Deputy Leader of the Council, was interviewed by the BBC in Woodnook regarding empty properties and the problems they create earlier this week. The interview formed part of Look Northwest on BBC One on Tuesday 4th December 2012.

A large part of the Woodnook area is due to be redeveloped in 2013-2014 as part of a joint venture between HBC and PlaceFirst.

Christmas Food Hygiene

If there’s one thing guaranteed to ruin your Christmas meal out with friends, family or colleagues, it’s a nasty bout of food poisoning. But if you’re eating out, how do you know if the restaurant owner takes food hygiene seriously? 

The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme rates eateries and other places that sell food on their hygiene standards, based on inspections carried out by Hyndburn Council. What’s more, these ratings are available for everyone to see.

This national scheme, developed by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in partnership with local authorities, rates food outlets on a scale ranging from zero at the bottom (which means ‘urgent improvement necessary’ to a top rating of five (‘very good’). You can check the rating online at www.food.gov.uk/ratings, via a free phone app, or look for the distinctive green and black rating sticker that businesses are encouraged to display.

If you’re organising a Christmas gathering with family, friends or work colleagues at a local restaurant, pub or hotel don’t just examine the menu, also check what their hygiene rating is too.

Cllr Clare Pritchard, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environmental Health said: ‘When dining out, you’ll choose to go to a place where you like the food and you know you’ll have a good time. It makes sense to look before you book and check out the food hygiene rating as well.’

Catriona Stewart, Head of the Food Hygiene Ratings Team at the FSA, added: 'No-one wants to gamble with their health when eating out, particularly when celebrating a special festive meal. Local authorities, including Hyndburn Council have worked with the FSA to successfully roll-out the scheme which helps people choose where to eat. Our app makes it even easier for people to check hygiene ratings before deciding which place to visit.'

Father Christmas comes to Accrington!

Santa’s Grotto opens with real live reindeer, in Accrington Market Hall on Saturday 1st December. Father Christmas is coming to town very soon, so take the children along for a traditional Christmas treat to see Santa and his elves, in the winter wonderland grotto at Accrington Market Hall. Children can even meet real live reindeer, Rudolf, Dasher and Prancer so make sure they’re not on the naughty list!

Grotto opening times:

Saturday 1st December 12.00 noon - 2.00pm
Saturday 8th December 12:00 noon - 1:00pm and 2:00pm - 4.00pm
Saturday 16th December 12:00 noon - 1:00pm and 2:00pm - 4.00pm
Saturday 22nd December 12:00 noon - 1:00pm and 2:00pm - 4.00pm
Sunday 23rd December 12:00 noon - 1:00pm and 2:00pm - 4.00pm
Christmas Eve Monday 24th 12:00 noon - 1:00pm and 2:00pm - 4.00pm

Admission £3, with a gift for every child.

Defibrillators now in HBC buildings

Three potentially lifesaving automatic external defibrillators (AED) are now in place in Council offices. The devices, famously used to help Premiership Footballer, Fabrice Muamba, who suffered a sudden cardiac arrest during a football game, deliver an electric shock to the heart after it stops pumping blood around the body. Statistics show that over 75,000 lives could be saved each year in the UK by having an AED immediately available. 

Speaking about the move, Cllr Pam Barton, Cabinet Member for Health said; “Sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at any time and without and AED the survival rate drops 10% for every minute. Sudden cardiac arrest is the world’s biggest killer, with around a140,000 deaths in the UK alone. “ 

Cllr Barton continued “We’re proud to be one of the first councils to provide AED in our offices and to have qualified First Aiders who are trained to use them. Many thanks to our Unison colleagues, who got the ball rolling by raising the idea in our Health & Safety Committee.”

Clive Grunshaw: First week in office as PCC

Clive Grunshaw marked his first day as Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Lancashire by meeting policing students at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) on November 22nd 2012. The Commissioner spent the day at UCLan, where he gave his first speech as PCC before taking questions from students and local media. To find out more about the Commissioner's first day in office follow this link:

First-day-in-office-for-Lancashires-first-PCC

A YouTube video has also been uploaded of Clive Grunshaw's speech at the event:

Clive Grunshaw - UCLan Speech

HBC & VOSA Taxi safety checks

On Friday 23rd November, Hyndburn Councillors Chris Fisher and Tim O'Kane (pictured below) oversaw a secretly planned operation spot checking the safety and compliance of Private Hire and Hackney vehicles in the borough. 

The multi agency operation involved local Councillors, Police with ANPR (Automatic number plate recognition), VOSA and the councils own proactive licensing enforcement team.

Cllr Chris Fisher said " We asked the Police to target random Private Hire and Hackney Cabs and bring them in for a spot safety check. These checks included brakes, lights, suspension and tyres. Drivers were also checked by our licensing team and insurances by the Police."

"I would like to thank everyone who took part in this hugely successful operation last night.
Out of the 18 vehicles we tested a staggering 9 had serious defects and were issued with PG9 notices on the spot and taxi plates seized. Defects found included broken suspension spring, serious brake defects, no headlights and worn tyres."

"I wish to send out a clear message to operators in the borough that this is not a one off exercise, public safety is our primary focus and the vehicles they hire must be safe and comply with the law. Operators who don't share this view will be pursued and taken off the road"

HBC wins Motorvate Gold Standard

Hyndburn Council has again been awarded the prestigious ‘Gold Standard’ by the Energy Savings Trust as a result of steps that they‘ve taken to slash the emissions from Council vehicles. Speaking about the award, Deputy Council Leader Cllr Munsif Dad said, “This is great news, we’ve worked hard to become greener and we are thrilled to achieve the Gold Motorvate status again by cutting our fleet emissions by a massive 42.2% in the last six years. 

The Council joined the Energy Saving Trust’s Motorvate Scheme to demonstrate its commitment to reducing vehicle emissions. The scheme is a government backed environmental accreditation scheme which recognises and rewards achievements in reducing carbon dioxide emissions from car and van fleets. There are three award levels of Bronze, Silver and Gold for organisations with more than 50 cars and vans. Bronze for emission reductions of 5% or more, Silver 10% or more and Gold for 15% or more.

Christmas Lights Switch On Dates

Christmas lights are about to be switched on across the borough on the following dates:

• 24th November - Accrington, 6.00pm
• 28th November - Church Kirk, 6.30pm
• 29th November - Clayton-le-Moors, Barnes Square, 6.00pm
• 30th November - Rishton, Library, 6.30pm
• 3rd December - Church, Manor Gardens, 6.00pm
• 4th December - Oswaldtwistle, Jubilee Gardens, 6.30pm
• 5th December - Milnshaw, Dyke Nook Gardens, 6.30pm
• 6th December - Blessing of the Crib in Accrington, 4.00pm
• 7th December - Great Harwood, Towngate Square, 6.30pm

HBC wins Member Development Award

The Council has recently been awarded the Member Development Charter Level 2, an award given to local authorities which show the highest standard in Member development and training. It has been awarded in recognition of the Council’s work to provide Councillors with the support, skills and training they need to drive forward the Councils regeneration plans in these challenging economic times. 

Cllr Clare Pritchard, Deputy Leader and Chair of the Council’s Member Development Panel, received the award saying; “We are really pleased to receive this award as it means that we have better trained, more knowledgeable Councillors, who as a result are well equipped with the skills they need to be able to serve our communities more efficiently. Well done to our Member Services, Organisational Development and ICT teams who have all played a huge part gaining the Member Development Charter level 2.”

Police praise Rishton boy Jacob, 6

Police and paramedics have praised the actions of a six-year-old boy who helped his elderly neighbour after she had fallen in her garden. Jacob Carr was riding his bicycle along Westwood Avenue, Rishton, around 3pm on Saturday 29 September, when he heard someone shouting for help from a nearby garden. 

Jacob immediately ran to tell his mum who ran to the address and discovered an 82-year-old lady had fallen and broken her hip. The lady was taken to hospital for surgery and she is now recovering. Police have visited the young boy and thanked him for saving the lady’s life.

Community beat manager PC Dave Render said: “Jacob knew something was wrong and so immediately ran to get his mum. His quick thinking and thought actions have probably saved her life. He is a real hero.”

Jacob’s mum Louise Carr added: “He was on the front riding his bike and I was in the garage. He came pedalling back and said he was worried because he had heard someone shouting for help. He took me to the house and I saw one of my neighbours had fallen in her garden so I quickly called for an ambulance.

“Jacob was brilliant. He even helped the paramedics by getting blankets out of the ambulance. If it hadn’t been for him we would have never known the lady was in trouble. He was very brave and Im really proud of him.”

Ambulance Head of Service, Peter Mulcahy said: “Jacob is a little hero and a true Paramedic in the making! Lots of children can be quite traumatised when coming across something like this but Jacob did the right thing by keeping calm and getting help.”

Eastgate Parking Update

After a very long a protracted dispute between the owners of Eastgate retail park and the parking company they employed, the contract between them has now been terminated. 

The Deputy leader of the Hyndburn Council, Cllr Clare Pritchard said; “The Council has had many complaints about the way the parking restrictions were imposed on Eastgate. I must stress that this car park is not owned by the Council, however we’ve worked hard along with local MP Graham Jones, on behalf of the people affected to try and get a satisfactory resolution to the problem. It is very disappointing that to date no clear instruction has been given regarding tickets issued between 2/6/12-8/7/12 in regard to outstanding fines and refund to those who have paid."

Cllr Pritchard continued; “This is a highly regrettable situation where the letting agent and the car parking company seem to have kicked this issue into the long grass. The good news is that parking on Eastgate is now back to 3 hours, in line with the free parking policy throughout the rest of the town and we will continue to pursue this issue on behalf of residents.”

Clive Grunshaw wins PCC Election

Labour party candidate Clive Grunshaw has won the first election to become Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner. The ballot was conducted using the AV system and in the first round the results were as follows:

Clive Grunshaw (Lab) - 66,017 (39.3%)
Tim Ashton (Con) - 58,428 (34.8%)
Rob Drobny (UKIP) - 25,228 (15%)
Afzal Anwar (Lib Dem) - 18,396 (11%)

For a clear win candidates needed to have 50.1% of the total vote so the count went to a second round using people's second preferences to determine the outcome:

Clive Grunshaw (Lab) - 79,790 (52.1%)
Tim Ashton (Con) - 73,262 (47.9%)

PCC Elections - 15th November 2012

Today is when Lancashire will elect a Police and Crime Commissioner and the Labour candidate is Clive Grunshaw (pictured). Electing a Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) comes down to you, your vote matters. The person elected will hold the police force to account and decide how crime should be tackled in Lancashire.

The PCC will have many responsibilities and will be the voice of Lancashire when it comes to crime and policing. The change is one of the biggest to happen to policing in England and is designed to strengthen the relationship between the police and local communities. 

'Be Part of It!' on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lancspcc

For regular updates on Twitter: @LancsPCC

St Christopher's Question Time - 19th October 2012

St Christopher’s Sixth Formers quizzed a panel of local politicians today at a Hyndburn ‘Question Time’ event asking a range of questions on a host of topics including voter turnout, the role of police and reaction to the Royal Visit and the Olympic Torch coming through the borough earlier this year. 

The panel included Council Leader Cllr Miles Parkinson and Deputy Leader Cllr Clare Pritchard along with members of the opposition. Hyndburn’s M.P, Graham Jones was also on the panel along with Michael Hunt, Chief Executive of Leisure in Hyndburn. 

The event was organised by Hyndburn Council and is one of a series of events promoting citizens' involvement in democracy and local government, as part of Local Democracy week.

Council Leader Cllr Miles Parkinson said; “This was a lively and interesting debate and a great example of how Local Democracy week brings together our elected politicians with future generations of electors.”

Police Update - October 2012

Following meetings with Labour Councillors in Hyndburn, the local police force have begun a series of monthly reports to keep people informed of their activities. The following items were flagged up in October:

ALLOTMENTS
Allotments have been targeted recently within Great Harwood and Rishton; there are many well kept sites that have been attacked persistently by thieves. Local watch coordinator Tony Ford has assisted and is in the process of setting up further allotment watch initiatives. The local force have also utilised plain clothes police officers to spend time in and around the sites. Two search warrants were conducted at a local suspect's home. A breakthrough was made after stolen property was recovered and then identified by its owners as coming from the allotments. Forensic evidence has identified a local suspect who is currently being sought. There has now been a reduction in these crimes but the local police have pledged to remain focused on allotments. The message would be to report any suspicious activity around allotments. The offenders have committed these crimes at night or late evening and have either climbed over fences or cut through them. They have stolen tools, scrap metal, gas bottles and even food and wheelbarrows have been used to transport the property.

STOLEN MOPEDS
There was a recent increase in theft of mopeds and smaller engine motorbike which were then used for “joy riding” before being dumped or passed round groups of teenagers. A local male was arrested twice after being caught on stolen bikes and is awaiting court; he is now a “target “for officers to visit daily.

STOLEN BICYCLES
Bicycles have also been targeted by thieves and Hyndburn response officers also caught 2 males on a stolen bike in Great Harwood. They will also now be targeted by police.

SHOP WATCH
A recent shop watch scheme has been launched in our area with the opening of Tesco to join the other supermarkets. This has already proved successful with a male shoplifter from Clayton-le-Moors being identified by staff as a result of the shop watch photographs of known thieves. He was arrested and awaits court.

DRUGS
Officers have conducted further drugs searches and will continue to target the Cambridge street area of Great Harwood.

ILLEGAL FIREWORK SALES
Local neighbourhood officers have visited and will continue to visit local retailers regarding the sale of fireworks as it’s that time of year again. Anyone with knowledge of shops selling fireworks to people under 18 please let the police know as they commit an offence.

Finley to switch on Accrington Lights

Brave toddler Finley Rosbotham is set to make Accrington sparkle on Sat 24th November, when he flicks the switch on Accrington’s Christmas lights. 3 year old Finley, who was born paralysed down his left side and with part of his brain missing, was chosen for the role following his family’s tireless campaign to raise £20,000 for Holly House therapy centre for disabled children, where he learned to walk after being told he never would. Finley, of Pearl Court, Accrington, has already held a series of fundraising events and raised thousands for Holly House.

Cllr Clare Pritchard, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Accrington Town Centre said; “ Finley is a little star and a true inspiration to us all. He’s the perfect choice to switch the lights on this year and we want everyone to come along and join in the festivities. It’s set to be a fabulous evening with lots of entertainment, fun, fireworks and the chance to start your Christmas shopping, 

Finley’s mum Kelly, said “Finley and all the family are absolutely thrilled and we can’t wait for the big day. She added; “ We were shocked and delighted when we heard the news and can still hardly believe it. He really deserves it because he works so hard and this a big thank you to him for everything he does.” 

Holly House, which is based at the Acorn Health Centre, helps children with disabilities and special needs. For more information about Finleys Friends Appeal for Holly House call the Accrington Observer news desk on 0161 211 2977, email accringtonobserver@menmedia.co.uk or pop into their office at Unit 3 of Accrington Market Hall.

Finley’s family have started a Facebook group entitled Finley’s Friends at Holly House Fundraising page and a Twitter feed @finrosbotham so you can follow the progress of the fundraising. You can also donate online at http://charitygiving.co.uk/finleyrosbotham.

Voluntary Smoking Ban in Playgrounds

Posters designed by local children asking people to ‘please take it away, we’re trying to play’ and not smoke in children’s play areas are now on display in Council play facilities across Hyndburn, as a new voluntary smoke free play area scheme is launched from 5th November.

The Council, in partnership with NHS East Lancashire and Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust has launched the voluntary ban to encourage people not to smoke in Council play areas, following a consultation with play facility users which revealed that most people would strongly support a voluntary ban. 

The signs, designed by 10 year old Lewis Padden, Zaria Hussain and Amber Grewer–Boys from St Mary’s RC Primary School in Oswaldtwistle will be installed at all Council play facilities from the 5th November.

Andrew Bentley, Teacher at St Mary’s said; “The children were really keen to be involved in the campaign to encourage people not to smoke around their play area. Amber came up with the slogan ‘please take it away, we’re trying to play’ whilst Lewis and Zaria came up with the design. We are keen to protect our children from second hand smoke, so we are all pleased that their work will be on display in play areas across Hyndburn asking people not to smoke in them.”

Karen Thompson, Public Heath Consultant for Hyndburn, said, “Through this great scheme we hope to discourage young people from taking up smoking and protect them from starting something that could ultimately kill them. When parents take their smoking right away from their children it sends a strong message that smoking is not acceptable. Most parents don’t want their children to smoke and want to take steps to protect them. This is part of the NHS campaign to make smoking history for children.”

Cllr Pam Barton, Cabinet Member for Health at the Council said; “When we asked play facility users about introducing a voluntary smoke free play area scheme there was lots of support for it. The code is voluntary and we are politely asking people not to smoke in play areas as most people don’t want children to pick up the smoking habit in the first place and children learn a lot through imitation.”

Free Grit for Residents

Councillor Munsif Dad, Deputy Leader and Cabinet member for Environmental Issues, has announced that more grit bags are available for Hyndburn residents to help clear paths and roads around their homes during the winter months. 

Cllr Dad said, “We’ve just had our first frosts of the winter and we want people to be prepared as the weather turns colder. Residents have been telling us they really appreciated the previous offer of free grit bags so we’re going to run it again this winter. We have around 4,000 bags available which will be delivered to residents on a first come, first served basis”

The Leader of the Council, Cllr Miles Parkinson, concluded, “By providing the grit bags, we are not only helping local people get in and out of their homes, we’re also helping them get to work and keep local businesses open and help keep Hyndburn moving in the snow.”

To reserve your free bag simply contact the Council either by telephone: 01254 388111; e-mail: enquiries@hyndburnbc.gov.uk; complete the online grit bag request form at www.hyndburnbc.gov.uk or write to Customer Services, Town Hall, Broadway, Accrington BB5 1EZ.

Great Harwood Area Council - 8th November 2012

The next meeting of Great Harwood Area Council will take place on 8th November 2012 at 7.00pm at Bank Mill House. Labour Councillors Noordad Aziz (pictured), Ciaran Wells, Gareth Molineux and Kerry Molineux will be in attendance to answer residents' questions and provide updates.

My 7 hour shift with Hyndburn CANsafe - Graham Jones

I recently did a seven hour shift with CANsafe on a dark Friday night. My experiences showed to me how effective this initiative is. Originally set up in Peel ward it is now a scheme that is running across Hyndburn, being rolling out across Lancashire and I believe such is it's success, it won’t be long before it is standard police practice nationally. It is about to launch in Blackburn. Community activist Joyce Plummer and PC Martin Midgely deserve huge credit for setting up this initiate.

Nearly all the 40 professionals involved gave their time voluntarily or as part of their normal work hours. The extra cost of the operation was remarkably just £400. Not only did it target vulnerable young people and alcohol, but the five teams patrolled every neighbourhood in Hyndburn in unmarked cars for any suspicious activity. Our patrol had numerous police interventions, properties where child grooming is suspected, known haunts for youngsters drinking and where drink was confiscated if an under 18 was present, 16 and 17 years olds found drinking in town centres and pubs, patrolling off licences, stopping suspected burglar’s and individuals acting suspiciously late at night in residential areas.

Patrols were made up of police officer and special constables, child protection professionals and trading standards. The people stopped were surprised to see such an intense police presence. Children deemed vulnerable were taken to a safe place where care professionals spoke with them and their parents. Parents are forced to collect their children and made aware of the circumstances in which they were found.

CANsafe is one of the best recent police initiatives and the feedback they are getting is incredible. The fact it was initiated from the neighbourhood where I live and represented is welcome.

Oswaldtwistle Area Council - 7th November 2012

The next public meeting of Oswaldtwistle Area Council will take place at 7.00pm at the Civic Arts Centre on 7th November 2012. Labour Councillors Bill Pinder (pictured) and Colette McCormack will be in attendance to take any questions from residents.