Baxenden: Car park NOT for sale

A notice has been erroneously printed in the Accrington Observer advertising a car park for sale on Manchester Road in Baxenden. Although the advert is scheduled to appear in the newspaper for two weeks, it has been issued in error as part of a wider sceheme to dispose of pieces of land which are of little value to the Council and are not well-used by the public.

The Hyndburn Labour Group wish to apologise for the error and thanks are due to Graham Jones MP for helping to inform residents of the situation.

Barnfield: Regenerating Woodnook

After 13 years of neglect Hyndburn Council in 2011 under a new Labour administration began to fulfil our promise of regenerating Woodnook. We did it by inviting private investors into a long term plan.

We had a vision.

Place First (a newly established regeneration arm of a pension company) decided to partner Hyndburn Council it was a first in the UK. They have now been commissioned to regenerate housing in Morecambe, Colne and Liverpool as a result.

We are proud to be trailblazers (it was done because the previous Tory admin 1998-2011 had left no money) and it has won awards and received national media coverage. Hyndburn Council purchased the properties and transferred them to PlaceFirst on the terms Hyndburn Labour set out.

Here is a 1 minute video.

To find out about renting from PlaceFirst in Woodnook http://placefirst.co.uk/placefirst-announce-plans-for-next-stage-of-woodnooks-regeneration/

Hyndburn Labour Councillor Wins Cohesive Society Award

Hyndburn Councillor Wins Cohesive Society Award

Councillor Noordad Aziz from Great Harwood, was recognised for his work to build better communities in the inaugural Remembering Srebrenica North West Cohesive Society Awards last week.

Councillor Aziz, along with Dr Aidan Stonehouse and Armaan Chohan, won the Best New Event award for organising the UK’s first ever Srebrenica Peace March. As a symbolic end to Srebrenica Memorial Week on the 21stanniversary of the genocide in Bosnia, 21 Remembering Srebrenica Community Champions walked just over 21 miles between Blackburn Cathedral and Manchester Cathedral, visiting different faith venues along the way.

Chair of Remembering Srebrenica’s North West Board, Elinor Chohan, who joined them on the Peace March said:

“The time and effort that Councillor Aziz and the other volunteers have put into commemorating Srebrenica is inspiring. This event brought diverse communities together in remembrance as well as walking in solidarity with the survivors, mirroring the powerful ‘Mars Mira’ peace walk which takes place annually in Srebrenica. The work of our Community Champions really shows that people in the North West want their communities to be stronger and safer by uniting against hatred and welcoming everyone regardless of their race, religion, sexuality or ability.”

Dr Waqar Azmi OBE, Chairman of Remembering Srebrenica, added:

“Never has it been more important for us to learn the lessons from Srebrenica, so it is vital that we have talented and driven individuals like Cllr Aziz bringing people together. The dedication of our volunteers across the UK last year meant that we put on nearly 400 events, attended by over 50,000 people. By working with schools, councils, faith organisations and other community groups we can challenge those who spread divisive messages in their efforts to breed hatred and intolerance.”

Cllr Aziz said of his award: “'The Peace March is a great initiative to raise awareness of what happened at Srebrenica over 20 years ago. I am glad the North West has led the way and I hope it continues for many years. For me, it was also a way of honouring the mothers of Srebrenica, who I met when I went out there a few years ago, and whose quest for justice still continues today.”

Remembering Srebrenica’s volunteers in the North West put on 52 events just in July, which were attended by thousands of people to bring communities together and unite against hatred. The charity’s message in all these commemorations was to embrace difference while remembering the victims of the worst atrocity on European soil since World War Two. 

Event organisers focused on the lost generation in Bosnia who never had the opportunity to celebrate their coming of age. By helping communities to take action now, Remembering Srebrenica wants young people to join older people and help build a cohesive society for everyone.

Local councillors, educators, and Community Champions came together at Sanam's restaurant in Manchester on Thursday evening to celebrate their achievements in bringing communities together.

For further information in relation to the work of Remembering Srebrenica please see below:

Website: http://srebrenica.org.uk/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rememberingsrebrenica

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SrebrenicaUK

HBC: Conservatives say Hyndburn recycling wheelie bins are 'a waste of money'

At a meeting of the full Council in Accrington Town Hall on 5th January 2017, the Conservative group Leader asked for clarity from Labour regarding statements in the local media concerning changes to recycling collections in Hyndburn.

Labour Leader of the Council, Miles Parkinson, confirmed that as of summer 2018 the waste collection cost-sharing agreement with Lancashire County Council will end. Hyndburn will switch to a full wheelie bin service for recycling which will see two additional bins for each of the 35,000 households in the borough and an end to the blue and white sack system.

Cllr Parkinson said, "To purchase the necessary wagons to fit down back alleys and supply two new bins to every house in the borough will cost in excess of £2m. This will use up our capital grant from the government for an entire year but we feel that it will enable us to provide the recycling collections that residents have been requesting for a long time and streamline the service."

Cabinet member for Waste Services, Cllr Paul Cox said, "Hyndburn currently receives a substantial income from separated recycling but during 2018 our grant agreement with LCC will end and HBC will be around £800,000 per year worse off. At that point we will switch to combined recycling and provide an easier system for residents than the one we have now."

However, the plans were met with an angry response from the Conservative side and the scheme was derided as a poor investment of public funds.

Cllr Peter Britcliffe said, "As the system was only revamped three years ago, all I can say is what a waste of money."

Cllr Miles Parkinson responded, "The system was not revamped, the wagons were replaced as they had come to the end of their operational lifespan and at that time we did not know that the cost-sharing agreement would be coming to an end in 2018. As you had not set any money aside for new wagons during your decade in office, the Council was faced with an additional £700,000 bill in 2013."

The new recycling system will be operational by the summer of 2018. 

Oswaldtwistle: Stolen coping stones replaced

The York stone coping stones from the wall at Stanhill Gardens were stolen recently and have now been replaced.

St Oswalds Councillor, Glen Harrison, said, "Unfortunately this is a chronic problem across Hyndburn and there is no guaranteed way to protect against stone theft. It's very expensive and I find it sad that there are people out there who would steal from public areas for their own ends. However, we have replaced the copings with concrete slabs and tidied up the wall."

Rishton: Damaged park railings to be replaced

Railings around the childrens' play area at Harwood Road rec have been repeatedly vandalised and fallen into disrepair over the past few years. Bars are missing in several sections which in turn have allowed dogs to enter, causing fouling and intimidation of younger children.

The Rishton Councillors have agreed to spend some of the capital money remaining in the Area Council pot to replace the railings.

Oswaldtwistle: Gates to stop flytipping at Heys allotments

Flytipping at Heys allotment site in Oswaldtwistle has become a regular problem and is now costing Hyndburn Borough Council thousands of pounds a year to clean up. Local Councillors Glen Harrison and Stewart Eaves have met with the Cabinet member for Allotments, Cllr Ken Moss, to find a solution to the issue.

Cllr Eaves said, "We have submitted a request to spend some of our Area Council money on fitting locked gates at the entrances to the allotments. Tenants and horse riders will still have access but it will stop the dumping."

Cllr Harrison said, "There is over £30,000 left in the Oswaldtwistle pot but Cllr Britcliffe and the Conservatives are opposing the move. I can't understand why, this is affecting not only our residents but the future of Heys allotments."

Cllr Moss said, "The allotments service is stretched already and we don't have the resources to keep dealing with flytipping on this scale. Why Peter Britcliffe would try to block this in his own area is a mystery. Gates are the only answer for a sustainable allotments service and the Leader of the Council agrees with me on this."  

There have been 34 instances of flytipping at the Heys site in one year alone, each costing a minimum of £100 to clear up. Gates to block the five entrances will cost £8,250.

Leader of Hyndburn Borough Council, Cllr Miles Parkinson, has approved the capital spend and work will begin shortly.