PCC criticises Government Police funding plans

The Labour Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire, Clive Grunshaw, has criticised a government statement which promises an extra £450m of funding for extra officers in 2018.

The money will come from an increase on the Police precept portion of Council Tax meaning that the public will be paying the bill.

Clive said, “I welcome any new funding for policing in Lancashire but, in truth, this is a sticking plaster trying to cover up the gaping wound created by seven years of cuts. Since 2010, in Lancashire, we have lost 800 police officers and over 400 police staff. An increase of £12 in the council tax precept will give us an additional £6m but after inflation and the modest pay award we will be left with less than £2m to reinvest - to replace over £70m that has been taken away."

He added, "It is also an unfair burden on the hard pressed council tax payers of Lancashire. The Government gleefully announce additional funding for policing but in reality they have passed on the responsibility of paying for that increase to the local tax payers.”

Letter to the Accrington Observer - 15th January 2018

I read with interest Cllr Tony Dobson's column last week (Accrington Observer, 11/01/18) in which I came under fire for criticising the Conservative proposals for Accrington Town Centre. When and where wasn't specified but since I regularly ridicule the pie-in-the-sky ideas they come up with it could be on any number of occasions.

My main problem is always the same: how much will it cost and how will you pay for it? Those are the two questions any resident needs to ask of any proposal and if you can't get a clear response then something isn't right. The Hyndburn Conservatives have suffered from the same malaise for as long as I've been in politics insofar as they promise the Earth but couldn't deliver pizza.

It also makes it very hard to get away from the stigma that 'all politicians lie' when you've got certain Councillors making somewhat unrealistic statements in the run up to elections, such as the (so far unfulfilled) provision of a new road sweeping machine or the implied death of a spouse. Offering non-existent money to residents who shop in Accrington is just another fantasy idea dreamt up in the Tory bunker. I imagine it was either that or free kittens.

HBC is a serious multi-million pound business and Councillors are entrusted to make sure the books balance - you can't play at it. When the Hyndburn Conservatives can give proper costings for their promises I may be less scathing of their financial abilities but since we haven't seen a budget proposal since 2011 they're not a group I would trust with my Council tax.

Cllr Ken Moss
Rishton

Great Harwood: GH Rovers FC Move to new site

Members of Great Harwood Rovers Football Club are looking forward to playing matches at their new ground just off Harwood Lane in January, after plans for 217 new houses were approved for their previous home, Lyndon Playing Fields.

Council Leader, Cllr Miles Parkinson, said; “This is a superb new sports facility for Great Harwood. As part of the planning gain from the new Lyndon Park housing development, Great Harwood Rovers Football Club have moved to new football pitches just off Harwood Lane, with over half a million pounds being invested in new facilities there. Phase one of the project, four new FA and Sport England standard pitches and a car parking area is already complete, with Phase two, new changing facilities, set to be constructed later this year.”

Andy Counsell, Great Harwood Football Club Trustee, said; “We’ve been waiting a long time for this. The pitches will be a lot better than what we play on at the moment so it should mean we get more games on them.”

Rishton: Labour Councillors secure Walmsley Street link road

The Rishton Labour Councillors have succeeded in arranging for Walmsley Avenue and Walmsley Street to finally be connected as part of a new development which will see 43 houses built on the site of the old Albert Mill if a planning application is successful.

Cllr Ken Moss, who has been in discussions with Lancashire County Council and developers since 2010, said, "This is wonderful news and will come as a great relief to many people on the Southside estate who have wanted this for over 40 years. We sat down with LCC and the property developer and stated what we want so that it is not only right for them but also the Rishton residents."

A letter from Highways Development Control at LCC on 12th November 2017 states, "The land ownership issues appear to have been resolved to enable the link from Walmsley Avenue to Walmsley Street to be formally adopted by Highway Authority. The assessment shows that the redistribution of local traffic will not cause a severe impact upon the highway network or safety."

County Cllr Miles Parkinson said, "With a new development proposed, it's logical to link up the roads at the same time, bring the cobbled sections up to the proper standard and finally resolve a long-standing issue. I'm pleased that myself and the Rishton Labour Councillors will be able to draw a line under this and improve the traffic infrastructure."

The full case file containing all documents relating to the application can be found here.

HBC: Recycle your real Christmas tree

With the Christmas decorations coming down for another year you may be wondering what to do with your real Christmas tree.

The Council will recycle your real Christmas tree for you, turning into compost or wood chippings. You don’t need to book a collection, just place your tree with your recycling containers on your first recycling collection day from Monday 8th January.

Also don’t forget with the Council’s improved recycling service you can now recycle all your waxed tetra-pak cartons, mixed plastics, including yoghurt pots and food trays, batteries and textiles. Christmas cards can also be recycled through the kerbside collection service.

Don’t forget if you’re having a New Year clear out you can also book a free Bulky Collection via your my.hyndburn app.

Rishton: Labour Candidate 2018

The Rishton Labour Party have re-selected Cllr Ken Moss to stand as their candidate in the 2018 elections. He joined the Council in 2010 alongside former Councillor Harry Grayson and has served two four-year terms. 

Ken said, "I was only intending to stand for two terms but I have been asked repeatedly by my colleagues at HBC to carry on. Ultimately, it has been a rather humbling number of members of the public asking me not to stand down which swung it for me and so I am delighted to throw my hat in the ring again."

Cllr Moss became Cabinet member for Education, Leisure and the Arts in 2014 and has overseen several major Rishton developments in recent years, including the lease of Norden Playing Fields to Rishton Utd, construction of the first ever Rishton cemetery and securing over £30,000 of money for future Rishton play equipment.

Local elections will take place across the borough on May 3rd 2018.

Rishton: Former Albert Mill planning application submitted

A planning application for 43 new houses on the site of the former Albert Mill in Rishton has been submitted to Hyndburn Borough Council.

Discussions with the three Rishton Councillors and County Cllr Miles Parkinson have been ongoing for several years but now the plans have been formally submitted and the case file can be viewed here:

11/17/0401 - Albert Mill, Rishton

However, several points remain outstanding and the Councillors have met with both the developers and representatives from Lancashire County Council regarding highways issues.

Cllr Ken Moss said, "We wholeheartedly welcome this development but it has to be right for the surrounding residents too. The main issue is connecting up the road between Walmsley Avenue and Walmsley Street which has been requested for over 25 years. We have requested that new highways must to be up to adoption standards and the junction with Mary Street is realigned. HBC is willing to work with the developer to ensure that these issues can be resolved without excessive costs. I am pleased to say that LCC supports us on these points."

New highways are expected to be built to adoption standards, which means that they meet certain criteria in order for LCC to then take on the maintenance liabilities. A stretch of Walmsley Street is currently intended to be left cobbled which the Councillors are not in favour of.

The plans are likely to be debated at the HBC Planning Committee in either December or January.