Hyndburn Labour support energy price freeze pledge

Labour members in wards across Hyndburn have started delivering leaflets detailing Ed Miliband's energy price freeze pledge under a Labour administration in Westminster.

Graham Jones MP has also been speaking out on the major issues such as ending zero hour contracts and increasing the minimum wage increase to £8 per hour.

Milnshaw: Digital inclusion is big success on Laneside estate

As part of their digital inclusion project, Hyndburn UNISON branch held a Pie & PC evening, in association with Hyndburn Homes and based in a community learning zone within an estate in Accrington.

Arriving with their laptops and tablets, those who lived nearby received help from Digital Champions, from how to turn the machine on to how to set up Skype and talk to mates in other parts of the world. The project are now starting regular drop ins and will soon be setting up in an Environmental Services depot to offer help and courses there.

On the night, the Mayor Munsif Dad popped in to have a look at the activity plus Church and Milnshaw Labour Ward Councillors Joan Smith and Paul Cox, who are great supporters, were in attendance too. Digital Champion Karen Gregory was happy to help;

“This is what being a Digital Champion is all about, being able to help people who need it and having a drop in session right in the centre of a residential area really helps – thanks to Hyndburn Homes for working with us on this, we’ll be here again to complement their day time sessions and hopefully help to develop online journeys for people.”

Everyone who came had an offer of excellent pie and mushy peas; pie and PC, what better way to spend an evening!

Cllr Cox added

This event has been such a success in Milnshaw, that I have asked the digital champions  to hold weekly events at Laneside community centre, 98 Ribblesdale Ave Accrington. Hopefully this will encourage more of our residents to come and have a go getting on line.

Hyndburn residents to be recognised with awards at Council meeting

A number of Hyndburn people are to be recognised for their achievements at Hyndburn Council’s meeting on 20th November.

Bernard Scully, Vice Chair of the The Hyndburn Heritage and Community Group, is to receive the Church Ruby Award.

What More UK Ltd and Sandy Lane Gardening Group will also be recognised for their recent Queen’s Awards.

Bernard Scully, who is set to receive the Church Ruby Award, has been described as the heart and soul of Church. He was brought up in the area and has lived there all his life and he and his wife, Doreen, have devoted much of their time to making Church a better place. Bernard was involved with Prospects in transforming a piece of land behind Church Kirk into a garden and picnic site.

Bernard has also been instrumental in transforming Gatty Park into a Green Flag park with the help of the Parks Team and many volunteers. Along with the Prospects Foundation, a derelict growing compound previously used by the parks department for the production of annual bedding was transformed, with the refurbishment of a semi-derelict nursery glass house and the provision of a polytunnel as a community food growing area, the Gatty Park Community Food Growing Project.

More recently, Bernard founded, with others, the Hyndburn Heritage Museum, now situated in the Arndale Centre. He is Vice-Chair of the Hyndburn Heritage and Community Group which runs the museum, which has proved extremely popular and keeps the rich heritage of the Hyndburn alive.

Councillors will also show their appreciation of Sandy Lane Gardening Group who will be represented by their Secretary, Gerry Burke.  The group was awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award possible for a voluntary group in the United Kingdom.

The group was started in 2009 to develop and improve a garden at the Sandy Lane for the benefit of the service users living there who are all supported by Creative Support, a charity supporting people with mental health needs and learning disabilities. The group has since gone from strength to strength with achievements including developing its own garden with a greenhouse, raised vegetable beds, flower beds and a summerhouse.

The group is also very active in the local community doing voluntary work with the local Prospects Panels, Friends of Parks groups and Incredible Edibles Accrington and was a key part of the Hyndburn Federation of Allotments display at RHS Tatton 2013 Flower Show winning Best Show Feature.

In 2014 the group took responsibility for both the design and construction of the stand at RHS Tatton 2014 which won the Highly Commended award from the RHS.

Councillors will also show their appreciation of What More UK Ltd, represented by Andy Holt MBE, Managing Director. Whatmore UK earlier this year was awarded the Queen’s Award for Industry in the International Trade category.

What More UK Limited has grown rapidly since it was established in 1999 to become the UK’s largest manufacturer and brand leader of plastic housewares, gardening and storage products. The company currently exports to 48 countries including the Far East and has over 1100 product lines currently in the market.

The recent Queen’s Award for Industry follows many other awards in recent  years, including; ‘Outstanding Exporter Achievement’ by the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, 2013 Regional Award for ‘Environmental Sustainability’, and being chosen as one of UKTI’s North West’s Export Champions.

Baxenden: Hollins Question Time event

Year 8 pupils from Hollins Technology College took part in a ‘Question Time’ style event with a panel of Hyndburn Councillors, political representatives and Police last Friday, at Hollins Technology College.

The pupils, aged 12-13, asked questions they had prepared in their Citizenship lessons to the panel on issues within their area with topics including employment, education, town centres and  leisure facilities.  

Kate Murry, Head of RE, PSHE, citizenship at Hollins said; “The event really engaged our year 8 students and helped them to understand that even though they can't vote until they are 18 years old, they can still take part in our democracy and make a difference. We plan to run it again next year and try to make it possible for more pupils to get their questions answered; they had so many fantastic questions. We are really grateful for all the people who gave up their time to work with our young people.”

Council Leader, Cllr Miles Parkinson, said; “It was a great event, with year 8 pupils at Hollins taking part.  It was all about engaging them in local democracy and we had a lively debate with plenty of interaction with the audience.  Thank you to them and the panel for an interesting and enlightening afternoon.”

Parents warned to be aware of the dangers of button batteries

A doctor at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital is calling for parents to be aware of the dangers of button batteries which may be fatal to their children and Councillors have been asked to publicise the dangers in the run-up tot he Christmas period.

Lithium button batteries that are used to power toys, key fobs, remote controls, birthday cards etc. can cause severe life changing injury or death in young children.

Dr Kate Parkins, Consultant in Paediatric Intensive Care says: “There have already been two reported deaths in the Greater Manchester area directly linked to children swallowing these batteries so it’s important parents are aware of the serious harm they can cause."

Children under six years old are most at risk, but severe injury can happen in any age group. Most serious cases are associated with Lithium button batteries larger than 20 mm (the size of a 10p piece). These can get stuck in the throat or gullet (oesophagus) and this is where the battery can cause the most harm in as little as two hours.

Repair can require feeding and breathing tubes and multiple operations. Parents need to be aware there may be no symptoms at first or that symptoms may be similar to other illnesses (eg coughing, drooling, not eating or drinking normally, tummy pain). Children can usually breathe with the battery in their throat so it may be difficult to spot.

The button battery does not need to be bitten, damaged, crushed or leak to cause harm.  New button batteries are most likely to cause harm (especially Lithium button batteries), but even those that no longer work can cause serious injury. When the battery gets stuck it causes injury by setting up an electrical current when in contact with lining of the throat or gullet (oesophagus).  This causes a build-up of caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) and can cause a severe burn. Damage can occur if the button battery is not removed in less than two hours, and is more likely to cause severe injury if it is not removed within 8-12 hours.

Parents are advised to:

1. Keep devices with button batteries out of reach if the battery compartments aren’t secure, and lock away any loose batteries.
2. If a child swallows a button battery take them straight to the nearest Accident & Emergency Department. Do not let them eat or drink and do not try to make them sick. In Accident & Emergency doctors will check whether a button battery is stuck in the throat or gullet (oesophagus) using an X-ray.  
3. If a child gets a button battery stuck in the nose or ear take them to the nearest Accident & Emergency Department as soon as possible. It is important that it is removed quickly (ideally in less than 2 hours) as the battery can cause permanent damage.

HBC: Dog chipping event is another success

Lots of dog owners braved the wind and rain to get their dogs micro chipped yesterday, when the Council’s Dog Warden service joined forces with the Dog’s Trust to offer a free micro chipping session outside Tesco’s Accrington.

Cllr Paul Cox, Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Deputy Leader of the Council said; “The law is changing and from 6th April 2016 micro chipping will be compulsory for all dog owners in England. It’s great that lots of owners brought their dogs along to get them micro chipped as it gives them the best chance of being identified and returned to their owners if they become lost or stolen.”

Micro chipping involves a tiny microchip being inserted under the animal’s skin, which gives the pet their own unique code. The microchip can be scanned and matched to the owner’s contact details, which are kept on a database.

Full Council Meeting - 20th November 2014

The next meeting of the full Council of all 35 Hyndburn Councillors will take place at 7.00pm on Thursday 20th November 2014 at Accrington Town Hall and residents are invited to come and view proceedings from the public gallery.

Anyone wishing to submit an advance question to the Leader of the Council, Miles Parkinson, can do so using the form below:

Hyndburn Borough Council - Question Time

A full agenda pack can be found here:

Council - 20th November 2014