STALYHILL LOLLIPOP LADY CAMPAIGNERS LAUNCH WEBSITE

Campaigners for the return of Stalyhill’s school crossing patrol have launched a website:

www.stalyhillcrossingpatrol.wordpress.com.

The website includes the following:

• Latest news on the campaign, including press articles and a podcast that was aired on Tameside Radio;
• Reasons why Stalyhill needs a school crossing patrol, and why they should have a patrol;
• Posters to download; and,
• Simple ways in which parents, relatives and friends can help the campaign.

The website also includes a link to an online petition, which is running concurrently with the paper petition which over 300 people have so far signed.

Tameside Conservatives are supporting this campaign, so please visit the website and do your bit to safeguard the safety of local children.

STALYHILL SCHOOL CROSSING CAMPAIGN GATHERS PACE

GIVE US OUR LOLLIPOP LADY BACK! CLLRS DAVID BUCKLEY AND BASIL BEELEY (back row, sixth and fifth from right) WITH PARENTS AND CHILDREN CAMPAIGNING TO GET THEIR CROSSING PATROL RETURNED

The campaign to have a school crossing patrol reinstated for Stalyhill Junior and Infant Schools is gathering pace.

Over 270 parents and friends of the school have so far signed the petition urging Tameside Council to reinstate the patrol at the junction of Mottram Old Road and Hereford Way, which was withdrawn before Christmas when the schools’ lollipop lady left the role. Parents were informed that she would not be replaced due to ‘government cuts’, despite Tameside Council having a budget of approximately £300,000-per-year to fund road safety initiatives, and national criteria stating that the schools are entitled to a crossing patrol in order to safeguard children’s safety.

Campaigners argue that the lack of a school crossing patrol is endangering children’s safety, goes against the council’s very own safer walking to schools initiatives, and is causing increased congestion on Hereford Way. In addition, they are upset that Tameside Council still has money to waste on non-essential items such as Britain in Bloom and the Tameside Citizen council newspaper, and that there are other crossing patrols located at permanent pedestrian crossings across Tameside. The nearest pedestrian crossing to the Stalyhill schools is over a mile away.

Since the crossing patrol was withdrawn, the Junior school has seen increased instances of lateness caused by parents dropping their children off closer to the school, which has resulted in increased congestion. There has also been a minor car accident caused by the high volume of traffic.

Stalybridge Conservatives have been working with campaigners, collecting signatures for the petition and lobbying the council to change its mind.

Stalybridge South Conservative councillor, David Buckley, said, “What comes first, children’s lives or cuts? These people are not paid the earth, this crossing covers two schools and it is one cutback that shouldn’t happen.”

Sign the petition!

An online petition has been set up to run concurrent with the paper petition, and members of the public wanting to sign it can do so by clicking here.

Related articles

• Our children need lollipop lady on road (Manchester Evening News)
• Give us the lolly! (Tameside Reporter)

WE WANT OUR LOLLIPOP LADY BACK!

Stalybridge Conservatives are backing a campaign by Stalyhill Junior and Infant Schools to have their school crossing patrol reinstated.

The patrol was withdrawn before Christmas, when the schools’ lollipop lady left the role. Parents were informed that she would not be replaced due to ‘government cuts’, despite national criteria stating that the schools are entitled to a crossing patrol in order to safeguard children’s safety, and Tameside Council still having money to waste on non-essential items such as Britain in Bloom and the Tameside Citizen council newspaper.

The campaign was launched this morning with a team, that included Stalybridge councillors David Buckley, Basil Beeley and Doreen Dickinson, collecting signatures in the pouring rain for a petition that has been organised calling for the reinstatement of the crossing patrol.

An online petition has also been set up, and members of the public wanting to sign the petition can do so by clicking here.

CUTS ARE LABOUR’S LEGACY TO TAMESIDE

BUT COALITION GOVERNMENT PROTECTS FUNDING FOR VULNERABLE RESIDENTS

Image via Wikipedia

CHANCER OF THE EXCHEQUER – ALISTAIR DARLING AND LABOUR WASTED BILLIONS OF POUNDS OF TAXPAYERS’ CASH AND THEN PLANNED TO CUT PUBLIC SPENDING BY 20-25% IF LABOUR HAD WON THE GENERAL ELECTION.

Cuts to public spending are the direct result of Labour’s wasteful years in Government. That was the message driven home by Cllr. John Bell at Tuesday’s State of the Area Debate.

The Tameside Conservative Leader slammed the Governments of Blair and Brown for leading Britain to the brink of bankruptcy, and leaving David Cameron’s Government with the largest deficit in peacetime history.

And he defended the cuts that are now being made to public spending by citing the economic crisis that is gripping Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Spain, warning that Britain could be next.

Cllr. Bell, who has been warning the Council for over three years about over-spending, said, “Labour left us with a disastrous legacy. Who can forget Liam Byrne’s two-fingered farewell note to the Treasurey, in which he wrote, ‘there’s no money left… good luck!’?”

“Make no mistake, these cuts are Labour’s cuts. It’s their legacy to Tameside and to Britain.

“If we were to carry on down Labour’s path in five years time we would be spending £70 billion-a-year on the country’s debt interest alone – more than education, transport, and the environment.”

To jeers from Labour councillors, he retorted, “Until you come up with your own credible plan, instead of naval gazing about your leadership problems, you have no right to attack the Government’s actions.

“Your hypocrisy knows no bounds. You planned to raise VAT. Alistair Darling cut £23 billion of public spending, and you planned to cut public spending by 20-25 per cent if you’d won the election. But now you oppose every cut, and refuse point blank to set out your alternatives. You demand a plan B from us, but you don’t have a plan A.

“So, as with all Labour Governments, it is left to the Conservatives to pick up the pieces.”

Cllr. Bell went on to outline Conservative commitments to protect spending for vulnerable residents, including:

• More money for adult social care;
• More money for affordable and decent homes;
• More money for the supporting people programme;
• Retention of free and concessionary travel on public transport for pensioners; and,
• More flexibility for the Council to spend its money and the services that mattered.

Cllr. Bell said, “Tameside Council will have greater control over spending with the ending of ring-fencing in many areas.”

He also outlined the Government’s financial commitment to allow local authorities to freeze council tax. “We will be interested to see how you will handle this one at budget time,” he commented dryly.

Cllr. Bell concluded, “The emphasis for Tameside Council in future years must be creativity and innovation, fundamentally re-examining every aspect of the way we work, maximising efficiency and productivity with our partners, whilst bringing down the excessive pay of senior managers.”

IMPROVING ROADS IN STALYBRIDGE

CLLR. DAVID BUCKLEY AT THE JUNCTION OF MOTTRAM ROAD AND COMPTON STREET

Proposals are being considered to improve safety at the junction of Compton Street and Mottram Road, Stalybridge

The scheme would see the removal of a parking space outside the former post office, so that vehicles pulling out of Compton Street would have a better view of traffic travelling up Mottram Road.

At the moment, motorists have to pull out beyond the junction to view oncoming traffic if there is a vehicle parked outside the former post office.

Stalybridge Conservative councillor, David Buckley, said, “It’s an excellent proposal to make this junction safer, and I hope residents will support it.”

Conservative lobbying has also resulted in the recent resurfacing of Mottram Road between Mottram Old Road and Woodend Lane, and the reduction in the speed limit along Matley Lane to 30mph.

Furthermore, discussions about improving road safety at the Woodend Lane/Mottram Road junction are continuing, and proposals are being considered for a footpath along Mottram Old Road between Mottram Road and Hereford Way, subject to consultation.

Cllr. Buckley’s colleague, Cllr. Doreen Dickinson said, “We are pleased with the improvements and support improvements that will make our roads safer for children. We are continuing our lobbying for improved safety at the junction of Woodend Lane/Mottram Road.”

VOTE FOR ROB ADLARD – TODAY!

The polls are now open for today’s by-election in Longdendale ward.

Conservative hopes rest with Rob Adlard, who has mounted a strong campaign and led demands for a rethink on the proposed ‘bonkers’ Tesco development for Hattersley. As Rob puts it, if the Tesco store is built it will be, “…the largest Tesco development in the region, built in the middle of the biggest traffic jam in the region.”

Early indications show that the result will be tight. Every vote truly counts today.

So, if you are a Longdendale resident please make the most of your vote – vote Rob Adlard.

For more information about Rob’s campaign please visit: www.longdendaleconservatives.com.

To read Rob’s latest leaflet please click on the images above.

ROB ADLARD UNDERTAKES LONGDENDALE TESCO SURVEY

Rob Adlard and Longdendale Conservatives are surveying local residents for their opinions about the proposed new Tesco store opposite McDonald’s at the Eastern Terminal Roundabout, Hattersley.

Rob (left) said, “Investment in our area is long overdue, and who could argue with new jobs in Hattersley? However, many fear that Labour’s failure to provide a solution to the traffic problems will be compounded by this plan.

“The traffic report compiled for Tesco has alarmed some. It suggested that new traffic lights at the entrance on Ashworth Lane would cause severe delays, and that would be ‘helpful’ in stopping Ashworth Lane being a ‘cut-through’ for people driving to Broadbottom and into the Peak.

“For locals who know these roads, it’s very easy to imagine how tailbacks from the new entrance, so close to the lights already in place on Stockport Rd, will connect up with tailbacks on the M67 roundabout causing an even worse problem than exists today. Any plan shouldn’t accept punishing locals for simply driving home.”

He added, “We’ve often argued that Labour’s local domination means that residents don’t get to hear the full story. We think this another example where Labour Councillors have taken their ‘party’ view on the issue, and are doing everything they can to discourage discussion. Contrast Labour’s silence on this issue with their mail-shots to every home whenever they have something they want to shout about, or they simply want your vote.

Rob concluded, “I hope that Tesco can find a way to invest a little more and find a better solution. Let’s start the debate.”

To read Longdendale Conservatives’ survey leaflet please click the following link: longdendale matters.tesco

NEW POLICE POD AT ASHTON BUS STATION

ABOVE: CLLR. DOREEN DICKINSON (second left) WITH PCSO BEV WILLIS, DAVE MALLET OF THE GMPTE, CLLR. KEVIN WELSH & PC CHRIS WHARMBY.

A new police ‘pod’, which is aimed at reducing anti-social behaviour and helping passengers feel safer on public transport, has opened at Ashton Bus Station.

The ‘pod’ will be used as a drop-in office and interview room for Police Community Support Officers, Bus Watch Specials, GMPTE’s Patrol & Response Team, Police Officers and Town Centre Patrols, providing a reassuring and highly visible police base on the bus station.

Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE) staff have been working alongside Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council to deliver the initiative.

Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority (GMITA) is responsible for overseeing the provision of public transport in Greater Manchester with GMPTE implementing GMITA’s policies

Cllr Doreen Dickinson, Tameside’s Conservative representative on GMITA, said: “Passenger safety and security is one of our top priorities and we are very happy to be working with Greater Manchester Police and Tameside Council on this initiative.

“While public transport generally, and bus stations in particular, provide safe environments, the new police pod at Ashton will give passengers an added security in the knowledge that police officers are regularly operating from the bus station.

“Not only does this mean that officers will be available to deal with specific incidents but their uniformed presence will also help to discourage anti-social behaviour in the first place.”

GMP Tameside North Neighbourhood Inspector Tony Alogba said: “Public transport is a safe way to travel, but people acting in an anti-social way such as smoking, listening to loud music, swearing and acting in an inconsiderate way can be intimidating, especially for older people and people travelling with children.

“The police pod will provide extra reassurance at the bus station with officers patrolling the area as well as acting as a deterrent to would be offenders.”

CLIVE LOCKS OUT THE BOY RACERS!

ABOVE: CLLR. CLIVE PATRICK AIMS TO LOCK OUT THE BOY RACERS FROM BUCKTON VALE

A new gate, funded from the ward monies of Cllr. Clive Patrick, is set to lock out boy racers from a Carrbrook car park.

The £750 gate has been erected to the entrance of Buckton Vale Clough car park, following years of anti-social behaviour by young car drivers.

The car park had become a nightly venue for boy racers pulling handbrake turns and ‘doughnuts’, playing loud music and drug taking.

However, thanks to the perseverance and generosity of Cllr. Patrick, the anti-social behaviour has now ground to a halt, with the gate locking out the motoring yobs.

The five barred wooden gate will be locked every night, but a narrow open section will allow walkers access to footpaths into the countryside.

Cllr. Patrick said, “I am so pleased that at last, after years of problems and a recent rise in anti-social behaviour, peace and security will be returned to Carrbrook Village.

“Loud music, drink and drug taking in the car park have long been the scourge of residents. Now, the gate will be opened first thing in the morning and closed after lights outs at the Buckton Vale Institute, and I would like to thank the residents who have very kindly volunteered to take on the task of opening and closing the gate.”

PLANS TO END GEE CROSS PARKING CHAOS

BOLLARDS & NEW GUARDRAILS TO STOP INCONSIDERATE PARKING OUTSIDE TESCO EXPRESS

ABOVE: JOHN BELL & THE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS OUTSIDE TESCO EXPRESS

Traffic mayhem may be coming to an end in Gee Cross, if new proposals are given the go-ahead.

Motorists using the junction of Mottram Old Road and Stockport Road have faced difficulties in recent years, thanks to inconsiderate customers at the Tesco Express store double-parking right outside the store, which is located just yards from the junction.

However, following intense lobbying by local Conservative councillors John Bell, Derek Baines and Ruth Welsh, Tameside Council is now finalising proposals to stop the traffic chaos outside the store, with the introduction of bollards and additional pedestrian guardrails.

Cllr. John Bell said, “As local councillors we have been inundated with requests from residents to resolve the indiscriminate parking outside Tesco Express, which predates Tesco’s occupancy of the shop. These proposals have taken years of lobbying to see the light of day, but nonetheless, I am delighted that action is finally being proposed. For too long the safety of motorists and pedestrians has been put at risk by the parking situation at Tesco, and it simply could not continue for fear of a serious accident occurring.”

It is anticipated that the proposals will be approved within the next few weeks.

OSBORNE BUDGET SETS OUT TO CLEAR UP LABOUR’S DEBT

ASHTON METROLINK EXTENSION TO GO AHEAD & SERVICES FOR VULNERABLE PROTECTED

ABOVE: GEORGE OSBORNE LEAVES 11 DOWNING STREET TO DELIVER HIS ‘FIRM BUT FAIR’ BUDGET

Commenting on today’s emergency budget, Cllr. John Bell, the Tameside Conservative Leader, said, “This is a firm but fair emergency budget, designed to drag the country back from the brink of financial oblivion. In just 13 years Labour took our wealthy nation and built up the largest national debt in our history. Their massive deficit has to be cleared up without delay.

“Despite the massive burdens we now face, George Osborne’s budget protects the most vulnerable members of society, with tax cuts for nearly one million low paid workers and spending on the NHS and education protected.

“Capital schemes, such as the Metrolink extension to Ashton, have also been retained. The Metrolink extension will bring much needed investment and jobs to Tameside through its construction and future inward investment.”

Cllr. Bell concluded, “I simply have no time for any criticism from Labour politicians until they spell out the action they would have taken to cut the debt. It is their mess, and once again it is left to a Conservative Chancellor to clear it up.”

TORIES SAVE ASHTON METROLINK EXTENSION

THE METROLINK IS FINALLY COMING TO ASHTON!

(Photograph by Dr. Neil Clifton & reproduced by kind agreement from Wikimedia Commons.)

Tameside Conservatives are celebrating, after the new Conservative-led Coalition Government saved Ashton’s Metrolink extension.

The extension – which Labour had failed to build in 13 years of Government – was threatened with the axe after Gordon Brown’s Government had taken the country to the brink of bankruptcy.

However, the new Government announced that the extension would be built, putting an end to over a decade of Labour dithering.

Ashton Conservative, Dr. Paul Buckley couldn’t contain his delight. He said, “What wonderful news!

“After the mess the last Labour government left the country in – with a deficit of a whopping £168bn – it was predicted the Metrolink expansion would be shelved to help save money and balance the books. However, despite Labour’s scaremongering throughout the election the Conservatives are committed to Tameside, improving the economy and lives of all the people who live here.”

Dr. Buckley continued, “The Conservatives started the Metrolink system in the early 1990s – now we are taking the service to a new level. Along with the decision to finish the M60 ring road through Tameside in the early 1990s the Conservatives have improved the transport infrastructure and prosperity of Tameside immeasurably.”

He concluded, “Thanks to everyone who fought to keep the Metrolink expansion on the right track Tameside has a healthy future ahead.”

“SIX STEPS TO CHANGE”: THE TAMESIDE CONSERVATIVE MANIFESTO 2010

 

The Tameside Conservatives have launched their ambitious local election manifesto for 2010, and are promising to end Labour failure in six key areas.

The Conservatives are pledging to:

1) Stop the year-on-year rise of Council Tax by ridding it of Labour’s waste and freezing it;

2) Tackle crime and anti-social behaviour by putting more more police on the beat in the borough;

3) Tackle Tameside Council’s £40m pothole backlog by repairing the roads, as well improving the environment by tackling fly-tipping and making the bin service more reliable;

4) Support our children by improving Tameside’s below-average education standards;

5) Increase support for our communities by giving greater support to Sure Start, opening new community centres, and developing better youth facilities; and,

6) Support local businesses by providing free and low cost parking in our town centres and ridding our roads of congestion.

These pledges are receiving widespread praise from local residents, who are fed up with Labour’s arrogance, waste and failure.

TO READ TAMESIDE CONSERVATIVES’ LOCAL ELECTION MANIFESTO FOR 2010 PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE.

TAMESIDE CONSERVATIVES LAUNCH ELECTION CAMPAIGN

 

Tameside Conservatives this week launched their election campaign with a pledge card to local residents.

The Conservatives are promising SIX STEPS TO CHANGE in Tameside after 31 years of Labour mismanagement and failure in the borough.

 Their ambitious programme includes pledges to:

1) Stop the year-on-year rise of Council Tax by ridding it of Labour’s waste and freezing it;

2) Tackle crime and anti-social behaviour by putting more more police on the beat in the borough;

3) Tackle Tameside Council’s £40m pothole backlog by repairing the roads, as well improving the environment by tackling fly-tipping and making the bin service more reliable;

4) Support our children by improving Tameside’s below-average education standards;

5) Increase support for our communities by giving greater support to Sure Start, opening new community centres, and developing better youth facilities; and,

6) Support local businesses by providing free and low cost parking in our town centres and ridding our roads of congestion.

Already, door-to-door conversations with local residents are showing that they have had enough of Labour’s waste, arrogance and failure and are backing the Conservatives in their election campaign.

TO READ TAMESIDE CONSERVATIVES’ PLEDGE CARD PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE.

RUTH WELSH IS HYDE’S LEADING LADY!

HYDE WERNETH CONSERVATIVE COUNCILLOR WINS ‘LEADING LADY OF THE YEAR AWARD’

ABOVE: CLLR. RUTH WELSH (right) WITH BON MARCHE’S JULIE KING & THE NOMINATION FORM THAT SEALED RUTH’S ACCOLADE

Cllr. Ruth Welsh has been crowned Hyde’s Leading Lady of the Year for 2010.

The accolade – awarded by retailer Bon Marché – came after Cllr. Welsh lobbied to alter a bus route so that residents living on Lord Derby Road could access it twice a week.

Following the success of Cllr. Welsh’s work a number of residents nominated her for the award.

The prize has come as a complete shock to the Hyde Werneth Conservative councillor.

Cllr. Welsh said, “I am delighted and amazed to have won the award. As a councillor I spend most of my time assisting residents with their problems, and trying to get them resolved, but it never occurred to me that there was any award involved.

“I am really grateful to the residents who nominated me for the award, and would like to say a big thank you to them. I always try to do my best for residents. Sometimes we don’t get the outcome we were hoping for, and on other occasions, such as the bus route alteration, we succeed in making a real difference.

“That’s why I am really gratified that residents, in this instance, appreciate my efforts. I will keep trying my best for the residents of Hyde.”

FAT CAT LABOUR HIKE COUNCIL TAX YET AGAIN!

 

LABOUR APPROVE ABOVE-AVERAGE TAX INCREASE, REJECT CONSERVATIVE TAX FREEZE & PROPOSAL FOR EXTRA £1m TO REPAIR ROADS

Tameside’s Labour-controlled Council last night approved yet another Council Tax hike.

Labour plan to heap more misery on hard-pressed, working families, the elderly and vulnerable residents during 2010/11, with a tax increase that will be above the national average.

It flies in the face of efforts by local authorities of differing political control across the country to freeze Council Tax for the forthcoming year – including Labour-controlled Manchester and Salford, and EIGHT Labour-controlled London authorities.

And a Conservative amendment to rid the budget of Labour excess and FREEZE Council Tax, as well as provide an EXTRA £1million to repair the borough’s dilapidated roads, was REJECTED by Labour.

It is the SECOND year running that Labour has rejected Conservative proposals to rid the budget of waste and freeze Council Tax.

In total, Tameside householders will be pay between £22 and £65-a-year MORE in the next financial year than they have done this year, with a total increase of 2.45 per cent (including precepts) higher than the estimated 1.6 per cent national average increase.

And residents would have SAVED between £45 and £135 over two years if Conservative proposals to freeze Council Tax had been approved this year and last. 

Conservative proposals included:

• Scrapping £442,000 for bronze statues, maps and ‘cultural’ developments;
• Redirecting the £400,000 2009/10 Council Tax surplus towards the freeze;
• Scrapping the Cabinet’s £100,000-a-year political contingency fund;
• Slashing the excessive advertising and propaganda budget by £672,000; and,
• Freezing the creation of additional council jobs, saving over £1.5million in the next 12 months.

The proposed savings – which would not have affected frontline services – amounted to over £3.1million, and allowed, with the use of just £59,000 of council reserves, to fund an extra £1million road repairs to reduce the £40 million road repair bill built up by Labour in Tameside.

The Conservatives also pledge to continue backing the £15million Tameside Works First initiative.

At a heated meeting, Cllr. John Bell, the Conservative Leader, said, “This year, we once again debate this budget, with the country on its knees. The people of Tameside deserve straight talking. Labour’s smoke and mirrors won’t wash anymore.

“We cannot indulge in wasteful schemes – such as that seen with the proliferation of bronze statues. People want their bins emptying and the potholes filled before their money is spent on statues.

“Costs need to be reduced, basic services improved, jobs protected and local businesses supported. More of the same Labour “spend, spend, spend” philosophy is no longer good enough.

“Taxpayers should not have to continue paying more for less. It is about time they paid less for more.

“Between the 1st April 2009 and 1st December 2009, Tameside Council recruited an extra 54 full-time members of staff, at an increased average cost of £1.05million. Whilst we support this council’s “no redundancy” policy, we do not support bloated local bureaucracy.

“Despite continual discussions by senior council officers about the Council’s over-staffing problem, little progress has been made to reduce staff numbers through retirements and natural wastage.

“Of course, there are areas where staff numbers need to be protected, such as those who work with young, elderly and vulnerable residents.

“However, we should be looking to reduce the number of staff we need, whilst improving support to those members of staff we have.

“At every opportunity we need to be providing the best value for money possible for council taxpayers.”

TAMESIDE’S £40M ROAD REPAIR BACKLOG

LABOUR’S THREE DECADES OF UNDER-INVESTMENT HAS LED TAMESIDE DOWN A ROAD TO RUIN 

LABOUR ADMIT: “WE DON’T HAVE THE MONEY TO BRING OUR HIGHWAYS UP TO A PERFECT STANDARD.”

CLLR. DEREK BAINES (second right) WITH RESIDENTS OF GROSVENOR ROAD, HYDE, SURVEYING POOR ROAD MAINTENANCE LAST YEAR

(Photograph courtesy of the Tameside Reporter)

Tameside’s roads require a £40 million overhaul to bring them back up to standard – a shocking council report has revealed.

The Transport Asset Management Plan identified the massive backlog the borough faces, if it is to have the roads that residents deserve.

However, under Labour it will be decades before the roads are brought up to standard – after Labour’s road chief admitted that Tameside Councuil did not have the money to make the necessary repairs.

At Tuesday’s meeting of Full Council, Cllr. Derek Baines – the Tameside Conservative Deputy Leader and a Hyde Werneth ward councillor – criticised the Labour-controlled council for their failure over three decades to invest properly in Tameside’s road network.

He also dismissed council claims that the recent bad weather was to blame for wrecked roads.

Cllr. Baines said, “Our roads and footpaths were in a very poor condition even before the recent terrible weather. This is due to the lack of investment in the last three decades.

“We have had plenty of time to redirect this in the meantime and nothing has been done. It is very important for safety.”

Cllr. Baines also criticised the poor quality of repairs being undertaken, such as those at Grosvenor Road last year.

He said, “Some of the repairs currently being carried out are of a poor quality.”

Cllr. Baines concluded, “Significant investment is required to ensure that further erosion of roads and footpaths is avoided.” 

In response, Labour’s Cabinet Deputy for Technical Services said, “We do not have the amount of money it would cost to bring our highways up to a perfect standard. We clearly haven’t got that money and can’t raise that money.”

WHERE YOUR MONEY WAS SPENT LAST YEAR

(Source: The Guardian)

The Guardian have, this week, produced an excellent ‘atlas’ that illustrates UK Government spending in 2008/09.

In the week, that Gordon Brown finally admitted that Labour would have no choice but to cut public spending, the atlas shows exactly where he spent taxpayers’ money in the last 12 months.

An incredible £620.685bn was spent, including a staggering 49,891 per cent increase in the cost of the Treasury – which snatched an additional £85.5 billion from taxpayers’ pockets to prop up failing financial institutions.

The atlas also illustrates the scale of Gordon Brown’s borrowing, with Britian’s interest on its debt now costing taxpayers £24.1 billion-a-year – up seven per cent on the previous year, and almost as much as the Home Office (including policing) and the entire transport system combined. 

To take an audio tour of the UK spending atlas please click here.

LOCAL YOUNGSTERS GET ON THEIR BIKES!

(Photograph courtesy of the Tameside Reporter)

ABOVE: CLIVE PATRICK (far left) WITH PCSO DAVE GREEN & THE TEAM WITH LOCAL YOUNGSTERS

Courses in the art of bicycle maintenance are being offered to children on the Ridge Hill over the summer holidays.

The scheme, called Cycle-Ops, is being run by New Charter Housing in conjunction with Greater Manchester Police, and has the backing of local Conservative councillor, Clive Patrick.

It is hoped that a greater understanding of bike maintenance will lead to fewer road accidents whilst keeping local kids out of trouble.

Local youngsters will have the opportunity to fix their own bikes, or work on ones donated by the police – stolen bikes that have been recovered but never reclaimed.

Cllr. Patrick said, “Cycle-Ops is providing an activity for kids during the summer holidays. It is providing them with the opportunity to develop a practical knowledge of their bikes.”

GROSVENOR ROAD REPAIR RAGE

(Photograph courtesy of the Tameside Reporter)

CLLR. DEREK BAINES (second right) WITH ANGRY GROSVENOR ROAD RESIDENTS & THEIR PETITION

A Hyde road that has been re-laid twice in six months needs relaying once again.

So far, work to repair Grosvenor Road has cost Council Taxpayers £80,000.

Now, over 200 angry residents are petitioning Tameside’s Labour Council to get the road repaired once and for all.

Local Conservative councillor, Derek Baines, is backing their campaign.

Cllr. Baines complained about the road four months ago, and stated that the repairs had been a “waste of money” and the road was like “driving on ice”.

In April, residents received a letter of apology from the contractor that had undertaken the work, who claimed that the failure of the repairs was “…due to a material failure in a consignment of bitumen emulsion delivered by the supplier.”

In the meantime, Tameside Council has caved in to the campaign and, following a site visit, promised to inform residents of their improvement proposals as soon as possible.