The Week that ended......13 January '13

It has been a busy week this week and Christmas is now a distance memory in the past.

Monday night saw bothCllr George Fairhurst and  myself hosting another residents meeting at the Unity Club in Standish. This was to inform residents of the work that we and the group Save Standish have completed and planning to give to the planning inspector in March of this year, when he comes up. Just a headline overview. The Council has now agreed with us that the three sites in Standish ( the Former Golf Club, the land opposite the Golf Club and the Line ) should not be built on. This was being consider in the Council's Core Strategy Policy.

Now the Government Planning Inspector will come to Wigan to either agree or disagree with the Council's plan. I know at the meeting on Monday some residents did not trust the Council and when it comes to building in Standish and the passion that some residents showed it was clear that residents and ourselves do not want any more mass housing in Standish. I kow some residents don't trust the Council I normally agree but the Council voted in November to say that the three sites are not to be built on til 2026. When the Planning Inspector comes to Wigan in March the Developers will be saying the Council and ourselves have got it wrong and the sites can be built on. I will be at the meeting and fighting along side the Council. This is quite unusual that me and the Council are on the same side but it shows that we put our argument in a strong way to the Council last year and they now agree with us. I will keep the blog updated with developments.

During the week a number of residents have commented on the scheme that the Council are looking into doing in terms of making most of the roads in Standish 20mph. Included in the scheme is Pepper Lane and Old Pepper Lane. This is a major through road from Preston Road to the motorway via Shevington Moor, which will also be 20mph. I would ask that the Council try and drive at 20mph on some of these roads and they will see that this is an ill thought out plan. The idea of trying to save lives is always a good one and one that should be applaunded but then you then have to look at what are the Council planning to do and make sure it is appropriate. I would agree with making 'Rat Runs' 20mph but once you make any number of roads a slower speed you then have to enforce it and this can be achieved in a number of ways. Some residents are saying that the Council just want to make all these roads 20mph so they can get private companies in to catch people speeding as it will be easier with a 20mph set on the roads. To be fair I can see why some people think this and I agree. If the Council seriously wants to be proactive in saving lives they should be doing something at the crossroads in Standish as this is still a dangerous area.

At the back end of the week some idiots or should I say 'morons' dragged some Christmas Trees, that have been dumped at Ashfield, under and around some play equipment for disabled children at Ashfield. The two pieces of play equipment have now been removed from the area and some of the play area at Ashfield has now been closed. These mindless morons have now spoilt it for others and Christmas has just got more expensive for us as the Council will have to replace the equipment. I struggled to comprehend these idiots when residents in Standish are fighting to Save Ashfield these idiots are helping to get rid of the play equipment. I know I have asked for information to come forward to catch these people responsible and I am asking the Council to allow me to use some of my brighter borough money as a reward for information to catch these idiots. If we catch these people it will be money well spent as I will be asking for the full theforce of the law to thrown at them. Information has started coming in and some people who do not want to talk to the police are sending some info in and I thank you for the help. If you do have any info please let either the Police or myself know.

Equally though the people that fly-tipped their trees at Ashfield instead of going to the tip at Coppull have their part to play in all of this too.

A number of Standish residents use Gathurst train station and the footpath under the bridge that walk under when they get off the platform coming home and this is a mess with mud. I know this is not in Standish Ward but it is clear that residents are impacted and I am asking the Council to clear it up and also stop the water running under the footbridge carrying the mud so it does not happen again.

As for the rest of the weekend I will working on papers for next Week Council meeting on Wednesday and visit a some residents that have an issue local to them.