Category: Blog

Good work from Stretford Neighbourhood Police Team, responding to residents’ concerns

Police pressure closes off-licence

The Stretford Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) has taken action in response to complaints from residents about antisocial behaviour (ASB) and underage drinking.

First Choice Convenience (at Lostock Circle) has closed after officers successfully objected to a transfer of premises licence at a hearing of the Trafford Council Licensing Sub-Committee on 16 November.

The decision to reject the application was taken after the committee heard that the applicant had
— Failed to keep closed circuit television recordings
— Employed an illegal immigrant
— Allowed sales of alcohol to underage customers

The objection is the latest in a series of measures introduced by the Stretford NPT to reduce the number of incidents of ASB in the area. Over recent months, officers have increased patrols in hot spot areas and have worked with Trafford Council and housing trust organisations to secure asb orders and housing evictions for persistent offenders.

Between 1 April and 22 November 2010, there have been 1646 incidents of ASB in Stretford and Old Trafford, 612 fewer than the corresponding period in 2009. This equates to a 27 per cent reduction.

Just had a great visit with Dave Acton to Lostock College. The facilities are excellent – really impressed with the creative arts, whether music or visual. The whole mood of the place has lifted. I sense great times ahead. It has the potential to be recognised as one of Trafford’s best schools.

What a fantastic time to be starting school there. With numbers set to increase, now closure has been shelved, the scope for next year’s Y7s must be really exciting. All those tremendous facilities and no queues to get on them. Teachers who are really buzzing to take the school forward. I just think it’s brilliant.

It’s an issue I’ve been passionate about for as long as I can remember. For no good reason every late October / early November we’re suddenly faced with the evening rush hour in the dark. The extra hour in bed for one Sunday morning in the year is never adequate compensation for the sheer desolation of those dark nights. Even wonderfully crisp winter days are over before the kids get out of school or workers exit from offices for the slow journey home. I hate it.

But there’s hope! Conservative MP Rebecca Harris, backed by an assortment of Labour, Conservative and Green Party colleagues has got through the first reading of her private members bill requiring the Secretary of State to review the existing arrangements and to look at alternative options of either not putting the clock back in winter or putting the clocks forward throughout the year (winter and summer) giving an extra hour of daylight all the year round. I think I prefer a time that stays at British Summer Time all through the year i.e. the clocks don’t go back in winter. However I’m happy for all options to be assessed.

To try to support the progress of this bill I’ve invited council colleagues from all parties to join me in writing to Mrs Harris to endorse her campaign to get the bill through its next stage in parliament.

image: screenshot of https://www.wearepossible.org/lighter-later campaign website landing page

Great News

The School Adjudicator has ruled that the school closures should not go ahead. Clearly there’s going to be some rushing around at Trafford Council to enable the cricket ground to get its hands on the receipt from the land sale. As it stands, Stretford High will keep the land and there’s suggestion in the ruling that they’d like to get their own hands on the £21m, although there’s also hints within the adjudication that compromise could be reached.

Essentially, the School Adjudicator has said the prospect of new funds from the Government as part of the Building Schools for the Future programme doesn’t in itself provide grounds for closing the schools, both of which have received recent positive Ofsteds.

Those positive Ofsteds and the fact that parents have really got behind the two schools as separate and valued establishments in their own right give a real cause for optimism. Lostock’s numbers have been hit by the uncertainty over its future. But some of its facilities are 2nd to none, especially in performing arts, and with its best ever academic performance, there’s no reason for it not to flourish. It’s going to have to get its marketing right, but it has a lot going for it.

This is a very positive decision.

Image by Iqbal Nuril Anwar from Pixabay

The news that the Govt has given the go-ahead for plannning consent to be granted after a short impasse is intriguing. The original intervention from the government suggested that issues raised by Derwent Holdings and their legal team were being taken seriously. Derwent are the owners of the White City retail park. They have had their own proposals for a supermarket at White City turned down by Trafford’s planners using arguments that from a lay perspective would seem to apply equally to the Tescos.

This latest news that the Govt is happy for the Tesco to go ahead suggests that either the Govt is confident that the Tesco consent is robust; or Derwent have backed down. Derwent are yet to comment and it will be interesting to hear their view.

In the meantime planning consent has now been rubber stamped and the dominoes are beginning to rock. We are just a short few weeks away from the promised announcement on the Stretford Academy. Given that the land required to build the Tesco is currently in possession of the soon to be closed (according to plan) Stretford High School, are we moving to resolution on that issue? If the Academy is cancelled, how does the council get its hands are the necessary school field? The School Adjudicator is looking at this issue next week. Could the school adjudicator yet scupper the whole plan? If they reversed the decision to close the school, it would certainly complicate things but is this likely? The Council gives the impression in the article that its confident this is close to being resolved. I hope we’re not going to have a sham consultation on the school closure.

Mike Cordingley

(emailed update from Insp Sutcliffe from Stretford’s Neighbourhood Team – passed on for information)

Dear All

We are working with you to identify and tackle the issues that matter to you the most.

You told us drug dealing was an issue in and around the Lostock area of Stretford.

We responded by increasing our patrols in the area and by gathering information from local people.

This morning, officers from your local Neighbourhood Policing Team, supported by Divisional Officers have executed a drugs warrant at an address on Ripon Road, Stretford. During the search, a quantity of what we believe is Class A & B Controlled Drugs, a substantial amount of cash and CS Spray were recovered. There are presently 3 people in custody at Stretford Police Station helping us with our enquiries.

Everyone has the right to have a say in how their area is policed and we would like to hear from you in one of our community meetings.

The next community meeting is taking place on 29th November 2010 between 6pm-8pm at St Matthews Church, Stretford.

If you are unable to attend our community meetings you can visit our website www.gmp.police.uk, and fill out a short questionnaire online to let us know about the matters that concern you the most.

If you have a policing issue in your area or wish to speak to an officer please contact the Stretford Neighbourhood Policing Team on 0161 856 7655 or email stretford.area@gmp.police.uk.

For non-emergency calls or to report a crime call 0161 872 5050 or for more information visit gmp.police.uk. Only call 999 in an emergency where there is a threat to life or crime in progress. You can also call anonymously with information about crime to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

We are committed to providing you with the best possible service and making your area a safer place to live.

Inspector Andy Sutcliffe

Stretford NPT

 

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