We were privileged to be invited inside the Trafford Park Hotel yesterday. A real treat for me. It’s been heartbreaking to see the neglect over the years as it’s laid empty.
Despite the water damage, a lot of it still remains intact. It’s got wonderful tiling and the brick work seems of good quality. The hotel was one of the first buildings built on the Trafford Park Industrial Estate so it predates most of Trafford Park Village and the wider area.
It’s a fabulous building and an absolutely crucial part of Trafford Park’s heritage.
Councilors Laurence Walsh, Mike Cordingley and David Acton on the roof of Trafford Park Hotel
Why we were there
The current owners are keen to bring the hotel back into use. It’s their intention to use the hotel as part of a larger complex, the adjacent car park being used for a second larger hotel building. The Trafford Park Hotel would be the heart of this concept providing the restaurant, kitchens.
3D impression
This is an exciting project. The planning application is not yet registered but definitely one to watch.
Circle Court caps a busy week but shows in adversity the very best of Lostock.
Saturday 4th Jan
Marshalling the first corner at Wythenshawe Pk Run. First time I’ve marshalled, but I’ve now done 12 runs and that’s not a bad ratio. One morning volunteering for a dozen runs.
In the afternoon I cycled round Gorse Hill identifying the full set of streets that had missed bin collections as the council had arranged additional Sunday shifts of collections.
Sunday 5th Jan
Spent the morning trying to establish whether the promised bin teams had gone out and whether they doing Gorse Hill. Took until lunchtime to get confirmation. Frankly, being told that they’d be reporting the next day just infuriates. Don’t often lose my temper but came close over that. Anyway the word was the teams were out and were doing the streets I’d submitted. Not totally as it turned out, but most.
Receive an update on the Education portfolio. Can’t hide the fact that there’s some local schools giving concern. School finances, it seems to me, are more responsive to school numbers than they ever have been. This is a good thing if your school is attracting good numbers, but if, for whatever reason, you’re not getting the demand, it can quickly spiral. Going to need different approaches, but the bottom line is we can’t just stand by.
Monday 6th Jan
Fury on the emails about the bins. Flixton particularly angry. Make some progress on casework. Christmas has been particularly busy.
I’m also putting together the spending return for the election. These have to be submitted next week and it’s not the sort of thing you want to do during the festivities so I now need to get going with it.
Tuesday 7th Jan
Labour Group meeting. Started late and slowly ground to a halt. I think Christmas has frazzled us. I’d be tempted to avoid the first full week of the year for a Labour group meeting next year. Anyway City won the first leg at United, even if I missed the first half, and apparently we played quite well.
Wednesday 8th Jan
More work on the spending return. In the evening it’s to Stretford Mall for an officer meeting with architects, planners and Bruntwood over the next consultation event.
It’s not long since the last one and whilst that means actual tangible progress might still be a little way off, I think this was a useful meeting. I think the public drop in will also be useful too.
At November’s drop in there was a discreet minority who felt the best option was to knock the mall down. To be honest, that has been my view too. I think it’s fair to say that isn’t a view shared by the planners and architects. I quite like the fact that they saw positive strengths in parts of the Mall and really saw their role as trying to design and enhance those strengths. So whilst I seem to have lost one argument, I’m far more energised by their way of thinking. Don’t be expecting fleshed out designs, but I think their approach both to the mall and to the wider Stretford town centre neighbourhoods is measured and exciting.
Consultation Drop-in at the Mall – Saturday 25th January 8am until 6pm
You really need to attend this. It’s your Stretford. And the planners need to hear from you.
Completed the ‘Doing Buses Differently’ consultation on bus franchising. This is something I’ve actively supported for a long time. The free market simply doesn’t work for bus travel. It’s my contention that the bus companies should really embrace this. It’s the only way they will ensure a long term future for their business. It’s an incredibly positive proposal that will support the bus companies and build the bus transport sector.
Stagecoach Manchester at Piccadilly Gardens bus station, Manchester with the 14:46 to Flixton 15 service. Friday 25th July 2008
Thursday 9th Jan
Library Volunteering and in the evening yet more planning previews
I’m a member of the planning committee so I have to be circumspect over live planning applications, but we were previewing the new stand and hotel extension planned for Lancs Cricket Ground, as well as a tall hotel at the corner of Chester Road and Warwick Road.
Friday 10th Jan
Casework and a Labour Party Meeting reflecting on the Election Defeat (oh, and I went for a five mile run!)
The Labour Party meeting was interesting, particularly the thoughts of ordinary members rather than MPs or Councillors.
I think the scale of the defeat is taking some adjusting to. There’s a rawness to the wounds that have been rendered. I don’t think anyone has the complete answer. I’m not going to spend a lot of time dissecting our manifesto or the likeability of Jeremy Corbyn. He is already in the past. There were a lot of textbook failings in our campaign that will have to be put right whether Labour chooses to tack to the left or right: the lack of a story that related to people’s lives, the diminution of shared values. We failed to connect
We were for the many, not the few, but came across as a party too often set apart from and contemptuous of the very people we wanted to vote for us. That is a charge that can be made against both wings of the party; and one particularly apposite with regard to Brexit.
Stretford and Urmston Labour Party
Saturday/Sunday – Serious Incident at Circle Court
Start the day away with the Labour Group but quickly learn of the Circle Court fire and flooding. Tell Dave Acton and we get over there. It was an everchanging set of circumstance throughout the weekend. The fire and initial water leakage were dealt with quickly but from then on there was loss of power, further floods and the affected area would enlarge, shrink and enlarge again. It would vary from almost no tenants needing rehousing to substantial decanting. The residents were superb and so were Trafford Housing Trust staff. When you go through something like this with people, you realise how stoical people are, how they deal with setbacks. I don’t think I’ve ever been so proud to represent this place.
I know things are not yet back to normal for quite a few residents and we’re continuing to monitor. I was really pleased to invite Kate Green over on the Sunday to see the recovery operation and to meet with staff and residents. I know she was impressed.
This is something I’ve wanted to tackle since I first became
councillor.
As a council we take our local shops for granted.
Trafford gives
strategic attention to four specific town centres of Altrincham,
Sale, Stretford and Urmston. These four centres are designated within
the official Local Plan and are monitored and supported through the
council budget. Less attention is afforded to village centres such as
Sale Moor, Partington, Hale Barns, Ashton upon Mersey and Timperley;
but at least they are on the map.
As a council we give almost zero recognition to corner shops and smaller shopping parades. Yet there’s an argument that these hyper-local neighbourhood parades contribute more in social capital and community well-being than the town centres ever could do.
The local shops are part of family life
When mum or dad says
‘can you nip down to the shop for butter?’ the child knows where
they’re being sent. It might be that these days the child is much
older before they’re considered sufficiently road savvy to be
allowed shopping errands, but it’s still a right of passage to nip
down to the shop.
Local shops matter. When local shops fall into decay, it becomes a blight on the community. They can either add value to property prices or detract. They are very much part of the identity of a place.
The good news is that we have a lot of local shopping parades in and around Gorse Hill Ward and largely with one or two exceptions, they’re doing ok.
Lostock CircleLostock (Winchester Road)Lostock (Barton Road)Derbyshire Lane West (near Sevenways)Moss Road
FivewaysMoss Road/Davyhulme Road EastGorse Hill
Apart from on the Gorse Hill parade, there are almost no vacant units across our local shops. So that’s good. But are there things that should be improved?
I believe there’s a whole host of things that could and should be done by council and other agencies; and especially by the store owners themselves. I’ve tried to come up with a list primarily based on the complaints and gripes I’ve encountered in this area. It’s not exhaustive but generally I’m hoping to have captured the doable stuff.
Litter management issues, sufficient bins – right locations?
Access to the shops – safe crossing?
Traffic Management – too many cars on forecourt? Deliveries?
Graffiti?
General cleanliness?
Good mix of provision? Too many takeaways? Duplication?
Cycle parking
Trip hazards, uneven pavements?
Lighting?
Feeling safe? People smoking outside pubs and betting shops
Vacant units?
Management of waste – commercial waste
Cleanliness of alleys and ginnels associated with the shops
Is this a reasonable basis for measuring the health of our local shops and things to do to improve ? Is there anything I’ve missed?
It’s something I’m really keen to do. I’m hoping to put together a living set of actions for the council and other agencies to support the vitality of our shops. So I really want you to engage with this.
Vandalism at Nansen Park. Quickly repaired and restored by One Trafford. Email complementing work sent to the team.
BT Telephone Box at Lostock Circle reported as vandalised. Cleaned and repaired now. Good work by BT
Publicised closure of Lostock Circle post office. Will chase if not resolved quickly
Continued to try to pull together a co-ordinated response on lack of adequate CAMHS (childrens mental health) service for schools. The Old Trafford primary school at which I’m a governor is really worried that vulnerable children might be missing access to the mental health support they need. Schools buy in CAMHS support independently from the community health provider Pennine Care but it seems that there are currently resource failings.
Wrote to the South Manchester Coroner to request that I be included in the distribution of the report she’s writing on lessons learned regarding the death of Sophie Louise Smith at the Trafford Park car cruise ‘event’. Speeding and racing within Trafford Park and its bordering residential areas continues to be a problem.
Emailed GMP Traffic Police to explore replicating Manchester’s Community Speed Monitoring initiative that Cllr Angeliki Stogia has led. Obviously permanent speed cameras are more effective but there are places where speeding is widespread but the numbers don’t support a permanent solution.
Complained that an alleyway had been left in a mess following bin collection. Resolved.
Reported gulleys for drain-cleaning on Kendal Road.
Wrote to constituent advising of the path to pursue when suffering from vibrations arising from road. Complemented the Access Trafford operative who advised me.
Wrote to planning to try to ensure that existing national cycling routes are respected in dealing with Manchester United’s planning application for enhanced security on Sir Matt Busby Way.
Liaised with Lostock Partnership over the planning application for a 12 place SEN nursery to be included within the new Orchards School.
Big congratulations to Maureen Reilly attending the Royal Garden Party
Chased information on Manchester United/Trafford Council emerging masterplan. We’re seeing Chief Exec on Thursday but would be good to learn more before we meet.
Pursued tidy up and TLC for Stretford Cenotaph
Meetings
Cycle Forum Meeting on Mersey Valley – Looked at current and aspirational changes. I love the newly improved Ashton upon Mersey link. It’s advertised as Urmston to Ashton but given it uses the existing Trans Pennine Way bridge over the Mersey it’s good for anyone walking or cycling from Stretford over to Ashton Village centre. It used to be a quagmire – now highly recommended. The actual meeting was only 4 or 5 cyclists plus officers but still got bogged down on the proposed Jackson’s Boat bridge. I’m staying out of that one – it’s Manchester’s and it’s not my priority given they’re forced to keep the current bridge as well. I’d prefer bridges in new places rather than duplicating existing.
Annual Council – A lovely meeting with more tears than a Theresa May resignation. Great to see my colleague Laurence Walsh and Rachel installed as Deputy Mayor and Mayoress.
Rachel and Laurence Walsh
Euro Elections
Never felt less engaged with a Labour campaign. What is Labour’s policy? I can tell you what it is but I know that as soon as you examine it closely, it crumbles in the hand to dust.
Labour’s policy respects the result of the referendum but we will not support a Tory deal. Labour wants a General Election and presumably Labour, if it won that General Election, it follows that we would negotiate our exit from the EU. We don’t know whether this exit would be subject to a confirmatory vote but it’s hard to see how it would be resisted. You’d have to assume it would want to win any confirmatory vote.
I would vote remain in any second referendum. And the majority of Labour members AND LABOUR VOTERS in every poll or survey that’s been conducted consistently support remain. Would remain be an option in a confirmatory vote that a Labour Government offered? I think that would depend on the make-up of the parliamentary party. Those close to the leader don’t seem to want a second referendum (ie. Remain not being an option in any plebiscite). That view might be sustainable given a Labour government with a mandate.
So, as far as this week’s Euro Elections were concerned, Labour was a Brexit Party. I couldn’t argue a Brexit line on the doorstep, and I certainly couldn’t suspend my integrity to essentially lie that we were Remain. Effectively as far as campaigning was concerned, I sat these Euros out. It’s the first election in nearly 40 years I haven’t felt part of and to say the least, I’m somewhat cheesed off about it.
And that flippin’ Roundabout…
Sevenways roundabout! This is not what was expected and it’s not gone down well. The original spec that we took to residents included a raised (25mm) and hatched central island to increase deflection but allow for necessary over-run by HGVs and other large vehicles. Somehow the raised central island has become a painted circle with a continuous line.
Original design
I think we have to continue to lobby for something closer to the original plan with better cycling and walking provision too. Paint is obviously a cheap option and in many cases the right option, but here we’ve got some drivers treating the roundabout as a normal two lane roundabout and others sticking rigidly to the outside lane even on a right turn. With the roundabout being so close to the motorway there’s always going to be a high throughput of drivers who are unfamiliar with the area, so I don’t think we can rely on people getting used to it and it settling down.
I think this is an economy too far and this part of Stretford deserves better.
And Lastly…..
Pleased to have at last managed to complete a park run without walking. Not managed to move since but I did it at Wythenshawe Park on Saturday. I am quite pleased with that.
We should fight unfair cuts where we can. And if we lose, it should spur us on to getting even better facilities and services for our neighbourhoods through our own common endeavour. Looks at new takes on old approaches.
Fighting
Gorse Hill residents have successfully made the case for saving the crossing patrol on Chester Road. That's brilliant news and congratulations to all involved!
We can’t disguise the fact that most patrols identified for withdrawal are still being withdrawn, including the dangerous one at Barton Road/Moss Vale Road junction; and Trafford’s Budget has still been approved by Tories and Lib Dems, as it was always going to be.
Glimmers of Hope – Alternatives out of the Ashes
Work goes on to try to save something out of Lostock's Library and Youth Club together with Gorse Hill Studios. either through drawing in outside support or income generation from services provided there. And at the same time, a community enterprise is emerging from the council’s disposal of Stretford Public Hall. So, here and there are glimmers of hope that not everything is lost.
One thing that has been lost is the hope that one day, all our citizens would have access to youth clubs, libraries, even new parks.
that is, unless we make it happen ourselves!
No time to wait for change
All over the country communities are coming to the realisation that things we want for our neighbourhoods are only going to happen if communities come together to make it happen. Whoever wins in the May elections, the debate will not be about expanding the state's role in public services. And once we realise this, the question becomes about how we are going to deliver it, if the council isn't going to. This is where it gets interesting, and something is stirring.
Raising the Funds
The search is on for alternative funding models based largely outside local authority funding.
Grant Providers
Much of the focus is on grant giving organisations such as the Heritage Lottery Fund, Big Lottery, Sports England; or local grant providers such as Trafford Housing Trust. However, it’s a competitive market and it’s unlikely that all projects will be able to get the funds they need from grant providers.
Advantages of Grant Funding
Some Big Chunks of Money
Additional Non Financial support from funder
Small number of lead members required to write bid
Bid process brings focus on outcomes
Criticisms
Focus on what's bad about a neighbourhood rather than what's good
Less focus on widespread support or local accountability
The Funders' agenda becomes as important as the Local Agenda
Town / Parish Councils – locally accountable
… but only if we hold them to it
A potential source of local funding is the Town/Parish Council model. All three main parties have dallied with these at national level. The advantage to the community is that they can if they choose, levy a precept for money to be spent in the community. The precept is in effect an extra amount of council tax. The trouble is there’s no real evidence they really are accountable. Elections happen rarely and there’s plenty to suggest that the BBC drama, The Casual Vacancy underplays the levels of conspiracy and chicanery often encountered. We have a few Parsih Councils in Trafford with mixed support from residents at best. Perhaps ours are too small and since Stretford had its own full District Council until relatively recently (1974), it should not be dismissed out of hand. It's never been easier to set them up, but if the sole purpose is to locally raise cash, there may be better ways.
Cutting out the Council
…..and going for it yourselves!
Is Crowdfunding an answer?
The new kid on the block for local funding is crowdsourcing. It’s best when you’re appealing for a fixed cost rather than ongoing. It’s come of age with the internet, though it could be argued that its roots go much further back. In fact many of Greater Manchester’s parks were financed in this way and even New York’s Statue of Liberty.
There are so many sites supporting crowdfunding: SpaceHive is perhaps the most focussed on local/community projects.
The advantage to the person pledging the funds is that, you don't pay anything unless the project reaches its target. Why would you want to donate to something that will never happen?
Manchester has partnered with SpaceHive to create the #MakeManchester partnership. At the time of writing, they've raised £335,337 in pledges towards the £369,000 target needed to save the Grade II listed Ancoats Dispensary and turn it into a community hub. That's fantastic, and I would urge everyone reading this to pledge a couple of quid. In addition to the Dispensary, #MakeManchester is supporting a host of other projects including a Youth Market.
Even closer to home is our own Stretford Public Hall who too are seeking much needed donations to move to the next stage to in reopening the hall as exciting vibrant resource. They need and deserve everyone's support. Please make a donation here.
Advantages
Inclusive, gives ownership to the whole community
Tests whether community really want project
Helps attract matched funding
Criticisms
Huge publicity and promotion input
Favours populist projects as against perhaps a worthy minority need
Public Subscription – The Return of an old Favourite
A variation on crowdsourcing is public subscription. This is where people voluntarily make an ongoing financial donation often through a membership scheme. Whilst there are many examples, and a classic one would be the National Trust whereby members pay an annual subscription and receive reduced prices and news, the method has not really taken on in local community projects. This might be about to change.
A community group in Sheffield is proposing asking regular users for a voluntary £10 a year subscription to help pay for running costs of its park. And I’ve been particularly struck by the practicality at the core of this American blog on using wider community membership as a key fundraising and inclusion tool. If the organisation had charitable status, they’d probably be able to claim gift-aid from the subscriptions. With the best will in the world, you’re never going to get everybody to contribute but the pay-off is a far greater sense of ownership than you’d get with a town council precept for example. It would be far easier to get additional grant funding if subscription funding was already in place.
Advantages
Inclusive, gives ownership to whole community
(with charitable status) Brings additional 25% Gift Aid
Helps attract matched funding
Criticisms
Huge year on year fundraising effort
Long lead-in times before you have a critical mass of members.
Conclusion
There will be some who say we shouldn’t be getting involved, it’s for the state to provide these services; we’re doing the Tory dirty work for them. I disagree. In fact I’d say some of this goes back to the roots of socialism and the Friendly Societies, Trades Unions and Guilds from which emerged the Labour Party. There’s real opportunities for today’s Trade Unions as well as businesses to get themselves involved.
The limited services the council provided never served more than a fraction of the people they should have. There are plenty of dangerous crossings that have never seen a school crossing patrol and two youth centres were never going to satisfy the whole of Stretford. As for libraries, they really could be on the street corner if enough people want them to be.
Think about you want in your neighbourhood, and make it happen!
This post has caused me 40 minutes messing. It's such a nice photo. It sort of sums up what Gorse Hill is about. I didn't take the photo. I've probably broken all sorts of protocols in getting it linked to this site. All can I can say is the Gorgeous Gorse Hill movement is taking off and if you've not become part of it – it's never too late.
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Gorse Hill residents have successfully made the case for saving the crossing patrol on Chester Road. That's brilliant news and congratulations to all involved!
