Winter Update

So, January and February have been in lockdown. It doesn’t make that much difference to formal business on the face of it. Meetings have been virtual since the spring. However, casework has never been so busy.

• Housing Issues
• Fly-tipping
• Street Lights
• Construction Sites
• Industrial Noise
• HGVs getting lost in residential areas looking for the Euro Terminal
• Floods from Storm Cristoph
• Major Evacuations due to fire-arms being found in numerous Gorse Hill locations
• Planning issues – inappropriate development
• Alley littering
• Bins at flats
• Parking Permit fines
• Parking pressure for Skateboard Park
• Takeaway putting fats into drains.
• Human defecation outside whilst working (3 times!!!!!)

We’ve also had a surge in consultations

• Doing Buses Differently: The impact of Covid-19 on our proposals for the future of your buses.
• Future Stretford – Stretford Mall transition to a High Street repopulated with new homes
• Civic Quarter action plan (closes 5th March) – Trafford Council wants your views on the soundness of the Civic Quarter Area Action Plan and supporting documents.
• Trafford Local Plan (closes 18th March)

Schools

It was really hard on the first day of term for our primary schools. There were serious worries that Covid was running out of control. Government was insisting schools return when everyone knew they’d have to go back to lock-down. Being a chair of governors, it wasn’t an easy time, I was glad to hear from the staff in the playground. So frustrating that by teatime all schools were in lockdown again.

Formalising remote learning for pupils has been a real challenge but we’ve achieved a much higher compliance than we ever thought possible. It’s really difficult for vulnerable children but I can’t praise school staff enough for what they’ve delivered this term in delivering the curriculum as much as they have. No thanks to the secretary of state who’s been absent without leave for most of the time.

Covid update

There’s no question we needed to go into lockdown. Hospital admissions were going through the roof, higher here than for any time since the start of the lockdown.

The lockdown has worked beyond the most optimistic projections alongside increased vaccination of the most at-risk groups. The rate of improvement is remarkable shown by steep decline at the back end of the graph but we’re only half way there. It’s vital we keep vigilent.

I’m trying to get a handle on how we’re doing for vaccinations in Gorse Hill Ward.

Frustratingly, the data seems awry. Please, if you’re over 70 and still awaiting a vaccine appointment, start making a fuss if there’s been no contact.

The data actually suggests that there’s roughly 1100 of you in the wider Stretford/Old Trafford area – this is far higher than any other part of Trafford and probably higher than anywhere else in the country. That said, I’m doubting the data, it doesn’t ring true.

I’ve been called for vaccination at the Delamere and I’m 62. It couldn’t have been more efficient. It really doesn’t seem feasible they’re inviting me when they’ve 1100 more vulnerable patients to do on their books and that’s what the graph below says.

I can’t ignore the data and yet I don’t believe it which is really infuriating. I’m hoping to get clarity at the next meeting.

What isn’t in doubt is that our refusal rate is high. Hopefully we can get that down as people feel more confident in what the vaccine is achieving.

Lastly

I just wanted to let you know something I’ve already told my Labour branch. I’ve come to the difficult decision that I will not be seeking reelection again as Gorse Hill Councillor. I’ve still got a little time on my current term of office and I won’t be standing down this May. The reason for the early notice is to give the branch time to start thinking about it.

All sorts of reasons both political and personal, but yeah I think it’s the right decision.