FAILSWORTH NEWS – Council shamed on Disabled Parking Bay failure.

Councillor Ian Barker's fight has been covered in the local press

Failsworth West Councillor Ian Barker is furious with Unity Partnership after constant requests for disabled markings to be provided to a resident registered disabled have been branded as inefficient.

The disabled residents son and carer contacted Cllr Barker in May last year, soon after his election, with a request to have a disabled car parking space marked out close to her home. As there is no on street parking outside her house on Hulmes Road, the closest parking to the house is on Newton Road and often this is crowded with other residents cars’ and she has to walk more than 50 yards to her carers car.  The disabled markings would mean that she would not have to walk as far.

Cllr Barker contacted Unity Partnership and the work was authorised.  Now a year later and, despite numerous phonecalls and emails to a senior officer within Unity Partnership the markings have still not been put down.

In a frustrated attempt to get this moving Cllr Barker offered £1200 of his own councillors budget to get the markings down and was stunned to be told that it would be inefficient for them to carry out the work on this disabled parking bay.

Cllr Barker said: “I am extremely perplexed as to how this work can be seen as inefficient.  Apart from the fact that the request has been in for a year the lady is registered disabled and is in need of this space. She pays her Council tax like everyone else so why should she not be able to call on services when she needs them.  It is outrageous.”

He added: “Both I and the resident have been extremely patient over this but I cannot continue to accept the excuses from Unity.  They need to get their act together and get this done.  The money is there, I have provided it myself they just wont spend it.  Infact if they give me a pot of paint I will paint it myself as well!!”

FAILSWORTH INFORMATION – What allowances do your Failsworth West Councillors get?

Councillors Allowances and Expenses paid to your Failsworth West Councillors during the municipal year of 2008/2009 -

• Councillor Glenys Butterworth  £13573.36 Allowance
• Councillor Aileen Bell  £9100.06 Allowance
• Councillor Ian Barker £7875.32 Allowance

FAILSWORTH WEST BLOG – Elections prove the tide is still changing

Even though the voting pattern is somewhat different in the European Elections than that of Local Elections it is always worth trying to get a picture of how the people voted last Thursday in Failsworth West.  Even though the verification on ballot papers was carried out with them being counted upside down we did get a slight glimpse of how the electorate of Failsworth West voted.   

We managed to count around three hundred over all boxes, and without really wanting to go into detail what I will say is that the Conservative vote came out seven points ahead of the party in second, with the far right party, who I will not give a mention to, only gaining half of what UKIP amassed.  Though the figures do not paint a true picture of how the vote did go in Failsworth West, it did give us a slight indication that the majority of the electorate are with us.

FAILSWORTH NEWS – Planning appeal accepted by Inspector

Arial view of the area courtesy of Google Maps

A Failsworth West planning application that was rejected by planners has been successfully apealed against costing the tax payer thousands.  The retrospective planning application was for an illuminated sign at the Texaco Garage just off Oldham Road.  The Inspector ruled that the sign was not unduly prominent and granted a 5 year consent.

FAILSWORTH UPDATE – First Choice Homes Failsworth & Hollinwood Local Board

Residents are angry over the lack of progress with regards addressing the problem of dog fowling on the Rochdale  Canal towpath in Failsworth.  They claimed that despite being told months ago that ‘No Dog Fowling’ signs would go up nothing has happened.  Councillor Ian Barker, representing Failsworth West, told angery residents that a Rochdale Canal walkabout would be taking place on the 8th June and that their concerns would be addressed, Ian said “These issues need addressing and frequent clean-ups need to take place.  The Canal towpath should be there to be enjoyed and at the minute that isn’t happening”

Complaints that over growing and intrusive trees were not being dealt with by First Choice Homes were echoed by Councillor Barker who asked the local board if the annual tree walkabout could be done during the summer.  Ian told the board “It would be better if we could asses the trees when they actually have leaves on them, in October the trees never look as bad as they have been all summer”.  The reply was that the walkabout was govenred by a Borough wide plan that couldn’t be changed but Ian Barker confirmed afterwards that he would still persue a summer tree assesment from First Choice.

Other issues and developments included -

• The Chair requested that Refuse and Apollo Heating make regular appearances at the Local Board as issues need addressing over coming months with the new recycling scheme and heating/boiler break downs.
• Funding has been secured for a FCHO roadshow informing people of the possible renovations should they vote for the change to an Registered Social Landlord.
• There has been a dramatic increase in anti-social behaviour from FCHO tenants.  It was explained that this was probably due to a new reporting and recording system recently introduced.
• 90% of urgent repairs at properties are now beeing dealt with within 3 hours, whilst non urgent repairs are on average dealt with in 12 days.
• FCHO are turning over more void properties than ever before.  This has been put down to the ecenomic downturn and the fact that private landlords have slashed their rent demands by hundreds a month to match that of FCHO.

We will keep you updated….

FAILSWORTH NEWS – Metrolink Drop-in Session

Metrolink is coming to Failsworth and you can keep in touch with progress by attending GMPTE's Drop-in sessions

With Metrolink on it’s way to Failsworth and Oldham it is important that residents can stay in touch with what is going on with the progress and plans of the scheme.

As part of GMPTE’s engagement with local communities, they are hosting a Drop-in session for Oldham’s residents.  At this event, the Metrolink team from GMPTE and their contractor MPact-Thales are on hand to talk to the local community and answer any questions about the new Metrolink lines and any work in the area.  The details of the next Oldham Drop-in session are:

• St Augustine’s School, Monsall, 8 June from 5.30pm to 7.30pm.

For directions to the school click here.

FAILSWORTH NEWS – Summer Activities Grants Programme‏

From July to September Oldham Council and its partners will be delivering a programme of activity to allow families and young people to take part in a variety of sporting, cultural, educational and recreational events across Oldham.

Because local groups and organisations play an important part in engaging young people, Oldham Partnership has launched a summer activities grants programme. Grants are available to allow local groups to start projects or enhance their existing activities over summer.

For more information about the programme and details of how to make an application, please go to

http://www.oldhampartnership.org.uk/summer_activities_2009 or click here.

Please note the application deadline for this is next week: 4pm, 4 June 2009

FAILSWORTH BLOG – I am proud of my victory dance!

Failsworth Councillor Glynis Butterworth, a nice lady (just to add), has written an article on their website calling me shameless for my hard work in fighting for road improvements in the ward I represent.

You can say what you like but I think the last time money of this scale was spent specifically in Failsworth West on road and walkway re-surfacing was some time ago, so it just goes to show what you acheived whilst your party ruled the council.  It is amazing but since Labour lost control they claim they secured funding for anything good that happens, even though they are not in power.  I believe they are claiming the credit in their Hollinwood Red Rose for the recent re-surfacing of Coal Pit Lane, the very Lane they did nothing about during five yaers of power; yet all of a sudden when not in control they get the funding.  The flippin ‘Red Rose-in’ cheek!!!

FAILSWORTH BREAKING NEWS ARTICLE – District Centre plans submitted to planning at OMBC

An Aldi food store identical to the new structure in Ashton will be a feature of Failsworth soon

We can confirm that planning applications for the development of a foodstore and new retail units, and outline permission for the erection of a restaurant/fast food unit have now been submitted to the planning department for consideration by planners.

The details of the plans should be released to the public over the next few weeks.  Cllr Ian Barker says this is a mixed bag for the people of Failsworth “The retails units are welcome and hopefully the existing tenants on the District Centre will occupy these but the jury is still out on a new retail/food store and  I am just not convinced this is what Failsworth needs”

We will keep you updated….

FAILSWORTH BLOG- Money we can’t spend?

I have been fighting for a disabled parking bay for a Failsworth West constituent now for near 12 months only to be put in front of obstacle after obstacle, whether it is a funding issue or something that has to go through Cabinet.  Finally out of desperation and absolute sympathy for this person involved I have committed to funding this disabled parking bay out of my councillors budget, only to be told this will not be happen.  I am not willing to disclose yet why this is the case but unless this committed money is spent were intended in the first instance then I will publish the full explanation on here.

Everyone is aware of cash shortages but not wanting to spend money that is there just because this issue is in isolation is just wrong.  If funding is there to improve a persons standard of living then what is the the problem?

If a councillor wishes to fund such a scheme then he should be supported in that.  After all is it not us councillors that are running the council?