Our Campaigns
Your three local conservative councillors are very active representing your interests and needs as best they can.
In addition to the work they are doing for individual residents here is a list of the matters on which they are presently campaigning. If you want any more information or wish to join in - feel free to contact them.
The Councillors' Code of Conduct precludes us from stating opinions on matters if we wish to preserve our ability to vote upon decisions. Please bear this in mind when reading below - as we know there are other very topical local issues.
Frodsham Wind Farm
Peel Holdings have begun consulting on a propsed scheme of theirs for up to 21 wind turbines on Frodsham Marshes. There is no planning application presently submitted - but they intend to submit one next year. If they seek permission for the scheme presently under discussion there will be 21 wind turbines sited in 2 blocks on the marshes. The combined height of the mast and turbine blades will be 125m - in otherwords higher than Frodsham Hill and around 3 times as tall as the pylons running alongside the M56.
This scheme is notionally rated as producing 51MW - so large that if a planning application was submitted it would be determined nationally by the Labour Government's National Planning Infrastructure Board - and not by Cheshire West & Cheshire Council.
Two websites worth looking at are
http://www.peelenergy.co.uk/frodsham-wind-farm-
Each of us has been asked for our views on the proposal. They can be summarised as follows:
- Wind farms have their place in the electricity generation mix for the United Kingdom;
- It is important that windfarms are properly designed and sited in appropriate locations. Good examples include Liverpool Bay and the turbines alongside Runcorn Railway Station and the Liverpool Echo Arena;
- Windfarms can cause distress and annoyance through noise generated through the turbine or its gears or the swooshing of the blades in the air;
- Windfarms can cause distress and annoyance through causing light to flicker as the rotating blades cause moving shadows as the blades rotate;
- In Scotland planning guidance indicates that windfarms should be located 2km or more from habitation - this guidance does not apply in England and the nearest habitation is 600m away from the nearest turbine;
- The proposed location is green belt and close to the Ramsar site - the protected wetlands for wading birds - it is also the only open vista of the estuary we have given the extensive industrialisation either side of us;
- Some wind turbines - perhaps 3 or 4 could be located alongside the ship canal - but 21 in 2 concentrated groups so close to human habitation and of such a size and scale so as to dominate the landscape is simply too much.
Peel Holdings is the same company behind the Ince Incinerator that was given permission recently. They also operate Liverpool Airport. The Peel managers who work for Liverpool John Lennon Airport have indicated their concerns about the scheme and about windfarms in general as the moving turbine blades cause interference with their radar. Frodsham is on the flight path for Liverpool John Lennon Airport.
When Peel obtained their permission for the incinerator at Ince they were not required to make any contributions to the local community. Cllr Andrew Dawson has challenged Peel twice about this issue and has pointed out to Peel Holdings that community payments are expected to be made by windfarm developers to the local communities in accordance with government guidance. That guidance suggests payments between £1000 and £5000 per MegaWatt. Cllr Dawson has already suggested that should this scheme proceed the level of payments to be negotiated should start at £5000 and be negotiated upwards from there given just how valuable this site is to all of us who live and work around the estuary.
It is interesting that Peel did not volunteer to make any contributions to the local community before they were challenged and have not committed themselves to making any should they obtain permission.
Senior employees of Peel Holdings have indicated informally that as an entity Peel does not like to engage with local communities nor offer planning gain. Interestingly their own web-site does not include the local community as a key stakeholder - or indeed the local elected Councillors.
Peel have not co-operated fully with the ward Councillors in arranging for public meetings. Whether this because they want to stage-manage such events is unknown. Representatives of Peel Holdings have suggested in public that the local Councillors are not interested in the proposals as they have not taken up Peel's offer to view a Peel windfarm above Rochdale. This comment is an outrageous slur and demonstrably far from the truth.
If this is the level of comment and interaction we can expect from Peel going forward one can only wonder whether they know what being a good neighbour is.
Consultation on Gypsy/Travellers Site - Ship Street Frodsham
News - this proposal has been dropped - but Cheshire West & Chester Council is considering fresh proposals.
Well, this one came from out of nowhere. Vale Royal is to start a public consultation about potential sites one of which may be selected for a single Gypsy/Travellers Site. One of these 4 possible sites is off Ship Street in Frodsham. Two of the others are in Winsford with the fourth being around Sandiway and Cuddington.
We have the govenmernt to thank for this exercise which has compelled all local authorities to examine their districts to see whether there is any unmet demand for pitches. This exercise has been done for Vale Royal by consultants who have identified an unmet demand of between 17-23 pitches over the next 10 years. It is these same consultants who have suggested these 4 sites, one of which may ultimately be selected - although that is by no means certain.
Many people have very strong views about this issue generally - and specifically about the Ship Street proposal. No local Councillor who may have to vote on this issue in due course can prejudge this issue, or make public comment that suggests that he or she has done so. So your Councillors are gagged until the final decision making!
It is very important that anyone with views about this issue writes in directly to Vale Royal about it. As the consultation exercise has not started yet - keep your pens poised and watch for announcements from Vale Royal that the exercise has begun.
Let us know if we can assist you in making your voice heard with Vale Royal whatever side of the argument you are on. Lets make sure that the people of Frodsham's view are heard.
Incidentally I have very strong views about the way in which this matter has been handled so far - and I am taking that up with the Council and the Officers involved.
Overton Post Office
DID MIKE HALL MP VOTE WITH THE GOVERNMENT TO AXE LOCAL POST OFFICES.? ASK HIM -
SO WHEN LABOUR POLITICIANS CAMPAIGN TO SUPORT LOCAL POST OFFICES YOU MIGHT QUESTION WHETHER THEY MEAN IT.
Save our local post office
We support all 3 of Frodsham's Post Office. Only Overton Post Office is threatened at the moment - hence our fight to save it!
Our campaign to save Overton Post Office stepped up a gear this week. Cllrs Lynn Riley and Andrew Dawson assisted our Parliamentary Candidate collect a petiton outside the post office which we'll present at 10 Downing Street in due course. Gill Worrall the Post Mistress has also collected her own petiton which Cllrs Riley & Dawson arranged to presented to Vale Royal Borough Council. At a full meeting of Vale Royal Borough Council on 29 November Gill presented a copy of her petition. She explained to the Council the vital importance of her Post Office to the Overton, South Frodsham and wider community and the dealings she had had with the Post Office. Cllrs Riley and Dawson fully supported her presentation and asked that the Council's Executive oppose the closure proposals. Gill will have the opportunity to present her case to the Executive on 12 December.
Caroline Spelman MP - the Chairman of the Conservative Part has leant her suport to the campaign to oppose the closure. She wished Gill well on her visit on 29 November 2007 which will be covered in the local press.
Graham Evans - Weaver Vale Conservatives Parliamentary Spokesman outside Overton Post Office
This week, Hillside Road Post Office - the relocated Overton Post Office - received some unsolicited mail informing them that they were earmarked for closure by March 2008. Believe it or not it was only 3 years ago that Hillside Post Office opened for business following the closure of the original post office near Five Crosses. This is a vital service for the residents in south Frodsham.
Conservative councillors Lynn Riley, Mark Ingram and Andrew Dawson oppose this move and are urging all local residents to support the Post Office in its fight to stay open. So, it’s really up to all of us to write in support of the Post Office, continue to use the services offered and let our MP know that this is a cut too far.
Post Offices are vital for the communities they serve and closing Hillside will mean a trip into Frodsham if you want access those services that were previously close by. Frodsham is served by the Main Street and St. Hilda’s Drive post offices, but for many residents who live in the south of our Town, these are a car journey away. Trying to get in, park your car and then get out again, can be tiresome to say the least. If you don't want to drive, or can't afford the bus, you will have to walk anywhere between 20-30 minutes. At a time when when we are all being challenged to reduce our carbon footprint, the closure of local services like Post Offices hardly seems like a case of joined up political thinking.
It was only one year ago that 2,000 sub-postmasters marched on Parliament protesting at Post Office closures and presented a 4 million signature petition to Tony Blair; the largest ever UK petition. So the ‘new man’ in no.10, Gordon Brown has continued to follow the old Labour line and still isn't listening. Post offices are the lifeblood of any community. They are vital local institutions, just like a local school or pub.
Post Offices are essential for people who rely on them to collect benefits and pensions. Local business rely on Post Offices, neighbouring small businesses often suffer a drop in trade.
It is interesting to note that there isn't a single Labour MP speaking out for their constituents and fighting post office closures. Speaks volumes for them, doesn't it?
First Labour cut the NHS. Now they're cutting the Post Office.
4,000 Post Offices have already closed under Labour – that's a quarter of the country's Post Office network. A Further 2,500 Post Offices are expected to close by 2009. Gordon Brown may cut support for rural post offices. As few as 4,000 of Britain's 14,300 Post Offices may survive the decade.
This all means fewer Post Offices, providing fewer services to fewer people.
Join the campaign.
Air Quality
Compared to the rest of the north west region Vale Royal is, in the main healthier and less deprived. However notwithstanding this we appear to have a greater prevalence of asthma and other respiratory disease in our area than might be expected. The reasons behind this are unclear. Cllr Andrew Dawson has persuaded the Environment Scrutiny Committee to examine the data to see whether there are issues which require further study. This work is ongoing.
Cllr Dawson has asked for closer monitoring of air pollution arising from vehicles travelling along the M56 and A56. Additional monitoring is to take place - with Marsh Lane park homes being a suggested location for the additional monitoring.
Motorway Noise
Cllr Andrew Dawson is asking questions about the noise levels from the M56. We've put up with the noise levels ever since the Motorway was built - but traffic levels have been increasing inexorably and virtually all of us hear the constant noise from the motorway. Of course things are worst for those living closest to it. Just because we tolerate it doesn't make it right or acceptable.
The EU has recognised the need to reduce unreasonable noise levels affecting people living close to major roads, railways and airports. This is not something we should allow the government to ignore. The first step in tackling this is to work out who is affected by what noise. When that is known things can be done to tackle it.
The Environmental Noise Directive of 2002 has compelled the government to produce strategic noise maps for, amongst other things all motorways - which includes the M56. This directive and the regulations made by DEFRA require the strategic noise maps to have been adopted by 30 June 2007! Guess what they haven't been published for the M56 yet - and from what we hear DEFRA is very worried about being unable to meet the expectations which will arise when they are published.
So how do we view this? Incompetence or a deliberate attempt to delay bad news by a Labour government. Either way its not the government ministers responsible for this debacle that have to live with the noise issues - the only place in the country where the mapping obligations have been met is London.
You may think the Labour government doesn't care about our quality of life.
Mental Health Services
Data from 2006 published by the NHS suggests that mental health services in Vale Royal are significantly less effective than the north west regional average. Cllr Andrew Dawson has asked the Community Scrutiny Committee to look into this. The Committee has agreed - this work is ongoing.
Services for Older Persons - helping them stay in their own homes
The same NHS data from 2006 highlighted that Vale Royal's older residents were given significantly less help than the regional average to assist them remaining in their own homes. Cllr Andrew Dawson has asked the Community Scrutiny Committee to look into this. The Committee has agreed - this work is ongoing.
Every Child Matters
Cllr Andrew Dawson is the Chairman of Vale Royal Council's Every Child Matters scrutiny team. He has asked that he and his fellow Councillors be briefed on the relevant issues with a view to the team identifying issues to scutinise.
Safe cycling and cycle routes
Data from 2007 shows that Vale Royal has a significantly greater number of road accidents in which people are taken to hospital than the regional average. Ensuring that we have safe cycling and sensible cycle routes away from major roads is important. Cllr Andrew Dawson has asked that the remodelling of Castle Park includes cycle routes through the park, by-passing the A56 and Howey Lane as much as possible. Cllr Dawson has also persuaded the Community Scrutiny Committee to look into cycling related issues generally. It is fantastic that National Cycle Route No5 comes through Frodsham - but if those laying out the route had a little more sense the cycle route to Helsby could have been entirely on the marshes, rather than along the heavily trafficked A56.
Cllr Andrew Dawson has also asked that the County Council look into the safety of pedestrians along Howey Lane - noting that with the closure of Frodsham High School they will have a duty to consider safe routes to school for our young persons going to Helsby High School - which will have to include safety along the A56, and Howey Lane.