Helen in Warrington
Helen with the chair of Birchwood Town Council receiving the residents petition responses opposing the extension of Risley landfill site
Recently, Helen has been involved with issues brought to her by constituents right across the constituency including –
• issues surrounding Bewsey Park
• trying to secure adequate disabled provision at Birchwood station
• youth facilities in Burtonwood and Culcheth
• street cleansing and environmental issues in Orford and Fairfield, Poplars and Hulme and Poulton North including the future of Peel Hall
• Bruche Police Training Centre in Poulton South
• Car cruising in Rixton and Woolston
• Issues surrounding Gulliver’s World
During the past few years, Helen has continued to meet with constituents at various events and through the numerous types of surgeries she holds. She aims to visit every school in the constituency at least once during this Parliament, as she did in the last. Residents’ Associations, local community and voluntary groups and businesses also receive regular visits. Her mobile surgeries- held most weeks- in which she visits around a hundred homes to talk to constituents, are proving very popular.
When Parliament is in session, Helen, who lives in this constituency with her family, is in Warrington from Friday to Sunday. During Parliamentary recess, she works all week in Warrington North from her fully staffed constituency office in Bewsey Street.
TACKLING CRIME AND ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
Results of a local survey which Helen conducted in the constituency showed that your concerns about crime and anti-social behaviour remain a top priority.
The government are trying to tackle many of these problems by giving communities the tools they need to encourage good behaviour and punish bad behaviour. New powers have been introduced but, as Helen said during the Queen’s Speech Debate, the borough council and housing authorities have to use them effectively. Anti-Social Behaviour Orders can help communities terrorised by threatening behaviour, graffiti, vandalism or disruptive neighbours. Tough powers to close drug dens and disperse gangs of youths are now available and councils should now ensure they clean graffiti and deal promptly with tenants who make lives miserable for their neighbours. Helen will be pressing the local council and housing associations to use the powers they have been given to tackle anti-social behaviour.
The Respect Action Plan has been launched by the Government to make sure law-abiding, decent people don’t have to tolerate the bad behaviour of the few individuals and families who think the rules don’t apply to them. The Respect Action Plan sets out ways in which bad behaviour can be tackled, by focusing on problem families, tackling the lack of appropriate youth provision and dealing with disrespect and anti-social behaviour everywhere that it occurs. New measures include:
• increased use of Fixed Penalty Notices which give police, community safety and council officers the chance to fine people on the spot for littering or drunken behaviour;
• Parenting Orders for parents who persistently fail to give their children the guidance they need.
If you know of a problem area or are experiencing anti-social behaviour yourself please let Helen know.
THE BEST START FOR OUR CHILDREN
The new children’s centre at Sandy Lane, funded by the government, is helping to provide a great start in life for children in the area as well as support for mums and dads. Now a new Child Development Centre is planned so that children with special needs can get the service they deserve.
If you want to find out what the children’s centre has to offer contact them on 425 580.
