Iain Roberts

Stockport Council’s improved recycling collection service now allows residents to recycle aluminium foil.

Borough residents can recycle aluminium foil in their brown wheelie bin or black recycling box or take it to a local recycling site and put it in the container for recycling food tins and drink cans.

All foil can be recycled, such as foil trays, pie cases, dairy lids, household wrapping foil and the foil from some chocolate bars. Metallised plastic film such as crisp packets cannot. To check if your foil is recyclable do this simple test, scrunch it up in your hand if it doesn’t spring back it can be recycled.

An improvement in technology at the material reprocessing plant now allows the aluminium foil to be recycled. Foil is a slightly different alloy than that used in food tins, drinks cans or aerosols.

It is increasingly recycled into the automotive industry, where it can be cast into a range of new products, such as cylinder heads.

Pam and I have been wrestling with the issue of parking enforcement, especially in Cheadle, where most the complaints arise.

I’ll write more about it when I’ve time, but for now I’m pleased to report a boost for this week with two parking attendents spending the week in Cheadle village centre.

This is not a permanent measure - we’re all looking for longer-term fixes - but we’re hoping it will make a difference.

Last week I was writing about Cllr Maureen Walsh resigning from the Tory group on the Council.  I was interested to know why the Conservatives were being less than honest in their leaflets.

Syd Lloyd, another Tory councillor, didn’t want to answer that and, in time honoured fashion, challenged me on something totally different to distract attention.

Syd said that Lib Dem claims of Tory cuts were untrue and challenged me to provide evidence.

Well, I can only suggest that Cllr Lloyd reads the material his party is putting out.

In their recent newspaper, the Conservatives called for free parking in Council car parks.  Reasonable idea, of course - worth considering.  In the run-up to Christmas, the Lib Dems found ways to offer free parking on several days.

But I oppose it as a general scheme because the money from car parking in Stockport (several million pounds of revenue) pays for parking enforcement and a range of other services.  If the money doesn’t come in,  it meas cuts to Council services.

The Lib Dems are working hard to improve parking enforcement at the moment - it seems odd that the Conservatives are calling for something that would reduce parking enforcement further,  leading to more cars parking illegally on our streets.

Stockport Council has continued to keep the pressure on rogue traders in a bid to safeguard borough residents. The crack-down focused on targeting rogue traders who prey on the elderly and vulnerable members within the community. The Council’s Trading Standards, Licensing and Environmental Services teams worked in partnership with Greater Manchester Police, the Bailiffs Department and the Vehicle and Operators Service Agency (VOSA) as part of the operation. As part of the Operation Storm:

• Around forty vehicles were stopped by the police and four vehicles were seized as the drivers had no insurance.
• Traders were advised by the Council’s Trading Standards team on business documentation and their legal responsibilities.
• The Council’s Environmental Services team also advised traders on their legal duties and are writing to a number of traders for carrying waste without holding a waste carriers licence.

The Council’s Licensing Team came across an alleged bogus charity collector who had taken possession of numerous items of clothing donated in good faith to the National Blind Children’s Society. The items have now been passed on to the charity and a full investigation into this has been launched by the Council’s Licensing Team.

Anyone with concerns about rogue traders should call Consumer Direct on 08454 040506 or visit www.stockport.gov.uk for further information.

Green minded Solutions SK, a Stockport Council wholly owned company are converting waste oil from secondary school kitchens to bio-fuel.

With the help of their suppliers Solutions SK have arranged for the used oil to be taken from the kitchens and used as bio-fuel by local company Green2Go. The oil is used by Green2Go to fuel generating systems that provide heat and power to public buildings.

The use of this fuel delivers an 80% reduction in carbon emissions compared to an equivalent amount of energy from the National Grid. Waste oil will therefore make a valuable contribution to reducing carbon emissions.

I’ve received this letter from Richard Booker at the Council. It also includes a map showing where the multi-user games area (MUGA) will be situated - I’ll add it when I can. This is excellent news - Cllr Pam King has done a lot of work to get this facility going, and the process has involved the residents association right through the process.

Ask For: Richard Booker
Telephone:0161 474 4829
E-mail: Richard.booker@stockport.gov.uk

Dear Resident,

I am writing to inform you about the improvements that will take place in Brookfield Recreation Ground. There will be path improvement works carried out to improve access across the site, and a new hard surface sports area will be created giving children and young people better access to sporting facilities.

Local young people have expressed a need for a safe place locally where they can meet and engage in positive sporting activities. Currently, many children and young people in the area can only play on the road outside their house and in some instances this is impacting on the quality of life for other residents. The Acorn , Ash and Chestnut Residents Association have been working in partnership with Stockport Council and Stockport Homes to improve access to sports facilities for young people in the area.

Work is expected to begin on the path improvements and sports area before the end of March.

The next meeting of the Acorn, Ash and Chestnut Residents Association will be March 9th 6.30pm at Cheadle Library

Yours Sincerely
Richard Booker
Parks Dev Officer

A request from Martin Davey:

I am updating the History of Gatley in Pictures written by Frank & Terreta Mitchell and published by St James Church in 1981. I make no claim to emulate the historical research skills of the Mitchells but I do have the advantage of numerous witnesses to the changes in the period I am covering. I believe that as someone who has known the village during that period your thoughts and observations combined with others with similar and different view points would help me to produce a rounded narrative to accompany the pictorial records of that time. I have listed below some headings which may stimulate particular memories for you but please do not feel that these are exclusive.

Transport

Shopping

Restaurants

Take Aways

Public Buildings

Religious Buildings

Housing Developments

Education/School Buildings

Gatley Hill House

Conservation Issues

Green Space

Local Characters

Community Events

Library Provision

Provision for Minority Groups

Youth Organisations

Local/National Government Boundaries

I would be grateful for your views or memories on any or all of the above as they have affected Gatley. I cannot guarantee to include all items submitted but those used will be acknowledged.

I hope to begin collating the material supplied towards the end of February 2010.

Martin Davey

Please let me have your input by mail or email to;

4 Mount Grove, Gatley, CHEADLE, SK8 4HR Or m_g_davey@hotmail.com

Stockport County fans packed the (not enormous but normally still half-empty) public gallery for last night’s Full Council meeting.

As last time, I was tweeting from the meeting.  Here are all my tweets together in one place.

full council about to start. Cllr maureen walsh sitting with independents for 1st time.

I’m sitting right behind the executive - best behaviour, then.

Rabbi Chaim from Gatley’s Yeshurun synagogue opens with a prayer.

Mayor detailing smbc gritting efforts - members of gritting team in gallery.

Round of applause for council’s gritters - which they fully deserve.

Stockport county motion withdrawn, leader will address all points raised.

members declaring interests - all county season ticket holders coming forward.

Everyone with a bus pass now declaring an interest - almost the entire council.

stockport county interests turning into “I support county more than you” competition.

John abrams of liberal revolution blog joins us in the gallery - hi john!

Questions on stockport county, footpaths, childcare, education funding from public.

leader says sale sharks should become stockport sharks - scandalous that it doesn’t.

2 questions have been ruled out as illegitimate by legal folks, questioner refuses to sit down.

Presentation on children & young people’s services. First a dvd to watch.

brilliant to see the positive ways young people getting involved.

3 young people shadowed our head of children’s services - 1 had been through care system.

Children are inspecting our services, more inspections planned.

“children in care council” - young people affecting what the council does.

Children involved in shaping children’s programmes in Stockport.

Executive from sk youth now presenting to whole council. Much braver than I ever was.

council needs to speak to young people & do more to tackle cyber-bullying.

Gatley sk youth rep: have more events @ skate park.

Leader offers sk youth a regular slot in Review - great idea.

cllr foster-grime wants more young people to stand as councillors - yes!

cllr ben alexander suggests sk youth coming to local area committees - another good idea.

brilliant stuff from sk youth - thanks to all involved.

Cllr meikle telling us all the hard work greater manchester people doing in Haiti.

we were hoping to get docklands cast-off trains but even those are delayed. NW stuck with ancient diesel.

cllr porgess defending grtr man police performance in face of lab attacks.

leader rises to speak about Stockport County.

Leader: there is a way out for Stockport County & it’s a critical part of our community.

Council supports County £50k a year for last six years.

Leader revealing huge support: more time spent helping County than on own half billion pound budget.

sale sharks own edgeley park, their mortgage is higher than the value of the ground.

When you buy a stockport county match programme, every penny goes to sale sharks.

Meeting in Preston next thurs with football league - hopefully to get county out of administration.

Leader: Council does not have money to buy County - it’s not an option. Melrose bid passing all the tests.

meeting suspended whilst shouty member of the public is ejected after repeated warnings. 15 min break.

And we’re back…Leader:council offered facilities to County e.g. Gym, pool facilities.

Lab cllr scott: County is very important to the town, need to shout about it. Lot’s of benefits.

Con cllr les jones: stockport county gets us name recognition across the country.

All parties supportive of action the Council’s been taking on Stockport County.

Leader: money raised selling pixels of County ground has vanished - no one seems to know where it is

Leader: need to get County out of administration, then build trust & move the club forwards.

Cllr Dave White: £50m for improving stations not from Govt, part of next rail franchise deal.

Council has 330 tonnes rock salt avail, pressing for more deliveries.

Cllr white: thanks to stagecoach & other operators keeping buses running during freeze.

Cllr Bagnall (con) congratulates stockport on good gritting - better than Manchester.

questions to cllr dave white constructive, except Mick Jones’ point scoring against me. Nice try, Mick.

Cllr White: Cheadle railway station raised with ministers and elsewhere many times.

sen transport budget has been overspent this year, no cuts. Review to provide service within budget.

Cllr weldon: falling pupil nos mean £6m less for secondary schools; we’re talking to schools.

cllr bodsworth: properties with no green bins to get 21L caddies for weekly food waste collection.

Motion on police funding from cllr foster-grime: manchester suffers from unfair poor funding.

Cllr foster-grime: we want level playing field on police - if it’s good enough for London…

3 hours in and my tweeting enthusiasm slightly waning.

Lab line on police is there’s enough money from Govt: management is the problem.

Cllr Derbyshire: Stockport has excellent record on partnership working to to tackle crime.

Down to 3 in public gallery. Pauline Banham, John Abrams + 1 - I salute you.

3 hrs 15 mins in - I may get to vote on something soon.

Tories supporting motion calling for more police funding, doesn’t know if a Tory gov would deliver.

lab attack motion on police funding. Apparently, we should just let the issue drop.

Lab cllrs disagreeing with each other over whether gmp police is doing a good job.

Cllr Bailey (Lab) thinks we should give up asking for a fair deal for Greater Manchester police.

Cllr Porgess (ld): why is Surrey gaining more funding at Manchester’s expense?

Cllr porgess (ld): g man police to lose 100 officers to balance budget.

Cllr Weldon attacking Labour cllrs for dodging the issue on police funding.

I don’t think Cllr Bodsworth meant to say Cllr Bailey was “right on the game”. (It was corrected).

yay - 3 hrs 45 mins and I’ve cast my first vote of the night. ld & con for, lab against.

guillotine at 10pm focusing minds. Motions on gritting & wooton bassett soldiers agreed by all.

Lab motion on concessionary travel - last motion of the night.

Ld amendment concerned that age for free travel to be raised by lab gov from 60 to 65.

Lab: all benefits moving to 65, concessionary travel should be no different.

very detailed discussion on semantics of sub-clause of previous clause of consessionary travel motion.

ld & con for amendment & motion as amended. Lab agin amendment, abstain on final vote. Passed.

And we’re done - woohoo. Home to the family.

Councillor Colin MacAlister, the Mayor of Stockport, has joined the Liberal Democrat Group on Stockport Council.

Having begun his mayoral term of office as a Labour councillor, Colin first became Independent and has now joined the ruling Lib Dem group.

Colin’s move comes hot on the heels of Cllr Maureen Walsh leaving the Conservatives to sit as an Independent.  Maureen was the Deputy Leader of the Conservative group.

Labour remain the second largest group on Stockport Council, with the Conservatives being third (the Independent Ratepayers Association also hold three seats).

Margaret Newton and Rosie Deverell from FLAG will be holding a drop-in information session on Wed 10th Feb from 2-4pm at Cafe Unity in Heald Green.

FLAG is a free independent service that puts people who need practical or emotional help, due to disability or illness or age, in touch with those local organisations who provide it.

FLAG is your link to the health and social care services provided by a consortium of independent voluntary organisations in the area, as well as the services provided by Stockport Council.

Whatever your problem, issue or need, talk to FLAG first. If help is available, FLAG will make sure you find it. The service is informed, independent and confidential.

For more information, email info@stockportflag.org.uk, telephone 0161 474 1042 or drop into Cafe Unity in Heald Green, 2-4pm on 10th Feb.