Christmas - Champion Newspapers

The Champion • Wednesday 28 November 2012
‘Bully boy tactics’ slammed
From Page 1
Leader Councillor Geoff Driver
called some of the Education
Secretary’s claims “incredulous”.
Cllr Driver responded: “Of course,
I understand your frustrations that
relatively few schools in Lancashire
are seeking academy status but you
should ask yourself why that is so.
You flatter me if you think it is
simply because I and the county
council’s officers do not constantly
press schools to become academies.
The fact of the matter is it is for no
other reason than they do not share
your view that seeking academy
status would necessarily improve
the education attainment of our
children in every school.
I note your wish for more
cooperation between the county
DIY store could
become a pub
ONE of Britain’s biggest bar chains is brewing
up plans to open a new pub in Ormskirk, it has
been revealed this week.
JD Wetherspoon has submitted proposals to
the borough council’s planning department to
open a new pub at the Best For DIY store, on
Wheatsheaf Walk.
The firm said in a design and access statement
submitted to the borough council: “At present,
Ormskirk Town Centre functions as the
primary retail centre for West Lancashire
although, hierarchically, Skelmersdale is the
highest order centre and it will be greatly
enhanced once the town centre strategic
development site has been developed.
“The development of a Public House within
the town centre will enhance trade and
increase employment.”
It is planned that the DIY store will be turned
into a two–storey pub, with modifications to
the first floor to create a beer garden for
customers, and the firm added that it believed
the development and the investment into the
area would “greatly enhance” the area.
Wharf is set to light
up for Christmas
BURSCOUGH residents are being invited to
get into the festive spirit this Friday
(November 30) when the Wharf’s Christmas
lights are switched on.
The mayor and mayoress will pay a visit to
the shopping and leisure complex to flick on
the lights as part of a series of special events
taking place there that evening. At 7.15pm
the lights will be turned on by Councillor
Paul Greenall and his wife Louise, the
borough’s mayor and mayoress.
The site will also host festively themed
events every Saturday and Sunday in the
run–up to Christmas, in a further bid to
bring the Yuletide feeling to Burscough.
For more information about the Christmas
events at the Burscough Wharf, call Ray
Eckersley on 01695 576844.
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Also Cartier, Audemars, Patek Phillippe, Breitling, etc
council’s officers and your officials,
but sadly, that is not going to
happen unless your officials adopt a
far more more concillatory and
constructive approach and become
far less confrontational. I am
singularly unimpressed by these
bully boy tactics and I would be
really interested to know what you
think you have achieved by this
latest action and how you think it
will improve the education and life
chances of Lancashire’s children
and young people.”
Rosie Cooper, West Lancashire’s
MP, said she had seen for herself the
hard work going on at the borough’s
schools, and accused the Education
Secretary of behaving “like a bully”
in his efforts to persuade more of
them to become academies.
1114434
PLANS have been submitted to
transform an 150–year–old
water tower in the heart of
Ormskirk into apartments.
Proposals submitted to the
borough council’s planning
department envisage turning the
water tower, on Pinfold Road,
into residential accomodation,
with the building retaining its
unusual appearance on the
outside but being used to contain
two apartments.
A design and access statement
submitted by the applicants, CJ
Developments, said: “The water
tower is not a listed building nor
is it located in an area designated
of any special environmental or
historical importance or
significance. Nevertheless it is
accepted that the tower is of
architectural merit and the
approach taken to the proposed
changes is consistent with those
often adopted when converting
listed buildings.
“It is considered that the
proposed amendments will
enhance and preserve the
character of the water tower. The
design of the scheme and the
rationalisation of the internal
accommodation would provide a
sustainable use of the site that
will not compromise the integrity
of the water tower or the design
concept of the nearby Persimmon
residential development.”
W
“It seems as if Michael Gove
believes that if he keeps telling
people Lancashire schools are
failing often enough and long
enough then everyone will believe
him. Sadly, I believe his comments
reflect his ideological view on
education rather than what is in the
best interests of our school
children.
“When Conservative–controlled
Lancashire County Council are
attacking a Conservative Education
Secretary you have to wonder what
is going on.”
• What do you think? Share your
thoughts by sending an email to
david.simister@champnews.com or
call 01704 392404.
Plan to turn
water tower
into flats
by David Simister
The water tower
Permission to turn the water
tower into a residential building
was originally granted back in
2005 as part of a wider planning
application to create a large
housing development adjacent to
Ormskirk Hospital. Further
planning permission to turn the
water tower into a residential
building was granted by the
borough council in 2009.
The building was originally
constructed in 1860 to provide
drinking water for the Ormskirk
Poor Law Workhouse, which
became Ormskirk Hospital in the
1950s.
The application will be
considered by planners later this
year.
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