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CHILDREN IN DANGER
3/7/03: Hilton Dawson has written to Lancashire Police, Lancashire County Council and Lancaster City Council to say that he regards the current situation for children crossing Barton Road, Lancaster to attend school as "completely unacceptable".
"Last week I witnessed children running across a dangerous road to avoid traffic," says Mr Dawson, "and I saw responsible motorists using their own initiative to stop and allow children to cross."
"While we clearly need a long term strategy to address road safety and integrated traffic management issues it is vital that something is done now to enable children to cross this road safely.
Barton Road currently does not have a lollipop person -- the County Council says it is looking to fill the post. But this explanation cuts no ice with lancaster's MP. "I cannot accept that within all the resources of the public sector there is no way of providing a responsible, reasonable adult to act as a temporary crossing patrol," adds Dawson. "Frankly, I am less than interested in having yet another polite public servant tell me why it's so difficult to provide a minimal service which could prevent a child being seriously injured or killed.
"My constituents and I are fully entitled to expect you to resolve this problem now.'
Hilton Dawson's proposal for an immediate, short term solution would be to deploy some of the new Community Support Officers.

JOB LOSSES ROCK DISTRICT
2/7/02: The Lancaster district has been hit by announcements of major job losses this week. The latest blow is news that the Lansil Industrial Estate-based Acordis Cellulosic Polymers will close by September. 124 people will lose their jobs.
The company says the closure is due to significant and heavy losses in the face of aggressive overseas competition, and the falling demand for photo-film as digital technology takes over.
Lancaster City Council says it will be working with the company, the Job Centre and North West Development agency to ensure the workers are given every assistance to access alternative employment and training.
" This is another blow to manufacturing in the District, following closely on the heels of the unfortunate news about Imperial Home Décor, " commented Council Leader Ian Barker. "I know from personal knowledge that the local management have tried very hard to keep operations going in Lancaster, and the Council will offer every assistance it can to the company and its employees. We will also be redoubling our efforts to bring forward new projects to provide land and premises for expanding companies who can offer alternative employment."
" The loss of 124 jobs in an important manufacturing industry in Lancaster is a terrible blow for all those people and their families," agrees Hilton Dawson MP, "and a very serious setback for the City coming so hard on the news of the receivership at Imperial Home Décor Group.
"The first priority is to make absolutely sure that there is no possibility of rescuing any part of the existing business and then, if necessary, to support every effort to help the employees find alternative work."
While the news is a blow to the workers, local environmentalists will welcome the closure. One pressure group, Chemical Reaction, has been campaigning for the factory's closure for a number of years after Friends of the Earth published a list of the top ten factories releasing cancer-causing chemicals in the UK in 1999. The Acorids plant was listed in the Top Ten worst polluters in the UK. The plant also features in its "Factory Watch" of plants releasing environmentally chemicals.
Receivers have also been called in by the Imperial Home Decorating Group, which has its headquarters in Darwen, and a manufacturing base at White Lund, Morecambe. The firm is a major local employer in the manufacturing sector and provides a significant number of jobs for the area. 22 workers have already lost their jobs locally and 350 people are fearing for their futures.
US-based IHDG is one of the world's biggest wallpaper manufacturers. Receivers Ernst and Young have announced 177 redundancies at a similar plant in Darwen near Blackburn and 13 at a distribution centre in East Manchester. The company is suffering from financial problems due to falling demand for wallcoverings.
A spokesman for the receivers told The Morecambe Visitor that the business would continue to operate while it tries to sell the Morecambe and Darwen sites and prevent further job losses.
The Council has arranged a meeting with North West Development Agency and the Job Centre to see what packages of support and assistance can be put together to protect the jobs that could be lost if IHDG closes.
"It's worrying that one of our leading manufacturing companies has had to call the receivers in but it is early days and the firm has not closed yet," said Coun Abbott Bryning, Cabinet member with responsibility for regeneration. "I am sure we will do all that is possible to assist the receivers in protecting the company and the jobs that it supports."
Lancaster was once a major producer of wallcoverings and similar products but almost every company has now closed and plants such as Heatons are being demolished.
"This is a bad time for manufacturing in general," says Hilton Dawson, "but Lancaster's manufacturing industry was decimated long ago and we are now in a very weak position with regard to large scale manufacturing employers. There are many reasons for this, but it would seem that in this case that new technology has overtaken some of Accordis' key product.
"More than ever we need the industrial spin offs from the development of InfoLab and LEC at Lancaster University. More and more, Lancaster's future lies with small scale hi tech industry developing innovative products. "I'll be discussing whether there is any prospect of saving any part of Accordis over the next few days."


SUMMER 'SCALLY SPECIAL!
2/7/03 The latest issue of local indy 'zine Rapscallion is out now -- free from various outlets around town including the Dukes. Included among its many features on the rampant development around the area -- Lancaster is the fastest growing town in the North West -- a Scratch Perverts interview, and a brilliant skit on a certain local free paper. The magazine also includes an events listing for the month produced in association with Virtual-Lancaster (even if we don't get a credit this month, snort).
• Contact the magazine via:

OVERTON WARD BY-ELECTION
2/7/03: There will be a by-election for a City Councillor in the Overton Ward of Lancaster City Council on 7 August 2003. Read More...

GM FOOD -- ISSUES AIRED
2/7/03: The first in the series of three 'GM Nation?' debates in the local area took place yesterday at the university campus. 28 people attended a debate that aired many issues about Genetically Modified foods and a variety of views were presented, discussed and queried. The next events are on Monday 7 July at the West End Community Centre, Westminster Road, Morecambe 7.00pm and Monday 14 July at Lancaster Town Hall, 7.30pm.
• If you have a strong view about whether GM should be grown in Lancashire, it would be a good idea to fill in this quick on-line consultation courtesy of Lancashire County Council:
www.lancashire.gov.uk/corporate/consultation/gm

MP ACTS ON PROPOSED POST OFFICE CLOSURES 1/7/03: Hilton Dawson has invited the Post Office to public meetings in both Lancaster and Poulton to discuss the latest proposed closure of post offices in Scotforth and the Marsh (see last week's story).
"These are important community resources," feels Mr Dawson, "but they are not viable if people do not use them. Post offices closing on this scale will cause acute hardship to older people and those living on very limited means so it is essential that we do all we can to preserve what we can."

• Residents can object to the proposed closures by writing to: Eddie Herbert, National Consultation Team, PO Box 641, St Albans, AL1 5XN.
• Read the Greatcoat comment on the closures first published in March: Go

SPICE UP THE HOLIDAYS!
1/7/03: Lancaster City Council is promising to spice up the summer holidays for young people by running its popular summer playschemes at venues throughout Lancaster, Morecambe and the surrounding villages.
The popular summer playschemes, which are open to eight -11-year-olds, are all about social, physical, intellectual, creative and emotional forms of play! For Lancaster City Council, this free and invaluable service is not just about "keeping the kids off the streets" but is also about offering safe, accessible and affordable play opportunities, which are neighbourhood based, stimulating and fun for local children.
More than 900 children are expected to enjoy for this year's playschemes which will run between 22 July and 15 August.
"Registrations are already rolling in for the playschemes," revealed Bernice Dalton, Community Leisure Manager, "and we're looking forward to an action-packed summer. The children will have the opportunity to meet up with friends old and new. They will take part in a wide variety of games, sports, arts and crafts. We will also be organising trips to popular local attractions and generally having lots of fun!"
"We are very grateful for donations to the playschemes received from Soroptimist International of Lancaster, Rotary Club of Morecambe and Heysham and Lancaster and Morecambe Lions Club."
Cabinet member with responsibility for leisure Coun Ron Sands said:
"The playschemes are an excellent free service. The Council does not make a charge for the playschemes because we want them to be accessible for everyone. Not only do the children have fun but parents can relax in the knowledge their children are being cared for by trained staff."
This year's playschemes will be held at the following venues:

STATIC VENUES (8 - 11 years)
10.00am-12.30pm & 1.30-4.00pm
22nd July - 15th August
• Heysham High School, Heysham
• Heysham Youth & Community Centre, Heysham
• Morecambe Youth & Community Centre, Morecambe
Morecambe High School, Morecambe
• Loyne School, Lancaster
• Skerton St Lukes Primary school, Lancaster
• Barton Road Youth & Community Centre, Lancaster
• Willow Lane Primary School, Lancaster

MOBILE VENUES (8 - 11 years)
(Packed lunch required) 10.30am-3.30pm

Mobile One:
• Carnforth High School (22nd July - 8th August)
• Warton Village Hall (11th - 15th August)

Mobile Two:
• Thurnham Glasson Primary School (22nd July - 25th July)
• Ellel St John C of E School, Galgate (28th July - 1st August)
• Overton and District Memorial Hall (4th - 8th August)
• Hornby Institute Hall (11th - 15th August)

Mobile Three:
• Christ Church Primary School, Lancaster (22nd July - 1st August)
• Bolton-le-Sands Primary School, Bolton-le-Sands (4th August - 15th August)

• For further information and registration forms contact: Playscheme Office, Morecambe Town Hall, Marine Rd., Morecambe Tel:01524 582827

Last Week's News Items: Go