Police are warning the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious circumstances after a increased spate of thefts from cars in some parts of Salford.

It is believed that those responsible are possibly all males in a group of three, sometimes four who are suspected to be travelling around the area in a vehicle; however that is not to say that they may travel on foot.

Information suggests that those responsible are wearing dark clothing with hoods covering their heads and faces.

Police say that the local Neighbourhood Team will be patrolling the area in order to identify those responsible and provide reassurance to the local community.

In the meantime please can I ask that you consider some of the below crime prevention tactics.

- Keep keys and items of value in a safe place out of view from windows

- Keep your doors locked (house and motor vehicle)

- Lock your garden gates

- consider a crook lock for your motor vehicle 

- If you have cctv ensure that it is working correctly

- Consider a security light 

- If you are away for any period of time, notify a trusted neighbour or friend who can keep an eye on your property.

Remember: report any suspicious circumstances to the police giving descriptions where possible and vehicle registrations and direction of travel.

If you believe you know who is responsible for these crimes you can call the police direct on 101 or pass the information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where you can remain anonymous. In all cases of an emergency dial : 999.

Hugh is described as 5ft 5in tall, of medium build with short dark brown hair. It is believed he may be wearing a navy blue Ellesse bubble coat, blue jeans, a blue Fila jumper, dark Adidas trainers and a navy Lacoste bobble hat with grey stripe. 

Officers are becoming increasingly concerned for Hugh and want to make sure he is safe and well. 

Anyone with information about Hugh’s whereabouts is asked to contact police on 0161 856 4585. 

A court warrant has been issued for Connor Wilding’s (29/03/1995) arrest after he was convicted in his absence of affray and possessing an offensive weapon. 

It followed a brawl in Manchester City Centre on 23 August 2017. 

All efforts have been made to trace him but officers have been unable to find him so far. 

Wilding is known to have links to Salford, Manchester and Spain. 

Anybody with information about the whereabouts of Wilding is asked to contact police on 0161 856 6515 or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. 

One of the properties recovered during the clampdown is now being used for the ‘A Bed Every Night’ project, which commits to providing a roof over the head of roughsleepers in Greater Manchester.

Salix Homes officers discovered that the one-bed flat in the Greengate area of Salford was being illegally sublet and was the subject of a fraudulent Right To Buy application, which had it been successful, would have meant the property was sold at a discount of more than £30,000 and been lost from the city’s social housing supply.

After officers uncovered the fraudulent activity, the tenancy was terminated, and the property was reallocated to support the homeless project, launched by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham last November.

A Bed for Every Night aims to provide roughsleepers in the region with access to a bed, hot meal, a shower and additional support if they want it, throughout the cold winter months.

Lee Sugden, chief executive at Salix Homes, said:

Quote

 

“Salix Homes takes tenancy fraud extremely seriously, as for every home that is misused or obtained by deception; it means one less home available for people in genuine housing need.

“Thanks to the success of our recent crackdown and the recovery of this particular property, not only have we saved a social housing property that would have been lost forever, we’ve also ensured that the property in question is now being used to make a difference to the lives of roughsleepers in Greater Manchester.

“As a not-for-profit organisation, it is not right that some unscrupulous individuals are profiting from the homes that we let, and this particular case is a perfect example of why it’s so important that people are aware of the signs of tenancy fraud and report any suspicious activity in their communities.”

 

It’s estimated that tenancy fraud costs the public purse around £900 million every year, with around 100,000 housing association homes across the country affected by some sort of tenancy fraud.

Tenancy fraud can take many forms, from illegal subletting and not using it as your main home, to obtaining a property by deception or the fraudulent purchase of a social housing property through the misuse of the Right to Buy scheme.

During Salix Homes’ week-long clampdown, a team of officers targeted almost 200 properties carrying out spot-checks and tenancy audits looking for signs of fraudulent activity.

Twelve cases of suspected tenancy fraud were reported, several of which are currently under investigation.

Signs of tenancy fraud can include large numbers of people residing at a property, properties that stand empty for long periods, and tenants that are difficult to contact.

If you suspect an incident of tenancy fraud call 0800 218 2000 or emailtenancyfraud@salixhomes.org

At around 9.25am on Monday 28 January 2019 police were called to reports that a 16-year-old girl was missing from her home in Prestwich, Bury.

Shortly before 9.45am police received a second call saying that the girl had sadly been found dead in a derelict building near to Brookside Drive in Kersal.

A  41-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder, however he has now been released and there will be no further action taken.

A file will now be passed on to the Coroner.

Mark Fellows (5/9/1980), of no fixed address, has today, Thursday 17 January 2019, been sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court to life imprisonment after being found guilty of the murders of Paul Massey and John Kinsella.

He has been given a whole life sentence, which means he will never be considered for release. There are only around 70 people in the UK currently serving whole life sentences, which reflects the severity of Fellows' crime.

His associate, Steven Boyle (18/12/1982), of Sandiway, Heywood, was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum of 33 years after being found guilty of the murder of John Kinsella.

On 26 July 2015, 55-year-old Paul Massey pulled up outside his home on Manchester Road in Clifton after visiting a local off-licence.

As he got out of his car, he was approached by Fellows who was dressed in camouflage clothing and carrying a sub-machine gun. Fellows opened fire and shot Paul Massey five times, with one of the bullets penetrating his heart.

He managed to call 999 as he lay injured on his driveway before he died a short time later.

A murder investigation was subsequently launched with officers from GMP’s Major Incident Team tasked with finding the gunman.

The investigation was built largely around telephony, CCTV and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR).

The investigation team trawled through thousands of hours of data and took countless witness statements in an effort to identify and bring those responsible to justice.

Following the fatal shooting of 53-year-old John Kinsella in St Helens on 5 May 2018, detectives investigating Paul Massey’s murder contacted Merseyside Police to share information.

In the weeks that followed, a number of joint enquiries were carried out between the two forces and, as a result, Fellows was arrested in May 2018 on board an inbound flight at Manchester Airport. Boyle – who is believed to have known that police were looking for him - was arrested two days later at a hotel in Bolton.

Merseyside Police’s investigation confirmed that the pair had acted as gunman and spotter in the murder of John Kinsella, with Fellows being the one firing the fatal shots.

A subsequent search of Fellows’ address found a Garmin GPS watch which could be used to track and time routes. Analysis of this watch found that he had completed a dummy run to Paul Massey’s address months before the murder.

The route he had taken on the practice run was identical to the escape route used by the gunman immediately after the murder.

Detective Chief Inspector Carl Jones, of GMP’s Major Incident Team, said:

Quote

 

“This was a brutal assassination carried out by a callous gunman, who was part of a local organised crime group.

“It took place in broad daylight as residents were going about their daily business, which I think shows the brazen disregard Mark Fellows had for the safety of others.

“No matter what may have happened in his past, Paul Massey was a father and a grandfather who was callously murdered on his own doorstep, which is a fate that nobody deserves.

“His death left his family absolutely devastated and they continue to feel their loss to this day.

“Our enquiries revealed a meticulous plan put together in the preparation and execution of the murder.

“Fellows was an active member of a Salford organised crime group, who relied on their perceived notoriety causing law abiding members of the public to become reluctant in assisting police.

“In my experience, investigating crimes involving organised crime groups poses many obstacles. As a result, the knock on effect often leads to such investigations becoming lengthy and, subsequently, the communities we serve losing confidence in the police’s ability to tackle such criminality.

“I hope this investigation goes some way in reassuring our communities and clearly demonstrates our determination to identify and convict those involved in organised crime, no matter how much time passes.”

 

Shortly after 23.15pm yesterday (Wednesday 16 January 2019), police were called to reports that a woman had been stabbed at a property on Moss Lane. 

Emergency services attended and sadly found the body of a woman believed to be in her 40s. 

A Home Office Post Mortem is due to take place later today (Thursday 17 January 2019). 

A scene remains in place at the property while forensic investigations are carried out. 

Moss Lane is closed from the junction of Borsden Street and Grange Avenue. 

A 47-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody for questioning. 

Detective Chief Inspector Jamie Daniels, of GMP’s Major Incident Team, said:

Quote

“We have a dedicated team working to piece together the circumstances in which a woman has tragically lost her life and our thoughts remain with her family at this unimaginably difficult time. 

“Our investigation is in its early stages but I would appeal to anyone with information, no matter how big or small they think it may be, to please get in touch with police at the earliest opportunity. 

“We are treating this as an isolated incident and while we have one man in custody, I’d like to stress that enquiries are very much ongoing and even the smallest piece of information could prove vital to our investigation.” 

Anyone with information should contact police on 0161 856 9171 quoting reference number 2308 of 16/01/19 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. 

Mark Fellows (38) formally of Salford (now Warrington) has been found guilty of the cold blooded killing of father of five Paul Massey outside his home in Clifton in July 2015.

After a hearing which lasted 26 days, a jury reached a verdict of guilty for the killing of Mr Massey, they also found him guilty of murdering Paul's friend John Kinsella some 3 years later as he and his partner took a walk along a path close to the M62 in Rainhill, Merseyside. 

Massey was famously gunned down in a hail of bullets outside his home in Clifton, he managed to alert the emergency services but sadly before they could get there he had already died at the scene.

Both of the men were also accused of attempted murder of Kinsella's partner but the jury found them both not guilty.

Sentencing is to take place tomorrow in Liverpool Crown Court, it is expected they will both receive life sentences, it is unclear how much time they will have to spend behind bars.

It is all part of the national pay agreement, which introduces a new national pay spine in April 2019. A deal has been reached with the trade unions on transition with a collective agreement signed by all parties on Wednesday 12 December.

It will see those on starting salaries of just over £19,000 receive a two per cent increase, in addition to any progression through the pay structure – with those on lower wages receiving a higher increase.  Building on the council’s commitment to ensure that the lowest paid earn a fair living wage as an accredited Foundation Living Wage employer.

Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett praised the close working relationships of all involved and said:

Quote

 

“As a testament to the positive employee relations in Salford we have been working closely behind the scenes with the trade unions to get this deal agreed quickly.

“As a Labour council, we are proud of our close working relationships with the trade unions and believe decent representation for our employees is essential for our organisation to serve the interests of the city.

“Our employees work tirelessly for the city, and have had to put up with years of budget cuts forcing them to work with less resources, in totally new ways and under a lot more pressure. It is only right and proper that we work closely with the Union to ensure their voices are heard, and they are supported as much as possible."

 

Councillor John Ferguson, Lead Member for Workforce and Industrial Relations at Salford City Council, said:

Quote

“This agreement has been reached as a result of joint working between the council and the trade unions with thanks to them and the officers involved for all their work to go through incredibly smoothly. We are here to support local people in Salford and make sure they have the best possible pay and conditions possible.”

Steve North, Salford City UNISON & Staff Side Joint Secretary said:

Quote

 “This agreement ensures that all Salford City Council workers will receive at least a 2% increase in April 19, with most achieving more and some of the lowest paid receiving over 7%. The pace at which we have been able to secure this is a testament to the commitment shown by UNISON, UNITE and GMB and our partners at Salford City Council – officers and elected members – to working together to strengthen the pay of council workers.”

At around 10.40pm on Monday 14 January 2019 police were called by the ambulance service to a property on Bolbury Crescent in Swinton.

The body of a woman believed to be in her 40's was found in a car outside the address.

A 44-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of murder has been released with no further action following the Home Office Post Mortem examination. This has since proved there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the woman’s death.

Detective Inspector Chris Mannion, of GMP’s Salford borough, said:

Quote

“Dedicated officers have followed extensive lines of enquiry following the death of this woman but we are no longer treating this as a murder investigation.

“Our thoughts remain with the woman’s family at what is an incredibly sad time.” 

Anyone with information should contact police on 0161 856 5470 quoting reference number 2205 of 14/01/19 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

We will update this article as we find out more.

Main Picture: Google Earth

A HGV Driver for Salford City Council’s Refuse and Recycling service has been nominated for the “Public Servant of the Year” award at this years (2019) Spirit of Salford awards and quite rightly so.

This recent Christmas, Sam organised for himself and his colleagues to pick up toys and gifts from homes around Salford and to distribute them to the poorest children in the city.

The move was a stroke of genius and the response from the public was overwhelming as thousands of toys were collected and distributed via a network of Salford charities.

None of it would have been possible without Sam coming up with the idea, as well as the compassion and determination to drive it through.

Sam wanted to make sure that every child in Salford could enjoy Christmas and to let people know that sometimes you can get help, even without having to ask for it.

And what a difference it made.

Salford is one of the hardest hit Cities in the whole country when it comes to the huge problems with child poverty, the actions of Sam and his Salford Santa's brought a little bit of cheer and a smile to many a child's face this year.

Click here to vote for Sam. 

Voting closes on 1st March and winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony on 14th March.

Both Salford council and a local residents group (RAID) have been locking horns with Peel since 2013 over its controversial application to create 600 dwellings along with marina upon a plot of land between Monton Green and Worsley Road.

The initial plans were refused by Salford council but that did not stop Peel from appealing the panels decision, however, after a six week public enquiry in 2014 the original decision was upheld by the Secretary of State in March 2015.

Peel then submitted a high court challenge but before that could be heard a separate high court panel ruled that a technical element of the inspectors report was wrong and that the March 2015 decision by then Secretary of State Eric Pickles be quashed. 

The government said a new inquiry would have to be opened to consider all the evidence once again.

Meanwhile, Peel applied for planning permission to build 165 homes on a smaller part of Broadoak which was refused by the council’s planning panel in July 2017.

After yet another lengthy and costly enquiry, last month Secretary of State James Brokenshire backed both Salford Council and the campaigners by ruling that both appeals should be dismissed and the original outcomes be upheld.

Peel were given a 6 week window to challenge the decision and we are told have today formally submitted papers requesting a judicial review based on the question of whether Mr Brokenshire properly interpreted national policy in respect of housing and sustainable development.

In a statement issued today, a spokesperson for Peel said:

Quote

“Peel Investments (North) Limited will bring a claim for a statutory review of the decision by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities & Local Government to dismiss two appeals for new homes at Broadoak in Salford, Greater Manchester.

“The central question will be whether the Secretary of State correctly interpreted national policy, particularly in respect of housing and the presumption in favour of sustainable development. It is Peel’s contention that the Secretary of State’s errors render the decision unlawful and should be quashed.

“In our view, the decision brushed aside the genuine needs of families and people on affordable housing waiting lists. These are needs that are not going to be met in any other way. It cannot be right that Salford’s housing supply is only about numbers and that it doesn’t matter what gets built where or for whom.

“In those circumstances, where there is no alternative to meeting the real needs of people, national policy and housing needs must prevail over local policies that seek to restrict development. We think the Government has failed to correctly apply its own National Planning Policy Framework in this case.”

Shortly after the decision last month Councillor Derek Antrobus, Lead Member for Planning and Sustainable Development at Salford City Council, said: 

Quote

“This is the second time the Secretary of State has supported the Council’s policy to protect our valuable green space.  The Greenway policy has been in force for years and is designed to keep a vital green lung between Monton and Worsley.

“Local residents from both areas have supported our stand on this and did a fantastic job in putting the case to Government.

“This land is not the right place for development and thanks to our long-standing policies we have protected it for generations to come. Our draft Local Plan policies will aim to further strengthen protection of this land.

“Salford is committed to maximising development on brownfield land and there are plenty of other sites which fit that bill where Peel can build much needed family homes.

“I would encourage them to concentrate on those areas. I sincerely hope they will not waste taxpayers’ money by challenging this decision and making the council fight them again in court. ”

Salford is in the middle of a housing boom at present and many residents are highly critical of the lack of affordable social housing being built by developers in the city, earlier this week it was revealed that proposals are being drawn up to bring a 'Congestion Charge' style scheme into areas of Greater Manchester to improve declining air quality, Salford is among the most highly affected areas in the county and so campaigners argue that building these houses on what is essentially part of the green lungs of the city would only impact the local environment further.

Something that two secretaries of state now seem to fully agree on.

Regardless it now looks like the battle for Broadoak is to rumble on into 2019 with Peel seemingly unwilling to take NO for an answer.

Read the Salford Star article here and support local media: http://www.salfordstar.com/article.asp?id=4871

The big hearted crews asked householders to donate gifts for local children who might otherwise miss out on Christmas – and were blown away by the amazing response.

Over five thousand presents – from selection boxes, toys, teddies and toiletries to games, books and clothes for all ages were donated and it is estimated they have a value of over £25,000.

Salford City Council staff sorted the toys into age categories and filled more than 125 large bags with gifts which were then shared directly with families being supported by social and support workers and local charities.

Unison convener Sam Barry, who came up with the idea, said he was delighted and humbled by people’s generous response.

Quote

 

“Salford people are known for their kindness and they have done their city proud with their response to our appeal,” he said.

“I couldn’t bear the thought of children waking up on Christmas Day and not having a present to open and thanks to the people of Salford that’s not going to happen.”

 

City Mayor Paul Dennett added:

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“I walked into the Civic Centre and it was like walking into Santa’s toy factory – there were gifts and bags and volunteers everywhere busy sorting them out ready for delivery.

“It has been truly fabulous and I can’t thank everyone involved enough for their kindness. This shows the true spirit of Salford and makes me very, very proud of our wonderful city.”

 

The Veterans Garage which operates out of grade 2 listed buildings at City Airport (Barton) was targeted by thieves who it would appear gained entry via a broken window in the early hours of this morning (Weds 19th Dec).

The much loved social hub created by ex service family members has become a welcome addition to the site at Barton and so the news of this break in has come as a shock to the local community. 

The interior of the building has been totally ransacked, takings have been stolen from the till which was donated by GS Systems and damaged itself by the thieves.

Additionally money has been stolen from the donations buckets and raffle tickets, one of which was being collected for the Macmillan Cancer Support charity. In short the place has been looted and the hard work of those involved destroyed by the lowest form of scumbag there is.

As a result the VG will now be closed until the damage is repaired and the devastation left behind is cleaned up.

Comments left on the VG Facebook page were scathing in response to the news.

One member said:

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I cannot believe it! Who the hell would do such a thing, people utterly disgust me :'( I hope they get found asap, these people are what's wrong with the world!

Another replying:

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How low is this stealing from a good charity that helps and benefits the needy in our society . absolute low life whoever did this

Offers of support have flooded in with GS Systems offering once more to help out with a replacement or repair of the till.

Others in the group have urged the VG to set up a JustGiving fund page whilst some have offered to help clean up the mess.

To steal from a local charity is bad enough, to steal from one that brings huge benefits to the community and has such a positive impact on the lives of those it serves is just damn right disgusting. You really can't get any lower.

If you have any information that could help identify these disgusting individuals then PLEASE come forward and speak to either the VG on 01614654706 or the police on 101.

If you can help the VG in anyway please call over to their Facebook page and get in touch with them, I am sure any help or assistance would be more than welcomed.

https://www.facebook.com/veteransgaragemcr/

Colleagues at the Salford housing association have collected a mountain of toys and gifts for children and their families experiencing hardship over the festive period.

They may be families fleeing domestic violence, threatened with homelessness or experiencing extreme poverty and might otherwise wake up to nothing on Christmas morning.

Staff have collected enough toys and gifts to donate to dozens of families in Salford and Trafford, which are being distributed by the council’s Supported Tenancies Service.

The gift appeal was boosted thanks to Salix Homes’ finance support officer Janet Browne, who bakes cakes every week for colleagues in exchange for a small donation to her charity tin. Janet used the proceeds collected throughout the year to buy hundreds of pounds worth of gifts for the appeal.

Lee Sugden, chief executive at Salix Homes, said:

Quote

 

“We know there are lots of families living in poverty in Salford who face hardships every day of the year, but Christmas is a particularly difficult time and we don’t want any child to wake up to nothing on Christmas morning.

“As an organisation, we are proud to help make a difference to the lives of families in crisis and we hope our donation will go some way to show them we are thinking of them at this time of year and bring a smile to children’s faces.

“The spirit of generosity evident amongst our staff has been really overwhelming, and we look forward to continuing our regular fundraising efforts next year.”

 

Officers are urging people to come forward with information after a man was forcibly taken from near to his home in Fallowfield last night.

At around 10pm last night (Tuesday 18 December 2018) police were called to Elsmore Road to reports that a man had been forced into a car.

An eyewitness reported that four masked men in a light-coloured vehicle – believed to be a Volkswagen Golf – had approached a man, who had been stood alone on the street, and forced him into the car before driving off.

A short time later, on Maine Road in Moss Side, enquiries have revealed that the victim was removed from the first car, seriously assaulted in the street and then forced into a second car – described as witnesses as being a Volkswagen Golf or Volkswagen Passat.  

At 12.30am this morning (Wednesday 19 December), a man in his 30's was discovered with serious injuries on Fitzwarren Street in Pendleton. He was taken to hospital where he remains for treatment.

Anyone with information is urged to come forward.

Police Superintendent Dave Pester of GMP’s City of Manchester Division, said:

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“While this set of circumstances is extremely alarming, our team of specialist detectives have been working round the clock since last night to progress our investigation to understand who is responsible and why the victim was subjected to such an ordeal.

“This was not a random attack. This was well thought out and planned with a clear intent to harm this man.

“Due to the nature of the offence, you may see some officers in the areas mentioned as we gather as much evidence as we possibly can but I need to stress, this is not because we believe there is any wider threat.

“The man is where he needs to be in hospital and we are confident there are no other people at harm but whatever you saw last night, whatever you’ve heard today, it may be crucial in us finding the frankly cruel and vicious people responsible so please, get in touch.”

 

Anyone with information should contact police on 0161 856 4995 quoting reference number 2167 of 18/12/18 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.  

The Salford Open exhibition ran from July to November in the North and Bluestairs Galleries. Over 150 artworks were selected for display from nearly 60 artists living or working in Salford. Visitors to the museum then voted for their favourite workof art in the Salford open people’s Choice Award.

The winner is Fat Frank by 36-year-old Bree Hughes from Eccles. Bree has stated that the inspiration behind piece was ‘being out in nature over the summer in the run up to Manchester Pride.’ Frank is a lilac-breasted rollerbird and was painted at Bree’s home using acrylic.

On winning the award, Bree said

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“I'm still absolutely stunned that I won the People's Choice Award in the first Salford  Open. I almost didn't enter at all and I did not think I would place, as this is the first time I have ever done something like this. The standard of everyone else's work submitted was so high so I was truly in shock to win. I'd like to thank everyone who encouraged me to take part and the people who liked my work and took the time to vote for me. I'll definitely be entering again in 2020. It's been brilliant to be part of and I urge anyone out there thinking about taking part, to just go for it!”

The runners up were:

All Creatures Great and Small by Beth Raynor, Trump by Matt Carroll 

and Stream, Heaton Park by Philip Westcott.

The Salford Open was part of the Royal Academy’s 250th year celebrations that has enabled three Salford museums to team up to put on special Royal Academy themed exhibitions during 2018 and 2019. The legacy of this project is that the Salford Open will run every other year with the next one in 2020.

Heritage manager at Salford Museum & Art Gallery, Ceri Horrocks, says:

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“We encourage anyone living or visiting Salford to come and see the wonderful exhibitions we have on. Investing in local artistic talent is very important to us here at Salford Museum & Art Gallery, after all, we have some huge names in art from the Salford area so we are always looking for the next big thing. We thank everyone for coming forward and submitting their work and look forward to running it again in 2020.”

Salford Museum and Art Gallery is located next to Peel Park on The crescent in Salford. For more information go to salfordcommunityleisure.co.uk/culture

As Salford City Council, Salford Community Leisure and the University work together to transform the Peel Park area through a strong cultural offering, Salford Museum and Art Gallery and the University Art Collection are developing new opportunities for artists and a programme of exhibitions for visitors.  

Acquired: a century of collecting is the second joint exhibition and looks at the history of collecting contemporary art in Salford over the last 100 years. 

Both institutions were established around 1850 to enhance the lives of local people and despite sharing the same location, both have evolved independently resulting in rich and diverse collections. Salford Museum and Art Gallery opened in 1850 and was one of the first public museums established by a British local authority.  Unlike similar institutions it did not inherit an existing collection but had to begin collecting from scratch.  The collection, which now contains over 2000 paintings, watercolours, drawing and prints, is predominately British Victorian art, donated mainly by local philanthropists and is on display in the Victorian Gallery.   

The University can also trace its roots back to 1850 and the formation of the Pendleton Mechanics Institute, but it did not start collecting art until the late 1960s. It now has around 700 items in the collection, mainly modern and contemporary art that underpins the ambitions of the School of Arts and Media.

Heritage manager for Salford Museum, Ceri Horrocks, said:

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“We are delighted to host this important exhibition for both Salford and the UK with our neighbour the University of Salford and we look forward to future collaborations.”

This exhibition displays ‘hidden gems’ by artists such as Vanessa Bell, Graham Sutherland and Jacob Epstein alongside new acquisitions by Jai Redman, Mandy Payne, Yang Yongliang and Shezad Dawood. Both organisations have long been committed to supporting local artists and to bringing the very best contemporary art to the people of Salford; this has been encouraged and endorsed locally and nationally through gifts, grants and donations from individuals and organisations such as the Art Fund and the Contemporary Art Society. 

Lindsay Taylor, Curator at University of Salford, said:

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“The history of the two collections is fascinating and this exhibition demonstrates the shifting ambitions and aspirations of both organisations. What is clear is that Salford has long understood the important role of contemporary art and the contribution of artists to society.”  

Acquired: a century of collecting runs until June 9th 2019 at Salford Museum and Art Gallery, The Crescent, Peel Park, Salford and is open Tuesday-Friday 9.30am-4.30pm and weekends 11.30am-4pm.

There are several exhibition tours taking place in 2019. The tours will take visitors on a journey through video, sculpture, painting and more with an exclusive insight beyond the surface. Tours take place on Tuesday 6th February, 1pm – 1.45pm, Wednesday 13th March 6pm – 6.45pm and Thursday 2nd May 1pm – 1.45pm. The tours are free and booking is recommended.

There is also an Acquired Arts Activity taking place on Tuesday April 9th 11am – 2 pm at Salford Museum during which a local Salford artist will visit the gallery and facilitate some unique activities for budding artists and anyone looking to get creative. The session costs £2, no booking required. On Twitter use the hashtag #acquiredsalford and follow @SalfordMuseum.

Salford has been cut to the bone with some of the harshest budget cuts in the country already laid at our feet, it would seem that those are not enough to satisfy a government that is demanding even more devastating cuts are made in this already impoverished City.

With services already stretched to breaking point, this next round of cuts will have a crippling impact on Salford.

By next year, the council will have seen its already stripped central government funding reduced by an astronomical 53% since 2010.

Salford's City Mayor Paul Dennett said:

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“Cuts in government funding plus rising costs, ongoing demand for services and other budget pressures mean the council has lost over £213.3 million since 2010.  This is equivalent to a loss of £58,000 budget each and every day.

“Salford is the 22nd most deprived local authority in the country, and research shows that poorer areas have been hit hardest by the impact of austerity.

“With the 38th highest level of personal debt in the country and 26% of our children living in poverty, cuts in council services hit the most vulnerable people hardest.

“We continue to work hard wherever possible to protect frontline services. We’ve also listened to people’s views before we make difficult decisions about where cuts have to come from”

 

The council’s ‘what matters to you’ exercise found that local residents wanted a focus on five priorities, safe activities and spaces for young people; improvements to public transport and roads; litter-free streets and preserving existing parks and green spaces; providing more affordable housing for those who need it most and connecting people to what’s going on in communities, promoting civic pride and tackling isolation. 

The 2019 proposals to balance the budget include nearly £8 million of one off savings, efficiencies in buying services, alternative funding sources and increases in income.

This has reduced the number of proposals that impact on frontline services.

The council has stressed the importance of listening to local views before making decisions and is sharing the results of a recent budget conversation.

Final proposals rest on announcements about the local government finance settlement which is due shortly. The budget will be set at February by Council and the public are invited to make comments on proposals by midnight on 13 January 2019.  

Paul Dennett continued

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“We continue to do as much as humanly possible to find ways to avoid cuts in frontline services but there are really difficult decisions to be made and we have now published proposals for comments from the public, businesses and our workforce. We can’t pretend that austerity hasn’t hit us hard. Our workforce has shrunk by 50% since 2010.”

Proposals can be viewed at www.salford.gov.uk/talkbudget

Bryan Thomas (19/10/1999) of HMP Altcourse has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder.

Phillip Manning (25/12/1987) of HMP Wakefield has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder.

Both are due to appear at Manchester Magistrates Court on 20/12/2018.

A third man, Tony Kelly (30/07/1991) of no fixed abode has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and has been remanded to appear at Manchester Crown Court on 04/03/2019.

Shortly after 10pm on Tuesday 22 May 2018, police were called to a property on Cloughfield Avenue, Ordsall following reports of a shooting.

Two men and a woman had been inside a property when shots were fired through a downstairs window.

A 26-year-old man was taken to hospital with injuries to his abdomen and has since been released.