Police have now made an arrest and Asim ALI (13/03/1987) of Leeds Road, Nelson has been charged with 2 x Section 18 Assaults and will appear before the courts today.

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Shortly before 4.50pm on Sunday 3 September 2018 on Bury New Road, Lower Broughton, Salford, 71-year-old David Miskin was walking past Quick Fit in the direction of Prestwich when he noticed a man stood in front of him.

Without any warning, the man began to punch him repeatedly, knocking him to the floor and leaving him with a broken jaw in numerous places. The offender then ran off towards Manchester.

A passer-by took a photo of a man running away from the scene shortly afterwards.

While police were at hospital dealing with the assault, they were made aware of a second hospital patient who had also been assaulted around the same time and location.

The victim, a 56-year-old man, had been walking along Bury New Road, close to Happy Feet Nursery, when he was approached by a man who asked him for the time.

The man didn’t have the chance to reach into his pocket for his phone before he was punched to the floor, before being repeatedly punched while he lay on the ground unconscious and his jaw was broken in three places.

The two assaults are being treated as linked.

Police Constable Christopher Wood of GMP’s Salford Division said:

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“These were two violent and totally unprovoked assaults on two men who were simply minding their own business.

“We believe that the same person is responsible for both of these assaults and it is critical that we trace the offender and bring them to justice.

“If you recognise the man pictured, saw them in the area at the time, or have any information, please contact police immediately.”

 

Information can be left with police on 0161 856 1319 quoting incident number 1764 of 02/09/18.

Alternatively, information can be left anonymously with the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Main Photo: David Miskin (Right)

In a statement released this afternoon (27/09/18) Salford Council has broken its silence in an attempt to dispel what it says is misinformation regarding the suspension of Drew Povey; the now ex headmaster of Harrop Fold School in Little Hulton.

Councillor Lisa Stone, lead member for children’s and young people’s services, said there was misinformation flying around and the council wanted to clarify some points. 

She said:

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“Obviously we cannot and will not comment on details of the governors’ investigation. Any organisation where an investigation is taking place must, by law, keep it private between the employer and the members of staff involved. 

“However there are other questions being asked that we can answer. I hope this clarifies some points and reassures parents that the governors and Salford City Council, which is supporting them, are not conducting some kind of witch hunt and it is not all part of a master plan to see the school academise or fail. 

"Serious and wide ranging allegations have been raised and must be investigated thoroughly and carefully. It is a very difficult time for the school, which is why we have brought in experienced temporary leadership to keep the school stable and ensure pupils achieve their full potential, which is our key concern.” 

1. Has the school’s debt reduced? 

The school has worked hard, in partnership with the council, to reduce their debt to the local authority from over £3 million to £1.4 million despite challenging financial circumstances and cuts in budgets to all council services. 

The council has written off £300,000 of the debt to help the school and the school has been involved in a number of activities, supported by the Governing Body and the Executive Headteacher to raise additional funds. The council has been supportive of the activities, has extended the repayment plan twice and has also given the school a five year payment ‘break’. We will continue to support the school to become debt-free. 

2. Is it true the council wants the school to academise? 

Salford City Council does not support the policy of academisation and has made this clear to all head teachers and governors over the last two years. However, in the interests of pupils, it supports schools when they have chosen to go down that route, and all schools and academies work collaboratively in our family of schools.

Harrop Fold applied a number of years ago to become an academy with Consilium. Ellesmere Park, Buile Hill and Moorside are all part of this multi-academy trust and have strong relationships with the local authority. The Department for Education (DfE) requires schools to have a healthy budget situation before academising. 

The government can enforce academisation where a school is judged to be inadequate by Ofsted. This choice of academy trust is outside the control of the local authority and only certain multi academy trusts are eligible to sponsor schools in this situation. 

3. Why is the council not being more open about the investigation? 

This is a governors’ investigation. 

Employment law, which applies to all employers including governing bodies and councils and good employment practice require details of disciplinary investigations to remain confidential. It would be a breach of trust and confidence between an employer and employee to divulge details of a disciplinary investigation. The members of staff who are currently suspended are entitled to, and deserve, confidentiality and a fair and just investigation. 

4. There is a rumour that the council offered money to the former headteacher to walk away and keep quiet, is this true? 

The council has made no offer of payment to any staff involved in this matter. 

5. Is the school due for an Ofsted inspection? 

An Ofsted inspection is anticipated as schools like Harrop Fold are inspected at least every five years. Harrop Fold was last inspected in 2013. The council has supported the school by bringing in experienced leadership. This support is paid for by the council. 

6. Why did the Council choose GMLT (Greater Manchester Learning Trust /Parrswood High school) to provide the support for Harrop Fold? 

This support was arranged over the summer holidays. Greater Manchester local authorities work closely together and a request for interim leadership support at short notice was posted across Greater Manchester. This led to a discussion with leaders of GM Learning Trust as they had the track record, the capacity and willingness to help. 

7. When will the next Educating Greater Manchester programme be televised? 

A transmission date has not yet been decided. 

The development would create up to 50 new jobs if given the go ahead and bring almost two acres of derelict land back into use.

It could also boost the city’s economy as Aldi seeks to work with local suppliers for products such as bread and dairy, and sources as many other products from British producers as possible.

City Mayor Paul Dennett welcomed the application and said it could bring significant investment to the area, now known as Salford Gateway.

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“The AJ Bell Stadium was built as a catalyst to kick start the regeneration of this area and bring new jobs, opportunities and extra business into Salford.  We’ve already seen national pub chain Greene King open on site and significant spending on improving the road and the new bridge across the Manchester Ship Canal.

“Further along the road Port Salford is taking shape which will bring 154,000sq.m of distribution warehousing, a new rail link and shipping wharf as well as thousands of jobs.

“Aldi is aiming to add more investment to this area and support our long-term plan to see this area brought back into use and providing jobs, training and opportunities to local residents. All their employees are paid more than the government’s National Living Wage and the Living Wage Foundation’s recommended national rate and they have an excellent track record of training and developing staff.”

 

Plans for the 1.79 acre site show a 1,786 square metre building, fronting onto Stadium Way and new access road from Stadium Way. It will have 115 car parking spaces, parking for bikes and motorbikes and will be easy to reach via public transport, pedestrian and cycle routes. The site will be landscaped with shrubs and trees and deliveries will be timed to avoid both the morning and afternoon rush hour.

Stuart Parks, Regional Property Director from Aldi said:

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“We see huge potential in this area around the AJ Bell Stadium which can only go from strength to strength as more investors take sites here. We hope to bring a new store to the site to help local people to shop and save closer to home.”

The Salford Sports Network Awards recognise the sporting achievements, hard work and dedication of voluntary sports clubs and individuals across Salford including football, rugby, martial arts, athletics, swimming and more.

250 people attended to see which clubs and individuals picked up one of the twelve awards that were up-for-grabs.

BBC Radio Manchester’s Phil Trow and guest speaker, football pundit, Chris Kamara, hosted the event. Legendary ‘Kammy’ entertained attendees with stories of his footballing and managerial career, his TV pundit highlights and his hopes for the future of grassroots football in the UK.  

TV presenter Chris Kamara, said:

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“I’ve been truly humbled by the people I’ve met tonight at the Salford Sports Network awards and really enjoyed listening to their individual and club achievements. Its essential that people get involved with grass-roots sports in their communities.”

Paul Thomas, Club Development Officer at Salford Community Leisure, which runs the Salford Sports Network, said:

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“Sport is an essential part of any community and it enables people to come together, build community spirit and promotes health and wellbeing. This year’s Salford Sports Awards has been biggest event yet with record numbers of nominations and some very worthy winners.”

Winner of Club of the Year was Cadishead Rhinos. Club Secretary Paul Elliot, 45 from Cadishead, said:

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“I’m overwhelmed at winning this award. We really appreciate this award win and dedicate it to all the volunteers, the players and everyone associated with the club. Its been a lot of hard work getting the new clubhouse sorted and I want other clubs to see what we have achieved and know that they can also work to improve their own facilities in the community if need be.”

The winners of the 18th Salford Sports Network Awards are:

PE in Sport Award Primary School of the Year goes to Clarendon Road Primary School in Eccles. Understanding the importance PE plays in the curriculum, the school has employed a full time sports coach to train staff and deliver PE lessons including dance, gymnastics; dodgeball; circuits; cricket; rounders; lacrosse; tennis; handball; athletics; inline skating and swimming. Classes now receive a minimum of 150 minutes timetabled PE each week. 

The winner of the PE in Sport Secondary School of the Year award went to Oakwood Academy which was commended for its commitment to providing high quality PE and school sport for its pupils that have special educational needs and disabilities. Pupils participate in a varied PE curriculum which focuses on developing confident young people that have skills, understanding and resilience to lead and maintain a healthy active lifestyle including trampolining, swimming, rock climbing; cycling; athletics; dance and more.

The Sports Achiever of the Year went to Ewan Wilson of Salford Swimming Club. Judges were impressed with Ewan’s commitment to training (7-8 times a week), sometimes training twice in a morning before school and competing most weekends. He competed at the 2017 British National Championships in Sheffield and made it into the National finals in all of his events and achieved a highest rank of 4th in Britain. He was selected for and represented Lancashire at the Inter-County Championships of the United Kingdom.

The Disabled Sports Achiever of the Year went to Danny Roylefrom Cadishead Rhinos who is an integral part of the Cadishead Rhinos family and was part of the 2017 Simon Annis Cup winning team. Having been diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis, which severely affects the lungs, at an early age he didn’t let this stop him pursuing his love of sports. Danny’s intensity of training helps to keep him fit and helps to keep his chest clear and also makes him a better player.

The Changing Lifestyles Award went to Kellie Shiers who worked with Salford Community Leisure’s Active Lifestyles Team to overcome fatigue brought on by chemotherapy sessions after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015.  She signed up to the Can – Move programme and has become an important figure in the sessions, often helping new starters joining the classes.

The Volunteer of The Year Award went to Angela Rittaler from Cadishead Rhinos who has a number of various roles at Cadishead Rhinos, providing around 20 hours a week voluntary support including being a touchline manager, the kitchen manager and a club committee member. Her involvement in meetings with Sport England, the Hamilton Davies Trust and Salford City Council/Salford Community Leisure played a huge part in securing the funding and completion of a new, state-of-the art club facility for the club and the community.

The Unsung Hero in Sport Award was given to Keith Brookes from Monton Sports Club. Having dedicated over 60 years of his life to Monton Sports Club including 1000’s of voluntary hours over the years, Keith truly is an unsung hero. He plays a major role in securing grants and fundraising and has been the driving force behind the major improvements to the club’s facilities.

The Coach of the Year Award went to Jessica Fletcher of Salford Synchronised Swimming Club. Jessica is the leading synchronised swimming coach in the North West. She passes her knowledge and expertise on to her swimmers, poolside helpers and new coaches through her own club but also through her commitment to clubs and coaches around the North West through the regional development programme. She has recently extended this support into a formal commitment to developing new coaches by undertaking her tutor training so she can guide new coaches through their own Coaching journey.

New for 2018, the Tommy Curran Special Recognition in Sport Award went to Brian Elsey for his commitment of 42 years of service to community sports development. A worthy winner of this award, as the founder of Moorside Rangers in ‘76, Brian has been responsible for growing and developing the club as well as guiding them through a number of periods of re-building. His vision for the club has always been to support the community and to form partnerships with schools and other organisations for the benefit of local residents.

The Aspire Member of the Year goes to Patrick Ward. Patrick has been an Aspire member since 2015 and regularly attends Eccles Leisure Centre for BoxFit, Les Mills and spinning classes for weight management and he’s used his membership to successfully lose 10 stone in weight; five stone of which was lost in the last five months.

Team of The Year was awarded to Monton Sports Club U12's Cricket Team. The team has a great attitude and commitment to training, resulting in impressive progress and a successful year. The team, which included new and younger players, won the Salford District Cup and were runners-up in district league. Team morale is strong, with all players working hard in both training and matches.

Club of the Year went to Cadishead Rhinos. This award caps a key year in the club’s history. After many years of planning, a new clubhouse was completed in April 2018, highlighting the huge ambition of the club. The club was able to retain the Simon Annis Cup in 2017 and continued to develop strong roots within the community. Coaches take sessions at Cadishead and Irlam College and run holiday sports camps and after school clubs, as well as partnering with the local football club providing children with even more sporting opportunities. The touch rugby league sessions were able to put on female only games this season, with the women’s touch rugby league beginning to take off a girls only rugby league team could be just around the corner. The club is committed to bringing as many people in the area into the rugby league family and are proud to now have the means to provide an all-inclusive venue for the whole community.

With scathing criticism from tenants over everything from flammable cladding to dodgy windows in an article in the Salford Star this week (see this link), Salford Council has attempted to explain the reasons for the delays in removal and replacement of the flammable cladding, in doing so places that blame squarely at the feet of the Government who they say are frustrating matters with red tape and a refusal to let the council lend the money needed.

The council says it made a commitment in August 2017 to lend up to £25m to Pendleton Together Operating Limited, the PFI company responsible for the tower blocks, to replace the cladding system.

The council approved a lending facility in March 2018 as the best way to get the ACM cladding system replaced; pledging to provide funds after a new cladding system was independently tested and residents were consulted on the proposed works. The funding stream would have allowed a detailed work programme to be designed and contracted. The Government however has refused us permission to lend the money.

Deputy City Mayor Councillor John Merry said:

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“The government has repeatedly turned down our pleas for financial support in the wake of the Grenfell Fire, telling the council that we were responsible for funding the works to make the building safe. We have now been told in the last week that the council can’t lend the funds to start the work. This is beyond belief.

“It’s hugely disappointing and doesn’t benefit the public purse in any way as the money would have been repaid to the council. The government is seemingly more concerned about setting precedent for other PFI schemes than it is about the safety of residents. This is despite the awful events at Grenfell.

“We thought that Ministers would use their influence to reach a positive outcome, as these discussions over the summer have already prevented the work programme getting on site. 

“I will be writing to the Government to ask them to reconsider their decisions. The Government minister who signed off on this should be ashamed, not only for betraying the people of Salford, but also for undermining the words of the prime minister who promised to tackle the issues relating to cladding.

“At the same time the government has confirmed that the PFI company itself cannot qualify for the national £400 million government funding pot, like housing associations.  The only choice left is for them to raise money privately to do the works. The council can’t step-in and end the contract without significant delays and further financial penalties. We’re trapped in a bureaucratic fog of how regulations are now being interpreted.

“This is inevitably threatening to slow down the works further, which is something from the start we wanted to avoid. The safety of local people has always been our priority since the tragedy of Grenfell exposed fire safety issues.”

 

The council is now working closely with the Pendleton Together Operating Limited to confirm a new timetable for when the remaining works will start.

In the meantime works to Plane Court will continue and fire safety measures will remain in place on all blocks, including the 24/7 fire marshalls.

However this will not come as a great comfort to those who remain housed in homes still encased with the flammable cladding.

There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death. 
 
It is believed that Kevin has a daughter called Janet. 
 
Anyone with information about Kevin or his family should contact the Police Coroner’s Office in Bolton on 0161 856 4687.

The popular headteacher of Harrop Fold school in Little Hulton was suspended back in July after allegations of removing "Off-Rolling" children academically performing poorly from the school register in order to skew the schools performance statistics, something Mr Povey strongly denies.

The school was graded as Good by Ofsted after previously being amongst the ranks of some of the worst schools in the country.

Today he announced on his Twitter account that it was 'quitting with a heavy heart' and added that he believes his treatment was the result of a personal vendetta against himself and three other members of staff who are under investigation along side him.

The time has arrived where I can no longer sit quietly under the threat of ‘you cannot comment or you will breach your code of conduct’
I’m speaking up for myself but also all the leaders who have been in touch to say the same happened to them #TakeAStand
Please share everyone pic.twitter.com/KOh2nDsFIo

— Drew Povey (@drewpovey) September 18, 2018

The school which features in the popular Channel 4 "Educating Manchester" tv show was left with £3.5m debt by Salford City Council.

During his tenure at the school, Mr Povey and his team reduced that amount by over a half to just £1.6m and he even contributed £100,000 of his own money from earnings made whilst giving leadership talks thanks to his elevated profile.

Mr Povey hit back at his accusers by using his resignation letter to place blame for the schools previous failings and the huge debt it had amassed squarely at the Councils feet.

With regards the schools progress he said:

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"In my opinion, the biggest barrier to that has been the shocking level of debt that had been allowed to mount up whilst the school was under Salford City Council’s direction (and before I took up my role).

"We have laboured under this debt for nine years, and have been ruthlessly focused on reducing it, so that the school can ensure that despite the often-difficult personal circumstances our pupils face, they have a decent chance of getting the best education possible.

"It is fair to say when I joined Harrop, my understanding was that the debt was effectively a notional figure, and a debt that was recognised by everyone would not be capable of being repaid by the school.

"I have worked tirelessly to reduce the debt from where it originally stood at over £3m to the current level of £1.6m. I have done this through general fundraising, and also through additional paid work in the public and corporate sectors, involving leadership development training."

Mr Povey went on to add that he still remains supportive of the school and also offered to work with them pro-bono at the school for a couple of days per week to help provide a stable hand until a new leadership is chosen,

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"I would like to formally offer my time on a completely pro-bono basis to support the school for one or two days a week over the coming school year, with a view to providing a stable hand during this time of transition, whilst you and the governors, put in place longer term leadership arrangements.

"I appreciate that this is a rather unorthodox offer, but I want to stress my ongoing commitment and willingness to support Harrop."

In summing up his thoughts he went on to say:

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"This feels very much like a personal vendetta and I hope that by removing myself from the situation, that some semblance of normality will return to the school, for the benefit of all."

Mr Povey's resignation will come as an upset to those who support him, a protest was held outside of the school within days of his suspension, with many parents crediting the schools recent success with his leadership.

The real Living Wage was created by the Living Wage Foundation and is a higher minimum rate of pay based on what people actually need to get by.

The government's minimum wage in the UK is currently £7.83 an hour (for over 25s) with no London weighting, but the UK ‘real’ Living Wage, which is independently calculated in accordance to the basic cost of living in the UK, is considerably higher at £8.75 (for over 18s), rising to £10.20 in London.

Not all employers in the UK pay Living Wage; organisations have to volunteer to do it, but it is beneficial to both employers and employees. There are currently just over 4k UK employers providing the Living Wage and only 20 of these are in the Salford area. Greater Manchester’s Mayor, Andy Burnham, has said that paying Living Wage is ‘an employers badge of honour’.

Steve Hassall, Chief Executive, Salford Community Leisure, says:

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“This demonstrates Salford Community Leisure’s commitment to our employees and value the outstanding services they deliver to the local community. As a Living Wage employer this reflects our values as a socially responsible employer.”

Deputy City Mayor Councillor Paula Boshell welcomed the news and said it was another step forward in Salford becoming a Living Wage City, She said:

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“Paying the real Living Wage is good for staff as they get a fair reward for their hard work and commitment. It’s also good for the city as people have more money to spend. I’m delighted to see Salford Community Leisure have taken this step and I’d urge other organisations and businesses to follow suit and reap the benefits,”

Nathan Hobbs (07/04/89) of Lydyett Lane, Northwich has been charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

He has been remanded to appear at Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court today (Tuesday 18 September).

At around 7.25pm on Sunday 16 September police were called to a collision involving a silver Audi S3 Quattro and a pedestrian outside Kebab King on Manchester Road West. 

The pedestrian – an 18-year-old man – was crossing the road after leaving the takeaway when the Audi collided with him. 

He was taken to hospital with serious leg injuries where he remains.  

Salix Homes has five new apprentices, four of whom have joined its Repairs and Maintenance Service, while the fifth is learning the ropes in the Customer Service Team.

Among the new recruits is 19-year-old Connor Boyle who had all but given up hope after applying for job after job but never hearing back.

New-dad Connor, from Kersal, who welcomed his daughter into the world in June, said:

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“When I found out I’d got it, I was over the moon. I just want the chance to make a future for myself and my daughter.

“I’d applied for so many different jobs and apprenticeships and had never been successful. I’d given up hope, but Salix Homes has been so supportive and all the way through the recruitment process, they made me believe I could do it – and now I know I can.”

 

Connor is embarking on a plumbing apprenticeship, following in his granddad's footsteps, and will be learning the tools of the trade four days a week while spending a day in the classroom with education providers Total People, working towards an NVQ.

Over the past three years Salix Homes has created more than 50 apprenticeship positions through its Earn as You Learn programme, both within the organisation and with its partner contractors.

Sue Sutton, executive director of operations at Salix Homes, said:

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“We are incredibly proud to welcome our newest cohort of apprentices onto our successful Earn as You Learn apprenticeship programme, which is helping local people in Salford build themselves a bright future.

“An apprenticeship is a fantastic route for not only the apprentice, but for Salix Homes as an employer too. They’re gaining essential skills and experience while getting paid, while for Salix Homes, we are providing opportunities for local people and building our workforce of the future.

“Our latest apprentice cohort will also benefit from the expertise and guidance of a dedicated mentor who will provide one-on-one support throughout their apprenticeship journey.”

 

The new apprentices joining Salix Homes’ Repairs and Maintenance Team have been provided with new toolkits from its partner building merchants - Travis Perkins Managed Services.

Maggie Devine, social value manager for Travis Perkins Managed Services, said: "We are passionate about supporting apprentices coming into the industry, and hope that the provision of these new tools will support them on their journey to train in their chosen profession. We wish them the best of luck through their apprenticeship and their future career."

Photos: The new Salix Homes’ apprentices joining the housing association’s in-house Repairs and Maintenance Team. From left: Ali Nikbakht, Mason Gill, Connor Boyle and Kade Heath.

The funerals of Demi Pearson, aged 15 and her siblings Brandon (8), Lacie (7) and Lia aged just 3 years old took place this morning, with countless mourners lining the streets to see them off on their final journey despite the heavy rain.

Tragedy struck their family home on Jackson Street in Walkden just before Christmas on the 11th of December last year as fire ripped through the building taking the lives of three of the children with the fourth and youngest member of the family (Lia) sadly passing away in hospital shortly afterwards.

The funeral commenced led by bagpipes and drummers at approximately 10am from their former family home which was destroyed by the fire, slowly winding its way through streets as thousands from the local community stood silent to pay their respects.

The cortege briefly pausing for a minutes silence at Bridgewater school where Lacie and Brandon were both pupils, then onward along Manchester Road East towards St Paul's Church where family and close friends had gathered both inside and out as the service was relayed on loud speakers for those who could not get a seat.

The procession then made its way to their final resting place upon the horse-drawn carriages which carried their beautiful specially made coffins.

It is understood that the children's mother Michelle was unable to attend the funeral due to unforeseen medical circumstances.

Michelle was also seriously injured in the horrific attack for which Zak Bolland, David Worrall and Courtney Brierley were jailed for in May, she still remains in a critical condition in hospital.

In a tribute penned from her hospital bed and read aloud at the service. Michelle said:

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“They were the twinkle in my eye, now they are angels in the sky. One day we will be reunited together forever.”

Speaking of her youngest daughter who was just 3 years old, she said:

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“She is dead clever, big blue eyes and a smile that melted your heart.”

And of Seven year old Lacie, she said:

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“She loves to dance and sing. She would turn the TV on and just sing and dance along. It makes me smile just thinking about it.”

Son Brandon who was 8 at the time of his death was described by his mum as:

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"A little architect in the making. He promised me he would build me a house".

And finally when paying tribute to her 15 year old daughter Demi, she said:

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“We did a lot together. She was my best friend.”

The children's brother Kyle and his friend Bobby Harris were the only other people in the house at the time who managed to survive the attack. They did so by climbing out of a window to escape the inferno inside. Kyle immediately attempted to re enter the home to rescue his mother and siblings but was beaten back by the heat and flames.

Michelle is a doting, loving mother who was tragically robbed of four of her children under the most horrific circumstances imaginable, grandparents lost their grandchildren and a whole community lost the joy and laughter they brought.

Our thoughts are with the family at this most upsetting time, Salford stands with you all.

Police are concerned for the welfare of missing man Ashley Barker (33 Years).

Ashley was last seen jumping from a car close to Blackleach Reservoir and the Brindley Estate shortly before 4pm today (13/09/18).

If you see Ashley or have any information as to his whereabouts please contact GMP on 101 quoting reference 1312/130918

An inconsiderate driver returned to find their vehicle had been towed away by GMP Traffic after leaving it blocking someone else's driveway.

Police were called to Monton this morning after a home owner reported a car left blocking their driveway, police responded by sending out a tow truck and later issuing the cars owner with a fine for causing a traffic offence.

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"Traffic Offence Report issued & vehicle towed away. PLEASE PARK RESPONSIBLY DON’T BLOCK OTHERS IN.”

Drivers have come increasingly under pressure in recent months after calls to fine vehicles that block pedestrian access by parking on kerbs. Under new plans being considered by the Department for Transport (DfT), they could soon be fined for parking on pavements.

Ministers and local authorities want to see the practice, which causes obstructions for wheelchairs users, visually impaired pedestrians and parents with pushchairs, brought to an end, with proposals expected to be finalised later this year.

And yes it is a very slow news day.
 

Julius Bihari (01/02/1991) is wanted for failing to appear at court on two separate occasions to face charges of criminal damage and burglary.

Bihari is originally from the Czech Republic but is known to have links to the Salford and Cheetham Hill areas of Greater Manchester and the Preston area of Lancashire.

Anybody with information regarding the whereabouts of Julius Bihari is asked to contact police on 101 or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

At around 7.10pm on Tuesday 11 September a black VW Passat was driving along Trafford Road when it collided with a cyclist at the junction with Broadway. 
  
The cyclist, an 18-year-old man, was thrown from his bike and remains in hospital with serious injuries. 
  
The driver of the Passat remained at the scene to help officers with enquiries. 
  
No arrests have been made so far. 
  
PC Seamus Toal, from GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said:

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“The cyclist suffered multiple serious injuries and his family are under stably upset.  We hope he makes a full recovery and our thoughts remain with them. 
  
“Anyone who witnessed the collision, or believes they saw the cyclist and the car beforehand, is urged to get in touch. 
  
“I’d also ask drivers to check their dash-cams to see if they have any footage on the incident.” 

The Serious Collision Investigation Unit can be contacted on 0161 856 4741 quoting incident number 1781 of 11/09/18. 

Throughout the summer holidays, children and their parents attended the Marlborough Road Academy holiday club in Broughton where they could tuck into a free hot meal and enjoy fun activities with their friends, including sports, dance and arts and crafts.

Salford housing provider Salix Homes provided the club with £500 to help fund the food and activities on offer as part of its Springboard community grant programme, which supports local projects that boost community spirit, promote health and wellbeing, reduce isolation or improve the environment.

Mum Sahira Chaudhrey, attended the holiday club with her three young children. She said:

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“As a parent it’s difficult to find activities over the summer to keep children entertained. There is a lack of local activities, money can add up quickly and things can get pretty tight.

“I was extremely grateful to be able to take my children to a place where they can join in with a variety of activities and get a great meal at the end of it.”

 

Salix Homes also provided £600 additional funding through its Springboard programme to enable the children and their parents, along with other local families, to enjoy a day trip to Knowsley Safari Park to mark the end of the summer holidays.

Saimah Alam, who also attended the holiday club with her children, said:

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“The club has been a huge help to me. I have felt quite isolated in the past as it can be hard to find things to do for the kids all summer and this can turn out really expensive, so it’s great to be able to get out of the house and enjoy activities together as a family.”

Ben Cruickshanks, neighbourhood manager at Salix Homes, added:

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“For some people, the school holidays are about having fun with your family and friends, and visiting new and exciting places, but sadly this isn’t always the case for many local families.

“The school holidays can increase the financial pressures on families, and they may also experience social isolation as trips out and activities can soon add up.

“This is why Salix Homes is so proud to support the holiday club which has ensured that local families can still make sure their children enjoyed a fun-filled summer holiday with their friends without having to worry about the additional financial pressure.”

 

The newly-formed holiday club was set up by Salford charity The Life Centre, on behalf of the Salford Food Network, and delivered in partnership with the Broughton Team Churches, which includes St James Higher Broughton and St Clement with St Matthias Lower Broughton, along with Marlborough Road School and Audacious Church.

The initiative also received support from Salford Community Leisure, The Rio Ferdinand Foundation, Tesco and Salford Council’s catering service City Wide.

Kayleigh, 20, was last seen on Kenyon Way in Little Hulton around 5.30pm on Wednesday 5 September, where she lives. 

We do know that she travelled into Manchester on a First bus and was around the Piccadilly area but her exact location is unknown. 

She has link to the Tameside area and we believe she has also been in the Rochdale area. 

She is of slim build, around 5 ft 7in tall with shoulder length ginger hair and blue eyes. 

She also wears glasses and was last seen wearing a black top, which goes below her waist, black leggings and white, patterned socks with black pumps that have a chequered pattern on them.

Police Constable Julie Wallwork of GMP’s Salford Borough, said:

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“Her family are of course really worried about her and just want her to come home. 

“She has been missing for five days already and we have done everything possible to locate her but now we need your help. 

“Whether you’ve seen Kayleigh or know where she is, please make sure you call us immediately.” 

Any sightings phone 856 1319 up to 1100hrs then 101 and quote log 1519 of 05/09/18.

He was previously sentenced to more than five years in jail for arson with intent to endanger life. 

Cumbo – who also uses the surname Collins – was released in May this year and is from Salford 

Anyone who recognises him, or has any information about his whereabouts, should call police on 101. 

A 30 day consultation is to be launched from Friday 7 September for the public to give their views on proposals.

Councillor Lisa Stone, Lead Member for Children’s and Young People’s Services at Salford City Council said:

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“We are now consulting on a proposal to retain the outstanding nursery provision in the city.

“We would like to consult on how local authority nurseries would be managed and operated by school provision in the city. And we need a conversation with residents to seek their views on this, so the formal consultation will take place.

“The passion from residents is clear and the nursery provision provided by the staff who work in them is outstanding, so we need to explore all options and explore the detail of how this would work using school provision.”

 

327 places are offered in the local authority nurseries out of 4,234 in a variety of early years providers.  Over 2,000 of these places are available through schools in the city.

Councillor Stone continued:

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“We have already given a commitment to fund our five local authority nurseries to September 2019. But changes by the government on the way the Dedicated Schools Grant can be used mean the council can no longer afford the running costs of its nurseries. They cost £3million each year to run but the council only receives £1.5million in income from charges.

“Seven years of austerity have cut our core funding cut in half. That works out at £198million since 2010 – or £60,000 out of our budget each and every day.”

 

The consultation will involve public meetings and also options for people to provide comments by post or online. It opens at 00:01 on Friday 7 September and can be viewed at https://www.salford.gov.uk/nurseryproposals

Consultation meetings:

11th September 2018 at Barton Moss Day Nursery - 6:00pm until 7:00pm

13th September 2018 at Winton Day Nursery - 6:00pm until 7:00pm

18th September 2018 at Belvedere Day Nursery - 6:00pm until 7:00pm

20th September 2018 at Little Hulton Day Nursery - 6:00pm until 7:00pm

26th September 2018 at Broughton Day Nursery - 6:00pm until 7:00pm

After controversially (See Salford Star Article Here) turning down planning permission in July 2018, Salford Council has today (Thursday, September 6 2018) finally approved plans for the multi-million pound Canon Green Campus development on Canon Green Drive in Trinity.

Previously the Council had rejected the application with Councillors declaring that it was "Odd", "Wierd" and even "Bonkers" that the council would reject affordable housing in the area whilst at the same meeting giving Countryside Properties the green light for 299 private rent apartments more or less around the corner in Broughton.

The good news is that finally the £22.5m project by Salford housing association Salix Homes will see ageing tower block Canon Green Court completely transformed and modernised, along with neighbouring apartment block Westminster House, which will undergo an external facelift.

As part of the development, a brand new 11-storey apartment block will be built within the grounds of the expansive site, comprising of 108 one and two-bedroom affordable apartments.

Lee Sugden, chief executive at Salix Homes, said:

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‘We are delighted that Salford Council has given the green light for our Canon Green Campus development – this is a proud moment for Salix Homes.

‘At the time of a national housing crisis, this project will not only refurbish and modernise the homes of the existing residents, but it will also deliver desperately-needed new and affordable housing in Salford.

‘We have worked incredibly closely with the existing residents to develop these proposals and we are confident our plans will deliver the essential improvement work they have been calling for and help create, safe and modern homes we can all be proud of for generations to come.’

The refurbishment at Canon Green Court, which was built during the 1960s, includes new kitchens, bathrooms, heating systems, sprinkler systems and exterior re-facing and insulation.

Salix Homes, which owns more than 8,000 homes across Salford, will now appoint a contractor to carry out the project and it’s hoped that work will start on site later this year.