Q1 Two Towns Area Forum Meeting 10
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Q1 TWO TOWNS AREA FORUM MEETING 10th March 2009 Present 39 members of the public attended the meeting. Councillor Barbara Ronson - Horwich North East Ward (Chair) Councillor Robert Ronson - Horwich North East Ward Councillor Stephen Rock - Horwich North East Ward Councillor John Raymond - Horwich and Blackrod Ward Barrow Councillor Pat Barrow - Horwich and Blackrod Ward Councillor Michael Hollick - Horwich and Blackrod Ward Also in attendance Val Cloynes - Area Co-ordinator Nicole Buhagiar - Area Working Support Officer Ellen Miller - Assistant Director, Strategy and Commissioning, Adult Services Malcolm Veigas - Assistant Director, Community Services Tim Hill - Chief Planning Officer, Development and Regeneration John Sharrock - Business Performance and Planning Manager, Environmental Services Tim Evans -NHS Bolton Claire Entwistle -NHS Bolton Peter Marsh -Assistant Director, Corporate Property Services Martin Kelly -Chief Economic Strategy Officer Laura Boardman - Inward Investment Officer Page 1 of 13 Q2 Claire Williams - Environmental Services Carol Sutton - Head of Strategic Development Sharon Pendlebury - Safer Communities Officer P. Dryden - Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service L. Whitehead - Greater Manchester Police G. Taylor - Greater Manchester Police Andy Vernon - Greater Manchester Police D. Singh - Greater Manchester Police S. Vernon - Greater Manchester Police Councillor Denton - Horwich Town Council Councillor McGeehan - Horwich Town Council Councillor Lynne Rock - Horwich Town Council Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillor Isobel Seddon Councillor Barbara Ronson in the Chair. 23. INTRODUCTIONS AND WELCOME Councillor Barbara Ronson welcomed everyone and introduced herself and all Councillors, Town Councillors and Council Officers present. She informed the Forum that the main theme of the meeting would be the future of Horwich Market and environmental issues in the Two Towns Ward. 24. THE BIG BOLTON HEALTH DEBATE Tim Evans, Chief Executive, NHS Bolton, gave a presentation on the Big Bolton Health Debate and the changes that were taking place in Bolton regarding health centres and facilities. He explained the “Triple Aim” of NHS Bolton that would lead to better health: Page 2 of 13 Q3 - The Best Care - Patient Centred Care - Value For Money The Chief Executive, NHS Bolton, explained that they had “Four Big Ideas” which would lead to improving the health of Bolton residents: - Increased life expectancy - Increasing the life expectancy in certain areas of Bolton as some communities lived 15 years less than others - Providing support and services that were easily accessible, and, increasing the availability of early screening - Encouraging residents to improve their own health Mr. Evans informed the Forum that NHS Bolton were focusing on certain priorities which would help to achieve the “Four Big Ideas”. Health Outcomes for More Years of Life - Cancer - Cardiovascular Disease (Stroke and Heart Attack) - Diabetes - Alcohol Related Disorders - Respiratory Disease Health Outcomes for Better Quality of Life - Mental Health Health Outcomes for the Next Generation - Maternal and Child Health The Chief Executive, NHS Bolton, explained that they needed to engage with the people of Bolton to find out what they wanted and needed. He invited Forum attendees to fill in a questionnaire concerning the future of the health service in Bolton. Mr. Evans explained that Bolton residents already felt Page 3 of 13 Q4 their health was improving and premature deaths from heart attacks, cancers and strokes were preventable. He informed the Forum that NHS Bolton knew the health conditions that caused premature deaths in Bolton and the Big Bolton Health Check was already identifying people in the community at higher risk. The health centre plans would deliver new buildings for new services, and, combined with the community improving their own health, their aims were achievable. Mr. Evans also encouraged Forum attendees to visit their General Practitioner as they would provide health checks free of charge. Following the presentation, Mr. Evans invited Forum attendees to ask him any questions regarding the changes. A number of questions were put to the Chief Executive, NHS Bolton: - How were NHS Bolton accommodating elderly people? - Why had the name changed from ‘The Primary Care Trust’? - Would NHS Bolton wait until all the questionnaires had been evaluated before taking any further action? - A resident was trying to help two colleagues with alcohol problems who were close to losing their jobs – what sort of help was available to them? - Was Horwich Health Centre safe? - Why was there such a discrepancy between life expectancy in different areas? Resolved – That the report be noted and the questions that have not been answered at the meeting be directed to the appropriate Council Department or external agency. 25. ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANLINESS John Sharrock, Business Performance and Planning Manager, Environmental Services, gave a presentation on environmental cleanliness and cleaner and greener issues, and the options available for dealing with this. He explained that the main aim was to change the attitudes of the public towards littering so they would stop causing unnecessary work. Mr. Sharrock also informed the Forum that good service delivery could be counter productive as it was assumed by the public that any litter would Page 4 of 13 Q5 be cleared up after them. If an area was clear of litter, the health of the residents would improve and Mr. Sharrock explained that Bolton Council were working with the emergency services and the Voluntary Sector to try and achieve this. The Business Performance and Planning Manager informed the Forum that there were four areas they were developing in order to reach their target: - Education and Community Development - Enforcement - Improve Service Delivery - Physical Improvements Following the presentation Mr. Sharrock asked Forum attendees to split into three groups and work with the three Environmental Services Officers present to discuss how improvements could be made in the Two Towns Ward. A discussion took place within the groups and the ideas put forward were: - Start to educate primary school children - Work with retailers to reduce packaging - Suggest to fast food retailers that they provide staff to help clean the streets - The Council could provide more bins - Make sure all supermarkets have a pound coin slot to prevent misuse of trolleys Mr. Sharrock thanked the residents for their co-operation and explained that they would be taking away the information received to create action plans. Resolved – That the report be noted 26. HORWICH MARKET – AN UPDATE Malcolm Veigas, Assistant Director, Community Services, gave a presentation on the Horwich Market Feasibility Study. He explained the issues associated with the economic decline of the existing market: Page 5 of 13 Q6 - The wrong location – the market was divorced from the core of the town centre - The closure of the Loco Works and surrounding factories had significantly diminished the traditional customer base - The market could not attract additional customers due to the insufficient number of vendors, and, could not attract additional vendors due to the lack of customers - The quality and range of goods on offer - The market was failing to meet modern customer expectations or requirements - There had been a change in retail habits with the majority now preferring supermarkets or online shopping - The building was virtually beyond it’s useful economic life and required significant expenditure in the short/medium term The Assistant Director, Community Services, explained that six options had been considered: - Close the existing market without replacement - A replacement market building at St. John’s Street - A replacement mixed use market building at St. John’s Street - A canopied outdoor market at St. John’s Street - Demountable market stalls at St. John’s Street - Demountable market stalls on Winter Hey Lane Mr. Veigas then provided the Forum with the financial analysis of the options: Page 6 of 13 Q7 Surplus / Deficit Deficit Anticipated Anticipated before after Dev Annual Annual Capital Capital Option Costs Income Expend Financing Financing 1) Demolish Existing Market £38K 0 0 0 0 2) New Market Building at St John’s Street £760k £81,000 £92,000 -£10,000 -£18,000 3) New Mixed use Market Building at St John’s Street £1.4m £92,000 £94,000 -£3,000 -£43,000 4) Canopied Market at St John’s Street £575K £68,000 £84,000 -£16,000 -£16,000 5) Demountable Market Stalls at St John’s Street £460K £36,000 £42,000 -£6,000 -£6,000 6) Demountable Market Stalls on Winter Hey Lane £1.8M £31,000 £41,000 -£9,512 -£69,000 The Assistant Director, Community Services, then informed the Forum of the feasibility study that established why options 2-6 were not viable: - Falling land values had diminished the expected capital receipt - The high development cost of all the options - The poor projected performance - All the options were in deficit even before taking account of capital financing costs Page 7 of 13 Q8 Following the presentation, Mr. Veigas explained that he and his colleagues, Peter Marsh, Assistant Director, Corporate Property Services, and Carol Sutton, Head of Strategic Development, would like to hear the views of the Two Towns Ward on the subject of Horwich Market and the proposals they had heard. A number of questions and comments were put to the Forum: - What was meant by a mixed use market building? - Had there