Vision of the Future PLANNING for a TOWN CENTRE to BE PROUD OF

St Helens Council’s community magazine Winter 2017 LOCAL WAR PLAN HERO UPDATE HONOURED PAGE 13 PAGE 14 Vision of the future PLANNING FOR A TOWN CENTRE TO BE PROUD OF PAGE 8 - 11 St Helens First | Winter 2017 | www.sthelens.gov.uk sthelenscouncil | @sthelenscouncil | Winter 2017 | St Helens First 1 St Helens First | Winter 2017 | www.sthelens.gov.uk sthelenscouncil | @sthelenscouncil | Winter 2017 | St Helens First St Helens Council’s community magazine Welcome Winter sum to achieve all of our Thanks to good financial and employment needs. 2017 proposals – at a time when management, the council is Get the full details on page the council, like many in a stronger position than 13. others across the country, other councils, and is more With that to look forward must make difficult choices capable than most to act to, we’re also looking CONTACT US about its services in light of and seize opportunities to ahead to the festive period, reduced budgets. invest, earn and grow. This with a great range of events Online: www.sthelens.gov.uk But we must invest some is what enables us to plan taking place across the Email: of the money we do have for the regeneration of the borough to warm up your [email protected] in order to best serve local town centre that we all want winter. Check them out, Telephone: 01744 676789 people and the borough. to see. Read more about along with a whole host of Minicom: 01744 671671 Plans of a similar scale our ambition on pages happenings in the coming are being put forward by 8-11, and discover how months, on pages 29-31. Download the free, handy app other councils in the North other entrepreneurs are Winter is a great time West like Warrington. We supporting our vision for a – search St Helens Council of year for many of us, St Helens must match them with rejuvenated town centre on but for some of the more on your app store. Or visit our our own or fall behind. I page 6. vulnerable members of Contact Centre, Wesley House, Council strongly believe everything Elsewhere in the Corporation Street, St Helens, Leader’s column we do is investing in our magazine, we’ve an update our community, it can be WA10 1HF. Councillor collective future and we on St Helens’ Local Plan, a struggle, and is fraught Barrie Grunewald must succeed or wither on detailing the next steps in with health risks. Find out Please contact us to request the vine. its preparation. In short, more about staying well this winter on page 25, and translation of council information elcome to the A little known fact that we we’ve deferred the next winter edition please make time to check into Braille, audio transcription or don’t shout about enough version until early summer of St Helens is that St Helens Council 2018 due to a number in on older relatives, friends a foreign language. W First. As you know, we really is a well-managed of factors outside our and neighbours when the recently revealed our and effective local authority control, but the decision temperature drops. Follow us on Twitter: master plan for the future that is in a better position will benefit the Local Plan I’d like to take this @sthelenscouncil of the town centre. It’s than many other North in the long run, allowing us opportunity to wish you all Like us on Facebook: bold and ambitious, and West councils and public to take advantage of further a happy Christmas and a sthelenscouncil would cost a substantial sector services. research on local housing healthy New Year. CONTACT ST HELENS FIRST MAGAZINE Email: [email protected] Online: www.sthelens.gov.uk/news Telephone: 01744 676164 TALKING PAGES St Helens First is now available in talking book form for visually 4 5 impaired people, contact us for information. ADVERTISING Features St Helens Council does not warrant the accuracy of any 4 Bold Forest Park plans description or statement, and does not endorse any product 16-17 Budget update or service contained in any commercial advertisement 29-31 Christmas events guide featured in this publication. 16 18 environmentally-friendly paper. News COVER IMAGE 5 Junction car park Artist’s impression of how expansion the town centre could look 18 Borough gets arts status 21 29 21 How we’re managing floods Follow us Like us on on Twitter: Facebook: @sthelenscouncil sthelenscouncil St Helens First | Winter 2017 | www.sthelens.gov.uk sthelenscouncil | @sthelenscouncil | Winter 2017 | St Helens First 3 Feature A bold plan for green space unique regeneration plan to promote shape the plan’s proposals. infrastructure will also offer local employment outdoor recreation to stimulate economic Key proposals involve the development of opportunities. A growth has now been formally adopted several linked ‘recreation hubs’ across the St Helens Council’s Cabinet Member for by St Helens Council. forest park area, providing visitor facilities and Growth, Councillor John Fulham, said: “This Bold Forest Park Area Action Plan a base for activities including walking, mountain vision for Bold Forest Park has been in the encourages inward investment via rural biking, horse riding, boating, canoeing, fishing pipeline for some time now, so I’m delighted entrepreneurship in the visitor economy, and children’s play facilities. to hear of this adoption which takes our dream while providing leisure and healthy living The plan supports the potential future one step closer to becoming reality. opportunities for the community. provision of a dedicated visitor centre at Sutton “Once complete, this once derelict site will Produced in partnership with The Mersey Manor, building on the popularity of The Dream be a key asset for the borough which is sure Forest and Bold Parish Council, the plan builds sculpture to provide a café, car parking and to attract visitors from across the borough and on the environmental improvements already toilet facilities with the potential for events beyond. made in the area which have seen large space. “With Government funding coming to an end swathes of derelict colliery land transformed Other aspects focus on recognising the after 2020, the council will have to stand on into accessible woodland. area’s rich heritage and nature conservation its own two feet, so exciting plans like this will Several stages of preparation and public with potential for guided activities. The help contribute to the future of the borough and consultation were undertaken with the feedback establishment of land based training schemes attract investment, letting the rest of the country given by residents and other groups helping to help create and maintain the Forest Park’s know that St Helens is open for business.” 4 St Helens First | Winter 2017 | www.sthelens.gov.uk sthelenscouncil | @sthelenscouncil | Winter 2017 | St Helens First News ABOVE: Merseytravel Chair Cllr Liam Robinson with MP Marie Rimmer and local cllrs, including John Fulham and Keith Roberts. Major parking expansion at St Helens Junction on track ork on a new car park at lighting and CCTV coverage. – and Councillor Keith Roberts who have campaigned consistently St Helens Junction Station The £820K scheme – which who has sat on the Combined for this scheme and our partners Wis underway which will is scheduled to be completed Authority Transport Committee for at the City Region Combined significantly increase the number by March 2018 – has been the past two years. Authority for the funding. I of parking spaces from 66 to 242. financed through the Government Speaking at a recent site visit, know local residents and rail The improved facility will include Sustainable Transport Councillor John Fulham, St Helens users will welcome this overdue an increased number of blue Enhancement Package (STEP) Council’s Cabinet Member for development which will really badge spaces, better walking after lengthy campaigns from Growth, said: “I’d like to thank relieve congestion and benefit the routes within the site and upgraded residents, Sutton ward councillors residents and fellow councillors community at large.” Ways Linkway set for to work re you aged 16 or over, currently unemployed Aand looking for work? St Helens Council’s Ways to Work team can help. improvements Designed to improve personal resilience and progression to sustainable employment, St lanning for improvements to issues concerning poor pedestrian facilities will also be introduced Helens Ways to Work aims to the A570 St Helens Linkway and cyclist facilities have onto all arms of the junction that support local people into work Pis well underway, with work developed. link to existing pedestrian routes though paid work experience, on a safer and more efficient To begin solving these problems, and speed limits modified on the skills development, help junction at Elton Head Road set to the current roundabout by Mere approaches, further improving with CV writing, interview start in early 2018. Grange and the Cooperative Food safety for all road users. preparation – and much more. The A570 St Helens Linkway Distribution Centre will be replaced The project has benefitted from Interested? Contact the team came into operation in 1994 but with a signal controlled cross funding from the £232 million by calling 01744 676131 or more recently, the Linkway has roads with full pedestrian crossing Liverpool City Region (LCR) email waystowork@sthelens. become a severely congested facilities, creating a more balanced Growth Deal, secured from gov.uk corridor, particularly at Elton and controlled traffic flow, and Government in 2014 by the LCR More information is available Head Road and Sherdley Road reducing peak time queues. LEP. Work is expected to take online at www.sthelens.gov.uk/ roundabouts at peak times, and Pedestrian and cycle crossing around eight months.

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