From Belly Dancing to Bling Check out Your Local Community Centres

St.Helens FIRST UK ESSENTIAL OIL AND WILDFLOWER FARM A BRAND NEW FUTURE April - July 2008 FirstSt.Helens Council’s Community Magazine From belly dancing to bling Check out your local community centres On the cover Check out your local St.Helens community centres – Contents see page 16. Chief Executive’s Inside this issue April - July 2008 column The Audit Commission 7 9 has reported that St.Helens Council continues to be one of the best authorities in the country. In fact, its score for use of financial resources earned it third place in the country as St.Helens continues to improve year on year offering value for money for 12 24 Teentalk its council tax payers. The Annual Features News Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) report P4 Fostering update P23 Taking a peep inside P5 Bin men save the the Transport day for May by the Audit Commission P6-7 Direct Payments Museum reveals the results of making a difference P9 Ethan takes on USA countrywide inspections of to everyday lives P24 The Future is here P12 Fair Trade town councils, announcing that St P10 A sporting chance P26-27 Beacon Centre is a Helens has again retained its P13 New business centre top 4 star rating achieving its P14 St.Helens Live 08 shining light takes shape best scores ever. P15-22 Around and about P25 Moss Lane 150 Financial management including more years on and use of resources was news on ward again assessed as excellent. committee projects The Council continues to deliver service improvements whilst setting inflation only increases in council tax. Other highlights included Editor: Chris Cahill News Editor: improvements in the Kay Dingsdale priority areas of economic St.Helens Council, Press and Public development, adult social Whether it’s to find out how By text: Ask about signing up to to recycle your household our new SMS text alert service Relations Office, care and health services, waste, check what’s on, pay when you call the Contact Centre. Town Hall, St.Helens, services for children WA10 1HP your Council Tax or request a and young people and specific service, the way you At the library: Call into any To contact your news contact the Council is up to you! library in St.Helens to pay team with suggestions for articles community safety and crime your Council Tax. Online: www.sthelens.gov.uk about you or your organisation and disorder strategies. Email: contactcentre@ St.Helens Council offers a Tel: 01744 456166/5 I hope you enjoy this sthelens.gov.uk translation and interpretation Fax: 01744 456168 service including foreign Email: [email protected] edition of St.Helens First Telephone: 01744 456789 languages, British Sign Language, St.Helens First is printed on recycled paper. (8am – 8pm, Monday – Friday Braille and Audio Tape. All public which is packed with and 10am – 2pm, Saturdays) areas in the Town Hall have interesting news and disabled access. Minicom: 01744 671671 Talking Pages feature items. Face to Face: Contact Centre, This magazine is available Wesley House, Corporation inin talkingtalking bookbook andand BrailleBraille Carole Hudson, Street, St.Helens (open 9am – on request by contacting 5pm, Monday – Friday). 01744 456166/5. Chief Executive Designed and printed by Engage Group www.engagegroup.co.uk Group Engage by Designed and printed Fostering feature If you don’t foster, who will? If you have the enthusiasm, energy, commitment and love to care for someone else, room in your home and in your heart, then fostering could be for you. he Council’s Fostering Team There are many misconceptions Look out for events and adverts is always seeking foster carers about who can and cannot foster but in the local press during Fostering for children of all ages but restrictions are minimal. Fortnight (10th – 24th May) which it is particularly looking for will give more information about Tpeople to care for older children – 7 You can be single, married or fostering or go to the Council’s teenagers who need a stepping stone living with a partner website www.sthelens.gov.uk to independence. Likely to be working or studying, they only need a foster 7 Employed, unemployed or retired home for a couple of years but many will keep in touch with their carers for 7 Live in your own home or rented years after. accommodation All who foster in St.Helens 7 You don’t need a big are provided with much help, house or garden encouragement and training from a comprehensive support network. They 7 You don’t need to be able to have their own support worker, are drive or own a car linked to an experienced carer, meet regularly with other foster carers and 7 There’s no age limit and you have access to advice and training. can have pets If you think you have what it takes to foster or want more information call the Fostering Team on 01744 456256 or email [email protected] 4 www.sthelens.gov.uk News Bin men save the day for May A group of St.Helens bin Beesley, John McNamara men saved the day for a and trainee David Mustard Haydock pensioner who waiting for her with had inadvertently lost her the lost MoT and car MoT and £40 worth of tax money. car tax. They had seen the May Hughes, 74, put envelope and cash drop off an envelope on the bonnet the car and waited for her of her Ford Fiesta as to return to be reunited she sorted out her car with her lost property. keys and handbag. But Says May: “The lads she left it on the bonnet were really friendly and as she set off to get her wanted to make sure I got car taxed. my things back as quickly After searching as possible. They do a everywhere she arrived grand job and they deserve back home to find bin some praise for their men Neil Groves, John thoughtfulness.” Bin lorry driver Neil with May UK’s first essential oils and wildflower farm Fields of lavender and based at the National relocate its processing wildflowers will become a Wildflower Centre in and visitor education familiar sight in St.Helens Knowsley, will jointly facilities to the farm, which with the prospective develop Inglenook Farm will become a colourful launch of the UK’s first in Rainford producing addition to the already essential oils and national crops, undertaking research thriving rural economy wildflower farm. and creating a haven for in St.Helens. The project Phytobotanica UK wildlife. is an integral part of the Ltd, founders of the first Subject to securing borough’s Rural Economy essential oils research planning permission for Action Plan (REAP), as centre in Europe, and reuse of the outbuildings, well as the wider City Landlife, a wildlife charity Phytobotanica will also Growth Strategy. 19th Century Mansion new venue for civil ceremonies The historic Mansion choice of table layouts and other rooms overlooking House in Victoria Park menus to suit all tastes plus parkland, some with has thrown open its helpful wedding planner water feature views. impressive doors to civil staff to help with your Older townsfolk ceremonies. special day. will remember it as the Built in 1850 and set Once a Victorian town’s former museum. in panoramic parkland gentlemen’s residence Age Concern now near the town centre, it boasts an imposing run the building. the Mansion House entrance and central hall For further has a number of rooms with elegant staircase details contact available with a large ideal for photographs plus 01744 752644. www.sthelens.gov.uk 5 Adult social care and health Direct Payments are opening up a world of opportunities A scheme which offers a cash amount for people to purchase their own care and support is opening up a new way of life for people across the Borough. esidents who are eligible for A Champions Group was set up This includes people with physical Community Care Services as a point of contact to bring issues, or learning disabilities, older people, (CCS) can choose Direct problems, and suggestions to the mental health problems, disabled Payments which offer a way group. Common queries include people aged between 16 and 17, people Rof receiving the care they need. whether a specific bit of equipment with disabled children and carers. It’s a cash amount from the Council’s would be available through a direct Once in receipt of payment it means Adult Social Care and Health payment or whether someone has you can employ your own carers or Department and is completely separate capacity to consent to a direct personal assistant, decide on the hours from the Department for Work and payment if they have Alzheimers. they work and how they give support. Pensions direct payment scheme. They also share information and The Council’s Direct Payments Team The amount you receive is based good practice about creative use of will offer help and advice with a wide on a financial assessment and will not direct payments. range of issues to help you. affect your finances or benefits. Your Anyone who uses or is eligible for For more details ring 01744 456204 contribution, if any, will be dependent CCS can access Direct Payments. or 456200 on your financial circumstances. 6 www.sthelens.gov.uk Adult social care and health Jane’s new life thanks Holiday to Direct Payments boost Since Jane Parr received her Direct Payments it has opened up a The parents of one 15 year old whole new world for her. St.Helens youngster have been able to Jane, who has learning difficulties, has been able to follow up her have a holiday, safe in the knowledge dreams and ambitions.

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