Bookstart Bear coming to Rainhill Library
 Children under five in Rainhill are being invited to their local library over the Easter holidays to meet the Bookstart Bear and receive free Bookstart packs. Come along between 2pm and 3pm on Tuesday 11th April 2006 and meet Mr Bear. The national extended Bookstart scheme was launched in St Helens in November last year. The two new packs, Bookstart Plus and the Bookstart Treasure Box, have secured long term funding from the Government’s Surestart Unit. Along with the original Bookstart pack that babies receive around nine months of age, it will ensure that every baby and child in Rainhill will receive three free bags of books before they start school. Parents can contact Kathryn Boothroyd, Senior Libraries Manager on 01744 675236 for further information about the Bookstart scheme.
Stoops Island - work has begun.
 I've received some further details of the development which will make the M62 Junction 7 both safer and easier to negociate. "This scheme, estimated to cost £1.65m, is being undertaken to increase the capacity of the junction, to enable developments at Lea Green to proceed. Developers’ contributions of £560,000 will be made towards the scheme.
The works include a free flow link from A570 south to M62 east, so that traffic making this manoeuvre will not have to enter the roundabout. Widening on the north side of the roundabout from 3 to 5 lanes is also included in the scheme.
Works started on site on 27 February 2006 and are scheduled to be completed by September 2006.
During construction part of the roundabout will be restricted to 2 lanes and this will require narrowing of the approach carriageways from A570 and A557 to 2 lanes."
A temporary but NECESSARY measure
Have you seen the three concrete bollards in the village centre??Because of inconsiderate motorists, we have had to insist on more bollards to stop vehicles from mounting and indeed parking on pavements in the village centre. Because new ones which match the existing scheme have had to be ordered, we insisted temporary ones be fitted immediately.Two outside Somerfields Store will stop delivery drivers parking behind the existing bollards on the pedestrian walkway. A further one in Houghton Street will stop the rat-run from the Commercial car park onto Warrington Road.Vehicles have also been parking on the new paving on Houghton Street and now a large oil spillage is clearly visible on the slabs. When the new plinth to commemorate the 175 yr anniversary of the Rainhill Trials is installed, more wooden bollards will cordon the area off from Warrington Road.
SPOT THE NEW BOLLARDS
 One of a pair outside Somerfield Store.
UPDATE - Parking problems nr Whiston Hospital
  I was passing the hospital this afternoon and took the snaps. Newby Avenue was chaotic and emergency vehicles would have been unable to get through. Stoney Lane, just beyond the double yellow lines, was nearly as bad as it became a single width road as seen in the photo.
UPDATE - Parking problems nr Whiston Hospital
Local residents around the hospital between Stoney Lane and Warrington Road have all received an update letter on Saturday from their Labour councillors. Previously we have met with concerned residents and held a joint meeting with them and council officers. After a number of studies by the council, involving the whole area around the hospital which is inconvenienced by inconsiderate parking, there will be action taken to alleviate the problem. Cllrs Doyle, DeAsha and myself met with senior officers last week and were given assurances that the present position was unacceptable and untenable. Further work will have to take place with the council's partners, e.g. the police, the council's legal department, etc., and with Knowsley MBC before a recommendation is available. We thank local residents for their patience in this matter and give a commitment that we will continue to press for a solution.
A VERY SAD DAY - AL SMITH R.I.P.
 Today the funeral took place of Councillor Al Smith, a friend and colleague who will be greatly missed by all who met him, both in a private and political capacity. Al (Albert) was a long standing councillor for the Blackbrook Ward in St Helens, he leaves a wife, a daughter and grand-daughter who he loved to bits. Al died suddenly whilst representing Merseyside Fire Authority on the council's behalf on a promotional visit to Hong Kong. Today, St Mary's Church, Blackbrook was full to the rafters to hear a truly heart rendering service. A lifelong supporter of the Saints who followed them home and away, and a keen angler, but most of all a dedicated family man who passionately fought for all that might benefit his community, but especially if it benefited children. Appropriately the first hymn chosen was "Abide with Me" and the departing hymn was "When the Saints go Marching In". Al Smith RIP
Unlucky St Helens !!!
 Unlucky St Helens !!! Only the Scottish borough of West Lothian stood between St Helens Council and the accolade of "Top Council of 2006" at the awards ceremony in London earlier this week.The council leader Marie Rimmer and Chief Executive Carole Hudson were commended on their presentation on behalf of St Helens, and the efforts of the council as a whole was clearly recognised.St Helens was the only NW council to be shortlisted and Mike Doyle, Joe DeAsha and myself are full of praise for the hard work carried out by our council officers. Let's hope that we can win the award next year.
POLICING IN RAINHILL VILLAGE
 Lynn Carberry, Police Liaison Officer has released the latest info about policing issues in Rainhill Village:Rainhill Cop Shop is open as follows: Tuesday 2pm until 4pm, Thursday 10am until Noon and Friday from Noon until 3pm. Your dedicated officers are constables John Black and Jason Pye. Your Community Support Officers are Maureen Duffy and Rebecca Greet. Crimes in the Village included burglaries in The Meadows, Elmswood Avenue and Chatsworth Road. Cars were broken into in Stoney Lane, Warrington Road, St James Road, Station Street, Chatsworth Road and St Annes Place. Speeding Cars in Warrington Road have recently been the target of local policing to reduce speed and increase safety: this is to continue and you may well see more targeting and speeding cars will face fixed penalties.
Bogus callers are again in the area - please use the STOP...CHAIN...CHECK...
STOP: ARE YOU EXPECTING ANYONE?
CHAIN: SECURE THE DOOR BEFORE OPENING
CHECK: ALWAYS CHECK ID - IT COULD BE FAKE !!!
Need to report an incident?? RING 0151 709 6010 and ask for ST HELENS. Give your information and ask for an incident number. Don't always expect someone else to report an incident. The police look at statistics - the more cases reported about a similar type of incident or crime, the higher it goes on their priority list to target. As you will be aware, their money to tackle crime is not limitless so they need the process of targeting the most prevalent crimes.
GOOD CITIZEN AWARDS 2006
 Rainhill Parish Council is seeking nominations for the Good Citizenship Award. Any person or organisation may nominate an individual for the award. The only criterion being that the person nominated must have served the community of Rainhill in a way that is recognised as having enriched the lives of Rainhill residents. Details of the award and application form may be obtained from the Parish Clerk, David Blanchflower, by telephoning 0151 523 3654. The closing date for nominations will be 25th April 2006.
APPEAL TO REDUCE ANTI SOCIAL BEHAVIOR
 RAINHILL LABOUR PARTY actively supports all powers to keep and maintain our village in a clean condition free from graffiti and litter . Soon legislation will allow all CSOs to carry more powers to help police local communities. Some of the new powers are: Issue fixed penalty notices for anti social acts such as drawing graffiti and dropping litter and powers to confiscate drugs and alcohol. Although graffiti has not been as big a problem lately as in some areas of the town, we shouldn't become complacent. New legislation is now in place to prohibit the sale of paint aerosols to persons under the age of 16 years old. The Anti Social Behavior Act 2003 also gives teeth to the act of selling these sprays by a maximum penalty for breach of section 54 (the sales) of £2,500 per offence. Clearly if four 15 year olds buy paint aerosols in one shop, there could be fines totalling up to £10,000. Controlled products now include alcohol, butane cigarette lighter refills, fireworks, solvents and now aerosol paint containers.
Trading Standards Services regularly use volunteer children to buy age restricted products and traders who sell will face legal action. Any information passed to us will be treated confidentially and we will press for Trading Standards to visit traders who may be breaking the Act.
FULL COUNCIL AGREES 2.5% COUNCIL TAX
At the recent Full Council held on Wednesday 1st March, the proposed increase of 2.5% on the council tax was passed. Your three Labour councillors MIKE DOYLE, JOE DE'ASHA and myself, STEVE GLOVER, all attended and were somewhat bemused by the comments made by the leaders of the Lib Dem and Conservative opposition.The Lib Dem position was that the increase was possibly not enough and that the council ratepayers would have to fund the shortfalls in revenue in later years !!! (St Helens has held 2.5% rises for 5 years now). They would not, however, set a budget of their own !!!
I WONDER WHY ?The Conservatives, even more bizar'rely, wanted praise for their part in contributing to the efficiencies of our Council !!! Our unreserved praises do go to the excellent service that the Council Officers have put in, ably lead by the Portfolio Holder responsible for the Budget, Cllr Marie Rimmer.
PARISH PRECEPTS
The Parish Precepts were also approved and it was very interesting to compare the 7 Parish rates. The largest increases were in Bold (9.7% rise - controlled by the Lib Dems), Eccleston (5.2% rise - controlled by the Lib Dems) and Rainford (4.5% rise - controlled by the Conservatives) .
The lowest figure was for Rainhill - minus 4.0% (controlled by Labour) and the only reduction in St Helens.
Planning Issues
APPLICATIONS RECENTLY REVIEWED
1485 17 Horwood Avenue - Two storey side and single storey rear extension - refused
0023 36 Ritherup Lane - Detatched garage - granted
0053 11 Mooreway - Single storey rear extension - granted
RECENT SUBMISSIONS
0133 14 Knowsley Road - Pitched roof to eisting flat roof extension
0137 29 Sandhurst Road - Conservatory
0149 30 Railton Avenue - Conservatory
0177 1 Swail Avenue - Two storey extension and single storey front extension
0184 1 Lawton Road - Demolition of existing barn/outbuilding and erection of bungalow
0208 12 Tarlton Close - Single storey side extension
0215 HSBC Bank, Dane Court - Installation of a second ATM machine
0224 34 Old Lane - Single storey side extension
0225 13 Fairlie Drive - Single storey rear extension
0245 Land south of 34 / 36 Rainhill Road - Erection of two storey dwelling
0246 3 Lawton Road - Demolition of garage / summerhouse and erection of bungalow
0255 14 Stonecross Drive - First floor side extension
0258 Romiley, Mill Lane - Conservatory
0259 10 Trent Road - Single storey rear extension
0261 11 Marley Close - Pitched roof on dormers
0264 18 Kendricks Fold - Conservatory
0269 Tower College, Mill Lane - Erection of Sports Hall, Nursery and Kindergarden with Car Park
SCHEDULE OF APPEALS00478 Land south of Fairchilds Farm, Fox's Bank Lane - Breach of Planning Control - Informal Hearing set for 23/05/0600104 Fairchilds Farm, Fox's Bank Lane - Breach of Planning Control - Informal Hearing set for 16/05/06
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Children under five in Rainhill are being invited to their local library over the Easter holidays to meet the Bookstart Bear and receive free Bookstart packs.
