European & County Council Elections 4th June 2009

The European and County Council elections are upon us. Heyhouses residents will be eligible to vote on Thursday at the Polling Stations as listed on your Polling Card. This will be either St Thomas' School or Hope Street Park. There are a total of 8 Conservative European Parliamentary Candidates to vote for and Councillor Fabian Craig-Wilson is the Conservative candidates for St Annes South.

After 28 years of labour control at County Hall Fylde needs a change which will bring about a change of funding priorities from the East of Lancashire back to the Fylde region.

The Conservatives are the only party that is capable of taking control, requiring just a handful of seats to take over. The Lib Dems are miles behind and would require almost 40 seats to come close - so remember not only to vote but to support the Conservative Party when voting as this is the only real way to guarantee a change for Lancashire. It's time for change - please remember to vote!

Closure of Footpath to allow demolition - Pilling Ave

Residents around Waddington Road and Grassington will be aware of the plans to demolish the old New Fylde Housing Flats on Grassington Road. This work is about to commence and for your information a temporary road closure of the duel Footway/ Carriageway linking Pilling Avenue and Grassington Road at Heyhouses will start from 08:00hrs Monday 11th May 2009 to 18:00hrs Wednesday 11th November 2009

As previously mentioned this is to demolish old properties and redevelop the site, plans can be viewed by visiting the Councils one stop shop on Clifton Drive.

Friends Groups for Waddington & Hope Street Parks are now formed

Last night I met with a great group of residents at Cllr Hyde's home regarding the setting up of a Parks Friends group for Hope Street Park. The upgrade of the Park could cost as much as £250,000, but funding is available to Friends Groups, hence the meeting. Hope Street is a fantastic Park which sadly has declined over a number of years. With Council budgets shrinking year on year the best way forward for Heyhouses Parks is for residents to form groups similar to that of Lythams Park View 4U, which has raised over a million pounds for the Lytham Park.

Detailed plans have already been drawn up for Waddington Park, and a keen group of residents have taken over the baton and are pushing the plans forward, they are keen to hear from anyone that is willing to help, and they can be contacted via the link in our "links" section. Funding has already started coming in towards the Waddington scheme, from Lancs County Council and Fylde Council Officers are helping both groups get organised and helping point them in the right direction.

The Hope Street group will meet again on the 3rd February at 6pm to discuss the appointment of committee members and keith would be keen to hear from anyone living close to Hope Street who would like to get involved.

Keith said "this is an exciting time for Heyhouses Ward, we are keen to make our Parks the best in Fylde. Residents have two great examples of what can be achieved at both Hove Road Park and Park View and I hope that those living close to Hope Street and Waddington Road will get in touch with me. We hope to kick off fundraising in the Spring"

Once official the Friends of Hope Street will set up a website to keep neighbours informed on their progress.

We Love Small Shops!! - Join our Campaign

Supporting Small Shops
Small shops are at the heart of our high streets and town centres. They offer diversity and choice and provide a really personal service to their community.

Yet in many communities these independent retailers are under threat. They face a rising burden of regulation and tax, a daily battle against crime and violence, and competition from the growth of out-of-town shopping centres. It is estimated that 2000 shops close every year.

Join our campaign to support Britain’s small shops by signing our petition today.

In the Summer, Conservative MPs published a report which set out the challenges facing small shops and ideas for the way ahead. It concluded that we must stand up for small retailers and recognise the vital role they play at the heart of our communities.

So we are campaigning to promote and save our small shops. In particular we are opposing Labour plans to make it easier for more out-of-town development, by scrapping the so-called ‘needs test’. If implemented, this will further undermine small, town centre shops.

You can help save your local shop. Become part our campaign to keep small shops at the heart of our communities.

Mark Prisk MP, the Conservative Shadow Minister for Small Businesses - “If you value your local shops then join our campaign to help them. You can make a difference.”

“Cllr John Coombes added in Fylde we have prided ourselves on our shopping centres and our smaller retail centres such as Whalley Place and St Albans Road, but success runs the risk of all of us becoming complacent about their long term future which can lead to outside funding being diverted away from Fylde, our local campaign to get local retailers and business owners working together and with the Council should help strengthen our voice and ensure that we all have a part to play in developing a long term plan for our town centres“

“We also need to urge residents to shop local and to support local retailers. By walking around the corner to the local shops we are securing their future as well as saving the environment - buy local and buy British has to be the mantra during these difficult trading times“

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Sign our petition at

http://www.conservatives.com/Campaigns/Supporting_Small_Shops.aspx

Read the report and send your comments and ideas to the Office of Mark Prisk at mooren@parliament.uk or write to him at Mark Prisk MP, House of Commons, London, SW1A OAA
Write to the Government to say NO to scrapping the needs test. Address your letters to Hazel Blears, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, House of Commons, London, SW1A OAA

Download our poster via www.conservatives.com