Iain Roberts

After years of trying, it looks like Brookhead Arcade on Stockport Road, Cheadle is finally to be gated.  The arcade of shops near Jubilee Park has a walk-through in the middle that’s long acted as a magnet for anti-social behaviour at night.

The aim is for gates to be fitted by the end of April and operated by the shopkeepers.

Following a letter from Mark Hunter requesting action, PC Gareth Pemberton has been spending time at the one-way side-road running alongside Councillor Lane near Demmings Road.

PC Pemberton reported that incidents of people driving the wrong way along the road seem to have reduced, and he’s continuing to visit the location and check with local residents.

The Kenilworth Pub in Cheadle Hulme has, in the past, had some issues with violence and anti-social behaviour, especially on derby days.

Police have reported that there have been no issues in the last three months and so the pub has been removed from their hotlist of problem pubs.

Meanwhile, Pub Watch in Cheadle is formally being launched with a meeting on 14th April - we wish it every success!

UPDATE: The landlord of the Kenilworth, John Powell, has contacted me to point out that the pub has had no recent problems and only a handful over the last couple of years, a correction which I’m happy to pass on.

A Gala Concert and three course meal will be held in celebration of St George on Friday, 23 April 2010 at 7.00 pm in the Ballroom at Stockport Town Hall. The event is being held on aid of The Mayor of Stockport Charity Fund.

Entertainment will be provided by Stockport Operatic Society, Stockport Recorder College, Stockport Youth Orchestra and Ian Gough (organist).

Tickets are available for £40 each, or £350 for a table of ten from the Town Hall Box Office on 0161 474 3256.

At this evening’s Cheadle Area Committee we had an update from PC Jim Wilson on the issues in the Oak Road Area.  The news from the police was positive, so I’m particularly keen to hear from residents to see if this matches their experiences over the last week or so.

• Police have met one particular resident to agree an action plan to deal with problems in the area.
• Many of the problems seemed to stem from one particular address on Oak Road where a young man was living, with visitors at all hours and drug activity. Stockport Homes and the Police are working on an eviction.  The tenant has been served with an eviction notice and has two weeks to appeal.  The earliest court date that’s been secured is 23rd May.
• The property was recently boarded up when the resident was in hospital for two weeks.  When the resident returned, the house was unboarded.  However, the Police say they are unaware of any further problems in the last few days  and the tenant may be staying elsewhere.
• More Special Constables are patrolling in the Oak Road area, and more night patrols have been requested.
• A mobile police station is in Oak Road roughly one day a week, with patrols from the station.  Residents are encouraged to drop by and share any concerns they have.
• Patrolling officers are looking to identify youths and, where there are problems, will look at further measures such as acceptable behaviour contracts.
• On a couple of evenings, Section 60 powers have been approved, giving officers the power to conduct searches without normal grounds of suspicion.  A couple of arrests have resulted.
• A young man is on bail, having been arrested in relation to the vandalism of cars in Whitegates and the south end of Ashfield Road.

Anyone looking for a fun and a cost-effective day out at Easter should come along to Bramall Hall for its Grand Easter Festival. The charity event which is organised by the Friends of Bramall Hall & Park, aims to raise much needed funds for the continued conservation of the Hall and surrounding parkland.

The event takes place on Sunday 4th April from 11.00am to 4.00pm, and will cater for all the family. Entrance is £1 for adults and free for children. However guided tours will not be available. For more information about the event, call Bramall Hall on 0161 485 3708 or go to www.bramallhall.org.uk.

The 2009 annual review process for the Town Centre and M60 Gateway regeneration programme was completed last December and the review and action plan document approved by the Council’s Executive this month.

The document is available to view on the Council’s website.

A thief snatched a pregnant woman’s bag only to rummage through it and throw it back seconds later.

At about 12.15pm on Wednesday 10 March 2010, a 30-year-old woman was making her way through a walkway between Styal Road and Highcrest Avenue, Gatley, when she stopped to allow a cyclist to pass.

The cyclist grabbed the woman’s bag, knocking her to the ground.

He rode a short distance, looked inside the bag and threw it back at her before riding off.

An E-fit has now been released of the offender, who is described as white, in his late 20s, 6ft tall, of medium build with short, black spiky hair. He was riding a black BMX.

PC Karen Smith, from the Volume Crime Team, said: “The offender has subjected the woman to a frightening ordeal, only to throw her belongings back at her when he found she had nothing he wanted.

“I would appeal to people to look carefully at this image and call me if you think you know who he might be so he can be held accountable for what he did.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the Volume Crime Team on 0161 856 9769/9700, or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Around 2,000 children are currently taking part in ‘Crucial Crew’, an annual event organised by Stockport Council which teaches children vital lessons on how to keep themselves and others safe.

‘Crucial Crew’ is the first annual safety event in the UK recognised by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and is now in its 16th year. Professionals from Greater Manchester Police, Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service, North West Ambulance Service, NHS Stockport, British Transport Police, Stockport Women’s Aid, and the Council are presenting interactive learning sessions strengthening the link between knowing the correct response to a situation and actually doing it.

Issues covered included:-

• how to escape from a house fire

• basic first aid for someone who has collapsed

• the effects of alcohol and smoking

• dangers of the railway environment

• awareness of domestic violence/abuse issues

• cycling safely

• personal safety in relation to street crime

• age-restricted products

• cyber safety

The Local Government Minister, Barbara Follett has announced that she is to take action against Greater Manchester Police Authority for setting, in the Government’s view, an excessive budget for 2010-11. Greater Manchester Police set a precept equating to 7.5% on a Band D property.

The Government is minded to place a ‘cap’ on the Authority’s 2011-12 budget at a level that will equate to a 4.5% increase in each of the years 2010-11 and 2011-12. This means that authorities will not be required to rebill council tax payers in 2010-11.

The authority has 21 days to challenge the Minister’s decision. A copy of the Ministerial statement announcing this decision can be found by clicking here.

Our Council Tax bills include a portion for the police, and for the fire service, separate to the local authority funds.