St Teresa's

West Park’s Labour Team congratulated everyone involved in providing community activities at St Teresa’s Community Centre on Devon Street after they were successful in obtaining a grant of £7000 to help restore the centre. The Community centre caters for young people and the elderly. Cllr Marlene Quinn, who has been working with the Community Centre and offering advice on ways to access funding, commented” the commitment shown by people who help out at the centre is first class. The recent appeal for old mobile phones raised over £300 and the Centre are looking to apply for a further grant of £500 to help with youth activities. The Community Centre is making a real difference in the local community and it’s a privilege working with them ”

Mick Manning ,who helps at the centre, said “A simple phone call to West Park Labour Team asking for help in fund-raising pointed us in the right direction, we are now reaping the rewards. We bought a new pool table for the kids with the money from the old mobile phones and we still want more old mobile phones to help raise funds”

The Big Lib Dem Lights out-Again!!!

For the second year running the Lib Dem/Tory alliance running the Council has cut funding for street lighting. Labour’s Marlene Quinn said “Street lighting is an import factor in reassuring the public and deterring crime. We will continue to expose the Lib Dem/Tory cuts at the Town Hall and fight for our area.”

Robbie joins post office fight

Labour Campaigner Robbie Ayres has joined Cllrs Marie Rimmer and Marlene Quinn and local residents in the fight to try and save Cambridge Road Post Office from closure.

Robbie said ”To close this post office would be a catastrophe for the local community ,particularly local pensioners .The nearest Post Office would be the main PO on Bridge Street. The Bridge St office is always very busy with endless queues. If we lost Cambridge Road post office this would also have an adverse effect on the many shops in Cambridge Rd. The Post Office consultation on the proposed closure lasts six weeks and ends on December 17th. Your West Park Labour Team have delivered thousands of leaflets around the Newtown area urging people to write to the Post Office Consultation Team”:

Latest West Park Rose delivered

The Xmas edition of West Park Labour Team's Rose newsletter is now being delivered.This is the third ward newsletter since last May's local elections and includes news about your Labour Team's local campaigns in your area.

St Teresa's Scoops Award

St.Teresa’s Catholic Primary School has become the first school in St. Helens to achieve a Second Green Flag award from the national ENCAMS Eco Schools Campaign. The Devon Street school was initially awarded the prestigious Green Flag in May 2005 for its ongoing work and commitment to the environment.

Well done to all pupils,parents and staff!!!

Newtown Planters

The removal of several planters around the Newtown area recently took place.These included planters in Devon,Sidney,Bronte,Exeter and Grafton Streets.

Labour Councillor Marlene Quinn said "Many residents had complained that the planters were a focal point for litter and anti social behaviour in the area.Several residents had plants shoved through their letterboxes that had been uprooted from the planters"

Labour's Care Boost

The quality of life for older people in St. Helens care homes will improve as a result of a £225,000 refurbishment fund from the Labour Government. This is St Helens’ share of a national £67 million investment in England’s Care Homes by Labour.

Improvements will include:

Replacing worn-out carpeting or floor coverings to reduce the risk of falls.

Upgrading dining rooms.

Upgrading residents’ bedrooms and bathrooms

Improving gardens or outside spaces used by residents, to encourage outdoor exercise.

Alterations that would give the residents greater privacy.

Providing information technology that benefits older residents, such as access to internet and email.

Local Labour Councillor Marlene Quinn said” By distributing this funding to almost 7,000 care homes throughout England Labour are aiming to improve the lives of tens of thousands of people and their families. This is good news for our care homes in St Helens ”

Latest West Park Rose Delivered

The latest edition of West Park Labour Team's community newsletter is being delivered to every home in West Park Ward right now.Local news, by local people for local people....

Labour Slams Town Hall Lib Dem Spin

Labour has slammed the Council’s Lib Dem Leadership for their ‘pass the buck’ attitude and excessive spin.

Cllr Marlene Quinn said “Whenever bad news or a tough decision needs to be explained to the people of St Helens the Lib Dems offer up an anonymous ‘Council spokesperson ‘ to comment. But when a good news story breaks, usually involving money from the Labour Government, Lib Dems are literally falling over themselves to get their name attached to the story. It’s just the sort of irresponsible ’leadership’ we’ve come to expect from the Lib Dems and we will continue to hold them to full account on behalf of local residents.”

Sign Of The Times

A new street sign was fitted in Lynn Close after residents contacted Marlene and Marie.Do you know of a local street sign in need of repair or replacement? Contact labour@westpark.org.uk

Phone Mast Blast

Cllrs Marlene Quinn and Marie Rimmer have joined local residents in objecting to the proposed placement of a mobile phone mast on Prescot Road near Carmel College.

Marlene said”It is proposed to situate the mast in a high density residential area with large numbers of students of Carmel Sixth Form College accessing transport in the vicinity of this mast. There is still an issue regarding mast impact on health. We have notified residents in the area of our objections and concerns”

Ravenhead Plans Rejected Again

The revised plans to build 400 new homes on the former glassworks site in Ravehead have been rejected . West Park’s Local Labour Team has lead the campaign against this unsuitable development from day one.

Labour Councillor Marie Rimmer commented “Ravenhead’s already congested roads simply couldn’t take hundreds of extra vehicles and the congestion along Prescot Road would have worsened. We’d like to thank all the residents who contacted us about this important local issue and we will continue to monitor the situation”

Marlene wins West Park

Local Labour Campaigner Marlene Quinn won the election in West Park, gaining the seat from the Lib Dems, with a thumping 591 majority,a swing to Labour and Labour's highest vote in any ward across St Helens. Marlene Quinn said" Labour's majority went up in West Park as did our share of the vote. This is a victory for the community of West Park Ward and I will work just as hard in the council chamber as I do in our local community.I'd like to thank everyone who supported me and the many people who sent genuine messages of support during the campaign"

Marlene Quinn Labour Party 1741

Conservative Party 174
Liberal Democrat 1150
Community Action Party 50
BNP 220

Taylor Park Boathouse

Marlene Quinn tries out the specially made celebration cake at the recent opening of Taylor Park’s new café with local residents and people involved in running the café from St John’s Ravenhead. It was Marlene’s suggestion that St John’s be involved in operating the café in Taylor Park. Marlene said “The opening is a credit to all the people from St John’s Centre, The Friends of Taylor Park and everyone else involved. I’m sure our local community will make good use of this excellent new facility. The service is excellent and all the produce is affordably priced. Over the past couple of years the park has been transformed with new facilities and the numbers of people using the park has increased substantially. It’s a real success story for our area and St Helens.”

West Street Action

Local Campaigner Marlene Quinn reported this badly leaning road sign for repair in West Street.Real Labour Action, by the Real Local Team...

Dog Fouling Survey

Marlene Quinn would like to thank the many people who returned our recent dog fouling survey. Marlene said” The survey was intended to find out the extent of the problem in our area and the response has been staggering. The responses so far state that dog fouling is a huge problem and that it is getting worse. We realise the vast majority of dog owners are responsible but more needs to be done to target the irresponsible small minority who allow their dogs to foul our public areas. Everyone agrees with this point. We will update you on this local campaign”

Thank You For your Help On this important issue

Marlene Quinn
Labour Campaigner

Who Are We?

West Park’s Labour Team are local people just like you. We live in your area, use local facilities, attend local community meetings and resident’s groups and send our kids to local schools. What affects you, affects us. That’s why we work hard for our area.

*Cllr Marie Rimmer lives in Dilloway St..

*Marlene Quinn lives in Ravenhead...

*Our Branch Secretary lives in
Dunriding Lane..

*Our Branch Chair lives in Newtown..

*Our leaflet publisher lives in Grange Park..

*Our local team of volunteers who deliver your local Rose newsletter all live in your area…

*We are West Park’s Only all local, all year round campaigning Party

Why not join us and help us fight for our area?
Call us on 01744 60000

Local Youth Matters

Local resident Marlene Quinn is delighted to be part of a team that is providing a safe place for our local youth to let off steam and engage in positive activity at St Teresa’s Hall.

Marlene said “The vast majority of local kids are good kids and it’s important to give them something to do to keep them off the streets and out of potential trouble. We are currently raising funds to provide more play equipment for local youngsters .You can help us, if you have any broken or unused mobile phones then please contact me on 600025.”

Marlene has also been co opted onto the management committee and she commented” we are looking for larger amounts of funding to make the hall easier to access for disabled
people and safer and more secure.”

Other activities at the Centre include:Senior Citizens Bingo Night, toddler group, youth club, slimming world and other local community activities.

Taylor Park Car Parking

Labour Campaigner and local resident Marlene Quinn hit out at the grubby Lib Dem/Tory Alliance running St Helens Council after they blocked a Labour amendment to the council budget that would have added an extra £1.75 million capital receipt cash to improve local street lighting, footpaths and car parking facilities, including extra car parking at the Grosvenor Rd end of Taylor Park..

Marlene said “ Many residents have complained to us about street lighting, lack of car parking facilities in places like Taylor Park and the condition of many of our footpaths. We feel these areas of concern need to be tackled and said so. It seems the Lib Dems and Tories don’t agree. Had they accepted Labour's amendment both ends of Taylor Park would have benefited from new and improved car parking facilities.They have already shelved routine funded lighting replacement schemes and hiked up car parking charges. The additional funding would have had no impact on this year’s council tax level and we fully supported the proposed council tax rise of 2.5% .Labour had delivered 5 consecutive years of 2.5% council tax rises including last year’s council budget. We will keep fighting on the issues that matter to you in OUR West Park community and in the Town Hall”

Storm Damage

Your Local Labour Team Working For Our Community

*Many residents contacted West Park’s Labour Team after the recent gale force winds lashed the local area. Residents living along Prescot Road called Labour Councillor Marie Rimmer after a street light was seen swaying in the high winds.Marie said “The light column’s concrete base was breaking up and the situation was becoming dangerous. Thankfully it was repaired quickly and I’d like to thank the residents who contacted me about this issue.”

*Elderly residents in Marsden Avenue contacted your Labour Team after the fence to the rear of their properties was blown down by the high winds. Labour Campaigner Marlene Quinn said “There were obvious security concerns as the gardens backed onto an unlit park. We contacted the housing repair team and a new fence was erected at the rear of the bungalows.”

*Many residents contacted your Labour Team after a huge tree fell across the footpath in Linear Park. Marlene Quinn said “There were reports that small children were climbing along the fallen tree and there could be an accident. The tree was removed after we contacted the council and pressed for swift action”