Atherton Masterplan Report
“Cllr Gerrard’s motion was voted against by Labour Councillors last night because we have already secured funding for Atherton. In March I specifically asked the Leader if funding was to be made available on completion of the Masterplan and was told it would be. Subsequently ALL ATHERTON and ATHERLEIGH Concillors voted IN FAVOUROF SECURING funding for Atherton…That is why it was not necessary to support Cllr Gerrard’s motion…because he brought it to Council AFTER we had already voted to support the funding.
Also, Cllr Gerrard voted against the development of 830 new houses in Atherton. That development will l bring 2000+ new residents who will spend their money in our local businesses. In voting against he clearly DID NOT support future regeneration, DID NOT support investment in our town and DID NOT support our local business community. He claimed last night that he voted against the development on the grounds of “resident safety”. Well Cadent gas who own the pipeline and who are the experts on pipelines agreed that the pipeline would be sae , the HEALTH and SAFETY EXECUTIVE agreed it was safe and as regards the Leigh Road junction an independent report by experts qualified in road design and using the current national standards agreed it was fit for purpose. I would sooner err on the side of using qualified specialists reports to base my decision on rather than Cllr Gerrard’s unqualified assessment”
Maiden Speech:
Madam Mayor. Thank you for allowing me to speak on this Motion.
Colleagues. Members of the public may wonder why AtherleighLabour councillors wish to speak on this Motion tonight. Well, for clarity I will explain. Atherton town centre is split right down the middle of Market St into two political wards. Looking towards Leigh everything on your left is actually in Atherleigh ward. So you can see we have an equal interest in working to better Atherton for the benefit of businesses, residents and visitors to the town.
However, I am surprised this motion has been put forward at all. Why? Simply because it is not necessary.Why? … because we have already been given an undertaking that funds will be made availableto Atherton and to all our district centres. In fact we have already had that assurance on two occasions.Let me explain…
Atherton and Atherleigh’s Labour councillors have worked for over twelve months now with a Wigan Council project team to develop Atherton’s Strategic Masterplan. We have been represented at every single meeting, we’ve given constructive input and driven the project forward from the outset. We’ve also visited local businesses to undertake informal consultation during the drafting process. Sadly, I can’t say the same for my Independent colleagues who haven’t attended every meeting by a long chalk.
So, where was the first promise of funding for Atherton? We met with the then Leader of the Council, Cllr Peter Smith earlier this year. I attended that meeting with Cllr Karen Aldred, Cllr Jamie Hodgkinson and several members of the project team. I specifically askedthe Leader if funding would be made available once the Masterplan was completed and he gave a clear undertaking that there would be funds, so that is one reason we don’t need this motion tonight. I’ll explain the other reason later.
Labour Councillors always attend the Atherton Residents Association (ARA) meetings. Chris Green, Conservative M.P. for Bolton West, attended the last ARA meeting and wrote a Leigh Journal article last week about the Masterplan and the GM Mayors’ Town Centre Challenge. He stated…, and I quote, “I Supported Cllr Stuart Gerrard’s campaign for Atherton to be Wigan’s choice for the challenge”. Mr Green must have had some sort of “selective amnesia” in thinking that the Atherton and Atherleigh Labour Councillors haven’t played their part in pushing for Atherton to be the town selected for nomination in that Town Centre Challenge initiative….
In fact, I will read out to you a short précis of my emailsent to Andy Burnham on 22ndNovember last year….
“Hi Andy
I am writing to ask that you consider Atherton as one of the towns for urgent regeneration?
I can clearly see the many opportunities Atherton has, as one of our smaller towns, should it receive funding from your proposal.
Regeneration investment could drastically improve the town from an economic, business, employment, residential and leisure perspective.
Much infrastructure already exists in the form of two rail stations and the V2 guided bus-way and these facilities can be optimised with further town centre investment.
As one of Wigan’s peripheral and smaller towns and, being nearest to the Wigan\Bolton borough boundary and the M61 motorway, investment here would pay dividends to all who live, work and visit the town.
Atherton is currently developing a Strategic Masterplan. Wigan Council has clearly recognised the towns’ potential by prioritising the town for a Masterplan and is already investing time and resources.Investment from your proposed regeneration initiative could kick start, and indeed accelerate Wigan Council, councillors and the local groups’ plans and bring to fruition town centre improvements to meet and indeed exceed the aspirations of all who live, work in and visit the town.
As always we are available and willing to discuss the above matters at any time.”
I also read this out at two ARA meetings and gave advice to attendees as to how best to write to Andy.
If that is not a Labour Councillor showing support for the regeneration of Atherton, then what is? All other Atherton and Atherleigh Labour councillors also supported that position.
Cllr. Gerrard’s motion asks Wigan Council to put investment funds into Atherton, yet only yesterday at Planning Committee, he was the only Cllr to vote againstgranting the development of 830 new homes in Atherton. No doubt, that will get him some publicity and be popular with some local residents, but how can he honestly bring a motion to this Council asking for funding and support for the Atherton Masterplan when, in effect, he voted notto support investment in our town? Notto support regeneration and notto support the local business community who will, through this development, have a potential 2000+ new residents spending their money in our local shops and businesses in Atherton?
So where is the second reason we don’t need this motion? Well, at March’s full council meeting, the then Leader, agreed that there “would be consultation with residents, partners and businesses to identify the local needs prior to arranging funding so that the funding was shared across the borough” and The Council’s “Deal for the Future and Revenue and Capital Budget Framework” was subsequently approved by Councillors– including by all Atherton and Atherleigh councillors.
In summary, if this motion has to be voted on tonight I will be unable to support it because Councillor’s Gerrard and Hodgkinson should know the funding issue has already been dealt with, agreed and already voted on by Full Council.
