Hale Independent Issue 185

NOVEMBER 2025 2 No part of this publicationmay be used or reproduced without the express permission of the publisher. Every effort is made to ensure that the articles and advertisements that are carried are authentic, however the publisher accepts no responsibility for claims made. © Investors in Publishing Ltd 2025. This newspaper is publishedmonthly by Investors in Publishing, Publishing House, 3 Bridgebank Industrial Estate,Taylor Street, Horwich, Bolton BL6 7PD. 01204 478812 EDITOR Ged Henderson ged@hendersonnewsandmedia.com CONTACT JayneMeadowcroft 01204 478812 or 07703 045189 jayne@independentnewspapers.co.uk ADVERTISING Robin Atkins 07767 840274 robin@cheshireindependent.co.uk CONTACT US SHOWROOM: 410 Flixton Road, Flixton M41 6QY DOMESTIC & COMMERCIAL ROLLERS - ROMANS - WOOD VENETIANS - VERTICALS bd BLINDS DIRECT Flixton For a FREE no obligation quote call: 0161 749 8525 Bar scheme is simply the best CONTROVERSIAL plans to create a new town at Adling- ton have been met with a rising tide of opposition. The village – home to around 1,200 people – has been identified as one of 12 potential UK sites for large-scale housing devel- opment, which could see at least 14,000 new homes built there. However, the calls for the government to aban- don the proposal are growing louder, withMac- clesfield MP Tim Roca a vocal opponent. He has launched a formal Parliamentary Petition which will be presented in the House of Commons. It urges ministers to reject the New Towns Taskforce’s identification of Adlington as a poten- tial development site. In the first 24 hours it had been signed by almost 2,000 people. TRAFFORD Council is stepping up enforcement of parking restric- tions around schools to help chil- dren and families travel safely and cut traffic congestion. A camera car, with automatic num- ber plate recognition, is out and about this autumn – and fines of £70 will be issued to people who are spotted pulling in or parking on ‘School Keep Clear’ road markings at drop-off and pick-up times. Yellow zig zag lines painted on roads near school entrances indicate areas where parking and stopping are not TRAFFORD’S Health and Well- being Board has welcomed major progress in improving the health of people living in the borough. New figures show falls in alcohol-re- lated hospital admissions for young people, smoking rates among pregnant women and permanent admissions to care homes. The figures come from the board’s 2024/25 Annual Report, which reviews key successes and challenges over the past year. Statistics show hospital admis- sions for alcohol-specific conditions in under-18s are now almost half the England average. Over the year 709 people were sup- ported to quit smoking, with 19 per cent reporting success. Just 3.8 per cent of pregnant women smoked at the time of delivery, well within the national target of six per cent or below. Helen Gollins, director of public health at Trafford Council, said: “These results are a testament to the hard work of our staff and partners across health, care, and the community. “We’ve made real progress in tack- ling some of the biggest health chal- lenges facing our residents – but we know there is more to do, especially in reducing health inequalities and improving prevention.” NEW TOWN? NO THANKS! Petition call: Tim Roca THE nat iona l ly recognised Best Bar None (BBN) scheme has been officially relaunched in Altrincham. Best Bar None is a Home Office-supported accreditation programme that works with licensed premises to promote responsible management and operation. The scheme recog- nises venues that meet high standards around safety, customer care, and community engage- ment, helping to make towns and cities safer places to socialise. Participating venues benefit from the scheme through staff training, enhanced reputation, and improved relationships with local authorities and the police. It also helps to build customer confidence by showing that accredited venues take their respon- sibilities seriously and are committed to offer- ing a safe and enjoyable environment. The scheme was relaunched by Altrin- cham BID at an event at Nell’s Pizza. The launch event was attended by Altrincham licensees. Other guests included BBN scheme manager Iwona Kossek; Lindsay King, community safety co-ordinator at Greater Manchester Police (GMP), John Lloyd, GMP licensing officer for the Trafford District and members of the Altrin- cham BID team. The relaunch of the scheme celebrates the town’s commitment to providing a safe, welcom- ing and vibrant evening and night-time experi- ence for everyone. Jo Chandramani from Relaunch: Some of the guests at the event at Nell’s Pizza (Photo credit: Altrincham BID) Altrincham BID, who is acting as the BBN coordinator, said: “Best Bar None accreditation acts as a valuable health A ‘Stop Adlington Action Group’ has also been formed in a bid to mobilise local opposition. Poynton, Bollington and Pott Shrigley coun- cils have written to the government’s housing, communities and local government secretary Stephen Reed opposing the new town. Labour MP Mr Roca is urging people to sign and share his public peti- tion. He said: “This is no ordinary petition. It will be formally presented in the House of Com- mons, right at the heart of government. “Adlington is a small, close-knit Cheshire vil- lage with around 1,250 residents. The Independ- ent New Towns Task- force has identified it as a potential site for large- scale development, a scheme that could see at least 14,000 new homes built here. “Such a development would inflict irreversible harm on a much-loved stretch of Green Belt land on the edge of the Peak District National Park, transforming the character of our commu- nity and placing huge pressure on local roads, schools, and services. “Cheshire East Coun- cil has already met its housing targets in the past and can do so again through a democratically agreed Local Plan that ensures homes are built in the right places, with the right infrastructure. “I want to thank the hundreds of constituents who have already con- tacted me to share their views. Now, we need to come together and show the strength of feeling across our community.” In its rallying call on its website the new action group says: “The build- ing will destroy mostly good quality agricultural land set inside often ancient field patterns, lose local farmers their livelihoods and signifi- cantly add to pollution.” The government has said it was looking for assurance that any new town would be “effec- tively and efficiently delivered in partnership with local communities”. And it has also declared that no final decisions will be made until a strategic environ- mental assessment has been completed. A Zig Zags crackdown is launched allowed during specific times. Their purpose is to keep these zones clear of vehicles, ensuring better visibility and safer crossing points. The campaign will include roads out- side several schools and it will continue until Christmas. To encourage considerate driving and give people every chance to avoid a fine, families will get advance warning of the crackdown via schools’ social media and messaging systems, and extra signs will be installed. Patrols by civil enforcement officers on foot and by bicycle will continue as usual across the borough. Parking or stopping on ‘School Keep Clear’ zones is prohibited and may result in a Penalty Charge Notice of £70, which may be reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days. If a PCN is issued, drivers can appeal the decision. A spokesperson for Trafford Coun- cil said: “Enforcement will help keep these areas clear, reduce the risk of accidents and support healthier, more active lifestyles. “Parked or stopped vehicles near schools can create blind spots and traf- fic congestion, increasing the risk of accidents. Vehicles blocking these areas make it difficult for children, parents, and school staff to cross the road safely. “It can also lead to unsafe behaviours like crossing the road between parked cars. When the new signs are in place, we anticipate the car will be outside schools after the October half term.” check for your business, helping to improve stand- ards, enhance customer safety, and boost your venue’s reputation. “Altrincham has a fantastic range of bars, pubs, restaurants and entertainment venues, and the Best Bar None scheme gives us a great opportunity to celebrate and support them. “It’s about working together to raise stand- ards, promote responsi- ble hospitality, and make sure everyone enjoys all that our town centre has to offer.” Businesses in Altrin- cham that would like to take part and be assessed for accreditation are encouraged to get in touch by emailing info@ altrinchambid.com. We’re getting healthier