Salford Star - with attitude & love xxx

LOST SHELAGH DELANEY TV SERIES TO BE SCREENED FOR DELANEY DAY

added 31 October 2016

DELANEY'S THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT TO BE SHOWN AT MARY QUAILE CLUB

The House That Jack Built
Saturday 26th November 12.30pm-4.30pm
Three Minute Theatre, Afflecks Arcade, Manchester £5

A `lost' tv series is to have a special screening by the Mary Quaile Club as its contribution to this year's Shelagh Delaney Day. The House That Jack Built was written by Salford's iconic writer and broadcast by the BBC in the summer of 1977 over six episodes - but has never been repeated or released on DVD. With limited seating for the screening, tickets are expected to go fast.

BOYCOTT DOGS4US CRANKS UP PRESSURE ON SALFORD COUNCIL WITH MORE PROTESTS

added 30 October 2016

SALFORD PRECINCT AND AGECROFT ROAD STORE TARGETED

"...remove the stain of puppy farming from the otherwise great reputation of the Salford community" Boycott Dogs4Us

As Salford City Council mulls over proposals to clamp down on pet shop license conditions, the Boycott Dogs4Us campaign staged two protests today, at Salford Precinct and outside the Dogs4Us store on Agecroft Road.

Aran Mathai, founder of Boycott Dogs4Us, urged the Council to take "more significant action to prevent the sale of puppy farm dogs".

Full details here...

added 30 October 2016

SALFORD ENVIRONMENT DAY AND HUGE ANTI FRACKING PROTEST IN MANCHESTER

ENVIRONMENT TAKES CENTRE STAGE IN NOVEMBER

Environment Day
Tuesday 8th November
Islington Mill
United Against Fracking March and Rally
Saturday 12th November 11am
Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester

Two big eco events are happening over the next two weeks. First is Environment Day at Islington Mill, part of the 150th anniversary of Salford Trades Council, followed by a huge anti-fracking march and rally in Manchester.

SALFORD TRADES UNION COUNCIL CELEBRATES 150 YEARS WITH HUGE EVENTS

added 30 October 2016

FIREWORKS, BANDS, CONFERENCES AND EVENTS

Salford TUC Community Week
Friday 4th November – Sunday 13th November
Various venues

Salford Trades Union Council celebrates its 150th anniversary with ten days of events, starting this Friday 4th November with a lantern parade and fireworks in Ordsall, and ending Sunday 13th November with a music night at the Old Pint Pot.

In between there's a special commemorative plaque unveiling at the site of the first ever Salford TUC meeting, conferences on Health and Education, plus special days on the Environment, Justice, Women, Pensioners, Youth and more.

SHINNY AIMS FOR A SALFORD CHRISTMAS NUMBER ONE

added 30 October 2016

Star date: 29th October 2016

SHINNY VERSUS THE X-FACTOR

Salford's James Davenport, or Shinny, is aiming for the city's first ever Christmas Number One with a song entitled, er, Christmas No.1. The song, written together with David Hemingway, is up against the usual X-Factor offering but a bunch of celebs are helping to give the single a push, with half the royalties set to benefit the Macmillan cancer nurse charity.

With his own live Facebook channel, The Shinny Show, to help promotion too, does Shinny have more than a snowball's chance in Hell of reaching the top of the charts? Maybe, as Ian Leslie discovers.

SALFORD CITY FC STADIUM PLANS REVEALED IN FULL

added 29 October 2016

Star date: 29th October 2016

MAIN STAND DEMOLISHED...5,108 CAPACITY...1,000 CARS

The plans for the Class of '92's redevelopment of Salford City's Moor Lane stadium have been revealed in full, after the club submitted a planning application to Salford Council.

The plans include four sided covered stands with a 5,108 capacity, that would mean the demolition of the iconic main stand, and the increased crowd would generate around 1,000 cars per game, with no extra parking facilities confirmed.

SALFORD COUNCIL LOCAL PLAN FOR NEXT TWENTY YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT

added 29 October 2016

Star date: 28th October 2016

LOSS OF GREEN BELT...34,900 NEW PROPERTIES...ANOTHER MASTERPLAN FOR LOWER BROUGHTON

Salford City Council is set to unleash its draft Local Plan on the community, a 250 page document that sets out how Salford should develop over the next twenty years.

Many of the shocks, such as loss of green belt to housing and Peel Holdings, have already been aired in the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework, but the Local Plan has more detail - including a new `masterplan' for Lower Broughton, the building of over 1,000 new houses in Charlestown, the loss of Hill Top Moss in Walkden and protection for Victoria Theatre but not the Crown Theatre in Eccles.

SALFORD CITY COUNCIL FINALLY TO TIGHTEN UP DEVELOPER PLANNING FEE EVASION

added 28 October 2016

Star date: 27th October 2016

COCK-EYED COUNCIL POLICY ON DEVELOPER EVASION TO BE CHANGED

After years of Salford Star exposes of developers avoiding and evading their planning obligations, Salford City Council is finally proposing to change its policy, forcing the speculators to provide a minimum of 10% affordable housing, rising to 40% in some areas, for all building schemes of eleven properties or over.

The Council states that this is "in response to changing levels of viability" – ie the reality that developers are making fortunes without giving anything back to the city. Only problem is that the policy change won't come into force until January 2019. Horses, stable doors and bolting come to mind...

THE SHOCKING STATE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN SALFORD

added 27 October 2016

Star date: 26th October 2016

SALFORD HAS 38 BIDS FOR EACH AFFORDABLE HOME

A new report from Salford City Council shows the dire state of affordable housing provision in Salford, with 38 bids being made on average for every affordable home, despite thousands of people being kicked off the official housing waiting list this year.

As a multitude of unaffordable apartments get built in the city, there will be just one social rent property delivered this year and none next year. Meanwhile, the elderly and disabled are also facing a crisis of affordable housing.

SALFORD LABOUR PARTY COUNCILLORS ISSUED WITH IDIOT SHEET ON GREEN BELT BACKLASH

added 26 October 2016

Star date: 25th October 2016

PLANNING IDIOT SHEET ISSUED AS BACKLASH EXPECTED ON GM SPATIAL FRAMEWORK

Salford Labour Party has issued a `briefing', or idiot sheet, to its members and councillors centred on the draft Greater Manchester Spatial Framework "to allow you to answer concerns that will be undoubtedly expressed about the proposals".

The GM Spatial Framework is the blueprint for huge development and loss of green belt in Salford and beyond, and is seen as being favourable to landowner Peel Holdings. But while the briefing talks about how the plans will "thwart Peel's ambitions", the Salford Star can reveal that Salford Council has been paying the company's planning spin doctors, Turley, over £5,000.

SALFORD GREEN BELT ATTACK PLUS 35,000 NEW HOUSES IN GREATER MANCHESTER PLANNING DIKTAT

added 25 October 2016

Star date: 24th October 2016

SALFORD SET TO BE CENTRE OF URBAN SPRAWL IN GM SPATIAL FRAMEWORK

Salford is set to be at the centre of urban sprawl, with green belt being built on and 34,500 new properties erected, as unelected Greater Manchester planners carve the city up to serve the so-called Northern Powerhouse.

The draft Greater Manchester Spatial Framework sees parts of Salford re-named `City Centre', and massive housing developments in Irlam and Cadishead, Salford Quays and the areas around Boothstown and Ellenbrook. The Framework is open to consultation from 31st October.

BOYCOTT DOGS4US SALFORD COUNCIL PROTEST

added 24 October 2016

SALFORD PRECINCT TO SEE MORE BOYCOTT DOGS4US PROTESTS

Boycott Dogs4Us Protest
Sunday 30th October 1pm-2pm
Salford Precinct

With Salford City Council's consultation on a pet shop clampdown now closed, the Boycott Dogs4Us is keeping the pressure on to bring real change by holding a further protest on the public space between Tesco and Salford Precinct next Sunday, followed by a further protest outside the Dogs4Us store on Agecroft Road.

CHARLOTTE DELANEY NEW PLAY AT SALFORD WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY

added 23 October 2016

HEAR CHARLOTTE DELANEY'S NEW PLAY AND DISCUSSION ON SHELAGH DELANEY

Sweet Responsibility and Shelagh Delaney Discussion
Thursday 3rd November 6pm
Working Class Movement Library free tickets

Charlotte Delaney's new play Sweet Responsibility is having its first reading, by MaD Theatre Company, at the Working Class Movement Library on 3rd November. The play read-through is followed by a talk about Shelagh Delaney by daughter Charlotte and biographer, Selina Todd. The event is free but entrance is by ticket only and numbers are limited.

MUSEUMS AT NIGHT SEES RADICAL MUSIC AT SALFORD WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY

added 23 October 2016

PETERLOO, VOTES AND THE BATTLE FOR THE BALLOT

Museums at Night: Singing on the stairs
Thursday 27th October 6:30pm-8:30pm
Working Class Movement Library free

This Thursday, the Working Class Movement Library opens in the evening for the national Museums at Night celebration, with a special free performance of radical songs by the Quiet Loner and Jennifer Reid.

BELLY UP! ADULT COMIC UNCOVERS A WEIRD AND WONDERFUL WORLD

added 23 October 2016

BELLY UP! LAUNCHES AS ALTERNATIVE SWIPE AT GLOSSY MAGS

A new adult comic, Belly Up! has launched that aims to poke fun at the silliness and vacuous nature of everyday glossy magazines. As Ian Leslie discovers, it's bursting at the seams with complete absurdity, from Captain Unemployment to Toby Stroud Half Dog/Half Cloud. And issue 2 contains a special Salford surprise, apparently...

SALFORD ONLINE SHUTS AFTER TEN YEARS

added 23 October 2016

NO ADVERTISERS, NO FUNDING – ANOTHER SALFORD MEDIA GROUP BITES THE MEDIA CITY DUST

Salford Online has announced it is closing after ten years of providing news and information to the community... "We gave it our best shot over the years but sadly we couldn't attract enough advertisers to pay our overheads; also for some reason we couldn't get any funding, grants etc" senior reporter, Tony Flynn, told the Salford Star.

It's ironic that since `Media City' opened, Salford has now lost two media outlets, the Advertiser and Salford Online, with more in danger.

DAY OF THE DEAD HEADS TO SALFORD ISLINGTON MILL

added 23 October 2016

Star date: 22nd October 2016

MEXICAN CULTURE, FUNK, DJS AND A SHRINE TO THE DEAD

Day of the Dead
Saturday 29th October 7pm-3am
Islington Mill £10 adv

Mexico may have the Day of the Dead but Salford's got its own unique version at Islington Mill next Saturday, complete with DJs, funk combo Drymbago, a South American feel, fancy dress and a shrine to honour those who have passed on, as Ian Leslie discovers.

STRANGEWAYS PRISON PROTEST ROCKS BURY NEW ROAD

added 22 October 2016

Star date: 22nd October 2016

FREE CHRIS BLAINE PROTEST AT STRANGEWAYS

Campaigners waved banners, played music and chanted outside Strangeways Prison last night to draw attention to the plight of `political prisoner' Chris Blaine, who was sentenced to eight weeks in jail for the `crime' of staging a rooftop protest against homelessness and asking to discuss the issue with Manchester Council Leader, Richard Leese.

The protest was joined by the No New Prisons campaign, against the building of jails which, they argue, will be used as private workhouses.

SALFORD GIRL SHARON DOES HEAD SHAVE FOR THE CHRISTIE

added 22 October 2016

Star date: 21st October 2016

HAIRLESS AND FEARLESS FOR THE CHRISTIE

Sharon Hooley today raised over £350 for The Christie, towards a new HIPEC treatment for the little known peritoneal cancer, by having her head shaved at Supercuts in the Manchester Arndale.

"Life is far too short" says Sharon "So do something at least every week you wouldn't normally do and smile more."

Full details and photos here...

added 21 October 2016

PEEL HOLDINGS SET FOR £8MILLION PUBLIC MONEY TO BUILD UNAFFORDABLE MEDIACITYUK FLATS

Star date: 21st October 2016

£8MILLION PUBLIC MONEY LOAN FOR SALFORD QUAYS FLATS COSTING UP TO £385,500

Megabucks tax haven based Peel Holdings is set to receive a loan of £8,302,984 from the controversial Greater Manchester Housing Fund to construct the Lightbox, a block of 238 unaffordable apartments at MediaCityUK on Salford Quays.

Tiny studio flats on the block start at £138,000, rising to £385,500 for a three bed apartment, and the Lightbox is being marketed by Peel as being in Manchester.

TRADERS BEING BULLIED OFF MOCHA PARADE BY SALFORD COUNCIL

added 21 October 2016

Star date: 20th October 2016

`NO GUARANTEES' OF SHOP UNITS IN LOWER BROUGHTON FOR LOYAL TRADERS

As shop keepers slowly leave the run down Mocha Parade in Lower Broughton, the Salford Star believes they are being bullied off the centre by uncertainty, Council `bribes' and no guarantees of new units when the Parade is re-developed to make way for, potentially, an Aldi store and health centre.

The traders who have stayed loyal to the community through the redevelopment of the area and the Boxing Day flood are basically being forced off Mocha, the Star understands, as the Council intends to sell to a private company.

SALFORD IN UK TOP TEN GREEDY PROPERTY SPECULATOR HOTSPOTS

added 20 October 2016

Star date: 19th October 2016

WHILE SALFORD LOSES £42MILLION, SPECULATORS CASH IN

The Salford postcode M3, which includes Trinity, Chapel Street and other areas on the border of Manchester city centre, has been named in the top ten of UK `Buy To Let Yield Hotspots' by the website Totally Money. M3 - "where you could build the most profitable property portfolio" - is cited as providing a return of 8.31% for greedy speculators.

Meanwhile the developers building these buy to let blocks of apartments are costing the city £millions as they avoid planning fees. Everyone is cashing in on Salford's building boom – except the community that actually lives here.

TRANSPARENCY DEAD IN SALFORD AS PUBLIC BODIES REFUSE TO BE HELD TO ACCOUNT

added 19 October 2016

Star date: 18th October 2016

THE SALFORD STAR NAMES AND SHAMES ORGANISATIONS THAT DON'T RESPOND TO PRESS QUERIES

Following the Information Commissioner's decision in favour of Salford Star and against Salford City Council, today we name and shame over a dozen organisations, including many public bodies, that do not respond to legitimate press enquiries.

Step forward Salford Council, Urban Vision, Pendleton Together, Salix Homes, City West, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust and more. The Star also quotes from a report that has a council press officer admitting that they prefer media organisations to just `cut and paste' their press releases... "That kind of works for us".

SALFORD STAR WINS FREEDOM OF INFORMATION CASE AGAINST SALFORD CITY COUNCIL

added 18 October 2016

Star date: 17th October 2016

SALFORD COUNCIL MUST COUGH UP CHAPEL STREET INFORMATION OR FACE CONTEMPT OF COURT CHARGE

Salford Star has won its long running battle to prise information from Salford City Council about its Development Trust Account (DTA), related to the English Cities Fund (ECf) development of Chapel Street and New Bailey, which has included things like Vimto Gardens, the Premier Inn hotel, Timekeepers Square and One New Bailey.

The Information Commissioner has ruled that the Council must provide the details of the Account within 35 days, and failure to comply `may be dealt with as a contempt of court'.

HACIENDA CLASSICAL ON CHANNEL 4 AND ALBUM

added 17 October 2016

Star date: 17th October 2016

HACIENDA HOUSE ORCHESTRA

Fresh on the heels of Hooky's Substance book comes the Hac classical fallout harping back to the day.

This Thursday, just after midnight, Channel 4 screens the documentary Hacienda House Orchestra, while Friday 21st October sees the launch of the Hacienda Classical album, with toooons like Voodoo Ray, Pacific State and Blue Monday done by Manchester Camerata orchestra, plus DJs and a Salford bass player.

AS PEEL HOLDINGS TRASHES POMONA, THE ECOLOGY CASE BOOK LAUNCHES

added 17 October 2016

Star date: 17th October 2016

Fruitful Futures - Imagining Pomona
Tuesday 18th October 4:30pm-6:30pm
The Pilcrow Pub, Mcr

With Peel Holdings seemingly intent on trashing the ecological haven that has sprung up around the old Pomono Docks across the canal from Ordsall, thirty activists, naturalists and conservationists have collaborated on a book urging the building of a world class urban nature reserve, rather than a concrete jungle. Fruitful Futures launches tomorrow with a public event at The Pilcrow Pub.

SUBSTANCE BY PETER HOOK – THE BEST ROCK AUTOBIOG EVER

added 17 October 2016

Star date: 16th October 2016

THE INSIDE OUTS OF NEW ORDER

Substance: Inside New Order
By Peter Hook (Simon and Schuster) £20

After brilliant books on the Hacienda and Joy Division could it be possible for a third Hooky autobiography to better `the other two'? Oh yes. At almost 750 pages, Substance storms it, in page-turning, druggy, boozy, groupie, laughing out loud Salford style splendour. The best rock autobiography ever? If you come from the north and you're not Barney, yes. Oh yes!

Full review here...

added 16 October 2016

SHARON’S SALFORD HEAD SHAVE FOR THE CHRISTIE

16th October 2016

RAISING MONEY FOR HIPEC

Salford's Sharon Hooley is getting her head shaved next Friday, 21st October, to help raise money for The Christie, towards a new HIPEC treatment for the little known peritoneal cancer.

Sharon's friend, Samantha, has survived the cancer and has a JustGiving page to meet a target. Sharon's head shave towards meeting that target comes with its own complications.

UNA BAINES’ POPPYCOCK PRODUCE MUSIC FOR ALL SEASONS

added 16 October 2016

Star date: 16th October 2016

THE FALL AND RISE OF POPPYCOCK

Una Baines, an original member of The Fall, now has her own collective, Poppycock, with a fluctuating line-up, some top songs and a storming performance at this year's Salford Music Festival. Poppycock are releasing the track, Lizard Man, on a charity compilation album and play the Eagle Inn on 21st November..."I don't think people are aware of my musical past" Una tells Ian Leslie...

SALFORD PREPARES TO HAVE ITS FACE SCARED OFF AT KINGS ARMS

added 16 October 2016

Star date: 16th October 2016

DEATH BY PIE PREPARES FOR FACE SCARING

The House on Hallowed Ground by Nathan Smith
Thursday 20th, Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd October
Kings Arms £8

Theatre company, Death By Pie, insists that its new spoof horror play, The House on Hallowed Ground, will "scare your face off" at the Kings Arms this week. It's got the creepy house, it's got a demonic raven, and it's got songs, as Ian Leslie discovers.

SALFORD ARTIST ALEXANDRA CAMPBELL TATTOO PORTRAITS ON SHOW

added 16 October 2016

Star date: 15th October 2016

SHARING THE LOVE OF TATTOOED PEOPLE

Alexandra Campbell - Lies, Perception, Over Conservative Make-up Deception
Until 4th November
Langworthy Cornerstone

Salford artist, Alexandra Campbell, has an exhibition of eight oil portraits of alternative and tattooed people currently running at the Langworthy Cornerstone... "I want to share the love, paint beautiful people and show everyone, that tattoos are something to be proud of" she says.

WALKDEN CHRISTMAS LIGHTS COMMUNITY APPEAL

added 15 October 2016

Star date: 15th October 2016

WILL THE LIGHTS GO ON IN WALKDEN THIS YEAR?

Last year, Walkden Community purchased a whole set of Christmas lights but this year needs to raise another £1,500 for installation, safety checks, taking them down and storage for another year. So far over £500 has been donated but they need another £950 – or it could be dark in the centre of Walkden this year.

DISGUST AS HOMELESS ROOFTOP PROTESTER JAILED FOR TWO MONTHS

added 15 October 2016

Star date: 14th October 2016

SALFORD LAD WHO PROTESTED AT CO-OP HOMELESS EVICTION JAILED

Salford lad, Chris Blaine, who protested on the roof of the Ducie Bridge pub after homeless people were evicted by the Co-op/NOMA this week, was yesterday jailed for two months for `resisting a court officer executing a process to repossess'.

The court decision was met with outrage and disgust, as Manchester Activist Network stated "Today the judiciary failed to deliver justice, Manchester City Council have ignored their duty of care and a giant has been awoken", before challenging Council Leader, Richard Leese, to a `public discussion' on housing outside the Town Hall.

Full details here

added 14 October 2016

SALFORD UNIVERSITY SOCIAL HOUSING EVENT CHARGES OVER £200 PER TICKET

Star date: 13th October 2016

£225 TO ATTEND EVENT ON INEQUALITY, WELFARE AND `MAKING TENANTS HAPPY IN PENDLETON'

A Salford University/ONECPD event on The Future of Social Housing, which includes talks on things like The Challenges of Universal Credit and, bizarrely, Making Tenants Happy in Pendleton, is charging a minimum of £225 (+VAT) to attend, with a top price of £525 (+VAT).

One of the sessions asks `How did this generational inequality occur?'...By pricing out local people who might want to learn how to be `happy tenants in Pendleton' maybe?

CO-OPERATIVE GROUP `THUGS’ EVICT YOUNG HOMELESS PEOPLE FROM GRASS VERGE IN MANCHESTER

added 13 October 2016

view full size

Star date: 12th October 2016

VIOLENT CO-OP SECURITY EVICTS HOMELESS AS POLICE INTERVENE

After the Co-operative Group and its partner NOMA evicted young homeless people from the empty Ducie Bridge pub in Manchester yesterday, the squatters, with nowhere to go, set up tents across the road on a grass verge. This afternoon they were physically thrown off the land by Co-op security staff, with Greater Manchester Police having to intervene.

One homeless girl was thrown to the ground, while another was pushed into the busy main road... "What we've seen is just how ethical the Co-operative are" said homelessness campaigner Danny Jones "It's the Co-operative's security staff who are walking around as hired thugs to clean up and gentrify this little bit of Manchester..."

Photos and report here...

added 12 October 2016

SECRET FRACKING INDUSTRY CONFERENCE RUMBLED BY ANTI FRACKING CAMPAIGNERS

Star date: 11th October 2016

MANCHESTER AIRPORT FRACKING CONFERENCE PROTEST

Today, a secret fracking industry conference at Radisson Blu Hotel, Manchester Airport, was met with a protest by anti-fracking campaigners from Greater Manchester and beyond.

"By showing up at a 'secret' event we showed the fracking industry that we will fight them every inch of the way" said Martin Porter of Manchester Greenpeace Network

CO-OP EVICTION OF MANCHESTER HOMELESS SEES ROOF PROTEST

added 11 October 2016

Star date: 11th October 2016

DUCIE BRIDGE PUB ROOF PROTESTER CALLS FOR RICHARD LEESE TALKS AFTER £19MILLION PUBLIC MONEY SPENT ON PAVEMENTS

"I'm on the roof in protest at the Co-op, NOMA and Manchester City Council...they would rather see the homeless dying in doorways" Chris

At 8:30am this morning bailiffs, high court enforcement teams and the police moved in to evict homeless people who had been staying at the Ducie Bridge pub on Miller Street in Manchester.

While the homeless people and their belongings were slung onto the street, a rooftop protest began against the Co-op, NOMA and Manchester City Council, with campaigner, Chris, calling for talks with Council Leader, Richard Leese. £19million of public money has been spent on `public realm' around NOMA.

SALFORD `YOUNG’ DEMENTIA SUFFERERS LEFT IN LURCH BY AUTHORITIES

added 11 October 2016

Star date: 10th October 2016

WHILE £MILLIONS POURED INTO DEMENTIA, OTHERS OUT IN COLD

"We're left with nowhere to go, no roads to turn down and it's a lonely, lonely place..."

On Saturday night, twenty people went on a Dementia Walk that raised around £200 specifically towards research at Salford University for people suffering with Moderate to Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), or `very young dementia' as it's known.

While £millions are being poured into the treatment of older people's dementia, and rightly so, MCI sufferers are being completely ignored, says the Walk's organiser and MCI sufferer, Gill Whiteley... "They just tell you `It's your fault' and leave you high and dry" she says.

MORE GREATER MANCHESTER MAYORAL CANDIDATES ANNOUNCED

added 10 October 2016

Star date: 10th October 2016

GREEN PARTY, UKIP, LIB DEMS ANNOUNCE GM MAYOR CANDIDATES

Almost all of the political parties have now announced their candidates to be Greater Manchester Mayor in the May 2017 election.

It might be the election that no-one wants for a post that no-one wants but the race is now hotting up with the Green Party, Lib Dems, Labour Party and, yesterday, UKIP, naming candidates.

REAL MEDIA TOUR HITS MANCHESTER AND THE FUTURE OF THE BBC

added 10 October 2016

Star date: 9th October 2016

INDEPENDENT MEDIA VERSUS THE BBC

The Future of the BBC – Real Media in Manchester
Wednesday October 12th 7pm-9pm
Central Methodist Hall, Manchester £6/free

Tom Mills, author of The BBC: A Myth of Public Service, is one of the speakers in a discussion on `the future of the BBC and its relation to independent, alternative media' at Central Hall in Manchester this Wednesday. It's part of a nationwide tour by Real Media promoting the need for independent media.

EIGHT SALFORD GIRLS BECOME CITY’S SPORTS AMBASSADORS

added 09 October 2016

Star date: 9th October 2016

WOMEN AGED 19 TO 55 CHOSEN TO FRONT FEMALE SPORT

Eight women from all parts of Salford have been chosen to be `This Girl Can' ambassadors, fronting a campaign to inspire more females to take up sport.

The women chosen range from Christine Bradley, age 50, who was hit by a lorry at 12 and recently swam the English Channel, to 37 year old Donna Phillips, from Eccles, who lost 12 stone and got fit to reduce her chances of having diabetes.

THE WORST COMEDY NIGHT IN SALFORD AT THE KINGS ARMS

added 09 October 2016

Star date: 8th October 2016

STAND UP FOR THE WORST COMEDY NIGHT IN SALFORD

The Worst Comedy Night in Salford
Tuesday 11th October and every other Tuesday 8:30pm
The Kings Arms

`A key aspect of the evening is when the jokes don't work...'

Salford Star Entertainments Editor, Ian Leslie, visits The Worst Comedy Night in Salford, where stand ups try out new material in front of their peers. It's the complete opposite of `corporate comedy' and even payment to get in is by donation to a food bank...

SALFORD POET JB BARRINGTON, THE NOUVELLES, THE MOODS, THE BACKHANDERS, IN MUSIC FROM THE NORTH SHOWCASE

added 08 October 2016

Star date: 8th October 2016

MUSIC FROM THE NORTH SHOWCASES BEST OF SALFORD AND MANC

Music From The North
Saturday October 15th 6:30pm-10pm
Band On The Wall £5 advance

Next Saturday, three local bands and Little Hulton poet, JB Barrington, appear in a Music From The North showcase at Band On The Wall to mark forty years since the DIY ethic of punk exploded. As well as JB, there's The Nouvelles, The Backhanders and The Moods... "Real, urban Salford and Manchester people with something to say" explains A1(M) Records label owner, Paul Travis, who is backing the showcase.

Ian Leslie, previews the gig and meets JB Barrington...

added 08 October 2016

SALFORD MAN SUFFERS AS CITY HAS ONE EMERGENCY DOCTOR FOR 80,000 PEOPLE

Star date: 7th October 2016

TERMINAL CANCER SUFFERER WAITS SIX HOURS FOR EMERGENCY DOCTOR

76 year old Reg Howard, of Swinton, waited six hours for an emergency doctor to call last Saturday after ringing the Out of Hours Service while coughing up blood and feeling acute pain. When the doctor finally arrived, he told Reg that he was the only doctor covering 15 surgeries. The Salford Star estimates that the city has one doctor on emergency call out per 80,000 people.

The Out of Hours GP service is run by Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust and is commissioned by Salford CCG whose latest patient survey notes that 27% of Salford people said the Out of Hours care service `took too long'.

PRIVATISATION OF SALFORD SCHOOLS CONTINUES WITH FIVE NEW ACADEMIES

added 07 October 2016

Star date: 6th October 2016

MOORSIDE, ST AUGUSTINE'S, BUILE HILL, ELLESMERE, IRLAM AND CADISHEAD SCHOOLS ACADEMISE

"There's no legal requirement to consult parents. It's shocking..." Salford NUT

Five Salford schools have either just been converted into academies, or are planning to convert, with possibly two more to follow. But pupils, parents and sometimes even teachers remain in the dark about the proposals and what they mean.

Here the Salford Star talks to Salford NUT's Judith Elderkin about the privatisation of Salford's schools, and the affect it has on children's education.

FURY AS TORY GOVERNMENT OVERTURNS FRACKING DEMOCRACY

added 06 October 2016

Star date: 6th October 2016

GOVERNMENT OVERTURNS LOCAL DEMOCRACY

Today, the Tory Government overturned democracy as Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Local Government and Communities, upheld an appeal by Cuadrilla for permission to frack Fylde.

The Government overruled the decision to refuse permission for fracking by Westby Parish Council, Fylde Borough Council and Lancashire County Council and ignored 100,000 objections. It has huge implications for Salford.

CRISIS OF SALFORD 2 YEAR OLDS AS 50% HAVE COMMUNICATION `CONCERNS’

added 06 October 2016

Star date: 5th October 2016

HALF OF SALFORD TWO YEAR OLDS HAVE SPEECH AND LANGUAGE `CONCERNS'

A new report on Salford City Council's Early Years Services shows worryingly low levels of development amongst children aged 0-5...

"Speech and language is a big concern in Salford, with around 50% of children being flagged as having a language concern at the age of two years" states the report, while 44% of children on free school meals do not have a Good Level of Development.

SALFORD COUNCIL PAYMENTS SECRECY IN HUGE REGENERATION SCHEME

added 05 October 2016

Star date: 4th October 2016

OVER 800 FLATS, 30 STOREY TOWERS – TOTAL SECRECY

This Thursday, Salford City Council planning panel will probably pass plans for up to 843 flats in five blocks up to thirty storeys high off Stanley Street by the River Irwell on the Manchester border.

The proposals, submitted by the part public English Cities Fund (ECf), will have no affordable housing and any Section 106 style payments are being kept completely secret, in line with all ECf planning applications. The Information Commissioner is due to rule on a Salford Star case to get these payments put into the public domain.