Salford Star - with attitude & love xxx

SALFORD OPPOSITION TO FRACKING GROWS AT BARTON MOSS

added 26 November 2013

Star date: 25th November 2013

ECO PROTECTION CAMP GROWS AS FRIENDS OF THE EARTH CHALLENGES SALFORD COUNCIL

Every day, the army of tents is growing as more people from Salford and beyond join the eco protection camp at Barton, set up to oppose the IGas drilling mission.

Now Friends of the Earth has challenged Salford Council's granting of planning permission, "concerned that fundamental environmental impacts have not been taken into account" and convinced that "residents have been kept in the dark about IGas' real plans" – fracking.

SALFORD LAST CHANCE TO SAVE THE GRANGE

added 25 November 2013

Star date: 24th November 2013

SALFORD MAYOR TO MAKE DECISION ON THE GRANGE FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

"By putting these proposals forward something will go seriously wrong" parent

On Tuesday Salford Council's Cabinet, led by Mayor Ian Stewart, will meet to make the final decision on the future of The Grange short term respite service for children with disabilities. This, despite parents saying that they've not been properly consulted, and the trade union saying staff have not been consulted.

There's a further Save The Grange public meeting tomorrow, Monday at 10:30am and a lobby of the Mayor on Tuesday as he makes the decision.

MAXINE PEAKE DOES CHRIS FLYNN PANDORA

added 24 November 2013

Star date: 24th November 2013

SALFORD LIFE LOOMS LARGE IN TOP TUNES

Chris Flynn and guests
Saturday 30th November 8pm
Castle Hotel, Manchester £6

Listening to Chris Flynn is the musical equivalent of walking around proper Salford mixing with the sights, the sounds and the characters that make up the underbelly of the city. Next year sees an album of all his songs but the first track to be released, a top, top tune called Pandora, stars Maxine Peake in the accompanying video, filmed at the Eagle Inn.

SALFORD SUFFER WINTER BLUES

added 24 November 2013

Star date: 24th November 2013

BATTLING SALFORD SUFFER FARSLEY ASSAULT

Salford City 2 Farsley 4

Battling Salford couldn't make it three league victories on the run as Farsley won at Moor Lane to push their own play-off hopes. A Richard Smith header and a Mark Battersby penalty for the Ammies just couldn't inch Salford the points.

Match report and photos here…

added 24 November 2013

GILL’S SALFORD STARS MORRIS DANCERS HIT THIRTY YEARS

Star date: 23rd November 2013

GILL'S ARMY THIRTY YEARS OF TROPHIES AND JOY

"Without Gill we wouldn't have this troupe" Vicki Bond

The ace Salford Stars Morris Troupe has celebrated thirty years of dancing and competing for trophies – and leader Gillian Rowlands has been there from the start. Her `girls' led the tributes by wearing special Gill masks and re-naming themselves `Gill's Army' for the last championships.

We met up with Gill and the Salford Stars at St Boniface's Social Club, with photos by Andrew Goudie

CORONATION STARS HIT SALFORD PRECINCT

added 23 November 2013

Star date: 22nd November 2013

CATH TYLDESLEY AND RYAN THOMAS OPEN PRECINCT SNOW GLOBE

Coronation Street stars, Cath Tyldesley and Ryan Thomas, are to open a Giant Snow Globe on Salford Precinct tomorrow morning, Saturday 23rd November, between 10am and 11:30am, and the first twenty families in the line will have the chance to get in the Globe and have their photos taken with them.

MANCHESTER AND SALFORD ANARCHIST BOOKFAIR 2013

added 22 November 2013

Star date: 22nd November 2013

BOOKS, RECORDS, RADIO, GIFTS, TALKS AND MORE

The Manchester and Salford Anarchist Bookfair
Saturday 23rd November, People's History Museum 10am-4pm
Plus: Social from 7:30pm The Crescent pub starring Class Actions and more

The Manchester and Salford Anarchist Bookfair is back for 2013 with a top line up of stalls and talks, followed by a social at The Crescent pub, with Class Actions, Andy T, Autonomads, Black Light Mutants and Makings of a Maniac.

CONDITIONS RIPE FOR CORRUPTION IN UK LOCAL GOVERNMENT

added 22 November 2013

Star date: 22nd November 2013

TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL REPORT MIRRORS SALFORD STAR EXPERIENCE

A new report into corruption in local councils by Transparency International, the world's leading non-governmental anti-corruption organisation, finds a "disturbing picture" where "the conditions are present in which corruption is likely to thrive".

The report finds lots of areas of concern, including low levels of transparency, networks of cronyism, the reduced capacity of local press and the removal of an independent public audit. And the findings mirror the experiences of the Salford Star at a hyper local level.

EX SALFORD COUNCIL CHIEF EXEC BARBARA SPICER JOINS SKILLS FUNDING AGENCY

added 22 November 2013

Star date: 21st November 2013

SKILLS FUNDING AGENCY CHALLENGE FOR SPICER TO HELP SALFORD APPRENTICES

Barbara Spicer, who only `quit' as Chief Executive of Salford City Council last month, has joined the Skills Funding Agency as its `interim' head. Spicer, believed to have received a huge payout from the Council, follows former Strategic Director Martin Vickers, who also got a large Salford Council `resignation' payout before re-appearing weeks later at Salford Red Devils.

Hopefully, Spicer's first job will be sorting out the hundreds of Salford apprentices whose jobs are still not guaranteed at Vital Rail.

SALFORD MP HAZEL BLEARS VELVET TOILET ROLL SCANDAL

added 21 November 2013

Star date: 20th November 2013

HAZEL BLEARS PAYS OVER £30 FOR TWO PACKS OF TOILET ROLL

While many people struggle to make ends meet in Salford, MP Hazel Blears has paid £30.46 for two 18 packs of Triple Velvet Toilet Roll for her constituency office on Langworthy Road. This works out at 85p per roll, five times the cost of ASDA Smart toilet rolls.

Meanwhile, the Salford MP also had a four day trip to the Czech Republic worth over £2000, latest Parliamentary figures reveal.

SALFORD COUNCIL SHOCKING STATS FOR ABUSE AND NEGLECT OF VULNERABLE ADULTS

added 20 November 2013

Star date: 19th November 2013

OVER HALF OF CASES INVESTIGATED FOUND THAT ABUSE AND NEGLECT OF VULNERABLE ADULTS HAD TAKEN PLACE

Latest statistics from Salford Council show a staggering level of abuse and neglect of vulnerable adults in the city, with over half of the cases that needed investigating showing that abuse and neglect had `definitely taken place'.

Meanwhile, over 80% of vulnerable adults surveyed agreed that `care and support services' help make them feel safe. Unfortunately, Salford Council is about to slash another £8.9million from adult social care, with its new mantra `Get a life not a service'.

BBC PROTEST COMES TO SALFORD MEDIACITYUK

added 19 November 2013

Star date: 17th November 2013

BBC ACCUSED OF BIAS OVER LACK OF PROTEST REPORTING

`I don't know but it seems to me; Ain't no truth at the BBC
I don't know how it feels to you; I'm sick of being taken for a fool' Daznez

The piazza at Salford's MediaCityUK was the scene for a protest against bias at the BBC yesterday, with campaigners accusing the Corporation of failing to report protests going off all over the country against the ConDem Government and its policies.

One sign strung outside the BBC HQ read `If the news won't come to the demo, the demo will come to the news'…

Full details and photos here…

added 17 November 2013

SALFORD CITY RUN RIOT AT MOOR LANE

Star date: 16th November 2013

MINT AMMIES HIT SIX AGAINST SORRY KENDAL

Salford City 6 Kendal Town 3

Super Salford City sizzled at Moor Lane this afternoon, going two up after just six minutes and almost running out 6-1 winners before Kendal pulled two goals back in the dying moments.

It was the Ammies' highest ever score at this level with James Kirby scoring a couple, and Danny Browne, Sam Fitzgerald, Matthew Purcell and sub Ryan Gibson adding to the rout.

Match report and photos here…

added 16 November 2013

SALFORD CRANES COMMEMORATED IN STYLE IN ORDSALL

Star date: 16th November 2013

Ordsall Lantern Parade Sets Salford Cranes Dancing Again

The Salford Quays Cargo Cranes might have been cruelly demolished by Salford Council but last night the now trashed icons of the city's industrial heritage were remembered in style.

The Cranes were recreated as the centrepiece of Ordsall's annual Lighting The Legend event, as around two hundred local people paraded through the streets carrying cranes-related lanterns. By the end of the night, as the dancing Cranes' lights went out, Frank Sinatra serenaded them to the scrap heap…

Full details and photos here…

added 16 November 2013

VINCE CABLE FLAGSHIP LEAVES ALMOST 200 SALFORD APPRENTICES IN LURCH

Star date: 15th November 2013

MORSON GROUP, VITAL RAIL AND VITAL SKILLS TRAINING TRASH SALFORD APPRENTICESHIPS

"They're only young people and they're going to look at Morson and Vital Rail and think that the system has let them down. Again." apprentice's mum

Salford MP Hazel Blears was pictured with them. Salford City Mayor, Ian Stewart visited them. And Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, actually opened their new training centre in July…

…But now almost two hundred young apprentices training at a state of the art centre at the Soapworks, run by Vital Skills Training, have been sent home as big business takeovers and buck passing are trashing their future.

WHO BENEFITS FROM GREATER MANCHESTER REGENERATION?

added 14 November 2013

A KICK UP THE GRTR MANCS FROM MULE

Whose City?
A Friends of Mule Panel Discussion
Thursday 14th November 7:45pm free
Black Lion

This Thursday night sees, what we're sure will be a lively discussion on `who benefits from Greater Manchester's regeneration and its impact on power, culture and society in our cities?'. There's four top regeneration botherers on the panel, plus a Manc Labour councillor as the Aunt Sally.

In the red corner is Salford youth worker and community activist bruiser, Graham Cooper. Let the bout begin…

SALFORD LIGHTS THE LEGEND OF THE CRANES IN ORDSALL

added 10 November 2013

SALFORD CRANES GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

Lighting The Legend
Friday 15th November 6:30pm
Ordsall Community Arts

This year's Lighting The Legend is titled Ships, Soups and Sparklers and has as its theme the Salford Quays Cargo Cranes, cruelly demolished by Salford Council a few weeks ago.

The annual lantern parade around Ordsall will see an installation inspired by the life of the cranes, complete with stories, free soup and sparklers.

SALFORD MINERS MEMORIAL AT AGECROFT COMPLETE

added 10 November 2013

SALFORD MINERS GET A FITTING MEMORIAL

All miners who worked in the Irwell Valley have finally been remembered with a website, and the installation of a new information board with maps of the old mines by the Agecroft Memorial at the original colliery entrance on Agecroft Road.

SALFORD GROUP DOES HARD TIMES CABARET AT BRECHT FEST

added 10 November 2013

ORDSALL COMMUNITY ARTS AT THREEPENNY FESTIVAL

Hard Times Cabaret
Sunday 17th November 7:30pm £5/£3
Miners Community Arts and Music Centre, Moston

Members of Ordsall Community Arts will join stand up comedians, poets, singers and street bands at the Hard Times Cabaret during this week's Threepenny Festival, which is inspired by Bertolt Brecht and his Threepenny Opera.

The Ordsall troupe will be doing a piece called Care and Cash in which they imagine a not too distant world where everything is up for grabs and the NHS has been completely privatised.

SUPER SALFORD CITY FC OVERCOME OSSETT ALBION

added 10 November 2013

AMMIES RETURN TO WINNING WAYS

Ossett Albion 1 Salford City 2

Salford City stormed back to form with a well deserved victory at Ossett Albion yesterday. Mark Battersby and 17 year old debutant James Kirby got the vital goals as the Ammies smashed the Yorkshire club on their horrid sloping pitch.

Match report and photos here…

added 10 November 2013

ONE SHOW CHILDREN IN NEED RICKSHAW COMES TO SALFORD

BBC RICKSHAW RIDES DOWN BROAD STREET AND THE CRESCENT

Tomorrow, Monday 11th November, The One Show's Alex Jones will be leading a team of rickshaw heroes through Salford as part of the BBC Children In Need `Rickshaw Challenge' which sees riders pedal around the clock to cover 700 miles and visit all four UK nations in eight days.

The Rickshaw will be heading down Broad Street and the Crescent before heading off to the BBC at MediaCityUK.

RYAN GIGGS TACKLES SALFORD TORIES IN SLIDING DOORS FARCE

added 10 November 2013

Star date: 8th November 2013

SALFORD TORY LEADER OPPOSES GIGGS RESTAURANT PLAN – THEN ASKS HIM TO SWITCH ON WORSLEY CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

At yesterday's Salford Council planning meeting, star struck Conservative Party opposition leader, Councillor Karen Garrido, was opposing plans by Manchester United player Ryan Giggs to enhance his Milan restaurant in Worsley, when she bizarrely asked him to switch on the village's Christmas lights* (see update)

Earlier, her husband, Councillor Robin Garrido, had said "we need to protect Worsley residents" from Giggs and his restaurateur partners' plans for sliding doors at Milan, adding "We don't want Hollywood Boulevard in Worsley Village…"

PEEL HOLDINGS REFUSED SALFORD PLANNING FOR BROADOAK GREENFIELD SITE

added 08 November 2013

Star date: 7th November 2013

PEEL SENT PACKING IN WORSLEY

Salford Council planning panel today refused to hand Peel Holdings subsid, Peel Investments (North) Ltd, and Taylor Wimpey permission to build up to six hundred houses on greenfield land at Broadoak in Worsley.

Residents, who had launched a huge opposition campaign under the RAID banner, cheered and clapped as councillors voted down the application.

SALFORD TOTEM POLE TO BE EXPORTED TO SWINTON

added 07 November 2013

Star date: 6th November 2013

SALFORD DOCKS TOTEM POLE TO BE HOUSED IN SWINTON GATEWAY

First the Salford Quays cargo cranes were demolished, now the lovingly refurbished Totem Pole, that used to stand on the old Docks site, is to be exported to Swinton.

The Totem Pole is to be housed inside the new Swinton Gateway building, at a cost of £30,000, after every single business approached on the Quays declined to accommodate it.

PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY BONFIRE OF AUSTERITY

added 06 November 2013

Star date: November 6th 2013

TAX DODGERS AND PRIVATISERS GET ROCKET ON BONFIRE NIGHT

Last night, the Manchester People's Assembly Bonfire of Austerity tour took in tax dodgers and privatisers around the city centre as around two hundred people, many in Anonymous masks and many from Salford, partied through the streets.

Shops and offices belonging to companies like ATOS, Starbucks, Boots and Virgin got a visit from campaigners.

SALFORD PROTESTS AGAINST MENTAL HEALTH BED CUTS

added 06 November 2013

Star date: 6th November 2013

`DON'T CLOSE MENTAL HEALTH WARDS'

Service users, trade union members and anti-cuts campaigners protested outside the entrance to the Meadowbrook Unit at Salford Royal Hospital yesterday as part of a campaign against Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust cuts that could see ward closures in Salford and Bolton for older people with dementia and acute anxiety.

"I think it's important to come down and make a stand" said one service user "Services have been cut to the bone already."

SALFORD COUNCIL £2MILLION PLANNING SCANDAL

added 06 November 2013

Star date: 4th November 2013

GREENGATE POSH APARTMENT BLOCKS LET OFF WITH £1.9M COSTS – IN EXCHANGE FOR A REPLICA MONUMENT

Pinnacle Developments (NW) should be paying over £1.9million in costs to Salford City Council for two new horrendous high storey apartment blocks in Greengate, but is set to be let off with the bill through `viability issues'. Instead, the developers will be putting up a replica monument…

The posh blocks, up to 31 storeys high and consisting of 497 apartments, have been slated by objectors, including Broughton MP Graham Stringer, as being `just a big gated community' but Council planners are recommending that the scheme, and the shiny monument fop, is approved this week.

5TH NOVEMBER DAY OF ACTION FOR SALFORD

added 04 November 2013

Star date: 3rd November 2013

GUY FAWKES SPIRIT LOOMS OVER SALFORD

Guy Fawkes would be proud of the anti-authority stuff that's going off in Salford and Manchester on Tuesday, with a full day and night of demos and protests.

It all begins at 12:15pm with Salford UNISON's contribution to the TUC Day of Action, and a `No To Zero Hours' lunchtime protest outside Salford Civic Centre in Swinton. That's followed by a No To Ward Closures demo between 2pm and 6pm at Meadowbrook, Salford Royal Hospital. At 5pm there's the start of the Bonfire Of Austerity march from ATOS on Albert Bridge House, Bridge Street, and at 6pm there's the Anonymous Manchester Million Mask March…political fireworks guaranteed.

GREATER MANCHESTER COMEDY FESTIVAL IN SALFORD

added 03 November 2013

Star date: 3rd November 2013

SALFORD END OF THE COMEDY FEST AT KINGS ARMS

The Greater Manchester Comedy Festival is well under way, and it's happening in Salford at the newly done up theatre upstairs in the Kings Arms. The Fest runs every day until November 10th and all tickets are a fiver or under with some stuff free.

Star date: 3rd November 2013

added 03 November 2013

NO FIREWORKS FOR SALFORD

FOR FAWKES SAKE AMMIES CRASH AGAIN

Bamber Bridge 3 Salford City 1

After the encouraging 2-2 draw at home with Cammell Laird this week, the Ammies were hoping to start the climb back up the league at Bamber Bridge but it wasn't to be. After Salford took the lead in the first half, Bamber hit back to win 3-1 on the day.

Match report and photos here…

added 03 November 2013

MANCHESTER AND SALFORD ART FOR WOOD STREET MISSION

Star date: 2nd November 2013

CREATIVE COMMUNITY INVITED TO CREATE FOR WOOD STREET

Commercial artists and illustrators, and students, have been invited to submit work by November 8th to help raise money for the ace Wood Street Mission, which provides clothing, bedding, household items and baby equipment to the growing number of families living in poverty in Salford and Manchester.

The theme is `Everyday Manchester and Salford' and the top forty entries will be hung at an exhibition beginning 28th November at which the public can buy the works, raising money for Wood Street.

SALFORD COUNCIL CUTS MORE SERVICES FOR OLD AND ILL

added 02 November 2013

Star date: 1st November 2013

SALFORD PEOPLE WITH CARE NEEDS TELL COUNCIL NOT TO CUT SERVICES – COUNCIL RESPONDS BY CUTTING SERVICES…

"won't be able to leave home", "will be socially isolated", "nothing would help me manage", "would have no quality of life"…

Over the summer Salford Council carried out a huge consultation about its Fair Access to Care Services (FACS), which centred on cutting support for people with `moderate' needs and only helping those with `substantial or critical' needs.

The overwhelming, emotional response from both the old and the ill, and their carers, was not to cut support for those with moderate needs. This week Salford Council cut support for those with moderate needs.