WANTED: ASSISTANT DIRECTOR COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING £65,478 - £72,027
                
Salford City Council is currently looking for a new Assistant Director for Communications and Marketing with a salary ranging up to £72,027 a year! To help out potential applicants, the Salford Star has decided to provide some guidelines. But hurry - applications close very soon!

SALFORD'S FIRST EVER ALL DAY HIP HOP FESTIVAL

Hip Hop Festival
Saturday 6th July
Kings Arms 3-11pm £5

Salford's first ever all day hip hop music festival happens next Saturday at the Kings Arms featuring anyone who's anyone on the local rap and r n' b scene, including Briggzy, D'Lyfa Reilly and Fresh Connection. The day also features some wicked live rap battles between the likes of Raptor, Nero, Shadow and Bombshell.

PERFECT SUMMER READING EXPOSES AQUATIC CIRCUSES

`Its permanent smile is the dolphin's curse'

The Perfect Pair: The Enchanted Mirror
By David C Holroyd and Tracy J Holroyd

Salford authors David and Tracy Holroyd have written a page turning, all-diving, all-splashing `factional' expose of what goes on behind closed dolphinarium doors.

The controversial underbelly of aquatic circuses is experienced by top trainer David Capello and his super dolphins, Duchess and Herb'e, in a blockbuster of a book that makes perfect beach reading this summer. Not to be missed.

IS YOUR BABY A SALFORD STAR?

Salford Star is pleased to announce a new launch of our popular Salford Star baby grows which now come in vest style or t-sleeved. They are available in all different baby sizes and the logo comes in a range of fab colours.

We'll have them on our stall at the Costa Del Cornerstone tomorrow, along with some grown up t-shirts, or you can purchase them online.

CIVIL SERVANTS CONDEMN GOVERNMENT LIES OUTSIDE JUSTICE CENTRE

"This is an assault on the entire public sector and the entire working class" Alex Davidson, PCS

Speakers at a lunchtime rally by civil servants outside the Manchester Justice Centre yesterday urged a general strike and guerrilla strike action to combat ConDem Government attacks on civil servants and the services they provide, as George Osborne was labelled an `absolute liar' for pushing the spin that public sector workers were getting pay rises between 7% and 8%.

SALFORD TEACHERS STRIKE HUGE SUCCESS

Salford teachers, on strike to make a stand against ConDem Government cuts, claimed huge success today as over fifty schools were closed and all schools affected in some way.

Salford NUT and NASUWT members joined thousands of teachers from all over the North West in a massive rally and march through Manchester city centre, with Education Minister Michael Gove taking most of the flak.

Part 2: SOCIAL HOUSING CONFERENCE LOBBIED BY BEDROOM TAX CAMPAIGNERS

The Housing 2013 national conference for social housing companies was lobbied this morning as Lord Freud, one of the architects of the dreaded Bedroom Tax, attended.

Protesters came from as far as Liverpool to join with Salford and other Greater Manchester groups to let the Lord-it-over-poverty creep know their feelings.

Part 1: SOCIAL HOUSING CONFERENCE LOBBIED BY BLACKLISTING CAMPAIGNERS

What a day, as striking teachers joined Bedroom Tax and Blacklisting campaigners outside GMex, and they, in turn, joined the massive teachers march, and, later, teachers joined  the civil servants rally…and Salford people were involved in all four actions.

Here, the Salford Star begins its coverage with the first demo of the day, as campaigners against Blacklisting took their fight to the Housing 2013 conference….

TEACHERS, CIVIL SERVANTS AND BEDROOM TAX VICTIMS TAKE ACTION

Tomorrow, Salford will join Manchester and other parts of the North West in taking action against the nasty excesses of the ConDem Government. From Bedroom Tax victims protesting outside the national social housing conference at GMex (9am), to a rally and march of striking teachers at Cathedral Gardens (10:00am), to civil servants campaigning against cuts outside the Civil Justice Centre (1pm), it's going to be a busy day!

AS CUTS BITE DEEPER SALFORD COUNCIL LAUNCHES BRIDGE BEAUTY CONTEST

While the ConDem Government today announces yet more cuts to local government, Salford Council has launched a £30,000 international competition to build a new `landmark' footbridge from The Crescent to The Meadows that will have a budget of up to £1.9million.

The Meadows already has three footbridges…

GREENGATE SQUARE FOUNTAIN DESERT

The much hyped fountain at the centre of Salford Council's £13million Greengate Square has been switched off during mid summer. As temperatures today hit 19 degrees in the lunchtime sun, there wasn't a squirt to be seen from the fountain which has been spouting day and night all winter. Why could this be?

SALFORD WELFARE RIGHTS AND DEBT HELP HAMMERED BY OVER £500,000 OF CUTS

As the Bedroom Tax and other benefit cuts begin to seriously bite, a Salford Council consultation on huge cuts to its Welfare Rights and Debt Advice Service ends this week…But did the Council bother telling anyone about its plans to make an almost self help welfare rights service? Did it tell anyone of plans to slash £510,000 from its budget?

IMPRESSION ART HAPPENS AT REGENT TRADING ESTATE

Maurice Carlin
Performance Publishing
Unit 5, Regent Trading Estate
Until July 24th

At the back of Regent Trading Estate, off Oldfield Road, in a deserted warehouse, a huge performance art event is taking place over the next few months as acclaimed creator, Maurice Carlin, does otherworldly 1-1 scale images created from floor impressions. People can watch him doing it live or via webcam.

SUNSHINE, SOMBREROS, MARACAS, TAPAS, J STARS AND SALFORD STARS…

Costa Del Cornerstone
Saturday 29th June 11am-3pm
Langworthy Cornerstone free

The summer holidays begin in Langworthy next Saturday at the Costa Del Cornerstone, where sunshine, palm trees, sombreros, maracas and flamenco are guaranteed as part of a fab, free, family fun fiesta.

There's holiday music, cocktails and food on tap(as), plus a kids abstract art comp, a rainforest reptile encounter room, a coral reef experience, street dance performances and tasters from the ace J Stars, and loads of healthy living stalls. The Salford Star will be there too! Oooolalaaa…

THE RUMMAGE FACTOR ON THE HEIGHT

Tabletop Sale
Saturday 29th June 11am
Height Methodist Hall

Next Saturday there's a Tabletop Sale at the Height Methodist Hall, on King Street in Irlams O' Th' Height. Lots of bargains guaranteed plus tombola, café serving refreshments.

TRAFFORD COUNCIL TO CHALLENGE PICKLES IN HIGH COURT OVER SALFORD POLLUTING INCINERATOR

The long running battle against Peel Holdings' polluting incinerator took a fresh turn this week when Trafford Council voted to challenge Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, in the High Court  over his decision to allow the Salford polluting `Barton Renewable Energy Plant' to be built.

A whole mass of Salford schools and houses lie within close range of emissions from the proposed plant.

LESS THAN 20% VOTE IN WEASTE AND SEEDLEY AS LABOUR PARTY ROMPS HOME

Labour romped home in the Weaste and Seedley local by-election last night, polling almost double the vote of its nearest UKIP challenger. The Conservative Party came third and the Greens came fourth.

The turnout was just 19.91%, or 1,778 total votes out of a possible 8,932.

SALFORD QUAYS CARGO CRANES WON'T BE A COMMUNITY ASSET – `BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BULLDOZE THEM' STATES COUNCIL

A last ditch application by the Salford Quays Heritage And Nature Group to save the iconic Salford Quays cargo cranes by having them put on the list of Salford Council's `community assets' has been turned down. 

Despite agreeing with the Heritage Group that the cranes `further the social wellbeing or social interests of the local community' the Council adds that "in the not so distant future" they will not further these interests "because the cranes have been dismantled and removed from the site"…

A Salford Star Exclusive

£130,000 A YEAR SOCIAL CARE BOSS RESPONDS TO PRIVATISATION CONCERNS FOR OLD AND ILL… `AT LEAST THEY'RE BEING FED'

Salford Council staff worried about the future of services to the city's old and ill people were horrified when Sue Lightup, Director of Health and Social Care, apparently responded `At least they're being fed'.

The Council has now voted to privatise its Intermediate Home Support Service…even though three of the favoured private providers failed basic standards tests, Salford people will get less care, and over fifty highly trained staff have left the Council service. "It's back to Victorian times" one support worker told the Salford Star, reflecting on Sue Lightup's comments…

A Salford Star Exclusive

SICKENING SALFORD COUNCIL REPORT PRAISES CUTS THAT ARE TOO DEEP TOO FAST…

While Salford councillors and the City Mayor weep tears for the cuts they've had to make, a new finance report reveals that the Council is actually forecasting an under spend this year of over £3.5million.

As hundreds of Council staff have been axed and social services cut to the bone, the self congratulatory report actually praises hatchet-happy officers for their "hard work" in "achieving a provisional under spend on this scale".

COUNCIL PAYS STADIUM CLIENT MANAGER UP TO £72,000 AND OVER £12,000 FOR CONSULTANT

While cash strapped Salford Council is cutting staff and services for the elderly and disabled, it's currently paying a Salford City Stadium `Client Manager' up to £72,027 a year, while consultant, D and R Tinkler Ltd, was paid £12,354 "in relation to support to the stadium and its tenants".

The payments come on top of Salford Council's £600,000 Stadium bail-out, and its 25 year, zero interest £1.26million loan pay off deal with new Salford City Reds and racehorse owner Marwan Koukash…whose bankrupt company owes Chester Racecourse £792.

PRESSURE MOUNTS ON LABOUR PARTY AS JOHN MERRY CALLS ON MILIBAND TO REPEAL BEDROOM TAX

Salford residents attending last night's Broughton Against the Bedroom Tax meeting were furious that no local councillors attended, holding up `Wish You Were Here' messages to get their point across. However a statement was read out from former Salford Council Leader John Merry, calling for the Labour Party front bench to commit to repealing the hated Tax.

Meanwhile, Salford City UNISON has demanded the Tax be suspended, while a new petition has been launched imploring City Mayor Ian Stewart to introduce a policy of No Evictions. The pressure in Salford is mounting…

BNP BOTTLES IT AND CANCELS PUBLIC MEETING

`The BNP ran scared this afternoon' Councillor Balkind

At the last minute, Salford BNP cancelled its public meeting at the city's garbage depot, as anti-fascist protesters turned up to oppose what UNISON's Steven North called "hate and division in our city".

Salford City Mayor, Ian Stewart, was also present at the demonstration to hear Councillor Howard Balkind add that "the BNP ran scared this afternoon".

SALFORD UNITES TO KICK OUT BNP FASCISTS

"Wherever it is allowed a voice, it uses that voice to preach bigotry and division" Steven North Salford City UNISON

After cancelling a BNP meeting at Salford Civic Centre a few weeks ago, Salford Council has allowed the fascist BNP to hold an election meeting tonight at the city's garbage depot - Turnpike House, on Eccles New Road.

A protest has been called by Unite Against Fascism and Salford City UNISON, while Salford City Mayor Ian Stewart has been urged to ban the meeting.

NEVER MIND GCHQ AND US NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY…HERE COME SALFORD COUNCIL SPIES AND UNDERCOVER AGENTS

While global debates rage over the gathering of citizens' private data, few people are aware that local councils, including Salford, have powers of covert surveillance and the collection of communications data.

The last figures available show that Salford Council was the 11th largest user of these spying techniques in the country. And, in sinister twist, the Council can spy on its community, not only to prevent crime but also to `prevent disorder'…

COME TO SALFORD AND DIE EARLY…

Salford is the fourth worst area in England for early deaths according to statistics released today by Public Health England – ranking 147th worst local authority area out of 150. Amongst similar local authorities Salford ranks the worst in the country, 15th out of 15.

The shocking early death rates, for cancer, lung, liver and heart disease, are linked to poverty.

SALFORD COUNCIL RUDEST IN ENGLAND?

The Salford Star has called off its two week old strike against Salford Council's attitude towards the city's independent community press, to expose its attitude towards its own citizens.

Over the last few weeks the Council has been forced to apologise for the way it treats Salford people and we're now hearing of many cases where the community has similar experiences to the Star. So we ask `Is Salford the rudest council in England?'

CHINA ON THE IRWELL

After the Salford Star picked up on a report by the Electoral Reform Society which compared councils like Salford to one party states with `no viable opposition', they invited us to write about our experiences living in China on the Irwell.

SALFORD COUNCIL COUGHS UP THE ILLEGAL STUFF BUT THE STRIKE GOES ON

Under pressure Salford Council has finally coughed up some information following the strike by Salford Star over the authority's illegal withholding of information.

Having told media website Prolific North that "Salford City Council does not seek to block information and rejects these allegations", lo and behold, three responses arrived with information requested from as long ago as nine months. This is not enough. The strike continues.