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GREATER MANCHESTER PROTESTS AGAINST OUTRAGEOUS LEGAL AID CUTS

Star date: 31st July 2013

`ONLY THE RICH WILL GET JUSTICE' – HUNDREDS TAKE TO STREETS

"This is about justice - you cannot have a fair system of justice unless it is open to all" legendary Legal Aid lawyer, Robert Lizar

Placard waving lawyers in pin striped suits marched with an MP, disabled people, anti Bedroom Tax campaigners, trade unionists and minority rights activists last night to protest against proposed ConDem Government cuts to Legal Aid which will, in the words of one speaker, make justice available only to those who can pay.

Full details here…

added 31 July 2013

GREATER MANCHESTER DEMO AGAINST LEGAL AID CUTS

Star date: 29th July 2013

RALLY AND MARCH AGAINST CUTS FOR THE RIGHT TO ACCESS JUSTICE

March and Rally
Tuesday 30th July 5pm-6pm
Manchester Crown Court – Cathedral Gardens

Tomorrow at 5pm there's going to be a march and rally against ConDem Government cuts to Legal Aid. The cuts will affect people who don't have access to wads of money to pay for lawyers – and will particularly include homeless families, victims of domestic violence and trafficked children, thus trashing any notion of `equality before the law'.

Full details here…

added 29 July 2013

SALFORD AGECROFT COLLIERY REMEMBERED IN STYLE

Star date: 28th July 2013

HUNDREDS FLOCK TO UNVEILING OF AGECROFT MONUMENT

"It's a great honour to see this memorial unveiled, it is long overdue – God bless all the miners" Jean Barnes

Yesterday, hundreds of people, including around forty former mine workers, flocked to the unveiling of a new monument to commemorate those who worked and died at Agecroft Colliery, Salford's last pit.

Former miners, some carrying lamps and wearing original Agecroft helmets, unveiled the monument to the emotional sound of Besses Brass Band.

Full details and lots of photos here…

added 28 July 2013

JULIE HESMONDHALGH AND OWEN JONES JOIN GREATER MANCHESTER MARCH AGAINST THE BEDROOM TAX

Star date: 28th July 2013

`I'M FED UP WITH THIS GOVERNMENT AND THIS EVIL, EVIL TAX'

Coronation Street's Julie Hesmondhalgh and political commentator Owen Jones joined Salford Against The Bedroom Tax campaigner Maria Brabiner on the speakers' platform at the rally in Manchester yesterday against the Bedroom Tax.

Julie Hesmondhalgh made reference to this "evil, evil tax" and a Government "that makes us constantly look at the people in society at the absolute bottom of the rung…while it's all going on up here…the tax avoidance, the expenses…it's disgusting and people seem to be being duped"…

Full details here…

added 28 July 2013

SALFORD FILMS SEE THE END OF THE WORLD AND DUCHY ESTATE

Star date: 27th July 2013

SIX FILMS FROM ONE SALFORD COMPANY FOR FOUR4 FILMS AND VIRGIN

Half a dozen films shot in and around Salford have poured out from producers Chris Lane and Mat Johns, five of which are entered into competitions that need votes from the community.

There's four micro horror films, 16 seconds long, that have been entered for the Four4 film comp, and a lovely short movie, shot on Duchy Estate, called When I'm 64, entered for the Virgin Media Shorts comp. There's also one about the end of the world. In Salford, of course!

To view the films, vote and see full details click here…

added 27 July 2013

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SALFORD MAYOR TO LAUNCH SALFORD 2025 JAM TOMORROW PLAN

Star date: 26th July 2013

A Salford Star Exclusive

MORE `ICONIC SKYLINE'… MORE MANCHESTER… MORE JAM TOMORROW…

Salford City Mayor, Ian Stewart, is set to launch yet another plan for the city – 2025 Salford A Modern Global City which will see citizens "benefit from decent jobs, economic growth and greater prosperity".

The `prospectus' has as its major `ambitions' a `transformed skyline', growing the `regional centre' and `enhancing even further the heritage, culture and environmental quality synonymous with great European cities'…

It's just a shame that, in the here and now, the Mayor can't save an iconic crane or keep a disabled children's respite centre open…

Full details here…

added 26 July 2013

MEDIACITYUK MOVES TO MANCHESTER

Star date: 24th July 2013

ARSEHOLES!

A new website launched this week sees MediaCityUK move away from Salford to Manchester, in line with the `University of Salford, Manchester' and The Lowry `Manchester's most fashionable hotel'.

This latest slap in the face for Salford people comes from the Peel Group, which owns MediaCityUK and has had £millions of Salford council tax payers' money poured into its project. The website sees definitive Manchester branding and the strapline `Welcome to MediaCityUK, a new waterfront destination for Manchester…' Arseholes!

Full details here…

added 24 July 2013

SALFORD MEDIACITYUK WATER TAXIS COST RISES TO ALMOST £1MILLION

Star date: 23rd July 2013

ALMOST £1MILLION OF PUBLIC MONEY FOR MEDIA CITY WATER TAXI STOPS

The cost to the public purse of putting in place five stops for the forthcoming Water Taxis which will run from The Lowry Hotel to MediaCityUK and Salford Quays has now mushroomed to £941,020 from £756,000 quoted six months ago.

While the stops, or `landing stages' are being paid for by public money, both the preferred operator of the Water Taxis and Peel Ports, which owns the actual water stretch, are private profit making companies.

Full details here…

added 23 July 2013

SALFORD AGECROFT COLLIERY TO BE CELEBRATED

Star date: 21st July 2013

NEW MEMORIAL AT AGECROFT TO BE UNVEILED

Saturday 27th July 12-2pm
Agecroft Road

Ex miners and their families will be unveiling a new Agecroft Colliery memorial next Saturday afternoon, with the whole community invited to attend.

Agecroft, opened in 1844, shut in 1990 and demolished in 1992, was Salford's last pit and the monument will include a small flower garden, an engraved stone and tiles made by children from St Augustine's Primary School. Besses Brass band will play at the ceremony.

Further details here…

added 21 July 2013

SALFORD NOVEL DAZZLES WITH NINETIES REALITY

Star date: 21st July 2013

THE SOUND OF TOP SALFORD WRITING

The Sound Of Loneliness
By Craig Wallwork
(Perfect Edge Books £9.99)

The spirit of Salford, circa 1990s, seeps through every page in Craig Wallwork's brilliant novel, The Sound Of Loneliness – from the real backdrops of Langworthy and the Precinct, to the angst found lurking on every bar stool in the dole-ridden inner city. There's heartache, there's hunger…there's even a pied piper driving all the pretty girls out of Pendleton. Get it. Read it. React…

Full review here…

added 21 July 2013

SALFORD JOINS BED TAX DEMO AND PEOPLE’S ASSEMBLY

Star date: 21st July 2013

THE SALFORD SUMMER OF UNLOVE

Saturday 27th July
Anti Bedroom Tax Demo 1:30pm Cathedral Gardens
People's Assembly Against Austerity from 1:30pm Central Hall

Next Saturday sees a flurry of activity in Manchester against ConDem Government pro-poverty policies, as Greater Manchester unites in opposition.

There's a March Against the Bedroom Tax through the town centre from Cathedral Gardens to the Civic Justice Centre and back, while in Central Hall on Oldham Street the People's Assembly Against Austerity will be running workshops all day from 1:30pm on everything from education to housing, health and the media.

Full details here…

added 21 July 2013

SALFORD WW2 BOMBER CRASH VICTIMS REMEMBERED

Star date: 20th July 2013

LANCASTER BOMBER MEMORIAL AT AGECROFT CEMETERY

Memorial Service
Sunday 28th July 11 am
Agecroft Cemetery

In July 1944 a World War 2 Lancaster Bomber crashed near Littleton Road killing seven crew and two civilians. On Sunday 28th July there's a short memorial service organised by The Friends of Salford Cemeteries Trust, and everyone is invited to attend.

Full details here…

added 20 July 2013

MACMILLAN NEEDS SALFORD COFFEE MORNINGS

Star date: 20th July 2013

COFFEE AND CAKE LOVERS OF SALFORD UNITE!

The Macmillan Cancer Support's World's Biggest Coffee Morning is to take place on 27th September this year and the charity is looking for workplaces, community centres and homes to host fundraising events.

Anyone can register, and will get a free pack of stuff to make the event a success – including invitations, cake flags, balloons, a table cover and more. All you need to do is provide the drinks and cakes.

Full details here…

added 20 July 2013

GREATER MANCHESTER FRINGE SECOND WEEK HITS SALFORD

Star date: 20th July 2013

THE KING'S ARMS HOSTS THE SALFORD END OF THE FRINGE

Greater Manchester Fringe kicked off last week and runs until 31st July at Manchester and Salford venues. Here we present listings of all the Salford based happenings at The King's Arms until the end of the festival – from comedy, to drama, puppets and comics.

Full details here…

added 20 July 2013

NEW JOY DIVISION PLAY STORMS IT AT GREATER MANCHESTER FRINGE

Star date: 20th July 2013

STAGE PREMIERE OF JOY DIVISION STORY CAPTIVATES

We've had the film, the books and the documentary…now get the play of the rise and fall of Joy Division, as Hooky and co get depicted on stage larger than life.

Graham Williamson attended the premiere of Brian Gorman's new drama New Dawn Fades, at the Greater Manchester Fringe this week, and declared himself `captivated'.

Full review here…

added 20 July 2013

SAVE SALFORD PRECINCT POST OFFICE CAMPAIGN

Star date: 19th July 2013

PUBLIC MEETING TO SAVE PRECINCT POST OFFICE – STARRING HAZEL BLEARS AND IAN STEWART

Save Salford Post Office Public Meeting
Saturday July 20 11am
Salford Shopping Centre

As part of the ConDem Government's attack on the Post Office, it's intending to privatise 70 Crown post offices - and the well used one at Salford Precinct is on the list.

Tomorrow there's a public meeting on the public space at the Precinct against the Post Office sell off, which is backed by Salford Shopping City itself plus trade unions, black cabs, Salford Market traders and even local politicians.

Full details here…

added 19 July 2013

SALFORD MAYOR BLACKLISTING HYPOCRISY REVEALED

Star date: 18th July 2013

OVER £100MILLION PUBLIC CONTRACTS AWARDED TO `BLACKLISTING' FIRMS IN SALFORD - DESPITE IAN STEWART `CONDEMNATION'

Yesterday, Unite the Union staged a big demonstration outside Salford City Council's Civic Centre to highlight the dark practice of blacklisting within the construction industry.

Salford Mayor, Ian Stewart, very publicly backed the campaign in April - but the Salford Star can reveal that, this year alone, over £100million of public contracts in the city have been awarded to two of the companies - Kier and BAM Construct - at the centre of the anti-blacklist campaign.

Full details here…

added 18 July 2013

MORE MAYHEM AT SALFORD COUNCIL MEETING

Star date: 17th July 2013

THE BIG FOB OFF - ANTI CUTS CAMPAIGNERS UNIMPRESSED BY SALFORD STYLE DEMOCRACY

`That was the first time I've been to a Salford Council meeting - and I think it will be my last' Save The Grange parent

Public questions unanswered, others not allowed, even Council officers moving in to remove the microphone from people trying to ask questions…Welcome to another Salford City Council meeting where anti cuts campaigners from both Save The Grange and USUC (United Service Users Committee) were unimpressed with Salford style democracy.

Earlier, parents of disabled children who attend The Grange respite centre collected signatures outside the Civic Centre against Council proposals for changes to the service aimed at saving £500,000

Full details here…

added 17 July 2013

SALFORD APPRENTICE SCHEME SEES DRAMATIC DECLINE

Star date: 16th July 2013

17% LESS YOUNG PEOPLE IN SALFORD GETTING APPRENTICESHIPS – SYSTEM `WORKS AGAINST LOW INCOME FAMILIES'

The Salford Star has been told that the Apprenticeship system works against low income families, as Salford Council reports that the amount of young people in the city getting apprenticeships has declined by 17% - "despite the investment from Government in fully funded Apprenticeship training packages".

Now, over 6% of 16-18 year olds in Salford are NEET, or Not in Education, Employment or Training. And Salford Council admits that its Think Skills and Work Board, "has lost traction and focus".

Full details here…

added 16 July 2013

SALFORD COUNCIL HANDS PEEL GROUP £2.7MILLION IN ONE MONTH

Star date: 16th July 2013

PEEL CASHES IN ON MORE SALFORD COUNCIL HANDOUTS

The Peel Group received over £2.7million from hard up Salford City Council in just one month this year. The payments for `miscellaneous grants' and `office expenditure' were paid out during May to Peel Media Ltd, the company that runs MediaCityUK, and Peel Investments (Intermediate) Ltd - the company that runs, well, no-one knows…

Full details here…

added 16 July 2013

SALFORD’S DISAPPEARING LOLLIPOP PEOPLE

Star date: 15th July 2013

SCHOOL CROSSING POINTS DROP BY ALMOST A THIRD WITHIN A YEAR

In just twelve months, Salford's School Crossing Points have dropped by almost a third, reducing from 92 to 63. School Crossing Points are where lollipop men and women help people to cross the road but, since a 2012 review, 29 have disappeared.

Full details here…

added 15 July 2013

BEDROOM TAX FARCE COMES TO SALFORD

Star date: 13th July 2013

A COMEDY OF TERRORS SETS STAGE FOR BEDROOM TAX

Bedroomed!
Sunday 21st July 8pm £3/£2
The Black Lion

We've had the real life horror of the Bedroom Tax, now a new play from Liverpool sends up the ridiculous comedy of it all in Bedroomed! which comes to The Black Lion pub in Salford next Sunday.

Full details here…

added 13 July 2013

SALFORD GANGSTER SHOOT IN TURF WAR

Star date: 13th July 2013

MCDONAHUE'S SALFORD TURF

With one gangster film due out now, and another, called Turf, in the making, Salfordian writer, actor and director, Paul McDonahue, might find himself with a bit of a Tarantino-on-the-Irwell reputation.

Now McDonahue is hoping the gangland genre will shoot him into the movie stratosphere, as Bernard Brough discovers.

Full details here…

added 12 July 2013

GREATER MANCHESTER FRINGE HITS SALFORD

Star date: 12th July 2013

PLAYS, POEMS, COMEDY AND SOUNDS LIGHT UP FRINGE FESTIVAL

Greater Manchester Fringe kicks off tonight and runs until 31st July at Manchester and Salford venues. Here we present listings of all the Salford based and Salford themed happenings in the first week of the Festival – from stand up, to poetry, to plays, sketches and sounds. There's even a Vintage Fair thrown in at The King's Arms and lots of free events.

Full details here…

added 12 July 2013

SALFORD COUNCIL DEBT MOUNTAIN TIMEBOMB HORROR

Star date: 11th July 2013

A Salford Star Exclusive

£500MILLION SALFORD DEBT COULD WRECK THE CITY

At £516million, Salford City Council has the highest total debt of any council in Greater Manchester – five times that of Bolton and Trafford, over three times that of Oldham and Rochdale, and even higher than big bourgeois spending Manchester.

Salford Council's excessive borrowing for prestige projects like bridges, fountains, MediaCityUK, Chapel Street and Salford City Stadium could wreck the city's spending on public services for years to come if interest rates rise by only 1%, according to a Council report.

Full details here…

added 11 July 2013

SALFORD COUNCIL CUTS THE GRANGE FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

Star date: 10th July 2013

SALFORD'S ASSISTANT MAYOR FOR CHILDREN DEFENDS £500,000 CUTS FOR DISABLED CHILDREN

"Do I think it's unfair? Of course I do!" John Merry

In the previous Salford Star feature, parents of children with disabilities accused Salford Council of `persecuting' their kids over plans to move them out of The Grange respite centre in a £500,000 cut to the service.

Here we grill John Merry, Salford Council's Assistant Mayor for Children and Young People, on the proposals. Can he defend the plans?

Full details here…

added 10 July 2013

SALFORD COMMUNITY LAUNCHES FIGHT TO SAVE THE GRANGE

Star date: 9th July 2013

SALFORD COUNCIL CUTS SERVICES FOR KIDS WITH DISABILITIES

"You're persecuting our children for the way they are because they are more needy than anybody else" parent

Salford Council's latest cuts are aimed at disabled children and their carers. It plans to kick kids with disabilities out of The Grange, an `outstanding' short term respite centre, and move those over 14 years of age to an adult facility at Granville House.

Now, amidst dodgy Council statistics and reasoning, the community has launched a `Save The Grange' campaign.

Full details here…

added 09 July 2013

MISS SALFORD IN TEARS AFTER BUILE HILL HIGH SCHOOL PROM BAN

Star date: 8th July 2013

A Salford Star Exclusive

FAMILY CLAIMS VICTIMISATION AFTER TEEN ROLE MODEL BARRED FROM PROM NIGHT

"They left my daughter crying in a Prom dress at the school gates in front of all her friends, all the teachers and all the parents…"

The reigning Miss Teen Salford, who last year represented the city and brought positive publicity to her school, Buile Hill Visual Arts College, was left distraught and in tears on Friday night when staff barred her from one of the biggest nights of her life.

Now the family of Lurelle Bancroft, who got to the finals of Miss Teen Great Britain, is accusing the school of victimisation and discrimination.

Full details here…

added 08 July 2013

SALFORD POET WORDS ESCAPE ME AT THE KINGS ARMS

Star date: 7th July 2013

JB AT THE GREATER MANCHESTER FRINGE FEST

Words For Class Heroes
Tuesday 16th July 7:30-8:30pm
The Kings Arms £3

The tagline is `just a scrote done good from Salford' but the Little Hulton poet who goes by name Words Escape Me, or JB, is much more than that, mixing old Salford humour with totally articulate observations of the now. If you are looking for total Salford talent do not miss his Words For Class Heroes Show at the Kings Arms.

Full details here…

added 07 July 2013

SALFORD COUNCIL BRIDGE COMPETITION SLAGGED BY EXPERTS

Star date: 7th July 2013

SALFORD BRIDGE BEAUTY CONTEST BRANDED `WASTE OF MONEY'

Salford Council's grand idea for a competition to design a bridge between The Crescent and The Meadows has been totally slagged off by experts and designers.

The competition itself, run by RIBA, is costing £30,000, while the bridge is said to have a budget of almost £2million. However, the project has been slated, with top designer Cezary Bednarski branding it a "waste of effort and money". With £24million of cuts this year in Salford, we'll second that!

Full details here…

added 07 July 2013

SALFORD LAUNCH FOR NHS SOS AT WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY

Star date: 7th July 2013

BETRAYAL OF NHS ON 65TH BIRTHDAY

NHS SOS Book Launch
Friday 12th July 5:30pm
Working Class Movement Library

This week sees the 65th birthday of the NHS, born at Trafford Hospital on 5th July 1948. And this Friday, a book is being launched in Salford about the slow, painful death of the NHS.

NHS SOS: `How the NHS was betrayed and how we can save it' has contributions by an array of top medics, and its co-editor, Professor Raymond Tallis, will be giving a talk at the Working Class Movement Library about the ConDem Government assault on our health service and more…

Full details here…

added 07 July 2013

SALFORD COMMUNITY FURY AT QUAYS CRANES COUNCIL SNUB

Star date: 6th July 2013

SHOCKED SALFORD HERITAGE GROUP TO APPEAL CRANES DEMOLITION DECISION

"The Mayor said `people before cranes'…but it's not been `people before bridges, fountains and pea farms'" James Walsh

Saving The Cranes
Saturday 20th July 3-5pm
Deli-Lama Café/Bar

Members of the Salford Quays Heritage and Nature Group have vented their fury at Salford City Council and Salford City Mayor, Ian Stewart, over the way their attempt to have the blue cargo cranes at Salford Quays listed as community assets has been snubbed.

Meanwhile, Ordsall Trust has been making a Save The Cranes film to be shown at the Deli-Lama café/bar on July 20th.

Full details here…

added 06 July 2013

SALFORD SONG INSPIRES RACE FOR LIFE

Star date: 6th July 2013

SALFORD SONGWRITER INSPIRES RUNNERS

In the run up to the annual Race For Life event at Heaton Park on July 14th, Salford songwriter, Colin Hillier, has written the perfect accompaniment. And the track, Run For Life, was born from his own personal experiences with cancer.

Colin has written lots of songs, including many about Salford, and they are well worth checking out, as Bernard Brough discovers…

Full details here…

added 06 July 2013

SALFORD CITY COUNCIL COUNCILLOR COMPLAINTS VACANCY

Star date: 5th July 2013

WANTED: TWO `INDEPENDENT PERSONS' FOR SALFORD COUNCIL
SALARY: £384

Salford City Council is looking for two `Independent Persons' to deal with complaints against councillors' `standards of conduct'. The closing date is today so get those applications in!

Your first job might be to ask why the Salford Star's standards complaint against Assistant Mayor Gena Merrett is still lining a bin somewhere…

Full details here…

added 05 July 2013

SALFORD SERVICE USERS INSPIRATIONAL VICTORY OVER SALFORD COUNCIL CUTS

Star date: 3rd July 2013

MENTAL HEALTH DROP-IN VICTORY FOR CAMPAIGNERS WHO WENT ALL THE WAY

"I would definitely encourage people in Salford to fight…this has changed my opinion…" Danielle, service user

When Salford Council came along and tried to cut services for some of the most vulnerable people in the city it got a shock. Mental health service users got organised. They marched, lobbied and pushed Ed Miliband to have a word with his axe hungry Mayor. They even occupied the Council chamber and were ejected by the police.

Now their fight has paid off with a new top drop-in centre and some very happy service users. But the campaign goes on…

Full inspirational details here…

added 03 July 2013

BALFOUR BEATTY CASHES IN ON SALFORD ROYAL HOSPITAL PFI

Star date: 2nd July 2013

AS SALFORD ROYAL MAKES HUGE CUTS, PFI FLOG-OFF MAKES £11.5M PROFIT

While Salford Royal Hospital (Hope) is struggling to make cuts of £19million, construction company Balfour Beatty is boasting about flogging off its 50% share in the Hospital's PFI deal for a profit of £11.5million – which `exceeded the Directors' valuation by £8.3million'.

The PFI financed the new extensions to the Hospital which were completed recently, and tax payers will be paying back more than three times the initial cost of the redevelopment over the next thirty years or so.

Full details here…

added 02 July 2013

SALFORD COUNCIL FAT CATS GET MORE CREAM

Star date: 1st July 2013

NEW COUNCIL ACCOUNTS SHOW FAT CATS WINNERS - LOW PAID LOSERS

Draft accounts from Salford Council, released today, show that Fat Cats were the clear winners in the year 2012-13. While cuts of almost £24million were being made, three of the top senior officers in the Council got pay package rises of up to £10,000 each.

Meanwhile, the losers were 177 school and non-school staff earning under £20,000 who lost their jobs. They certainly won't be seeing any Living Wage…

Full details here…

added 01 July 2013