Little Hulton SNAP blog
Friday 2 October
Home Fire Risk Assessment Service
Paul Starling, Station Commander, Salford Borough for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.
The role of the Fire and Rescue Service during SNAP week was to plan and deliver the Home Fire Risk Assessment (HFRA) Service, which is provided free of charge to all members of the community. We also used dedicated fire safety enforcement officers to visit businesses in the area to help them meet their legal requirements in relation to fire and learn how to reduce the impact from arson attacks which could prove very costly to the business and also to the families employed there.
Monday 28 September 2009 saw the start of the SNAP in Little Hulton, letters offering the service were delivered to over 400 properties in the ward and fire crews were sent to the area to undertake the HFRA process.
Overall, the number of HFRAs totalled nearly 180, which means all these residents now have an early warning from fire to help them escape if they are unfortunate and experience a fire.
If anyone requires the HFRA service outside the SNAP, then please phone 0800 555 815 to book an appointment.
Bulky waste collection and street cleaning
Lee Jackson, Environmental Co-ordinator, Salford City Council
This week was the Little Hulton SNAP, I have been liaising with other partners including Greater Manchester Police, Greater Manchester Fire Service, City West Housing Trust, the Probation Service and other organisations to co-ordinate the removal of all bulky items such as fridges and washing machines, removal of graffiti, fly tipping and sweeping of all primary routes and secondary routes within the Little Hulton ward.
Throughout each day during the SNAP I will be monitoring all Street Cleansing teams in the area to ensure the high standards that are set by the Environment directorate of the council are met, and also discuss any issues arising from local residents.
Whilst monitoring the area the residents have made a conscious effort to leave many items out for collection, plus our Street Cleansing teams have been in the area to ensure all streets are litter picked and any fly tipping removed, which has resulted in four tonnes being collected on Thursday.
A combined tonnage from Monday to Friday is estimated to be an impressive 18 tonnes!
Saturday 3 October will be our final day of SNAP and we will be revisiting all areas to ensure all items have been removed and areas cleansed. Once again, I feel this has been a great success working in partnership with the SNAP team members.
Thursday 1 October
Police activity
Inspector Sue Downey, Salford West Neighbourhood Policing Team
Today, just under 3,000 vehicles passed through the ANPR equipment with 28 being stopped. Seven fixed penalty notices were issued for seatbelts not being worn and one vehicle was seized for no insurance. Although the number of vehicles stopped was quite low compared to how many passed through the scanner, it is still 28 too many. Please ensure you abide by the law and insure your vehicle as well wearing your seatbelt and not using a mobile phone at the wheel.
A team of Police Community Support Officers continued to carry out truancy patrols across the area and gateway checks took place at the Stocks Hotel. I'm pleased to report that both initiatives didn't highlight any offenders.
The mobile police station was deployed at Spa Tavern on Old Lane today. I think this type of facility is a fantastic opportunity for the police and community to talk to each other and identify the issues that affect them and their family.
CV workshop
David Begley, Community ICT Assistant, One Stop Shop
Following on from Tuesday's successful CV workshop we welcomed a further four clients in who needed a CV for themselves.
Our clients this time ranged from one gentleman who had worked for over 40 years to a young lady who was just starting out with her working life.
Each of the four left at the end of the session feeling that they had achieved something relevant to their job hunting.
Wednesday 30 September
You be the judge
Andrew Meadows, Neighbourhood Development Officer for the Little Hulton and Walkden Neighbourhood team
Representatives from Salford Courts came to this event at Walkden Gateway, along with one of the judges, to share real life cases that have appeared before the Salford Courts.
There was a good turnout from members of the local community who took the opportunity to develop their understanding of the legal system, express their views on what the sentencing should be, and hear from the judge as to what sentence was actually given and the reasons why.
It was interesting, lively, educational and fun....a great way to engage the local community with the legal system and was very positively embraced by all who attended.
Young Peoples Funding Evening
Andrew Meadows, Neighbourhood Development Officer for the Little Hulton and Walkden Neighbourhood team
Members of Salford Youth Service and Little Hulton and Walkden Neighbourhood team invited representatives from local youth organisations to come together at this event at Bridgewater Youth Centre. The event was held to talk about what activities are available in the area and learn more about how the different groups can be supported in terms of advice and training.
The groups were also provided with information about funding that's available locally and also the role of the Youth Task Group.
It's hoped this is the first of many networking opportunities for groups delivering activities for children and young people in the area.
Tuesday 29 September
Community lunch
Andrew Meadows, Neighbourhood Development Officer for the Little Hulton and Walkden Neighbourhood team
A Community Lunch was arranged during SNAP week for the various tenant and residents' groups in the area. It was an opportunity for them to come together, learn what else was happening during SNAP week and also enjoy networking with each other.
As well as this, the lunch was an opportunity for us to say thank you to them for all the good work they do in the local community. The event was very well attended and everyone really enjoyed the lunch. It allowed us to show the different groups how much we appreciate what they do.
We now intend to bring the groups together more often so that we can build on this and the groups can learn more about different projects or initiatives in the neighbourhood when they are happening.
Macmillan coffee morning
Linda Arthington, Community Resource and Advice Officer, One Stop Shop
I saw SNAP week as a great opportunity to promote the general activities of the One Stop Shop to the local community while at the same time supporting a fantastic cause. I wanted to run an event that would attract people from all walks of life, something they could come to and relax over while at the same time learning what the One Stop Shop can offer them.
The event was planned to run from 10.00am to 12.00 noon but proved so popular that it ran well into the early afternoon. Attendees included a local school, members of a men's group and a little boy who just wanted a Macmillan balloon! The event raised £21.48 and I would like to thank everyone very much for their contributions.
We met some new faces on the day and welcomed back some familiar ones too. It was a great opportunity for the new faces to the One Stop Shop to have a demonstration of the various free IT courses and CV services that are on offer.
CV workshop
David Begley, Community ICT Assistant, One Stop Shop
The One Stop Shop offers many free IT services, one of which is assisting clients in putting together their CV. For SNAP week I thought it would be a good idea to hold CV writing workshops where people who needed a CV could come along and pick up advice and the necessary know-how to create something of their own that they could then amend and change as necessary as and when required.
For some of those that came along they came face to face with a computer for the very first time. After their session though, they left with not only a first class CV but also with a new found interest in learning more about using a computer.
As well as learning new skills, those that attended are now included on our distribution list for our weekly job vacancies email.
Police activity
Inspector Sue Downey, Salford West Neighbourhood Policing Team
Today, 15 vehicles were stopped for various offences using the Automatic Number Plate Recognition equipment. One driver was issued with an endorsable fixed penalty notice for using a mobile phone whilst driving. Two fixed penalty notices were issued for people not wearing seatbelts.
More warrants took place across the area which resulted in two arrests for drugs offences and abstracting electricity. Again, this is a strong message that such actions will not be tolerated in the community.
Gateway checks took place by Stocks Hotel which led to a woman being arrested on suspicion of shoplifting.
The mobile police station was deployed at the Little Hulton District Centre where we were able to answer question from residents living in the area and discuss issues that concern them. There will also be a Police and Communities Together (PACT) meeting taking place at the Armitage Social Club between 9.30am and 12.30pm on Friday. This meeting lets you decide what issues you would like us to tackle in your community.
Monday 28 September
Amblecote Estate walkabout
Dawn Crossley, Tenancy Management Officer, City West Housing Trust
As part of the Little Hulton SNAP week a walkabout was conducted today in part of the Amblecote Estate, Little Hulton. Despite the rain, the event was well attended with members from Salford City Council, City West Housing Trust and local Councillor Alice Smythe.
Five local residents walked around the estate with us and on the way we met many more, some of the concerns raised included environmental issues such as the trees that were in need of pruning.
One resident asked for a pathway on the linear walkway which had become overgrown to be reinstated. Damian Dallimore, Principal Community Safety Officer with Salford City Council immediately arranged for probation services to visit the site and work will commence on this site by the end of the week cutting back the trees, removing litter and the pathway being brought back into use.
Police activity
Inspector Sue Downey, Salford West Neighbourhood Policing Team
I have been eager for the SNAP week to come to Little Hulton after witnessing the successes of the previous activities across other parts of the city. We are dedicated to serving residents to the best of our ability and I am confident the week of action will help improve the lives of those living in the neighbourhood.
Today, we executed a drug warrants in the area that led to an arrest in relation to drug offences. Residents in the neighbourhood were informed of the warrants after they took place, to reassure them that we will not tolerate drugs in the community and are determined to get them off the streets. Another person was given a street warning for possession of cannabis.
Police Community Support Officers took part in truancy patrols during the morning to ensure children weren't skipping school.I'm happy to say there were no reports of truanting and I hope it stays that way.
The Automatic Number Plate Recognition team were in operation on Cleggs Lane. Their equipment is used to us check whether motorists have insurance, driving licence, etc. During the day, 47 vehicles were stopped. Four vehicles were seized due to outstanding court fines.
The mobile police station will be out and about during the week, giving residents the opportunity to speak to their local officer and tell us of any concerns or issues they may have. If you can't attend the mobile police station then there are numerous opportunities via police surgeries that take place across the city. For more information on where and what time they take place, go to the GMP website.
Community Committee meeting
Vincent Nash, Neighbourhood Manager
Hello my name is Vincent Nash and I am the Neighbourhood Manager for the area of Little Hulton and Walkden. My job involves ensuring that council resources are targeted effectively at the communities we serve. We make sure that local people have a say in the decisions being made in the local area. We recognise that we need to listen if we are to get things right. This means that local people have more influence over how local services are provided, everything from street cleaning and improving parks, to crime and safety in Salford.
Last night's Community Committee held at Walkden Gateway Centre was a good example of community involvement. Attended by over 40 residents, elected members from all three wards in the area and 12 officers, local issues were hotly debated.
Cutacre open cast mining site and its future, as well as how planning section 106 funds have been spent in the local area were discussed. A crime update for the area was provided by the new Inspector Sue Downey. As well as the usual updates, it was good to hear that the summer holiday activities for young people was the best attended in the city with over 400 young people passing through Harrop Fold School as well as over 11,000 cumulative attendances over the six weeks.
Chair of Kenyon Residents' Association Cath Hamilton commented 'it is a good opportunity to get first hand updates on issues that affect me every day, when I get this information I can disseminate it throughout the community'.
The next community committee will be held on Monday 30 November at 6pm at James Brindley Primary school, Parr Fold avenue, Walkden. Everybody is welcome. So get involved in influencing change for the better in your area.
This page was last updated on 3 November 2009
