Marina Development on Course

Development of the £100m Droylsden marina site has moved a stage nearer as the latest stage of demolition work starts on site.

Work has begun to dismantle the properties at the entrance to the main development site on Manchester Road . The demolition should be complete by the end of September and this will allow the new road junction opposite Tesco to be constructed.

Developers Watkin Jones received full planning permission in July to go ahead with their plans which include a marina and mooring basin on a new canal arm, surrounded by modern apartments and prestige homes. It will also include 3000 sq meters of offices, ‘live work' units for craftspeople and artists and leisure uses including a health and fitness centre, restaurant, family pub, coffee shop, wine bar and hotel around the waterside setting.

The work on the canal and marina development is due to begin in spring 2007 and the first phase of the residential development will begin mid to late summer in 2007, with full completion of the project in 2013.

Virtually all the firms and organisations on the site have moved or are in the process of moving and Tameside Council has worked with them to find alternative premises, giving them the opportunity to expand and create new jobs.

"This is another milestone in fulfilling our ambition to transform the centre of Droylsden, creating a marina with new homes and commercial activity," said Cllr Kieran Quinn, executive member for economic services. "We are very pleased to get a stage closer to the work beginning on digging the marina in the spring."

MI5 Look to Recruit in Hyde

MI5 were among the impressive list of employers who attended the second annual Tameside JobsFair at Hyde Town Hall in January.

The event, organised by the Tameside Employment Partnership, was visited by more than 1350 people looking to find work or change jobs.

The event ran all day with the first two hours reserved for ‘priority clients' - priority neighbourhood residents on long-term benefits, income support and lone parents.

There was a wide assortment of employers and support agencies - 38 exhibitors in all - with hundreds of job vacancies as well as training and volunteering opportunities.

Ashton Park Garden Centre used the event to recruit the 50 or so staff they will need at their outlet due to open on Ashton Moss in the Spring. Other employers at the event included Barclays Bank, Greater Manchester Police, British Gas and Tameside Council.

A number of support agencies, training providers and the volunteer centre were on hand to offer information, advice and guidance to visitors, including in-work benefits, childcare and working with a disability; a broad range of training courses and volunteering opportunities.

More than 150 people attended one of a series of "Steps2worK" seminars which ran throughout the day. These were interactive sessions to help guide people into employment, providing information on job opportunities, training and interviews, where and how to find work and what employers want.

At least two people were offered jobs on the day - a lone parent will start an administrative job working four hours per week for an employment agency as a stepping stone back to work and another person interviewed and due to start work as a purchase ledger clerk the very next day!

The Partnership are already planning other events - watch press and other local publicity for details.

Building Winner Announced

Ashton-under-Lyne Civic Society has named 225 Old Street, St. Petersfield, Ashton as its Building of the Year 2006.

The 48,000 sq ft development is the first phase of a scheme to create a new urban business quarter in the Henry Square area of Ashton. Part of the building is now occupied by the Pennine Care NHS Trust.
The aim of the society's award is primarily to draw public attention to developments which are making a positive contribution to the town's built environment.

Susan Knight, Chairman of the society, giving reasons for the award, said "The clean, sharp lines of this building contrast greatly with existing properties in the old Henry Square area and introduce an exciting and refreshing new style of architecture to Ashton.

"The building heralds a new beginning for the economic regeneration of this area and once landscaping is complete will provide an extremely attractive and pleasant working environment."

Councillor Jack Davis, Chair of Ashton Regeneration Project, was chosen by the society to present the award because of his long association with the project.

The developers are Ask Developments in partnership with Tameside Council, The North West Regional Development Agency and English Partnerships.

John Hughes, Development Director at Ask Developments said: "We are delighted to receive this award and pleased that such an eminent body as the Civic Society recognises the building's high quality design.  This is just the first phase of Ashton's new urban business quarter and is set to create a fantastic working environment as well as form a major part of this area's regeneration."

The award plaque was donated by Mockridge Labels, Ashton.

Old Trafford Double-Take

Tameside teenager Kyle Howse has a double claim to the Old Trafford hall of fame.

Not only does the 15-year-old play for Manchester United Disability Football team - he has now been selected for the Lancashire Disability Cricket squad.

His sporting success is even more impressive considering the fact he is fighting the muscle wasting condition muscular dystrophy.

Kyle, who attends Samuel Laycock Special School, Stalybridge, was first spotted for his cricket prowess while representing his school at a tournament last summer. After further coaching from Steve Hampson, of Tameside Sports Development, and Denton St Lawrence professional Jason Bennett, he attended a trial for Lancashire at Old Trafford last month and was immediately picked for the squad.

His school PE coordinator Ernie Greenwood said: "Kyle is an extremely skilled sportsman and is an inspiration to everyone who knows him.

"How many people can say they have played football for Manchetser United and cricket for Lancashire? Not bad for a kid who has battled against muscular dystrophy."

Business Briefs

Never look a gift horse in the mouth, there's no such thing as a free lunch...

No doubt many businesses in Tameside think if they are being offered something for free there must be a catch. But TMBC Libraries Information Service offer to provide valuable business information to companies free of charge is genuine. In fact not only is it free but it can save you time and money!

Business information can be a valuable asset to companies in many ways; checking out the financial stability of a company you are considering doing business with, sourcing products and services, contact details, legislation etc. Our expert staff can provide all this and more as part of the business support services the council offers.

One local business recently contacted us to ask if we could provide financial information on a company they were thinking of doing business with. In less than an hour we emailed a comprehensive report containing financial information to our customer. They were delighted and amazed to have discovered this "marvelous resource for local businesses". Adding "we appreciate to buy a similar report from a company dealing in business information would be very expensive."

We can also supply company mailing lists tailored to your needs at the very competitive price of just 10p per company.

To discuss how we can help your company contact us for further information: Tameside Libraries Information Service, Central Library, Old St, Ashton, OL6 7SG. Tel: 0161 342 2031

Market update

Work is on track for the opening of the refurbished Ashton Market Hall in late spring next year.

Around £15million will be spent on rebuilding the market after a massive fire three years ago destroyed the Victorian Grade II listed building. The work was given the go-ahead following the settlement of the insurance claim. Funds have also been made available from the European Regional Development Fund and the council.
The walls and the clock tower were the only things lefts standing and the plan is to strengthen and retain these features.

The council's partner contractor Laing O'Rourke began work in the middle of January preparing the site for the main construction work and providing temporary access directly into the site from Penny Meadow. The next stage is the piling works which will provide the basis for strengthening and stabilising the walls and for constructing a new basement which will house essential plant and provide facilities for the management of waste materials from the market. The piling method chosen will minimise noise and vibration taking into account the town centre location and the historic nature of the building.

Cllr Kieran Quinn, Tameside Council's executive member for economic services, said: "The importance of the market and of this project to Tameside as a whole but especially for Ashton's future is enormous. The market was the heartbeat of Ashton and I am looking forward to it returning to its original prominence in the town centre.

How much did your tattoo really cost?

What's the real cost is the message behind this poster campaign launched in schools across Tameside warning teenagers of the dangers of having illegal tattoos.

Any tattoo given to an under 18 year old is illegal, but it's the health risks attached to using un-registered tattooists which this campaign is aimed.

If the tattooist is not registered with the council it means you cannot be sure the equipment they're using is safe and clean from killer diseases such as Hepatitis, the blood disease septicaemia and the HIV virus.

The poster, which has the diseases tattooed on the model's back, is intended to shock youngsters into thinking about the risks or coming forward if they think they've had an illegal tattoo down in the past.

Council environmental investigators came up with the poster idea following a recent health scare surrounding an investigation into an un-registered tattooist in Dukinfield late last year.

They discovered that he had tattooed a number of local underaged youngsters.

This prompted a publicity drive to get unsuspecting customers to come forward for testing.

When a public call was put on BBC TV 100s of worried teenagers called the special hotline with stories of tattoos they'd had done, most illegally.

Executive member for environmental services Cllr Catherine Piddington said: "I am not sure people are even aware it's illegal for an under-18 to have a tattoo, let alone the obvious dangers to your health if you have one done by an unregistered tattooist.

"Unless the tattooist is registered with the council you have absolutely no guarantees the equipment they're using has been cleaned since the last person or even that week!

"Thinking about that makes me shudder and certainly leaves me wondering what's going through their heads while they're having it done. Normally in unclean conditions, using dirty equipment and they're invariably of a sub-standard quality as well.

"And of course because they've been done illegally you won't have the same customer's rights as you would normally."

£3 Million Digital Fund Bid

The ONE-Manchester partnership has submitted its bid for a total of £3 million of funding from the Government's Digital Challenge project.

The ONE-Manchester partnership comprising Manchester, Salford, Tameside and now Oldham Councils, has put forward ambitious proposals to create one of the largest community broadband networks in Europe.

"Success in securing Digital Challenge funding will be a major step forward in delivering some of the most advanced technology for the City Region," said Dave Carter, Head of Manchester's Digital Development Agency and co-ordinator of the One-Manchester bid.

The Digital Challenge panel of judges visited Manchester on January 10th to examine existing community digital technology schemes as well as looking in more detail at the proposals in the ONE-Manchester partnership Bid.

A key element of the ONE-Manchester Bid is to tackle social exclusion and give residents, particularly those living in deprived communities the knowledge, support and equipment they need to maximise their potential using digital technology.

In addition to the Digital Challenge, One-Manchester is seeking to deliver free basic wireless access over 400 sq miles of the city region.  The Partnership has asked businesses to provide information and comment on their proposals in order that they can positively contribute to its successful delivery.

Dave Carter continued: "We had an enormous response from businesses regionally, nationally and from Europe . More than 30 responses were received and they formed a key element to our bid submission.

"Digital technology is moving at an extremely fast pace and we need to ensure that the Manchester city region is at the forefront of new developments in technology in order that we can further boost our economic prosperity."

The One-Manchester partnership is one of 10 regional finalists. It submitted its Digital Challenge Bid to Government in January 2007.  The Partnership presented its proposals to the Digital Challenge Panel in February and the winner is expected to be announced in March.