Ashton

Ashton District Assembly continues to deliver more environmental improvements and has been fortunate in recent months in securing external grants to carry out further works in parks and open spaces.

Draft plans to improve Store Street Park have been completed, which will include installation of a CCTV camera, installation of high specification boundary fencing and motor cycle barriers to make the area more secure. Interim improvements to improve pathways, bowling green benches and other features of the park will be taking place over the summer period.

Oxford Park benefited recently from additional National Regeneration Fund grant money enabling the play area to be completely refurbished, sports cages to be resurfaced and the bowlers pavilion and the community building to be refurbished. Combined with the new landscaping and state of the art sports facility, the park is now a well used high quality community facility. The park has been entered for a prestigious Green Flag award for which we are currently waiting the result

Katherine Street recreational area has been completed with a new cricket practice area to compliment the Multi Use Sports Cage installed last year. The recent works have included total refurbishment of all the boundary fencing, general landscaping and the creation of a high quality facility now being used extensively by ‘Ashton All Stars' and the community for training and recreational sport.

West End Park has received substantial grant monies for total refurbishment of the park recreational facilities and island as a whole which will be closely linked to community consultation. Work should be starting mid-summer.

Improvements continue at King George V Playing Fields, Ashton and major environmental improvements in Hurst/Smallshaw have been completed to create the recreational open areas and pathways which have led to many compliments from local people.

The DA team are currently looking at King George V Playing Fields Audenshaw and the St Peters ward part of Audenshaw generally to schedule in future schemes into the overall planning process.

The town centre street scene is currently being surveyed and repainting and essential maintenance work to street furniture will be carried out throughout the summer to ensure that a high standard of presentation is maintained in Ashton.

The District Assembly looks forward to supporting the Tameside 2007 Britain In Bloom bid and will also be supporting events like the Canal Festival and the Black Knight Pageant.

Councillor Bill Harrison commented "I am proud to commence my second full year as Chair of the Ashton District Assembly, where I am seeing lots of improvements and initiatives which are really making a difference for the community of Ashton".

Denton and Audenshaw

The district assembly has been working hard with the Denton South partnership to get lots of projects under-way.

A brand new multi-use games area is now open at St John Fisher primary school, for use by both the school and the community.

The parade of shops at Tatton Road have had a make-over with new pavements and landscaped areas.

Yew Tree community centre will soon have a new community garden, plans have been drawn up after consultation with local residents, and the garden will include a children's play area.

Work has started on a new multi-use games area in Victoria Park, on the site of the old tennis courts, and is due to be complete before the end of July.

Haughton Green is now the home of Tameside's newest Bowling Club! The new bowling green is situated on Haughton Green playing fields.

Since the launch of the second phase of the dog fouling campaign six fixed penalty prosecutions have been given out, proving that if you don't pick up – you will definitely have to pay up!

Droylsden

Droylsden is going through a period of change with the canal side development starting and continual changes to the street scene associated with new developments. The District Assembly is committed to making improvements wherever possible to compliment these changes and the new floral designs round the Medlock Sports Centre entrance are just one example of the Droylsden District Assemblies involvement.

Upgrading and repainting is planned for the Town Centre this summer pending the arrival of Metrolink in future years when further alterations are needed to accommodate the new station and tracks, again an example of how the District Assembly maintenance strategy is continually being updated to address the changes.

Annual environmental maintenance has been carried out including the replacement of quite a high number of vandalised trees which is very frustrating for District Assembly staff who work so hard to keep the environment pleasant for the people of Droylsden.

PACT meetings (Police And Community Together) are really beginning to work with local crime and anti-social behaviour issues being addressed at a ward level.

Environmental improvements continue with an emphasise on Safer, Stronger Community, which include major professional tree thinning out at Copperas Lane Playing Fields and other areas in Droylsden to make areas safer and more open for recreational use. This is a major programme of work which will take place over two years with priority areas being addressed first.

Partnerships with the District Assembly are very important in Droylsden and the probation service working with us are carrying out further improvements to stone pathways and carrying out additional clear ups in various areas.

Summer planting has been completed across Droylsden with new displays to our usual high standards.

Councillor Jim Middleton said: "These are changing times for Droylsden which will lead in the longer term to great improvements which will ensure that Droylsden remains a really nice place to live and work".

Dukinfield

Dukinfield born Tony Brooks, a former world class motor racing champ, has received a special honour from the DA, to mark his sporting prowess. Recognition has also been made to Colonel Robert Dukenfield, with a statue unveiling outside the Town Hall, to mark one of the North West's staunchest supporters of Cromwell and the cause of Parliament.

Dukinfield Town Hall is having resurfacing work at the front of the building and some trees removed to open up the views from the building.

The ‘Not on my Street' anti dog fouling campaign is paying off with patrollers targeting streets with the most complaints and giving out fixed penalty notices to people who disregard warnings.

As the Citizen went to press the DA had recently hosted the annual Pensioners Party, with over 250 people enjoying this special celebration

Look at the council's website for more details of the Music Festival on 3 and 4 August. And have you entered the town's Gardening competition yet.

Judges from the Britain in Bloom team will be visiting the town to see how hard green fingered residents work to make the town stand out in the summer.

The newly formed Friends of Dukinfield Park are giving the team working on the masterplan and vision for the park's future development area a helping hand. They are setting a new constitution that will take into account the future of the park.

Hyde

The DA has transformed a once dreary corner at the junction of Lumb Lane and Walker Lane with a refurbishment and landscaping programme. The facelift has included new feature railing, a new footway, raised planters and new grassed areas.

The Lodge Lane entrance to Hyde Park has received a make-over with new feature flower beds, new railings and new signs.

A series of concerts in Hyde Park have been organised by the DA. Freizland Brass Band will perform on July 1 and Boarshurst Silver Band will perform on July 15. Both performances will take place from the restored Grade II listed bandstand from 2pm to 4pm.

A Play Day festival will take place in Hyde Park on Sunday August 5. The event aims to promote the benefits of outdoor play and will a variety of traditional outdoor games including hoops and skittles.

Hyde Splendid weekend will take place in Hyde Park on July 28 and 29. Saturday's highlights will include a Proms in the Park event, followed with a family fun day on the Sunday.

A planting tribute to commemorate 100 years of the scouting movement is planned for the junction of Mottram Road and Union Street.

A series of Brass Band Concerts will take place at the Bandstand in Hyde Park from 2pm - 4pm on the following dates:

• Sunday 17th June - Carrbrook Brass Band
• Sunday 1th July - Friezland Brass Band
• Sunday 15th July - Boarshurst Silver Band

Hyde District Assembly in assoication with Champion Brass present:

Hyde Live Concerts at Hyde Town Hall on:

• Saturday 15th September - Last Night of the Proms, with Dobcross Silver Band
• Saturday 24th November - Bootleg Abba
• Saturday 15th December - The Houghton Weavers

All concerts start at 7.30pm

Tickets: £10.50, £9.50 (concessions)

For further information, please contact 0161 303 8547

Longdendale & Hattersley

A major refurbishment programme has transformed the once neglected Cat Nap Park area off Lower Market Street, Broadbottom, into a village feature. The facelift has included new seating, new paths, new fencing, turfing and landscaping.

Hill End Play Area, Broadbottom , has been upgraded with a new hardstanding area, paths, bins, seating and railings.

A new lighting scheme has made a night time feature of Hollingworth Small Park, off Mottram Moor. The low-voltage red uplighters highlight the planting scheme, adding extra interest to the amenity.

A planting tribute to commemorate 100 years of the scouting movement is planned for the landscape site at the bottom of Mottram Moor.

Mossley and Stalybridge North

Mossley's Mill Girl statue now stands in very fitting surroundings following a programme of improvements to the frontage of George Lawton Hall. The forecourt has been refurbished with traditional York stone, with new hand railings, ramp access and planting. New seating will also be installed soon.

The District Assembly is in early discussions with Mossley Sports Forum about plans to provide a multi-use games court to complement the new skate park at Top Mossley Park.

A planting tribute to commemorate 100 years of the scouting movement is planned for the junction of Stockport Road and Cross Street.

Stalybridge

A lighting scheme is planned to the former Stalybridge Town Hall landscape site. The scheme will involve uplighters to highlight the planting and new trees and make a night-time feature of site.

A £19,000 programme of improvements are planned for Cheetham's Park. The work will include new paths, a hard-standing area and sandstone paving to complement the time-line heritage feature.

An interpretation plaque has been installed in Armentieres Square outlining the history of Longlands Mill. The plaque has been set in one of the original stone gate-posts from the mill.

A planting tribute to commemorate 100 years of the scouting movement is planned for the junction of Mottram Road and Huddersfield Road.