Dear Residents,
We hope you are coping through this terrible time. Usually we would have been delivering leaflets to you, but we’re understandably not currently allowed to do that because of the Covid restrictions, so we wanted to provide you with a brief update online in the meantime.
You may be aware that the Local Government Boundary Commission have altered the wards across Halton, part of that is they have created a new ward called Central and West Bank, which will come into effect in May. Central and West Bank Ward is made up of the Kingsway Estate, Stewards Avenue area, ‘New Town’, Lugsdale Road, Lacey Street area and West Bank.
In positive news, HBC have approved plans for a new £20 million leisure centre which will provide an “iconic” gateway to Widnes, situated on the former Moor Lane business centre. It will be open to all in 2022, with a design that is dementia-friendly, and will make a significant contribution to the health and wellbeing of our residents.
The Range are opening their new store on the old B&Q site at Widnes Waterfront on Friday 26th February, with added good news that it will create extra full and part-time jobs.
John Collins Way has been opened, giving direct access to the Mersey Gateway Bridge for residents. The Silver Jubilee Bridge is due to open soon following extensive repair work and reconfiguration of the road system in Runcorn. Once re-opened, the buses will use the Silver Jubilee.
It has been fantastic to see how our communities have come together during the Covid Pandemic to help each through this very difficult time. There are many examples in our communities such as the West Bank Bears delivering thousands of hot meals to our elderly and vulnerable families and individuals; Widnes Food Bank switching to home delivery to enable them to carry on helping people in our communities and keeping people safe.
The vaccination programme continues at pace in the Stadium to the priority groups. Everybody we have spoken to has said how well run and efficient it is and how relieved they are to have received their vaccine. The facility is locally run in partnership between the GP network and the council and I think we can all agree they are doing a great job. Don’t forget we also have the no symptom testing facility at Ditton Community Centre in Dundalk Road, you can just turn up to get tested with no appointment needed and results in around 30 minutes. There are also numerous testing sites for people who do have Covid symptoms. Please make use of the testing sites to keep our infection rates going down, it is extremely important that if you receive a positive result that you self-isolate.
Finally, our thoughts are with everybody that has suffered a bereavement during this terrible time and to those ill in hospital and their family and friends. Please keep on looking after each other and staying safe – social distancing, washing hands regularly and wearing a face covering where it is necessary, and you are able to.
We are your Labour team and we are here to support you,
Cllr Stan Hill
Candidate Noel Hutchinson
Cllr Pamela Wallace
