Wigan Borough Environment & Heritage Network
10.30 a.m. September 25th at Museum of Wigan Life.
Present:
Tom Price (Civic Trust), John O’Neill (Greenheart), Bob Bruce (Lancashire Mining Museum), Mary Pennington (Wigan Archaeology Society), Avis Freeman (Leigh Soroptimists), Neil Forshaw (George Formby Society), Richard Sivill (Atherton Heritage), Joe Taylor (Billinge History Society), Jenny Grigs (Carbon Landscape).
Guest Speaker - Hamish Jeffreson (Lancs Wildlife Trust).
Apologies
Glenys McClellan (Leigh Family History Society), Peter Taylor (Civic Trust), Lynda Jackson (Wigan MBC), David Shallcross (Leigh Ornithological Society), Derek Wilde (Wigan Family History Society), Ken Barston (Stubshaw Cross Residents Group), Alex Miller (Wigan MBC), Eileen Walsh & Eileen Bithel (BETA),
Minutes of the last meeting (August 14th): True and accurate.
Matters Arising: A visit to Leigh Archives could be considered in the future. Thanks to John O’Neill for the Waterloo Memorial day.
Presentation: by Hamish Jeffreson:
Hamish is overseeing the three year Bickershaw Project, started this May, funded by Council via ‘The Deal’. Eventually it is planned that the community take over management. Part of the project will be to erect a memorial to those lives lost in the 1932 Bickershaw mining disaster. When time comes to bid for funding for that memorial, it will help if community organisations support the bid. Hamish was assured that when time comes he will get support from the E&H Network.
There was a lengthy discussion about the project and Hamish answered questions related to it.
Members Reports:
Joe Taylor:
It has been proposed that the plot of land the Network now manages adjacent to Greenslate Community Farm be converted to a memorial garden dedicated to the schoolgirl from Winstanley college who was recently murdered in Orrell Water Park. Wigan CEO, Donna Hall, has expressed support for this project. The Network secretary has met with relevant Council staff (including Lynn Calderbank nee Kay who recently gave us a presentation regarding asset transfer) and the headmistress at Winstanley College.
An application is now being developed to coincide with the latest round of funding for ‘The Deal’. It requires an organisation with a constitution and bank account to administer any funding so granted. It was agreed unanimously the E&H Network are happy to administer any funding allocated for this project.
Richard Sivill:
Formby Hall
This hall was built for the community by the Coal Company Fletcher-Burrows and
was given to the Atherton UDC. WMC sold it to a private company who have now
sold the plot for private development. Despite local protests the hall has now
been demolished.
Housing Development Howe Bridge
WMC Planning Department will hold a public meeting, shortly, about a planning
application to build a further 830 houses on farm land between Howe Bridge and
Tyldesley, this in addition to the 250 now under construction. The impact on
the environment and the village will be significant.
AOB
Avis thanked everyone for attending and closed the meeting.
Next Meeting: November 6th