Improving unadopted roads in Ashton

As a part of the local Labour Councillors' ongoing campaign to improve unadopted  roads and back alleys in Ashton we were happy to fund the upgrading of the back alley behind houses at the top of  Bolton Road. Unfortunately we do not have enough to fund all the improvements needed in Ashton at once but we are committed to find funding on an annual basis and will be looking to improve an area from next April in the new financial year. 

The alley as the work is being done

Campaigning to Save our Royal Mail

I was happy to join with the mayor and other Councillors in welcoming  CWU delegates to Wigan who are conducting a nationwide campaign  against the privatisation of the Royal Mail.

Billy Rotherham mayor of Wigan signs the CWU petition  against privatising the Royal Mail

 If you wish to get involved please go to  http://www.cwu.org/save-our-royal-mail.html

Changes to Ring and Ride Bookings

With effect from 5th August 2013 booking and scheduling staff will be transferred from the Wigan depot to the main call centre in Manchester. This means that from the 5th August passengers will be able to:

• Phone Wigan Ring and ride booking service between 8.00 am and 4.00 pm daily on 0845 688 3989
• Book journeys up to 7 days in advance and up to one hour before
• Book both Ring and Ride and Cross Boundary services using one telephone number
• Make requests for several different journeys with one call
•  Make general enquiries between 8.00 am and 10.30 pm daily on 0845 688 4933 

Visit to Hanover Diagnostic and Treatment Centre Leigh Hospital

In my role as Chair of Adult Health Social Care  Scrutiny Committee I think it is important that the committee get out of the town hall and see what is happening on the ground. We recently visited the  newly Hanover Diagnostic and Treatment Centre at Leigh Hospital. This state of the art building has the following services on three floors:

Ground floor - the  Women's Healthcare unit
First floor -  Urology unit
Second floor - the Endoscopy Unit.

Members of the committee were very impressed with the building and how welcoming it was both in decoration  and the attitude of the members of staff. They were also impressed with the fact that a patient could be diagnosed and treated in the same place without having to go to different buildings within the Trust.  

Our next leaflet

Our new leaflet is ready for  next week. One of the good things about the Labour party is that members from other areas in the north west are always willing to help. So we will be welcoming members from Salford to Ashton in the coming weeks to help deliver our latest leaflet.