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JKtheUnwise — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 03:49:15 CDT

We are a group bringing together local residents of Levenshulme who believe that our community is not getting the support it deserves from our elected representatives.

We campaign for investment and development and also over specific issues such as the closing of post offices, the running down of our swimming pool and our lack of a community center.

We are fully independent of any political party and open for all to get involved.

Next Meeting

Saturday 13th June, 2009
2pm - 4pm
@ Lenshulme Library

Campaign actions
things you can do to help make Leve better!

Working Groups

If you are interested in being involved in any of the following working groups please email: levenshulmecampaign@googlemail.com

Current working groups:

Swimming Baths - Looking at how we can start a campaign to get some investment into leve's pool and how facilities could be improved.

Communications - Looking at how FoL gets information from and to the community and at the possibility of starting a community newsletter.

PCT/Health - Continuing to monitor the position of the PCT, and where they are going to put new money, after our victory in stopping the alternatively funded Health Centre

Inclusion/community participation/youth - Looking at how to involve the whole community in campaigning and raising their voice. Also to look at youth provision in the area.

Community Centre - Continuing the campaign for Leve to have a community centre

Environmental Issues - Looking at issues such as green space and our community garden.

These groups will report back at the next FoL meeting on 13th June @ the library. This will also be a chance for people to propose any further working groups they would like to run.

Levenshulme Consultation

Manchester City Council are planning to make long-term decisions about the former Community Centre site on Chapel Street after the results of the 'consultation document'. Current it's still up for sale!
We say - save the community garden!

Make your views known by taking part in the consultation by following this link

http://www.manchester.gov.uk/downloads/levenshulmesconsultation1.htm

Make sure that you mention environmental improvements, community facilities and the chapel street site by name - if you want to help save it from being lost.

National Campaign links

+ Keep the Post Public Petition @ No 10

LEVENSHULME DIARY

Wednesday 8 April - Delamere Neighbourhood Group is organising a free family film screening at Chapel St primary school from 10.30 am. Followed by lunch.

Thursday 16th April - Folk Train from Levenshulme station - No need to book in advance - just buy a return ticket to Goostrey. For further details contact 0161 218 1515 or 07800 618 147

Monday April 6th - Call To Real Action - about how Manchester’s people and Council could
respond to Climate Change – 7pm, at Nexus Café on Dale Street.For more info email Pennyskerrett178@btinternet.com

Sunday 26th April - Greenbank Residents Association event - Fun Dog Show! Booking at 12pm, Judging at 1pm any for more information email JudGabler@aol.com

Sunday 5th + Sunday 19th April - Friends of Fallowfield Loop Art in the Park - construct amazing sculptures using stones, twigs, leaves, grass, mud, wood chippings and other park treasures. Two workshops to be held in Highfield Park picnic area (12.00 until 3.00pm both days)

FoL take no responsibility for the content of the discussion forum, which can be contributed to by anyone. Please use it sensibly as offensive posts may be deleted.

Friends of Levenshulme's Constitution

JKtheUnwise — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 09:45:36 CDT

Friends of Levenshulme (FoL) governing document

Purpose and principles
1. We are a community campaigning organisation for Levenshulme. We
campaign on issues that affect local people.
2. We are an inclusive and democratic organisation, independent of all
political parties and business interests.
3. We are committed to principles of equality, diversity and nondiscrimination,
and reflect this in our campaign priorities and organisational
practices.
4. We campaign on the principle that public services in Levenshulme should
be publicly funded and delivered at accessible locations to meet the needs of all
Levenshulme neighbourhoods and communities.
Participation in FoL
5. Residents of Levenshulme, and other people with legitimate interests in
Levenshulme, are entitled to participate and vote at Open Meetings (see
paragraph 7), subject to respect for the purpose and principles at paragraphs 1-
4. There will be no membership list for FoL. Participation in Open Meetings (see
paragraphs 7 & 8) will confer voting rights. In any case of dispute the chair (see
paragraph 9) will determine the right of individuals to participate and to exercise
voting rights.
6. We aim to secure the widest possible participation in FoL from
Levenshulme people, and will promote this by local public advertisement and
reporting of our open meetings and other activities.
Conduct of business
7. Periodic Open Meetings will be held to decide on FoL campaigns and
organisation. A quorum of ten people entitled to vote will be required for an
Open Meeting to have power to make decisions.
8. At least one Open Meeting per calendar year will be constituted as the
annual general meeting, normally held in the first quarter (January-March). It will
elect a Convenor and a Treasurer, any other officers, and other members of the
Core Group. This Core Group, inclusive of the Convenor and Treasurer, and any
other officers, will number not fewer than five people.
9. The Core Group will co-ordinate business on behalf of FoL between Open
Meetings, responsible and accountable to participants in Open Meetings. The
Convenor will normally chair Core Group meetings. Open Meetings will be
chaired by the Convenor or by another Core Group member.
10. FoL will maintain a bank account for the purposes of holding income and
making payments in support of its campaigning purposes and organisational
requirements. The Treasurer will give regular reports of income & expenditure,
and the balance of the account, at Open Meetings.
11. Any resolution either to amend this document or to dissolve FoL needs to
be passed by a majority of at least two thirds of people entitled to vote at a
quorate Open Meeting (see paragraph 7) publicly advertised for the purpose of
considering such a resolution. In the event of a resolution to dissolve FoL being
passed any remaining uncommitted funds held in the FoL bank account will be
transferred to one or more community based organisations whose objects are
consistent with FoL purposes and principles.
Draft approved by Core Group 30th March 2009
Approved at public EGM 17th April 2009

FoL Finances

JKtheUnwise — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 09:43:16 CDT

Friends of Levenshulme Financial report as at February 2009

INCOME
Donations £144.30
Total Income £ 144.30

EXPENDITURE
Campaign
Printing GP Health Centre £ 50.00
Printing NHS Valentines £ 15.00
Printing GP Health Centre £ 42.00

Total Expenditure £ 107.00

Balance:£ 37.30

Bank reconciliation
Bank Balance as at 02 Feb 09 £ 41.30
Plus income not
credited £ 38.00
Less outstanding chq -£ 42.00
Balance: £ 37.30

Friends of Levenshulme Updates

JKtheUnwise — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 12:24:33 CDT

Email: levenshulmecampaign@googlemail.com to receive updates or if you have information you'd like us to send out in the next update

FRIENDS OF LEVENSHULME UPDATE 15 – 23rd FEBRUARY 2009

Twenty-nine people met on Saturday at Levenshulme Library for our
annual general meeting. First things first: we arranged for the next
FoL open meeting to be on Saturday 4th April 2009 from 2.00-4.00pm at
the Library. Come if you can.

The meeting on Saturday was very positive, with several new people
attending. The main points:

MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2008

- Friends of Levenshulme is now recognised as a campaigning force in
Levenshulme. Some highlights from the last year:

- We attracted strong support for our campaign challenging the Primary
Care Trust proposal to use the private sector to run the new doctors'
practice in Levenshulme. The latest news is that any development will
be delayed until 2010.

- There is progress in the fight to develop the old Community Centre
site for community use. The City Council have now said that they will
give a temporary lease for two years for use as a garden.

- We have a supermarket, an original focus for FoL campaigning in 2007

KEY PRIORITIES FOR 2009

- In the meeting we gave most time to discussing our priorities for
2009. One priority stands out above all others: we are determined to
campaign for a long-term future for our Swimming Pool and to challenge
lack of investment in the building.

- Two other strong priorities emerged. One was environmental &
development issues along Stockport Road.

- The other priority was how FoL communicates with local people. Email
& website need to improve but above all we need to publish printed
material for display at key locations around Levenshulme.

SO, HOW ARE WE GOING TO FOLLOW THIS UP?

- A new 'Core Group' was elected to coordinate planning &
organisation. Firstly, Tracy Jesty was re-elected as Chair, and
Audrey Sluyter as Treasurer. Secondly, Stuart Calton has stood down
as Secretary and instead of replacing him – the job is very big for
one person – the responsibilities will be shared between several
people. To share the work we elected a Core Group with six other
members to join Tracy & Audrey:

Angelique Bueler
Joe Kissolo
Clarissa Langham
David Mottram
Neil Seaborn
Charlotte Smith.

Sue McPherson was also elected at the meeting, but has now decided to withdraw.

The Core Group will report back to the meeting on 4th April (see
above) on action they will now take on behalf of FoL, and on plans for
the year ahead.

OTHER DATES FOR YOUR LEVENSHULME DIARY

-The City Council is consulting about the District Centre plans. Local
authority officers are attending meetings of different local groups as
part of the consultation, including some listed below:

Saturday 28th February, 1.00pm, St.Peter's Church:
Levenshulme Community Association – consultation on District Centre plans

Tuesday 3rd March, 7.00pm, The Bluebell, Barlow Road:
Friends of Greenbank

Friday 6th March, Claire Mooney, with The Moving House Band, M19 Bar,
Stockport Road - doors open 7.30pm: - part of the launch of the 2009
Levenshulme Festival

Monday 9th March, 7.15pm, Sports Hall (Energy Box) at Levenshulme High
School: Friends of Cringle Park

Thursday 12th March, 7.00pm, Baptist Church, Elmsworth Avenue:
Joint meeting of Bristol & Gloucester Avenue Residents' Association
and Delamere Neighbourhood Group - consultation on District Centre
plans

Saturday 28th March 2009, London:
Put People First is organising a demonstration for jobs, justice &
climate in advance of the G20 summit in London, supported by TUC,
charities, etc. Are you interested in attending a local meeting to
discuss the issues and organise to travel to London on the day? More
information will follow.

FRIENDS OF LEVENSHULME UPDATE 14 – NOVEMBER 2007

LEVENSHULME INSPIRE COMMUNITY OPEN DAY AND CONSULTATION:

Saturday 24th November, 10:30am-2:00pm, United Reformed Church, Stockport Road. There are plans for a multi-purpose community room in the Levenshulme United Reformed Church as part of a development, also including flats, on the site. This is a consultation event organised by Manchester Methodist Housing Association and South Manchester Regeneration Team. Also, ALL FM are broadcasting and YASP are providing some refreshments. Some of us are going along to see what the score is, and I'm sure any interested people would be welcome.

HOW SHOULD YOUR CITY GROW? CONSULTATION EVENT ORGANISED BY THE COUNCIL:

Tuesday 4th December, 12:00pm-8:30pm, Manchester Art Gallery, Mosley Street. The City Council is hosting this event, where people can "chat to Planning Officers about the options for the future development of Manchester". Many of us would like to see investment in community facilities as one of those options, and a bit less emphasis on the currently preferred "option" of letting our facilities fall to pieces. We will be attending the meeting on masse with banners, placards and so forth from 6:00pm. Please join us.

FRIENDS OF LEVENSHULME PUBLIC MEETING TO PLAN THE NEXT STEPS OF THE CAMPAIGN:

Saturday 8th December, 2:30pm, Levenshulme Library. We've all had chance to chew over that big meeting with Sir Richard Leese and Sir Gerald Kaufmann earlier in the month. This meeting is partly to gather people's opinions on what was said there, but mainly to discuss what our next steps should be in keeping the pressure up and the temperature high. We are a loose, open organisation and we need your input in order to be effective. Please come along and throw in your ideas. ALL ARE WELCOME.

WORK ON LEVENSHULME COMMUNITY PEACE GARDEN IS ONGOING:
Having put together a detailed proposal for a Peace Garden on the Chapel Street site, we were told by the Council's chief executive that we'd have to bid against businesses, to the tune of around £100, 000.00, in order to use the old community centre site. Rather than let our hard work go to waste, and rather than let the land become a dumping ground, we've decided to get started on building the garden anyway. First up will be that patch near the phonebox. We're in touch with a number of charities and city planning groups who are giving their support. If you'd like to be involved in this in any way at all, drop us a line or come and talk to us at meetings.
Leaflets for the library meeting are available on the website, feel free to print some out and leaflet your streets. Finally, as announced at the Leese meeting, these updates are now available on paper too for those without internet access, and can be picked up from South Levenshulme Post Office. Please let neighbours and friends, particularly elderly ones, know about this.

FRIENDS OF LEVENSHULME UPDATE 13 28/10/07

1. PUBLIC MEETING WITH SIR RICHARD LEESE, SATURDAY 3RD NOVEMBER Venue - St. Peter's Church, corner of Stockport Road and Barlow Road.
As already publicised, Sir Richard Leese, Leader of the City Council, is due to meet Levenshulme residents at 2pm next Saturday afternoon, when we will expect him to respond to the questions and concerns of local people.
FoL wish to make it plain that the meeting is a FoL initiative, and not a Labour Party one. FoL continue to be an independent group of local residents and traders, campaigning to make Levenshulme a better place in which to live and work. Sir Gerald Kaufman, as our local MP, has helped to organise next Saturday's meeting, but we stress that FoL are not aligned with any political party.
We are hoping to have a better microphone system at next Saturday's meeting, as people at the back of the church hall were unable to hear or be heard at the public meeting on 10th October.
Please come along and show your support, and help to keep up the pressure. Spread the word about the meeting to friends and neighbours.
Everyone is welcome.

2. GREENBANK FIELDS
As you may have seen in the local press, the planning application at Greenbank Fields was recently 'pulled' by the City Council. This is a victory for local campaigners.
The representative of the developers, Dappa Homes, is quoted in the South Manchester Reporter (25th October) as saying, 'We discovered that there was such opposition to the plans that we have decided to withdraw them – we got the message.'

3. TOY SALE – FRIDAY 16TH NOVEMBER
A sale of 'pre-loved' toys, baby and children's clothing, jumble and home-baking will take place between 11am and 1pm on Friday 16th November.
Admission is £1. Cost of hiring a stall is £5. Admission and stall fee proceeds will be donated to Children in Need.
Venue- Function Room, Wheatsheaf Public House, 1065 Stockport Road, at the junction of Broom Lane and Stockport Road.
If you are interested in hiring a stall, please phone Holly on 07719 383188

FRIENDS OF LEVENSHULME UPDATE 12 - 26/09/07

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN LEVENSHULME? 'Who's Looking After Levenshulme?' has served really well as a campaigning theme in our publicity this year. For the next stage we want to ask 'What's Happening in Levenshulme?' One answer is - we are. There's a flurry of activity coming up:

FRIENDS OF LEVENSHULME SOCIAL Saturday 6th October, at The Sidings pub on Broom Lane (opposite Bristol Avenue), from 8.00pm. Come and celebrate progress made so far. Claire Mooney, sing/songwriter and local resident, will be debuting her new song 'Who's Looking After Levenshulme?'. Entrance is free, but donations to the FoL campaign will be warmly welcome. For more information on Claire Mooney check: www.clairemooney.co.uk

FRIENDS OF LEVENSHULME UPDATE MEETING Wednesday 10th October, at St. Peter's Church (corner of Barlow Rd and Stockport Rd), 6.30pm. This is a public meeting to let the community know what's been happening on all the different campaigning fronts over the summer. There have been a number of developments people should know about. Look at the website to see the poster/leaflet, which shows the major local issues highlighted for the meeting.

SIR RICHARD LEESE VISITS LEVENSHULME Saturday 3rd November, at St. Peter's Church at 2.00pm. Gerald Kaufman MP has agreed a date for a public meeting in Levenshulme with Sir Richard Leese, Leader of the City Council. It's as a direct result of the petition you all signed earlier in the year that he's Levenshulme-bound. This is a rare opportunity for us to voice our concerns directly to the boss of the City Council. Mark this one in your diary; we anticipate it'll be a good one.

LEVENSHULME COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION Saturday 10th November, at St. Peter's Church at 1pm. There have been discussions about winding up the Levenshulme Community Association from March 2008. This is a special general meeting of LCA to consider what type of organisation we need to represent the community's views in the future. Come and make your opinions known. More information will follow.

How you can help
Leaflets and posters are being prepared this week, and we'll be on Stockport Road on the next two Saturdays - 29 th September and 6th October - meeting at the Green at the junction of Chapel Street and Stockport Road at 11.00am - to hand out leaflets and get people interested and talking about the meetings. Please join us. The other help you can give is to distribute leaflets in your immediate area - can you do that? Just reply to this email and we'll get leaflets to you.

Finally, it's worth noting that a large amount of new material has been put on the website, especially in relation to Sure Start at Broom Avenue Childrens' Centre,
see: http://levenshulme.wetpaint.com/page/Sure+Start+Levenshulme

FRIENDS OF LEVENSHULME UPDATE 11 - 20/8/07
SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY GARDEN: SUNDAY 26TH AUGUST AT 11AM Come and join a clean up of the Community Centre site (Chapel Street/Gordon Avenue) at 11.00am next Sunday – before the Picnic in the Park (see below). Bring gloves and garden tools if you have them.
Many of the plants to the rear of the site have thrived since we established the garden in May, and there are colourful wild flowers and weeds covering much of the remaining ground. At 12.00 there will be photographs. We will use the images to promote the campaign for the Peace Garden. Let's once again show our commitment to the garden.
Let's persuade the City Council to demonstrate an equal commitment to preserve and develop this community asset.

PICNIC IN THE PARK, SUNDAY 26th AUGUST, 1.00-4.00PM, GREENBANK FIELDS You already know about our fun event in Greenbank Fields Park (between Manor Road and Barlow Road) on Sunday. Please come along, with your picnic/refreshments. There will be games and activities for all ages, and lots of information about community activities and the ongoing local campaigns.

CRINGLE FIELDS PARK – BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY, 27th AUGUST As part of the Cringle Fields Park Summer Fair, on Bank Holiday Monday, Levenshulme Community Arts Players present 'Twins from Madagascar'. The show marks the bicentenary of the Bill of March 1807 to abolish the slave trade. Come from 12.00 noon. The performance runs from 1.00pm.

FRIENDS OF LEVENSHULME UPDATE 10 – 12/8/07

BANK HOLIDAY EVENT: PICNIC IN THE PARK, SUNDAY 26th AUGUST, 1.00-4.00PM, GREENBANK FIELDS
To mark the re-launch of our campaign for the autumn – and to support the continuing campaign around the future of Greenbank Park – Friends of Levenshulme is organising a fun event for people of all ages on the afternoon of Sunday 26th August. There are now posters in shops publicising this event, and we aim to distribute leaflets to 2-3,000 households soon. Please put the date and time in your diary, and come if you can.
FoL Update 11, next weekend, will give more information.
At 11.00am – before the Picnic in the Park – we plan a clean up and a photo opportunity at the old Community Centre site (Chapel Street/Gordon Avenue). Please do your best to join us there beforehand. More information about this, too, will follow.

FRIENDS OF LEVENSHULME PUBLIC MEETING, WEDS. 10TH OCTOBER, ST. PETER'S CHURCH, 6.30PM
The Leader of the Council, Richard Leese, has agreed to come to Levenshulme and meet local people in a public meeting, probably in late October or early November. Before that we plan our own public meeting on Wednesday 10th October. This will give the chance to report back on campaigns and developments in recent months, and to decide what sort of meeting you want with Councillor Leese, and what he needs to be asked. There will be posters and leaflets for the public meeting on 10th October in mid-September.

RE-DEVELOPMENT OF ST. MARY'S SITE
The group looking at shopping, planning & land use issues has met four times. There has been correspondence with the Catholic Diocese of Salford about delay in re-development of the St. Mary's site. The group now understand that a development proposal for the site is imminent, but that the nature of public consultation on the proposal is not clear. Watch this space.

GOOD NEWS FROM THE SOUTH MANCHESTER REPORTER
The South Manchester Reporter has extended its distribution to cover most of Levenshulme from this week – previously the distribution did not extend east of the railway/A6. This is good news because the paper has reported very positively on Friends of Levenshulme activities, but previously half of Levenshulme has not had access to the coverage. The current edition – 9th August – has a story on page eight, 'One road,
22 nations' highlighting Levenshulme's diversity: 'Twenty-two different nationalities are working side-by-side along a small stretch of Stockport Road, which is being hailed as one of the most multi-cultural parts of Manchester'.

FRIENDS OF LEVENSHULME UPDATE 9 – 9/7/07

CITY COUNCIL, WEDNESDAY (11TH JULY), 10AM
No response has yet been received from the Council Leader to the petition presented to him on 18th May. We had understood that a reply would be sent to Friends of Levenshulme by the end of June. Councillor Keith Whitmore will ask a question about the response to the petition at the City Council meeting on Wednesday. Please join us in the public gallery for the Council meeting on Wednesday - we want to be there and visible when the question is put. The meeting begins at 10am. The timing of the question is uncertain, but it will be anytime up to mid-morning. COME AND JOIN US IN THE GALLERY BY 10.15AM. Access to the public gallery is via the entrance to the Town Hall extension in Mount Street, near to the passage by the Central Library, and opposite the Friends Meeting House. The gallery is on the fourth floor.

SURE START - MEETING HELD AT THE MADINA MOSQUE ON 4TH JULY
Forty-nine people attended last week's meeting about Sure Start plans for the under-5s in Levenshulme. Sure Start representatives chose not to attend, but in their absence there was an interesting and reflective discussion. The main focus of the meeting was the failure to consult effectively on the local plans. Judith Elderkin - Salford primary school head teacher and past President of the National Union of Teachers - set the local difficulties in the context of her personal experience and of national developments. Local parents at the meeting agreed to take up their concerns about the Levenshulme proposals in coming weeks.

PEACE GARDEN AT CHAPEL STREET/GORDON AVENUE
Work is continuing to develop the case for the Peace Garden, and as one of the next steps you are reminded to submit ideas for your design.

FRIENDS OF LEVENSHULME UPDATE 008 – 25/6/07

1. CITY COUNCIL MEETING WEDNESDAY 11TH JULY, 10.00AM
A question will be put to the Council Leader by Councillor Keith Whitmore at the next full Council meeting on 11th July about his response to our petition, and about progress since it was handed in on 18th May. We have the right to attend the Council meeting in the public gallery. This is advance notice of the date and time. It would be good for some of us to be there. More information will follow. But if you could be free during that morning please reserve the time.

2. COMMUNITY GARDEN
All local residents are invited to submit design ideas for a garden on the Community Centre site. Post your ideas to Friends of Levenshulme, c/o 12 Gloucester Avenue, Levenshulme M19 3WT by Thursday 12th July 2007.
An event on site will then be organised where we can all get together and look at the ideas. Full details, including dimensions of the site, are on the website at - http://levenshulme.wetpaint.com/page/Community+Garden
3. CHILDRENS SERVICES IN LEVENSHULME
'Childrens Services in Levenshulme – are the plans for Broom Avenue Chidrens Centre the answer?' is the subject of a meeting on Wednesday
4 July at 7.30pm.
Venue - Madina Mosque, Barlow Road.
Speakers include Judith Elderkin, former President of the National Union of Teachers, representatives of parents groups, and Surestart representatives from Manchester City Council (invited). All welcome.

4. SUPERMARKET SOLD
We are told by the estate agents Mason Owen that a sale has been agreed on the supermarket premises at 990 Stockport Road. There is no further information at this point.

5. TALK ON HISTORICAL LEVENSHULME THIS WEDNESDAY 27 JUNE
The Worsley & Carrill Grove Residents' Association invite all local residents to a talk by local historian Chris Makepeace, who will talk about transport through the 19th and early 20th centuries, with particular reference to Levenshulme.
Venue - Levenshulme Catholic Club, 58 Central Avenue.
Doors open 7.40 pm. All welcome at no charge. There is a bar at the venue.

Friends of Levenshulme Update 007

THIS SUNDAY, 10TH JUNE 11AM-5PM – SEE YOU AT THE MADINA MOSQUE?
The website homepage includes a poster advertising two events on one day at the mosque in Barlow Road, this Sunday.
• The mosque will be open for visitors from 11am-5pm. Please come along if you can, show your interest, and learn more about the mosque and our Muslim neighbours. Everyone is welcome. Even if you have only a little time, please come along.
• The meeting about plans for a possible 'Peace Garden' - a community garden on the site of the old community centre – will also be held on Sunday at the mosque, at 12 noon. PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF TIME. We are particularly keen that people who have already volunteered their interest might be able to come. Jamie Summers will update us on the latest information we have, and you will be able to contribute your own ideas.

SUPERMARKET NEWS
Stuart Calton reports that an offer has been made on the Kwiksave site. The estate agents say that the sale is due to be completed in the next few days, and that the buyer may not have any clear plan for future development or use of the site at this stage - it is also suggested that some time is likely to elapse before any planning application is made. In the meantime we await the result of the Co-operative Group's assessment of Levenshulme as a potential location for a food and grocery store. Tracy Jesty is about to convene the FoL interest group on shopping, land & development issues (around 10 people have volunteered). The group will take the lead on our behalf in monitoring the position as it unfolds and shaping proposals for what is needed.
5/6/07

Friends of Levenshulme Update 006

1. STOP PRESS - BBC RADIO MANCHESTER IN LEVENSHULME, TOMORROW (MONDAY 4th JUNE), 3.00PM Radio Manchester is reporting live from outside the Palace during the afternoon. It is a chance to promote our concerns and hopes for the future of Levenshulme. If you can, come along at 3.00pm, join in, and get your voice heard.
On a related issue Sarah Deakin, Chair of Carill & Worsley Groves Residents Association, has asked for the following message to be circulated - 'Just a note to thank you all for your support on the issue with the planning application for the former Palace nightclub. It went to committee on 31st May and Councillor John Commons also put in an objection. The committee decided that whilst the application should be given consent, the licensing hours will be restricted to midnight. I call that a result! So thanks to you all, and it just shows that we can make a difference to Levenshulme if we make the effort!'

2. GREEN BANK FIELDS MEETING, WEDNESDAY 6th JUNE There is an energetic residents' campaign about the future of Green Bank Fields in the face of a proposal to enclose most of the space for football pitches. Details of the planning application are on the FoL website. Time to challenge this is very short – a crucial campaign meeting is to be held this Wednesday, at Levenshulme Library at 6.00pm. It's the chance to hear more, and at c.7.00pm to give time to planning the next stage in the campaign.

3. PLANNING A COMMUNITY GARDEN, AND MOSQUE OPEN EVENT Jamie Summers has provisionally arranged a meeting to launch the community garden proposal (for the ex-Community Centre site) at the Barlow Road mosque at 3.00pm on Sunday 10th June. The venue is deliberate. We want to encourage the active involvement of members of the local Muslim community, and to include an Islamic theme in the layout of the garden. But the Imam also wants to encourage non-Muslim local people to see the mosque and learn about our local Muslim community. He is proposing an open event for women, men and children at teatime on Sunday, to follow the community garden meeting.
Jamie will be coordinating publicity, including designing a poster and a leaflet to distribute midweek. The day and time need to be confirmed
- we will email as soon as they are. But please put Sunday teatime, 10th June, in your diary. We really must aim to get a good attendance.
This is a wonderful opportunity to show our commitment to reaching out to new people.

4. SURE START
There is a growing sense of anger about lack of consultation and the serious underlying problems with the proposed Sure Start scheme for young children at Broom Avenue Children's Centre, Levenshulme.
Local parents are lobbying and campaigning, and there is a plan to hold a public meeting in July, details of which will follow. If you want to know more - or if you can help – please email us.

5. MAILING LIST
We are keen to establish a postal mailing list in the coming months.
Currently our updates only go out via email. We know that many people do not have email access. If you know people who would like to join a postal mailing list, please send name and address contact details to us.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUING SUPPORT OF THE FRIENDS OF LEVENSHULME CAMPAIGN.

Friends of Levenshulme Update 005

1. COMPLETING THE PETITION, MEETING THE COUNCIL LEADER, AND DEMONSTRATING IN ALBERT SQUARE.
- In late morning on Friday the petition had 2,948 signatures, but by early afternoon it reached 3,141. The Imam at the mosque in Barlow Road, Zafar Akbar, had allowed us to petition in the mosque before and after Friday worship, and mentioned us during prayers. The resulting extra signatures made the difference in meeting our target of 3,000+.
- Nine local people joined Gerald Kaufman MP to meet Council Leader Sir Richard Leese in his office at 5pm the same afternoon. The meeting lasted 40 minutes, and was accompanied by the sound of the demonstration outside the Town Hall. The nine people included two school students (from Cedar Mount School) and two local traders.
During the meeting Richard Leese agreed to give a formal response to the petition by mid to late June - this is the same timetable as the publication of the South Manchester Strategic Regeneration Framework - and he also agreed to a future meeting with local people in Levenshulme. After the meeting, speaking in Albert Square, Councillor Keith Whitmore gave an undertaking that the Liberal Democrats will put a question at the next full City Council meeting (11th July) about follow up action on the petition demands. Both our MP and councillors pledged strong support for our campaigning.
- The demonstration from 4.30-6.00pm attracted up to 150 people, in beautiful sunny weather. Our long banner 'Who's Looking After Levenshulme?' was highly visible in the centre of the Square - our second banner was secured to railings in front of the Town Hall. We were a good mix of Levenshulme people, with a significant number of children. And we were noisy - in fact we could be heard inside the Council Leader's office during the presentation of the petition.
Channel M covered the story, and we hope to see coverage in the local weekly press.

2. MOVING TO THE NEXT STAGE • Interest group on shopping, land use, and planning/development.
Tracy Jesty will convene the first meeting of this interest group in June. One job will be to plan for the Co-operative Group statement about whether or not it plans to develop a store in Levenshulme - if the answer is 'no' we will definitely need to go public with the debate about local food shopping. • Getting organised
David Mottram is bringing together the small group to look at our future organisational structure, including the future relationship of Levenshulme Community Association to Friends of Levenshulme.
Proposals are likely to be put to a meeting of the Levenshulme Community Forum in September. • City Council meeting, Wednesday 11th July 2007 If the Liberal Democrats ask a question about follow-up action after the petition, we need to be there. More details will follow.

3. CARDBOARD COMMUNITY CENTRE DAY. A NEW COMMUNITY GARDEN?
On Bank Holiday Monday 7th May the 'cardboard community centre' - decorated with paintings by local children - was unveiled on the old site of the Community Centre at Chapel Street. It attracted good media coverage, including picture stories in the Manchester Evening News and on the BBC Manchester website, and reports on Channel M. We also started a community garden, with over 120 plants and lots of adults and children taking part in the digging and planting. Andrew and Jake, both school students at Cedar Mount School, were so enthusiastic that they ended up taking the message about local community action to the Council Leader last Friday… Picking up on this enthusiasm, a number of us are going to work to get funding to develop the site further as a community garden. Are you interested? If you want to be involved - or if you think you have relevant skills to help - get in touch because we want to invite you to an initial planning meeting in 2-3 weeks time. In addition, there is one special sort of help we need. Do you know someone who has experience in planning community landscaping and planting schemes, and who might be able to advise us on costing the proposal?
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUING SUPPORT OF THE FRIENDS OF LEVENSHULME CAMPAIGN.

Friends of Levenshulme Update 004

Our Bank Holiday Party was a great success. Over 100 people attended, bringing with them over 120 plants and flowers, as well as food and drinks. Our homemade community centre was beautifully decorated by the kids, and the site now looks less like a bombsite and more like a mini garden centre. Thanks to everyone for their amazing generosity and inventiveness. Some photos have been posted on our website, please have a look at:

http://levenshulme.wetpaint.com/page/Photographs

The campaign continues: HELP US HAND IN OUR PETITION.

meet from 4:30pm on Friday May 18th, outside the main entrance of Manchester Town Hall, Albert Square.

More of you have signed our petition than voted in last week's council elections in Levenshulme. This petition is our real voice. Now we all need to turn up in person to deliver it to Richard Leese, the leader of the council. We've booked an appointment with Sir Richard's office, Gorton MP Gerald Kaufman is joining a group of us to formally deliver the petition to the leader of the council.

As our experience with the Community Centre shows, we need to unite and speak up for our facilities, or we could lose them.

A petition handed in behind closed doors is one thing, a petition delivered by a hundred people is another. We understand that the timing may be awkward, but it's really important that as many people as possible come to make themselves heard outside the Town Hall. Bring your kids, bring banners and placards, bring whistles and bells! Lets put the campaign under the council's nose.

Friends of Levenshulme Update 003

You are invited to the Friends of Levenshulme Bank Holiday Party. Monday the 7th of May, on the site of the demolished community centre on Gordon Avenue / Chapel Street. It was September of last year when the council voted to demolish the community centre. In that same meeting they resolved to "actively explore replacement with a new building". Nearly nine months and one Regeneration Consultation Meeting later and we're still looking at a disused site, and still waiting for news about a replacement building. We obviously need to remind the council that the community is still here, even if our community centre isn't. Please join us on the 7th of May from 12:30 to tidy up the rubbish and plant flowers and seedlings on the site. At about 2pm the party will start. Bring food, plants and flowers. We'll supply the music, painting activities for the kids and unveil our home-made cardboard community centre.

Tell your neighbours, friends and family.
ALL WELCOME

Friends of Levenshulme Update 002

• LATEST MEDIA COVERAGE OF FOL CAMPAIGN – MEN Metro News, 23/3/07 – report on page 9.
South Manchester Reporter, 22/3/07 – report on page 4. • LETTER TO SIR RICHARD LEESE FROM FRIENDS OF LEVENSHULME The following letter is printed in the latest edition of The South Manchester Reporter -
Dear Sir Richard Leese
As Levenshulme residents we were heartened to read your letter in the South Manchester Reporter, in which you say that the area is 'very much included' in the Council's regeneration plans.
It is encouraging to read that the City Council recognises that community facilities in the area should be improved, and that you are 'working very hard' towards achieving this aim. We must say that this did not come across at the consultation meeting about South Manchester regeneration on Wednesday (14 March). We were presented with a list of issues relevant to the future of South Manchester as a whole, but leaving Levenshulme interests marginalised. Fundamental local questions were left unanswered.
The threat to a balanced and sustainable retail economy in Levenshulme causes great concern to those of us who live and work here. Asked at the regeneration meeting about the buyer of the former Somerfield supermarket building and land, Andy Wilson of the City Council stated that he was unable to divulge private business information. But Levenshulme is in desperate need of a local supermarket and other shops that meet the day to day needs of local residents. We also need the community facilities crucial to our sense of community. What is the City Council's policy on planning interventions to protect the interests of local people?
We are concerned that commercial interests will take precedence over the expressed needs of local people. There is a lack of accountability
- one that you could address.
We look forward to an open disclosure of the City Council's real vision and positive plans for the regeneration of Levenshulme, one that actively responds to local people's priorities.
Levenshulme has great people, but poor facilities and public spaces.
It's time for action, not words.

Friends of Levenshulme Update 001

FRIENDS OF LEVENSHULME UPDATE 1 - 18 March 2007
REGENERATION MEETING 14 MARCH
Thanks to everyone for attending the regeneration meeting at St.
Peter's Church last Wednesday. The turnout was magnificent - certainly 350 people in attendance. Photographs of the event are posted on our website - http://levenshulme.wetpaint.com - and it will be covered in the South Manchester Reporter this coming week.
Some of you will have seen the coverage of the Friends of Levenshulme campaign in the last two editions of the paper.
MEETING 17 MARCH AT LEVENSHULME LIBRARY
The meeting on Saturday was attended by 21 people.
The next meeting will be Saturday 14th April - venue to be confirmed/details to follow. That meeting will discuss the future organisation of the campaign, and ways of involving people in working on different issues/acitivities.
PETITION
In 12 days we have gathered 1300 signatures. Many local shops on Stockport Road have the petition for people to sign. Please pass the word around about the petition - we are aiming for 3000+ signatures - to be delivered to the Leader of the Council in early or mid May. Date to be confirmed.
GETTING INVOLVED
Do contact us if you want to get involved in the campaign. We are keen to hear from Residents Associations and individuals. We will be petitioning on Stockport Road from 11.00 'til 1.00 on the next two Saturdays, 24th and 31st March.
Thank you for your support.

S Manchester Regeneration Consultation

Anonymous — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 05:54:00 CST

Community Forum

Saturday 28 Feb 1.00 pm St Peter's Church

(Stockport Rd / Barlow Rd)

The Levenshulme Community Association have invited Muhammad Ayub from the South Manchester Regeneration Team, who is currently consulting local groups on the Council's development plan for the Levenshulme District Centre.

His visit will be part of the consultation process, so come and tell him what you want for Levenshulme.

Development around St. Mary's and Elbow Street area

Anonymous — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 14:26:03 CST

Latest news, the planning application has gone in for the St Mary's site. (Malcolm Cowen, 2009-02-16)

Quick photos from the last open day. These plans have been made by the developer, FoL haven't been involved in their production. It's just for information purposes only:

THE LATEST:

St Mary’s Development Open Day

Thursday 26th June 2008

3.00pm – 7.00pm St Mary’s Parish Hall

Irish Anglo Properties have proposed a new residential development around St Mary’s Church in Levenshulme. The mixed development will comprise a range of apartments and family housing, environmental improvements and additional car parking. The scheme will also include space for retail and community facilities.

Come along and learn more about the proposals.

For further details on the Open Day contact David Rogerson on:

Tel: 0161 277 1880 Email: d.rogerson@manchester.gov.uk

Community Garden

Anonymous — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 12:00:10 CST

LATEST NEWS

NEW WEBSITE FOR THE COMMUNITY GARDEN:

http://slugsociety.wetpaint.com/

Safeguarding Levenshulme's Urban Greenspace Society

SLUG members have formalised and applied for temporary permission to continue the work on the garden following a positive meeting with staff at Manchester City Council / Regenration/ ward co-ordination team.

In March there will be various consultation meetings held by South Manchester Regeneration Team discussing the future of Levenshulme and the Local Development Plan. We need to keep the Garden at Chapel Street Community Space on the agenda. Please remember to write it down on your feedback form along with your other ideas and thought for Levenshulme.

Various Residents Groups are hosting the meetings. The dates we have in so far are as follows:

12th March Delamere Neighbourhood Group / Bristol & Gloucester Residents Association

more info to follow as it comes in

The wild flower seeds keep growing and the site looks better everyday.

On 16/07/07 a letter and document (+email to make sure) was sent to Sir Richard Leese and local councillors to make a formal request that Manchester City Council actively support us in creating a Peace Garden at the site of the old community centre on Chapel Street by taking a decision to preserve the land as a community asset for the people of Levenshulme.

His reply on 24/07/07:

I have now had the opportunity to look into the background to this proposal including the discussion that took place at the Council's Community Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny Committee in September last year . Last week I also came to have a look at the site . I agree with your description of the Stockport Road end of Chapel Street , not helped by the road being closed off , and the Council does have a city-wide aspiration for a greener feel particularly through increasing the amount of tree cover .

However , having looked at the site , I would take some convincing that it is a good location for your proposed use . Notwithstanding that , I expect that one of the recommendations likely to come out of the South Manchester Strategic Regeneration Framework [ SRF ] when it is finalised in October will be for the development of a specific Levenshulme District Centre local plan . On that basis , I am willing to ask Council officers to take no action to dispose of the site so that its future can be considered within the context of that overall District Centre Plan,

Best wishes ,

Richard Leese .

Our Responses 30/07/07:

Dear Councillor Leese
Re: Friends of Levenshulme Peace Garden

Thanks for your quick email response to the proposal for the Peace Garden and commitment to ‘No Action’ to dispose of the former community centre site.

However, ‘No Action’ appears to be a running theme in Levenshulme. You will have seen on your visit to Levenshulme the very poor environment at the end of Chapel Street and lack of any progress at the St. Mary’s site. Local people are very angry, but ready to take on regeneration work themselves.

We are pleased to see that this has at least been recognised in the MCC Draft Levenshulme Ward Plan 2007-10:

The area is threatened by the lack of action taken by the City Council over the renewal of Levenshulme’s community centre and other venues in the ward which have rapidly declined because of lack of investment over a number of years.

Major sites awaiting appropriate planning applications (Elbow Street, Palace Nightclub, ex-Somerfield building) are threatening the vitality of the District Centre. Their current status is causing a negative impact on the surrounding environment and lack of vitality to the District Centre.

A positive regeneration impact in what is a very poor quality public space is needed to begin as soon as possible. Local people are positive about the area in which they live and are ready and willing to get the job started now. This includes the two immediately neighbouring residents associations. Why do we have to wait and let the neglect continue?

Your response ignores the crucial support of local people with the event in May and the involvement of members of the Asian community working together to try and achieve a sense of belonging not only in relation to the garden but to Levenshulme.

The focus on social cohesion with this project and encouragement so far could give the diverse ethnic communities the opportunity to release their missing contribution by creating a garden that has visible features which recognise multi-cultural presence in Levenshulme, Manchester and the UK.

Your response also ignores the fact that this project is not the goal of one person or company, but a grass roots idea taken from local people gathering and discussing what they would like to see from regeneration. This is positive. Isn’t it?

The land is currently standing idle as waste ground, as are many other sites awaiting development in Levenshulme. This pattern of neglect and lack of respect for the immediate residents is a theme we cannot accept anymore. We want action. We are fed up of delaying tactics which ultimately leave us living among rubble and decay.

Local people are quite clear that they do not want more housing developed on that space. We want improvement of public space and better community facilities.

It is not fair to sell the land or expect a neighbourhood group to effectively buy the land from the council when local people are prepared to develop it and take responsibility for it as a community asset. We are already discussing the garden proposal at the Levenshulme Ward Co-ordination meeting this Thursday 2nd and welcome any further discussion with the City Council to progress the idea.

Yours Sincerely
Jamie Summers
Friends of Levenshulme / Delamere Neighbourhood Group

Dear Sir Howard,

You wrote on 23rd July 2007 to Sir Gerald Kaufman in response to his letter of 11th July about the proposal for a Peace Garden on the site of the former Levenshulme Community Centre. I am responding directly to you, and copying my letter to Sir Gerald.

Essentially you make two points against the proposal. Firstly, you describe the intention of the local authority to generate the maximum capital receipt from sale of the site unless, with the sponsorship of an ‘operational division’, or by raising independent resources, the local community can generate the equivalent of that open market value. Secondly, you refer to a preference for ‘quality housing’ on the site.

The proposal for the site as a Peace Garden, submitted by Mr Summers and myself, made a positive case for the development of the site as a community asset, and your response appears simply to ignore that case. There are three essential points I want to address to you.

Firstly, the foundation of our case is that the Chapel Street/Gordon Avenue site is in a locality with pressing need for regeneration. We argue that the Peace Garden can act as a focus for regeneration of the Chapel Street axis. We also described its spatial relationship to other green spaces in Levenshulme, and the potential to link them (our concept of ‘green veins’).

Secondly, the Peace Garden proposal has support from diverse local interests and communities. An informal event on the site on 7th May 2007 attracted over 100 local people and gained significant publicity, including coverage in the Manchester Evening News and the BBC website. The two directly adjacent residents’ associations – the Cromwell Grove & Chapel Street Residents’ Association and the Delamere Neighbourhood Group – support the garden proposal. The committee of the Madina Mosque in Barlow Road supports the proposal, a meeting to develop the idea was hosted by the mosque on 10th June, and the secretary of the mosque is a member of our planning group. More recently I understand that the Levenshulme Labour party has passed a resolution of support for the proposal.

Thirdly, we are aware of the large-scale development proposals for the adjacent St. Mary’s site. Far from enclosing the former Community Centre site within this wider development, and building additional housing, there is a very clear case for a complementary development of the site as a public, green space. It shows a terrible poverty of ambition to ignore this potential. Local people have already demonstrated, by their voluntary action, a will to engage in developing and maintaining the site as a community asset in one of the poorest parts of Levenshulme. The City Council’s response focuses on the potential capital receipt from sale of the site. We anticipated this in our proposal, and made the counter case for preserving the site as a community asset. Your response does not address this point.

As you know, the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has now responded positively to the Quirk Report on barriers and incentives for transferring public assets to community management and ownership. The DCLG response refers to providing more expert advice and organisational development support for transfer and management of land by local communities. It encourages ‘bottom up mechanisms’ to promote the asset transfers. This is completely contrary to the way we are being treated.

Our specific case has been ignored in your response. It seems to me that the terms of your reply are, at the very least, against the spirit of government policy. Our proposal is precisely intended to promote regeneration, community cohesion, and voluntary action. Your letter shows a total disregard for all of this.

What more do we need to do to secure a proper hearing for our proposals?

Yours sincerely,

David Mottram
Friends of Levenshulme / Acting Secretary, Levenshulme Community Association

Richard Leese Response: Wed 15th Aug 07...

Dear Jamie ,

thanks for your message . I have been away on holiday for two weeks and this is my first day back in the office hence the delayed reply . I can always sympathise with the frustration of active residents committed to improving their local area who just want to get on with it , but previous experience suggests that that is not the way to achieve long-term sustainable renewal . We need a coherent 10/15 year plan for Levenshulme district centre , encompassing the part in Gorton South ward as well as that within Levenshulme ward , and that should be a priority for the next stage of work after the completion of the South Manchester SRF . That doesn't mean doing nothing in the interim as there is much that can be done to better manage the district centre but it does mean as far as possible avoiding premature decisions that might subsequently undermine or block regeneration . Yes I do agree that the Chapel Street area needs one hell of a facelift , but that does need to be planned as part of the bigger picture .. I hope that you and the other active residents you are working with will continue to be part of this process and whilst I'm sure we won't agree on everything that ultimately we have a district centre plan that we can all work together to deliver ,

Best wishes ,

Richard Leese

*********************************************

His reply on 16/07/07:

Thanks for your e-mail and details of your proposal for the former community centre site .
I will make enquiries of relevant officers and come back to you
Yours sincerely,
Richard Leese.

other replies: 17/07/07:

THANKYOU FOR THE INFORMATION, THE PROPOSAL certainly looks to have been well thought through and manageable and would be of great benefit to the local community, as you know I have already approached officers of the council with regard to the principle of the land use and I am waiting a response to give a commitment that the land will not be sold for development, when I have further news I will be in touch.
regards,
Keith Whitmore

Thankyou for your letter dated 15th July with regard to the proposal for a Peace Garden. This sounds like an extremely attractive possibility, and I shall certainly write to the council letting them know of my support. I shall be in touch with you again as soon as I have any news.
Yours sincerely
Gerald Kaufman

11/07/07:

Well Done you seemed to have covered all areas. Please keep me updated Kind Regards Janet

Janet Bainbridge Development Worker The Scarman Trust Manchester

See minutes from the meeting at Barlow Rd Mosque 10th June 2007

See Press Cutting 15th June 2007

See Peace Garden document

Link to Asian News

And lastly -In memorial to lost a facility that has not been replaced:

A photo of the old Community Centre

Links

Anonymous — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:19:20 CST

HIGHFIELDCOUNTRYPARK.ORG

www.highfieldcountrypark.org Regular events, walking routes and much more.

Anyone who wants to get in touch with the 'Who's Looking After Levenshulme Campaign' can contact us on:

levenshulmecampaign@googlemail.com

The more people involved, the better

Levenshulme Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5314674876&ref=mf

Local Neighbourhood Groups / Web Sites

Delamere Neighbourhood Group
(which covers Delamere Rd, Stanhope St. Gordon Avenue, Dalny St and Elmsworth Ave.)
Secretary: Maria dngsecretary@yahoo.co.uk
Website: http://www.dng.wetpaint.com

Four Avenues Residents Association
(which covers Broom Avenue, Kingsmill Avenue, Cornwall Avenue and Ventnor Avenue)
Secretary: Elaine - pulp_follies@hotmail.com, Publicity/Events: Sean - phatseanio@gmail.com
Website: http://www.4avenues.wetpaint.com

Carrill and Worsley Residents Association
(which covers Carrill Grove and Worsley Grove)
Secretary/contact: Emma musicmaestro81@yahoo.co.uk

Bristol and Gloucester Residents Association
(which covers Bristol Avenue and Gloucester Avenue)
Secretary: Tracy - tracy.jesty@britishcouncil.org (weekdays) or: tracyjesty@hotmail.co.uk

Rushford Park Residents Association
(which covers Central Avenue, Rushford Avenue, Park Avenue, Limefield Terrrace, Park Grove, Berkley Avenue, Sylvandale Avenue and Motherwell Avenue)
Secretary: rushfordresidents@googlemail.com
http://rushfordparkresidents.wetpaint.com/

Cromwell and Chapel Residents Association
They cover the following streets: Chapel/Ratcliffe/Wetherall/Rostron/Mercer/Cardus.
.

http://www.levenshulme.com/

http://www.levenshulmecommunity.org.uk/

http://www.levenshulmefestival.co.uk/

http://www.alltogether.info/

Manchester Roller Hockey

http://manchester-roller-hockey-club.wetpaint.com/

MCC Planning Portal - Keep an eye on any planning applications:

http://www.publicaccess.manchester.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/tdc_home.aspx

link to website page on effect on local people of supermarket closure

http://www.transportlongsight.org.uk/onthemove/06dec.html

Photographs

StuartCalton — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 06:37:01 CST

What wonderful photographs, showing just how much support there is for this campaign!

Surely this voice is loud enough to be heard!

01 - The 1st Demo. KwikSave/Somerfield site Saturday 10th March 2007

02 - The BIG meeting. 350 Residents turn up to the South Manchester Regeneration Meeting

03 - The Community Centre Event. Locals build a cardboard community centre and start work on a garden

04 - Town Hall Demo - and handing in of the 3,141 signed petition 18th May 2007

05 - Picnic in the Park - Friends of Levenshulme Awareness Raising Event 26th Aug 2007

06 - Paper Shops & Stall - Publicising the Leese Meeting 27th Oct 2007

07 - The Meeting with Richard Leese and Gerald Kaufman 3rd November 2007

08 - The Protest Easter Egg Hunt, 23rd March 2008

09 - Guerilla Gardening, Old Community Centre Site, 6th April 2008

10 - Question The Candidates Hustings, Cedar Mount School, 26th April 2008

11 - Public Debate on the Privatisation of GP Services in Levenshulme, Klondyke Club, 27th November 2008

Old Images of Levenshulme : http://www.images.manchester.gov.uk/

A Personal View of Levenshulme, by former resident George Dixon: http://www.levyboy.com

Who's Looking After Levenshulme? Wallpaper : click here

Press coverage of the Public Debate on the Privatisation of GP Services

StuartCalton — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 05:55:31 CST

click HERE to go back to the report on our public debate.

click HERE to go read the letter sent to us by local GPs

The North and East Manchester Advertiser has
picked up on the story too. Click on the logo:

Report from the Public Debate on the privatisation of GP services in Levenshulme

StuartCalton — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 05:36:19 CST

click HERE to read the press coverage of our public debate

Manchester's Local Medical Commitee have been scathing about the consultation process. Below is a excerpt from the LMC
Newsletter "What's On At The LMC?" from July 2008. (Click on the excerpt to see if in its original context):

For details of the BMA's objections to the new CATS services in Manchester, and what CATS services are click HERE

For Manchester PCT's confirmation that the new out-of-hours service is being provided by Go To Doc in partnership with Harmoni click HERE

For details of Harmoni's turnover in the past few years, see their website HERE

For a quick confirmation of Dr Askew's contention that the PCT have been taking services away from our health centres for ages now, see HERE

Click below for
more information
on these new clinics:

Levenshulme's New "GP-Led Health Centre"

StuartCalton — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 07:02:12 CST

click above for links to the "Keep Our NHS Public" campaign and the British Medical Association's "Support Your Surgery" campaign.

According to the information rolled out at Ward Co-ordination Meetings (the invitation only local “consultation” meetings held by Council Officers and local “stakeholders”), the new “GP-led Health Centre” being talked about by Manchester Primary Care Trust (PCT) as “an extra practice” that will “not affect any of the 3 existing practices in historic Levenshulme”. However, it’s not quite as simple as that. In fact, these three new clinics will not only affect local services, but they could end up affecting the NHS as a whole if we don’t oppose them.

So what's different about this new clinic?

The document above (click on it to link to the full online document) shows that the new practice will be set up as an Alternative Provider Medical Services (APMS) contract. What this means is that the PCT are seeking to tender the contract for running the centre outside of the NHS. See the Department of Health’s own explanation of what an APMS is (again, click on it to see the page in context):

What type of companies

are bidding to run our GP clinics?

As made clear above, these contracts can go to anyone (click here to see the list of those excluded from bidding under the Directions above), including companies not known for their Healthcare credentials. In fact, sensing untapped profit, companies from every part of the private sector are circling our NHS. Back in February, the Virgin Group laid out their plans to bid for GP Surgeries, sparking protests by NHS workers and Trade Unionists outside the Virgin Healthcare conference in Salford.

After what Virgin have done to our rail network, does anyone really want them let loose on the NHS?

Elsewhere in the North West, contracts have gone to CARE UK, (reference here) a “leading independent provider of person-centred care”.

As with most of these “Solutions” companies, none of CARE UK’s board of directors (meet the guys here) has any direct experience in Healthcare, although they do have considerable experience in hovering up our tax money through local and national government contracts.

For example, one of CARE UK's directors is a former main board director of Compass Group PLC, who already have their fingers in the NHS till, providing “innovative patient feeding programmes” in NHS hospitals. (have a look) He remains a consultant to Compass.

Another, Miles Roberts, is a former group director of the Costain Group, a massive building company who, according to their own website have “been involved in PFI since its' inception and completed one of the very first PFI projects - the 800 place category B prison in Bridgend, Wales”. They were also part of the consortium which built the PFI Kingston Hospital, (reported here) and profited from our tax money by doing so. Costain Group also manages the construction projects for the Greater Manchester Waste PFI contract (report here).

And speaking of Waste Solutions, another CARE UK director, Michael Averill, is currently Group Chief Executive of Shanks Group plc. Shanks is the waste management group that bid for a 4 billion PFI contract to deliver Manchester’s Waste Disposal Solutions back in late 2005 (report here).

When these companies look at our NHS, or our transport network or our Post Offices, they don't see vital services that people need. They see only wasted opportunities to make profit for themselves.

So what are GPs are saying about all this?

We approached local GPs for their opinion on the plans, and they agreed to write a short letter stating their concerns. Here’s what doctors at Levenshulme Health Centre had to say:

Similar concerns are replicated across the two other GP practices in Levenshulme, West Point Medical Centre and Ashcroft Surgery. From Longsight and Burnage too, doctors have contacted us and confirmed their complete opposition to these plans. In fact, it’s not even just local GPs who oppose these plans. Nationally, the British Medical Association have launched a campaign against these clinics, and recently delivered a petition to Gordon Brown signed by 1.2 million doctors and patients calling for these reforms to be scrapped. In Herefordshire and Buckinghamshire, PCTs have withdrawn their plans for polyclinics, since patients appeared not to want them, and due to doubts over "cost-effectiveness" (click here). Most recently (November 2008, see here), in a spectacular climb-down, Camden PCT have pulled out of their plans for a privately-run polyclinic under massive pressure from doctors and campaigners. This Camden Polyclinic was to be the first fully-functional polyclinic in the country, this was the flagship, whistles and bells government photo op. Now it's scrapped. This proves that whilst everyone knows PCTs are acting under instruction from central government, they CAN resist these plans if we force them to. After all, there's only one department of heath, but millions of patients!

Dr Chand, a GP from Ashton under Lyne, and the regional spokesperson for the BMA, has been a vocal critic. He points out that these large clinics, which could hold upto 25 GPs, could end up closing down our existing health centres, so that far from “improving choice”, they actually mean that local people could end up with only one choice: a private clinic. He Chand writes that these new clinics are in fact

But the problems associated with privatisation are only half the story. Even without the private element, problems are anticipated:

So we are potentially looking at a situation similar to the railways. Where rival practices cannot efficiently share information, where the idea of “choice” is constantly undermined by virtual monopolies. (Ever tried getting some "consumer choice" on the Manchester to London line?) The concept of the “family doctor” is replaced by a “call-centre” approach, where you speak to whoever is available when you turn up, where we are treated as customers rather than patients. This is the primary vision of Lord Darzi’s reforms (of which the “GP-Led Health Centre” is one of the key proposals). As the Guardian puts it:

Likewise, further problems have been anticipated in Private Eye (issue 1213, 27th June-10th July 2008):

So what’s the consultation process?

Local people haven’t been properly consulted about this. The first thing we heard was rumours of the closure of Ashcroft Surgery and talk of a petition. The rumours of closure turned out to be wrong.

Then we began to get the local newspaper calling up for our opinion on the new GP surgery. Which was the first we heard of it. There was no mention of how the new surgery would be funded, of what building it would be in or any details that may concern patients at all.

Finally, after hours of digging around in online minutes (and actually having to go through the Freedom of Information Act at one stage!), we managed to find some details.

It’s not just patients that have been left out of the loop on this one. GPs have been no better informed than us. They and their representatives are still going through the process of trying to convert the rumours into facts and then asking for confirmation from the PCT.

We contacted the PCT to ask some questions:

In terms of the consultation, we were told:

We didn’t see the survey which was designed to be “forwarded on to key community contacts”, until we contacted the PCT and asked for it. Was a single stall at Cringle Fields Park designed to consult with over 12000 people that live just in Levy ward, let alone across Chapel Street in the Gorton South half?

The PCT, based on our intervention, agreed to extend the first stage consultation date from the 26th June to the 11th July.

Here are the surveys they asked us to publicise:

http://tinyurl.com/56bdr6

and

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=FrXCIFRvEcfPSCli_2fa0ASA_3d_3d

However, those who are opposed to or concerned about these plans would be better off writing or emailling directly to the PCT:

Nick Gomm, Manchester PCT,
6th Floor,
Mauldeth House,
Mauldeth Rd West,
Manchester,
M21 7RL

email: nick.gomm@manchester.nhs.uk

On the other questions, the PCT said:

So, we don’t know who’ll be running it (although given the sums of money needed, it’s likely to be a private business) and we don’t know where it’ll be. At the moment, the PCT have told us over the phone that they can’t find a building to use, and that in a situation where no building is available the government have told them to use temporary accommodation on a bit of suitable land!

So there’s a possibility that instead of giving additional funding to our local health centres, they’ll instead be spending twice as much per patient trying to undercut NHS services by running private clinics out of Portacabins! Maybe Portacabin should bid for the contract!

So what should the PCT do instead?

No-one is saying that Levenshulme residents wouldn't welcome more health services. Round here, we need all the services we can get. But we shouldn't have to put up with the privatisation of our facilities in order to get the services we deserve.

Levenshulme’s existing Health Centres could provide any number of different health services for local people, including extra GPs. Indeed, we had Family Planning services at Levenshulme Health Centre and a Mental Health Nurse at West Point Health Centre. Both of these additonal services were cut by the PCT, with family planning being moved to MRI, away from the people who need the service most. The same PCT now sends us a "wish-list" of services to be delivered at the new clinic which includes those very things! These absurdities are all part of the supposed "market efficiencies" that the government, using the PCTs as their tool, are forcing on GPs and patients.

The answer is extremely simple: The PCT should provide our existing GP surgeries with the funding through the normal NHS channels. That is something we could all welcome without reservation. Invest in our existing facilities and they can provide extra services. But instead of providing NHS funding for our existing facilities, the PCT are set to pay twice as much per head per patient for this private clinic. Much of this investment will go straight into the pockets of private companies as profit. It's a waste of our money and an attack on the NHS.

If you've not managed to sign the paper petition, then sign our online petition calling for the PCT to provide the doctors we need through the NHS, and calling for the PCT to stop private companies cashing in on our NHS General Practice:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/PolyclinicLevenshulme/

click HERE to read a report of what happened at our debate over these plans to privatise GP services.
& click HERE to read the press coverage of our public debate.

Minutes of Meetings

StuartCalton — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:57:19 CST

Here you will find minutes from our meetings & a reminder of who's doing what & when:

Some abbrieviations:

DNG - Delamere Neighbourhood Group
FARA - Four Avenues Residents Association
BAGRA Bristol & Gloucester Residents Association

001 12/02/2007 Residents Associations of Levenshulme come together

002 19/02/2007 Organising a Protest, petition and leaflet campaign

003 03/03/2007 Steering Group

004 14/04/2007 Report of the Friends of Levenshulme Open Meeting

005 10/06/2007 Proposal for a community garden at Chapel Street

006 11/07/2007 Transcript Full City Council Meeting

007 03/11/2007 Richard Leese at St Peters Church

008 18/11/2007 Organising Meeting, Bluebell

009 08/12/2007 Organising Meeting, Levenshulme Library

010 03/02/2008 Organising Meeting, Bluebell

011 23/02/2008 Organising Meeting, Levenshulme Library

012 09/04/2008 Organising Meeting, Bluebell

013 14/06/2008 Organising Meeting, Levenshulme Library

014 03/08/2008 Organising Meeting, Bluebell

015 09/11/2008 Organising Meeting, Bluebell

015 09/11/2008 Organising Meeting, Bluebell

StuartCalton — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:55:38 CST

MINUTES from Friends of Levenshulme Meeting, The Bluebell Inn, 9th November 2008

Present: Pat Walsh, Ellen Meredith, Stuart Calton, Dick Brown, Joe Kisolo-Ssonko, Sue McPherson, Stuart Calton, Dave Ball

Apologies: Charlotte Smith, Angelique Bueler, Sharon Glendon, Carey Robinson, Jamie Summers

Debate on New Privately-Run GP Clinic

It was advised that we’d got in touch with BMA representative Dr Chand and booked the Klondyke Club for a public debate. Dr Chand had agreed to speak already and we were waiting for news from the PCT.

The prototype flyer was thought to be too bland in its wording and not clear enough on the issue of NHS privatisation.

It was agreed to have stalls petitioning outside Tesco on Sat 15th and Sat 22nd November, and also at some time during the week too.

It was further agreed to ask all residents’ groups and any willing individuals to help publicise the meeting by leafleting their street. It was pointed out that without a respectably-sized audience, the event would fail.

It was agreed to put together a press release and do everything we can to make sure that it’s firstly advertised, but more importantly, that the content of the event itself if reported.

Whilst letters inviting all the local GPs surgeries, as well as those in Moston and Longsight, it was pointed out that we should invite the Burnage ones too, since there’s a cross-over of patients.

ACTIONS:
► Stuart to rewrite flyer & posters and get them printed
► Stuart to write and send letters to GPs
► Sue McPherson & Angelique Bueler are visiting the local Health Centres with letters inviting staff and GPs.
► Stuart to email FoL list with all details and do press releases

Our Response to the Levenshulme District Centre Plan

Our “alternative plan” is unfortunately still in an even less convincing state than the Council’s actual plan.

All our notes and ideas were passed to Ellen, for her to put together a rough version of the position on community services that we developed at the original Stakeholder Meeting at St Mary’s parish hall.

The basic idea of this was to widen the scope of the “district centre” to include existing community facilities, particularly the baths and the library, so that instead of a retail-led long strip shape centre along the high street, we have a cross-shaped “multi-hub” approach.

Also, we were told that we could see minutes and have a copy of the PowerPoint presentation shown at the stakeholder meeting by the consultants GVA Grimley. Charlotte Smith has contacted Andy Wilson, about this, but go nowhere so far.

ACTIONS:
► Ellen to draw up a draft on response on the community side of things
► Stuart to invite Jordan Kenison to have a look at the retail issues
► Stuart to write to Andy Wilson for copy of presentation / minutes etc…

Any Other Business

S.L.U.G. Update

The City Council written to FoL asking us to stop work on the community garden site at Chapel Street, saying “Your continuing use of this land without the City Council's authorisation is inappropriate and could prejudice any future working relationship between your group and the City Council.”

We’ve written back: “Friends of Levenshulme are not in charge of work on the Chapel Street Community Garden. It is being run by a group called SLUG. I've passed your message on to them.”

SLUG have now approached MCC for a meeting on the issue, but we have no outcome yet…

Update on Closure of Barlow Rd Post Office

Following Cllr Simon Ashley’s motion to the Council that they investigate subsidising the closed Post Offices in order to keep them running, the investigation has now been completed and can be seen by clicking HERE:

It shows that the Council are not willing to subsidise and re-open any of the closed branches since none are “financially viable”.

(Taken down by Stuart)

014 03/08/2008 Organising Meeting, Bluebell

StuartCalton — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:46:20 CDT

MINUTES from Friends of Levenshulme Meeting, The Bluebell Inn, 3rd August 2008

Present: Nasreen Choudhary, Jamie Summers, Mohammed “Sonny” Anwar Usman, Pat Walsh, Ellen Meredith, Stuart Calton, Audrey Sluyter, Lydia Merrill, Kes Robinson, M Yousaf, Sharon Glendon, Dick Brown, Jan Brown, Jenni Viitanen, Isobel and David Lee

Apologies: Sue McPherson, Charlotte Smith, Angelique Bueler, Nicola Adshead, Rachel Ramchurn, Roland Pare, Lawrence Hennigan

Closure of Barlow Road (Greenbank) Post Office

The final decision by Royal Mail will have been made by the 12th August. The petition, on Post Office users alone, racked up nearly 1000 signatures in three weeks, proving that any claim of under-use is pure nonsense.

A report was given from the full council meeting on 9th July where the PO closures were debated. The whole Council (LibDem and Labour, the views of the one lone Tory were not recorded) agreed that they were opposed to the central government policy of PO closures. (Labour cllrs pointed out that they too thought the Labour Government had got it wrong on this one.) However, a LibDem motion to look into the possibly of local authorities running the POs instead of letting them close (known as the Essex Model, since they’ve done this down there) was defeated by Labour on the grounds that it gave Royal Mail and alibi to press ahead with the closures. It was suggested that the motion was opposed for party political reasons, and as a way of shelving the issue until after the Royal Mail decision date.

We haven’t heard back from Gerald Kaufman yet about his meeting with Royal Mail, details of which he agreed to feed back through the local Labour party via Julie Reid when we lobbied him a few weeks ago.

Sharon has written to the Council to ask about the possibility of running the “Essex Model” in Manchester, which she sent over a month ago, but has not got any response, not even an acknowledgement of the email’s receipt. It was agreed on the basis of this non-response that the question needs to be asked publicly as well as privately, otherwise it’ll be ignored.

It was suggested that Adult Social Services might be a good department to speak to.

It was also suggested, since the LibDem cllrs have already proposed the Essex Model as a motion, that we contact them and see if they have any leverage with whatever sub-committee is dealing with the POs.

Another possibility is to follow the model used in Rochdale, which is for the Council to subsidise the POs, in order to keep them running.

Also there was talk of MCC including other services in the PO such as a benefits office, which was regarded as a very good idea.

It was agreed to petition outside Tesco at 11:00 on the 16th August (by which time we’ll know the decision) with placards and stickers. Also, it was agreed that as many people as possible to should write to the press either proposing the Essex Model or the Rochdale model.

ACTIONS:
► Stuart is designing some stickers, Pat will get them printed.
► Stuart to email cllrs regarding Essex Model and sub-commitees.
► Lydia to check out what department would best deal with PO issues.
► Pat, and anyone else, to write to paper
► Stuart to chase Gerald Kaufman via Julie Reid.

Levenshulme “GP-Led Health Centre”

A handout which lays out the arguments against the new privately-run GP clinic has been produced, and okayed with the GPs at Levenshulme Health Centre for factual accuracy etc… An A3 poster has been produced too which can be put up around the local area to raise awareness. The website has been updated with all the information we know. A letter has been received from local GPs, stating publicly their objections. The British Medical Association are also opposed nationally and locally. A press release has already gone out to local media, but also to Pulse (the GPs in house magazine) publicising the campaign.

It was generally agreed that the consultation by the PCT has been completely inadequate, since the document that came through peoples’ doors was merely a “wish-list” of possible services, and made no mention of any private element, or of any of the possible problems in relation to existing NHS facilities.

It was questioned why these new services couldn’t be provided through the NHS, rather than by tendering out the contract to the private sector, since Levenshulme does indeed need more GPs and more health services in general.

It was agreed that we campaign not just negatively, against the private element, but also positively, in support of NHS General Practise and for more services provided through public channels.

Handouts will be put in the foyer of Levenshulme Health Centre, along with a petition and FoL contact sheets. Also, we’ll approach West Point and Ashcroft surgeries too, to seek their involvement.

It was agreed too, that we combine the PO petitioning on the 16th August with petitioning on this issue, since the two issues are linked by the common theme of protecting our public services. We will also be out on Saturday mornings petitioning and giving out handouts every weekend until the end of August, raising awareness on this issue.

It was also suggested that once the real issues at stake have been aired locally (13/09/08 was suggested as a possible date) we organise a meeting with someone from the BMA, and someone from the PCT to put each side of the case in a public meeting. That way we can have the full debate. The PCT have already agreed to this in principle.

ACTIONS:
► Stuart will get the handouts into Levy Health Centre and start to put posters up.
► Sharon will contact her clinic, Ashcroft, to see if they’ll take the leaflet too, Kes will speak to West Point. Isobel is in touch with GPs at Brunswick Street Health Centre about it.
► People who object should be encouraged to write and email directly to the PCT: Nick Gomm, Manchester PCT, 6th Floor, Mauldeth House, Mauldeth Rd West, Manchester, M21 7RL email: nick.gomm@manchester.nhs.uk

Elbow Street / St Mary’s site Development

Kes has persuaded the developer of the Elbow Street site to host another public consultation meeting where the plans can be fully discussed, since several issues remain to be properly dealt with, e.g. parking etc... The date and time, still TBC for certain, are 19:00, 26th August at St Mary’s Hall.

It was also pointed out that the proposed development hovers very near to the old Community Centre site, and given possible parking issues raised by the 137 new proposed homes, all efforts should be made to preserve that site in public ownership and for public use.

It was agreed that whilst we can publicise this for free on the email list and website, we don’t have the money to do the developers’ publicity for them.

Our Response to the Levenshulme District Centre Plan

Several of us went to the Stakeholder Workshops held at St Mary’s Parish Hall back in July.

The general feeling was that the plans are over-focused on retail and undervalue our community facilities.

Those of us at the workshops had argued for an extension of the district centre zone away from a narrow shopping strip on the A6 to include the Baths and the library, making a cross-shaped area stretching into the dense residential zone too.

The Council’s emphasis on a combined supercentre (including a new pool and library and community facilities) somewhere on the A6 was felt to be a bad idea. Whilst some traders at the workshop were keen on this because it would focus more attention on the shopping street, all those present felt that it made more sense to renovate and improve our existing bath and library than to demolish or “apartmentise” them and build a new facility elsewhere.

Given the lack of Council money being put into the plan, it was agreed that we need to enquire as to the exact role of MMC in the implementation of the plans.

It was pointed out that it’s not in the interest of local people to have companies like Serco running our facilties.

The idea of creating an entrance to the train station from the carpark met with general approval, and by emphasising the East-West bus routes from Albert Road, it was thought a more general “Transport Hub” could be created. Since our local cllr Keith Whitmore is now on the executive committee of GMPTE, he may be able to help with this.

There was also talk of creating Green Links between the Fallowfield Loop and Chapel Street.

Andy Wilson, of the South Manchester Regeneration Team, had suggested at one meeting that a disused piece of Council land in the area could be sold in order to cross-subsidise a Council-run Community Centre connected to the Arcadia site. This met with general approval, and is something we will follow up specifically. We may also write specifically to Cllr Amesbury (he of Leisure sub-committee) to point out what a very good idea this is.

It was agreed that FoL would draw up an “alternative plan” and forward it to the Consultants and to MCC, in order to have our ideas on record in a written form, and in order to see what local people’s reaction to our ideas is like before the full public consultation begins later in the year.

Any Other Business

Community Garden / Tesco Donation

At the end of June, Tesco Levenshulme approached FoL to offer us a £1000.00 donation to the Community Garden project. Because of the way Friends of Levenshulme is constituted, with clauses stating that we operate "independently of any business interests", and that we believe "public services should be provided with public money", we decided that we couldn’t accept donations from Tesco, or any other commercial venture.

So we suggested instead that they contact Delamere Neighbourhood Group, as they've been closely involved with the project and they might consider accepting the donation in order to carry on their work at the site. They also have a different constitution to Friends of Levenshulme, and therefore more freedom to accept the money.

DNG have since voted to accept the money, and get to work on the garden. They’re planning to built up a working party and get planting in the Autumn and also to get kids from surrounding schools involved. They may also consider painting proper football pitch markings on the tarmac area. We’ll support and advertise DNG’s initiative with publicity on the email list and the website.

Interactive Map of Levenshulme

Jenni is planning to put together an interactive map of Levenshulme. On this, people will be able to click and report anonymously any problems or make comments on anything affecting that area. This data could then be used to locate problem areas and for lobbying purposes. It was agreed that this could be hosted on the FoL website, providing there’s no technological or contractual problem with it.

(Taken down by Stuart)

Consultation Events

dngjamie — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 08:24:09 CDT

from: David Rogerson Senior Regeneration Officer South Manchester Regeneration Team

Levenshulme District Centre Plan – Stakeholder Workshops

Since February 2008 we have been working with our colleagues and partners to develop a District Centre Plan for Levenshulme. This plan will outline the objectives for improving the area over the next 10 to 15 and will set out a strategy for the revitalisation of the district centre in terms of its:

Retail offer
Public realm
Community, civil and leisure facilities
Public transport and accessibility

Our team of consultants have completed their initial research into the District Centre and have produced a baseline report setting out the key characteristics of the area along with the opportunities for development. This work has been overseen by a Steering Group consisting of local Councillors and senior Council officers.

We are now working on possible approaches to the future development of the District Centre and want to include the views of key stakeholders at this stage. Feedback from the stakeholder workshops will be used to shape a draft plan which will form the basis of the full public consultation in the autumn. We would therefore like to invite a representative of your group to attend one of the workshops listed below.

The stakeholder workshops will consist of four sessions for each sector of the community at
St Mary’s Parish Hall next to St Mary’s Church on Elbow Street. These are:

Local Traders – Tuesday 15th July at 12.00 – 2.00pm
Faith Groups – Wednesday 16th July at 6.00 – 8.00pm
Local Community Groups – Thursday 17th July at 6.00 – 8.00pm
Tenants and Residents Groups – Saturday 19th July at 12.00 – 2.00pm

You are free to attend whichever session you choose, but we have tried to tailor each workshop to meet the interests of the specific groups.
I would be grateful if you could confirm you availability for the appropriate workshop.

I look forward to hearing from you. If you would like any further information about the consultation process, or if you need anything to enable you to attend the event, please contact me as detailed below.

Yours faithfully,

David Rogerson
Senior Regeneration Officer
South Manchester Regeneration Team
Daisy Mill Complex
Level 2 (Northwing), Entrance 2
345 Stockport Road, Longsight
Manchester
M13 OLF
Tel: 0161 277 1893 Fax: 0161 274 7138
Text: 0161 277 1882
d.rogerson@manchester.gov.uk
www.manchester.gov.uk

not strictly a consultation event, more of a find out what's planned...

St Mary’s Development Open Day

Thursday 26th June 2008

3.00pm – 7.00pm St Mary’s Parish Hall

Come along and learn more about the proposals.

For further details on the Open Day contact David Rogerson on:

Tel: 0161 277 1880 Email: d.rogerson@manchester.gov.uk

013 14/06/2008 Organising Meeting, Levenshulme Library

StuartCalton — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 09:44:43 CDT

MINUTES from Friends of Levenshulme Meeting, Levenshulme Library, 14th June 2008

Present: Nasreen Choudhary, Jamie Summers, Mohammed Anwar Usman, Pat Walsh, Tracy Jesty, Ellen Meredith, Sue McPherson, Charlotte Smith, M Wolstencroft, J Bettoni, Mr and Mrs Bunker, Frank Bamber, Malcolm Cowan, Carla Walsh, B. Walmsley, Stuart Calton, Audrey Sluyter, Barbara Mellor, Bill Langshaw, Jennifer Vickers, Kay Hodgkinson, John Hodgkinson, J Trail, D Trail, Nicky Jenkins, Freda Linnecor, Jule Reid, Candy Leonard, Nancy Smith, Julie Smith, Nancy Davenport, Dave Ball.

Apologies: Dick Brown, Sharon Glendon, Cllr John Commons, Cllr Keith Whitmore, Cllr Charles Glover.

Closure of Barlow Road (Greenbank) Post Office

The Post Office on Byron Parade / Barlow Road has been earmarked for closure by Royal Mail. Public “Consultation” is due to end on the 21st July, and should the closure go ahead, it would be closed in September. It was pointed out that Post Offices are community hubs, and that many people reply on the services they provide. It was mentioned that they provide people not just post facilities but banking facilities, car tax facilities etc… The catchment area for the Post Office takes in a large residential area where a considerable number of elderly people live. The walk to North Levenshulme Post Office, the next one along, is not reasonable for people with kids, the elderly or the disabled. It was said too that North Levy Office is frequently shut.

A number of actions are planned to fight the closure:

A petition has already been put together by the Postmaster, and is being signed in various shops and in the Post Office itself. We will need to take to the streets with this petition, and will organise this after the other actions have been sorted.

It was decided that we stage a protest outside the PO itself, at 11:00am on Saturday the 21st June. People will be asked to make and bring placards saying what they use the Post Office for and we will form an enormous queue from the Post Office and down the road. We will hand out leaflets asking resident to write down “What their Post Office means to them”.

It was decided that we should lobby outside our MP Gerald Kaufman’s surgery at Gorton Mount School on the 28th June at 10:00am. Placards again. A delegation of 6 or so will go in to seek his support in fighting the closure. We will also email Sir Gerald a short letter in advance to let him know we’re coming and to outline our concerns.

[N.B. Since the meeting, we've heard that Sir Gerald's surgery will be at Gorton Library on 28th June at 09:30am. The rest still stands]

It was decided that we should campaign on the issue at the Greenbank do on the 29th June also, perhaps with a stall. We will contact Greenbank RA about that.

We also agreed to look at the criteria for the closures (although doubt was expressed about whether they’d make any sense) on the Royal Mail website. We will also look into the possibility of the Local Authority taking over the Post Office, as has been done elsewhere. Also, we agreed we should be campaigning for MORE services in our Post Offices, and supporting them by using them, as well as against their closure.

ACTIONS:
► Stuart is sorting out a poster which advertises both events, and will get these to the PO to be picked up by residents for displaying in windows.
► Barbara has designed some leaflets to hand out to the protesting queue.
► Stuart & Pat will sort out the letter to Kaufman between them.
► Stuart will issue a press release for the queuing protest.
► Everyone in the area who wants to have a local Post Office will make placards.

Swimming Baths

The government have announced an £140,000,000 investment in free swimming. The press release from Tessa Jowell, Andy Burnham and Alan Johnson also talks about the funds being used to “Rejuvenate Pools”.

A letter has been written from Fol to be sent to the three ministers above, as well as to other notables like Richard Leese, Gerald Kaufman, Cllr Mike Amesbury, to enquire whether we could have a tiny, minute fraction of that cash to sort out our Baths, which are still on the verge of falling down.

It was pointed out that the Pools are also used for Mental Health patients, and to train the Fire Brigade, as well as for all the services we normally associate with them. It was also stated that a new filtration system had been installed recently. The facilities at Cedar Mount were mentioned and the question asked “Why can’t we have the same?”

► Julie will speak to Cllr Mike Amesbury about the Baths.

Lobby of the Council

The next full council meeting is on the 9th July. In order to show that we’re still here and that our issues haven’t gone away, we are intending to lobby the Council, both from the public gallery and from outside of the Town Hall. The main focus will be on the state of Levenshulme Baths, but also on any of the other issues facing our area. Dependant on the reply Leese gives us to our open letter in the SMR, we may approach Cllr Glover (who represents Gorton South ward, where the baths are) to raise a question about the Baths in the Council meeting.

It was pointed out that many different people do good work from within the various scrutiny committees, and that residents can apply to attend these meetings as observers. Whilst it was agreed that this is valuable, it was felt that there needed to be media visibility and a communal DIY aspect, in order to maintain the energy needed to keep Levenshulme’s issues in the public eye.

It was pointed out that the local paper is full of various different groups trying to protect their schools, their Health Services, their green space and so on, all across Manchester. If we all lobby at the same time, we can have a greater impact, so we are throwing the lobby open to any Manchester Community group that wants to join in. We have already spoken to ex-Council tenants at the Longsight end, who are keen to be involved in the lobby, protesting against the privatisation of their homes.

ACTIONS:

► Charlotte and Jamie are working on a new banner.
► Stuart and Jamie will knock up some kind of flyer.
► Charlotte & Stuart will seek out the contact details of various other community groups in Manchester and invite them to the event.
► Stuart will issue a press release.
► We need everyone to make placards again.

Bank Account / Constitution / “Treasurer’s Report”

The bank account is open and we’ve got about £91.00.

New "GP-led Health Centre" in Levenshulme

The “New GP-led Health Centre” in Levenshulme (like those in Moston and Longsight) is being put out the tender and will likely be privately-run. So far in the North West, the "preferred provider" has been Care UK (a private contractor linked to the US-based pharmaceutical company Mercury). It was mentioned that the British Medical Association handed a petition of one million signatures to Gordon Brown recently saying that patients shouldn’t become “customers”, that these new private clinics could be the end for existing NHS faculties in local areas and that for many they may mean further to travel.

It was pointed out that the consultation process has been extremely low-key, or invisible. In fact we had to find out about the plans through the Freedom of Information Act! The public “consultation” is set to close on 26th June. The website states that no communities will be forced to have one of these new health centres.

It was agreed that we write a letter to the PCT, asking that the consultation period be extended, stating grave reservations about the plans in general, and threatening judicial review on the lack of consultation. This should be copied to all the usual suspects in the Council and relevant Parliamentary departments. It was also suggested that at some point we organise a meeting with someone from the BMA, and someone from the PCT to put each side of the case in a public meeting. That way we can have the full debate.

► Sue will draft the letter.
► Sue to speak to GPs at Dunstable Street Health Cente and assess their attitude to the plans, Tracy to do likewise at Ashcroft Surgery. With view to sounding out a larger campaign.

Return of Leese

It was agreed to invite the Leader of the Council back again. This has been put back until September, given the workload above. It was agreed that he should be questioned on the whole range of issues affecting us, since the only issue to have been fully-resolved since he came last time is the opening of the new Tesco. It was also emphasised that we need to think about the structure of the meeting.

Other Business

Jenny Vickers of Four Avenues RA is planning to set up a group that can investigate and publicise Levenshulme’s heritage. This could also involve applying for listed status for important buildings. It was suggested that they speak to elderly residents about their memories, approach schools, set up a page on the FoL website and also see if they could tax any “community money” out of Tesco.

The Levenshulme Community Association are planning to set up a public meeting, as a method of consultation on the idea of a Parish Council for Levenshulme. Since there are a lot of conflicting reports about the different pros and cons of a Parish Council, they plan to invite an expert guest who can present the issues to the public.

(Taken down by Stuart)

10 - Question The Candidates Hustings, Cedar Mount School, 26th April 2008

StuartCalton — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 01:17:04 CDT

Friends of Levenshulme's

Question The Candidate Hustings at Cedar Mount School

26th April 2008

(left to right: Charles Glover, Keith Whitmore, Tracy Jesty (chair), Justine Hall, Quammer Ahmad, Julie Reid, Sue McPherson.)

Levenshulme's Local Family Planning Services Are Being Scrapped

StuartCalton — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 06:30:35 CDT

It's come to our attention recently (April 2008) that Manchester PCT are closing the Family Planning Services that operate from Levenshulme Health Centre. They are now to be delivered from Manchester Royal Infirmary instead. We understand that these local services will also be stopping in other districts of South Manchester. This is yet another example of our local services being attacked, and a blow which will particularly affect young people who need this advice on hand, not miles away in town.

Feel free to complain about this very bad and stupid policy by contacting Manchester PCT Complaints Lead Officer on lynn.yates@manchester.nhs.uk and keep an eye out for further action on this front.

Below are letters and an article from the South Manchester Reporter covering local peoples' responses to this move.

09 - Guerilla Gardening, Community Centre Site, 6th April 2008

StuartCalton — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 06:02:18 CDT

Volunteers planting trees and sowing seeds to brighten up the place and mark the plot as community land. More updates coming as nature takes its course re: flowering, sprouting etc...