Viewpoint: Councillor Melissa Fisher, Deputy Leader of the Council
As the Deputy Leader of Hyndburn Borough Council, I oversee a diverse portfolio that includes Environmental Health, Regeneration, Housing, Licensing and much more. This month, I’ll be sharing some news from my areas of responsibility as well as some wider Council updates.
We are thrilled to announce the opening of the newly refurbished play area at Masefield Close in Great Harwood. This project has transformed the space into a vibrant and safe environment for our children to enjoy. I encourage families to visit and make the most of this fantastic new play area. Look out for further improvements to play facilities across Hyndburn.
Looking ahead, mark your calendars for the 25th of October, as Accrington will be illuminated for the weekend by the spectacular Enlighten event. Taking place on the 25th and 26th from 5-9pm, Enlighten will transform our town centre with stunning light displays, interactive installations, poetry and spoken word. Accrington Town Hall, St James’ Church, The Victorian Arcade, and Accrington Library are among the many buildings that will feature in this event. It promises to be a magical evening for all ages, and I look forward to seeing you there.
While on the topic of events, I was thrilled to see the Mayor, Council officers and several cabinet members attend Amazing Accrington’s Futures Event last week. The Council’s team engaged with hundreds of Year 11 pupils, discussing options for careers in local government. Cabinet members love attending these engagement events, and next week we’ll be joining officers from the council and other organisations on the 15th of October at Hyndburn Leisure Centre for the Cosy Homes in Lancashire event. This event will provide valuable information and advice on how to make your home more energy-efficient and reduce your energy bills.
In addition, we are excited to launch the Healthy Homes Project, aimed at improving the living conditions of our residents. The Council’s Housing Standards team has been awarded funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to deliver this project in Hyndburn. The project will focus on tackling private rented properties suffering from cold, damp, and mould. Look out for more information on this initiative.
On to Accrington Town Centre as work continues to progress. Following many months of surveying every part of the building, the Market Hall stripping out works and majority of the façade cleaning and stonework repairs are now complete. Internal scaffolding will shortly be erected to allow work to commence on glazed roof lights and the main roof. Inside Burtons Chambers, stripping out is halfway through and with the majority of the ground floor façade removed, you can glimpse some interesting brickwork at the top of the old shop units through the site gate, not seen since the building was erected almost 100 years ago.
The latest news and regular contractor updates can be viewed on the Accrington Town Square website https://accringtontownsquare.com/ with the plan to share lots more photos of the works progressing so please take a moment to visit the website.
We are launching a public consultation on Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) to gather your views on how we can better manage and protect our public spaces. We wish to hear your views on our proposals to vary and extend the current controls relating to dogs in public spaces for a further three years. Your feedback is crucial in shaping these measures, so please take the time to participate in the consultation and share your thoughts. You can take part in the consultation athttps://www.hyndburnbc.gov.uk/public-space-protection-orders/
I want to use this opportunity to alert local businesses, particularly those holding alcohol premises licences, to a recent scam targeting licence renewals. Scammers are attempting to deceive licence holders into paying fraudulent fees. Our licensing department is aware of this issue and is working diligently to protect our community. If you receive any suspicious communications regarding your licence, please contact the council immediately for verification.
Finally, I want to reaffirm our council’s commitment to supporting Hate Crime Awareness Week which begins on 12th October. We stand united with numerous organisations and our residents against hate crime in all its forms and are dedicated to developing a community where everyone feels safe and respected. Hate crime has no place in our society, and discrimination based on who someone is, what they look like, or what they believe in is unacceptable. We will continue to work with the police and many community organisation against hate crime.
Thank you for your continued engagement and support. Together, we are building a stronger, safer, and community focussed Hyndburn.