Health care under one big umbrella

Shaw and Crompton Parish Council meeting reports

SHAW and Crompton’s long-awaited new health centre could be open in less than two years.

Steven Palmer, from NHS Oldham, gave a presentation on the three-storey development, to be built on West Lane next to the community centre and swimming pool.

He said a number of sites had been looked at and the favoured site would achieve the objective of placing it closest to most patients.

The facility will rehouse two existing GP practices and offer community health services such as district nurses, health visitors, pharmacy and dental services and more specialist services normally found in a hospital.

Mr Palmer said: “This site offers not just health care but in the future we can join with the community centre and have a new swimming pool.” A planning application should be submitted next month, building work under way by 2010 and the doors open to patients in March, 2011.

The old health centre will be turned into a car park and open space to make up for that lost to the new development. Consultation is ongoing with public sessions having already taken place at St Paul’s Church.

Councillors were told the initial architect’s impression was varying day by day but they would try to blend and balance it with the single storey community centre.

Councillor Taz Sajjad said: “It looks a really impressive set up.”

Councillor Howard Sykes also gave his backing and said it was not just about GP practices but a host of health services in the heart of the community.


Resident’s sandwich pickle

A RESIDENT complained that a new sandwich shop that has opened in Manchester Road, Shaw is disturbing neighbours.

She claimed that it was operating outside of a rule restricting hot food to 20 per cent of what it sells.

Problems included late working hours, strong odours, noise, litter and parking with customers stopping on double yellow lines and pavements. One mum with a baby in a buggy was almost struck by a van reversing out, she said.

She appealed for help, saying she had complained to Oldham Council but was getting nowhere.

Councillor Mark Alcock promised to have the shop monitored.


Reaching out to young people

COUNCILLOR Mari Wiswell is visiting schools to find out what facilities local children need.

She wants to re-establish the council’s youth sub-committee, but councillors backed her idea of first doing the research and having a working group that can later become a sub-committee. Councillor Wiswell will also meet with the new youth Mayor and youth council.


Colour of money

COUNCILLORS splashed the cash by agreeing to spend £11,705 plus VAT on landscape maintenance at 22 sites in the parish.

They also pledged £2,912.50 on hanging baskets to brighten Shaw and Crompton and awarded two grants — £250 to East Crompton St George’s School eco team for murals and £200 to the Royal British Legion ladies section for a Christmas party trip.


Welcome signs

COUNCILLORS are hoping to get creative with words for new borough boundary signs.

The two signs, one for Jubilee and one for Burnedge at the Rochdale boundary, will have the words “Welcome to Shaw and Crompton” and the parish council logo, but there is space at the top for more.