New Year Message

This article first appeared in the Leigh Journal.

As we come to the end of 2014, we can reflect on a year of good progress for Leigh.

It began with the opening of the impressive new Hanover Centre at Leigh Infirmary.

That was followed by the long-awaited start of work on the redevelopment at the top of Plank Lane.

And, of course, we finally waved goodbye to ‘Kamikaze Island’.

But, when all's said and done, one thing will will define 2014: it will go down as the year that, for one night only, Elton was a Leyther!

When I was first elected in 2001, I had high ambitions for Leigh. But, in truth, even I might have struggled to foresee how Leigh could ever play host to a global superstar before a 17500 strong crowd.

But we did - and, more than that, Leigh pulled it off in style.

Shortly after the big night, someone told me how they had seen Elton perform in Las Vegas just a few weeks earlier. They laughed when the remaining dates of Elton’s tour flashed up on the big screen: LA ... New York ... Leigh ...!

That unforgettable June night was the moment when the Leigh Sports Village truly came into its own and placed Leigh firmly on the map.

But the truth is Elton was not the only performer to light up the LSV. Leigh Centurions blazed a trail through the 2014 season and graced the LSV stage with perhaps their most exciting team for 30 years.

A couple of years ago, I ran a campaign for the return of promotion and relegation and I am pleased that, once again, the door to Super League is open to us.

So, your MP asks you to make one simple New Year's Resolution - let’s all of us get down to the LSV in 2015 and cheer our exciting young team back to Super League.

One dark spot on the year was the surprise decision by Wigan & Leigh College to pull the plug on A Level provision. It left many young people in the lurch.

We are waiting for the College to publish the findings of a review. But, whatever it concludes, I am clear about this: Leigh students should not have to get up at the crack of dawn and travel miles to do A levels. We want good A Level provision in the heart of our town and that is what I will campaign for in 2015.

Another challenging issue this year was HS2.

Before the close of the consultation, I organised a series of public meetings in Lowton and Golborne. What came over clearly was the high level of opposition to the proposed depot off Slag Lane. People felt it would destroy our green space and shatter our peace.

I listened and concluded they were absolutely right. Ever since, I have thrown whatever political weight I could muster into the campaign against the depot. I am pleased to say it seems we have won the day: the latest statement from HS2 says they are now looking at alternative sites. I will keep up the pressure in 2015 until it is finally confirmed.

There is another reason why transport will be the big issue of next year - it will finally see the opening of the Leigh Guided Busway.

Now I know it's the under-statement of the year to say people remain to be convinced about the Busway. I know that the disruption has been horrendous - particularly in Tyldesley - and we will continue to work hard to minimise it.

But here's a confident, if somewhat dangerous prediction, for 2015 - I think the Busway will turn out to be better than people think.

I understand people's scepticism as the busway was never my preferred option. That would have been a rail station or, failing that, Metrolink. But the technical and financial obstacles to both are huge and the truth is this: Leigh can’t wait forever for better public transport. We need it now.

Now that it’s coming, I think we need to seize the opportunity it presents for Leigh.

One of the big plus points of the busway is that it will be much cheaper than rail. A weekly return pass to Manchester will be around £14 or £15. That compares well with the £28 cost of a rail pass from Atherton. That will open up opportunities for young people in Leigh who struggle to run a car. All concessionary passes will be valid and pensioners will be able to travel for free with their bus pass.

Given that, I have no doubt that the Busway will bring shoppers back into Leigh.

People think of it only taking people away from Leigh. But I think it will work the other way round: Leigh and Tyldesley town centres will end up being the big winners. That's because, for anyone living on the guided section of the route, they can be in Leigh or Tyldesley in a matter of minutes with no traffic or hassle.

So, to coincide with the opening of the Busway, I want to launch a big ‘Come Back to Leigh’ marketing campaign. As part of the scheme, new investment is going in to the Leigh Bus Station and into the town centre. This is big chance to turn around the fortunes of the town centre and I am determined to make the most of it.

I think it's time to see the potential of the Busway rather than the problems. Already, there are signs that it will continue the regeneration of the town. Plans to turn Mather Lane Mill into flats - on the back of the Busway - are an exciting example of the wider benefits it will bring.

So there are grounds to be optimistic for our town as we head in to 2015. I remain as passionate as ever about my mission to restore its fortunes and am always grateful for the brilliant support you continue to give me.

Here's to a successful and prosperous 2015.

New Year message

2012 will mainly be remembered for an unforgettable summer of sport.

The Olympics and Paralympics exceeded all our expectations and the sight of a gold post box in Leigh, honouring our own Heather Frederiksen, will live long in the memory.

But, London 2012 apart, this has been a difficult year.

I know from talking to people coming into my Leigh office that life is tough at the moment and people are struggling to make ends meet. Next year will be no better. Sadly, more cuts are on the way and I have real worries about the effect on local families and children of the Government's "bedroom tax", which will force many out of their homes.

I want to take this opportunity to remind people that my door on Market Street is always open to you or anyone you know who needs help.

But, amidst the gloom, there are some signs of hope. In 2012, Leigh has continued to buck the trend and brought in significant new investment. The fact that two major supermarkets have opened new stores in the town in 2012 is a clear vote of confidence in Leigh's future. And, hopefully next year, we can look forward to more regeneration as the development at the former Plank Lane Colliery site finally gets underway.

Looking back, I am relieved I managed to persuade the last Labour Government to allow early release of the public funding for the infrastructure and for the newly-named Diamond Jubilee Marina. Otherwise, this development might never have happened and the area remained a wasteland.  As it is, I have high hopes for it and think it will be an impressive flagship site that continues to transform perceptions of the Leigh area.

Elsewhere, other planning issues are more controversial. I know many people have real concerns about the proposed North Leigh development, while the on-going debate about sites for new housing is raising strong feelings.

In the summer, the Planning Inspector ordered the Council to open up even more land for housing - in line with Coalition policy - over and above the Council's original plans which were already controversial.
As a result, extra sites in Lowton, Golborne and to the south of Atherton have been identified and, unsurprisingly, are provoking fierce debate.

While I accept the need for more suitable and affordable housing, I have major concerns about the new plan. It seems to me to be a blueprint for gridlock on our side of the borough, where roads are already overloaded and public transport is simply not an option for many people.

Early in the New Year, I will attend the hearings on the revised plan and I will make these points in person to the Planning Inspector. I will speak out against the over-development of the east of the borough and call for a more balanced plan, where the load is more fairly shared across all communities. If any major development on the Leigh side is to go ahead, it is essential that comes with major improvements to public transport - specifically, a rail link for the Leigh area.

Improving transport in Leigh remains my top priority and there is some progress to report. 2012 has seen continued progress on the Leigh Guided Busway. Construction work will start in earnest in the New Year with the new service operational in 2015.

I know people are still sceptical about the Busway, and will take some persuading about it, but I genuinely believe it will be better than many think. Both Leigh and Tyldesley town centres will benefit greatly from a faster link to Manchester, while a stop has been added into the plans for Higher Folds. I am calling for a new terminal close to the Loom development, linking to the Spinning Gate and the Indoor Market, which could provide a new gateway for the town.

On a more personal level, I will always think of 2012 as a year of great progress on two very different campaigns.

First, October brought the brilliant news that the Boundary Commission had backed off its plan to break the Leigh constituency into three pieces and move our Town Hall to Westhoughton.

This was a fight we just had to win. Had this plan gone ahead, it would have caused serious damage to Leigh's sense of identity in the rest of this century.

I want to thank everyone who came forward to help. When we launched the 'Keep Leigh in Leigh' campaign, I wasn't sure we could do it. But it was heartening that so many people came out to help. In the end, the Boundary Commissioned listened to the sheer weight of public opinion and the Leigh Constituency, based in its historical boundaries, is now secure for the foreseeable future. I hope it sends a message to the powers-that-be in London that, in future, Leigh will not be pushed around.

The second campaign that has taken up much of my time this year is the campaign for justice for the families of the Hillsborough Disaster.

People think of Hillsborough as a Liverpool tragedy. But the sad truth is that it affected communities across the country, Leigh and Atherton included.

Leigh lad Carl Brown was just 18 when he died at Hillsborough. As a 19yr old Everton supporter, I was at the other Semi-Final at Villa Park while many of my friends were at Hillsborough.

I will never forget sitting in the Cherry Tree in Culcheth on the night of April 15th 1989 and hearing the harrowing stories of friends as they returned in a state of shock from the scene of the disaster. Little did we know at the time that efforts were already underway to shift the blame for what happened to the Liverpool supporters.

For me, Hillsborough is an issue where the personal and the political come together. Nothing that I will ever do in my political career will give me a greater sense of fulfilment than seeing the families finally getting the truth and justice they deserve. I will always treasure the card I received from Carl's mum shortly after the Hillsborough Independent Panel published its report.

Sadly, it all came too late for Stephen Whittle from Atherton - described as the "97th victim". Stephen gave his ticket to the match to a friend who subsequently died there. Down the years, he struggled with this and eventually took his own life, leaving what he had to the Hillsborough families. I know the momentous events of this year will have been hard for Stephen's family and friends but I hope they will take some comfort from the fact that the cause he supported so much is finally prevailing.

Looking ahead to 2013, I have been thinking about ways in which we can lift the mood and make the most of what we've got.

Leigh has got a brilliant facility in the LSV. But I feel we need to work harder to open it up to all the people of Leigh, young and old, and fill it with life.

With that in mind, one of my ideas for 2013 is a plan for the inaugural 'Leigh Olympics' at LSV. Over two days of competition - one for primary schools and one for secondaries - I hope we can throw open the doors and pack out the LSV with mums and dads, grans and grandads, making it a day to remember. More details will be announced early in the New Year.

Looking to the longer-term, I hope to make progress in 2013 on my plan for a 'Leigh Lads & Girls Club', on the same model as the Wigan Youth Zone. Giving our young people more positive opportunities is an essential investment we must make in Leigh's future.

As ever, as the year comes to a close, there is much to be optimistic about, not least the prospects of an exciting season for Leigh RLFC under our very own Coach of the Year Paul Rowley. The RFL have agreed to look at my call for the return of promotion and relegation so the door to Super League may be open again to us soon.

But there are tough times ahead too and one of the things that makes me proudest of Leigh and its people is the way we stick together and look out for each other. Long may that be so.