Levenshulme Market Future Secured

Posted on July 13, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

Levenshulme Market has secured its future for the next four years following approval of their planning application.

Planning permission has been granted for the the Market to operate for another four years. Although the market had originally hoped to extend its operation throughout the year and add Sunday markets and more Friday night markets to what it does the application has ended up with arrangements pretty much the same as are currently in place.

There is a blog post on the Levenshulme Market website by Richard Hirst, Market Manager, outlining their experience in securing the renewed operating permission. The post outlines with some frustration the bureaucracy involved, delays, and lack of support from both Manchester City Council and local councillors.

Although this experience does not appear to have been particularly positive for Levenshulme Market the main positive is that the future of the market has been secured at the heart of Levenshulme for several years to come.

“Levenshulme Market is here for another four years. Which is great news and an enormous relief. But the lesson for us is that, while Levenshulme Market may be thriving – with thousands of customers each week, awards under its belt, generating enormous high street footfall, organising financial projects to support our local area – there’s no assurance it won’t find its future at risk once again. We dearly hope we won’t have a repeat of this ordeal in future, but in four years’ time you could once again be called on to help- keep Levenshulme Market open.”
Levenshulme Market blog post, 12 july 2021

You can also read a report of Levenshulme Market’s success in securing its future in the MEN HERE

Levenshulme Market runs from March to December. Current dates are available HERE

Levenshulme Old Library Community Day Events

Posted on July 9, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

The Community Day at Levenshulme Old Library (17 July, 10.00-16.00) includes three sessions available to book.

Little Levy Theatre is also running a children mask making session from 11am.

LOL Community Day Sessions to book

Shake The Dust at 10am
Book HERE

Cosmic Kids Yoga 12.30pm
Book HERE

Family BreathWork and Meditation 2pm
Book HERE

Covid Infection Rates & How To Protect Our Community

Posted on July 7, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

Covid infection rates

Our local rates (as of 1 July 2021):

650 (Levenshulme Central)
442 (Levenshulme South & Burnage North)
498 (Levenshulme North)

and within a kilometre the rate is 962.

The rate for Manchester as a whole is now 544. On 17 May the rate was 43.

Levenshulme was designated a High Risk Area on 20 May and the Director of Public Health said action was needed to avoid rates getting to 300 as they were in Bolton at that point. There was a two to three week window of opportunity with it being a “race against time” to prevent a rise in infection rates.

Since then the government also designated Greater Manchester and much of the North West of England an Enhanced Response Area on 8 June with people told to get tested twice a week. An update on ERA status is available HERE.

As of 1 July 61.2% of adults have had one vaccination and 39.4% have had two vaccinations in Manchester.

Rules removed

You can read the full government announcement from 5 July 2021 HERE

Manchester will be the same as all of England on 19 July with pretty much all restrictions and rules used to protect people removed.

Protect Yourself and others

Please get vaccinated for your own protection and for the protection of our community.

Protective measures such as face masks and social distancing may not be compulsory from 19 July but it is advisable to remain cautious during this third wave of infections.

Check the Manchester City Council website for updates including pop-up vaccination centres HERE

The closest pop-up vaccination centre is currently at Belle Vue with a free shuttle bus running through Levenshulme with a pick up point on Matthews Lane.

Levenshulme Old Library Community Survey

Posted on July 5, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

Levenshulme Old Library is doing a community survey to support them in how to shape what happens at LOL.

Do complete the survey and encourage others to do so.

Go to the LOL community survey HERE

Levenshulme Old Library Community Day

Posted on June 30, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

Levenshulme Old Library is having a Community Day on 17 July.

Come and join us for a fun Community Day with lots of different activities throughout the day including Children’s Crafts, Family Yoga and Shake the Dust.

We will also have our Maker’s Fair in full swing and food provided by Squarebakes Jo and The Little Srilankan.

We also need your help! We are going to do some planting in the new and improved Levy Old Library Garden. If you would like to volunteer, we would love to see you.

Please email jen@levenshulmeoldlibrary.org.uk if you would like to volunteer!

As part of the day, we we will be asking for your feedback on what you think the diverse needs of our community are and how Levy Old Library can support the community. There will be opportunities for you to have your say on the community day!

EU Settlement Scheme Deadline Only 2 Days Away

Posted on June 28, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

URGENT

Please check this information from the UK Government Home Office if you are an EU citizen. You MUST apply for settled status by 30 June 2021 or you will lose the right to remain in the UK following the implementation of Brexit by the UK government.

Continue reading →

Cringle Park & Fields Litter Pick

Posted on June 28, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

There will be a litter pick at Cringle Park and Field on Sunday. These happen on the first Sunday of every month 10-11.00. Meet at the stone circle. Bags are provided. Please bring your own litter picker and gloves if you have them.

Free Food Parcels From Madina Masjid & Community Centre

Posted on June 25, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

Free “Food Parcels” will be distributed this Sunday (27 July) from 14.00 – 15.30) at Madina Masjid & Community Centre 2 Barlow Road M19 3DJ.

Many thanks to the team at Madina Masjid and Community Centre.

Volunteer For The Alma Park School Street Trial

Posted on June 24, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

Manchester City Council is looking for volunteers to help with the Alma Park School Street Trial scheduled for 1 July. Details are below. The deadline to get involved is Monday 28 June, 12.00 midday.

Volunteer Invitation

You may be aware of aware of our planned School street is a way to encourage parents/carers / residents to use active travel methods when dropping/picking up children from school. This is a great way to promote clean and safe environments, as we hope this event will help us achieve our aims to create a healthier environment around the school and local community.

The process of ‘School Streets’ events require temporary road closures around a school. To ensure the smooth running of the event, we are asking for some volunteer support to act as marshals between the hours of 1pm-4.30pm.

We need around 20 marshals to make the trial possible; all marshals will receive training material to review beforehand and have a briefing on the day. If you are interested, please email centralnt@manchester.gov.uk no later than Mon 28th June 12pm.

Please note, the briefing session will take place online via Microsoft Teams on Tues 29th June from 5pm-6pm. If you do not have access to Microsoft Teams, please let us know.

We hope you can be available and look forward to working with you.

Alma Park School Street Trial

Posted on June 21, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

The council is organising a trial of a “School Street” at Alma Park Primary School.

What is a School Street?

A “School Street” means roads are closed to traffic for a specific period to encourage parents and pupils to walk and cycle to school rather than be dropped off or picked up by car. Council staff and volunteers will manage the trial. Alma Park Primary is sending letters out to parents and will be informing the community as well. At the moment this is a one-off trial.

This information is subject to confirmation from Manchester City Council. We will provide further information once we have received the full details from the council.

When?

The trial will happen on Thursday 1st July from 14.00-16.00

Where?

Alma Park Primary School and surrounding streets

Which roads are likely to be closed to traffic? (to be confirmed)

Marshall Road at its junction with Albert Road
Forest Range at its junction with Albert Road
Errwood Road from its junction with Alma Road to its junction with Carson Road
Alma Road at the railway bridge
All roads leading onto Errwood Road such as Arliss Avenue and Preston Road will have restricted access through the above access points.

Where do I park if I need to use my car?

We understand an arrangement has been reached with Levenshulme Tesco to allow people to use the Tesco car park as a “Park & Stride” facility.

What about buses?

We understand arrangements will be made for any buses to be walked through the School Street by a marshall.

Volunteering

Manchester City Council is looking for volunteers to help make the trial happen. Around 20 people are required and training will be given to marshall the trial. The invitation to volunteer is available HERE.

Further information

For general information about School Streets see HERE

Council Finally Launches More Vaccination Centres

Posted on June 18, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

Over a month after Manchester City Council designated eight areas of Manchester – including Levenshulme – as “High Risk” for Covid-19 infections with low vaccination take-up rates a series of new vaccination centres have been launched. These are walk-in facilities for anyone over the age of 18.

The LCA has been trying for the last four weeks to find out what action was being taken in Levenshulme. Unfortunately no Levenshulme councillors have been able to respond to any phone messages or requests for information in that time. David Regan, the Director of Public Health for Manchester said on 20 May that the city was in a “race against time” in the High Risk areas to prevent infection rates reaching around 300 with urgent action required in 2-3 weeks. We are now a month after this was stated and it is too late to prevent infection rates for Manchester rising from around 43 on 17 May to 328 on 13 June. Hopefully the new vaccination centres can now begin to reduce infection rates.

You can find a list of Manchester vaccination centres HERE

Pop-up vaccination clinics are listed HERE and below. Please note these centres are subject to change so check the link for the latest information.

Continue reading →

Greater Manchester Enhanced Response Area & Levenshulme High Risk Area for Covid-19

Posted on June 15, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

Greater Manchester has been designated an “Enhanced Response Area” for Covid-19 by the government. This follows Manchester City Council classifying Levenshulme as a “High Risk Area” on 20 May apparently because of low vaccination take up and the high incidence of infections.

David Regan, Director of Public Health for Manchester released a briefing note on 9 June which stated: “ERA work – which is like to start from the end of this week – will give us further support with the plans and strategies we already have in place, along with all the fantastic work that you and our communities are already doing.” You can read and download the full briefing note below.

One of those plans was to prevent infection rates increasing in High Risk areas like Levenshulme although it has been impossible to find out clear information of what this plan was or what measures were taken from 20 May. The intention was to prevent infection rates rising to around 300 as happened in Bolton. This was said to be “…a race against time” with “…a two to three week window” by David Regan. Infection rates for Manchester were around 45 on 17 May and 285 on 12 June.

Thanks to Joanna Midgley, Manchester City Council Executive member with responsibility for health for talking to Jeremy Hoad, LCA Secretary and providing the community briefing note. Unfortunately no Levenshulme councillors have been available over the past month to discuss these matters.

ERA-community-briefing-note Download

Continue reading →

Talk About It Mate Men’s Group

Posted on June 13, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

Talk About It Mate is a peer-support community interest organisation, promoting positive mental health and wellbeing.

They are currently running FREE sessions for men on Thursday evenings, 19.00 at Levenshulme Old Library on Cromwell Grove. The evenings provide a friendly, open and non-judgemental space to talk/listen/connect.

Pop-Up Art Exhibition On The Floop

Posted on June 11, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

Pop-up art exhibition on the Floop.

11.30 am onwards, Saturday, 12th June.

“If you’re wandering round Levy tomorrow, you might like to pop down and take a look at some of the stuff I’ve been painting in lockdown. You can find me on the grassy knoll behind the Crayfield Road entrance to the cycle path – just round the corner from the Antiques Village. Look forward to seeing you.“

Siobhan Daniel

Boundary Commission Proposes Abolishing Manchester Gorton

Posted on June 9, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

The Boundary Commission has released maps of its initial proposals. Levenshulme is currently in the Manchester Gorton parliamentary constituency. The proposal would mean this constituency is abolished and replaced with a new “Manchester Longsight” constituency.

The new constituency is shown below. You can also view the maps of the new constituency and other changes by entering your postcode on the interactive maps HERE.

2023 Review of Parliamentary constituencies

The Boundary Commission for England is the independent organisation responsible for reviewing Parliamentary constituency boundaries in England (see below for other parts of the UK).

The current review will conclude with a formal report and recommendations in June 2023, so it is referred to as the ‘2023 Review’. You can see a summary of the process HERE or read a more detailed description in the Guide to the 2023 Review. Recent changes to the law make it very likely that the recommendations from this review will be implemented, so the Boundary Commission encourages participation in the process by giving them your views through its website. You can use the Boundary Commission website to:

view current constituency and local authority boundaries;
view our proposals for new constituency boundaries; and
submit a response directly to us about our proposals (during a defined consultation period).

From the second consultation period onwards, you will also be able to:

view the responses submitted by others; and
submit a comment directly to us, supporting or contesting a response from somebody else.

The Boundary Commission has also produced a short and simple step by step guide on how to use its website and comment on the proposals.

Consultation is currently open until Tuesday 2nd August 2021 – please make sure any response is submitted by that date at the latest, or it will not be considered.

EU Settlement Scheme Deadline 30 June 2021

Posted on June 4, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

Now the UK has left the EU many people must register to remain living in the UK. You must register under the government’s European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS).

If you’re an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, you and your family can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK after 30 June 2021. You can also apply if you’re the family member of an eligible person of Northern Ireland. This is not optional if you want to continue living in the UK, it is compulsory.

The deadline for applying is 30 June 2021. You must usually have started living in the UK by 31 December 2020 to qualify for this scheme.

The scheme is FREE.

There are some variations to these general requirements. You can find full details on the government website HERE.

From 1 July 2021 a person’s presence in the UK will no longer be tolerated if they have not applied under the EUSS, they will be considered unlawfully resident. That person will face restrictions on rights and entitlements in the UK and will fall within the UK Government’s ‘hostile environment’ immigration policies until such time that they obtain pre-Settled Status or Settled Status.

It does not matter how long you have been living in the UK, if you fall under the EUSS the UK government requires you to register. If you do not register you could be forcibly removed.

For clarification all UK citizens also lost all rights to freedom of movement across the EU and all associated benefits they were eligible for in EU nations as a result of how the UK government has implemented Brexit. Each EU member has its own scheme for UK citizens already living there.

Free Meals from Foodcycle at Inspire

Posted on May 25, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

Foodcycle is currently running a Cook and Collect takeaway service at the Inspire Centre on Stockport Road. So if you would like a free, nutritious cooked meal, you can come and collect every Thursday between 7:30pm – 8:30pm.

VOLUNTEER

FoodCycle Levenshulme is only made possible with the great volunteers giving their time, enthusiasm and energy. We have opportunities available for people to come along and cook, host guests and be involved in collecting the surplus food donations from local suppliers.

You don’t need to have any previous cooking experience, although if you do that is just as welcome! We want as many local volunteers as possible and everyone is welcome to be a part of FoodCycle Levenshulme.

For more information check out: https://www.foodcycle.org.uk/who-we-are/locations/

Levenshulme Identified as a High Risk Area for Covid19 Infections

Posted on May 24, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

Covid-19 vaccination invitations are being sent out to adults aged over 18 in Levenshulme, Longsight, Cheetham, Crumpsall, Moss Side, Whalley Range, Rusholme, and Ardwick, with new walk-in vaccination centres also expected to open from 22 May 2021.

These neighbourhoods are deemed at ‘high risk’ of being particularly hard hit by the Indian Covid variant’s spread and have been identified because they have: struggled most with persistent rates of Covid during the pandemic; have high-risk ethnic minority populations; and have seen lower vaccine take-up than elsewhere.

Vaccinations will continue to move down the age brackets in the normal way elsewhere in the city, however, with health officials emphasising there is enough supply to keep the usual programme moving in parallel.

Further information and support

You can find the planned COVID-19 pop-up / walk-in vaccination centres HERE

A full list of COVID-19 vaccination centres in Manchester is available HERE

If you need help and support with food, medical supplies or other COVID-related support they can call Manchester’s Community Response Hub (MON-FRI 9am-5pm):

Freephone: 0800 234 6123
text: 078600 22876
email: COVIDSupport@manchester.gov.uk

This article includes information adapted from an article in the Manchester Evening News, 20 May 2021. You can read the full article HERE

COVID-19 Advice for South Asian Communities

Posted on May 24, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

Please share this message with South Asian Communities. You can download this briefing in Arabic, English, Gujarati, Indian Punjabi and Urdu (see below)

Briefing for South Asian Community Groups and Organisations

VOC-21-APR-02 is the technical term for the new variant of concern that was first identified in India. This variant is thought to be driving the increase in Covid cases being seen in younger adults across the North West, particularly in Bolton and Blackburn.

It is normal for any virus to change over time. Coronavirus is the same – and our vaccines are very effective in preventing serious illness against the strains. It’s also very normal – as with the flu vaccine – to tweak the vaccines or give boosters against new strains as they develop.

We are briefing community organisations and leaders for South Asian communities because the increase in cases has been particularly high, especially among the Pakistani and Indian population. It is important that we take steps to protect ourselves, our families and communities.

The public health team in Manchester has advised that:

– evidence that is being analysed suggests that this variant is more transmissible – or easier to spread.

– it has spread very quickly in other areas and so could spread very quickly among Manchester residents

– people who have not been vaccinated are more likely to catch the new variant and spread it to others

– we need to be cautious as the Covid restrictions in order to protect our communities- especially older family members who may not have been vaccinated and would be more vulnerable to severe disease

The public health team are also looking at providing vaccination, in line with JCVI guidance, to younger people in some parts of the city where the risk of the variant of concern spreading quickly is higher – as they are doing in Blacburn- they will keep us up to date with plans for this and how people can access the vaccine when it is available. As per national recommendations, any vaccine that is offered to people under 40 will either be Pfizer or Moderna.

What should we do now?

It’s really important that everyone who has symptoms, goes for a Covid test – that way we can monitor and pick up any new cases or strains very quickly and take the right action.

In addition, if you don’t have symptoms, Lateral flow or “rapid antigen” tests are free and you can get them and test twice a week.

Stay cautious, even though the rules are changing it is still important to
– limit the number of different people and households you mix with
– meet outdoors wherever possible
– keep washing hands, wiping surfaces, wearing masks or face coverings when needed, – keeping rooms ventilated and social distancing
– get your vaccine as soon as it is offered to you

If anyone needs help and support with food, medical supplies or other COVID-related support they can call Manchester’s Community Response Hub (MON-FRI 9am-5pm) on:

Freephone: 0800 234 6123
text: 078600 22876
email: COVIDSupport@manchester.gov.uk

Messages responded to by the next working day. The hub can help with:

• Access to food
• Delivery of medication
• Combating loneliness
• Managing fuel top-up payments
• Getting access to services online

You can download this briefing in the following languages:

COVID19-Indian-variant-ARABIC-Brief Download

COVID19-Indian-variant-ENGLISH-Brief Download

COVID19-Indian-variant-GUJARATI-Brief Download

COVID19-Indian-variant-INDIAN-PUNJABI-Brief Download

COVID19-Indian-variant-URDU-Brief Download

Recycle for Greater Manchester Community Fund

Posted on May 24, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

NEW Recycle for Greater Manchester Community Fund

Applications now open until 31st May 2021

Do you have an idea to help your community recycle, reduce or reuse? Apply for a grant of between £200 and £20,000 to get your green plans off the ground. The fund is a joint Recycle for Greater Manchester (R4GM) and Suez initiative to support Greater Manchester’s Community and Voluntary sector.

Full details are available HERE

Do you have an idea for a project?

Now is the time for you to start thinking about how your organisation can help us improve waste and recycling in Greater Manchester.

The fund aims to support projects which prevent, reuse, or recycle household waste, and also reduce contamination, promote sustainable use of waste and resources, and generate wider social benefits for the communities of Greater Manchester. We want to encourage and support innovative projects that are novel and involve a new and untried approach to tackling an issue in the key waste areas. Your project will need to focus on at least one of these areas.

This year we will focus on these priority areas:

waste prevention
increasing recycling
reuse of household waste
reducing contamination

Your project will need to focus on one or more of these priority waste streams:

Food waste
Paper and card
Glass
Textiles
Furniture
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment

When can I apply?

The Community Fund 2021-22 will be open for submission of applications from Thursday 1st April until 31st May 2021.

Who can apply?

Applications are welcome from Community and Voluntary Sector organisations such as:

Registered Charity (charity number must be provided)
Not-for-profit organisation (defined as a registered legal entity that does not make a private profit for directors, members, or shareholders)
Community, Neighbourhood or Voluntary Group
Faith group delivering community work
School, College or University

A walk-through application video from Greater Manchester Environment Fund can be found below.

The fund is supported through profits from the new ‘Renew’ reuse shops. The Renew shops will be opening spring 2021 and will be based at 3 household waste recycling centres:

Woodhouse Lane, Trafford
Boysnope Wharf in Salford
Arkwright St, Oldham

The shops will sell pre-owned items that have been donated by residents at Household Recycling Centres across Greater Manchester (excluding Wigan).

SHE MADE THAT Pop-Up Exhibition & Craft Market

Posted on May 20, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

SHE MADE THAT

Celebrating women makers.

A pop-up exhibition and mini craft market is coming to Levenshulme Old Library over the Bank Holiday weekend showcasing work made by @CreativeCityGM’s wonderful community of Manchester artists and crafters. wellbeing-boosting women’s projects, with gorgeous craft products for sale too.

Sat 29 & Sun 30 May, 12-4pm at Levy Old Library

Creative City’s projects use arts and crafts to boost confidence, wellbeing and resilience, and to amplify local voices. Empowering women and young people in Manchester.

Instagram, Twitter and Facebook – @CreativeCityGM

Website: https://www.creativecity.org.uk

Community Art Project

Posted on May 20, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

Ciara Leeming is organising a community art project. Submissions for the zine she is producing are welcome by 31st May 2021. You can submit entries or ask for further information by emailing Ciara on info@ciaraleeming.co.uk

Eid Mubarak

Posted on May 13, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

Eid Mubarak to everyone celebrating Eid ul Fitr at the end of Ramadan.

Covid-19 Vaccination Walk-In Clinics

Posted on May 12, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

For those who are yet to have their first Covid vaccination, there are currently slots available this week at the World Irish Heritage Centre.

Vaccinations at this walk in clinic are available for anyone over the age of 30, or those over 18 and clinically vulnerable.

Slots are available:

Today (Tuesday 11 May ) until 7.30pm.

Tomorrow (Wednesday 12 May) from 4pm – 7.30pm.

This is a first dose Pfizer walk in clinic so you do not need to make an appointment.

If you or someone in your family falls into one of these criteria then please go along/ ask them to go along to be vaccinated.

The address of the clinic is

The World Irish Heritage Centre

1 Irish Town Way

Cheetham Hill

Manchester

M8 0AE

Further details about location and accessibility can be found on the Manchester City Council Covid Vaccination Page HERE

Friends of Cringle Park Survey

Posted on April 27, 2021 by Site Admin

The Friends of Cringle Park and Field are doing a survey:

“The Friends of Cringle Park and Field want to create a vision and a long term plan to improve the park. To be able to do this we want to find out who uses the park, why they use it, what they like about it and what they would like to change. All the information you give us will help us secure money to improve the park.This is the first of what will be an annual survey. Please share the survey link with friends and family as we would like as many individual people as possible to complete it. The survey has 13 questions and should only take 5 minutes to complete. Thank you very much!”

Start the survey HERE

2021 Local Election Candidate Statements

Posted on April 23, 2021 by Site Admin

Levenshulme Community Association has asked all candidates in the 2021 local elections for statements. As always we have included both Levenshulme Ward and Burnage Ward because the ward boundaries run across our community. The statements are listed in the order candidates will appear on the ballot paper. The text of all statements is reproduced below as submitted by the candidates.

The official declaration of candidates can be found on the Manchester City Council website for Levenshulme HERE and for Burnage HERE.

Levenshulme Ward (5 candidates)

JEREMY HOAD (Independent)
ZAHID HUSSAIN (Labour Party)
GREG SAMMONS (Liberal Democrats)
ALEXANDRU STANCU (The Conservative Party Candidate)
DICK VENES (The Green Party)

Burnage Ward (5 candidates)

BRIAN CANDELAND (The Green Party)
BEV CRAIG (Labour Party)
JAMIE DWAN (Liberal Democrats)
SHAHED HOSSAIN (The Conservative Party Candidate)
ANDREA TIMONEY (Independent)

Levenshulme Ward

JEREMY HOAD (Independent)

Hello. I have lived in Levenshulme for almost 20 years. I love the people. I love the place.

Levenshulme is a special place with a strong diverse community that I am proud to be part of. However, many people tell me they do not feel they are being listened to, they are being taken for granted and problems persist year after year. I think we deserve better.

I will be an independent voice for Levenshulme, standing up for the priorities that we have as a community. Listening to everyone and fighting for you regardless of who you are.

I have never stood for election before or been a member of a political party and believe local politics should be about people, not parties. I am someone who knows the area, lives round the corner and who you can rely on to be open, honest and accessible.

I fought against the council’s proposals to close our baths and library and helped secure the new Arcadia facility. I am Secretary of Levenshulme Community Association and organise Levenshulme Pride, the largest free local Pride in Manchester. I have celebrated with you, been at vigils with you, campaigned with you and have challenged our councillors and council, holding them to account.

It would be an honour to represent Levenshulme as a councillor and to fight to make Levenshulme the best it can be. This is my community, your community, our community.

Think local. Be independent. Vote Jeremy Hoad on May 6.

Email: Jeremy.LevenshulmeM19@gmail.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/M19independents
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/m19independents
Twitter: https://twitter.com/m19independents

ZAHID HUSSAIN (Labour Party)

I’m Zahid Hussain and I’m the Labour candidate representing the Labour Party in Levenshulme. I’m a working dad with three young children. I run school literacy projects to inspire underprivileged children to become young Shakespeares.

There’s a lot to love about Levenshulme. Here local residents have launched projects like Levenshulme Clean Air and Barlow Road Community Orchard, two shining examples of the Mancunian spirit.

But sadly, Levenshulme faces challenges:

– Litter louts and fly-tipping fools cause misery. I will work with residents, community groups and businesses to sweep out the rubbish.

– Reckless drivers put everyone’s life at risk. I will work with Greater Manchester Police, the Community Safety Team, and residents to make Levenshulme safer.

– Manchester City Council has declared a Climate Emergency. We must make strides in getting the neighbourhood active and I encourage parents and children where it’s safe to walk to school.

– The Pandemic has hurt families, driven up unemployment and increased poverty. Food Banks are a lifeline to many, and I will work with local groups to get the resources they deserve. No child should go hungry in our city.

The ruling Conservatives have crippled the NHS. Today we live in a world of zero-hour contracts, endemic homelessness, few affordable homes, and rising hate crime. What’s the answer to this mess? A Labour government which puts communities first.

If elected on 6 May I will diligently represent Levenshulme and help make it an even better place in which to live, work and play.

GREG SAMMONS (Liberal Democrats)

Levenshulme Station needs Access for All.
For the last year, I have been in contact with TfGM, Network Rail and Northern; arguing the case for Levenshulme, after it emerged that Heaton Chapel got funding for long overdue accessibility. Wheelchair users still can’t catch a train, I’ve seen cyclists clambering to carry their bike up to the platforms and people with mobility issues would really struggle. Manchester City Council lacks ambition but Andy Burnham has finally cottoned on. I will fight to make sure that Levenshulme station is top of any Greater Manchester list.

Levenshulme Active Neighbourhood is a fantastic idea, poorly delivered.
Despite delays in consultations and getting things set up, it still seemed to come as a surprise to so many when it was finally implemented, with no explanation of how potential later phases might alleviate issues on boundary roads. Manchester City Council lacks ambition but I would work with them to establish better consultation and communication as we near the end of this trial period.

I am invested in making Levenshulme a better place.
I am the chair of Levenshulme Inspire Foundation, a charity serving our unique and diverse community. I’m a school governor at St Andrews, which my daughter attends. I was part of a group of local residents who organised a campaign to install a pop-up bike lane along Stockport Road using government money last summer. I have campaigned alongside Clean Air Levenshulme for School Streets. Manchester City Council lacks ambition but I don’t.

ALEXANDRU STANCU (The Conservative Party Candidate)

I am running as candidate because I want accountability from our Local governence. Labour also seem to only pass the blame for their obvious failings are down to “cuts”, but ask yourself this: “How have Conservative councils with the same “cuts” elsewhere managed their finances to produce infinitely better local services than Manchester?”

The answer is that it is actually down to 25 years of uninterrupted local mismanagement. They treat residents with lofty contempt, believing they can take our votes for granted. We, on the other hand, are committed to fighting for the interests of everyone left behind by Labour. So if elected, my priorities are:

– Tackling crime. Manchester has one of the worst crime rates in Britain, with just 3% of crimes prosecuted. Police should be on beat and not the tweet.

– Stopping our local green spaces being sold off, like Nutsford Vale – being earmarked for development. Disregarding resident’s wishes to create a wildlife haven and wasting millions of pounds spent re-purposing the area into a wonderful conservation area.

– Restore/preserve our heritage site. Manchester City Council has the worst record when it comes to looking after our civic heritage, just look at Levenshulme Library back in 2016. I vow to restore our neglected heritage areas for tourists and residents alike to enjoy.

– Encourage educational opportunities for children of every background via partnership & outreach programmes.

On May 6, YOUR vote can have a critical difference to the political future for Levenshulme and for Manchester.

Your Sincerely,

Dr Alexandru Stancu
Conservative Candidate for Levenshulme

DICK VENES (The Green Party)

Once again, I’m the Green Party candidate for Levenshulme ward because I think it’s important for citizens to have the opportunity to vote for a party which places care of the Earth’s environment and people at the heart of its policies.

A healthy Green vote will act as a signal to Manchester’s Labour Council that the citizens of Levenshulme wish the protection of the local and global environments, including big issues such as climate change, to feature much more strongly in the Council’s actions.

Manchester’s political leaders often claim a link to Manchester’s radical past. In my view, this has been lost in the mists of time as the Council has embraced conventional economic theories of continuous ‘economic growth’ at the expense of an increasing inequality of citizens, and increasing adverse environmental impacts, particularly climate change.

At a local level, Levenshulme deserves better action on:

congestion, walking and cycling;
air pollution and related health issues;
support for community groups;
planning for affordable housing;

If elected, these will be my main areas of interest.

I have lived in the area for over 40 years. Now retired, my main career was as a brewer, latterly at Joseph Holt’s. I have always been involved in community organisations, including spells on the committees of sports clubs, as a cycling campaigner, and an active member of the Friends of the Fallowfield Loop.

Thanks to the LCA for organising one of the few ward hustings held in advance of the local elections!

—Levenshulme Ward Statements End—

Burnage Ward

BRIAN CANDELAND (The Green Party)

Brian has been a member of the Green Party for almost forty years and has lived in South Manchester for the past thirty-six years. Over the years he has represented the Party in elections at local, Parliamentary and European level. He is currently Chair of the Greater Manchester Green Parties Federation.

Now retired, his other interests include amateur dramatics and walking. He is a member of Friends of the Fallowfield Loop.

Brian’s priorities if elected include affordable housing and improving the local environment including protecting green spaces. He wants to see better, more-integrated public transport, cleaner air, and improved walking and cycling. He strongly supports the principle of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods but feels they need better consultation than has been the case in the Levenshulme Burnage area. Brian said “We must treat the climate emergency with the seriousness which it deserves, and all our policies must be built on that. “Burnage is an interesting, diverse and underrated part of the City with historic and beautiful areas; it would be an honour to serve the people of Burnage as a city councillor.”

BEV CRAIG (Labour Party)

I am so proud to have been a Burnage Councillor for the last 10 years and I hope with your support I can continue delivering for our local area.

Moving to Manchester from Belfast, I love our city and having lived in Burnage and Levenshulme for over a decade, I’m passionate about making it an even better place to live.

The last decade of Tory and Lib Dem cuts has been hard for our city and the council had £400million axed from its budget. Despite this I’ve stood up for our area, representing you and getting stuff done. I have championed reducing poverty, affordable housing, health, and equality causes.

This last year has been tough for us all. As the Cabinet Member For Health and Wellbeing, I’ve overseen the city’s response to the COVID crisis and am so proud of how our city and local communities like ours came together, so I want to say thank you.

Pledges: A local Labour voice, standing up for you

Fairer: keep building more affordable housing, reduce poverty and support the vulnerable
Cleaner: Take action on litter and fly-tipping
Safer: Call for more police to reduce crime and antisocial behaviour and safer roads for all
Greener: Tackling the Climate Crisis, planting more trees and investment in parks and green spaces
Supporting you: Continue supporting local community groups, and the hundreds of individual residents I help each year

I always want to hear your views, please get in touch: cllr.bev.craig@manchester.gov.uk

JAMIE DWAN (Liberal Democrats)

Manchester is a fantastic city. We are a real home for culture, innovation, and a melting pot of ideas and cultures. I’m proud to have been born here and to live in the south of the city to this day, and I love living in a community with such variety.

However, our city has real issues. Growth is a good thing, but too often, too few people have seen the benefits of Manchester’s expansion. In my eyes, a large contributing factor to this is the lack of transparency and accountability at City Hall. Manchester has been a one-party state for too long, and we need change.

The Liberal Democrats have always been the main voice of opposition to Labour in Manchester, and to this day fight the corner for transparency, decency, and to create a Council that listens. That fierce localist spirit is what attracted me to the Lib Dems, and is what I want to bring to the table at City Hall.

If elected as your next City Councillor, I will be a tireless voice of opposition in holding Labour to account. I will bolster the opposition group and bring a fresh, younger perspective to the table. I’ll also be sure to deliver a regular FOCUS newsletter and update on my activities to Burnage residents and keep in touch all year round, not just at election time.

I hope that you consider voting for me as a much-needed voice of opposition at City Hall!

SHAHED HOSSAIN (The Conservative Party Candidate)

I moved to Manchester in 2005, after I completed my BSc on Business Management at Roehampton University. Since then I have been an engaged member of the community: doing charity work; being a member of the Darussalm Mosque in Longsight; and have volunteering over 422 hours to the NHS to help them response to the ongoing pandemic.

If elected, my priorities will be:

More transparency within council management: Labour has abandoned any attempt to create balanced communities in Manchester and treated with contempt people whose votes they believe can be taken for granted.

To hold the Labour council accountable. They tell everyone their obvious failings are down to “Tory cuts”, yet countless other councils are able to do more for their residents with less money.

Relieve the city’s badly congested road network – we need a transport service that can get us across and around Manchester not just a funnelled service which leads to/from the city centre going down a few main roads.

Combat fly-tipping – we need to return to more regular bin collection from monthly to fortnightly. We also need to ease access to tips and reduce the permit charge, a policy which has directly led to increased fly-tipping. The emphasis should be shifted to community service/fines to those found guilty of fly-tipping.

Do not accept yet another year of abuse and neglect of our city. Vote Conservative on 6^th may and let’s foster a new age of pride and opportunity in Manchester.

Your Faithfully,

Md Shahed Hossian Your Humble, Conservative Candidate for Burnage

ANDREA TIMONEY (Independent)

Hi, my name is Andrea Timoney, and I am standing as an independent candidate for the Burnage ward in 2021. I am passionate about the area and it would be a privilege to represent Burnage if elected on 6^th May.

Burnage is a great place to live, but there are always things we’d like to improve. I have lived here for six years and I can see the great projects which happen all over Burnage and the positive changes that can come about when residents and community groups work together locally.

If I am elected as your councillor I would like to focus on key areas such as:

– Roads and transport – promoting speed reduction measures in the ward to improve pedestrian safety and addressing the bus service reduction locally

– Crime and safety – working with GMP to get more PCs and PCSOs patrolling in Burnage

– Investment in youth services – working with schools and community groups to identify gaps in youth provision and promote the development of facilities for younger people as a long term investment in the area.

Being independent means I don’t answer to a political party. Instead, I promise to listen to residents and always fight for what is best for us.

Working with fellow independent candidate Jeremy Hoad in the Levenshulme ward, we will be working across the whole of M19 to benefit all of our community because I really feel we deserve better.

Please get in touch with me on Andrea.BurnageM19@gmail.com

Join our Facebook Group ‘M19 Independents’

—Burnage Ward Statements End—

Twice weekly rapid testing to be available to everyone in England

Posted on April 5, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

Everyone in England will be able to access free, regular, rapid coronavirus testing from 9 April, the Government has announced.

Everyone in England, including those without symptoms, will be able to take a free rapid coronavirus (COVID-19) test twice a week
Alongside vaccine rollout, regular testing is at the heart of plans to reopen society and the economy, helping to suppress and control the spread of variants
Updates will be made to the NHS COVID-19 app in England to coincide with the universal testing offer

Further information available HERE

Doorstep Vigil

Posted on March 12, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

The streets should be safe for all women. Right to Walk MCR are holding a doorstep vigil at 6pm on 13th March.

Please think of Sarah Everard, the woman who went missing recently and who has now been confirmed as dead, and all women who face violence, by lighting a candle on your doorstep at 6pm this Saturday. All women should have the right to walk the streets without fea wherever they live.

Information is also on a Facebook Page HERE for sharing.

Funding for Eco Streets

Posted on March 9, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

Design Your Own Eco-Street from Groundwork Greater Manchester gives communities the chance to win £6,000 funding to transform an unused area into a green space.

The Eco-Streets competition seeks to transform two un-used, un-loved areas in Greater Manchester into spaces that feature nature-based-solutions to climate change. Each design will receive £6,000 in funding and support from Groundwork’s Community Enablers to transform their spaces in 2021.

With support from Groundwork, Eco-Streets will equip communities with the skills to design, install and maintain natural features to create vibrant, green community spaces to benefit people while tackling climate change.  

Further information including eligibility and how to register interest is available HERE

Image from Groundwork Greater Manchester

The Roadmap Out Of Lockdown

Posted on March 8, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

David Regan, Director of Public Health for Manchester, explains some of the key dates for the relaxation of lockdown restrictions assuming the changes go to plan and are confirmed by the government.

Throughout the next few months we must all still adhere to social distancing rules and the hands / face / space guidance.

See below for the full government announcement how the rules will change and when that can also be viewed HERE.

Continue reading →

IWD at Highfield Country Park

Posted on March 8, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

If you go down to Highfield Country Park today, you’ll be sure of a big suprise!

Leve Ramblers are setting up fact sheets for you to hunt down for International Women’s Day.

Why don’t you venture out and see who you can find? Who’ll be the first to find them all? On your marks, get set…. GO

This event is made possible with the support of Manchester City Council.

Levenshulme Community Directory

Posted on March 7, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

Over the past year Levenshulme Community Association has developed the Levenshulme Community Directory. This LCA project, developed and led by LCA Secretary Jeremy Hoad, is a resource for our community and promotes Levenshulme to the wider world.

The Community Directory shares information, supports community cohesion and links people together as well as supporting several key aims identified in the Levenshulme Community Manifesto.

The Directory provides listings organised into five themed sections as well as a complete A-Z page:

The Community Directory is a “live” resource and always open to additions and improvements. If you have anything you think should or could be added then please get in touch.

International Women’s Day At Highfield Country Park

Posted on March 3, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

Monday 8th March is International Women’s Day. Levenshulme Ramblers encourages residents to travel to Highfield country park to learn about the various women that shaped our city.

Across highfield there will be over 20 information sheets dotted around the place. Who can you find? And what will you learn?

This is socially distanced activity for International Women’s Day in conjunction with and funded by Manchester City Council.

Thanks to Levenshulme Ramblers for organising this.

Expanded Levenshulme Market Secures Another Four Years

Posted on February 18, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

CORRECTION:

Unfortunately it appears this report was a little premature. The information is contained in a report to the council’s planning committee and was not the actual decision of the planning committee. Apologies for this mistake. It turns out what was reported was a planning officer’s report with a recommendation to approve the planning application. The decision was due yesterday (18/02/21) but has now been deferred to a future date to allow additional information to be submitted. We hope whatever clarifications required are secured. The current arrangements remain in place until August 2021.

————-

(Post edited to reflect the current situation pending a final decision by the council planning committee.)

The popular and successful Levenshulme Market operating as a Community Interest Company ~~is here to stay~~ [has submitted an application to continue] for another four years.

Manchester City Council ~~approved~~ [considered] the planning application today (18 February 2021) for an operating licence for Levenshulme Market for another four years. Not just as it is, though, as the market has big ambitions and will be operating throughout the year. These operating times were approved:

Fridays (up to 12 weeks a year) 16.00-22.00
Saturdays (52 weeks a year) 10.00-16.00
Sundays (up to 12 weeks a year) 10.00-17.00

The previous operating times for the market were:

Saturdays (March to December), 10.00-16.00
Fridays (ups to 10 days per year), 17.00-21.00

The market ~~will~~ [has applied to] continue to operate over the same area it currently uses across the southern half of the Levenshulme Station car park taking up approximately 50% of available parking spaces and providing 50 market stalls. The provision for 10 market stalls previously permitted on Levenshulme Village Green ~~has been~~ [would be] removed [under the new arrangements].

There are also plans to install a mains electricity supply for use by the market that will enable the current use of a generator to be phased out.

The ~~decision~~ [recommendation] includes this assessment:

“The operation market would give the district a distinctive retail offer that would contribute to the continued regeneration of the district centre, which would be particularly important to local economic recovery in the post-COVID period. The market is operated as a local social enterprise and many of its traders are from the surrounding area thereby demonstrating its links with the local area. It would also provide an important outlet for the sustained operation of local businesses. The development would present continued opportunities for social interaction and engagement across a diverse community.”

A new site management plan is to be agreed formalising the existing arrangements that also includes provision of stewards to direct vehicles and pedestrians, new signs and arranging remote parking for traders who do not require access to their vehicles so that the remaining parking spaces are fully accessible to the public when the market is operating.

St Peter’s Church West Window Repairs

Posted on February 17, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

The West Window of St Peter’s Church that faces onto Stockport Road is to be restored.

The congregation of St Peter’s is delighted to announce that, following fundraising from within the congregation, grant awards and with the support of the community, this project is now going ahead. Work began on 1^st February 2021 on the West Window of the Church, which due to age and weathering is in need of repair and restoration. The project is costly and has been made possible with a large grant from Viridor Credits Environmental Company, smaller grants from the All Churches Trust and The Duchy of Lancaster and generous giving from individuals.

The building can now be made weather proof for the continued use by the congregation and their community support initiatives as well as a resource for the community. Following the restoration of the Lych-gate in 2018 in time for the First World War Centenary, St Peter’s hopes this project will enhance the view from the A6 and the visual environment of Levenshulme.

George Reeves, Rector of Levenshulme said:

“St Peter’s church is an iconic building in the heart of Levenshulme. As well as a treasured place of worship, its work in the community is secured by the renovation of the big West Window, generously funded by Viridor Credits, other grant makers and members of the congregation of St Peter’s.”

The full press release can be read HERE

A New Look For The New Levenshulme

Posted on February 7, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

The new Levenshulme Pub has a fantastic new look. Colin Campbell and Chris Thompson who run the pub have been working hard during lockdown to refurbish it. On 6 February the makeover came to the front in style with a huge rainbow flag across the full width of the building closely followed by a live streaming of entertainment by Jordan William Smart.

“The new Levenshulme is an LGBT+ friendly venue where everyone is welcome. This is the place where you’re safe. This is the place where you’re entertained. We have worked hard during lockdowns to create a new business concept. We hope you all like it.”
Colin Campbell, The Levenshulme

This new look for the new Levenshulme coincides with Greater Manchester Hate Crime Awareness Week (1-7 February 2021) which aims to raise awareness of hate crimes and increase reporting of incidents. This is particularly relevant following a hate incident against a gay man in Levenshulme last week. This does not reflect the wonderful, diverse and supportive community in Levenshulme but shows we must all be vigilant and stand together against hate of all kinds.

Levenshulme is also home to the largest independent local Pride in Manchester outside the city centre which was itself started after a homophobic hate incident. Levenshulme Pride will be held this year 13-15 August 2021, covid restrictions permitting.

The New Levenshulme is on Stockport Road beside the Antiques Village.

959 Stockport Road, Manchester, M19 3NP Tel. 0161 2242629

Photographs courtesy of Jeremy Hoad

Census 2021 LCA partnership with the ONS

Posted on February 5, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

Levenshulme Community Association is partnering with the Office for National Statistics to provide information and advice on the census that will take place on Sunday 21 March 2021.

We have created a dedicated page for the census that will have information and advice added to it to help everyone understand the census and why it is important. You can view the page HERE or click on the link in the menu at the top of the LCA website.

Chapel Street Park Funding Bid

Posted on January 15, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

UPDATE: The group won and has secured £5,000 funding for their proposals in Chapel Street Park.

A new local group, Friends of Chapel Street Park are in the running for a £5,000 grant to make improvements to the park. Their proposal is:

“Chapel Street Park is the oldest park in Levenshulme, near Manchester, and is a green space surrounded by terraced housing and flats, most of which don’t have gardens of their own. The local Friends of the Park group have grand plans for the former bowling green that’s in desperate need of some restoration, and they aim to transform the space into a sunshine-inspired community garden with areas dedicated to vegetable growing, wildlife and wellbeing.”
Friends of Chapel Street Park Higgidy funding bid

Three grants of £5,000 are being made by the Higgidy Family Kitchen company. The winners will be announced on 25 January 2021.

You can view all ten shortlisted projects and vote for your favourite HERE

EDIT: Click HERE to see the Manchester Evening News article on the Friends of Chapel Street Park proposals.

Higgidy Winners Announcement

“We’d like to say a huge congratulations to Brighton Women’s Refuge, Chapel Street Park and the Little Growers Club who are our three lucky #SeedsofJoy competition winners!
These projects have won £5000 each to go towards their beautiful community veg garden projects. Alongside this, they’ll receive a special consultation with @francestophill to get them going on their project.Thank you to everyone who has entered and supported this competition, we hope that you’ll all continue growing veggies and reaping the benefits that community gardens have to offer.”

New Lidl Store Consultation Closes Today

Posted on January 15, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

Lidl are proposing to build a new supermarket on the Fallowfield Retail Park on Birchdfields Road near the roundabouts at the top of Kingsway.

The plans would mean demolishing all buildings on the right hand side of the entrance road apart from the Hawthorne Medical Practice and replacing them with a new Lidl store which is anticipated to create around 40 jobs.

You can read the MEN article about the plans HERE. Please note the phone number given at the end of this article is incorrect.

You can comment on the proposals HERE.

The consultation ends on Friday 15 January 2021.

Fallowfield Retail Park Lidl Store Plans, (image courtesy of Lidl GB)

Food Cycle Free Meals At Inspire

Posted on January 15, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

New Free Meal Service

Food Cycle has launched a free cook and collect service at Levenshulme Inspire on Stockport Road.

The Cook and Collect takeaway service launched on Thursday 14th January. If you would like a free, nutritious cooked meal, you can go and collect one every Thursday between 7:30pm – 8:30pm.

How to Volunteer

You can also volunteer to help. There are opportunities for people to cook, host guests and be involved in collecting the surplus food donations from local suppliers.

“You don’t need to have any previous cooking experience, although if you do that is just as welcome! We want as many local volunteers as possible and everyone is welcome to be a part of FoodCycle Manchester.”

New Covid19 Vaccination Centre At The Jain Centre and Volunteer Opportunities

Posted on January 13, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

The Jain Centre (667/669 Stockport Road, Manchester, M12 4QE, beside Crowcroft Park) is scheduled to open as a covid19 vaccination centre on Saturday 16 January 2021.

If you are eligible for a vaccination at this point you will be contacted by your GP and will be invited to attend one of 7 sites across the city to receive the vaccine – most likely the one closest to where you live.

Information on how to volunteer as a covid19 marshall at the new covid19 vaccination centres is provided below.

Volunteering: Manchester’s Covid-19 Vaccination Programme

Manchester Community Central (Macc) and Volunteer Centre Manchester are supporting Manchester Health and Care Commissioning (MHCC) with its recruitment to support Manchester’s Covid-19 vaccination programme at community-based sites across the city.

How to get involved

At present, the majority of vaccination sites urgently need *Volunteer Marshals to safely direct patients on site when they; arrive, receive their vaccination and exit, along with supporting car park traffic and handing out PPE and information.

To express your interest in supporting at the vaccine sites, choose from the locations below and follow the instructions to register. Your details will be passed on to the team in charge, and they will contact you if they require your help.

If you can travel to help out in more than one of the areas that is listed below, choose ‘I can help anywhere’.

If you require any further information about this role, please contact the MHCC Engagement Team by telephone on 0161 213 1756 or email mhcc.engagement@nhs.net.

Further information on who is eligible to volunteer and other volunteering opportunities is available on the Macc website HERE.

Active Neighbourhood Phase 2 (Burnage) Consultation Extended And Online Events Announced

Posted on January 11, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

Phase 2 Consultation deadline extended

The consultation for what has been reclassified as Phase 2 of the Levenshulme and Burnage Active Neighbourhood covering part of Burnage Ward has been extended to 25 January 2021. The council website says 21 January but letters recently sent out to some people now state 25 January.

You can leave comments by sending an email to the project levyburnageproject@manchester.gov.uk or giving feedback using the project website HERE

PHASE 2 Online Events

The council Project Team is also planning four online video events to allow people to comment. These are planned to happen in January. The council says it is organising these meetings geographically “…to allow people to talk in more detail about their local area and hear the views of their neighbours“. Each meeting will last one hour.

The meetings will be:

A Grangethorpe Drive, Crossley Road and connecting streets and the area to the south of the LBAN boundary between A34 Kingsway to the south of Cringle Park

B Area between A34 Kingsway and Burnage Lane, south of Fallowfield Loop

C Area bounded by A34, Moseley Road, and streets off Slade Lane north of the Fallowfield Loop

D Area bounded by Albert Road and the railway line, and streets off Forrest Range and Errwood Road north of the Fallowfield Loop

E Area bounded by Stockport Road and Crossley Road, including streets off Errwood Road south of the Fallowfield Loop

If you are interested in attending one of the online events to talk about the trial in Phase 2 of the project covering the Burnage Ward please email: levyburnageproject@manchester.gov.uk stating which event (A-E) you wish to attend.

NOTE: The project email address has not been working for some weeks. If you have any difficulty all we can suggest is you keep trying. The council has been made aware of this problem.

Elections postponed

Posted on January 11, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

The elections scheduled for May 6 2021 have been postponed because of the pandemic. This includes both the local elections and the election of the Greater Manchester Mayor.

New dates have not been confirmed yet but the elections are expected to take place in the summer (June or July). There is also the possibility they may be delayed further to the autumn.

The option of holding elections using postal ballots only has been ruled out.

We will post again when further information is available.

You can read the BBC News report on this HERE

Levenshulme Businesses Invited To Active Neighbourhood Meeting

Posted on January 11, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

The council is holding an online event for businesses to discuss the Levenshulme and Burnage Active Neighbourhood scheme Phase 1 (Levenshulme). The Project Team says:

“We felt that people attending [previous] events did not fully represent all of the business community in Levenshulme, and for this reason, we are reaching out to offer an additional event to ensure local businesses are aware of the scheme and have the chance to have their say.”

The event will take place at 18.00-19.00 on Thursday 14 January, 2021

The meeting will be attended by Levenshulme Councillors, colleagues from the Highways Service and Central Neighbourhood Team.

If you wish to attend the meeting please email the project at: Levyburnageproject@manchester.gov.uk

Please also share this information with any other businesses in the area who you think would be interested in taking part. The Active Neighbourhood project and the current trial of road blocks / “modal filters” are likely to have a significant impact on businesses. You can find a list of the locations at www.manchester.gov.uk/consultations.

[EDIT: The project email address is now working again]

Thee project email address has not been working properly recently so please feel free to email the LCA and we will pass your request on to the Project Team. If you cannot get through on the project email use this email address <secretary@levenshulmecommunity.org.uk> and add “LBAN Business Meeting” in the subject line.

What are the new Lockdown rules?

Posted on January 6, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

We are now in another lockdown introduced by the government to attempt to reduce Covid19 infection rates. This is particularly in response to the rapid spread of the new variant of the virus which is much easier to catch. The Health Secretary and Prime Minister have both stated that the virus is currently out of control. These rules became law on Monday 4 January and have subsequently been ratified on Wednesday 6 January in a retrospective debate and vote in Parliament.

You can read the full government guidance HERE.

Summary: what you can and cannot do during the national lockdown

You must stay at home. The single most important action we can all take is to stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives.

You should follow this guidance immediately. The law will be updated to reflect these new rules.

Leaving home

You must not leave, or be outside of your home except where necessary. You may leave the home to:

shop for basic necessities, for you or a vulnerable person
go to work, or provide voluntary or charitable services, if you cannot reasonably do so from home
exercise with your household (or support bubble) or one other person, this should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area.
meet your support bubble or childcare bubble where necessary, but only if you are legally permitted to form one
seek medical assistance or avoid injury, illness or risk of harm (including domestic abuse)
attend education or childcare – for those eligible

Colleges, primary and secondary schools will remain open only for vulnerable children and the children of critical workers. All other children will learn remotely until February half term. Early years settings remain open.

Higher Education provision will remain online until mid February for all except future critical worker courses.

If you do leave home for a permitted reason, you should always stay local – unless it is necessary to go further, for example to go to work. Stay local means stay in the village, town, or part of the city where you live.

If you are clinically extremely vulnerable you should only go out for medical appointments, exercise or if it is essential. You should not attend work

Meeting others

You cannot leave your home to meet socially with anyone you do not live with or are not in a support bubble with (if you are legally permitted to form one).

You may exercise on your own, with one other person, or with your household or support bubble. This should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area.

You cannot meet other people you do not live with, or have not formed a support bubble with, unless for a permitted reason.

Stay 2 metres apart from anyone not in your household.

Action on Dangerous Planters

Posted on January 6, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

Large wooden planters were installed on 14 roads across Levenshulme on Monday 4 January as part of the council’s Active Neighbourhood scheme for Levenshulme and Burnage.

Currently the planters pose a significant danger as there are no signs on them and no reflective hazard strips. They are particularly dangerous when it gets dark as well as when people come across them unexpectedly on the roads. No road signs are in place to warn of changes to the road layout either. Unfortunately some planters have also been moved and modifications have been made to block pavements to prevent vehicles driving around the planters.

LCA Secretary Jeremy Hoad has been in touch with councillors to highlight these problems and the LCA can confirm that:

Warning signs will be added to the planters starting on Wednesday 5 January to be completed by Friday 7 January at the latest;
Street signs will be installed to notify road users of the change to road layout and restricted access;
Additional measures will be put in place to make the planters more secure, possibly by adding brackets and bolting them to the ground or linking them together.
New bollards will be installed on pavements either side of the planters to prevent vehicles driving around the planters.

This is very welcome news and will make the planters more effective and safe during this six month trial.

How to give feedback

A formal consultation is now active. If you wish to comment you can use the project website HERE.

You can also email the Project Team: levyburnageproject@manchester.gov.uk (please note that this email address is currently not working but the council is aware of this and looking into it)

If you wish to lodge an objection (quoting reference L/GS/EVD2001/1887) you can email the council here: phlegal@manchester.gov.uk

or write to the council:

Fiona Ledden, City Solicitor PO Box 532, Town Hall, Manchester, M60 2LA

Active Neighbourhood Trials Announced

Posted on January 3, 2021 by Jeremy Hoad

Active Neighbourhood will start very soon

The formal notification of the Levenshulme and Burnage Active Neighbourhood has been published. You can view the announcement HERE or read the text below. The notice was dated 18 December 2020 and states it will come into force on 26 December 2020.

Phase 1 of the scheme will install 14 road blocks / “modal filters” for at least six months across Levenshulme. The council has said that a further five road blocks / “modal filters” might be added during the trial but this has not been confirmed yet.

The council had originally said the trial measures would be installed from 4-8 January 2021 but now says “early January”.

A consultation on measures for Phase 2 (covering parts of Burnage Ward) is still live. You can take part and submit comments HERE or by emailing the council directly <levyburnageproject@manchester.gov.uk>. This consultation closes on 21 January 2021.

Where are the road blocks / “modal filters” going?

The 14 filters which will be installed on a trial basis early in the New Year are at:

Buckhurst Road
Cardus Street (North)
Delamere Road and Gordon Avenue
Dorset Road
Caremine Avenue
Guildford Road
Henderson Street
Longden Road
Manor Road (East)
Mayford Road
Molyneux Road
Osborne Road
Portville Road and Randolph Street
Victoria Road

Unfortunately the council has not provided any detailed plans of where these road blocks / “modal filters” will be located or whether parking spaces will need to be removed to allow vehicles accessing these roads to turn around despite repeated requests for greater clarity and detail.

Five more proposed filters are being paused until an assessment can be made of what their impact would be on surrounding residential streets, but could still form part of the phase 1 trial, with alternative solutions to be considered as part of the wider scheme development. These are at Chapel Street (East), Crayfield Road, Dunstable Street, Manor Road (West) and Marley Road.

Public Announcement Text

Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984

Notice is hereby given that on the 11th December 2020 Manchester City Council made the following Orders under Sections 9 and 10 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The Orders, which will be introduced on an experimental basis for a period of up to 18 months are as follows:- City of Manchester (Various Roads, Levenshulme) (Prohibition of Driving Except Cycles And Revocation) (Experimental) Order 2020

The effect of the Order will be to introduce the following:

Experimental Prohibition Of Driving (Except Cycles) on –

Buckhurst Rd – both sides from its junction with Albert Road in a northerly direction for a distance of 3 metres.

Cardus St – both sides from its junction with Cromwell Grove in a northerly direction for a distance of 3 metres.

Caremine Ave – both sides from a point 10 metres west of its junction with Lonsdale Road in a westerly direction for a distance of 3 metres.

Dorset Rd – both sides from its junction with Fairbourne Road in a westerly direction for a distance of 3 metres.

Gordon Ave – Gordon Avenue/Delamere Road junction, from the north east corner of the junction to the south west corner with a minimum width of 2 metres.

Guildford Rd – both sides from a point 2 metres south west of its junction with Norley Drive in a south westerly direction for a distance of 3 metres.

Henderson St – both sides from a point 32 metres north west of its junction with Nall Street in a north westerly direction for a distance of 3 metres.

Longden Rd – both sides from its junction with Stovell Avenue in an easterly direction for a distance of 2 metres.

Manor Rd – both sides from a point 80 metres east of its junction Audley Road in an easterly direction for a distance of 3 metres.

Mayford Rd – both sides from a its junction with Stockport Road in an easterly direction for a distance of 3 metres.

Molyneux Rd – both sides from its junction with Cumbrae Road in a southerly direction for a distance of 2 metres.

Osborne Rd – both sides from its junction with Slade Lane in a north easterly direction for a distance of 5 metres.

Randolph St – both sides from a point 13.5 metres south of its junction with Mayford Road in a southerly direction for a distance of 3 metres.

Victoria Rd – both sides from its junction with Albert Road in a north westerly direction for a distance of 3 metres.

City of Manchester (Cardus Street, Manchester) (Experimental Revocation of One Way Traffic) Order 2020 The above Order is revoked in its entirety.

The Orders shall come into operation on 26th December 2020.

A copy of the Orders, together with the plans showing the roads to which they relate and a Statement of the Council’s Reasons for making the Orders may be inspected at Customer Service Centre Ground Floor, Town Hall Extension M60 2LA (for Sat. Nav. use M2 5DB) between the hours of 9.00am and 4.30pm on Monday to Friday inclusive for a period of 6 months until 26th June 2021. Due to Covid 19 restrictions please ensure that the Contact Centre is open before attending. If it is closed or you are unable to attend, a copy of the plan may be requested (without payment) by emailing phlegal@manchester.gov.uk or writing to the address at the end of this notice.

The City Council will be considering in due course whether the provisions of the Order should be continued in force indefinitely. Within a period of six months from the coming into force of the Order or if the Order is subsequently varied or amended from the coming into force of the variation or modification (whichever is the latter) any person may object to the indefinite continuation of the provisions of the Orders.

Any person wishing to object should submit their grounds of objection in writing to phlegal@manchester.gov.uk or the address below no later than 26th June 2021 quoting reference L/GS/EVD2001/1887.

Any person who wishes to question the validity of the Orders or of any provision contained in it on the grounds that they are not within the powers conferred by the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 or on the grounds that any requirement of that Act or of any instrument made under it have not been complied with in relation to the Order may within six weeks from 11th December 2020 apply to the High Court for such purpose.

Signed: Fiona Ledden, City Solicitor PO Box 532, Town Hall, Manchester, M60 2LA

Dated: 18th December 2020

TM REF: 226043115-01

LCA collaboration on 2021 Census

Posted on December 18, 2020 by Jeremy Hoad

Levenshulme Community Association is pleased to confirm that we are partnering with the Office of National Statistics (ONS) to provide information on the 2021 census.

The 2021 Census will take place on 21 March. Resources, information and guidance will be provided on the LCA website to help understand the value, purpose and importance of the census as well as how to take part.

Jeremy Hoad, LCA Secretary has already had a meeting with ONS staff to explore collaboration. Keep an eye out for further announcements but in the meantime you can find more information on the dedicated ONS census website HERE

What is the Census?

“The census is a survey that happens every 10 years and gives us a picture of all the people and households in England and Wales. The census is unique. There’s simply nothing else that gives so much detail about us and the society we live in.
All kinds of organisations, from local authorities to charities, use the information to help provide the services we all need, including transport, education and healthcare. Without the census, it would be much more difficult to do this.
By taking part, you’ll be helping make sure you and your community get the services needed now and in the future.”
Office for National Statistics

Active Neighbourhood Delays

Posted on December 12, 2020 by Jeremy Hoad

It looks like the start of the Levenshulme and Burnage Active Neighbourhood trial has been delayed (although it is possible we have missed the formal announcement).

The council would have had to issue formal notification of the Phase 1 road blocks / “modal filters” trial today at the latest if it was to start on 19 December as previously announced. However, there is no notice in the “public notices” section of the MEN. The council’s website also makes no mention of the trial starting on 19 December and the project website also has no announcements or updates.

In fact, reference to the Phase 1 trial start date has been removed from the council’s website which now says “The trial measures will start to be put in place from December (during school holidays).” So the trial is still planned to start in December but it doesn’t look like that will happen on 19 December.

The phrasing on the council’s website also suggests all elements of the trial will not be installed at the same time. This might have something to do with the proposed road works at the end of Broom Lane and Chapel Street where those roads meet the A6 that are part of the plans released in September 2020. These haven’t even started yet. Without those changes all residents and businesses in the blocked off area off Chapel Street would have to access their properties via Elbow Street. If the trial measures are installed in phases that would also suggest the trial will run for longer than the original six months as all measures must be trialled for a minimum of six months.

So we have more waiting with a continued lack of information. It isn’t even clear today – the legal deadline for announcing the Experimental Traffic Regulation Order to commence on 19 December – when the council might even start to install the trial measures, how long the trial measures will take to install fully, where specifically there are to be located on the roads, how turning points and access will be facilitated, whether emergency services have approved any plans yet or even what will be included in the plans as they might change from the revised plans announced in September. Or they might not.

Phase 2 (Burnage)

At the moment we also do not know how and plans for Phase 2 covering Burnage Ward will be decided on or trialled. There is an ongoing consultation on Phase 2 until 21 December 2020.

We understand an online consultation event was planned for Crossley Road and Grangethorpe Drive although no details were provided when requested.

Monitoring and data gathering

Additional traffic and air quality equipment is also planned for some of the busier “through routes” but this might not be installed until next year. We will provide further updates once any changes or additions are confirmed. This monitoring is being done by Manchester Urban Observatory at the University of Manchester and started earlier this summer. Unfortunately this means there may not be any substantive pre-trial data for comparison with the trial data once the road blocks / “modal filters” are installed for our busiest roads.

The Active Neighbourhood project itself has not installed any traffic or air quality monitoring equipment in the almost two years the project has been running despite previous claims this was being done in the summer of 2019. Information on the Manchester Urban Observatory monitoring was previously reported by the LCA HERE and the data is freely available on the MUO website HERE.

Further consultation

The Active Neighbourhood project has confirmed its intention to hold further consultation events online with businesses and what it identifies as “the BAME community”. This was announced at the online events at the end of October 2020. So far not dates have been confirmed for these events but we will provide information as and when they are confirmed. The second stage consultation on the revised plans announced in September ended on 4 November 2020.

The further delays and lack of information is, to say the least, disappointing.

Clarification on road works near schools

For clarification please note that the roadworks being undertaken on Barlow Road at the back of Chapel Street Primary School, the previous work done on Broom Lane to install traffic calming and the work done around Alma Park Primary School has nothing to do with the Levenshulme and Burnage Active Neighbourhood project. This work is part of a separate initiative for safer streets around schools. A previous LCA article about this is available HERE.

Username
Password

	Remember Me

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Come and join us for a fun Community Day with lots of different activities throughout the day including Children’s Crafts, Family Yoga and Shake the Dust.

We will also have our Maker’s Fair in full swing and food provided by Squarebakes Jo and The Little Srilankan.

We also need your help! We are going to do some planting in the new and improved Levy Old Library Garden. If you would like to volunteer, we would love to see you.

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

2023 Review of Parliamentary constituencies

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Do you have an idea for a project?

When can I apply?

Who can apply?

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

The Friends of Cringle Park and Field are doing a survey:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: