Graham Jones, Peel Barnfield, Huncoat & Baxenden

🌳 Update: Pavement Obstruction – Waverley Road, Baxenden

Lancashire County Council has confirmed they will be pruning back the overgrown bushes obstructing the pavement near 26 Waverley Road (Ref: 4666103).

Thanks to residents who raised this – progress at last.

Street Sign Repairs in Baxenden

After raising concerns with Lancashire County Council, several broken and faded street signs in Baxenden—including Burns Drive, Alexander Close, Tewkesbury Close, Waverley Road, and Laund Road—are now being replaced. ✅

If you know of any others in poor condition, please report them via the Love Clean Streets app (preferred) or email me directly at 📩 [email protected].

🆕 Other Local Updates:

💷 Cash Machine Campaign – Richard and I have been working on this since January. It’s looking positive. Let’s see.

🏟 King George’s Playing Fields – Now progressing after 14 months of steady hard work, with a lot of it done last autumn. A huge thanks to Kim, for navigating the lease, surveys, costings and contractor work – and also to Terry and Kath, who have worked with Kim for Baxenden. 👏

🚧 Royds Avenue – This is to go ahead but the road safety element has been removed, so a smoother surface may exacerbate the speeding problem. There’s no indication that the new County Council or councillors intend to reverse this cut.

🚲 Cycle Lane at Tesco’s – I have been cautioning against this for over 5 years, that it's a white elephant that will cause issues. Sight lines are now impeded and there’s a need for yellow lines to keep road traffic moving safely. And of course, the cycle lane should have gone around Baxenden Chemicals.

⚽ Baxenden Rec – The new goalpost should go up soon. Looking at the site, it may even be possible to put in a full-size pitch again. We need the return of a local football team.

Today’s Mayor Making at Accrington Town Hall was a brilliant celebration of those who have given so much to Hyndburn.

👏 Congratulations to Councillor Josh Allen, formally installed as The Worshipful, the Mayor of Hyndburn, and to Councillor Noordad Aziz, appointed Deputy Mayor.

Those honoured as Honorary Freemen of the Borough included:

• 🏅 Zack Kerr, nominated by Cllr Kimberley Whitehead, for securing £30 million in Changing Places facilities across the UK. At 29, he is the youngest person to receive this award.

• 🙏 Pastor Anne Lincoln, nominated by Cllr Melissa Fisher, for 10 years helping the poor and vulnerable from Clayton Baptist Church, including running a daily foodbank.

• ⚓ Stephen Hutchinson, nominated by Cllr Zack Khan, for decades leading the Hyndburn Sea Cadets, helping thousands of young people learn life skills and prepare their futures.

• 📣 Rawden Kerr, nominated by Cllr Scott Brereton, for his years of service as Town Cryer, marked today with a special cry in full regalia. He has proudly represented Great Harwood and Hyndburn at many major civic and commemorative events over the years.

• 🇬🇧 Hilary Austin, also nominated by Cllr Zack Khan, for her long-standing role with the Oswaldtwistle Royal British Legion — leading on putting together community events, supporting our veterans, and helping raise vital funds to assist them.

🏛️ Also recognised were Peter Britcliffe, Abdul Khan, and Malcom Pritchard, appointed as Honorary Aldermen in recognition of their years of service to Hyndburn.

⸻

Today, I was truly grateful to be given Alderman status from Hyndburn Council. I want to thank everyone who has supported me along the way — family, my colleagues, and Doreen Pollitt.

The last 25 years have been about the public, about Hyndburn, and about our country. Helping people get on.

❤️ It was an amazing event — a real celebration of the best of Hyndburn. People who have quietly given so much, for so long, were rightly recognised and thanked. The strength of our borough lies in people like them.



Hyndburn Borough Council
Councillor Scott Brerton
Cllr Jodi Clements
Councillor Kimberley Whitehead
Kate L Walsh

Noordad Aziz - Cllr
Stewart Eaves

Accrington West & Oswaldtwistle Central

🕰️ ** Baxenden Clock UPDATE **

I wrote to the council last month about the clock in Baxenden and have received a reply. When I raised it with Kim (Cllr. Whitehead) she told me she had tried to get it fixed in the past (Hyndburn Council have confirmed this was way back in 2021).

At that time, the batteries were changed but the repair didn’t last. Hyndburn Council said that the “costs to upgrade the clock were quite high, and we were only able to carry out essential health and safety repairs” for both clocks (Rishton’s is broken too).

I do not know how much the costs were then, nor why the the old council deemed it “too expensive” then.

However, I have new received a more detailed reply from The Council who on a more positive note have said they will now “get some [new] revised quotes for the work, and then see if we have the available budget for it to be repaired”.

Back in 2021 the whole unit was taken away for repair and was repainted.

I have asked if the gardens could be looked at too. A big thanks to the staff at Hyndburn for all their efforts.

——

Hyndburn Council response:�Thank you for the report about the clock. This is already being dealt with by the Facilities Team.
You are correct, Councillor Whitehead reported the clock being out of order in 2021, we replaced the batteries, but it failed again in 2022. At that time the costs to upgrade the clock were quite high, and we were only able to carry out essential health and safety repairs, which meant that the clock went unrepaired.

I will get some revised quotes for the work, and then see if we have the available budget for it to be repaired, because it is quite a major overhaul that is required and it could be deemed uneconomical to repair.

Regards�S
arah Whittaker�
Regeneration Manager

——

#2010. Regarding the junction, more historically, plans were being developed to redesign the Manchester Road, Pilling Avenue, Southwood Drive junction with a well-designed raised roundabout to improve traffic flow, reduce speeding, and add a feature (flowers, grass) but were unfortunately shelved due to funding cuts in 2010. The outline budget was £200,000 IIRC.

I've always been on the side of residents
As your former councillor, together with you I'll the tackle the issues.

Issues in Peel, Barnfield, Baxenden & Huncoat. And at County Hall I'll speak up - I'll be the strongest, experienced of voices on the huge £1.3billion county council budget and the services that aren't working.

OAKHILL BOWLING GREEN FENCING - FUNDING SECURED
A big thanks to the Cabinet member, Councillor Kimberley Whitehead who has single handedly driven this forward.

Back in late March met up with the Hyndburn Council for a briefing on the progress on a fence around Oakhill Park bowling green. It's taken a good few months of hard work by cabinet colleagues but the funding agreed has been approved.

CONTACT
📧 [email protected] for further updates.

📲 If you spot issues, you can contact me directly on.

✉️ [email protected]
📱 WhatsApp: 07738 627975
.. 45 Warmden Avenue, Baxenden

Reported more block gullies. This one on Midland Street. Great support from residents. .

Dangerous railings on Manchester Road are to be repaired.
I reported this and it’s been assessed as needed to be replaced.

I am very grateful to my two nominees for this election, Kimberley Whitehead and Jean Hurn.

Please note in Peel ward that the Army Cadets polling station has been replaced by Cambridge Street Methodists.

Full list of polling stations listed below.

🖼️ Haworth Art Gallery – Community Update

I’ve had a response regarding concerns about access and anti-social behaviour at Haworth Art Gallery.

The gates on Hollins Lane remain open 24/7 ⏰ to allow essential access for gallery staff (Tues-Fri 9:30am-5pm, weekends 11:30am-4:30pm), the Gallery Kitchen 🍽️ (which operates flexibly for events), and artists 🎨 with studios (who have access from 7am-11pm). With so many different users and no staff available to cover these hours, locking the gates isn’t practical.

Even if locked, the site can still be accessed via other entrances 🚶‍♂️🚴‍♀️ or over low walls. Issues like littering 🚮 and discarded gas canisters—mainly linked to young people on foot—are regularly cleaned up by staff, who also report any anti-social behaviour 🚓 to the police.

I’ll continue to monitor this and push for improvements where possible. If you witness any issues, please report them!