|
|
COLLEGE TO CLOSE
St Joseph's Catholic College in Up Holland is set to close in less than two month's time because of lack of funding.
Churches in the diocese area were told by the Archbishop of Liverpool, the Most Reverend Patrick Kelly, that an important chapter in priest's history has ended with the closure of the college.
The Grade II listed building, is now up for sale, despite repeated attempts to save it. The archdiocese can no longer afford to subsidise partial use of it.
Priest's were all sent notice last Friday, and a special letter was read at all masses in the Liverpool area. The Archbishop said it was a difficult decision to make.
A statement by the Archdiocese of Liverpool said, "St Joseph's College will close on November 30th 1999.
"Changes in the training of priests in 1975 and the closure of the school in 1987 rendered the greater part of these buildings surplus to their historic purpose.
"An important chapter in their history ended. Since then repeated attempts have been made to finance their refurbishment as a religious conference centre, without success.
"The Archdiocese can no longer continue to subsidise partial use of these enormous buildings.
"The modest amount of work in adult education currently undertaken at St. Joseph's by the archdiocese is to be accommodated elsewhere. Steps will now be taken to dispose of the buildings."
The letter said, "If we were prepared to set aside many other diocesan developments and activities, the money could certainly be found. However, I am not convinced it is a path I should follow.
"For several years now one attempt after another has been made to find a way to maintain and develop the buildings, but, despite huge efforts, we have got nowhere.
"I need hardly tell you that this has been a most difficult decision to make. May I commend to your grateful prayers all those, especially Monsignor John Devine, who have worked so hard to retain the use, and exploit the potential of the Up Holland buildings.
"But now it is by change, in response to the signs of the times, that we can be assured that we shall recieve God's blessing still."
SALUTE TO COURSE SUCCESS
Wigan and Leigh College celebrated the success of it's new courses with a bang.
First
Diplomas are designed for those who wish to pursue a career in the armed forces, private security services, emergency or community related
organisations.
The Mayoress of Wigan, Coun Evelyne Smith and high ranking officers attended a special celebratory ceremony at the Pagefield
Building featuring a huge gun supplied by the Army.
The head of faculty at at the business school at the college, Mike Brown, said, "We
have been overwhelmed by the response to these courses, we know we have filed a gap in the training requirements of many young people."
FIREFIGHTERS "FORCED" TO STRIKE
County Fire Officer George Almond claims that a county-wide firefighters strike will put lives at risk. He claimed that the decision to ballot for industrial action was secured after a "campaign of misinformation". And he is asking firemen in Wigan and across Greater Manchester to examine their consciences before they embark on the first county strike since 1977.
The Fire Brigade's Union, however, says that bosses have pushed them into the strike ballot with their attempts to abandon national terms and conditions in favour of "local flexibility" with their controversial service restructuring.
Bob Pounder, FBU Brigade Secretary claims that the GMC Fire Authority has "led the charge" for the national employers by imposing a solution to the dispute outside the national negotiating machinery.
The FBU, he said, would go to ACAS to resolve the dispute only if it had been through their National Joint Council procedure first.
Mr Almond said, "I could understand a call for strike action if there were compulsory redundancies and people were actually disadvantaged but in fact the reverse is true and all eleven officers affected by the divisional review have been offered pay rises."
CRACK DOWN ON BUS STATION CRIME
The recent blitz on crime on Wigan Bus Station is a huge success, according to local police, who were concerned
at the number of muggings and other acts of theft and violence in the station.
In just four days one man was arrested for possession of a knife, a second for
threatening to cause criminal damage and another was dealt with under the new Harassment Act. A further two were thrown out of the bus station because of their
anti-social behaviour and officers even helped to eject a rowdy customer from the nearby Bricklayer's Arms on Hallgate.
The crackdown was launched in the
wake of a series of robberies, mainly perpetrated by gangs of teenage girls against other young girls.
Although closed circuit television monitors the bus station
it is still seen as one of the more vulnerable areas of the town because people are waiting around rather than on the move and perhaps carrying either cash or
valuable goods they have just bought.
The initial campaign may now be over, but police say they are not going to "take their foot off the gas".
Chief Insp
Ken Dickson of Wigan police said, "The bus station has been identified as a problem area for crime and we are determined to do something about it. Bus
stations are busy places and we want to make Wigan's as safe as possible."
Check here for reports you may have missed
