News
Updates from OWL
New Grass Cutting Arrangements are Dangerous and Damaging
The new grass cutting arrangements in West Lancashire are dangerous and environmentally damaging say OWL. Councillors Ian Rigby and Linda Webster have tabled the item for debate at the Borough Council’s main Policy and Resources committee on Wednesday after a litany…
Travellers vacate site close to National Tyres in Skelmersdale and Leave Behind a Mountain of Waste
Our West Lancashire Councillor, Neil Furey has reacted angrily after visiting a site in Westgate, Skelmersdale vacated by travellers to be confronted with a mountain of rubbish; building waste; gas bottles and a caravan. Cllr Furey visited the site late yesterday…
Councillor Neil Furey joins the Our West Lancashire Group of Councillors on West Lancashire Borough Council
Independent councillor for Old Skelmersdale, Neil Furey has today joined the Our West Lancashire group on West Lancashire Borough Council swelling the group’s numbers to six. Councillor Furey has been a Borough Councillor since 2008 and has served as Mayor and…
Park Pool & Nye Bevan Pool can be Saved Thanks to OWL’s Alternative Budget Proposals
Exciting plans for significant investment in refurbishment and a new leisure hub also proposed The swimming pools and gyms at Park Pool, Ormskirk and Nye Bevan, Skelmersdale would remain open under proposals unveiled in Our West Lancashire’s alternative budget. Councillor Adrian…
Election Rival to Ormskirk’s County Councillor calls on her to Listen to her Voters and save Park Pool
Former Mayor and councillor, Gordon Johnson says County Councillor Nikki Hennessy needs to listen to the people who elected her before May elections. Councillor Nikki Hennessy must listen to the people who elected her and save Park Pool from closure says…
Lancashire County Council U-Turn on Gully Cleansing
Every highway drainage gully will be cleaned in a planned programme if Lancashire County Council’s cabinet approve an officer recommendation this Thursday. The change will effectively reverse a 10-year policy where highway gullies were usually only cleaned in response to complaints…
OWL Research Confirms Demand for Student Housing in Ormskirk is Falling
Research by Our West Lancashire showed occupancy levels below 80% and many properties for sale or empty Our West Lancashire have released the findings of recent research carried out based on door to door visiting around 130 student properties in the…
OWL table No Confidence Motion after Pool Closure Proposals Move Forward
Our West Lancashire have tabled a motion of No Confidence in Council Leader, Yvonne Gagen and Lead Member for Leisure, Carl Coughlan after Labour councillors voted last night to press forward with plans to close Park Pool in Ormskirk and Nye…
Labour propose to build 605 new houses in West Lancashire every year – the fightback starts now
On 30 July as many of us were in holiday mode, the Labour Government released their proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). This document guides how councils have to prepare their local plans. The changes for West Lancashire…
Our West Lancashire gain seats from Labour and Conservative and post a Record Number of Votes
Our West Lancashire, the Independents on West Lancashire Borough Council are celebrating after gaining seats from Labour and Conservative in Thursday’s local elections and recording their highest ever number of votes. In Burscough Bridge and Rufford, Paul Hesketh unseated Conservative…
West Lancashire Council lose almost £400,000 of grant funding for Ormskirk Town Centre
Our West Lancashire are calling for answers after mismanagement by the Labour-run Borough Council has resulted in Ormskirk Town Centre losing out on £382,000 of Heritage Action Zone allocated funding from Historic England. This is around half of the original £755,000 awarded…
Ormskirk Town Centre Business Directory Launched
Our West Lancashire have today launched an online business directory for Ormskirk Town Centre. Adrian Owens, OWL Chairman said the idea came from comments OWL hear from residents frequently. “People will say to us they didn’t know they could get that…
Are Vital Ormskirk Town Centre Road Repairs being delayed because they would Show Derby Street Bridge Plans to be Unworkable?
Our West Lancashire write to Lancashire’s Highways Chief asking for road resurfacing in town centre without further delay Council Independents, Our West Lancashire have today written to Lancashire Highways Chief, Councillor Rupert Swarbrick calling for urgent road resurfacing to take place…
GARDEN WASTE CHARGE PETITION – TELL LABOUR “NOâ€
Stop the 50% increase in garden waste charges to £45 The Labour cabinet has passed proposals to increase garden waste charges to £45 this year. The proposal now goes to a final vote on 28th February. So now is the time to tell…
FINALLY! – Bus Station Toilets to Open but OWL Criticise Councils’ Performance
UPDATE: 31st January 2024. Unfortunately the saga continues. Will any cabinet member get a grip of this? Statement from WLBC officer: “I engaged a contractor before Christmas and they set to work on rectifying the outstanding defects. Most of these are…
Our West Lancashire’s Helping Hand this Christmas
On the back of Our West Lancashire’s success getting the council to restore funding for the Christmas tree outside the parish church in Ormskirk along with funding for Skelmersdale’s Christmas lights; OWL have now gone a stage further by helping residents…
New Polling Station ‘Not Wanted by Public and a Waste of Money’
Our West Lancashire have criticised Labour councillors for ploughing on and foisting a portable cabin polling station on voters in Ormskirk at the cost of £3000 in the face of public opposition branding the decision a ‘waste of money’. Labour councillors…
Ormskirk OWLs Welcome Additional CCTV cameras to be Installed in Town Centre
Three New CCTV cameras to be installed at corner of Railway Road/Leyland Way; corner of Moor Street/Knowsley Road and on path between bus and rail stations Ormskirk activists for Our West Lancashire, the Council Independents, Gordon Johnson and Janet Ingman have…
Call for Visible Police Presence in Ormskirk
Our West Lancashire have called for a visible police presence in Ormskirk saying recent incidents risk damaging Ormskirk’s reputation as a safe town. Janet Ingman, an OWL activist in the town said, “People I speak to see low level crime going…
The Path to Nowhere is Finally to be Connected
Our West Lancashire’s Councillor Paul Hesketh has welcomed news that the linear park path between Ormskirk and Burscough is finally to be connected after the Borough Council confirmed that the project is moving ahead. OWL had previously dubbed it the “path…
