ftdvertiser and 1 imes AThe Clitheroe Thursday, September 16th, 2004 No. 6,166 news and views from the Centre of the Kingdom www.clitheroetoday.co.uk Price 55p ' 'e s


Win p r i z e s


lE..- IM We’re the champions!


C OM M U N I T I E S across the Kibble Valley are basking in the glow of success after winning a total of 23 awards in this year’s Lancashire Best Kept Village Com­ petition. The small commumty


of Harrop Fold was in a celebratory mood after making it a hat-trick by being named Best Kept


Hainlet./! ■' Situated between


Grindleton and Slaid- bum, the pretty hamlet beat off fierce competi­ tion from Walker Fold, which came second, and KnbwleiGreen, which took the third position, to keep its crown for the third year in a row. The beauty spot was


affected by the recent heavy rain, as were other villages, but man­ aged to impress the judges enough to make it a hat-trick. Competition co-ordi-


nator for the hamlet, Mr Frank Robinson, said; “Because of the unseasonal showers i t was very difficult to keep up the same high standards and cutting the grass became extremely difficult. “But we made it and


are delighted with the prestigious achieve­ ment.” Sponsored by Lan-


OUR picture shows Harrop Fold youngster Emma


Turner with other proud residents celebrating their triumph (G140904/6)


cashire County Develop­ ments Ltd — the county council’s economic devel­ opment company, the annual competition is keenly contested by vil­ lages across the commu­


nity. This year there were 85


entries, all visited by teams of judges in June


and July. Success in this year’s


eagerly-awaited competi­ tion waswidelyspr^^


1 Health centre: it may open in 2005


PAGES 37-52 by Faiza Afzaal_______


CLITHEROE’S new multi-mil­ lion pound health centre could well open its doors to the public as early as next spring, it has been


revealed. Under the ambitious proposals,


which have yet to be rubber stamped, three health centres - two in Accring­ ton and one in Chtheroe - planned under a new type of funding project called Local Improvement Finance


Trust (LIFT). A total of £65m. has been secured


for six different health centres across East Lancashire including up to £7m. for the Clitheroe scheme itself. Officials at Hyndbum and Kibble


Valley Primary Care Trust have ear­ marked land adjacent to Clitheroe’s Community Hospital, in Chatbum Road, as the preferred site and talla are currently being held to drive this eagerly-awaited project forward. The preferred site will enable local


people to access a wide range of health and community services under one


roof. The location has been earmarked to


allay the fears of residents who were under the impression they would have to travel miles out of town to a new


CGiitr0« Earlier this summer, the PCT


revealed that work would start on Accrington’s first centre in January


next year. Clitheroe is second in line with work scheduled for spring 2006, but doubts surrounding the East Accrington scheme could mean it is


brought forward. The fiTial project to serve the com­


munity in West Accrington, is sched­ uled to be built in 2007. At a recent meeting, non-executive


director of the PCT and a borough councillor Chris Holtom explained talks were being held and that the new health centre could be on ate ear­ lier than anticipated. He commented: “There are some


legal technicalities surrounding East' Accrington and if these cannot be overcome, then it may well be that the Clitheroe scheme would be brought forward taspring next year, instead of


2006. He described the new centre as


“one of the most important develop­ ments in Clitheroe for a decade” and would, in fact, be large enough to accommodate ^


the centre’s current


services, as well as some new exciting ones including a dental suite. X-ray facilities and consultants from Bum- ley General Hospital and Blackburn Royal Infirmary holding certain clin-


ics. This will enable local people to


access a wide-range of health and community services—without leaving


the Ribble Valley. Coun. Holtom also explained how


Pendleside Medical Practice and Cas­


tle Medical Group are currently crammed in the existing Clitheroe Health Centre, in Railway View Road, and staff are looking forward to moving into the new premises, which will make an improvement to working conditions for GPs, community nurs­ es and other local health care staff. “We do however need the public’s


support on this exciting project and are encoura^g any feedback whatso­


ever.” The scale of the new health centre


will be of similar dimensions to the first three currently being built from scratch in Nelson, Bacup and Dar-


wen. More details will follow in the


Clitheroe Advertiser and Times, but in the nm-up to any definite decision being made, health bosses are trying to make every effort to keep their


patients informed and would welcome the view of the public on this matter. Mr David Rogers, the assistant


chief executive of the PCT and a Clitheroe resident, said: “Negotia­ tions are at a very delicate s t^ e and it would be rash to say too much.


In the meantime, Mrs Linda


Underwood, practice manager for Pendleade Medical Practice revealed the surgery was holding “Patient par­ ticipation groups” inviting local resi­ dents to come along to the health cen­ tre to talk about issues surrounding the scheme.


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