Latest news with #PendleCouncil
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
More than a dozen swimming baths extension bids received by council
More than a dozen tenders to build an extension to the Wavelengths swimming pool and leisure centre in Nelson have been received by Pendle Council. The project will be funded by the £25 million Nelson Town Deal, and 14 tenders of between £473,000 and £934,000 have been received and accepted by the council, according to a new report. Now, a decision needs to be made on which business – or businesses – will win the contract. Leading councillors on Pendle's executive looked at bids this week, and a decision on a contractor is due soon. Wavelengths is one of a number of council-owned leisure centres operated by the arms-length body Pendle Leisure Trust on behalf of the borough council. The future of leisure centres has been a topic of debate over recent years, with rising energy costs, building maintenance, and squeezed council budgets all having an impact. At one point, a consultant's review suggested closing one of the three main leisure centres, but that was later rejected after the Liberal Democrats and Independents took shared political control of the borough. Last summer, Pendle Council's executive backed a plan to invest in Wavelengths and was told extended facilities, including gym and fitness features, could boost the overall number of visits by more than 100,000. Increased customer use and payment would be needed to reach financial savings, which cannot be achieved through energy efficiencies alone, councillors were told. Furthermore, an expanded Wavelengths could assist the wider regeneration of Nelson town centre, which includes knocking down and redeveloping Pendle Rise shopping centre. Wavelengths could provide vital extra revenue to counterbalance the council's financial pressures elsewhere, councillors said. Last summer, Lib Dem Councillor David Whipp had said he wanted the Wavelengths spending decision delayed until September, when a review of all three leisure centres at Nelson, Colne, and Barnoldswick was due. But, most other councillors disagreed and said time was marching on with the Nelson Town Deal. Cllr Whipp also warned of a potential falling out between communities if one town was seen as getting more investment than another. However, other councillors said Colne was getting significant investment too with Levelling-Up funding for the Muni Theatre, other theatre spaces and Colne Market Hall. Pendle Council was also granted a £1.7 million public building de-carbonisation grant for West Craven Sports Centre in Barnoldswick and Wavelengths in Nelson, separately from the Town Deal. Existing gas-fired boilers, which supply heating and hot water,r will be replaced with air source heat pumps and windows will be upgraded. The council said it has provided an additional £900,000, bringing the total investment in the two leisure centres to £2.6 million.
BBC News
21-04-2025
- BBC News
Nelson town centre accessibility improvement work gets under way
Work designed to make a town centre more accessible to pedestrians, cyclists and motorists is set to get under Council in Lancashire has advised people to take time to plan their journeys during the Accessible Nelson is due to start at Netherfield Road, near the petrol station, to install a pedestrian crossing and widen traffic lights will be in place at the mini-roundabout during the initial stage of the project, which is expected to take about five weeks to complete. 'Bigger picture' Work will then move to Sagar Street, between Netherfield Road and the next stage of work a temporary southbound closure is planned for Sagar Street, with traffic diversions in Street will remain open for northbound traffic during construction and access will be maintained to McDonald's. Special access will also be maintained to the police station and Pendle Rise shopping centre's delivery work is being delivered in stages to minimise disruption, said Pendle Council. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on BBC Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
BBC News
11-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Pendle Council to buy two-bedroom houses to support homeless
Pendle Council is aiming to buy some local houses to offer temporary accommodation for people facing homelessness, rather than relying on more expensive bed-and-breakfast arrangements or rental councils are required by law to find temporary shelter for people with housing difficulties. But rising rents charged by private landlords, reduced council housing options and other factors have led the authority to seek a different their latest meeting, councillors approved the purchase of several properties to increase temporary accommodation provision in areas like Nelson and Colne. 'Notable increase' Councillors also approved the new Pendle Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy for 2025 – 2030, which aims to ensure the council continues meeting its duties to provide suitable temporary accommodation for homeless Spurr, Pendle Council's director of place, said: "As cases of homelessness have increased, the use of temporary accommodation has also increased. "At the same time, affordable housing has reduced as the private rented sector has become unaffordable and the availability of social housing has reduced."This has resulted in existing temporary accommodation becoming blocked and the only other option is often expensive bed and breakfast alternatives. "Options were looked at and now councillors have agreed that Pendle Council purchase and renovate five two-bedroom, long-term empty properties within Pendle."Wayne Forrest, a housing needs manager at the council, said there had been a "notable increase" in homelessness applications and a significant part of the authority's strategy was "dedicated to the prevention of homelessness". Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on BBC Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
West Craven veterans to brave the cold in fundraising sleep-out
A GROUP of forces veterans will be joined by two Pendle councillors for a sleep out in Barnoldswick to raise awareness of the issue of veteran homelessness. Pendle Council's Armed Forces Champion, Councillor Kevin Salter, and Earby and Coates Councillor David Hartley – who are both ex-forces veterans - will be joining other ex-forces veterans from the Barnoldswick and Earby area as they swap their beds for sleeping bags for the night. The Great Tommy Sleep Out will take place on the green opposite the war memorial in Barnoldswick on Saturday March 29 to raise money for The Royal British Legion Industries and draw attention to the fact that an estimated 6,000 veterans are currently homeless in the UK. Mark Dunstan, a member of The West Craven Veterans Group and a committee member of The Barnoldswick and District Royal British Legion, said: 'We are coming together to support each other as members of the veterans group; to put ourselves at a little discomfort for one night to support fellow veterans who are less fortunate than us and are often sleeping outside without a choice. 'The Great Tommy Sleep Out is an annual, national event. We took part for the first time last year and vowed to make it an annual event.' Cllr Salter, added: 'This is a fundraising challenge designed to support ex-service personnel who find themselves without a roof over their head. 'The event is a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made by servicemen and women who find themselves without a home when they return to civilian life. 'The money raised will help to pay for emergency accommodation, welfare and healthcare support, employment training and work experience to help vulnerable veterans on the road to independence after leaving the Armed Forces.' To sponsor the West Craven veterans, visit:
