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…
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…
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…
Ormskirk’s Historic Alleyways to be Improved – Project saved after OWL Intervention
Ormskirk Town Centre’s historic alleyways are to be improved as an £107,000 project is saved after an intervention by Our West Lancashire. Overspends on the unpopular ‘pagoda’ removal at Wheatsheaf Walk and on the Ormskirk bus station development had threatened this…
The Path to Nowhere – Sums up the Disjointed Planning at the Borough Council
The new cycle and pedestrian route between Burscough and Ormskirk is being held up by delays at the Borough Council preventing its use by walkers and cyclists. Most of the route between Ormskirk Rail Station and Abbey Lane in Burscough is…
Traffic Light Cameras will be in place by March 2023 at County Road Accident Blackspot
A 12-14 week lead time on the camera-mounting poles means that the traffic light cameras to be fitted at two junctions on County Road in Ormskirk have been delayed until March 2023, the councillors who first initiated the project have learned.…
Labour Forced Motorfest Cancellation only for Replacement Event to Cost More and Draw in Fewer Visitors
Figures obtained by Council Independents, Our West Lancashire show that after Labour forced the cancellation of Motorfest, the replacement event attracted fewer visitors than Motorfest while costing more than £11,000. Motorfest would have cost £7,000. The council had approved £7000 for…
A Lancashire 1st for Ormskirk as Councillors’ Campaign yields Result
Red Light/Speed on Green Cameras to be installed at County Road Junctions Enforcement cameras with the dual purpose of capturing both red light running and speeding are to be installed at the Fiveways and Hayfield Road junctions on Ormskirk’s County Road…
County Council must run a pilot scheme before permanently reducing Derby Street bridge to one lane says Borough Council
The County Council must run a pilot scheme to determine the impact on traffic congestion before permanently reducing Derby Street in Ormskirk to one lane says the Borough Council. Councillors overwhelming backed a motion from Our West Lancashire councillor, Jane Thompson…
County Council must ensure their Bridge plans don’t create traffic jams in Ormskirk
Commenting on Lancashire County Council’s plans to restrict Derby Street to one lane in Ormskirk Town Centre as part of plans to repair the Railway Bridge, Our West Lancashire Councillor, Gordon Johnson said: “Although I am aware of previous discussion around…
Don’t repeat the mistake made in September – Labour’s Decision to charge for short stay parking in Ormskirk Town Centre saw visitor numbers fall by nearly 30,000
Our West Lancashire have called on the Borough Council to keep short stay parking free of charge in Ormskirk Town Centre past Christmas and until a retail recovery is underway. The call from OWL, the Council Independents came as figures from…
Labour’s Car Park Charging Decision could suffocate Ormskirk’s recovering shop trade
Labour’s Car Park Charging Decision could suffocate Ormskirk’s recovering shop trade Visitor numbers in Ormskirk town centre remain well down on pre-Covid levels and to re-introduce the full pre-Covid car parking charges next month risks suffocating the recent revival in trade…
Labour set to disregard public outcry and remove pagoda in Ormskirk Town Centre
The ‘pagoda’ in Wheatsheaf Walk, Ormskirk looks set for demolition after all six Labour councillors, none representing Ormskirk, voted in favour at the Executive Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Thursday evening. The Labour cabinet are now expected to rubber stamp this.…
Keep current free car parking in Ormskirk Town Centre to help businesses
Parking in Ormskirk Town Centre should remain free of charge until at least the autumn to help businesses back onto their feet say Council Independents, Our West Lancashire. OWL Chairman, Cllr Adrian Owens wrote to the Council Leader and Chief Officer…