Bridgehall Library – open for business

John, Ann and Sue donated copies of their favourite books to the library for Christmas
John, Ann and Sue donated copies of their favourite books to the library for Christmas

Following a petition campaign by Ann Smith and Stockport Lib Dems, Bridgehall Library is now open at the Community Centre after its official opening by the Mayor of Stockport at the end of January.

Not only did the Labour councillors for the area vote against the opening of the library, one of them derided it as a so-called “library” just four days after the Library was officially opened by the Mayor of Stockport.

In fact, the Library at Bridgehall offers a ‘full library service’ with more than 2,000 books and DVDs to suit all ages and tastes and free internet access, with trained staff on hand to help people get online.

It had been hoped the library would open for Christmas. Ann Smith, John Reid and Sue Derbyshire each donated copies of their favourite books to the Library as Christmas gifts to mark its opening.

“Despite Labour putting tribal party politics before local facilities, this is a real win for Bridgehall”, said John Reid.

“People are quite angry that they again couldn’t rely on their Labour councillors. They should be backing the library in the ward they represent instead of degrading it to others.

“They should show some pride in Bridgehall.”

Permanent Library for Bridgehall

Affter the £25,000 investment, Bridgehall's permanent library will be opening soon
Affter the £25,000 investment, Bridgehall’s permanent library will be opening soon

Bridge Hall WILL be getting a permanent library, after the massive response from local residents backing the local Lib Dem Focus team’s local petition.

Changes to the existing Community Centre have already begun. When it opens this autumn, Bridge Hall Library will have four computers with free internet access for residents as well as approximately 2,000 books.

“We care passionately that Bridge Hall residents are treated as well as any other in Stockport,” said John Reid. “The £25,000 local investment will give residents a full library service similar to other areas in Stockport, with everything from local reading groups to kids’ bounce and rhyme sessions.”

The library will be open every day during the week , but the Lib Dem Focus team is pushing for some evening and Saturday opening as well, and will report back in Focus and e-Focus about whether they can achieve this.

To receive e-Focus, an occasional e-mail update on what is happening in your community, just email your name and address to efocus@stockportlibdems.org.uk.

Bridge Hall School wins ‘Good’ Status from OFSTED

Bridgehall’s local Lib Dem team have praised the work of Bridgehall Primary school after it was promoted to ‘GOOD’ status by school watchdog OFSTED.

The school had previously been categorised as ‘satisfactory’ following inspections in 2008 and 2011.

But after the inspection at the end of February, school inspectors decided the school had improved to such an extent it was now ‘GOOD’ – just one place behind the highest possible assessment.

Ann Smith, who lives near the school on Sandpipers, is on the school’s board of governors and has seen for herself first hand the transformation of the school.

Ann said “I think I can speak for most people on Bridgehall and Sandpipers that the improvement of the school is a real reason for pride in our area.”

Bridgehall Primary OFSTED GOOD

£6.9m extra secured by Lib Dems for Stockport kids

Stockport Academy Liberal Democrats support
Stockport Academy will get than £261,000 extra money for kids from disadvantaged backgrounds after Lib Dem work in Government

Work by Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government has meant schools in Stockport borough have an extra £6.9 million next year, as part of the Lib Dem Pupil Premium policy.

The pupil premium was one of four policy priorities that the Liberal Democrats put on the front page of their 2010 General Election manifesto.

It is designed to give a cash boost of £900 per pupil straight to children from disadvantaged backgrounds through their schools.

Lib Dems believe that for too long, social background has been a deciding factor in a child’s chances for the future. The pupil premium is designed to help prevent children being held back by poverty and disadvantage.

The extra money will mean schools all around Stockport receiving extra money, including Adswood Primary School which will receive an extra £107,100, Westmorland Primary in Brinnington which will get £234,900 extra, Banks Lane schools which get an extra £83,700 and Stockport Academy, which gets an extra £261,000 for the next year.

Liberal Democrat Schools Minister, David Laws said:

“We are already seeing across the country how the Pupil Premium is making a difference to children’s lives. Extra tuition, better IT resources and closer work with parents are all examples of how the Pupil Premium is being used to support the most disadvantaged pupils and benefit all their classmates too.

“That’s why I’m so pleased that, next year, we’ll be extending the Pupil Premium to another half a million children, and increasing the money that schools get to £900 per pupil.

“This means that, as a result of Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government, more children will get a better start in life.”

See which schools are set to benefit and by how much here: Continue reading £6.9m extra secured by Lib Dems for Stockport kids

YOUR help needed for Library Time Capsule!

Stockport Central Library
Albert Derbyshire who borrowed the first book when the new library opened in 1913, returns to celebrate the golden jubilee of the library’s opening in October 1963.

Stockport’s famous town centre Library will be celebrating a landmark anniversary next month as 1 August marks the 100th anniversary of its foundation stone being laid.

To mark the occasion, residents are asked for ideas on what should go into a modern time capsule to mark the library’s centenary.

The original time capsule, placed beneath the foundation stone, contains newspapers from 1st August 1912 as well as coins and a programme of the day’s event at the library.

Stockport Council wants your ideas for items representing today’s Stockport for a 2012 time capsule.

When items have been collected, they will be on public display before being stored in the archives for posterity.

Councillor Mark Weldon, Executive Member for Supporting Communities, said: “To highlight the centenary of the opening of Stockport’s famous and prominent library next year, we would like to create a ‘Stockport 2012’ time capsule to complement the original one.  We want local people to tell us what they think should go into the capsule – items that represent today’s modern borough.”

If anyone has ideas, or memories of Stockport Central Library down the years, or photographs or other memorabilia connected with the library, they are asked to phone 0161 474 4530, email localheritagelibrary@stockport.gov.uk or log onto www.stockport.gov.uk/libraries