Peter Winkler
Conservative Party
Norden Ward
Address
27 Shepherd Street
Norden
Rochdale
OL11 5SU
It has been a pleasure and privilege to have been the Ward Councillor for Norden for the past six years. In that time, working together with Councillors Gartside and Holly, I have supported lots of initiatives and achieved many positive things for our area, including:
- Ensuring that we get our fair share of funding for extensive road and footpath resurfacing throughout the ward.
- Consulting with council officers regarding the delivery of a special project to rebuild a collapsed section of Ashworth Road and the efficient management of diverted traffic flows while this busy route was unavailable.
- Restoration of our war memorial and gardens, including the addition of new features like the flag pole.
- Installation of various life-saving defibrillator units around the ward.
- Refurbishment of the existing CCTV equipment on Edenfield Road and funding in place for an additional monitored unit to extend the coverage area.
- Installation of barriers in Caldershaw to prevent travellers from gaining access and setting up camps on site again.
- Providing support and funding to set up a Lego club and craft sessions at Norden’s Library.
- A village-wide traffic management plan which is consulting with local people about the best way to resolve problems around parking provision, restrictions and access.
- Working with residents to fight inappropriate development of our greenbelt and recreational spaces.
- Together with Caldershaw residents I blocked Labour’s attempts to sell off land at Cut Lane for development, without public consultation. I was delighted with how our efforts resulted in the formation of the incredible Friend’s group and their success in securing registration of Heritage Green as Rochdale’s first Village Green.
- Blocking council proposals to turn our recreational grounds on Hutchinson Road into allotments but working with officers to find alternative and more appropriate locations.
- Fighting with many residents against the plans to build all over the greenbelt as proposed in Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.
With your support in the local election I want to carry on this kind of locally focussed work and undertake much more to improve our area.
As many people already know I live in Norden village, so I am always on hand to speak to residents about issues or problems that they need my help with; planning matters, missed bin collections, potholes, etc. I hold regular ward surgeries in Norden, Caldershaw and Birtle and attend many public meetings such as the Birtle Trust and Norden Area Forum, keeping me in touch with local people and issues.
I understand that community safety is important to local people, whether they are residents or business owners. I will continue to work with community groups, council officers and our local Police team on initiatives such as traffic speed, crime prevention and drugs. Last year we held a very successful community safety event where we provided free advice and equipment to local people, with another planned for later this year. I am also speaking with community Police to organise speed operations around the ward to address dangerous driving, which is an issue regularly raised with me by local people. It is this kind of proactive approach to community safety and close working with Police, Home Watch coordinators and residents that you can continue to expect from me.
I am always pleased to attend and support local groups and events whenever possible. The recent village spring clean event, Christmas light switch on and Norden Carnival are all important parts of community life and I will continue to make them a priority.
People want to know that their Councillors will be there for them when they need us, not just at election time. When travellers arrived in Caldershaw your Conservative Councillors were right there with residents, on the doorsteps to offer reassurance, explain what was happening and answer questions. We ensured that action was taken as quickly as possible and that preventative measures were soon put in place to prevent further unauthorised access to the site.
As well as being a member of various Council Committees I am also a school governor, a playgroup trustee and an active member of various local groups. It was my involvement as the Chairman of the local business group that lead me into my current role as a Ward Councillor. This experience gave me a special appreciation of the importance of volunteers, and I will always do what I can to support these people who give their time and effort to better our community.
I am the Shadow Portfolio Holder for Environment and as part of this role I have addressed many issues around the protection of our valuable green spaces and rural areas. I have campaigned against plans to engulf the greenbelt with housing and industrial development, as proposed in Labour’s Spatial Framework, presented by Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham. I have spoken out, with Jim and Mike, alongside an incredible group of dedicated residents, about proposals to vastly expand the wind farm on Scout Moor. Conservative Councillors were the only Councillors from Rochdale to attend the public enquiry to speak on behalf of local people. I am glad to say that local voices were ultimately successful in preventing further destruction of this delicate ecosystem.
Although, as a local Councillor, my focus is primarily on local matters, I am regularly in contact with ministers on matters of concern and policy, ensuring that the views of the local people that I represent here are heard in Westminster. You can find out more about this along with my views on national issues such as Brexit on my Councillor’s blog at peterwinkler.yourcllr.com.
The Conservative group is the only effective opposition to the Labour-run Council in Rochdale Borough. It is only with your support that the Conservatives can continue to challenge them and hold them to account. Without that opposition there is no democracy.
Life as a Local Councillor is never dull, there is always more to do, and another threat around the corner to which local people need a strong voice of representation. I would like to continue to be that strong local voice for you and others, so I am asking for your support on Thursday 2nd May in the local election.
Thank you.
Peter Winkler
Tel: 07890 256 814
Blog: peterwinkler.yourcllr.com
