We want your views on the water environment in the Alt, Crossens Catchment

THE Environment Agency is asking businesses and the public for their views on how to improve and protect the water environment in the Alt Crossens catchment

Take a moment to think about how much you use or are near water in your everyday life.  Did you know that the Environment Agency has set out plans for how water in the Alt, Crossens catchment will be looked after in coming years?  We want to make sure that future generations have a clean, safe water environment to live, work and play in.  And now is the time for you to have your say on how we will do this.

Water quality in the North West has steadily improved over the last 20 years.  However, under new, stricter standards set by the European Water Framework Directive, no rivers, lakes, estuaries or other wetlands in the Alt Crossens Catchment are currently in good condition.  The draft River Basin Management Plan (dRBMP) for the North West looks at water in each catchment across the region and suggests how we can work with others to ensure that 100% of our waters are in good condition by 2027.

Water pollution can come from many different sources.  By looking at the problems together, we can take action collectively, saving time, effort and often money.  Pollution left over from the Alt Crossens catchment’s industrial past means that water quality in the area is generally poor.  Working with water companies and industry we will research historic contamination and look at ways to deal with this.  The actions identified may also help to create habitats for wildlife and reduce flood risk. 

River basin planning will only be successful if we work with others.  The dRBMP has been drawn up with key regional organisations such as United Utilities, 4Northwest, the North West Development Agency, the National Farmers Union and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to give an all round perspective on the issues it deals with.

Tony Dean, Environment Agency Regional Director told us that:- “The Water Framework Directive gives us an important opportunity to make real improvements to the water environment in the North West.  We value the views of others and know that river basin planning can only succeed if we work with local partners and take local action.  We urge anyone with an interest in the water environment to take a look at the information about their local area in the consultation online and let us know what they think.”

It is vital that people and organisations who affect or are affected by the water environment get involved in the consultation.  This is your opportunity to influence the final plan and ensure that its contents are practical, achievable and effective for you and your interests. 

The consultation started on 22 December 2008 and runs upto to 22 June 2009.  The consultation can be found online via visiting:- www.environment–agency.gov.uk/wfd.

IMPACT TRAINING - FORMBY BUSINESS NETWORK MEETING INVITE!

IMPACT Training invites you to join them at the first 'The Formby Business Network Meeting' at the Gallery Bar and Grill  (The Beacons, Halsall Lane) Formby on Wednesday, 4 February 2009, from 5.30pm. The meeting is aimed at getting Formby Business people an opertunity to meet each other and talk about their business as well as learning about your business. 

The event is free, with the only cost being your time and your company cards and any promotional materials you might need. 

If you want to attended please RSVP, by sending an email Gill Fell & Pat Wordley via:- fells@tinyworld.co.uk.

5 Local Couples line up for the Final of Dune 107.9’s £12,000 Wedding!

5 Lucky couples have now been chosen to go forward to the final of Dune 107.9’s Win a £12,000 wedding competition.

The 5 where chosen from hundreds of applicants who all wanted Dune to foot the bill for their big day.

Brendan Kearney, from The Breakfast Show at Dune said ‘It’s just our way of helping at least one local couple beat the credit crunch and have the wedding of a lifetime – I just hope I get the invite!’

Couple No.  1 are Julie Rimmer & Mark Burrows from Banastre Road, Birkdale.

Julie told Dune 107.9 that:- "We have been happy together for 12yrs, And Love each other very much, Couldn't imagine life without one another because we are best Friends.  We met in the Kingsway on the Dance floor, and never looked back, family’s treat us like were part of their family but Every time we try and save for a wedding something stands in are way!"

Couple No.  2 are Danielle Wade and Marc Evans from Kirklake Road in Formby told Dune that:- "Marc & Danielle have been together for 10 years, and have 2 young son’s.  They have battled hard to provide the best for their family, and with the cost of bringing up 2 young children, there always seemed something more important to spend their hard earned money on than a wedding."

Couple No.  3 Are Alaine Johnson and Karl Westley from Park Avenue in Southport said:- "They had planned to get married just over a year ago, but found they had major problems with the flat they had just moved into, which resulted in them loosing most of their furniture and many belongings, along with the expense of moving to a new apartment, they had to put the wedding on hold."

Couple no.  4 are Emma Davies & Phillip Brough From Heathfield Road, Ainsdale said:- "Emma’s dream is for her 81 year old Grandfather to be able to walk her down the Isle.  This would complete a perfect year for the couple, and their 2 small children, as they have just been offered a council house, and the expense of moving into that would make a wedding impossible otherwise."

Couple No.5 are Dawn Taylor and Rod Murphy from Rimmer Green in Scarasbrick told Dune 107.9 that:- "It is second time round for both Dawn and Rod, who both have grown up children, but they have also been blessed late on with a young son, who Rod say’s makes him feel like a 21 year old again.  ‘It would be great to be able to get the whole family together for a wedding, that I am sure we would both have to battle to be the stars of with young Jack sure to hog the limelight’"

Over the next week – all 5 couples will appear on the Breakfast show on Dune 107.9 so our listeners can meet them and find out all about them.

Then starting next Tuesday, 3 February 2009 we will open up the voting for listeners to choose their favourite couple.  The couple with the most votes will win the Dream Wedding!

But that’s not all!   In a slight twist, on these kind of competitions, it costs you to vote for the person you want to win, however at Dune 107.9 we have turned this on it’s head, and voting will not only be FREE, but also we will put everyone who votes into a draw, and one lucky voter will win £100 CASH!

Points to remember:-

You can meet the couples by tuning into Dune 107.9 every morning over the next 2 weeks.

You can vote FREE for your favourite, and could win £100 CASH

One LOCAL couple will win the wedding worth £12,000!