I am a 19 year old member of the Ashton community and welcomed the arrival of the Community Action Party as an alternative to an increasingly stale Labour Party. They campaigned on the premise that they were in touch with the Ashton people and would represent us according to what we want, replacing the out-of-touch ‘invisible’ feeling that can come with London minded national Party’s like Labour. Included in their manifestos were credible ideas and policies, such as ‘Save Our Playing Fields’ with which they have been successful and deserve credit.

However, does anyone remember an issue in their manifesto that accused Labour of ignoring the young people of Ashton and that Labour didn’t provide any facilities for young people, which (and this is agreed with by Community Action), is the reason for hooliganism and intimidating gatherings of ‘yobs’. So, although everyone knows politicians don’t keep promises, why are Community Action resisting the refurbishment of HALF an unused tennis court, to provide a small skate park which would give a significant number of young people an activity to get involved with (One of the Party’s claimed raisons d'être).

Of course, it must be said that skating isn’t for everyone and the Party has accused balls to tennis of not considering the masses. However, do the ‘masses’ of Ashton play tennis in overwhelming numbers? No, although the sport has become more popular in recent years in Ashton, a very small percentage of people actually use the facilities. Despite this, it would not be fair to provide no facilities for tennis players just because they are a relative minority. A SOCIETY WHEREIN THE RIGHTS AND WISHES OF INDIVIDUALS AND MINORITIES ARE NOT REPRESENTED IS NOT A SOCIETY WORTH LIVING IN.

A skate park in Ashton would attract similar, if not actually more young people than a tennis court and thus reduce boredom, related crime and drug-use that is associated with young people having nothing to do. This is also done with tennis, basketball and football, etc, but only by providing a diversity of activities can you truly encompass and engage a true cross section of Ashton’s Youth. This would help start a trend towards ceasing the disillusionment and apathy felt by sections of Ashton Youth caused by the fact that campaigning Parties ignore young people because they are not electorally significant. This belief could not be more ignorant nor utterly shortsighted, as in a year or two they will be voting and will remember. Additionally, parents want their children to have something to stop them getting in with the wrong crowd, or beginning to use drugs and alcohol, and the parents I have spoken to welcome any measure that will get young people away from video games but also keep them off the streets. Thus, for their own sake, Community Action should stop viewing the skate park issue as one of no electoral consequence that only about 5 young people even know about, as that belief is nothing short of ridiculous.

Town: nhalksworth@yahoo.com

Tell us again that these youths have no inteligence or credibility. That last post came from a 19 year old of whom i would be very proud if he was my son.
Its the likes of this young lad that could knock spots off any councellor no matter which party they belong to.
All i can say is well done nick, you sound like a very well informed young man.

Hi Nick
I have tried throughout my postings to be a voice of reason. But any posting I have made pales into insignificance when I read yours. If your posting is an example of only 1% of the young people of Ashton, we can be proud of a future generation that puts my generation to shame.
I am sure this will be the second of many to echo these sentiments.
Thank You Nick
Alan

Town: ajames46@fsmail.net

Re. Alan

I would like to let you know that the majority of Ashtons youth is just as like minded as Nick or myself. Regularly these people are only seen and not heard, which is mainly the problem. Otherwise those who are not heard are labelled as 'yobs' just for being young and being in groups with their freinds.

Otherwise yes the parties in question are out of touch with young people. I assume that you have heard about CAP cllr Don Hodgkinsons actions to attempt to build a tennis court over the court where the skatepark is planned. He attempted to loan Wigan council £7,000 for it. This talks for itself. Thankfully they turned him down< you have to laugh at that!

Town: moshman01@Hotmail.com

Fantastic. Yet more proof that the CAP have got it wrong. Young people in Ashton ARE capable of being articulate and fighting their own corner, and do not need to hide behind the Labour party as CAP alleges.

Well Done Nick.

Nick

Before I even thought of becoming a councillor, I was a member of the school PTA, and an Assistant Girl Guider. When I lived in Wandsworth some years ago, I helped to run a local youth club.

As a councillor, I have attempted (unsuccessfully) to get regular teen discos going in Ashton, and I have spent a lot of my personal time on assisting with summer activities programmes for young people, tennis coaching, and Wigan Athletic Foootball in the Community coaching.

I supported efforts to have a temporary skateboarding facility included in the summer activities programme - but it fell through because the surface was unfit for purpose, due to years of neglect by WMBC and WLCT.

I have also supported Positive Futures in their work in Jubilee Parks Pavilion, and in their occasional teen discos at Captain's Lane.

I also have a teenage daughter, and my partner has two older teenagers. I do not think that I am totally out of touch with young people, or insensitive to their needs.

I would be delighted to see a skateboard park in Ashton, but I think that the site promoted by WLCT is a bad choice for 2 reasons - it is too small, and there is too much local opposition to make it a viable proposition in the short term. I would sooner see a "plan B" that could go ahead this year, than an insistence on "plan A" that will still be argued over in another 4 years' time.

Town: c.daington@wiganmbc.gov.uk