Found Councillor Carneys e-mail address on the Wigan MBC website if anyone would like to contact him direct

W.Carney@wiganmbc.gov.uk

We just did!!

Hi D N M J R G !

Good to hear there are other people out there in agreement with the work going on to improve the heath.

I don't know what the blue containers are for but they are not connected to conservation work on the heath, I'm sure of that.

The work has been stopped as a result of complaints by some local residents who were in favour of leaving the heath as it was. Wigan MBC were forced to investigate the complaints and thus asked Ashton Heath Residents' Association to stop work until these complaints were addressed. The request came from the Planning & Regeneration Dept within Wigan MBC and AHRA agreed to the request. Councillor Carney is at pains to state that he did not stop any work.

This week the complaints are going to be discussed by the Planning & Regeneration Dept and the Councillors with a view to responding to the complainants.

It is hoped that the conservation work can resume at some point but this is by no means certain. Unfortunately Wigan MBC are obliged to take seriously all complaints no matter how outlandish they are !

There is reason to believe that this petition is objecting to (a) the weeded areas being cut and (b) the cutting back of some trees. The complainants don't seem to be aware that these actions are necessary or the heathland will become scrub and then woodland all over in years to come. A bid for significant funding for Ashton Heath is also being jeopardised by these ill-advised complaints.

Town: russandjosie@blueyonder.gov.uk

Whats to stop you continuing to tidy up the area on mass?

I appreciate that it is council land, but you arent damaging anything are you?

What can the council do?

It would make a great story for the observer if the council tried to come the heavy hand!

CARRY ON!

Thankfully the suspension has now been lifted and the work has resumed. Let's hope that was a one-off !

There will be an article in the Wigan Evening News any night now about the suspension & resumption.