Your Local Independent 210

August 2026 Page 5 AD SALES 01204 478812 IN BRIEF THE ‘Two Lads’ cairns on Winter Hill are to be taken down and rebuilt this summer to make them safer and deter further vandalism. The Woodland Trust says that after they are dismantled there will be a community archaeological dig in August, then they will be rebuilt with the help of a dry stone waller and local volunteers. A CELEBRATION was held at Bolton Wanderers’ Toughsheet Stadium in Middlebrook to mark the completion of this year’s ‘Mini Police’ initiative in the borough. A total of 90 local children took part in the Greater Manchester Police scheme, undertaking a range of activities including traffic operations. ORGANISERS have declared this year’s Blackrod Scarecrow Festival a big hit. The annual event once again attracted a host of entrants and visitors. WE SELL RECYCLED FURNITURE AND FURNISHINGS ALL AT VERY COMPETITIVE PRICES TO DONATE YOUR GOODS AND ARRANGE A FREE COLLECTION CALL 01204 398056 Opening Times: Monday-Friday 9.00am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 4pm DERBY BARRACKS, FLETCHER STREET, BOLTON BL3 6NF www.emmaus-bolton.org.uk • info@emmausbolton.org.uk GARDEN CENTRE Come along for all your bedding plants and more! Working towards a neighbourhood plan WESTHOUGHTON coun- cillors are looking at the possibility of creating a Neighbourhood Plan for the town. The community-led document would guide the future development, design, and use of land in a local area. Neighbouring Horwich and Blackrod already have such plans in place. Westhoughton’s Town Council is now setting up a working group to inves- tigate the possibility of creating their own. The working group, which will report back to the council, will look at whether there is local interest in moving the project forward. The establishment of the working group is being led by town coun- cillorMartinTighe. Speaking after the council meeting that decided to set up the group, town councillor David Wilkinson said: “We are going to create a neighbourhood plan for Westhoughton to help address many of the local issues we are facing. “I’m pleased to have approved this with Westhoughton Town Council colleagues, work- ing on a cross-party, non-political basis. “We will be involving residents, business and community groups when thework gets underway.” Local government shake-up axes councils CHORLEY Council is to be abolished and merged into a new south Lancashire authority under local government reorgan- isation plans. The borough will join South Ribble and West Lancashire to create one of four new unitary coun- cils in the county. Lancashire County Council will also dis- appear following the decision, subject to Par- liamentary approval, which has been described as the biggest change in local government in more than 50 years. The changes will see these new unitary coun- cils take responsibility for all local services in their areas. The cur- rent 15 councils in Lan- cashire will be cut to just four. The government has confirmed that elections to the new shadow coun- cils will take place in May 2027. Alistair Bradley, leader of Chorley Council said: “We’re really pleased that government has made this decision. It’s the right outcome for Lancashire, which is why we were committed to driving the ‘Four Lanca- shire’ proposal forward. “We want the abso- lute best for the resi- dents of Chorley and this outcome I believe will allow us to continue to provide excellent ser- vices and see growth for the Chorley area along with our neigh- bours who will make up the newly formed South Lancashire.” In 2024 a request from Horwich Town Council for a review to decide which borough it should sit in was turned down by the government. The council had sub- mitted “multiple options” for change – including a move which would have seen Horwich, Blackrod and Westhoughton quit Bolton and come together with neighbouring Chor- ley and South Ribble to create a new borough. Search is on for school’s ex-pupils A CALL has gone out for former pupils of Rivington and Black- rod Grammar School to get back in touch with their old pals. It is being made by organisers of a special 60-year reunion for people who attended the school between 1966 and 1973. The big event is planned for September 5 at Curley’s Dining Room in Horwich with people already set to travel from across the UK and from as far afield as the USA. Now one of the organis- ers, Karen Feay, is look- ing for more old boys and girls to get in touch and is asking our readers to help her in the search. Karen, whose surname at school was Yates, said: “Myself and a friend have been trying to contact ex pupils of Rivington and Blackrod Grammar School who attended between 1966 to 1973. “Considering the time frame and our ages we have done quite well managing to find around 40 people but have now come to a dead end. “It has taken us a cou- ple of years and a lot of detective work to get this far but we really would like to find more. “The friendships that have been re-kindled are now quite special and people relatively close to Horwich, Blackrod, Westhoughton, Chorley and Cheshire meet up occasionally for lunches, walks and social events.” If you are a former pupil, or if you know someone who is, get in touch with us by email- ing ged@henderson newsandmedia.com and we’ll put you in contact with Karen. Get-together: Some of the former grammar school pupils at an earlier gathering (Photo credit: Karen Feay)