What!s Bugging You About

Todmorden?

Survey and Participatory Appraisal Findings

Connecting Communities Programme" 4

What!s Bugging You About Todmorden?" 5

Issues at a glance! 5

Charts! 6

Data! 7

Community" 8

Issues at a glance! 8

Suggestions! 9

Charts! 10

Data! 12

Council and Services " 13

Issues at a glance! 13

Suggestions! 14

Charts! 15

Data! 17

Crime and Safety " 18

Issues at a glance! 18

Suggestions! 19

Charts! 20

Data! 21

Economics " 22

Issues at a glance! 22

Suggestions! 23

Charts! 24

Data! 26

Environment" 27

Issues at a glance! 27

2

Suggestions! 28

Charts! 29

Data! 31

Leisure " 32

Issues at a glance! 32

Suggestions! 33

Charts! 34

Data! 36

Young People " 37

Issues at a glance! 37

Suggestions! 38

Charts! 39

Data! 40

3

Connecting Communities Programme

In late 2009 the Department for Communities and Local Government, working with Government Offices (GOs) and local partners were looking to deliver a new and intensive programme of activity in some of the wards and neighbourhoods suffering most from the effects of the recession and from low levels of civic engagement. The focus would be on the neighbourhoods which are likely to suffer particularly sharply from the recession and where residents feel that no one is speaking for them or is responding to their needs.

The concern is that unless there is an effective response, these communities may remain prone to disengagement and open to exploitation by those keen to undermine efforts to build cohesive communities. There is a need to:

• Listen to people!s grievances

• Facilitate open and honest debates with those who feel themselves to be left behind by service provision (and left further behind upon exit from the recession)

• "Myth bust! where perceptions of fairness are misinformed and facing up to issues where perceptions of unfairness are justified

• Consider how key local services can be more effectively joined up, making it easier for people to access and influence these services

The Todmorden Connecting Communities project began in late March 2010 and ran for 3 months. The project included:

• Participatory Appraisal training and research for local unemployed people.

• I Love Tod – Information directories for community members to find our more about engaging in local activities.

• Rewind peer training project at the local high school where young people were trained to train their peers in questioning and challenging racism in the community.

• Community celebration including restoration of the town flag pole and creation of a Todmorden Town Flag and an International Children!s Day flag.

• "What!s Bugging You! community consultation.

• Safe Spaces events for open and safe discussion on faith and religious practice.

• Outreach youth work offering careers and training advice to young people.

4

What!s Bugging You About Todmorden?

Issues at a glance

Litt

er a

nd d

og p

oo

Mar

ket

Tow

n H

all

Hig

hway

s

Plan

ning

and

infr

astr

uctu

rePe

rson

al s

afet

y

Bus

ines

s an

d Em

ploy

men

t

The

Park

Prov

isio

n fo

r Yo

ung

Peop

le

Hea

lth C

entr

e ac

cess

Polic

ing

121

peop

le

83 p

eopl

e

43 p

eopl

e48

peo

ple

18 p

eopl

e

34 p

eopl

e

41 p

eopl

e

32 p

eopl

e

19 p

eopl

e

16 p

eopl

e

4 pe

ople

5

Charts

Litte

r and

Do

g P

oo

Pla

nnin

g a

nd

Infr

astr

uctu

re

Mark

et

Tow

n H

all

Th

e P

ark

Hig

hw

ays

Pro

vis

ion f

or

Yo

ung

Peo

ple

Bu

sin

ess &

Em

plo

ym

ent

Pers

on

al S

afe

ty

Po

licin

g

Health C

entr

e A

ccess

Ho

usin

g

025

50

75

100

125

150

Wh

at’

s b

ug

gin

g y

ou

in

To

dm

ord

en

?

6

Data

Comment Number

Litter and Dog Poo 121

Planning and Infrastructure 83

Market 43

Town Hall 41

The Park 38

Highways 34

Provision for Young People 32

Business & Employment 19

Personal Safety 18

Policing 16

Health Centre Access 4

Housing 1

7

Community

Issues at a glance

Positive

Negative

Friendly place

Good community spiritCivic pride

FriendsNice place to live

Brass band

16 people

13 people

3 people

3 people2 people

2 people

Lack of commnunity spirit

Parochial attitude2 people

3 people

8

Suggestions

Comment Number

Invite more fit girls into the area! 1

It would be good if people put more ideas forward. 1

Group local lawyers and accountants and ask them to agree in principle to supporting

local community groups at discounted rates

1

Lobby Calderdale Council to buy or lease unused St John ambulance premises for

community use/ transfer money from Sale of the Ormorod Centre

1

Welcome day for new comers 1

Promote Todmorden and the Acorn Centre 1

More smiles 1

More celebration 1

Set an ‘adopt a granny’ / support a young person project 1

Less moaning more volunteering 1

Join your local organisation – Band Choir Theatre 1

Stop expecting something for nothing and swap skills/ time/ goods 1

More celebs to come to Tod 1

Stop moaning 1

Make grumpiness illegal 1

9

Charts

Friend

ly p

lace

Go

od

co

mm

unity s

pirit

Civ

ic p

rid

e

Friend

s

Nic

e p

lace t

o liv

e

Bra

ss b

and

His

tory

Fam

ily

Div

ers

ity

05

10

15

20

Po

sit

ive

s

10

Lack o

f co

mm

unity s

pirit

Imm

igra

tio

n p

rob

lem

s

No

in

exp

en

siv

e a

cco

mm

od

atio

n f

or

sm

all

so

cie

ties

No

t eno

ug

h c

o-o

pera

tio

n b

etw

een g

roup

s

Paro

chia

l att

itud

e

01

23

Ne

ga

tive

s

11

Data

Positive:

Comment Number

Friendly place 16

Good community spirit 13

Civic pride 3

Friends 3

Nice place to live 2

Brass band 2

History 2

Family 1

Diversity 1

Negative:

Comment Number

No inexpensive accommodation for small societies 1

Not enough co-operation between groups 1

Parochial attitude 1

Immigration problems 2

Lack of community spirit 3

Comments:

"As an ex-city-dweller I am amazed at how people smile — I made more friends in six months in Todmorden than in 20 years in the city!

12

Council and Services

Issues at a glance

Positive

Negative

Transport

Healthcare

Schools

Acorn Centre

Advice

Street lighting

11 people5 people

5 people5 people

2 people2 people

Sca!oloding around Town Hall

Ormerod Centre

Parking

Rose Street Health Centre

Advertising of what Todmorden o!ers

6 people

5 people

4 people2 people

2 people

13

Suggestions

Comment Number

More off street parking / free parking 6

Make more use of public transport 2

Improve getting Dr appointment times 1

Improve Tod High, Abolish the High School, Extend the size of Tod/Hebden – join

schools Calder and Tod High together in Eastwood

1

Find another use for Rose Streen Health Centre. 1

Improve pedestrian entrance to medical centre 1

More communication 1

Town Hall should be thrown open for community groups to use (and local businesses

should get refuced rates to use it). It is our Town Hall – concerts, dances

1

Allowing the Abraham Ormerod building that was bequeathed to the people to fall into

disrepair is a disgrace

1

More availability to public buildings 1

There should be a mini roundabout on Rose Street. 1

There should be more free parking. 1

Use Ormerod Centre 1

Use Rose Street Centre 1

Public seating areas needed. 1

Make more use of the Town Hall. 1

Gritters, street cleaners, keeping roads clear day and night 1

Wider roads 1

Money back in Tod for regeneration 1

Re-development 1

More efforts to promote Tod 1

Tod council reformed 1

A more active town hall 1

Public bodies should practise what they preach — recycling food, composting etc. 1

Improve public transport links between buses and trains — connections are awful 1

Let’s have a Tod Town Council development worker again please’ 1

People should be informed about issues 1

More support needed from Calderdale council 1

There should be a council plan for the town 1

14

Charts

Go

od

tra

nsp

ort

Go

od

healthcare

Go

od

scho

ols

Aco

rn c

entr

e

Go

od

ad

vic

e a

bo

ut

co

uncil

serv

ices e

tc.

Go

od

str

eet

lighting

Go

od

str

eet

cle

anin

g

Flo

od

defe

nce s

yste

m

Park

it

(when

co

mp

lete

d)

Bab

y c

lub

s

Excelle

nt

libra

ry

03

69

12

15

Po

sit

ive

15

Scaff

old

ing

aro

und

the T

ow

n H

all

need

s t

o g

o

Imp

rove O

rmero

d C

entr

e

No

t eno

ug

h p

ark

ing

Re-u

se R

ose S

treet

Health C

entr

e b

uild

ing

Lack o

f ad

vert

isin

g o

f w

hat

Tod

mo

rden h

as t

o o

ffer

Po

or

str

eet

lighting

Do

n’t

lik

e t

he b

us s

tatio

n

Lack o

f salt a

nd

grit

in w

inte

r

Po

or

sig

nag

e

Lack o

f re

al help

Cut

backs in

main

tenance o

f lo

cal am

en

itie

s

CC

TV

/ m

ore

/ less /

sp

eed

cam

era

s

No

t eno

ug

h b

uses in t

he e

venin

g

Narr

ow

Ro

ad

s

Health C

entr

e n

ot

op

en o

n w

eekend

s a

nd

bank h

olid

ays

Co

uncill

ors

do

n’t

care

02

46

8

Ne

ga

tive

s

16

Data

Positive:

Comment Number

Good transport 11

Good healthcare 5

Good schools 5

Acorn centre 5

Good advice about council services etc. 2

Good street lighting 2

Good street cleaning 1

Flood defence system 1

Park it (when completed) 1

Baby clubs 1

Excellent library 1

Negative:

Comment Number

Scaffolding around the Town Hall needs to go 6

Improve Ormerod Centre 5

Not enough parking 4

Re-use Rose Street Health Centre building 2

Lack of advertising of what Todmorden has to offer 2

Poor street lighting 1

Don’t like the bus station 1

Lack of salt and grit in winter 1

Poor signage 1

Lack of real help 1

Cut backs in maintenance of local amenities 1

CCTV / more / less / speed cameras 1

Not enough buses in the evening 1

Narrow Roads 1

Health Centre not open on weekends and bank holidays 1

Councillors don’t care 1

17

Crime and Safety

Issues at a glance

Negative

Not enough police Vandalism

Public drinking

Police Station not open

Gra!ti

Stealing fish

Anti-social behaviour

Noise

6 people5 people

4 people

2 people2 people

2 people2 people 2 people

18

Suggestions

Comment Number

More CCTV: 2 2

Rehabilitate drug addicts by making them write poetry — smackhead poetry! 1

Police should not park of double yellow lines without an emergency 1

More policing 1

More bobbies on the beat especially at night 1

Make the police station more central – e.g. at the old doctors’ 1

Less CCTV 1

Better police force 1

19

Charts

No

t eno

ug

h p

olic

e

Vand

alis

m

Pub

lic d

rinkin

g

Po

lice s

tatio

n n

ot

op

en e

no

ug

h

Gra

ffiti

Ste

alin

g f

ish

Anti-s

ocia

l b

ehavio

ur

No

ise

Pub

lic u

rinatio

n

Ste

alin

g s

wan

s

Sp

eed

ing

Mess /

dam

ag

e c

aused

by late

-nig

ht

drinkers

01

23

45

6

Ne

ga

tive

s

20

Data

Positive:

Comment Number

Todmorden feels safe. 1

There is a good police presence around the bus station. 1

The police work with the community and patrol the areas that are brought to their

attention at public meetings.

1

The police have a willingness to work with the community and listen 1

Negative:

Comment Number

Not enough police 6

Vandalism 5

Public drinking 4

Police station not open enough 2

Graffiti 2

Stealing fish 2

Anti-social behaviour 2

Noise 2

Public urination 1

Stealing swans 1

Speeding 1

Mess / damage caused by late-night drinkers 1

Comments:

"The lights are on at the police station but nobody!s home!

21

Economics

Issues at a glance

Positive

Negative

Need high-street shops

Too many supermarkets

Market needs to be improved

Not enough jobs

No fast-food chains

11 people

7 people

5 people

2 people

4 people

Market

Cafes

2 people

11 people

22

Suggestions

Comment Number

Fewer supermarkets 1

More money should be spent on the market 6

Build a shopping centre 2

Build a McDonalds / KFC 2

More high street shops 1

More businesses 1

Employ local traders to do jobs, do not employ out of town labour 1

Build another petrol station 1

Employ local people 1

Buy more pies from your local pie shop 1

Encourage entrepreneurs. 1

Promote Tod market and local shops outside the area to bring in more customers 1

Twinning links? Revive 1

No more supermarkets – support your local market 1

Hire bloggers to create travel blogs about Tod 1

There are too many cafes – there are 23 and too many hairdressers 1

Talk the place up 1

No more supermarkets we don’t need them 1

Encourage industry back in to Tod – jobs will follow 1

Ask local banks about their policies for social responsibility and examples how their

companies have invested in communities elsewhere ….

1

More small business support 1

Promote tourism 1

More eco businesses for Tod 1

No more supermarkets, support local shops 1

More market days 1

More specialised market days 1

More market days celebrating more local produce 1

Support the local traders – markets not supermarkets 1

More small businesses 1

Build small business park on the land opposite the hippodrome 1

Promote Tod as a place for sustainable businesses 1

Have a cohesive and collaborate approach that will attract more funding to Tod 1

Make creative crafts in the community 1

More eco-businesses 1

Shout about the uniqueness of Tod! 1

Create a local currency 1

Open up unused buildings for community groups for fixed and agreed periods — this

would preserve properties and get use from them

1

Develop the riverside to encourage tourism and to help small businesses in the area. 1

Make better use of Calder College 1

Charity car boot sale in the market car park once a month 1

Employ people from the Acorn Centre — they are well trained and willing to work. 1

Art shop 1

23

Charts

The m

ark

et

Go

od

cafe

s

Go

od

sho

ps

Go

od

busin

esses

Tod

has a

ll th

e t

op

hig

h s

treet

banks

Tou

rism

Go

rdo

n R

igg

s G

ard

en C

en

tre

Mo

rris

on

s

Incre

dib

le E

dib

le T

od

mo

rden

Lo

ts o

f to

urism

po

tential —

cyclin

g, w

alk

ing

, etc

.

Lo

cal fo

od

ou

tlets

an

d p

rod

ucers

03

69

12

Po

sit

ive

s

24

Bett

er

sho

ps /

hig

h s

treet

sho

ps n

eed

ed

Too

man

y s

up

erm

ark

ets

Th

e m

ark

et

need

s t

o b

e im

pro

ved

No

t eno

ug

h jo

bs

Do

n’t

build

a M

acD

onald

’s o

r suchlik

e

No

mo

re s

up

erm

ark

ets

Busin

esses d

yin

g

No

fast

foo

d c

hain

s

Too

many c

harity

sho

ps

Only

one p

etr

ol sta

tio

n

Too

man

y e

mp

ty s

ho

ps

Too

much c

ontr

ol fr

om

outs

ide t

he t

ow

n

Tod

mo

rden

sho

uld

have a

Halif

ax p

ostc

od

e

Too

many p

ub

s c

losin

g d

ow

n.

No

t eno

ug

h s

ho

ps f

or

teenag

ers

No

t eno

ug

h s

ho

ps f

or

old

er

peo

ple

03

69

12

Ne

ga

tive

s

25

Data

Positive:

Comment Number

The market 11

Good cafes 2

Good shops 1

Good businesses 1

Tod has all the top high street banks 1

Tourism 1

Gordon Riggs Garden Centre 1

Morrisons 1

Incredible Edible Todmorden 1

Lots of tourism potential — cycling, walking, etc. 1

Local food outlets and producers 1

Negative:

Comment Number

Better shops / high street shops needed 12

Too many supermarkets 7

The market needs to be improved 5

Not enough jobs 4

Don’t build a MacDonald’s or suchlike 4

No more supermarkets 4

Businesses dying 3

No fast food chains 2

Too many charity shops 1

Only one petrol station 1

Too many empty shops 1

Too much control from outside the town — give it back to an active local council 1

Todmorden should have a Halifax postcode - OL14 is considered dangerous, so

insurance premiums are higher than they should be.

1

Too many pubs closing down. 1

Not enough shops for teenagers 1

Not enough shops for older people 1

Comments:

"More help is needed for cultural tourism, particularly visual arts and music. Why should Hebden Bridge have the largest share?!

"Some unique, innovative businesses are quietly bringing in lots of economic benefit to the town — give them more recognition! eg. an ethical business directory.!

26

Environment

Issues at a glance

Positive

Beautiful countryside

Incredible Edible Todmorden

Green Spaces

Beautiful Town

Walks

Park

Todmorden in Bloom

30 people

10 people

6 people

5 people

4 people

4 people

4 people

Negative

Litter

Dog poo

Derelict buildings

Tra!c and noise pollution

Poor roads

Tacky shop signs

Speeding

11 people

14 people

12 people

6 people

4 people

2 people

2 people

27

Suggestions

Comment Number

Tidy the place up 5

Roads / potholes needed to be sorted 3

Stop on-street parking and provide more parking areas 2

More fruit and veg - you can’t have enough!’ 2

Education - littering is wrong 2

Clean up dog poo 2

Windmills or nuclear power station — your choice!’ 1

Use the derelict buildings 1

Tacky shop signs replaced with more traditional ones 1

Stop blocking off the places where the travelers have parked and provide park-ups for

travelers

1

Spend more money on the town hall 1

Solar panels on the town hall 1

Regenerate the canalside in town 1

Put bins in countryside areas 1

Plant wild flowers! 1

People should do litter picking 1

Pedestrianise Water Street 1

More wind power 1

More parks for kids 1

More park attractions 1

More gardens 1

More bins for dog poo on the canal 1

More bins around the market area 1

Improve the river area around Todmorden and the bus station 1

Improve the playing field 1

Get young offenders to clean up the canal 1

Get rid of the steel shutters on the shops 1

Develop facilities around the river 1

Collect recycling on Peel Cottage Road 1

Cleaning up dumped rubbish would discourage tipping 1

Campaign against littering on the canal 1

A 20 mph speed limit should be imposed when school children are arriving at School in

the morning and leaving in the evening

1

20mph speed limit in Cornholme 1

28

Charts

Beautifu

l S

cenery

/ C

ountr

ysid

e

Incre

dib

le E

dib

le T

od

mo

rden

Gre

en

Sp

aces /

Canal

Beautifu

l To

wn

Walk

s

Park

Tod

in B

loo

m

Fre

sh a

ir

Sp

lend

id b

uild

ing

s

05

10

15

20

25

30

Po

sit

ive

s

29

Litte

r /

Fly

tip

pin

g

Do

g P

oo

Dere

lict

Build

ing

s

Tra

ffic

/ n

ois

e p

ollu

tio

n

Po

or

road

co

nd

itio

ns

Tacky s

ho

p s

igns

Sp

eed

ing

Park

Railw

ay S

treet

is a

mess

Weed

s a

rou

nd

the c

anal

Bett

er

care

sho

uld

be t

aken o

f th

e g

raveyard

s

Dra

b

So

me f

oo

tpath

s a

re p

oo

rly m

ain

tain

ed

Lig

ht

po

llutio

n

03

69

12

15

Ne

ga

tive

s

30

Data

Positive:

Comment Number

Beautiful Scenery / Countryside 30

Incredible Edible Todmorden 10

Green Spaces / Canal 6

Beautiful Town 5

Walks 4

Park 4

Tod in Bloom 4

Fresh air 4

Splendid buildings 1

Negative:

Comment Number

Litter / Fly tipping 14

Dog Poo 12

Derelict Buildings 11

Traffic / noise pollution 6

Poor road conditions 4

Tacky shop signs 2

Speeding 2

Park 1

Railway Street is a mess 1

Weeds around the canal 1

Better care should be taken of the graveyards 1

Drab 1

Some footpaths are poorly maintained 1

Light pollution 1

Comments:

"Country areas are forgotten about — could do with more flowers, more signposted walks, reduce the speed of traffic, and to assist walkers as they often get abuse from drivers.!

31

Leisure

Issues at a glance

Positive

Negative

Sports Centre

Cricket Ground

Pubs

Canal

9 people

4 people

2 people

9 people

No cinema

Boring

Not enough sporting activities

No bowling alley

6 people

4 people

3 people

2 people

32

Suggestions

Comment Number

Cinema 5

Improve the skate park 3

More tourist attractions e.g. marina 1

They need to do something with the old Kwik-Save, e.g. cinema or skate park 1

More activities/ better use of park – festivals etc 1

Under 18s club where they are allowed to drink alcohol if you are 15 or over 1

Permanent, cheap and good boxing club 1

A wine bar 1

Former Netto building could be used for tenpin bowling or a cinema. 1

A carnival! 1

A Cricket ground. 1

A new Sports Centre. 1

More bridle ways to encourage horse-riding. 1

More Cafés 1

Make opportunities for soccer teams in the Tod area 1

Provide entertainment for older people–a bowling green, for example. 1

Tod carnivals, animal shows, agricultural shows 1

Better sports facilities 1

Bowling Alley 1

Italian restaurant missing 1

Pubs suited to different social groups 1

Music venues 1

More activities to keep people in Tod 1

Outdoor activities 1

More restaurants 1

33

Charts

Go

od

sp

ort

s c

entr

e

Go

od

cricket

gro

und

Pub

s

Canal

Park

facili

ties

Hip

po

dro

me T

heatr

e

Ente

rtain

ment

Festivals

Go

od

rang

e o

f activitie

s a

vaila

ble

02

46

81

0

Po

sit

ive

34

No

cin

em

a

It’s

bo

rin

g

No

t en

oug

h s

po

rtin

g a

ctivitie

s

Need

bo

wlin

g a

lleys

Bank h

olid

ays b

oring

—n

o s

ho

ps o

pen

Need

pla

yg

round

s

Mo

re c

lub

s, p

ub

s

Need

po

ol hall

No

lad

ies o

nly

sw

imm

ing

with f

em

ale

lifeg

uard

s

No

thin

gs t

o g

o t

o

01

23

45

6

Ne

ga

tive

35

Data

Positive:

Comment Number

Good sports centre 9

Good cricket ground 4

Pubs 2

Canal 2

Park facilities 1

Hippodrome Theatre 1

Entertainment 1

Festivals 1

Good range of interests and pursuits available and accessible for all ages 1

Negative:

Comment Number

No cinema 6

It’s boring 4

Not enough sporting activities 3

Need bowling alleys 2

Bank holidays boring—no shops open 1

Need playgrounds 1

More clubs, pubs 1

Need pool hall 1

No ladies only swimming with female lifeguards 1

No things to go to, no days out in Todmorden 1

36

Young People

Issues at a glance

Negative

Nothing for young people to do

No youth centre4 people

9 people

37

Suggestions

Comment Number

Create more activities for young people 8

Build a youth centre 2

Bring back National Service to improve discipline 1

Build better skate park 1

Open a Milk Bar 1

Open Skateboarding or bike shop 1

Employment for young kids 1

More choices of courses at college 1

Get kids off streets 1

Create educational awards and an awarding body for local education facilities

(including pre-schools – high schools)

1

Set youth challenges to build the things they want but ask them to work with local

businesses to do so

1

Publicise free activities for teenagers 1

Set up a responsible parenting group 1

More volunteering opportunities 1

Build a hall for young people (indoor rock climbing etc.) next to the new Health Centre 1

38

Charts

No

thin

g f

or

yo

ung

peo

ple

to

do

No

yo

uth

centr

es

Po

or

Skate

park

Yo

uth

s d

rinkin

g o

n s

treets

Too

many k

ids o

n t

he s

treets

02

46

81

0

Ne

ga

tive

39

Data

Positive:

Comment Number

Good services for young people 1

Todmorden is a good place to bring up kids 1

Negative:

Comment Number

Nothing for young people to do 9

No youth centres 4

Poor Skatepark 1

Youths drinking on streets 1

Too many kids on the streets 1

40