Councillors

Aftab Razaq selected as Labour candidate for May 2022

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Aftab with Bano and Angeliki in Manley Park earlier this year

At their meeting on 21 September, Labour Party members in Whalley Range selected Aftab Razaq to stand as the party’s candidate in the local elections on Thursday 5 May 2022. Aftab has been a councillor since he first stood for Whalley Range in 2011, and this will be the fourth election he has contested.

After the meeting, Aftab said “I’m very humbled to have been chosen again by my fellow Labour members as the election candidate, and I will be starting my campaign straight away, getting out and meeting as many voters as possible between now and May. I urge anyone who has questions to ask or issues to raise with me, to please get in touch”.

Whalley Range neighbourhood vax centre relocates

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Angeliki, Aftab and Bano visit the relocated KPS centre at Whalley Range High School

As previously reported, Whalley Range is fortunate to have two local pharmacies providing Covid-19 vaccination service right here in our ward. Anyone who has received an NHS letter or a message from their GP to say that they are now eligible for the vaccine, can make an appointment at one of these local centres – it’s not necessary to travel across the city to another venue. As the age threshold has lowered, both centres have been very busy, but plenty of appointments are still available.

The centre operated by Kapoor Pharmacy Services has recently relocated from Whalley Range Cricket Club to the sports centre adjacent to Whalley Range High School, accessed from Wilbraham Road. For more details, see the pharmacy’s Facebook page.

Everest Pharmacy continue to provide their vaccination service from their base on Withington Road.

Another award for the Moss Side Community Allotment

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Aftab, Angeliki and Bano congratulate volunteers on their latest award

The Moss Side Community Allotment Group has received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the so-called ‘MBE for voluntary groups’. It is an acknowledgement of the thousands of hours of work put in by group members to “dig, plant, sow, construct and most importantly, share”, and will be added to a growing number of recognitions which they have received – and which are proudly displayed in their self-built community room ‘The Hub”.

Whalley Range Labour councillor Aftab Razaq called in earlier today with fellow councillors Angeliki Stogia and Muqaddasah Bano, to congratulate the group on this latest achievement. He said “It’s actually really incredible what Phil and the volunteers have managed to create here over the last eleven years in the heart of this residential area, surrounded by houses and flats. There’s fresh fruit, vegetables of all kinds, even some beautiful chickens. All the helpers deserve enormous credit, for their really inspirational project”.

The Community Allotment is located on the corner of Caythorpe and Bowes Streets, in the part of Whalley Range ward which is in Moss Side neighbourhood. For more information about the project, see their Facebook page.

Councillors’ update: COVID-19 Enhanced Response Area

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Local residents have been in touch with Whalley Range Labour councillors Aftab Razaq, Angeliki Stogia and Muqaddasah Bano, after the Government announced that the whole of Greater Manchester (including Whalley Range) is to be designated as an Enhanced Response Area (ERA). This has happened because COVID-19 cases are increasing locally, probably due to the Delta variant of concern which is thought to spread 40% more easily than previous strains.

You can find more information on the Council website here, and the Councillors encourage everyone in Whalley Range to follow some simple guidelines:

  • Take extra care and meet people outside, rather than inside, wherever possible.
  • Follow all the rules around social distancing, face coverings, washing hands, wiping surfaces, and keeping windows open.
  • Take the vaccination when offered (if you have any questions please talk to your GP, who will want to help).
  • Do the free twice-weekly testing sessions (these are the lateral flow kits that are for people who do not have Covid symptoms available free at pharmacies). This is because we know that 1 in 3 people can have the virus without ever showing any sign of it. Then, please record your results and if it is positive, please book a PCR test immediately to confirm the result.
  • Please take the help and support the Council can offer while you self-isolate. There is no stigma in catching the virus or being a contact. 

However the Councillors stress that this is not another lockdown. Manchester remains open for business with shops, hotels, bars and restaurants open to visitors in line with the Government’s easing of restrictions on 17 May.

Cycleway work begins on Upper Chorlton Road

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Work has now started on the next phase of the City Centre to Chorlton Cycleway, which will affect the full length of Upper Chorlton Road and is scheduled to last for approximately six months. As well as the construction of segregated cycle lanes, there will be major upgrades to road drainage, pedestrian crossings and bus stops.

The working hours for the project are 7.30am to 6pm on weekdays and 8.30am to 6pm on Saturdays. Inevitably there will be some temporary disruption to residents on Upper Chorlton Road, Moss Grange / Oakfield / Whitethorn and Sylvan Avenues, and other neighbouring streets. The contractor (Galliford Try) has undertaken to keep this to a minimum, and anyone experiencing specific problems (eg with access) or who would like more information about how the work is progressing should contact the contractor’s agent Ben Mathers on 07873 858202 (or email ben.mathers@gallifordtry.co.uk). For more general enquiries, please contact one of the councillors.