Long-serving councillors waving goodbye to Town Hall

Former deputy council leader Cllr Mike Hannon (LAB – Orford), who was elected in 1983, is standing down at next week’s election.

The politician was involved in the peace process following the Warrington bombings in 1993.

The second IRA attack took place in the town centre in March 1993, with 12-year-old Tim Parry and three-year-old Johnathan Ball tragically losing their lives.

Cllr Hannon, 68, was left devastated after hearing the news.

But he has hailed the work of the Peace Centre, which was set up after the bombings.

He said: “The thing I remember, the Sunday after the Saturday, a group of us all gathered with police permission to have a bit of a prayer in Bridge Street, near where it happened, and the forensics team were still on their hands and knees searching for evidence as we were having these prayers.

“It was a very cold and eerie feeling at the time, you couldn’t register what happened 24 hours earlier in that area.”

Cllr Hannon was instrumental in delivering Orford Jubilee Hub and the infamous ‘Skittles’ in the town centre, as well as the vision for the Cultural Quarter.

He was recognised for his efforts in 2016 after scooping the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Warrington Guardian Inspiration Awards in 2016.

Cllr Hannon says he was shocked to scoop the accolade.

“I came away a very proud person,” he said.

Cllr Hannon also had a spell as chairman of the town centre working partnership and played a key role in plans to regenerate the town centre.

He said: “With the Guardians, that people call the skittles, all that was trying to do was something different in our town centre to attract people.

“Even though that got bad publicity, that brought a lot of people here who wanted to see them.

“At that time when I was involved the town centre was still surviving, I think the town centre I grew up is gone, probably gone for good, because people shop in different ways now, they shop online, at the retail parks and get home delivery.

“It has changed now so we’ve got to change with it, now we’re trying to get different things in the town centre with the cinema, the restaurants, the public buildings, council buildings – and trying to get people living in the town centre again is one of the prime aims.”

Cllr Hannon believes he will miss politics but says he is ready to step down.

“I can look back with a lot of fondness at my involvement and I like to think that there’s a lot of stuff there that the children and grandchildren will be able to remember after I have gone,” he said.

“People still come up to me and still remember me as mayor even though that was in 1994-95. I feel I must have done some good.”

Cllr Colin Froggatt (LAB – Poulton South) is retiring at this election after serving for 42 years.

Cllr Froggatt highlighted three issues that were around in his earlier days and are still key matters facing the town today.

Cllr Colin Froggatt

He said: “The first one is closer integration with health and social care, that was being debated when I was first elected in 1979 and hasn’t been resolved.

“The second one is a high-level crossing over the Ship Canal. That was being debated and it was interesting, we were going to get money off Warrington New Town for that.

“This was at county council and we arranged a vote between political parties to win the vote but one of our members got drunk and didn’t turn up for the vote and we lost it. The member got drunk, we didn’t get it then.

“The third one we’ve been talking about since 1979 is a travellers transit site.

“It was at county council, which had the powers to set up a transit site.

“I think there was one earmarked for Woolston at one time but it never went ahead, and there were suggestions it should go up at Stretton, at the old Stretton Airfield, that never happened. And we’re still debating it.”

Meanwhile, a former Mayor of Warrington and council leader is retiring after 38 years of public service.

Labour’s John Joyce is stepping down at the upcoming election after almost four decades on Burtonwood and Westbrook Parish Council.

John Joyce celebrating an election win

He also served residents as Burtonwood and Winwick borough councillor between 1991 and 2016.

The 81-year-old served as mayor in 2010-11 and also enjoyed spells as council leader and chair of Cheshire Fire Authority.

“Some of my best memories are associated with the Fire Authority,” he said.

“Being on the fire service was, I would say, out of all services that I’ve done in public life, that’s been the most rewarding.”

John also had a lengthy period on the board of WREN and secured funding for drainage work on playing fields in Burtonwood.

He hailed the ‘excellent’ work carried out by a company.

“Those pitches at times were unplayable in the winter – you can play on them all the time now, that was a major success I think,” he said.

John also had kind words for councillors and people standing for election.

He said: “There are many, many wonderful people and councillors.

“The people who put themselves up for election, of all parties, have got to be admired for their perseverance.

“It doesn’t bring great glory, whatever you do you’ve got critics either side, which you accept – you’re not pleasing everybody every time.”

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