HOMES in old people’s colonies in the town may remain empty because none of the applicants on the waiting list qualifies for a tenancy.

Radcliffe Council is so concerned about the position that it wants to send a deputation to Lancashire County Council to discuss the county’s policy in the matter of approving applicants for old people’s colonies.

The help of the town’s two county councillors is to be sought in an effort to obtain a relaxation in the system to enable more old people to enter the colonies.

The sub-committee’s housing manager told the Radcliffe Times “each case is examined separately which creates a problem as we have no guide to work from.”

Currently, all 57 dwellings in Radcliffe, which are served by a warden, are full.

But there is a constant worry that a dwelling will fall vacant and remain so because applicants would not be approved by the County.

The housing manager added: “Most of the applications we make to the County for old people to move into dwellings are refused.”

The flats and bungalows were built, and are administered, by Radcliffe Corporation, but the County Council makes an average weekly grant of 15shillings per dwelling.

If an older resident were allowed to move into a dwelling without County approval the grant could be withdrawn - and the cost would fall back on to Radcliffe Corporation.

n ON Christmas Day Noah and Emma Bickerton celebrated 65 years of married life.

Mr Bickerton, now 85, and Mrs Bickerton, aged 86, were married on December 25, 1902, at Christ Church, Bradford, Manchester.

Mr Bickerton was born in Beswick and Mrs Bickerton, in Salford. They have lived in Radcliffe for nearly 40 years.

Before moving to their present address in Chelsea Avenue, they lived in Diggle Street.

For more than 30 years Mr Bickerton worked as a forgeman at Armstrong Whitworth Ltd.

Although in their 80s, Mr and Mrs Bickerton lead very active lives and only a fortnight ago they went to a Christmas party.

This Christmas they spent their wedding anniversary at the home of their daughter, Evelyn Pilling, with a few relatives.

n HOT meals will be available to people using Radcliffe’s new public swimming baths for a trial period of three months.

Attempts at Radcliffe Council meeting to prevent the hiring of a machine to dispense the meals - because of the present state of the economy - were answered by claims that the Council would lose nothing and might gain a great deal by providing the service.

Members were told that on hot drinks machines, a popular amenity at many modern baths, the profit margin was almost 100 per cent.

The Council approved recommendations of the departmental committee which had been vetted and agreed by both the staffs and property sub-committee and the finance committee.

It was resolved to hire a hot meals vending machine for three months, with a view to its purchase at an estimated cost of £2,252 if the trials justified it; and also to buy a snack machine, cold drink machine, change machine and four litter bins.

Tenders are to be invited for the machines.