Welcome to Broxtowe Enews, brought to you by the Liberal Democrats and edited by David Watts, the leader of the Lib-Dems on Broxtowe Borough Council. A special welcome to the new readers who signed up over the holiday and may I wish all our readers a very happy new year and I hope everyone had the opportunity of a good break over Christmas. Sadly I received yet more proof that I’m getting old, as the optician has dictated that I start wearing reading glasses! Apparently my argument that my arms just needed stretching a bit wasn’t persuasive!
1. Cllr Tom Pettengell
One piece of very sad news from over the Christmas holidays was that Cllr Tom Pettengell, who represented Toton on the County Council and who was for many years the borough councillor for Attenborough, passed away over the Christmas holidays. Tom was someone who had friends across the political spectrum and he will be sadly missed.
2. Field Farm Meeting
STRAG, the Stapleford and Trowell Residents Action Group, have organised a meeting next week for local residents to discuss the planning application for Field Farm. It will take place at The Jaguar Pub, Hickings Lane, Stapleford on Saturday 14th January from 2pm to 4pm. Everyone is welcome to attend. On the topic generally of further housing developments in the borough I met this week, in my capacity as portfolio holder for Planning on the borough council, with representatives from SABRHE, the residents group from Brinsley, to express their concerns and I’ve met with representatives from Toton for a similar reason. STRAG did invite me to the meeting next Saturday but I’m unable to attend and so I’ve offered to meet them on an alternative date.
3. Mayors Musical Supper
The Mayor of the Borough of Broxtowe, Lib-Dem Councillor Jacky Williams is hosting a Musical Supper with the Beeston Musical Theatre Group at The Memorial Hall in Church Street, Bramcote on 28th February at 7.30pm. The evening will feature Songs from the Shows sung by the fantastic Beeston Musical Theatre Groups 12 piece ensemble, as well as mouth-watering fish and chips provided by Andy's Fish Bar, Stapleford. Proceeds will go to the Mayor’s Charities.
4. Policing in Bramcote
Residents in Bramcote wishing to meet the police are invited to do so on Monday evening. Officers will be on Ranmore Close in Bramcote between 7pm and 8pm to answer any questions that residents have.
5. Fire Service on Twitter
Notts Fire Service now has its own Twitter feed. They are at @nottsfire and Twitter users are invited to follow them.
6. Advice event for business women
The next meeting to the Broxtowe Businesswoman’s Network will be on January 18th from 5.30pm to 8.30pm at the Belfrey Hotel on Nottingham Business Park. It will be focusing on understanding their employees strengths and limitations, and costs £10 to attend. As I’m not a businesswoman I’ve never been, but these meetings receive rave reviews.
7. Greasley Beauvale School
The former Greasley Beauvale School, which was attended by DH Lawrence, and which closed last year, is to be auctioned by Notts County Council on January 26th. It is likely that an application will be submitted to convert it to a residential use in due course.
8. Special Constables
Notts Police are holding an information session for any one interested in becoming a special constable next month. It will take place at Beeston Town Hall on Saturday 11th February froom 10am, and anyone interested is invited to attend.
9. Beeston Barn Dance
The Stonebridge City Farm are holding a barn dance at Chilwell Road Methodist Church in Beeston on Saturday 21st January at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £7 and are available from the church office on 0115 943 1164.
10. Car Park Charges
The borough council are currently considering changes to car park charges. The proposal is that some car parks should be designated as long stay, with a considerably cheaper all day tariff. A report has been submitted to the cabinet which will be debated and voted on next month. I was surprised to read that a Conservative Councillor had been criticising this report before it was even published. I’d much rather that comment was based on the actual evidence rather than simply on dogma.
11. Wilkinsons petition
As I’ve mentioned here before the plans for the construction of the tram mean that the Wilkinsons store in Beeston is likely to close at the end of March. This will hopefully be only a short break in service, and is something that I had been trying to avoid. However the campaign to ensure that Wilkinsons does return has gone from strength to strength and Matt Goode, who writes the Beestionia Blog, has organised a petition in support of the store which collected in excess of 1,000 signatures when launched. If anyone wants to add their name to this you can contact Matt via Beestonia.wordpress.com.
12. Free Swimming for the Olympics?
The borough council is discussing a proposal to provide free swimming during the Olympics at the borough’s leisure centres. A decision will be taken on this next month.
13. Kimberley School
Often have published their latest report on Kimberley School, which they have ranked as good with outstanding features. This is not far from the top ranking that could be achieved and everyone at the school should be very proud of what they have achieved.
14. Crime Figures
The latest crime figures published by the police show that, after a steady decline for a number of months, burglaries went up during October. At the same time sexual offences have dropped and clear ups of these have increased. These figures are for the whole of Nottinghamshire and I will get the figures for Broxtowe in due course.
15. Coal Board Entry and Inspection Programme
The Coal Authority, which is responsible for discussed mines and mine workings, is currently carrying out a major programme of inspections for these. They are writing to every effected property in the borough, so if your property is on disused mine workings they may be getting in touch with you. I have some material which I can pass on top anyone affected by these, if you let me know.
16. Poetry Performance
On 30th January 2012, there will be a free performance of the poems and other creative pieces which came out of Dave Wood’s historic Perambulation around the old Sherwood Forest Boundary, a walk previously completed in 1662. The first part of the celebratory afternoon will include British Sign Language Interpretation. The afternoon will conclude with a piece of Instant Theatre.
The performance takes place at the Carnegie Centre in Stapleford, starting at 2pm. The audience are asked to be in place by 1.45pm.
17. Boots Carbon Reduction
Congratulations to Boots for winning the excellence in carbon reduction (large Company) award at the Energy Awards 2011, just before Christmas. This was for reducing the emissions at the Beeston site by more than one third. Well done to everyone concerned with that.
As ever may I thank you for your support for this newsletter, and any feedback is gratefully received.
Best wishes
David
