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. May I give a special welcome to the new readers that we have
this week. It’s been a bad week for me as someone forced the gate at the side
of my house and stole my bike, which I really liked and used most days.
1.
Borough Housing Plans
May I remind everyone that the public consultation on the
borough’s core strategy, which sets out the councils housing plans for the next
15 years along with a range of other policies, begins its public consultation on
Monday. I would strongly encourage everyone to take the opportunity to comment
on this, even if you have submitted comments before. Everything that is said in
this round of consultation will go to the independent inspector who will pass
judgement on the plans, so he needs to know what you think, whether you agree
with our proposals or not. The details and response forms are available on www.broxtowe.gov.uk/corestrategy.
Bramcote residents are invited to a meeting being held by the village
Conservation Society on Tuesday at 8pm at the Memorial Hall to discuss the
plans.
2.
Tram Works
NET have published details of their work programme for the
next six weeks, setting out all the likely disruption. I have put a copy of
this on the Broxtowe Lib-Dem web site at www.broxtowelibdems.org.uk and
also on my personal web site at www.davidwatts.org.uk.
This is on the front page of both sites so just keep scrolling down and you’ll
come to it.
3.
Big Health Check Day
The NHS are holding a “Big Health Check Day” for people with
learning disabilities, their family members and family carers and
professionals. It takes place on Thursday 21st June from 10am to
3.30pm at Rumbletums Café in Kimberley. A flyer advertising it is on the
Broxtowe Lib-Dem web site at www.broxtoweliberaldemocrats.org.uk.
4.
Gambling Act Review of Principles
The Borough Council, as the licensing authority for the
area, is required to review its policies each three years. This process is now
beginning and the council have published draft principles. I’ve put a copy of
these on the Broxtowe Lib-Dem web site.
5.
Improved Children’s Play Areas
This is the first of several good news stories today, which
makes a change to the stories of cutbacks and recession that dominate the
national media. At the cabinet meeting last week the borough council agreed to
fund two significant upgrades to children’s play areas. £28,000 will be spent
improving the Chetwynd Road play area in Toton and £104,500 will be spent
improving the Manor Farm Recreation ground, also in Toton.
6.
Improvements To Parks
The council have also agreed to fund improvements to a number
of parks and open spaces. Some of these will be funded immediately and some
will occur later in the financial year. These are the Basil Russell Playing
Fields in Nuthall, the Manor Road Recreation Ground in Eastwood, Coronation
Park in Eastwood, the Stag Recreation Ground in Kimberley, Greenhills Road
Recreation Ground in Greasley, and Beauvale Park in Greasley. The Basil Russell and Coronation Park schemes
are both for new skate parks, and have both been promoted by local young
people. When I was the leader of the council County Councillor Keith Longdon
arranged for a group of students from Eastwood Comprehensive to come and see me
to discuss the poor state of the existing skate parks and they have been the
driving force ever since behind the fund raising and design of the new park. Instances
like this are examples of the real difference that people can make to their
communities, and I’m delighted that young people are taking the opportunities available.
7.
Public Transport Improvements
The final area of significant expenditure agreed by the
cabinet last week is in improvements to public transport schemes. £110,000 is
going towards improvements to the Nottingham canal towpath, £20,000 for improvements
to cycling infrastructure in Beeston and £10,000 towards improvements to the
coach pick up point in Beeston. These were all suggestions that came from the
survey that I ran last year into suggestions that people had for improvements
to public transport.
The biggest number of suggestions in that survey however
were around improvements to bus services. Basically here the problem is that
whilst the council are willing to look at these the county council, who have
the final say on bus schemes, are extremely reluctant and are looking to make
cuts not to encourage fresh investment. However there is cross party support in
the borough council to try and implement improvements and we are continuing to
look at ways that we can help.
8.
Citizens Advice Bureaux
The County Council cut funding for the CAB a couple of years
ago, but since then the borough Council have been able to provide some
financial support for them. We have agreed to carry on doing so for next year,
and the council will be funding them to the tune of nearly £75,000 this year.
9.
Drink Drive Campaign
Notts police have launched a campaign to target drink driving
over the summer months. This is a time of year when the number of people driving
under the influence of alcohol increases, and with a whole summer of sport the problem
is likely to be more acute this year than usual.
10.
Volunteer Community Drivers Needed
The County Council is currently looking to recruit new
volunteer drivers for their community transport schemes. If you are interested
please ring Robin Riley on 0115 977 4520.
11.
Bramcote Hills ICT Award
Bramcote Hills Primary School has been awarded a national
ICT Mark for its strategic use of ICT both for teaching and administration. As
a parent governor at that school I’m delighted that the efforts of our staff
and in particular the senior team there are being recognised.
12.
Portas Money
As you may know the Government invited towns to bid for cash
grants to help revive high streets, as part of its response to the Mary Portas
review of town centres. Two bids were submitted from Broxtowe, one for Beeston
and the other taking in the three other town centres. Sadly neither of these
were successful.
13.
Olympic Party Packs
Notts County Council are offering free Olympic Party Packs,
including pens, balls, flags, water bottles and bunting, to sports teams who
can show that they would be able to use it to promote participation in their
sport. The number of packs are limited and enquiries should be addressed to sports@nottscc.gov.uk.
14.
Stapleford Storytelling Evening
Local poet and writer Dave Wood will be hosting a
storytelling evening at the Old Cross, Church Street, Stapleford on Thursday 21st
June starting at 7pm. Details can be obtained from Dave on 07709 977684.
As ever thank you for your support for this newsletter, and any
feedback is gratefully received.
Best wishes
David
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