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.
Thank you for the feedback on last week’s newsletter. More
than one person contacted me to ask why there was nothing about the proposed
Toton development in it and I’m afraid that this was a pure error on my part. I’ll
start with that today.
1.
Toton
The developers who want to build a new housing estate in
Toton have come back with revised plans. They have delivered leaflets
publicising this across much of the south of the borough, although surprisingly
the roads nearest the proposed development don’t seem to have had a delivery.
They say that they have listened to the comments that locals made on their
previous plans, although my impression was that the comments were fairly
strongly along the lines of ‘go away and don’t come back.’ The proposals are
available on the web at http://www.totonproposals.co.uk/.
2.
Parliamentary Reshuffle
Broxtowe MP Anna Soubry was a big gainer in the reshuffle by
the prime minister this week. She has become a minister in the Health
Department, and has already attracted media attention by saying that the law on
assisted suicide needs to be looked at again. I agree with Anna that it is
absolutely right that the law is set by MP’s rather than judges having to deal
with individual emotive cases (and lawyer will tell you that sad cases make bad
laws) but I disagree with her about whether a change should be brought in.
Hopefully though parliament will debate the issue and MP’s will be allowed to
vote according to their conscience.
Elsewhere in the reshuffle I felt that the Conservatives
lurched to the right whilst for the Lib-Dems Nick Clegg was able to strengthen
his own position. Interestingly the Lib-Dem minister I had been most critical
of, Andrew Stunnell at the Department for Communities and Local Government, has
returned to the back benches.
3.
Operation Titan
Notts County Council have unveiled Operation Titan, a
significant review of public transport in the county. No doubt much of this
will have an underlying thread of saving money, but they have said that there
are opportunities to improve services or add new ones as well. Regular readers
will know that this is something that I have been trying to get them to look at
in Broxtowe, and so I welcome the opportunity to have a say. The consultation
is available at www.Nottinghamshire.gov.uk/passengertransport
or at local libraries.
4.
Co-Op Community Fund
Members of the Co-Op have voted to donate £2,000 to
Attenborough Cricket Club from their community fund to enable them to host
disabled table cricket, and to also donate £470 to Chilwell Community Arts
Theatre Society to enable it to put on it’s first production later this year.
Many thanks to the members of the Co-Op for their generosity.
5.
Beeston Rock Festival
A rock festival will be held at Barton Hall on Chilwell High
Road on Saturday 22nd September from noon until midnight. Tickets
cost £15 on the door or from www.gigantic.com.
6.
Library Refurbishment
Notts County Council has announced that it has earmarked
£11.5 million to refurbish libraries across the County over the next ten years,
to ensure that they stay at the heart of their communities. Whilst this is good
news it appears that they have decided that not one penny of this is to be
spent in Broxtowe. Every other part of the county benefits instead!
7.
Bramcote Park beech tree
Visitors to Bramcote Park may well have noticed that a 200
year old beech tree toppled over last month after a fungal infection damaged
it. The good news is that a number of seedlings from this seem to have taken
root and the council are hoping that these will eventually replace the three.
In the meantime the old tree is to be left in situ to decay naturally.
8.
Meet Nick Clegg
Lib-Dem leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg will be
in Nottingham on Thursday to take part in a public question time organised by
the Nottingham Post. If you would like to attend tickets can be obtained by
emailing Charles.walker@nottinghampostgroup.co.uk.
As ever thank you for your support for this newsletter, and any
feedback is gratefully received.
Best wishes
David
Follow me on Twitter at @DavidWatts12.
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Email me at davidwatts@broxtoweliberaldemocrats.org.uk
