Broxtowe Enews 3rd February 2013

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.

1. HS2
The official announcement from the Government that Toton was to be the site of the East Midlands station on the HS2 rail line was made on Monday and generated a significant amount of media coverage. I’ve discussed this during the week on the radio and on the BBC news website and have had several discussions with the Transport Minister as well. I think that this is a very good news story but there are a huge number of issues that will need to be resolved. A key one is how vehicles are going to get onto the site. The plans show a new junction on the A52 which I think is needed, but it seems to me that building a new junction 25A with access to the site and also to Stanton Ironworks would be a big advantage as well. The city council is also talking about trams, trains and other ways of getting from the city centre to the station and we need to be fully involved in these discussions. The potential is huge but so are the challenges and the council needs to rise to these.

2. Beeston Town Centre
Henry Boot have now submitted their plans for redeveloping Beeson town centre. Thhese are available to see on the Broxtowe Council web site at http://planning.broxtowe.gov.uk/(S(wa1hw3nvhjybkinchjefhg45))/applicationdetail.aspx?refval=13/00042/FUL. This will be considered by the council’s development control committee in due course.

3. Bikes at Beeston Station
Continuing the travel theme for a moment the Government have provided more than £1 million to improve cycling provision in Nottingham, and as part of this a bike hub will be created at Beeston Station, where people can rent a bike for the day. The scheme already exists in Nottingham and this will be an extension of it.

4. Nursing homes
There has been quite a lot of media coverage this week about the decision of Broxtowe Borough Council to close two old people’s homes. These are Wyndham Court in Chilwell and Peatfield Court in Stapleford. Unfortunately both of these buildings are not up to modern standards and are virtually impossible to properly modernise. Therefore demolition is the only real option. I fully understand that residents will be upset by this but the council will do all they can to support them and their families. However waiting was really not an option as we were in a situation where the money is available this year to demolish and build new social housing but it may not be available in future years.

5. New Military Support Centre
 A new one stop shop for soldiers and their families has opened in Beeston. The Forces kin the Community centre in Cross Street will provide employment, health and training advice to members of the forces, and it is being run by the Support Our Forces charity.

6. Myfords
An application to develop new housing at the Myfords site on Wilmot Lane in Beeston has also been received by the council this week. This can be viewed at http://planning.broxtowe.gov.uk/(S(q5ujws45tjosor45ykff0z3d))/ApplicationDetail.aspx?RefVal=13/00003/OUT. At the moment this is just an outline application and so does not have all the detail that will need to be supplied later. This is a huge sit but I can’t see from my quick scan of the information how many houses are proposed.

7. Bunk Beds needed
I have received an appeal from Stapleford’s resident poet dave Wood which I’m happy to pass on. Some close friends of his (in Stapleford) urgently need cabin/bunk beds for children. If you can help, please phone 07784779038 and speak to Sharon.

8. Paradiso Cinema
On Friday 8th February at 7.30pm Paradiso Cinema presents "Some Like it Hot" starring Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, at Chilwell Arts Centre, Chilwell School. Tickets on the door cost £5 (£4 conc). Come at 7pm for refreshments. Also on Friday 15th February at 7.30pm Chilwell Arts Theatre presents Shirebrook Miners Welfare Unison Band. Tickets cost £8 (£6 conc) either on the door or ring 0115 9252698 or 0777205 3412.

9. Stapleford Community Website
Stapleford resident Richard Macrae has set up a community website for the town. This can be viewed and accessed at www.staplefordcommunitygroup.org.uk.

10. Manor Farm Recreation Ground

Young people are being encouraged to have their say on how £104,500 funding should be spent to refurbish the children's play area at a Manor Farm Recreation Ground, as part of an online consultation launched this week by Broxtowe Borough Council. Youngsters are being asked to let them know what kind of equipment they'd like to see introduced as part of a major refurbishment of the children's play area. The consultation will ask young people to choose their favourite from 16 different types of equipment, which include a range of equipment for toddlers, younger children and more adventurous items for teenagers. This process is being supervised by my colleague tan Heptinstall, who said "Broxtowe Borough Council is rightly proud of its local parks and open spaces and this funding creates a fantastic opportunity to make further improvements which will benefit local families for years to come.  The Council has been working alongside the Armed Forces community at the nearby Chetwynd Barracks and this online consultation will look to build on that to create a children's play area that the entire local community can enjoy."

11. Basil Russell Park
Following on from the above new fitness equipment for adults and older children has been installed at the Basil Russell Playing field in Nuthall. Locals can get fit for free with six pieces of equipment including a cross trainer and mini treadmill. The £19,500 equipment was funded by Nottinghamshire County Council.

12. Rumbletums Fundraising
Rumbletums Cafe in Kimberley is holding two fundraising events over the next couple of weeks. On Saturday February 9 staff will be packing customers’ bags at Sainsburys, and on Thursday February 14 they will be gift wrapping Valentines flowers. Staff at the cafe will be doing a second bag pack at Sainsburys in March, and mid-month they will be doing something for Comic Relief, although staff are not sure what at this stage. Rumbletums Cafe in Newdigate Street offers training and employment opportunities to people with learning disabilities. Sainsburys in Kimberley chose the cafe as its charity of the year. Visit www.rumbletums.org.uk  for more information.

13. Community Centres
News has reached me this week of the opening of two new community centres, both run by volunteers. The Meeting Place in Stapleford opened last Friday on Nottingham Road includes a café and a space for education groups and children’s groups. The Other Space on Chilwell High Road will be running courses on arts and crafts and also provide support for jobseekers.

14. Council Tax Increase
Nottinghamshire’s Labour Police and Crime Commissioner has announced that he plans to increase council tax by 1.95% this year. This is despite the fact that the Government is offering grants to fund increases in expenditure. At the borough council the Lib-Dems have been insisting that we maintain council tax at current levels with no increase, and I believe that the same is happening at the county council. It is highly disappointing that the first significant act of the new commissioner will be to impose a wholly unnecessary council tax rise. Significantly it is just below the level at which he would need to hold a referendum to gain support for his plans.

15. Cat
This final item is for residents on the Oaklands estate where I live. I know that our cat, Lilly, is around as we’ve seen her but she hasn’t been home for three days so I suspect she is seeking food elsewhere. If she’s currently  bunking up with anyone would these please send her home.

As ever thank you for your support for this newsletter, and any feedback is gratefully received.
Best wishes
David
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