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Aspley, Bilborough and Leen Valley Issue Seven / March 2010
Aspley’s full of... Talent
Get to the point with your Community Arrow!
Inside:
Aspley dance group talent Top Class Café interview Local library activities Local Action Group meetings Making your neighbourhood bloom Bilborough Library turns 50 Affordable homes in Broxtowe Decade of Investment
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You tell us – it’s your area, it’s your news...
The Community Arrow talks to Top Class Café What's your name and where do you live?
Aspley’s full of... Talent No Face Productions dance group took part in the NRG'S got talent on December 19th 2009 and were over the moon to take first place in the competition. No face say: “We are very proud of the amount of talent and enthusiam these children and young adults have and we hope to continue to grow and provide more classes and opportunities for this kind of talent to be seen. We are very honoured to work with such dedicated young people." We run classes every week during term time at the Sheila Russell community centre. Apart from Dance we also run a Youth Theatre also at the Shelia Russell community centre, the group meets every Tuesday during term time 6-7.30pm. Our groups are aimed at 618 years at £3.50 per session. If you would like to be a part of any group that we offer please visit our website www.nofaceproductions.co.uk or call us on 07914 591653. We look forward to meeting you. COMPETITION WINNERS: School Award (Sponsored by Aspley & Bells Lane Partnership) – Ambleside Primary School 1st Place - No Face Productions 2nd Place - Kumasi Ameyaw aged 5 dancing to Michael Jackson ‘Beat It’ 3rd Place - Zumba dance group
My name is Leanne and I’ve lived in Bilborough for about 8 years. My children go to the local school.
What do you do for a living? I’ve just set up my own catering and café business at Birchover Community Centre
How did it come about setting up your own catering business? I came to the centre on the opening day and noticed that the facilities were not being used. I rang Dave Bennett-Bull (Director & Company Secretary of the centre's Management Association), setup a meeting, and since 6th October 2009 I’m now the proud owner of my own catering and café business.
How’s it going? The Centre business is doing well and the catering side has really taken off.
What would you say to local people who haven’t already been to the centre café? It's a really friendly service, good value for money and I think it's good quality too. The proof is my customers keep coming back!
What do you think of the Community Centre itself? I think it is a really good community facility. I've just become a volunteer and joined the committee, and we are now looking for other groups and service users to use the premises. If anyone is interested in using/booking the centre or setting up a group call Dave Bennett-Bull on 0115 884 5901 or 07952 910 984.
Look Beyond the Book! Good things are happening in your local library. You can find a range of good books but also much, much more! ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Tots Times (story times for under 5's) Reading groups Library clubs FREE internet access Computer help sessions Coffee mornings Information such as maps and bus timetables
Come along to your local library and see what it has to offer you - you can get your Citycard here too. Please ask staff for more details. You can find us at www.mynottingham.gov.uk/libraries or telephone Bilborough Library on 0115 915 5795 or Strelley Road Library on 0115 915 5788. You can also find us on Facebook, look for Nottingham City Council Libraries and Information Services.
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Your Local Action Group Meetings Local Action Group meetings (LAGs) are held to discuss and resolve any issues you may have in your local area. They are attended by representatives from
ASPLEY WARD Aspley Estate Wed 7th April 2010, 6.30pm-8.00pm at ACTC, Minver Crescent
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Nottingham City Council, Nottinghamshire Police, Nottingham City Homes and local Councillors. Other agencies are also invited as and when required to assist in resolving any problems you may be having. These meetings are also a good opportunity to meet with your neighbours a problem shared is often a problem
Bilborough Police Beat Thurs 29th April 2010, 10.00am 12.00pm at Bilborough Community Centre, Bracebridge Drive
halved. It can be comforting to know you are not alone when feeling unhappy about something that affects your everyday life. All issues can be discussed openly or in complete confidence with any of the representatives. Below are details of when and where your nearest LAG meets‌
LEEN VALLEY WARD Ainsley Beat (includes Ainsley Estate, Southwold Drive, Kennington Road area, Staindale Drive area, Grace Drive and Homefield Road)
Wed 2nd June 2010, 6.30pm-8.00pm at ACTC, Minver Crescent
Thurs 20th May 2010, 10.00am 12.00pm at Bilborough Community Centre, Bracebridge Drive
Bells Lane Estate Mon 19th April 2010, 12.00 - 2.00pm at Christ Church, Nuthall Road
Thurs 17th June 2010, 10.00am 12.00pm at Bilborough Community Centre, Bracebridge Drive
Wednesday 7th July 2010 at 7.00pm at Robert Shaw School, Southfield Road
Also, Community Coffee Mornings to be held on;
Beechdale Beat (includes Aspley Park & Aspley Hall, Beechdale Mews, Chalfont Drive, Rodwell Close and Manville Close and Trentham Gardens)
Mon 21st June 2010, 12.00 - 2.00pm at Bells Lane Community Centre, Amesbury Circus Broxtowe Estate Wed 5th May 2010, 6pm - 7.30pm at the Hope Centre, Broxtowe Wed 7th July 2010, 6pm - 7.30pm at the Hope Centre, Broxtowe
BILBOROUGH WARD Balloon Woods Tues 13th April 2010, 10.00am - 12.00pm at Wollaton Vale Community Centre, Wollaton Vale Tues 15th June 2010, 10.00am - 12.00pm at Wollaton Vale Community Centre, Wollaton Vale
Thurs 1st April 2010, 10.00am - 12.00pm at Bilborough Library, Bracebridge Drive Thurs 6th May 2010, 10.00am - 12.00pm at Bilborough Library, Bracebridge Drive Thurs 3rd June 2010, 10.00am - 12.00pm at Bilborough Library, Bracebridge Drive Denewood Police Beat Mon 3rd May 2010, 10.30am - 12.30pm at Beechdale Community Centre, Ambergate Road Strelley Police Beat Thurs 6th May 2010, 6.30pm - 8.30pm at Seagrave Court, Seagrave Road
Wednesday 5th May 2010 at 7.00pm at Robert Shaw School, Southfield Road
Wednesday 24th March 2010 at 7.00pm at Salvation Army, Aspley Lane Wednesday 26th May 2010 at 7.00pm at Bluecoat School (new building), Aspley Lane Hyson Green Beat (includes New Whitemoor Estate, meadow Brown, Plantation Side, Albert, Cyril and Edward Avenues and Chadwick Road) Wednesday 14th April 2010 at 7.00pm at The Vine Centre, Bobbersmill Road Wednesday 9th June 2010 at 7.00pm at The Vine Centre, Bobbersmill Road
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News
Area News
Making your neighbourhood bloom Do you fancy brightening up your neighbourhood this summer? Last year 80 communities joined Nottingham in Bloom's campaign to encourage small, resident-led communities to achieve longterm improvements through horticultural, environmental and cleanliness initiatives. This year, it's hoped that even more will join in. Participants in 2009 included 21 groups in the Aspley, Bilborough and Leen Valley areas. Amongst them were residents of Albert Avenue, Bells Lane, Bramerton Road bungalows, Cheslyn Drive, Marchwood Close, Naburn Court,
Kennington Road and Westwick Road areas, Denewood Tenants' and Residents' Association, New Whitemoor TRA, as well as residents at Woodvale on Wollaton Vale. Benefits include building pride in the area and community spirit, as well as cleaner and greener surroundings for a healthier community. To find out more about getting involved, and having your efforts recognised through the Royal Horticultural Society's new 'It's Your Neighbourhood' Award scheme, contact Nottingham in Bloom on
Albert Avenue
0115 915 2745 or email bloom@nottinghamcity.gov.uk www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/bloom
Bilborough Library turns 50! Bilborough Library in Bracebgridge Drive celebrated its 50th birthday looking at the changes since it opened in 1960. Story teller Pete Davis’s Nottingham tale prompted visitors to share reminiscences. Photographs of Bilborough over 50 years, including old school pictures, are on display until the end of this month (March), so pop in to see if you can spot yourself, family or friends.
Big changes in libraries means there is now something for everyone at Bilborough Library. Free computers with Internet are available with one-to-one tuition if neededand there are weekly Totstime of singing, rhymes and stories on Mondays from 2pm to 2.45pm, a
Reading Group on the first Monday of the month at 10.30am and regular after school Make and Take craft sessions. Monthly coffee mornings give residents a chance to meet Community Protection Officer Mark Slee and Police Community Support Officer Rich Naylor. For details on all the activities get down to the library, call 915 5795 or e-mail bilborough.library@nottinghamcity.gov.uk
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www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk
Transforming Nottingham’s Neighbourhoods
Success of affordable homes in Broxtowe A scheme to bring affordable homes to Nottingham has proved a success, with just one property now available to buy through a shared equity scheme. The final three bedroom, semi-detached home at Oakford Gardens in Broxtowe is available for just £75,000 from housebuilder Ben Bailey Homes, formerly Gladedale, in partnership with Nottingham City Council.
The innovative shared equity scheme has already made owning a new home a reality for three local families. Each family has purchased a Ben Bailey home through shared equity which means buyers own 100% of their home but pay for just 75%, with no additional rent charges. Ben Bailey Homes will also pay the 5% towards a deposit on the new release of
three bedroom semi-detached homes released for 2010. The properties at Oakford Gardens are priced from £95,995 for a two bedroom semidetached home. For further information on Ben Bailey Homes, please contact Eleanor Marshall or Marjorie Calder at The BIG Partnership on 0141 333.
Decade of Investment Already three months into the New Year, it's hard to believe that we're also three months into a whole new decade in Nottingham. So, let's take a look back at the first 10 years of the new millennium and see how 10 years of investment in our local area has made a difference.
Artist’s impression of Hadden Park High
£122m for local schools £300m has been or is being invested in transforming primary, secondary and special schools in Nottingham, and nearly £122m of that is developing schools in this area. School schemes include the £12m Hadden Park High scheme, £23.7m for the Nottingham University Samworth Academy, nearly £29m for Bluecoat school, over £17m for Trinity School and £17m for Manning Comprehensive School.
Improving local roads and pavements
Birchover Community Centre
£3m improving local roads and pavements
Community facilities get £1.4m facelift
Work has been carried out to roads and footpaths across Aspley, Bilborough and Leen Valley. Roads being improved have included Eltham Drive, Tilbury Rise, Fremount Drive, Meldreth Road, Grassington Road and Melbourne Court. There are many other footpaths and roads that have already been improved and some that are awaiting work to be carried out.
Birchover Community Centre reopened in July last year following a £1.4m scheme to rebuild the centre. The new building is extremely environmentally friendly with facilities including rainwater recycling, excellent insulation, solar power technology and much more. The centre hosts weekly events for older people, a baby clinic and dance classes, and has meeting rooms available for community groups too.
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Councillor News
Local News From Your Area Councillors Councillors Your local City Councillors want to improve the quality of life for all residents, and support local people to get involved in making decisions about the things that matter to you. If you have anything you wish to discuss or would like their view on a story you wish to contribute to the Community Arrow, do feel free to get in touch.
Aspley Councillor Graham Chapman Tel: 0115 915 5040
In the last edition Aspley Councillors, Graham Chapman, Hylton James and Leon Unczur, had been happy to report a reduction in crime. Now they can give you more information. “Crime dropped again in 2009 in Aspley, Bells Lane and Broxtowe - by 40% over year July to August 2008-9. More Government money has meant more police, and the introduction of Community Protection Officers. We also think that more members of the community are volunteering to do things, especially with young people. Schools have improved over the years with better pupil behaviour. As councillors we have supported school trips and a number of community events involving children and young people. Police, teachers, the Council and the Community - it all helps. But there is no room for complacency. Although car crime has dropped off, burglary is still a problem, and the recent drugs raids will continue, and we still have one 'hot spot' in the ward where police are now concentrating.
Councillor Hylton James Tel: 0115 915 5655
The money put into policing and education by the council is gradually paying off. But this can only work if people in the community respond - and in Aspley, they are doing. So thanks to all those workers and volunteers in our ward. You are doing a great job but we've not yet finished. In other news, with the support of local councillors, the Council has started a waste collection system whereby bulky waste is collected on a Wednesday from outside people's gates. It is proving to be a great success. It was a 12 week
Councillor Leon Unczur Tel: 0115 915 0280
experiment and we are going to continue with it for the foreseeable future and, in fact, roll out to the rest of Aspley Ward. One of the reasons is the cooperation the scheme has had from people in Broxtowe who have put reasonable amounts out and kept the waste neat and tidy. Councillor surgeries are an opportunity for you to speak to any of your local councillors should you have any issues about your area you wish to discuss. Times, dates and venues of surgeries in your ward are listed here.
Surgeries are held at: Aspley Aspley Library, Nuthall Road 1st and 3rd Saturday of every month 9.30am-10.30am Strelley Library, Strelley Road 1st and 3rd Saturday of every month 11.00am-12.00 noon
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www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk
Bilborough Councillor Derek Cresswell Tel: 0115 929 7668 Councillors Malcolm Wood, Derek Cresswell and Marcia Watson are delighted at the news that 15 new council houses are to be built in Bilborough, managed by Nottingham City Homes. Following a successful bid to the Government, it is proposed to build the council houses on the old Camrose Close site, which will be welcome news for
Councillor Marcia Watson Tel: 07943 829 570 residents living in the area. When the proposal was discussed at the Area Committee in November, members expressed the view that the new properties needed to be visually pleasing and of a better aesthetical standard than current social housing. Members also welcomed the fact that the properties were to be built to Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes, which will mean cheaper fuel bills.
Leen Valley Councillor Alex Foster Tel: 0115 915 0064 Cllrs Alex Foster and Gary Long have been involved with local opposition to the closure of Beechdale Road Library, a small, but very popular and well used Community Library.* In July a petition signed by over 2,000 people against the closure was handed in to Full Council by Cllr Gary Long. Alex and Gary worked with residents to collect the petition and still oppose the closure. Gary and Alex have written, at their own expense,
Councillor Gary Long Tel: 07818 841 047 to people who signed the petition and gave their address, urging them to let the Council know what they think about this issue. At a very well attended surgery Gary said “I can see from the number of people here wanting to discuss the possible closure how important this library is to local folks”. Alex and Gary have been told that closing the library would reduce the Council’s overall costs by £12,000 a year.
Councillor Malcolm Wood Tel: 0115 915 5134 This is a great example of investment into Bilborough, following swiftly in the footsteps of our Nottingham University Samworth Academy that opened its doors last September. Already it is having a great effect in the community, but even more so when the new £24m building opens this September. Surgeries are held at: Bilborough Strelley Library 1st, 2nd and 3rd Saturday of every month 10.00am-11.00am (except August) Bilborough Library 1st, 2nd and 3rd Saturday of every month 10.00am-11.00am (except August) Beechdale Community Centre 1st, 2nd and 3rd Saturday of every month 10.00am-11.00am (except August) Leen Valley Please telephone Councillors to arrange an appointment.
Beechdale Road Library - Statement from Nottingham City Council *The City Council has been looking at how best to provide a modern library and information service to meets the needs of local citizens in the 21st century. One of the main challenges to this is the poor usage and limited size of some library buildings including Beechdale. The aim is to invest in fewer but better facilities which means some changes to the existing network of libraries. As part of this process, the Council is currently looking at the future of Beechdale Road Library with a view to closing it and investing savings in developing Bilborough Library. If the library closes it is intended to redeploy the majority of staff resources to improve the opening hours and range of activities at Bilborough Library, along with improvements to its appearance.
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Dates for your diary...
Useful Contacts
Easter Egg Hunt
Over 50’s Event
King George V Park 1st April, 1pm-3pm
Harvey Hadden Sports Leisure Centre 20th April 2010
Find the Easter Bunnies who have been hiding their eggs! Meet at the Park ranger tent on the park. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
National Families Week 31st May - 6th June (look out for further information)
Nottingham City Council’s Neighbourhood Management teams work hard in each area to bring people and services together. For all the ways you can get involved in local decision making, or to report an issue in your area, you can contact the West Area Neighbourhood Management team below. West Area Team C/o Keys to Success Birchover Road Bilborough Nottingham NG8 4BW 0115 915 7663 myvoice.westarea@nottinghamcity.gov.uk www.mynottingham.gov.uk/whereilive We realise that everybody needs extra help and support at some point in their lives and these are difficult times for us all. There are many places you can go to get free advice on debt, financial and legal matters. You can also find out if you’re entitled to receive additional support through grants and benefits. North and West Advice Services - call 0115 915 6346 to make an appointment for advice at: • Aspley Training and Community Centre • Bells Lane Community Centre • Beechdale Surgery • Bilborough Community Centre • Bilborough Children's Centre • Broxtowe Family Centre • North West Children's Centre • The Vale Community Centre Nottingham City Council Customer Contact Centre Burton Street, Nottingham, NG1 4BT 0115 915 4944
Your Community Arrow Written by you, printed and distributed by Nottingham City Council.
For advice about Council Tax and Housing benefit, as well as free school meals and the school clothing allowance.