Welcome to Broxtowe Enews, brought to you by the Liberal Democrats and edited by David Watts, on behalf of the Lib-Dems in Broxtowe. This is a fairly long email just because a lot is happening.

1. Bramcote Hills Park Café
This is one of the most exciting news items I’ve ever reported on. I’m delighted to announce the launch of the Bramcote Hills Park Community Café, a community group set up to build and run a café and toilets on Bramcote Park. A group of local residents have come together to set this up. We are creating a community interest company which means that it is owned and exists for the benefit of the local community, and any profits we make will be ploughed back into the local community. We have the blessing of the council to proceed and I hope that a lot of local residents will get involved with this. We will want the input of local people and local groups into the design of the building and the range of services that we should be offering. We already have the support of Pulp Friction, Rumbletums and the local councillors and I will be meeting representatives from the Community Association tomorrow night. The provisional timetable is to set up the company over the next month or so and launch the fundraising campaign at the beginning of February next year.

2. Toton
I read a Conservative email this week claiming that the previous Lib-Dem/Labour partnership which ran Broxtowe Borough Council had plans to build 800 houses on the site where the HS2 Hub is expected to be. May I make it unequivocally clear that this is absolutely untrue. There were plans to build 500 houses in Toton but there was never any intention to build houses where the HS2 hub will be. Given that we support the development of HS2 this would have been extremely counter-productive! I am very disappointed that the Conservatives are continuing to make utterly false claims about what the previous administration were planning to do. (I was also quite surprised that the Tory author of the email didn’t seem to know that the Bramcote Lane shops are not in Bramcote and are not even in the borough of Broxtowe!)

3. Combined Authority
Notts and Derbyshire politicians seem to be proceeding at full speed to create a combined authority led by an elected mayor to get greater devolution from London. This is despite the fact that no-one in either county has been asked if we would support the idea. Previously residents of Nottingham have rejected having a directly elected mayor and no other area has been asked at all. When we had a suggestion from Nottingham City that they should take control of south Broxtowe I ran a survey on our web site and 98% of respondents were opposed to the idea. (I will also mention that this had the largest response to any survey that I have ever run). Our current crop of politicians look like they will not be risking a rejection by asking people whether they support the idea or not.

4. Fireworks
There are a number of firework events in the borough over the next couple of weeks. South West Notts Scouts are holding a Firework extravaganza at The Hemlock Scout Camp, Bramcote, NG9 4DT next Saturday 31st October. The gates open at 5.30pm and the fireworks start at 7.30pm. Admission is £6 for adults and £3 for children on the gate. On November 5th itself there will be a Fireworks Extravaganza with Magic and Miracle Fireworks at John Clifford School, Nether Street Beeston starting at 6pm and also a community bonfire at Kimberley Cricket Club starting at 7.30pm (with gates open at 6.45pm). Entry to the cricket club event is £5 for adults and free for the under 16’s. On Friday 6th November there will be a Fireworks Spectacular at College House Junior School in Chilwell, starting at 6pm. This will include fireworks display set to music, hot food, refreshments and lights up toys for sale. On Saturday 7th November there will be a bonfire at Beeston Marina, Riverside Road, Beeston, NG9 1NA, including fireworks display, barbeque, hot and cold food, licensed bar. This starts at 6.30pm. From 6pm to 10pm the same day there is a firework extravaganza at George Spence Academy, NG9 7EW. This will feature a licensed bar, hot food, fairground rides, tombola and raffle.

5. Christian Aid Craft Fair
The annual Christian Aid Craft Fair will take place on Saturday 31st October between 10am and 12 noon, at Attenborough Village Hall. Everyone is welcome to attend.

6. Consultation on Council Spending
The Borough Council have launched a consultation about their spending priorities for next year. However if you look at the councils website you won’t find it! The council say that they want our views on five priorities and fourteen objectives and that we can email them at finance@broxtowe.gov.uk with “Budget Comments” in the subject line but they haven’t told us what the five priorities or 14 objectives are.

7. EnergyFest
Citizens Advice Broxtowe are running Broxtowe EnergyFest, a series of events around the borough offering advice about how to reduce your energy spending and manage your household finances. Throughout the EnergyFest they will be speaking to people in their Beeston, Eastwood and Stapleford offices and going out to venues across the borough. During the event you will be able to test your energy awareness on the energy quiz and take part in a simple survey asking about your energy use. You can make an appointment to come in and look at switching energy provider to see if you can save money.If you would like Citizens Advice Broxtowe to speak to your group, you can contact them on 0115 917 3802. If you come along to the Council’s Beeston offices between 13:30 and 16:00 on Thursday 12 November, Citizen’s Advice Broxtowe, jointly with the Nottingham Energy Partnership and Broxtowe Borough Council, will be providing advice on how you can save money on your household gas and electricity bills. If you bring along your annual energy statement, you can see how simple it is using the ‘Easy Energy Switching Tool’ to find out what savings you could make by switching provider. In addition, if you would like help managing your bills CAB advisers will be able to help with budgeting and benefits advice.

8. Notts Police
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary have published their latest report into Notts Police this week. They have rated the force as being “Good” but they did raise concerns about ensuring that skills are passed on as the force cuts its numbers by 18%.

9. Bramcote Hills Community Association Annual Dinner
Bramcote Hills Community Association will be holding their annual dinner on Friday 27th November at The Victoria Hotel on Dovecote Lane in Beeston. Details and the menu can be seen at https://bramcotetoday.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/bhca-annual-dinner.pdf.

10. Beeston Christmas Lights Switch On
Visitors to this year’s Beeston Christmas Light’s Switch On event will be able to see the classic 1982 film, The Snowman, like never before, thanks to a unique pedal powered cinema which is just one of the many things to see and do at the event on Saturday 28th November. This year’s event will offer a host of entertainment, activities and performances across the town from Beeston Square, along the High Road and Broadgate Park from 3.00pm to 7.00pm including the NET Stage with music and entertainment from a variety of acts, including headliners Groove 66. Highlights of the day include:
Festive foods and refreshments
Fairground rides
Street performers, including The Snow Cats
Santa’s Grotto
Inflatable snowboard & Frozen castle
Festive make & take activities
Buskers
Alpine Ski Blast
The annual Season of Lights celebrations from 2.30pm until 5.00pm at Chilwell Road Methodist Church on Chilwell High Road
Music in pubs after the event
The Christmas Lights will be officially switched on at 5.00pm by the Mayor of Broxtowe with a firework finale at 6.30pm. The event is organised by Broxtowe Borough Council, with support from NET. Please note that car parking for the event is limited so please use public transport wherever possible. If arriving by tram The Middle Street tram stop is right next to the event at Broadgate Park. For more information about the day contact Broxtowe Borough Council on 0115 917 3481, email events@broxtowe.gov.uk or visit www.broxtowe.gov.uk/broxtoweevents.

11. Eastwood Christmas Lights Switch On
Eastwood Christmas Lights will be switched on on Tuesday 24th November from 6.00pm until 8.00pm, including a unique pedal powered cinema showing festive flick, The Snowman. This year’s event will stretch along Nottingham Road from Plumtree Way to Mansfield Road and includes a packed programme of free festive entertainment, live music and dance. At 7.00pm the Christmas Lights Switch On ceremony will take place at The Hollies with The Mayor of Broxtowe and The Mayor of Eastwood Cllr Keith Longdon followed by a fantastic finale firework display at 8.00pm.
Highlights include:
• The Main Stage at the Hollies with headline act, After Dark
• Second stage at Eastwood Square showcasing various acts and performers
• Landtrain from craft centre to Eastwood Library
• Arts and crafts marquee
• Fireshow
• Glow performers
• Festive food and refreshments
• Fairground rides
• Pedal powered Cinema in The Library bar
• Buskers around the town
• Street performers
• Santas grottos at The Sun Inn and Lawrence Vetinary surgery
• Fairy Grotto at D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum
There will also be a festive activities taking place at The Sun Inn including Santa’s Grotto with a present from Santa, the Elves, Elsa and Olaf, Mulled Cider, BBQ , Outdoor Heaters, Discounted Drinks and a Kids Disco from 5.00pm. There will be a road closure in place from 6.00pm to 9.00pm on Nottingham Road, at which point no vehicle movement will be allowed from Plumtree Way to Mansfield Road. It is recommended that those needing to use their vehicle during this period make alternative parking arrangements. The event is organised by Broxtowe Borough Council in partnership with Eastwood Town Council and Eastwood Town Light Switch On Steering Group and sponsored by Boyes.

12. Photography and Painting Exhibition
There will be an Exhibition of Photographs and Paintings at Beeston Library from 9th to the 28th November. The event is free and can be viewed upstairs (there is a lift) in the gallery during library opening hours. On the 28th Norma Fenton and Judith Davison will be there from 9.30 to 3.00pm; there will be cards, postcards, prints to buy, and at 2pm a FREE raffle for one print and one photograph.

13. Broxtowe Matters

The latest edition of Broxtowe Matters, Broxtowe Borough Council’s magazine for residents, will hit the door mats of over 50,000 households and businesses in the Borough from Monday 26th October. Waste and recycling is at the heart of the latest edition with information about recycling over Christmas, winter garden waste collections, textile collections and much more. Most importantly, residents will find bin calendars for each of the four collection zones to inform them of when to put out their black, green and brown-lidded bins as well as the collection dates for kerbside glass and textiles. It will contain all four area calendars plus a separate Christmas and New Year calendar that covers all four collection areas.

14. Traffic Restrictions on Hickings Lane
The County Council has advertised that they are intending to impose parking restrictions on and around Hickings Lane around the junctions with Ewe Lamb Lane and Washington Drive. The affected areas are:
Ewe Lamb Lane (both sides);
• From its junction with Hickings Lane in a south-westerly direction for a distance of 10 metres Hickings Lane (north-west side)
• From a point 15 metres south-west of its junction with Washington Drive in a north-easterly direction to a point 80 metres north-east of that junction. Nottingham Road (south-east side) Hickings Lane (south-east side)
• From a point 15 metres south-west of its junction with Ewe Lamb Lane in a north-easterly direction to a point 62 metres north-east of that junction Hobart Drive (both sides)
• From its junction with Washington Drive in a southerly direction for a distance of 6 metres Washington Drive (the north-east side)
• From its junction with Hickings Lane in a north-westerly direction for a distance of 31 metres Washington Drive (the south-west side)
• From its junction with Hickings Lane in a north-westerly direction to a point 18 metres north-west of its junction with Hobart Drive
The County Council are currently giving the opportunity for people to object to these proposals by email to tmconsultation@nottscc.gov.uk stating the grounds and quoting ref: 5210. These must be received by the 16th November 2015.

15. Adoption
Eight councils, including Nottinghamshire and Nottingham City have been selected by the Government to form on of the country’s first regional adoption agencies. The aim is to ensure that children waiting to be adopted are found loving, stables homes quicker than ever before. The Government have announced nationally that they are committing £30 million towards speeding up the time that it takes to place children for adoption.

16. East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains have confirmed that they will be continuing to operate the franchises in our region for the next few years, until at least March 2018. They have also announced that they will be investing £13 million to improve journey times.

17. New Takeaway
The owners of Stapleford Telecentre on Derby Road have applied for planning permission to turn it into a fast food takeaway and restaurant. They said that the existing business has declined because of competition from online traders and so they are looking for an alternative use for the premises. The application has been submitted to the borough council and they will decide it in due course.

18. Restaurant
An application has been submitted to the borough council to convert the Hilltop Chapel in Eastwood into a restaurant, a shop and two flats. The application suggests that if approved this would create ten new jobs. The chapel is currently unused and the borough council will decide on this in due course.

19. No Trick No Treat
If you don’t want people calling for “trick or treat” at the end of the month then the borough council produce a very good poster to display in your window which can be downloaded from http://www.broxtowe.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=32966&p=0.

As ever thank you for your support for this newsletter. Any feedback is gratefully received. There will be no newsletter next week as it is half term and the next edition will be in two weeks time.

Best wishes

David
www.davidwatts.org.uk
www.broxtoweliberaldemocrats.org.uk
Follow me on Twitter @davidwatts12.

   Leave a comment