Village news
East Leake Mike Elliott 0115 937 6506 elliottnews@btconnect.com
WATCH NEEDS YOU. Efforts are being made by East Leake’s Neighbourhood Watch group to get more interest in their organisation
The group are keen to encourage more areas in the village to join Neighbourhood Watch schemes, especially in the several new housing areas within the village along with any other roads that are not currently covered.
They say the Watch schemes play an important role in helping to combat issues of crime, anti-social behaviour and generally increase community well-being.
Any area in the village interested in setting up a scheme are assured full support is available with information, signage on lamp-posts etc. Meetings of the group take place at the Parish Office on Main Street.
UP AND RUNNING. Activities are up and running at East Leake Academy. Principal Kathy Hardy is wishing everyone there a Happy 2018, hoping they had a fantastic break and are now fully recharged and ready to take on the year ahead of them.
Mrs Hardy says as always, they hit the ground running with their Year 9 Curriculum Pathways evening which was to guide students and their families in making the exciting choices for their future learning.
“I would like to thank all the parents, carers and students who attended the evening. It was such a positive atmosphere with our young people being truly excited about choosing their option subjects,” says Mrs Hardy, adding the verbal feedback they received was much appreciated from those of you she had the pleasure of chatting with.
“Many comments were about how impressive the Year 10 students were in supporting staff with promoting all the different subjects,” she said.
The was presentations from Mr Graham Wood, CEO Business & International Development NGi, about the changing world of work in the future, which many parents attended and found very informative indeed.
The Principal said Year 13 are now receiving their exciting offers from universities, including Russell Group and Cambridge as well as higher level apprenticeships and Year 12 have completed their mock examinations and are making excellent progress. “So well done to all,” said Mrs Hardy.
Year 11 have GCSEs and are also planning their next steps. Year 9 had their Parent Consultation Evenings in January and Year 7 have now completed their first full term with the Academy, and Year 10 have completed the first term of their GCSEs. “Both year groups have made flying starts,” says Mrs Hardy, adding that Year 8 continue to make great progress across the academy, building on their excellent progress in Year 7. “Well done to all and keep up the hard work and finally, I hope everyone has a successful and calm 2018. Enjoy!”
PLEA FOR BETTER RECOGNITION. East Leake Parish Council, having gone nation-wide in their effort to get better recognition for villages - such as their own – when large scale housing is forced on them by the local planning authority, are asking all residents to support their effort.
Currently the parish face having at least around another 800 homes built there and the effect they are going to have on the existing village is what is feared.
The petition was created by parish councillor Carys Thomas and who has said after becoming increasingly frustrated at the way in which East Leake has become a building site, with seemingly no end in sight, she had decided to set up this page. But she has stressed that the aim behind it is not to object to every planning application submitted but calls for ing developers of the larger number of houses in a site.
provision of infrastructure to support new housing. Judging by the response from elsewhere in the country this is a problem that not only East Leake is suffering but other communities are experiencing too.
If the petition reaches 10,000 signatures by June the government will have to provide a written response.
Council chairman Coun. Conrad Oatey says as well as stimulating national debate, the Parish Council hopes that raising the profile of the issue linked publicly to the village will help the campaign to provide the primary school places, a new health centre, and road improvements desperately needed to support the explosive housing growth being currently experienced in East Leake.
“We call on the government to: (a) change planning laws and emphasis so that adequate infrastructure has to be provided alongside new homes; (b) provide grant funding where developer contributions alone are not enough to build new schools and health centres and improve the roads.
This government is determined to build houses. It’s a free-for-all where councils don’t have a 5-year supply of housing land. Green fields around communities outside the green belt are targeted by developers. Local resources are overwhelmed, villages swamped. Country roads and junctions can’t cope. Growth should be spread evenly across council areas to avoid disproportionate impact, not concentrated in a few villages. Petition raised by East Leake in Rushcliffe but happening elsewhere too.
The parish council say if there are residents who haven’t already done so, appeals to them to please sign the petition and encourage others to do so via email and social media. The petition can be reached at https://petition.parliament. uk/petitions/207538
HOUSING PLANS WITHDRAWN. Rushcliffe Borough Council have given notification to the parish council at East Leake of the withdrawal by the applicants of planning application ref 17/01151/OUT for the construction of 25 dwellings with open space and landscaping, together with associated infrastructure work on land North of Brooklyn, Costock Road at East Leake.
HEDGE COMPLETION. East Leake Parish Council have ordered 125 Hawthorn Whips to complete the hedge around the Oldershaw Trust Field on Costock Road.
PRAISE FOR TIDY RESIDENTS. esidents in East Leake who play a part in keeping the village looking neat and tidy have been praised by the parish council.
In their latest newsletter, the council say everyone enjoys seeing the place clean and tidy, but go mon to ask, on behalf of residents, whose responsibility is it to mow the grass, get rid of weeds in the gutters, tidy up flowerbeds etc?
“The answer is - it depends! adding that apart from areas that belong to landowners, there are many public spaces and quite a few bits and pieces of what you might call ‘no man’s land’ that no-one seems to care for.
“Some areas are the responsibility of the Parish Council, others the Borough Council or Nottinghamshire County Council,” adding that a recent trend is for management companies to take care of communal spaces on new estates rather than one of the councils.
“So, when you think ‘they’ should do something it’s not always down to one body. Due to budgetary constraints, the councils only schedule a certain number of visits a year, and it’s inevitable that grass and weeds do not completely respect these timetables! If there are areas of concern to you, contact the Parish Office and we’ll help you find out who to approach about getting something done.”
“While we’re on the subject though, we would just like to thank all the unsung heroes around the village who mow the grass verge outside their house or adopt some of these spaces and keep them looking cared for. It would be difficult to single anyone out, but there are some stunning examples around the place and we applaud you for the work you do.
“Of course, not everyone can do this, but some can and do, and it really makes a difference and gives pleasure to others,” says chairman Coun. Conrad Oatey.
MEADOW PARK WORK. The Friends group of East Leake’s Meadow Park continues to do sterling work and holds frequent Activity Morning sessions.
Those attending are invited to turn up at the parish council depot on the stated Saturday morning and undertake the required work in the park. They are usually asked to take their own gloves and equipment although the Friends do hold a wide variety of tools as well.
A thank you has been given to everyone who has already renewed their membership, and to those who have not the latest newsletter is intended to be a reminder.
“We really value our members and all the support they give us. Even if you cannot get along to the activity sessions, just having your good will and general support is great,” say the Friends group.
A new venture is the ‘Stroll in the Park’ sessions now being held, being a group for social walkers starting up in the park. Organisers say the walks will not be strenuous as the aim is to enjoy the outdoors for a short while and then have a coffee and chat together.
A special invite has been issued to members to support a petition to address the problem of excessive house building in East Leake without considering the impact on infrastructure.
The impact of the development on Meadow park -- as well as other aspects of village life -- is significant and members of the Friends Group are reminded they may want to sign the petition.
And a reminder is given to them that also there is a Facebook page which aims to promote a more co-ordinated approach to the housing developments and changes in the village.
Residents in the village are being given advice that if they feel their community is being overwhelmed by new housing developments and that the infrastructure --schools, medical facilities, roads, traffic management, public transport, sewerage systems etc -- are not keeping up with the pressure from these developments, they should sign the petition.
A statement issued to the village says such factors are being completely ignored in East Leake, the Neighbourhood Plan is being over-ridden and apparently it is considered OK to bus 5-year-olds to other locations as the schools here are full.
“Our community is at crisis point but we are not alone in this. The Government default position is to grant planning permission and local authorities are failing to provide adequate information for the Planning Inspectorate to be able to make an informed judgement.”
HISTORY SOCIETY. East Leake and District Local History Society have their next meeting on Wednesday next week, February 21. It will be held as usual in St Mary’s Hall and will be starting at the somewhat different time of 2-00pm
Visiting speaker will be Mr H. R. Griffiths who will give a talk on ‘ The History of Brush Electrical’ – somewhat additionally interesting with the news last week of redundancies being announced because of a drop-off in orders. The firm was established initially in London to exploit the inventions of Charles Francis Brush. Later the firm established itself and prospered in Loughborough although currently it has difficulties.
WOMEN’S CLUB. East Leake St. Mary’s Women’s Club have their next meeting on Monday 19th February, in St Mary’s Hall with an 8pm start.
Eleri Bristow will be telling those at the meeting about her fundraising for the charity Hope and Homes for Children, which works with children in Romania.
Everyone is welcome to attend meetings of the group.
Further information about meetings can be obtained from Sue on 01509 820386 or Margaret on 01509 853619.
Long Whatton and Diseworth Mike Elliott 0115 937 6506 elliottnews@btconnect.com
DROP IN EVENT. An important drop-in event is being staged in Diseworth tomorrow, Thursday February 15, when local residents in both the village and neighbouring Long Whatton will have an opportunity air their views on an affordable housing scheme for their area.
The village hall at Diseworth will be open for visitors between 3pm and 8pm when views will be sort on the ideas and establish current housing need levels for a proposed development near Langley Close off Clements Gate, to potentially build 18 affordable homes that will be prioritised for those with a connection to Long Whatton and Diseworth.
The Housing Needs Survey of Long Whatton and Diseworth carried out by Midlands Rural Housing in March 2016 showed a need for 18 affordable homes -- rented and shared ownership -- for people with a connection to both the villages.
Midlands Rural Housing has since been working with partners on exploring ways on how to meet this need shown up by the survey. A viable site has been found and there is a proposal to develop a scheme of rented and shared ownership homes for local people.
The joint parish council for both the villages has been kept updated of progress and the steps being taken now are to bring the residents of both Long Whatton and Diseworth together to gauge current housing need levels and listen to suggestions.
Everyone is invited to attend the event tomorrow and to give their views on the possibility of a scheme going ahead.
The homes proposed would be affordable -- both rented and shared ownership -- and always be prioritised for those with a strong connection to the two villages. They would be managed by a housing association and crucially, the homes proposed would not be for private sale / purchase, not be anything to do with any other proposed developments around the village, not be setting a precedent for any other development in the village and would not be opening the surrounding fields for further development.
Anyone who has a connection to Long Whatton and Diseworth and are in need of affordable housing will be made welcome tomorrow, there being a need to make sure that the homes planned will meet the real needs of local people. “So please come along and register your interest” is the message for tomorrow.
Rothley
MESSY CHURCH. A Messy Church session will take place at Rothley Methodist Church, However Lane, Rothley, on Saturday, February 24, from 3pm-5pm. Crafts, activities, worship and a home cooked meal. Everyone welcome.
Rothley Methodist Church in However Lane, Rothley, is hosting An Evening with the Little Big Band on Saturday, March 10, at 7.30pm. Singing a variety,of popular songs, including some ‘holy folk’. Tickets £7 which includes a light supper of hot dogs, cake, coffee and tea. Please contact Sue at 07585 557548 or Christine at 0116 237 4658.