East Leake
EAST LEAKE WI. The meeting of East Leake Women’s Institute on Tuesday next week, December 14 at 7.30 pm -- and will have an early Christmas flavour feeling -- in the village hall on Main Street where members will be looking forward to a festive evening with Googie Kendell demonstrating the “Making of Christmas Table decorations”
“New to the village or been here a while? - why not come along as a visitor and enjoy a pleasant evening, join in and find out more about us, we offer a warm welcome to a range of events and activities with fun and friendship,” say the WI leaders. For further information contact Membership Secretary Carolyn Barnett on 01509 853440.
SERVICE CENTRE. Rushcliffe Borough Council’s customer service centre at East Leake has new opening arrangements, with the site at the village Library, on Gotham Road, .now being held on Wednesdays from 8.30am-12.30pm.
The centre will continue to open in line with central government advice with hand sanitiser available on arrival and any customer welcome to wear a facemask should they wish.
A spokesman for the Borough Council says: “Our Customer Services Centre and contact points around the Borough now have these updated days and times but remember you can access many of our services 24 hours a day, seven days a week at www.rushcliffe.gov.uk
““We know many people value face to face customer service and we warmly welcome residents with a friendly and safe visit.
“The slight changes are in line with assessing when people wish to use our services and working with partners to ensure these shared sites can be accessible.
“We’ll continue to look at ways residents most engage with us so we can deliver this service in line with demand.”
VANDALISM. East Leake parish council issued a statement last week following another act of vandalism in the village.
The statement said: “Sadly, the water fountain on Gotham Road has been vandalised for the second time in just a few months. The replacement part is expensive and, with a heavy heart, we may have to look into more ‘vandal-proof’ alternatives which will be even more costly. We thank you for your patience whilst we do so. — feeling disappointed.”
WREATH MAKING WORKSHOP. As part of their Christmas preparations villagers at East Leake last week attended a Christmas Wreath Making Workshop at Lantern Lane Primary School.
The workshop in the school hall was led by a professional wreath-maker and the session included glasses of bubbles or not chocolate and nibbles.
All proceeds from the event which was organised by Lantern Lane Fund Raising Group helped to booster group funds.
SCHOOL CONCERNS. Although Rushcliffe Borough Council have not objected to plans by Notts County Council to build a temporary school in East Leake, three local members of the planning committee at the Borough are not happy with the situation.
Cllrs Lesley Way, Kevin Shaw and Carys Thomassaid in joint committee that to allow for the need to provide additional schooling facilities in East Leake because of the extensive number of new residential properties being built., plans are going ahead for the creation of a temporary school ahead of the existing plans for the construction of a new, permanent primary school.
Rushcliffe Borough Council has given their support for the temporary development on land off Rempstone Road, to accommodate 120 children from September in 2022.
The temporary ‘education village’, located on land at the new housing development on the same road, will be used for 12 months and will come at the time construction begins on the new East Leake primary school.
The confirmation of the go ahead for the temporary project comes as part of Nottinghamshire County Council’s plans to expand education provision in the village, with a new 210-place free school expected to open in September 2023.
Earlier this year, the county council confirmed the new primary school will become part of the Spencer Academies Trust once it is open.
The site will also be based on the Rempstone Road development, initially offering the 210 places plus an additional 26-place nursery.
The three East Leake members in their statement said it is deeply regrettable that the County Council has allowed the building of the permanent school to be delayed so that this temporary school is needed.
“There will be considerable additional cost to the public purse. However East Leake children are already having to be allocated school places outside the village and with extra children needing places year on year from the East Leake housing explosion it is vital that the additional school places are ready for September 2022.”
Their statement admitted they agreed the temporary school proposal must go ahead but also said access and road safety are however issues of great concern. “There will be huge disruption for residents of Sheepwash Way. The current plan for access to the temporary school will cause traffic congestion along the length of Sheepwash Way and gridlock at the hammerhead, with vehicles stopping to drop children off having nowhere to turn. Residents are understandably extremely concerned about this.”
The outline permission for the permanent school includes a condition for a requirement for measures to control parking in the vehicle turning head on Sheepwash Way before the permanent school is brought into use.
“The implementation of this condition should be brought forward so that the measures are in place for the temporary school, but these measures alone will not sufficient to prevent problems. A one way system or turning circle of some kind is needed for the drop-off zone and we urge Highways and the applicants to work together to design a suitable scheme using and extending the planned temporary road to provide a one way in and out system.”
The three local councillors said of course it is to be hoped that the majority of children will arrive on foot, not by car. But there are road safety concerns about pedestrian, cyclist, and public transport access too. “The design of the roundabout at the junction between Kirk Ley and Woodgate, and the road crossings there, should be reassessed to ensure they are suitable for the additional vehicle and pedestrian access and the change in traffic flows at school peak times”
The East Leake members say consideration should be given to school zone measures there, including zig zags, timed illuminated warning signs, and a road crossing patrol, adding it has to be noted there are already resident concerns about the safety of this roundabout.
Say the councillors: “This has been reported to NCC Highways but as there have been no deaths or serious accidents they feel additional measures are not needed. Statistics on the road and footpath use in this area are based on historical data and do not take into account the considerable changes that will arise from the opening of the new school, starting with 120 pupils and increasing to 420 when the permanent school opens.” Measures need to be taken now in order to avoid having to look back on any tragedy and then make changes when it is too late. The installation of a 20mph zone will go a long way to making this a safer area. The speed of traffic, particularly from Woodgate Road, continues to cause concern for residents. Visibility for people crossing any of the junctions but particularly Kirk Ley Road, is compromised by the signage on the roundabout. This is one of the crossing points that is likely to see more pedestrians when the school is opened, it being the main route from areas off Woodgate Road.
There should be no need to remove any mature trees to implement this scheme. If any young trees need to be removed the Leake members say this should be done carefully so that they can be planted elsewhere. This includes recently planted trees along the line of the temporary access road and the 3 immature trees in the middle of the field where the temporary buildings are to be located.
Members of Rushcliffe Borough Council’s planning committee have not opposed plans for the temporary education village.
Documents that were made public before the Borough decision was made, confirmed that Nottinghamshire County Council, as the education facility provider, were aware there was an educational requirement for a new primary school at East Leake.
The county statement said: “This is to be satisfied by the permanent provision of a new school. Outline permission was approved earlier this year.”
“The educational need for pupil places is required from September 2022, by which time the permanent school is expected to be under construction but will not be complete.
The temporary site will feature areas of soft play, canopies and car parking.
Whilst the temporary site is in use, construction will be under way on the permanent new free school.
The Government approved Spencer Academies Trust to oversee and control the school once it is complete, with the trust consulting on designs and agreeing a curriculum “which reflects local values”.
Councillor Tracey Taylor, chairman of Notts county council’s children and young people’s committee, said: “We are committed to ensuring sufficient educational provision for children in Nottinghamshire and creating additional school places where needed.
“Our aim is to ensure that all Nottinghamshire children have access to the best education and the opportunity to succeed.”
A community group will be set up in Rushcliffe to share its views on the school’s development.
It will support the integration of the primary school into Rushcliffe’s network of existing sites, many of which are rated good and outstanding by Ofsted. WOMENS GROUP PARTY.
Members of St. Mary’s Parish Church Women’s Group will be celebrating with a Christmas party on Monday next week (December 13).
Members are reminded that the date of the Christmas party is a week earlier than the usual meeting date.
The group’s first meeting in 2022 will be on Monday, January 17 and the annual lunch will be on Wednesday, January 19 at the Rose and Crown in Zouch.
NETBALL WELCOME. New full and social members will receive a warm welcome at the East Leake-based Thistle Netball Club.
The Club which trains on Wednesdays from 6.30 pm until 7.30 pm at East Leake Leisure Centre, has two long standing teams in the Nottinghamshire League playing on Saturdays and also takes part in other leagues and competitions throughout the year.
The first month is free and full members then pay £14 per month.
MEADOW PARK. Quite a lot of work has been undertaken recently at Meadow Park in East Leake says press officer Brenda Lewis. And donations given to the group have enabled them to buy more native bulbs and plant them in the shrubbery area and near several seats in the park.
Brenda adds: “You may be interested in information about in the pollution problem resulting caused by overspills from the pumping station on Gotham Road. There is a link to an interactive map which shows the scale of the problem in England and Wales. Memberships to the Friends Group become payable in the New Year.
TREE HELP. Two members of the parish council at East Leake, Couns Jason Billin and Chris Garbett and have been given a thank you by the chairman Coun. Kevin Shaw for assisting the council grounds staff with putting up the Christmas trees around the village last week.
CHURCH SERVICES. Services in the Anglican churches in the United Benefice of East Leake this coming Sunday (December 12) include Holy Communion services, an unrehearsed Nativity and Evensong.
As December 12 is the Third Sunday in Advent and there will be a Communion Service at 9.15am followed by an unrehearsed Nativity at 11am in St. Mary’s Church at East Leake.
There will be an 11am service of Parish Communion at St. Giles Church in Costock and a Holy Communion service at All Saints Church in Rempstone at the same time.
Evensong will be at St. John the Baptist Church at Stanford-on-Soar at 6pm and Holy Communion will also be held at St. Helena’s Church in West Leake at the same time.