OFFENDERS PROUD TO PAY BACK COMMUNITY

Nottingham’s local community is flowing better today thanks to Community Payback teams supported by Labour.

A fountain at Highfield, in University Park, was dirty, full of mud and silt after years of being ignored. However it is working again today as a result of a scheme where offenders are made to pay back their debt to society.

As part of another community payback project, offenders worked to restore a war memorial in Wollaton Park in time for Remembrance Sunday services.

Labour Councillor Dave Trimble, Nottingham City Council portfolio holder for leisure, culture and customers, said: “This has been an example of great partnership working in the city and the results have already brought comments of praise and appreciation from local residents.

“It will be great to see the Cascade Fountain at its best again and I look forward to seeing it in operation. I would like to thank all those who have worked alongside the city council’s parks development team to achieve such a good result for Highfield Park.”

READ THE ARTICLE HERE

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/news/City-UK-leader-renewable-energy/article-1486461-detail/article.html

Nottingham and Nottingham Labour Party are leading the country in the development of Green Energy, the Nottingham Evening Post reported this week.

The city generated four per cent of its own energy from renewable sources and waste in 2006 – more than five times higher than the next best city. The second best city, Coventry, generated just 0.74% of its own energy in 2006. Showing the gulf of leadership Nottingham is taking on our environmental future.

Labour Councillor Katrina Bull, portfolio holder for environment and climate change, said: “Nottingham is leading the UK in a number of key energy areas, particularly through the work of the city council, the Nottingham Energy Partnership (NEP) and Enviroenergy, the city district heating operator.

“As we face years ahead of steep energy price hikes, and certainly an end to cheap energy – we as a city must invest further in generating local, cheap, low-carbon energy to further protect our city’s residents and businesses.

The Nottingham Energy Partnership have set targets of 30% of electricity and 12% or heat to come from renewable sources by 2020.

However, give us your thoughts. Please email jamie.mcmahon@nottinghamlabour.org.uk

Nottingham Labour have pushed for this extension because we believe that for our City to grow, with better jobs and opportunities then we need to infrastructure to attract companies.

And now we’re seeing the evidence.

Also last month your Councillors agreed planning permission for MediPark to be built near the QMC. The Park is intended to house up to 200 science and medical-related firms. In doing so we hope to make Nottingham a national centre for biological and medical research bringing jobs and investment.

It is vital that Nottingham is at the forefront of innovation in the 21st century and this’ll help us get there.

 For the initial plans have a look at http://www.science-city.co.uk/AssetLibrary/Infrastructure%20Papers/Medipark%20Leaflet.pdf

 What do you think?  Email alex.norris@nottinghamlabour.org.uk with your views…

This is an Evening Post article citing academic work that shows that the investment of time and money into our City’s public transport by the City Councilhas paid off in a reduction of car use.

The Labour Party in Nottingham is committed to improving the environment and a big step towards this is reducing car use. But this must not come at the expense of jobs and opportunities. That’s why we’ll be using government funding and the revenue from the Workplace Parking Levy to create an expansion of the Tram that’ll lead to economic developement – such as the £100m Medipark. Look out for an article on MediPark next week.

Get in touch with your thoughts alex.norris@nottinghamlabour.org.uk

·          Featuring 11 local acts and headlined by internationally renowned funksters The Apples ;

·          Hands-on music making workshops for all the family, in conjunction with the ParkLife programme.  

Parklive! is a FREE live music event hosted by Arboretum Records. It will be held at Vernon Park on Thursday 27 August 2009 , in conjunction with the Council’s ParkLife event on the same day, and is sponsored by Nottingham City Council and Greater Nottingham Partnership.

The event will be headlined by internationally renowned funksters The Apples – one of the best live bands on the circuit.  – Local acts confirmed are:

·          Jake Bugg

·          Tim McDonald

·          Damon Downs

·          Becky Syson

·          Chris McDonald

·          Hhymn

·          Lois

·          Old Basford

·          Fat Digester

Parklive! will start at 11.00am with hands-on workshops in Salsa drumming, Ukelele playing and Slovenian folk music – for all the family to enjoy.

Live music will start at about 12.00 midday and there will be an early finish so even those of us who have to work the next day can come along yet still be in bed in good time for an bright start on Friday morning. (It is of course the last week of the summer break before the schools go back, so no worries about the kids being up a bit late either!)

And for those who wish to party on, there will be concurrent live events in local pubs near Vernon Park which will also be free to visitors to ParkLive!

We would just like to restate that the event is FREE . The reason for this is that Basford’s City Councillors have agreed to help fund the event, showing commitment to supporting live music in Nottingham and promoting events for and by local people in the North of Nottingham.  The Greater Nottingham Partnership has also provided funding.

All of the organizers are volunteers and we have great support from the Council’s officers and the Police, who have provided excellent technical and organisational advice.

  Arboretum Records is a community record label, set up to help and support local musical talent. Like all of our events, Parklive! is intended to promote Nottingham music and musicians, and to entertain local people with the best talent on offer.  Everyone is invited and there should be something for everyone – so get yourselves on down to Vernon Park on 27 August and lend us and your local talented young people some support!

For further information about the event please and the organization behind it, please feel free to visit:

Our website – www.arboretumrecords.com ;

Our myspace – www.myspace.com/parklive2009

Or email us –   parklive2009@live.co.uk .

Alternatively, call Mark at Arboretum Records on 07968 326331 or Nick at Arboretum Records on 07813 641793.

Councillor Jane Urquhart (Nottingham City Council’s portfolio holder for Transport & Area Working) said: “This is a massive boost for Nottingham. NET Phase Two would be the largest single financial investment by government in the city. This will help steer Nottingham out of a recession by creating jobs and bringing in much needed new investment. Equally important is the fact that even more of our residents and visitors will be able to use a clean, modern and efficient tram to travel in and out of Nottingham.”

The Labour Party believe in improving Nottingham by creating jobs and economic growth. The Tram will help us do this.

What do you think?

Email Alex.Norris@nottinghamlabour.org.uk with your views…

Ten new highway projects have been secured for Basford.

The new investment will take place in August 2009 through to spring 2010.

1) £1.2m is to be spent on upgrading highways in Basford, this includes….

2) £625,000 to improve the junction at Hucknall Road / Arnold Road

3) £85,000 to resurface Heathfield Road

4) £275,000 to improve drainage and resurface Vernon Road

5) £35,000 to resurface Alpine Street and Church Street.

6) 20 mph Zones to be introduced at Ellis Guildford and Whitemoor schools.

7) £150,000 to introduce Safer Routes to School at the new £13.5m Southwark Primary School. Improved pedestrians facilities including two new pelican crossings on Park Lane.

£70,000 to resurface Arnold Road/Southwark Road.

9) £150,000 to introduce real time bus information on the Vernon Road / Nottingham Road bus corridor.

10) A Shoplink bus service (S42) introduced to Basford for the first time, operating on a Tuesday and Friday. The S42 links residents with the Tesco store at Top Valley and Morrisons in Bulwell.

Basford Labour Councillor Mick Newton commented “We are delighted to have secured this level of investment for Basford. We have campaigned consistently for significant improvements to improve the experience of pedestrians, public transport and road users alike.”

Labour Nottingham City Councillors are urging businesses and local communities to support their ambition for Nottingham to be recognised nationally and globally as a Fairtrade City.

Basford Councillor Mick Newton moved a motion at the Full Council meeting on Monday 13^th July, which outlined the council’s commitment to only use Fairtrade products for internal meetings/events, to promote the principles of Fairtrade among partners and to urge local businesses and employers to support and promote Fairtrade products and values to employees and customers.

Mick said:

“Nottingham is one of the UK’s leading cities but also has European and global status. Therefore we need to address our international responsibilities. By fulfilling our moral obligations on a global level we can make a difference to people’s lives and create sustainable communities in the developing world. Our collective purchase power i.e. what we choose to buy, either limits or create choices in the developing world.”

To set an example, the Council will amend its own procurement and facilities management policies in order to achieve its goal of becoming a Fairtrade City.

Recently David Cameron confirmed he would not protect Sure Start from funding cuts, if he gets elected.

Nottingham City Council Labour Group believes that all our children must be given the best start possible. Sure Start is a vital way of doing that, last year helping over 7,000 families in Nottingham.

Dales Ward Councillor David Mellen, Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services, said:

‘Children’s centres and Sure Start groups have become a vital part of provision for young children and their families in the city. It’s clear that a good start for young children can only be guaranteed if Labour is in charge’

Nottingham has recenty celebrated the completion of a second wave of Children’s Centres with 16 in total operating the Sure Start scheme for pre-school age children. 

The Labour Group have demonstrated their commitment to maintaining the Sure Start scheme in Nottingham with investment for 2009/10 of nearly £10m, pounds. This level of funding will ensure the service is available for the 13,766 people from 5,698 families registered to a Children’s Centre in Nottingham City, as well as the 17,340 people from 7,159 families who visited a Centre over the last 12 months.

As we head towards the next election the choice is becoming increasingly clear: Labour investment or Tory cuts.

After years of hard work from the community we were delighted to see yet more investment into Clifton – a new school is to be built in the area. 

Proposals were recently made public for the school, which is planned to be built close to the existing Farnborough School. It would be designed to accommodate 1050 pupils and could cost 

£17 million to build. Both Fairham and Farnborough schools have low pupil numbers and it has been known since 2006 that there were ideas for a single combined school. The latest proposals involve the closure of the Fairham School and for all Clifton pupils to attend an expanded Farnborough School from September 2009. It is then planned for the new school to be built next to the existing structure and to be completed by 2010 or 2011.The old buildings would then be 

demolished. 

Your Labour councillors attended consultation sessions which were held for the community. Chris Gibson said “we were anxious for the views of parents and residents from Clifton to taken on board. Many questions were asked about how existing Fairham pupils would be helped to settle in the new school environment. In particular, if this goes ahead, everyone wanted to make sure that the transition period would be as smooth as possible and that the children’s education would not be disrupted.” The results of the consultation have being compiled and are being taken into 

account by the City’s Executive Board. The Board have the final decision as to whether to proceed to the next stages which would involve environmental surveys and a planning application. 

Ian Malcolm said “Having had the chance to put forward the community’s view on the school we’re looking forward to seeing the final proposal. It’s going to be so good for local residents to have a 

top class new school and facilities and it is something that we are going to all be able to proud of for years to come.”