Issue 2: December 2012
Introduction
Thank you for reading our second
newsletter.
If you did not receive
the first one, we would
like to introduce
ourselves as Trevor Southerd, Gordon Rhind and Ben Stuart. We are
here to listen to you and help where possible.
Between
us
we cover all of the committees in council to ensure that Church Gresley and
part of Castle Gresley within the ward are well represented.
If
you have any questions or issues, then please
contact us (contact details are on the back page). Alternatively, we operate a Surgery on a monthly basis at the Methodist Church on
York Road.
Key issues in this edition:
South Derbyshire Preferred Growth
Strategy: Feedback
on Consultation Event, reminder of deadline for submitting feedback.
Update on what is happening in
Council: Around
the committees.
Focus on issues within the ward: Dog
Fouling.
What can we do to improve
communication?: Our
new blog.
Also, Did you know….. How to report a faulty street light?
Street
lighting comes under County Council jurisdiction if the road is adopted by the
council. If it is not adopted and is on
a new development, then it is still under the jurisdiction of the developer. If it is adopted by the County Council there
will be a number stencilled on. For
faulty lights, quote this number to
the County Council on 08456 058058 or
email to call.centre@derbyshire.gov.uk,
providing location details.
We’ll
try to put a useful tip in each newsletter and it will be put on the blog as
well.
Key Issue: Preferred Growth Strategy
What is the Preferred Growth Strategy?
This
is a plan for the housing needs for South Derbyshire and Derby City for up to
2028. There is a requirement for 12700 houses in South Derbyshire. This is at consultation stage and any
feedback given may alter the plans.
There will be further consultations following this draft stage.
How is it being publicised?
On
the SDDC website (see link below) and also through a blog. There has also been a series of Consultation
events including one at the Church Hall Rooms which was requested by Church
Gresley Councillors and was very well attended.
Our last newsletter highlighted this event.
How do the plans affect Church Gresley?
There
are 400 houses planned behind Church Street & Thorpe Downs Road in the preferred strategy and around 200
houses off Swadlincote Lane that were not in the Preferred Strategy but have
been given planning permission (see a article in recent activity).
Are these good or bad?
This
is up to you, the local residents, to decide.
Any development with significant house build will bring pressure on
infrastructure and particularly on school provision at present The developments could also bring a new
school to the village and a new home for Gresley FC, so there is a balance to
be considered.
What action is required if you have an
opinion?
If
you have not done already, visit the South Derbyshire District Council Website (http://www.south-derbys.gov.uk)
and find
the Preferred Growth Strategy link and
read the information. A form can be
downloaded for feedback. If not on the
internet, contact the council by phone
(01283 595795) and request the
information. Feedback is required by 21st December.
RECENT ACTIVITY
CONSULTATION EVENT ON PREFERRED GROWTH STRATEGY
•The event on Monday 19th
November was very well attended by residents, particularly those on Church
Street and Thorpe Downs Road. The
feedback at the event seemed to be one of concern regarding access, drainage,
effect on amenity due to more houses and loss of open area. Concern was made over potential impact on
Primary School Places. There were some
positive comments in relation to the possible new ground for Gresley FC.
•One item that ought to be made
clear is that the site is not currently in the plan, so until adopted, it is
extremely unlikely that any planning application would be accepted.
•Whilst successfully attended, we
have had feedback that a lot of people did not know about the event. In all honesty we tried very hard to make
people aware but we could not reach everybody with a newsletter. We are aware of residents who distributed a
leaflet with information on and congratulate them on doing this.
•We are grateful to the residents
for turning out in numbers and also to the council staff who were very busy for
the evening.
•
APPLICATION GRANTED FOR 215 HOMES OFF
SWADLINCOTE LANE
•Land originally set aside for
Commercial / Industrial Development that was not in the preferred growth
strategy was subject to a mixed use planning application and was approved by
the Planning Committee on Tuesday 20th November.
•All 3 Church Gresley Councillors
attended and spoke in objection to the plans as we are concerned about the
effect on the local schools, we feel that it is an isolated development and we
are concerned that the plans are a short term measure to allow a developer to
build rather than a long term strategy.
Our concerns which are clearly shared by many of the residents we talk
and listen to were dismissed by various members from outside the urban core and
the committee voted 7-6 in favour of this development.
•
COMPLAINTS ABOUT DOG FOULING
•Once again we have complaints about
Dog Fouling on our pavements and the cleaning up of the mess. Whilst we have supported initiatives within
council to ensure that there is more monitoring and chance of fining offenders,
we feel that it is important that we try to ensure that dog owners are given no
excuses for this to happen by methods such as:
•Providing Posters and Stickers
aimed at embarrassing offenders (e.g. There's no such thing as the dog poo
fairy). This has been done to a small
extent.
•Extra bins have been placed in some
areas in order to attempt to reduce this.
Do you know of an area that needs a bin?
Whilst we can’t guarantee it will happen, we will do our best.
•Any other suggestions for a
sustainable and successful campaign against this most disgusting occurrence
would be welcomed. We do not feel that
spraying fouling with luminous paint is a practical option.
•
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN US
•Whilst we strive to improve
communication between us and the residents, it is clear from recent feedback
that we still have work to do. We will
endeavour to improve distribution of this leaflet and we have started an
internet blog (http://churchgresleylabour.blogspot.co.uk). The blog will run alongside more traditional methods of communication
as we appreciate that not everybody has internet access and prefer a more
personal touch. The advantage it gives
is that everything will be more up to date and we can highlight forthcoming
events on a weekly basis.
Issue 1: October / November 2012
Introduction
Thank
you for reading our newsletter. We would
like to let you know that we are here to listen to you and help where
possible. This is
the same for all
those who have lived in Gresley for
many years and those who have moved recently. If you are new to the area, we
would like to welcome you to Gresley and hope you have settled in well.
We
were all elected in May 2011, Trevor for the 5th
time, Gordon for the 2nd
time and Ben for the 1st time. We bring
3 different approaches, have different levels and types of experience, and work
well as a team to bring this together to serve Gresley. Between
us we cover all of the committees in council to
ensure
that Church Gresley and part of Castle Gresley within the ward are well
represented. If
you have any questions or issues, then please
contact us (contact details are on the back page). Alternatively, we operate a Surgery on a monthly basis at the Methodist Church on
York Road.
RECENT ACTIVITY
CANVASSING SESSION on THORPE DOWNS
ROAD
A
recent canvassing session on Thorpe Downs Road brought up several issues
reported by residents. Your local
councillors, with help from Colleagues have taken the following action:
•On
review of littering in the area (particularly at the bottom), it was requested
that the clean team look into bin provision.
Thorpe Downs road now has 2 waste bins for litter and dog mess.
•We
alerted the Safer Neighbourhood team and local PCSO to some anti-social
behaviour concerns.
•We
have liaised with the council to monitor the appearance at the end of Thorpe
Downs Road
•
NEW SHOPS ON CASTLETON PARK
We welcome new businesses to the area opposite Gresleydale Health
Centre and wish them success.
Hopefully, this will reduce the need for residents in the lower part of
Church Gresley to travel further for groceries and takeaways and persuade more
people to walk or cycle to do so.
•We have been concerned by the
amount of littering that has been noted in the area and have contacted the
council to ensure that these issues are dealt with in these early days before a
problem starts.
•As part of this, it has been
requested that wardens will patrol the area at key times.
•The council is also looking to work
with the businesses to ensure that the area is kept tidy.
•
COUNTY COUNCIL RELATED ISSUES
We have limited effect over County Council matters. This does not stop us getting involved and
communicating any issues via direct contact with the County Council or at the
Area Forums. Some examples of this are:
•Ensuring the upgrading and creation
of a new pedestrian crossing on Wilmot Road.
•Supporting and encouraging our
electorate on weight limit issues in the ward and ensuring priority status at
Safer Neighbourhood meetings.
•Expressing our concerns to Highways
over speeding on Castle Road, the junction of Princess Street on Castle Road,
the narrow pavement near St Georges School and advice requested on the parking
within the ward. Updates will be given
in due course.
•Expressing concerns over the
current Primary and Junior School provision for Church Gresley.
•
MOBILE PHONE MASTS
•We have successfully prevented the
installation of a mobile phone mast in New Street with the help of the local
residents.
•
SOUTH DERBYSHIRE PREFERRED GROWTH
STRATEGY
•In a recent council meeting,
concern was raised on the effect that further development could have on the
infrastructure of the ward with particular concerns with education and highways
issues. Whilst growth is necessary and
mainly beneficial it has to be right for Gresley. At the heart of this strategy is a public
consultation exercise which we have requested an extra event to take place in
Gresley. It is
vital that the views of the people of Gresley are heard and we encourage you to
attend. See front page.
•
CYCLE PATH THROUGH CASTLETON PARK
•It has been requested that the
increasingly popular Cycle Path running from Castle Road through to Hearthcote
Road is completed and marked fully.
Discussions are taking place with the Developers
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