Summer 2007

Corby goes Meet your new Get into S.H.A.P.E. smoke free Councillors this summer! Photo courtesy of NNDC, from the ‘More in Corby’ campaign ‘More the from Photo courtesy of NNDC, 2 Summer 2007 Council News in brief news Council cuts sickness levels in New Mayor for Corby half in four years Cllr Jean Addison was installed as the new Mayor of Corby on the 24 May. She takes over from Cllr John O’Neill and will be Corby Borough Council has successfully cut Mayor for the next year. Her daughter Siobhan Hearne the sickness levels of its staff from 17.7 days will be Mayoress. Her theme for the year is ‘Grow and per full-time staff member in 2003/4 to 8.1 Glow’ and the Mayoral charities are the RNLI’s ‘Train days in 2006/7. One, Save Many’ campaign, Corby Steel Gateway New measures were introduced to try and the Friends of Corby Community Hospital. Cllr and combat staff sickness after sickness Peter McEwan was confirmed as the new Deputy absence reached a record high in 2003/4. Mayor. These measures used both a carrot and stick If you would like to invite the Mayor to a approach, which included the introduction local function or event, please use the online of a recognition scheme that awarded a form at www.corby.gov.uk or call 01536 half day’s leave for any employee who had 464000 and ask for the Mayor’s Office. no sickness absence, as well as introducing stricter measures for the monitoring of sickness absence, including return to work Grab a grant interviews for all staff after each absence and the use of trigger points. In 2006/7 a total of £26,238 was awarded to organisations and individuals under the One Corby Open Grants programme. Some of the organisations which received grants included: A Star is Born! • Corby Hellenic Under 8s Corby Borough Council’s Housing Services is • Leonard Cheshire Foundation amongst the best in the country according • Gretton Pocket Park to a recently published national survey • Shout! Theatre Group of tenant satisfaction, but has been rated • Oakley Vale Community Association just one star with ‘uncertain prospects for • Corby Athletic Club improvement’ by independent watchdog the This year there are four types of grant available: Small Grants, Themed Grants, Sports Audit Commission. Grants and Arts Grants. After a week-long visit to the Council in For more details on eligibility or to request a One Corby Open Grants application pack, February, the Audit Commission inspection please contact the Grants and Monitoring Officer, Culture and Leisure, 3rd Floor, Grosvenor team gave the service a ‘fair’ one star rating House, George Street, Corby NN17 1QB, or phone 01536 464018. on a scale from zero to three. According to the report the increase from its earlier Don’t miss out zero star score is largely due to improved customer focus, better management and Are you on a low income, or in receipt of state benefits? Are you having difficulty in leadership, and professional and courteous paying your rent or council tax? You may be entitled to claim Housing and Council Tax staff. benefit to help towards these costs. Responding to the findings Leader of To find out more, contact the Benefits Department at Corby Borough Council: the Council Cllr Pat Fawcett said: “The • telephone us on 01536 464000; outcome is slightly disappointing given the • email us at benefi[email protected] or consistently high levels of tenant satisfaction • call in person at the One Stop Shop, George Street (next to McDonalds). with the service we provide. However, we welcome the Audit Commission’s Corby Town FC - staying up and on the up! recognition of the progress we are making and will respond positively to the areas for It was a double celebration for Corby Town FC in May - not only did they receive a improvement identified in the report.” relegation reprieve, but a new consortium is in the process of taking over the Steelmen with big ambitions for the club. New Corby Town owner Peter Mallinger has confirmed that Kevin Wilson will be handed the manager’s job at The Rockingham Silver Medal for Daniel Triangle Stadium once all of the legal technicalities have been completed. Congratulations to Corby’s “Our first objective is to get out of the Southern League Daniel Keatings, who won a and into Conference North or South level as soon as silver medal on the Pommel possible and then make as much progress as we can,” Horse at the European Peter said. Championships in Amsterdam To get ready for the promotion push, Corby Town will in April, making him one of host Scottish Premier League club Glasgow Rangers only four British gymnasts to ever win a in a pre-season friendly at The Rockingham Triangle medal at the European Championships. The Stadium on Friday 27 July 2007. See local press nearer 17 year old also came 13th in the All-Around the time for details. competition in the same event. Summer 2007 3

Wendy from the East Carlton Can-Do Club tells us about their visit to Northampton Recycling Centre That evening I regaled my husband over his dinner with horror stories concerning landfill, recycling, composting and the summer problems of maggots. He is frightened to approach our bins, swearing that they are altering shape and colour and are obviously breeding in our garden. The constant change of what goes where is too much for him - or at least that was his excuse for not taking the rubbish out! I say was, because my horror stories touched even his hard heart. No longer will he ‘contaminate’ the bins by putting items where they do not belong. He will also send things to the Charity Shops more often - hurrah! - but Recycling news he did stop short at a wormery. Our new 3 Bin Refuse and Recycling Village Hall, The Kingfisher Pub, Boating The statistics and horrors that he was Scheme has now been running for Lake, Open Hearth, Corby Rugby Club/Corby subjected to over his dinner included the fact over three months. Thanks to everyone Town FC, The Hazel Tree and The Talisman. that it takes a million years for a glass bottle for your participation and sorry for The George Street bank has been relocated to decompose - so much more sensible any teething problems you may have to the Boating Lake. to recycle it. Watching men handpicking encountered. The vast majority of contaminants out of the litter was not a residents have now got the hang of it Some green ideas… pretty sight, neither was the odour because and our recycling rate has shot up to of unwashed canisters and containers. Time over 40 per cent compared to 23 per Compost bins - Order a discounted compost - and therefore money - could be saved cent before the introduction of the bin - they start from £8 (rrp £40). by people not 3 Bin scheme, so a big pat on the back • Call 0845 077 0757 quoting reference putting items to everyone! NHA04W such as papers The number of red cards issued is going • Receive £1 off your total order by ordering into plastic down every week and those who still aren’t online using the Recyclenow website at bags and by getting it right will be visited by one of our www.recyclenow.org.uk adhering to the officers to try and help them resolve the strict guidelines problem. Get Freecycling!!! regarding what item goes where. A few reminders: One person’s rubbish is another person’s The mantra was clearly to reuse and • Please don’t put your green waste in bin treasure so why not join the Corby recycle where possible. But perhaps the most liners or plastic bags before putting it in Freecycle® group? When you want to find important changes will only come about as the green bin a new home for something - whether it’s a a result of education and a consequential • Wrap and place all food waste in securely chair, a fax machine, piano, table-lamp or an change of attitude. We are all trying to do tied bags in the black bin old door - you simply send an email offering our bit by using the coloured bins properly, • No glass in the brown bin - please take it it to members of your Freecycle® group. but that can only be the start. We glowed to a bring bank or put it in the black bin Or maybe you’re looking to acquire with pride when told that we recycled Remember: one person contaminating their something yourself. Simply respond to a 27 per cent of our waste in this country. bin can mean the whole lorry load being member’s offer and you just might get it. The glowing faded somewhat when we rejected at the recycling centre and all of it After that it’s up to the giver to decide who compared that to Austria’s 64 per cent. being sent to landfill - a waste of everyone’s receives the gift and to set up a pickup time So, if hubby is found putting plastic bottles waste! for passing on the treasure. into the green bin, a trip to the very good One main rule: everything posted must be Recycling Centre will be on the cards for his Bring Banks free, legal and appropriate for all ages. birthday, as will a new fleece, totally made Glass bring banks are located at: Morrisons, Find Corby Freecycle® at http://groups. from recycled ‘Things’. Cardigan Arms, Asda, Grampian/Irish Centre, yahoo.com/group/corbyUKfreecycle or I have seen the light! Conservative Club, East Carlton Park, Stanion look them up at http://freecycle.org 4 Summer 2007 Progress against One Corby our Pledges for One Corby is our strategy to regenerate Corby, provide top class facilities and infrastructure and services that rank with the very best in the country. We keep it under constant review and 2006/7! welcome feedback from residents, local businesses and partner agencies about how well we are doing in terms of trying to achieve it. What we said How we did Secure a London railway service for Corby. We’re awaiting the Government’s announcement in July 2007 but the signals are increasingly positive, with £1.2 million already earmarked by Network Rail to improve track, signalling, platform etc. English Partnerships are planning to spend £3 million to build the new station on a vacant site next to the current Stagecoach Bus Depot on the edge of the Old Village. Complete and sell/rent the first 42 homes in the Plans for the first phase of rebuilding were approved in February 2007. 16 national Kingswood Regeneration Area; commence demolition and regional housebuilders are competing to build the first houses with a start on and rebuilding at Arran Way and Danesholme. site expected in Autumn 2007. Start work on the £7.5 million, Corby Enterprise The original planning application was refused by the Government Office for Centre at Phoenix Parkway, with NNDC, emda and the East Midlands due to the inclusion of bulky goods and retail warehousing Northamptonshire Partnership, creating space for up elsewhere on the site. Having redone the plans for solely industrial and commercial to 40 new businesses and over 100 new jobs. use, we are confident it will go ahead in 2007/8 with completion in 2009. Introduce Neighbourhood Management Teams, Arguably our biggest success in 2006/7. An effective partnership with the first including environmental wardens and community Police Safer Community Team in Kingswood has helped secure a 25 per cent year caretakers to create cleaner, greener, safer on year cut in crime. Resident satisfaction with community safety, environmental communities. and housing services has increased considerably. Corby is now among the top 25 per cent of Councils nationally for satisfaction with housing services. Provide free bus passes for all over 60s. Improve the Demand for the free bus passes has exceeded all expectations, boosting total bus frequency of services at night and weekends. trips by around 30 per cent. We’re planning to invest £500,000 over the next five years to expand services in Oakley Vale. Start building work on the new Corby Cube and Arts The finishing touches are now being put to the first phase of Corby’s new Willow Centre and 50m International Pool complex in the Place shopping mall, with a host of top name retailers signed up to open in new Parkland Gateway. October 2007. Site preparation work is underway on both the Corby Cube and 50m International Pool. Expand the green waste scheme and alternate weekly The roll-out of the 3 Bin scheme in March 2007 has boosted the Borough’s collections to all parts of the Borough, boosting recycling rate to over 40 per cent, three years ahead of the Government’s target recycling to over 30 per cent - putting us in the top 25 deadline. per cent of Councils nationwide. Achieve improved ‘star’ ratings from the Audit Streetscene has been reassessed One Star (Fair), with promising prospects for Commission for our Streetscene and Housing Services improvement and Housing Services One Star (Fair) with uncertain prospects upon re-inspection in 2006/7, increasing public for improvement. Customer satisfaction levels are running at 73 per cent for satisfaction levels to above 75 per cent for both Streetscene and 90 per cent for housing, compared to our 75 per cent targets for services. 2006/7. Create a Conservation Area in Corby’s Old Village and New Conservation Areas have been designated in both the Old Village and Stanion. develop a Heritage Centre in its oldest residential Measures to improve signage and enforce waiting restrictions will be implemented property at 75-77 High Street. in the second half of 2007/8 to improve the appearance and vibrancy of the Old Village. A lottery grant of nearly £500,000 has been secured for the Heritage Centre. Open the Council’s One Stop Shop for Council Services The One Stop Shop opened in July 2006. More than 160,000 customers have and our new Council Chamber. already been seen, with public satisfaction running at 98 per cent. Complete our programme of investment to improve Programme completed plus extra works to the Boating Lake, East Carlton Park and access to all facilities for persons with disabilities. Grosvenor House to improve wheelchair and scooter access. Reduce the time taken to process benefit claims by a Home visiting system using laptop computers and wireless technology introduced third from over 40 to less than 30 days. Introduce a in April 2007. Time taken to process new claims cut from 39 days in 2005/6 to system of home visits for older and more vulnerable 26.66 days in 2006/7. people. Summer 2007 5 Smoke free

1 July 2007

England becomes smoke free on Sunday 1 July 2007. The new Smoking in smoke free law is being introduced to protect employees and the public premises or vehicle from the harmful effects of second hand smoke. A fixed penalty notice of £50 imposed on From 6am on 1 July 2007 it will be against the law to smoke in the person smoking. A maximum fine of £200 if virtually all enclosed public places, workplaces and public and work prosecuted and convicted by a court. vehicles. There will be very few exemptions from the law. Failure to display No Smoking signs A fixed penalty notice of £200 imposed on whoever • Indoor smoking rooms in virtually all public places and manages or occupies the smoke free premises or vehicle. workplaces will no longer be allowed. A maximum fine of £1,000 if prosecuted and convicted by • Managers of smoke free premises and vehicles will have a court. legal responsibilities to prevent people from smoking. Failing to prevent smoking in • The new law will require No Smoking signs to be displayed a smoke free place in all smoke free premises and vehicles. A maximum fine of £2,500 imposed on whoever manages • The new law applies to anything that can be smoked. This or controls the smoke free premises or vehicle. No fixed includes cigarettes, pipes (including water pipes such as penalty - prosecuted and convicted by a court. shisha and hookah pipes), cigars and herbal cigarettes. Local councils will be responsible for enforcing the new law. Failure to comply with the new law will be a criminal offence. They will offer information and support to help businesses meet their legal obligations under the new law. Penalties and fines for smoke free offences are set out as follows. You can find out more information on the new law on the Smokefree England website at: www.smokefreeengland.co.uk

You can also contact the Council for information and support at: [email protected] or phone 01536 464065 6 Summer 2007

SHIRE LODGE ROWLETT Cllr Thomas Beattie Cllr William Latta Chair of Licensing and Cllr Ray Beeby Cllr Jean Addison Chair of Development Control Regulation Committee Labour Mayor Committee Labour 14 Yardley Close Labour Labour 85 Welland Vale Road Corby NN17 2YE 28 White Post Court 7 Minehead Close Corby NN17 2AN [email protected] Corby NN17 2AG Corby NN18 0BU [email protected] 01536 260281 [email protected] [email protected] 01536 394489 01536 263024 01536 403544

RURAL WEST CENTRAL

Cllr Bob Rutt Cllr Jimmy Noble Conservative Labour Wood Farm Cottage 43 Wheatley Avenue Pipewell Road Corby NN17 1TF East Carlton [email protected] Market Harborough 01536 267070 Leics LE16 8YH [email protected] 07801 945948 (m)

LODGE PARK

Cllr Bob Eyles Labour 24 Fyfe Road Corby NN17 2RD [email protected] 01536 261012 SH

Cllr Christopher Woolmer RURAL WEST Conservative ROWLETT 3 Coleridge Way Corby NN17 2NZ [email protected] 01536 260900 LODGE PARK

BEANFIELD CEN BEANFIELD TOWER HILL

Cllr Ann Brown Labour KINGSWOOD 14 Hove Street Corby NN18 0JB [email protected] 01536 200219 OAKLEY V DANESHOLME

Cllr Mary Butcher Labour GREAT 7 Willetts Close OAKLEY Corby NN17 1HU [email protected] 01536 260468

TOWER HILL DANESHOLME

Cllr Peter McEwan Deputy Mayor Cllr Eddie McGeown Cllr Barry O’Brien Cllr Christopher Stanbra Vice Chair of Audit and Lib Dem Lib Dem Lib Dem Governance Committee 42 Farmstead Road 15 Ridding Close 9/10 Skagerrak Close Labour Corby NN18 0LG Corby NN18 8EH Corby NN18 9EF 29 Blake Road [email protected] Barry.O’[email protected] [email protected] Ray Corby NN17 1DJ 01536 262258 01536 745273 01536 747470 [email protected] 01536 407011 Summer 2007 7

Cllr Mark Pengelly EAST Deputy Leader of the Council KINGSWOOD Cllr Pat Fawcett Cllr David Harley Vice Chair of One Corby Policy Leader of the Council Chair of Overview and Committee Chair of One Corby Policy Cllr Maureen Forshaw Scrutiny Panel Vice Chair of Local Plan Chair of Audit and Governance Committee Labour Committee Labour Committee 29 Rutherglen Road Labour Labour 14 Occupation Road Corby NN17 1ER 70 Stephenson Way Corby NN17 1EB 49 Northbrook [email protected] Corby NN17 1DB Corby NN18 9AU [email protected] 01536 401732 [email protected] 01536 508527 [email protected] 01536 508659 01536 460872 07760 434896 (m)

Cllr Bryan Massie Vice Chair of Licensing and Regulation Committee Labour Your Councillors 46 Northbrook Corby NN18 9AX [email protected] Elected May 2007 01536 461186

Cllr John McGhee Labour 21 Benefield Road Brigstock NN14 3ES [email protected] 01536 373160 07769 643903 (m)

WELDON AND GRETTON

Cllr Philip Bromhall Vice Chair of Overview and Scrutiny Panel HIRE LODGE Lib Dem 29 High Street Gretton Corby NN17 3DE [email protected] 07887 652465 (m) T EAST Cllr Terri Meechan Lib Dem 66 Kirby Road WELDON AND GRETTON Gretton Corby NN17 3DB [email protected] NTRAL 07795 985419 (m)

EXETER STANION AND CORBY VILLAGE OAKLEY VALE

Cllr Eve Howitt EXETER Conservative 291 Rockingham Road Corby NN17 2AE VALE Cllr John O’Neill [email protected] Chair of Local Plan Committee 01536 205442 Vice Chair of Development Control Committee Labour 14 Lundy Avenue Corby NN18 8BU Cllr Abby Marshall John.O’[email protected] Conservative 01536 399810 20 Merestone Road Corby NN18 8DH [email protected] 01536 745485 GREAT OAKLEY STANION AND CORBY VILLAGE

Cllr Stan Heggs Cllr David Sims Cllr Raymond Jackson Cllr Ray Lilley Conservative Conservative Conservative Conservative 10 Grays Drive 37 Stonepit Drive 10 Hay Close Maple House Stanion Cottingham Great Oakley 17 Stanion Lane Kettering NN14 1DE Market Harborough Corby NN18 8HX Corby NN18 8ES [email protected] Leics LE16 8XY [email protected] [email protected] 01536 202908 [email protected] 01536 746206 01536 261452 01536 772121

For more information go to www.corby.gov.uk 8 Summer 2007 Cash and support offer for Verging on the ridiculous!! One of the priority issues raised by business ‘dreams’ the community for the Central Safer Community Team (SCT) to deal with is Britain’s leading young people’s charity, The Prince’s Trust has been in existence parking on grass verges. The Prince’s Trust, is reaching out to for over 30 years and during this time has Parking like this causes a number of would be entrepreneurs living in and supported well over half a million people, problems. Firstly it damages the kerbs and around Corby. helping them to change their lives. It has ruins the grass. This is costly, because kerbs The Trust is offering to provide a cash over 10,000 volunteers, 800 staff and raises need repairing and torn up grass looks start-up for young people aged between 18 over £50 million a year. unsightly, which downgrades the local and 30 who are currently unemployed but In Northamptonshire the Trust is also keen environment. It can also cause difficulties wanting to set up their own business. In to hear from groups of young people aged for people pushing buggies and prams, or this context, unemployed can also include 14-25 who have an idea for benefiting their users of motability scooters, as cars block ‘economically inactive’, which includes community, but lack the cash to put it into footpaths. single parents who aren’t able to access action. SCT Officers have been out along full time work due to family commitments Grants of up to £5,000 are available for Gainsborough Road and the surrounding and who want to get started with their own this kind of community project and anyone area putting flyers on car windscreens business idea. who would like to chat through their ideas is to educate drivers and warn them “Good ideas sometimes remain a dream asked to get in touch. that the Police will be enforcing because there is no money available to get no parking on verges through it off the ground. The Prince’s Trust can help For more information about both these Fixed Penalty Notices. with a loan and sometimes a grant, ongoing programmes and others run by the There is a foolproof advice from a business mentor and access Trust, please ring Tony Round on 01604 way to avoid one of to a whole range of products and services 741177. More details can also be found these fines: don’t park such as free legal advice,” says Tony Round, at www.princes-trust.org.uk on the verge! Area Manager for The Prince’s Trust in Northamptonshire.

Corblimey!

Did you know that Corby was once home to the nation’s favourite outlaw, Robin Hood, and that there’s a crater on Mars named after the town? These are just two of the myriad of interesting facts about Corby contained in a new limited edition book compiled by developer Land Securities to mark the construction of the new Willow Place shopping centre, due to open in October this year. Entitled ‘Corblimey! The Ultimate Corby Miscellany’, the 100- page full colour book provides a fascinating insight into the events and characters that have helped shape the town’s unique character and identity. Other fascinating facts contained in the book include: • Recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as 'Corbei', the town's emblem is derived from the French word 'corbeau' meaning 'raven'. Corblimey • Built on the instruction of William the Conqueror, Rockingham Castle was a royal residence competition up until the reign of Henry VIII. • During World War II, ingenious methods were used to camouflage the steelworks against a daytime air attack. Chimneystacks were painted green to look like trees, the gasholders Question: were covered with hessian and the wooden water towers were painted brick red to disguise them as houses. In which month this year Three lucky readers will have the chance to win one of these unique books, which are not is the new Corby shopping available for sale. To win, simply answer the question on the left and either email your answer and details to [email protected] or send your entry to Public Relations, centre due to open? Corby Borough Council, Grosvenor House, George Street, Corby NN17 1QB by Friday 27 July. Summer 2007 9 Get into S.H.A.P.E. this summer!

Sport Health Arts Playleadership Education and Environment

For the second year running Corby Activities booklets which are going to every a side of A5. The Borough Council is spicing up the school in the next few weeks, or pick up a winning logo will be summer holidays with the S.H.A.P.E. copy from the Council’s One Stop Shop in decided by the Mayor programme for 5-13 year olds across the George Street - available mid-July. of Corby Borough, whose Borough. That’s 60 sessions a week of So don’t spend the summer in front of your decision is final. The action packed activities at 17 different Xbox - go out and do something less boring winning logo will then be venues. And at only 50p a session it instead! adopted as the S.H.A.P.E logo costs less than a bottle of pop! for Summer 2008. Activities include sports coaching sessions, To submit your entry, arts and crafts, fun and games, drama, Shape up and please put your name, age, organised visits from the Police and Fire address and contact number Services, and lots of music sessions delivered on the reverse and submit by BAM! (Big About Music). WIN a bike! the design to Lloyd Baines- S.H.A.P.E. runs for five weeks of the Davies, Play and Recreation summer holidays starting on Monday 23 July The S.H.A.P.E. scheme needs a logo and Officer, Corby Borough Council, through to Friday 24 August. who better to design it than you! We’re Grosvenor House, George St, The Happenin’ Project is also running nine running a competition for young people aged Corby NN17 1QB. sessions a week for young people aged from between 5-13 years old to design a funky The deadline for entries is Friday 9-13 years old and there are other fun things new logo on the theme of Sport, Health, 24 August 2007. It is a condition of to do at Corby Swimming Pool, Lodge Park Arts, Playleadership and Education and the competition that Corby Borough Sports Centre and West Glebe Park so don’t Environment. Council owns the copyright of the miss out - all the details are in the Summer Your logo needs to be no bigger than winning logo.

Make a difference in Corby: become a school governor Schools in Corby are in need of volunteers to who is aged 18 or over and has six to join their governing bodies, providing people eight hours a month to spare (mainly in with an excellent opportunity to make a big the evenings and during term time only) difference in the community. can apply. The most effective governing School governors are critical to the effective bodies consist of governors with a blend of running of your local schools. As a school governor, experiences from different cultures and age responsibilities include allocating budgets, groups, so whatever your background you appointing senior staff, making decisions on the could add enormous value to a local school. school’s policies and direction, and essentially If you are interested in this challenging ensuring pupils are getting the best education and rewarding role and would like more possible. Training and information is available to all information, please contact School governors, giving you the opportunity to develop Governors’ One Stop Shop on 0870 241 new and existing skills. 3883 or email [email protected] No formal qualifications are necessary and anyone (www.sgoss.org.uk). 10 Summer 2007 Parklife

West Glebe Park Work is just about finished on the fantastic new play area, Skate Park and BMX track at West Glebe Park in the centre of Corby, funded by £150,000 from Corby Borough Council. The Corby-themed play area’s design was chosen through consultations with The Friends of West Glebe, Groundwork North Northamptonshire and three local schools (Our Lady’s, Rockingham Primary and Rowlett School), and is based on four sections that depict Corby and its heritage: • Rockingham Castle - a multi-activity unit To complement the play area, multi-use Corby Borough Council (£50,000), with and cradle swings; games area and Astroturf that opened last Groundwork North Northamptonshire, year, West Glebe Park’s brand new the local environmental charity, project • Dragline - a huge basket swing that can fit £1 million pavilion opened in April. An managing the development and the up to six children in at one time; activity co-ordinator for the area, Sam community and youth involvement • Boating Lake - different play equipment Burton, is now based there and is busy in the scheme. such as a roundabout, springers etc; setting up after school activities, a five-a- New equipment for a range of ages has side league and health walks. been installed, along with pathways around • West Glebe Flyer - a train climbing frame For more information, call 01536 204217. the site, interesting planting and natural play with slide. elements of logs and boulders to encourage The area also includes traffic lights and Studfall Avenue children to use their imagination more. zebra crossings, which young people can use Community Park The community has been involved from to learn about road safety, and has two exit/ the start of the project, looking at the issues entrances to help tackle bullying. Studfall Avenue Community Park held and the consultation, through to helping to The Skate Park will have equipment a Celebration Event on Saturday 2 June design the park and photographing the area such as half pipes, grind rails, quarter to mark the completion of work to as it has been developed. Now the park is pipes, flat tops etc and the BMX track is all transform the area. complete, the community have formed a weather and is built up from soil taken from The £120,000 project was funded through ‘Friends of’ group and helped to organise construction of the other two areas. The BIG Lottery Fund (£70,000) and the celebration event. Tribute to ‘Mr Corby’

Hundreds of mourners gathered on Tuesday 8 May at Our five years ago and in March he was given the highest honour in Lady of Walsingham RC Church to pay their respects to one Corby and became a Freeman of the Borough. He was married to of Corby’s finest servants, Councillor Jimmy Kane CBE DL, wife Cathy for 56 years and had one daughter, Carolann. Freeman of Corby, who passed away on Wednesday 25 April He played a prominent role in the wider community championing 2007. services and facilities such as the internationally Cllr Kane was a Corby Councillor for 46 years. He was born in renowned Pen Green Children’s Centre and Lanarkshire and came to Corby for a holiday and made it is home. the Lakelands Hospice, as well as being In the war years, he volunteered and did service in the Royal Navy. Chairman of Corby Town Football Club. Upon his return he started at Stewarts and Lloyds in the Blast Chris Mallender, Chief Executive of Furnaces. Corby Borough Council said: “Corby has Over the years Cllr Kane graduated from trade union work into lost one of its finest sons and I have lost politics. He became a Corby Councillor in 1961 and gave 46 years of a dear friend and someone who I looked dedication and commitment to the people of Corby. He also served up to and respected enormously. He will as a County Councillor, where he was leader of the Council from be sadly missed by everyone in Corby and 1981-5 and again from 1996-8, and leader of the Labour group at we pass our sincere condolences on to his the County for 21 years from 1979-2000. He was awarded the CBE family and friends.” ????????????Summer 2007 ????11 ? Mythbusting ????????????- who are all these foreign people in the town? ????? Corby’s community is very diverse and built on migrant communities. It won’t surprise you to know that our largest economic migrant population came from Scotland to work at the steel works and has been here for over 50 years. We also have a large Irish migrant population and Polish population, which has been here since the end of World War II. So migrant communities are nothing new to Corby and very much part of our history.

They’re illegal Asylum Seekers! The majority of migrants in Corby are Economic Migrants - people who They’re taking all the Council housing and swamping the register! come to this country to seek work and Only 1 per cent of Corby’s housing stock is occupied by people who class their ethnic opportunities that are not available in origin as other than British, many of whom have lived in their homes for years. The their home country. Most migrants are allocation of Council housing is made against a firm points system so there is no queue from the EU but they can be from other jumping and no preferential treatment regardless of the applicant’s nationality. countries if they have the appropriate The law around people from abroad and indeed British people who have returned after visa. living abroad for several years is very complex and in most cases restrictive. Illegal immigrants are people from However, even when a person’s status allows them to apply to join the register, there outside the EU who do not have a visa is not the take up that is widely rumoured. At the end of March 2007 there were 2,810 or who outstay their visa. If they have applications for Council housing - of that only 259 class their ethnic origin as non-British, a visa but have conditions (such as which includes Irish, European, African, Asian, Caribbean and Chinese people. not to work) which they break, they can be arrested and sent home for contravening the visa. The Council spent over £25,000 on An Asylum Seeker is someone who is translation last year! fleeing persecution in their homeland, They’re only here for the benefits! Actually we spent around £2,000, has arrived in another country, made Most migrants come here for the work which includes written translation to themselves known to the authorities and therefore have no need to access other languages, audio transcription and exercised their legal right to apply benefits. However, citizens from the for our visually impaired customers, for asylum. A8 countries (some of the nationalities interpretation for non-English customers Refugees are people whose asylum in Corby) are not entitled to most and British Sign Language interpretation application has been successful and social security benefits until they have for our deaf customers. There are very few who are allowed to stay in another been here for at least one year or are requests to have documents translated country having proved that they would registered with the Government’s and the Council does not take the stance face persecution back home. ‘Workers Registration Scheme’. of translating everything for the sake of it To register, they must have a job. People - that would be a waste of your money. They’re taking our jobs! from other countries must have special work permits and cannot generally claim Economic Migrants are filling vacancies benefits. Rules about claiming benefits My Council Tax is paying for them! in the job market. Economic Migrants vary hugely for all people from abroad Where an Economic Migrant maybe are allowed to work but must pay taxes (including UK nationals returning to entitled to benefit, this payment comes like everyone else. Employers should this country). All foreign nationals must from the Central UK Government, not check they have a National Insurance have a NI number to claim benefits and Council Tax. Any entitlement will be (NI) number. They have the same rights therefore must have worked and paid based on rules and regulations laid down to minimum pay and holidays etc as tax here. everyone else. in Social Security and Immigration Law.

and geese are already back and enjoying the Land and Water Services in partnership with lake. the Council and the Environment Agency. News in brief The lake was dredged to remove silt from the bottom and the islands remodelled using the silt. The shoreline was improved and Boating Lake two new landing stages added which can be Work to improve Corby’s Boating Lake is used by Corby and District Model Boat Club now completed, with it being allowed to fill and disabled anglers, as well as a number of up naturally from the Willow Brook. The fish improved fishing pegs. will not be returned until late autumn due to The work, funded by Corby Borough their breeding season. However, the ducks Council, cost £200,000 and was done by 12 What’s on celebrate thelaunchoflatestHarryPotter A dayoffuneventsaroundtheBandstandto Harry Potterfunday Saturday 21July www.corbycarnival.com Street andbacktotheBoatingLa Road, GainsboroughRoad, Turner Road, George 2007 Corby Carnival Saturday 14July £3 adults, £1children. 8am-6pm CharterField, CorbyOld Village as thisyear’s Chieftain. Champion hurdlerand ‘Strictly ComeDancing’star Corby HighlandGathering Sunday 8July Summer 2007 Telephone: 01536 464000Email: [email protected] Website: www.corby.gov.uk Corby BoroughCouncil, GrosvenorHouse, GeorgeStreet, Corby, Northamptonshire NN171QB ke. Street, Oakley Road, Elizabeth Cottingham off at1pmalong Parade moves at 12.30pm. for judging Lake at12noon at theBoating Floats assemble Jackson, World more, withColin fair andlots, lots Competition, fun Pipe Band Championship, Dancing Highland England The All 7.30pm Willows Arts Centre 7.30pm Willows Arts as partofhernationwidetour. The legendaryhuskyvoicedsingerappearing live Elkie Brooks Saturday 29September £12 and£10concessions Centre,7.30pm Willows Arts Theatre family. scale illusionsinafunfilledshowforthewhole powerful musicalnumbersandspectacularlarge A musicalandmagicalextravaganza featuring ‘One NightinVegas’ Friday 14September (doesn’t includeadmissiontotheCastle) Adults £5, SeniorCitizens£4, Children £2 10am-5pm RockinghamCastle Sheep Shearingdisplay(Satonly). DogShow. LawnmowerRacing. ‘Dancing’ Sheep! Pulling. military vehicles. Old Time FunFair. Tractor cars andlorries, ministeamenginesand Steam engines, tractors, vintageandclassic Steam &CountryShowinthePark -Sunday12August Saturday 11 11am-5pm Corbytowncentre Bandstand Professor Snape’s double! workshops, owldisplaysandachancetomeet from HarryPotter ‘The DeathlyHallows’, magic book. Don’tmissthecompetitions, readings Box Office:01536402233 Willows ArtsCentre

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