Broxtowe Some of the Council's most recently employed NEWS & VIEWS - MAY 2014 apprentices met Mick (the painter) Roe who is currently Broxtowe Council’s longest serving The employee. Mick has given the Council 40 Apprentice years of faithful service having worked for it since its inception. 40 years on Mick is still painting but is due to retire in the Council’s Ruby anniversary year. Read more about the apprentice scheme on page 7. This year the Council celebrates its anniversary alongside other organisations you can read about in this newsletter including the CAB and Midlands Women’s Aid. (pages 10 &15). • Notts Wildlife Trust is celebrating 50 years • It’s the centenary of the start of World War One. Find out how this is being commemorated on our website at www.broxtowe.gov. uk/worldwarone INCORPORATING Back row: Ian Knight (Housing Repairs), Rajesh Parmar (Planning), Middle row: Lauren Taverner (Kimberley Leisure Centre), Katherine Shaw (Housing), Mick Roe, Daniel Hammond (Web Team), Front row: Ben Stocks (Kimberley Leisure Centre), Ryan O’Leary (ICT) The Vision for Broxtowe Borough Council Listening and responding to ensure the delivery of efficient and effective services Registration is changing – Introduction Individual Electoral Providing better value for residents Registration is on its way ….. In Broxtowe we try to work across public sector A new system for registering to vote will be introduced boundaries to provide better The Contents: from 10 June. Individual value for residents. We are Electoral Registration (IER) continuing to provide support Introduction will give everyone who is for voluntary organisations eligible to vote control over Page 2 and community groups as their registration. Anyone well as the more vulnerable Ruth Hyde OBE Milan Radulovic MBE applying to go on the members of our society. We Housing Chief Executive Leader of the Council register will need to provide are working very closely with their name, date of birth Pages 3, 4 & 5 other organisations such resources through partnership and national insurance as the police, the County working. number. This will allow each Jobs & Business Growth Council and the Citizens person’s application to be Advice Bureau to provide We are increasing the number of verified before they are Pages 6, 7 & 8 more efficient, convenient and apprentice positions within the added to the register and effective public services. Council to help people into work, help tackle electoral fraud. Online registration will also Bringing People Together there is sustained growth in be available for the first time, For the fourth year running leisure centre usage and we are Pages 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14 which will make it quicker, during 2014/15 there will be still supporting arts and events no increase in the Broxtowe easier and more secure to occasions in recognition of the register. Community Safety element of council tax, thanks role that they play in bringing to cross party support for this Most people who are Pages 15, 16 & 17 people together. position. As well as this we registered before 10 June have not reduced any services We are assisting people who will not have to do anything – Environment or made any compulsory want to get onto the housing if their identifying information redundancies. We work matches records held by Pages 18, 19, 20, 21 & 22 ladder through the Mortgage throughout the year across Guarantee Scheme. Housing the Department for Work the political parties to develop is a key priority for the Council and Pensions (DWP) they will transfer automatically ideas to save money, redesign and this year we are involved to the new register. We services, share services with in an ambitious house building will send confirmation to other authorities or attract extra programme in partnership with everyone who transfers housing associations and local in August. If you are not developers to build over 100 currently registered or your Broxtowe Matters is published twice a new houses in the borough. information does not match year by Broxtowe Borough Council and Amongst the houses are some DWP's database you will the Broxtowe Borough Partnership to keep innovative “dementia friendly” residents informed about its services and be sent an application to the work it does in the borough. bungalows. register. It costs just 18.5p per copy to print and As you can see, there is lots to For further information distribute Broxtowe Matters to more than on IER or to check be positive about and you can 50,000 homes and businesses in the whether you are read about many of the initiatives borough. It is produced from sustainable registered, contact that are taking place to help us resources from managed forests so that Electoral Services on new trees grow to replace the wood cut achieve all of this throughout the 0115 917 3250/3276 or see for pulping. If you do not wish to keep pages of this newsletter. www. this magazine for future reference, please recycle it in your green-lidded recycling bin. electoralcommission.org.uk. Broxtowe Matters is printed by Lion FPG, an independent company, and distributed by the Royal Mail. WHY WASTE TIME . We welcome your comments and views so if you would like to make a comment about this newsletter please contact Broxtowe Borough Council’s Corporate Communications on 0115 917 3743/3825. Do it online - www.broxtowe.gov.uk 2 Bunker Brought Back To Life Housing A former RAF bunker in a RAF bunker to a mixed Watnall was the showcase use dwelling with bed and of an episode of Channel breakfast guest bedrooms, 4’s Restoration Man earlier extensions and additional this year. The filming took facilities. place last year including For more information shots of Broxtowe Borough about planning in Council’s Senior Planning Residents Learn Healthy Living Broxtowe Borough Officer, Michael Bruce, visit the website at The warmer weather and Retirement Living Schemes who visited the site to www.broxtowe.gov. long days are a great time offer self-contained flats provide planning advice uk/planning and for to start a new healthy or bungalows for people and had the opportunity more information regime and the Council’s aged 60 or over to maintain to meet host of the show about the show visit Retirement Living schemes their independence and George Clarke. www.channel4.com/ are no exception. A special freedom, whilst providing The unusual project programmes/the- Healthy Living Week was security and peace of mind required planning consent restoration-man held in March with a host with 24-hour access to an for a change of use from of events to help keep emergency control centre residents fit and healthy, no and a Retirement Living matter what their age. Officer during office hours. Weekly entertainment is The week was a unique organised for all residents opportunity to try new within each of the schemes foods, get moving and including games nights, connect with other people craft activities, fitness in the community. The sessions, organised day packed programme trips, film nights and much included Eat Better, Feel more. Better sessions with tips and advice on making For more information healthy meals on a budget, contact 0115 917 3037, dance and movement email laura.campbell@ to music sessions and broxtowe.gov.uk or visit a games afternoon with www.broxtowe.gov.uk/ Giant Jenga and Mini retirementliving Crazy Golf, along with Wii Fit games. Broxtowe Borough Council’s Senior Planning Officer, Michael Bruce alongside Restoration Man presenter, George Clarke and property owners Jamie, Jane and baby Harry Brown, then just five months old. Private Sector Housing – Do You Know Your Options? For many people, the cost Since August 2013, 26 of renting in the private private sector tenancies sector, such as high have been secured for rents, costly agency fees people on the housing and substantial deposits, register and the Home Lets can make private renting scheme has a portfolio of inaccessible. 45 private sector landlords who have committed to The Council is currently working with the Council to working closely with private address the housing needs landlords to increase the of residents in the borough. choice of properties that are available, as well as For more information a deposit guarantee for contact 0115 917 3412 or tenants and assistance email housing@broxtowe. with housing benefit claims gov.uk for both landlords and tenants. Broxtowe MATTERS - May 2014 3 Housing Affordable Housing The first tenants of new designed for tenants with build affordable housing in learning disabilities. Residents Spring Clean the borough have started Residents of Ribblesdale shop to be donated or Development at a former moving into their new Court, Chilwell saw in exchanged for items they garage site on Midland homes, after applying spring earlier this year needed. Road, Eastwood has through the Council’s during a special Spring also been completed to During the week, repairs Home-Search Choice Clean week. incorporate two bedroom were made to the exterior Based Lettings Scheme. houses and bungalows, The event gave residents of the buildings, including Tenants will move into a total designed and built with the opportunity to have a guttering and trees and of 46 newly built homes at high levels of insulation and spring clean in and around hedges were cut back. Wilson Road and Chewton solar panels to help tackle their home, as well as in Replacement fire resistant Street, Eastwood over the fuel poverty. communal areas, with a doors will be installed over coming weeks. free to use skip provided. the coming year. The Council is committed A further ten properties on to providing new and They were helped by For more information Hall Drive, Chilwell have affordable homes across members of the local contact 0115 917 3358 or been completed.