FOCUS ON May 2011

http://www.broxtoweliberaldemocrats.org.uk

Election of Representatives for Bramcote Ward on Broxtowe Borough Council

On Thursday 5th May local residents will elect ward councillors to represent them on Broxtowe Borough Council. The Liberal Democrats candidates are , Ian Tyler and David Watts. Once again we invite you to return them to represent Bramcote Ward for a further term.

Stan Heptinstall has served Bramcote Ward as a borough councillor since 1991. He is currently Deputy Leader of Broxtowe Borough Council and the Cabinet Member for the Environment. As well as a borough councillor he is a county councillor for the area. Stan is chair of the group that organizes the annual Hemlock Happening held in Park in June. He chairs the Bramcote Community Action Team which recently celebrated its 40th meeting and 10 year anniversary. He is a LEA governor at the White Hills Park Federation of Secondary Schools. He is also a member of the Parochial Church Council and choir at Bramcote Parish Church. In his other life he is a senior academic member of staff at the University of . Stan has lived in Bramcote with his family since 1975. He and his wife Lillian have four (adult) children and six grandchildren (with a 7th on the way). His proudest moment was when he was awarded a MBE for “services to Bramcote in the County of ”.

Ian Tyler has been a Ward Councillor in Broxtowe for 12 years, representing Bramcote for the last 8 years. He is married to Diane, a familiar face in the area as a Focus deliverer, with two children and a newly arrived granddaughter. They have lived in Bramcote for the last 26 years and Ian’s involvement in Community politics stemmed from local issues affecting Bramcote. Ian has worked in the textile industry for most of his life and is Sales Manager for an International manufacturer of work clothing and Personal Protective Equipment. Ian currently chairs the Council’s Services Examination & Inquiries Group which monitors the services that the Council provides, monitoring performance and cost. He also serves as a trustee of Bramcote Charities.

David Watts has lived in Bramcote for the past 14 years, and has been a councillor in Broxtowe since 1999. David is married with two young children who both attend local schools. He is a governor at Bramcote Hills Primary School and a trustee of Voluntary Action Beeston. David is a lecturer and solicitor by profession and was elected as the leader of Broxtowe Borough Council in 2010. He has been very active in protecting the green belt around Bramcote and in developing facilities for young people, and has been the driving force behind many of the environmental policies and practices adopted by the council. He is a member of Trent Vineyard Church, and Beeston Civic Society recently declared that with David in charge “Broxtowe is in safe hands.”

Promoted by Stan Heptinstall, Bramcote Liberal Democrats, 8 Cranston Road, Bramcote; printed by DKW Lecture and Print, 6 Edingale Court, Bramcote, Nottingham, NG9 3LY Liberal Democrats in Bramcote - Past, Present and Future

What have we achieved? We have been proud to be representatives of Bramcote residents for many years and we thank you for giving us this responsibility and for the trust you have placed in us. We have tried our very best not to let you down. We are local residents who want the very best for you and our area. Recently we compiled a list of the contributions we feel we have made, and it contains the following: changing the postal address to remove the word “Beeston” and thus restoring the identity of the Bramcote area; helping build pride in our area through events such as the Hemlock Happening; generating funding for refurbishment of some footpaths and bridleways such as the Sandy Lane bridleway; increasing road safety and access via new pedestrian crossings, electronic speed signs, traffic restrictions and a bus lane; positively supporting the extension of the tram to Beeston and which will reduce traffic on our own A52; fighting (almost literally) for money for improved footways and lighting; enhancements to the environment via new nature reserves, protection of open spaces and a park that was awarded green flag status; generation of funding for a neighbourhood pride initiative in Bramcote Village and for new and refurbished children’s play areas; supporting and encouraging our police officers and PCSOs in protecting us from crime; supporting and encouraging community initiatives such as the new Bramcote Today website; being constantly available for consultation on any issues of concern to any of our residents.

What have we not achieved? We have to admit that there are some areas where we have tried our best but we have not yet achieved a satisfactory outcome. This list includes: despite intensive efforts to persuade the County Council not to sell the Bramwell Care Home, we have not achieved this (the positive thing to report is that no one has yet put a bid in for the facility); despite attendance at numerous meetings and letters to the press, we (have just heard) that we failed to persuade the NHS not to close the Walk-In Centre in nearby Stapleford; it has been difficult to persuade the Highways Authority to ensure the cleanliness of the A52, despite repeated encouragement to do so (but this may be changing!); we have not yet persuaded the owners of the Bramcote Hills Golf Course to make proper plans for its re-use following closure, and to consider releasing the land for community use (but we will continue to try to do so!).

What are our aims for the future? Quite simply, our intention will be to continue to look after our/your area to the very best of our ability. Money is tight and progress may be slower than we would like, but through our leadership roles at Broxtowe Borough Council we will ensure that Bramcote Ward and its residents receive a fair share of resources and services; where we have less influence, e.g. at the County Council, we will continue to press for fair funding for items such as essential bus services and repairs to our roads and footpaths; we will continue to engage with organizations such as the NHS and the Highways Authority whenever this is needed; we will continue to do all we can to enhance the quality of our environment for the benefit of our residents; as always, we will continue to keep all of you informed of what is going on through regular issues of this FOCUS newsletter and our weekly email updates.

Finally, many thanks to all of YOU, and a promise. You have supported Liberal Democrats in Bramcote for many years. Thank you very much for your support. Our promise to you is that, if re-elected, we will continue to do the very best we can for Bramcote Ward and for all of you.

YOUR LIBERAL DEMOCRAT CANDIDATES X • Stan Heptinstall, 8 Cranston Road, Bramcote, NG9 3GU, 0115 9164588, [email protected] • Ian Tyler, 308 Derby Road, Bramcote, NG9 3JN, 0115 9392102, X [email protected] • David Watts, 6 Edingale Court, Bramcote, NG9 3LY, 0115 8544031, X [email protected], http://www.davidwatts.org.uk

Referendum: At the local election on 5th May, as well as voting for local representatives on Broxtowe Borough Council you will also be asked to vote in a referendum. You will be asked to vote on whether to retain the “first-past-the-post” system in national elections or to move to the “Alternative Vote” method. We will be voting to change to AV, which is a much fairer system.