MARCH 2015 for the people of Mansfield District The district decides Elections guide P9-13 /mymansfielduk @MDC_News www.mansfield.gov.uk Contents Welcome to the March edition of No rise in Council Tax for fifth year Residents will not pay any more for district council services in 2015/16 after councillors voted to freeze Council Tax£ for a fifth consecutive year. Inside this edition you will find: ork will begin to identify funding News 2 – 8 for a new wet and dry sports facility Won land at Meden School, Elections guide 9 – 13 Warsop, after councillors agreed to set aside £8m in the Council Tax 14 – 15 four-year capital programme for the project. Housing 16 – 17 The leisure centre would be funded through £327,000 of What’s On 19 – 21 New Homes Bonus - a grant paid by central government to Contact your local councils for increasing councillor 23 the number of homes and their use. The remaining £7,673,000 Contacting the 24 would come from other currently council unsecured funding such as partner contributions, grants If you know someone who and potential future New Homes lives in the district but does not Bonus money. receive a copy of My Mansfield by 16 March, please email The council needed to find publicrelations@ £3m-worth of savings to mansfield.gov.uk or contact balance the budget in 2015/16 01623 463021 with their full as a result of the continued address and postcode. reduction in government grants, The next edition is due to be delivered in August. All material published in My Mansfield, including adverts, articles and all other content is published in good faith. My Mansfield accepts no liability for any errors or omissions and does not endorse any companies, products or services that appear in the publication. 2 www.mansfield.gov.uk | March 2015 News Bank Holiday There will be bin collections no increase in All bin collections over Easter the majority of (3 April and 6 April), May Day (4 May), Spring Bank Holiday (25 fees and charges May) and August Bank Holiday (31 including car August) will go ahead as normal to parking, market minimise disruption for residents. Please ensure your bin is put out rents and brown on your normal collection day by bin garden waste 6.30am. collections. Planning for £ the future on-going reduction in income of commercial properties to Residents can be among the first from property lettings due to generate additional revenue to hear about plans for the future the economic climate and low income, works at the Civic of Mansfield district by signing up interest rates from investments. Centre to release space for to take part in a consultation. commercial letting to generate The majority of the shortfall income and the formation of a The council’s Planning Policy team is was found through the council's housing company to build new working on a new Local Plan, which Change 2 review of existing homes within the district. is an important document that will services and structures, plus shape how the district develops over new income sources. The council will receive a the next 20 years. £59,000 Council Tax freeze The budget and proposed grant from the government. Residents will have the opportunity to capital programme are designed comment on the plan, which tackles to meet the council's priorities For more details about your key issues facing the district, during a while also minimising the impact Council Tax see pages 14 and six-week consultation later this year. on residents, the quality and 15. quantity of services and staff. Register your details on the Local Plan Consultation Portal at http:// There will be no increase in the mansfield.objective.co.uk/portal by majority of fees and charges clicking Login/Register at the top of including car parking, market the page. rents and brown bin garden waste collections. The budget also includes money Smoking pledge set aside for the acquisition Mansfield District Council has signed up to the Nottinghamshire County and Nottingham City declaration on tobacco control. This demonstrates our commitment to reduce smoking in our communities and secure the health, welfare, economic and environmental benefits that come from reduced smoking. As part of our commitment, we advise businesses on complying with smokefree legislation and updating their smoking policies, and work with partners to tackle the sale of illegal £ tobacco products. www.mansfield.gov.uk | March 2015 3 News Join our Garden Waste Collection Service Major development It’s not too late to given the go ahead join our 2015/16 Garden Waste Collection Service. after lengthy legal battle The new scheme starts on 1 April 2015. To guarantee receiving the A judicial review into the proposed Lindhurst service from the start date you development has been dismissed by the Royal had to subscribe by 13 March. However, there is still time to join. Courts of Justice in London. The annual cost is £25 even if you join partway through the year – so ork is expected to start The development and the much- join as soon as possible to get the in the spring on the needed high quality family homes and most out of the service. development of 169 employment opportunities it will bring are hectares (417 acres) vital for the regeneration and growth of Once your payment has cleared, Wof land off the A617 Mansfield and the entire district. you will receive a sticker within Ashfield Regeneration Route. ten working days, which must be The plans include up to 1,700 new placed on your brown bin. Crews Three previous applications for homes, as well as a new primary school, will not empty any bins, unless they permission to appeal against the doctors' surgery, community centre, park are displaying a current sticker. Lindhurst planning application were and space for retail and business use. dismissed because the judge felt that If you would like to sign up for there was no arguable case for a judicial 2015/2016, call 01623 463463 review. Although a judicial review went or apply online at ahead on the last occasion, the Court www.mansfield.gov.uk/ of Appeal's three judges dismissed the gardenwaste. challenge on all grounds. Residents who do not want the service, but still have a brown bin, are asked to call 01623 463463 and we will arrange for your brown New website bin to be taken away. You will get a brown bin and an all coming soon year-round garden waste collection every two weeks from March Accessing council services to November and monthly from will be quicker and easier with the December to February. launch of our new website this month. You can use the bin to recycle: ou’ll be able browse the grass cuttings site as a resident, visitor hedge trimmings or business and complete www.mansfield.gov.uk leaves a range of tasks online by small branches and twigs, and Yclicking on report it, pay for it, apply The new site can recognise which type plants, weeds and cut flowers. for it, find it and say it buttons. of device visitors are using, such as a You’ll also be able to find out your mobile phone or computer, and adjust blue and green bin collection dates accordingly. by entering your postcode. Additional The new website will use the same payment options will be added to the address www.mansfield.gov.uk. site over coming weeks. 4 www.mansfield.gov.uk | March 2015 here will be street Mansfield BID, Mansfield District entertainment, music, Council, Mansfield Partnership craft activities and one Against Crime (MPAC) and the Come police. Many other organisations of the very popular eveningT markets all taking which contribute to the town place in town. Shops will be centre experience have also staying open later than usual fly the flag helped out. and discussions are underway Speaking on behalf of the team, to encourage restaurants, Mansfield Business Improvement bars and clubs to join the fun with us! District Manager Sarah Nelson with special offers and purple- says: “Mansfield has an outdated themed drinks and decorations reputation for being somewhere to keep the celebration going Get ready for a celebration! to avoid in the evening. There for the whole night. Fun, entertainment and activities is a wide range of activities What’s more, parking in town for the whole family are being lined to enjoy in a safe and friendly during the celebration will be up for Mansfield’s Purple Flag party, environment and achieving FREE. Purple Flag proves this is the taking place on Saturday 25 April. case. If you think you know what Mansfield has to offer, this event “We want as many people as might make you think again. possible - those who already There is probably much more enjoy its theatre, library, heritage, than you realise with new places restaurants and leisure facilities to enjoy opening all the time. and those who never come into town for an evening out – to The event has been organised come and celebrate with us. to officially mark the fact that Mansfield has been awarded “More and more people are Purple Flag status by the realising how much Mansfield Association of Town and City has to offer and visitor numbers Management (ATCM). Purple are increasing as a result. People Flag is an accreditation scheme who live and work in Mansfield that recognises excellence in the have a town to be proud of and management of town centres we hope they will come along on at night. It can be seen as the 25 April to celebrate and enjoy equivalent of the Blue Flag that fact.” awarded to good beaches.