Coventry News...features...plus more about your city...your neighbourhood...your services issue 67 I spring I 2020 Love and Pride Revellers will be celebrating the diversity of the city this June for Coventry Pride St Mary’s Addressing City centre Guildhall youth violence is getting kitchen refurb in the city in shape COVENTRY CITIVISION Partnership proud to support UK City of Culture 2021 FOR COVENTRY news From the top contents welcome to the spring 2020 issue of citivision • A personal message from Cllr George Duggins, Leader, Coventry City Council. The changing face of the city centre When you travel through the city centre you won’t have missed the work underway. There is a lot happening that will improve the look and feel of the place. The developments will retain the best parts of the city’s original design while adding in some new features. In this issue of Citivision we’ve put together an at a glance guide to where in the city the many schemes are. This is important work, which in the short term, will mean some disruption for shoppers, workers and other city centre visitors - but news health what’s on there will be lots to look forward The Council is planning 14 Nominations are now to. 4 to target its budget open for the 2020 Health 20 Coventry Pride 2020 Elsewhere, there are many towards protecting and Wellbeing Awards. will be back on events and activities coming up Saturday 13 and highway repairs and that you should look out for, Sunday 14 June 2020 carrying out a major including: The Festival of Running in Broadgate. city-wide clean-up to news which returns to the city in April cut fly-tipping. See photo above. – including the Half Marathon, 7 Agencies have set out a strategy to prevent Coventry 5k and wheelchair race; A stunning new 5 youth violence in Coventry Pride which will be ceremony space has Coventry. back in Broadgate in June; and the been opened at the Godiva Festival which makes its historic Cheylesmore 8 Work is underway to what’s on 22nd appearance in early July. Manor House. create a safe, accessible This March the new 50m pool 20 A round-up of some of and traffic-free walking the attractions on offer opens at the Alan Higgs Centre 5 The new 50m pool at and cycling route along and I am sure both serious The Alan Higgs Centre in and around Coventry a disused railway for the next few months. swimmers and casual paddlers is set to open for the will all be making the most of this first time to the public in sports focus great venue. March. councillors We’ve also got details of lots 11 More than 1000 22 Need to contact your more projects and what we are 6 The Council successfully transplant athletes will councillors? Check out doing to improve the quality of life secured £464k from travel to the Westfield our comprehensive for all our communities. the government to Health British directory. This includes planning help address street Transplant Games our budget for 2020/21 to homelessness. in Coventry. ensure frontline services are To sign up to weekly e-mail news updates visit protected, addressing rough www.coventry.gov.uk/newsemails sleeping by creating an alternative contact us donations website to support Call the Citivision newsdesk per copy to write, print and If you would like to advertise in rough sleepers, and introducing on 024 7683 1081 or write distribute to homes in Coventry. the next issue of Citivision, contact new policies to improve the to Newsdesk, Room 73, You can also pick up a copy at Darren O’Shaughnessy on 024 standards of Houses in Multiple Council House, Earl Street, libraries and Council buildings. 7683 1075. Coventry City Council Occupation. Coventry, CV1 5RR, or Citivision is produced on paper is grateful for the support from e-mail communications@ from sustainable woodland and advertisers in this issue of Citivision, If you need this information in coventry.gov.uk is chlorine free. The milling but accepts no responsibility for another format or language please Written and produced by process also has Environmental the accuracy of adverts. contact us: the Communications Team, Management Systems in place. All details correct at the time of Tel: 024 7683 1081 Coventry City Council. Each Once read, please recycle. going to print (17 February). e-mail: communications@ edition of Citivision costs 9p coventry.gov.uk Cover story: Counting down to Coventry’s 2 I citivision I spring 2020 festival of pride. 20-0054-HG spring 2020 I citivision I 3 news news City-wide clean-up plan The Council is planning to target its budget towards protecting highway repairs and carrying out a major city-wide clean-up to cut fly-tipping. The Council consulted with “We are also going to the community on its plans to alter plans to charge for ensure it balances its spending in parking at the Memorial 2020/21. Park. I believe that Senior councillors will discuss motorists should get three the final budget report at a full hours free parking so that Council meeting on Tuesday 25 park users can get full February (after Citivision went enjoyment of the venue to print). This will include plans while discouraging train to increase the city Council passengers from using the Tax by 3.9%, which includes 2% Memorial Car Park all day. to protect social care funding “We also listened to as determined by central residents who were government. New ceremony space at Cheylesmore Manor concerned about the As well as setting out extra potential impact that grant funding for social care, the A stunning new ceremony intimate weddings and other in the heart of Coventry. be able to enter from a switching off areas of street report outlines where original space has been opened at ceremonies. The Queen Isabella Room has traditional archway, and exit via lighting may have and have savings proposals are no longer the historic Cheylesmore Cheylesmore Manor House been carefully restored to create a large stone flagged courtyard asked officers to relook at being taken. Bus travel improvements Manor House. has a suite of event rooms, and is a beautiful ceremony room, with which will provide picturesque this proposal.” Cllr John Mutton, Cabinet A Coventry councillor and especially as we count The Queen Isabella Room, perfect for wedding ceremonies, beams on the walls and ceilings, photo opportunities of the Member for Strategic Finance Cllr Mutton also announced regular bus user is hoping to down to Coventry’s year which can accommodate up to naming ceremonies, renewing and adornments of eucalyptus historical setting. and Resources, said he is hoping a proposal to develop plans to encourage local companies as UK City of Culture.” 20 people, is available for vows and other special occasions branches. Guests and couples will the budget plans are supported tackle climate change and extend to takes steps to introduce Martin Hancock, by fellow councillors and added: the amount of speed enforcement more improvements to bus Development Director for To find out more and book your occasion, visitwww.ceremoniesinsidecoventry.co.uk cameras in the city. Cameras are travel. National Express UK Bus, said: “We have identified ways to on Ansty Road, London Road, Cllr Richard Brown, who maximise income collection Henley Road and Binley Road. “Where other regions in The St Mary’s Guildhall kitchen Cllr Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet is the Chair of Coventry City and target services Despite the better than the UK have seen falling was built in the 1340s and is Member for Jobs and Council’s Scrutiny Co-ordination effectively without having expected government settlement passenger numbers, thought to be one of the last Regeneration, said: Committee, said that it is Guildhall any unnecessary impact on for 2020/21 Cllr Mutton said that we’re really pleased that intact medieval kitchens in the “It’s a magnificent building important that visitors have a frontline services. the year after next Coventry City National Express Coventry country. Work has now started to and I managed to get a good experience of the city. kitchen refurb open up the original structure. “We are planning a city- Council could face a deficit of has seen growth of around sneak view of the work He said: Work is underway to open up The kitchen’s medieval hearth wide clean-up ahead of the nearly £19m. 1% year-on-year. underway. a medieval kitchen which has is being restored along with other UK City of Culture, and The Council also continues to “For most people ease of “We look forward to been closed off for almost features of the building as part “It is so impressive and will on protecting road repair face pressures on its housing and use, better frequency and continuing to enhance 60 years. of a major scheme to redevelop be a great attraction for budgets. homelessness services. good value are important incentives for bus users. the customer experience, Coventry’s historic jewel. local people and visitors.” reduce congestion and air “I am keen to hear quality problems across The opening of the £13.5m pool Cllr Kamran Caan, Cabinet from bus companies to Tenants’ fees – don’t be fooled the city and attract new is part of a wider development of Member for Public Health and understand what plans customers to the cleaner, If you have started a new private rental tenancy some fees like a The Alan Higgs Centre that also Sport, said: they have in place, greener mode of travel.” holding deposit or rent in advance are to be expected, but certain includes the renovation of the “The venue will be another fees have been banned.