winter2016 leicester.gov.uk leicesterlink Ride the wheel of light Council on Universal Stay well What’s social media credit this winter on P5 P16 P30 P33 First Turkish restaurant to serve alcohol in Leicester STUDENT DISCOUNT 15% OFF with NUS card TURKISH RESTAURANT NOW EXTENDED BIGGER AND BETTER NOW TAKING CHRISTMAS BOOKINGS 3 COURSE MEAL only £19.50pp ■ Private parties and bookings welcome ■ Seating capacity for up to 150 people Monday to Friday 25% OFF eat in or takeaway total bill (including drinks) 12noon to 5pm EFES Total MANGAL TURKISH 1 5 % O F F Bill RESTAURANT (SUN – THU) ONLY. EXP 30 NOVEMBER 2015 BOOK YOUR TABLE NOW Tel: 0116 255 99 93 www.efesmangal.co.uk OPENING TIMES: 12 Noon - Midnight Every Day 26/36 BRAUNSTONE GATE, LEICESTER LE3 5LG 2 leicester.gov.uk | winter 2016 | LEICESTER LINK FEATURE elcome to your new look Leicester Link. I hope you like Wthe fresh design and find it clear p10 and easy to read. The magazine looks a little dierent but still contains all its regular items keeping you up to date with council news and contents what’s on in Leicester. These days there are many dierent 5 23 LINK UP PASS IT ON ways to keep in touch with the council, and How does the council use Waste and recyling this more and more people prefer to do so online. social media? Christmas Turn to page 5 to see how we use social media 67 25 to tell you about the latest news and events. AROUND THE CITY DISCOVER LEICESTER You can also now follow me on Twitter: News from local wards Tales from historic pubs @CityMayorLeic We’re coming to the end of a very busy 811 27 NEWS PUBLIC HEALTH year in Leicester. After a superb festival The role of health visitors Awards for parks, armed forces, surrounding Rugby World Cup 2015, we’re school admissions and more 2831 launching our biggest ever Diwali celebrations. 1315 YOUR CCG These will extend over two weeks and across Your views on the NHS, HOUSING NEWS more venues in the city centre. Improvements to local areas antibiotics and how to keep Thousands of you will no doubt enjoy a and key safety well this winter ride on Leicester’s Wheel of Light, which is by 3339 1617 Belgrave Road during Diwali and moves UNIVERSAL CREDIT WHAT’S ON to Jubilee Square for Christmas. My very How to prepare for the 39 change to benefits best wishes for all the celebrations ahead. COMMITTEE MEETINGS Plus social media 19 IN THE SPOTLIGHT 4041 Adult and family learning CONTACT YOUR COUNCILLOR 20 WHATEVER THE WEATHER 42 Sir Peter Soulsby | CITY MAYOR Council gets set for winter CONTACT THE COUNCIL 21 SHARED LIVES Caring in your home @CityMayorLeic leicester.gov.uk/citymayor Copyright © Leicester City Council. Sales: If you wish to advertise your business Please use your orange bag when you dispose Leicester Link is published by Leicester call 0116 454 4272 or email of this magazine. City Council, City Hall, 115 Charles Street, [email protected] Leicester Link has a circulation of 133,000. Leicester, LE1 1FZ. Leicester City Council does not accept responsibility Keep up to date in between printed editions of Link enquiries only: 0116 454 4160 or for goods or services oered by external advertisers. Leicester Link: go to leicester.gov.uk/news Opinions expressed in this magazine are not email [email protected] necessarily those of the council. COVER: Leicester’s Wheel of Light @leicester_news /leicestercitycouncil LEICESTER LINK | winter 2016 | leicester.gov.uk 3 EARLY BIRD SPECIAL OFFER Please ask for details Providing outstanding full time and part time care and education for children aged from 6 weeks to 5 years and out of school care. Free places for Two and Three year olds ‘Outstanding’ OFSTED rating • Second child discount Open days week commencing 30 November 2015 please contact our Nursery Managers. Kiddycare Nursery, Melton Road Tel: 0116 2680258 Angels Pre-School, Martin Street Tel: 0116 2661544 Parkview Nursery, East Park Road Tel: 0116 2734237 Kiddycare Little Willows, Thurnby Lodge Tel: 0116 2410205 Nursery opening times 7.45am to 6.00pm www.kiddycarenurseries.co.uk 4 leicester.gov.uk | winter 2016 | LEICESTER LINK FEATURE LINK UP Get social! Using social media to talk to residents saves both time and money. Link spoke to digital media ocer Ian Gallagher to find out more. Why does the council Give us an example of how place people came to ask us questions use social media? the council uses it about what was happening on the day - we were able to answer those One of the main reasons is to let The demolition of the New Walk questions in real time. people know how they can access Centre is a good example. On one council services quickly and easily hand, people were very interested How does this online, rather than having to phone to see footage of the building being benefit residents? or visit us in person. We can also oer demolished – we were on the ground advice to members of the public who on the day and so were able to put It’s simply the quickest and easiest have queries about services. out live footage of the event. Our way there is to communicate with Another key use is to promote local 15-second video of the demolition has residents. It’s also very cost eective democracy and the city of Leicester been currently viewed more – approximately 240 times cheaper and all the good things we do in it. than 218,000 times. for us to answer a query online than People know we collect taxes and On the other hand, social to do it face-to-face. So it potentially bins, but they might not know that media played an important role in represents a massive saving for we organise events such as the City communicating key messages around taxpayers. ■ Festival, Abbey Park fireworks and last the demolition, such as road closures year’s Kasabian gig in Victoria Park. and exclusion zones. It was the first FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA @Leicester_News /leicestercitycouncil /leicestercouncilnews You can find out about the other social media profiles run on behalf of the council at leicester.gov.uk/socialmedia. Many councillors also have their own Twitter accounts – details on pages 40-41. LEICESTER LINK | winter 2016 | leicester.gov.uk 5 AROUND THE CITY Beaumont Leys digital We need your help to gather information about the digital skills of people in Beaumont Leys as well as their access to broadband at home. In return for completing a 5-10 minute survey, you could receive a Story of Parks free, fully refurbished computer system. These are on a first- This year, local people can get involved text panels, leaflets, activities and much come, first-served basis as with three mini-projects about the more. Talk Parks is a programme of free we only have limited stock. history of their local green spaces. public talks. If you live in Beaumont It’s part of Story of Parks, a project Please get involved if these interest Leys and want to take advantage supported by the Heritage Lottery you. You can also find our volunteering of this oer please phone Fund. Twenty of the main parks and opportunities at do-it.org by searching Cooke Training on cemeteries in Leicester will be hosting ‘heritage’ in Leicester or download 0116 2128 491 or email events and activities until 2017. the volunteer programme from [email protected] Our Parks will record the stories and storyofleicester.info/parks Or you can visit Beaumont memories of people who use them. Lodge Neighbourhood Centre, In Discover Parks a team of volunteer Jessica Boydon 0116 454 4935 o Astill Lodge Road, during researchers will uncover the hidden [email protected] normal working hours. history of green spaces to create new Feel good films Phoenix Cinema and Art Centre has feel lonely or isolated at home. We /leicesterlibraries joined forces with Leicester City are also working with Age UK to help @leicesterlibrar Council to run a programme of films develop its befriending scheme, so specially selected to lift the spirits, that older people can attend events For enquiries about Phoenix’s make people laugh and feel happier. with a companion. community cinema programme Films To Make You Feel Good will Venues include: Belgrave email [email protected] bring a cinema experience closer to Neighbourhood Centre, Coleman you, with big screens and popcorn to Neighbourhood Centre, Fosse boot. Community Centre, Tudor Centre, Over the coming months, Pork Pie Library and Community community centres and libraries Centre, East West Centre and across the city will be screening a Beaumont Leys Library. series of classic and recent films, Tickets will be available at the bringing communities together to events or in advance from some enjoy a movie and a chat with their venues. To find out dates and neighbours. The events are open to times, ask at your local venue or go all and we would particularly like to online: phoenix.org.uk/whats-on/ invite those of you who sometimes community-cinema 6 leicester.gov.uk | winter 2016 | LEICESTER LINK Neighbourhood buildings Three community buildings owned by Leicester City Council in the city’s Fosse and Braunstone wards are to be leased to local organisations to manage and ensure they continue o be open for public use. This is part of the Transforming Neighbourhoods programme. The new leases specify that the buildings must remain accessible to the whole community. Newfoundpool Neighbourhood Centre in Pool Road is to be leased to the Leicester Events Group, which works with young people to develop dance and acting skills.