Park Progress and Refreshment Rage

Just a quick blog by way of update…

Happily, there is some great news from the CHAD Park Partnership. The builders have now moved on site to start the new Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) at the side of Gladstone Primary and it should be completed in a couple of months. The MUGA will include 5 a side and basketball equipment, and will also be marked out for other sports. It’ll have two gates, one attached to the school and one accessible for the public. During school hours the court will be exclusively for the use of Gladstone, but out of hours it will be accessible for the whole of the community to use.

The project has been made possible thanks to pro bono work by Mansell (the Gladstone School building contractors) with match funding raised from grants and ward budget bids by Partnership Chair, Sue Rammell and the school’s Youth Forum. The really great thing about the scheme is that it has been made possible by the whole community coming together to drive it forward: young people, parents, grandparents and councillors. However special credit needs to be given to Sue Rammell and Dave Eaglestone (Gladstone School Build Manager) whose tireless efforts and negotiations with the Sport England, City Planners and Funding Bodies are finally paying off.

And things get better – thanks to resources that have been made available the MUGA will now also feature a lighting system that will make it useable all year round. Also, work is beginning for a new under 10s play area at Anchor Road Rec. People who know the area will know the shocking state of the play equipment there – now a new naturalised play park is being installed using play-builder finance.

Also I think its worth mentioning a leading story in the Sentinel this week, regarding proposed savings from cutting the refreshments at meetings at the civic. http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/news/TEA-BISCUITS-FACING-163-20k-CUT/article-1701221-detail/article.html Cllr Kieran Clarke thinks that £20k can be saved by introducing a ‘refreshments policy’. That got me thinking about a couple of things.

Firstly, which meetings have refreshments to that value in the first place? I’ve never even seen coffee and tea at O&S meetings!

Secondly, and more to the point, why is a ‘policy’ being considered? When cutting valued services across the city and cherished facilities are being put forward by the Cabinet, it should go without saying that drinks and butties at the Civic be cut back completely. I was also a little bemused by the outraged responses of the Councillors that commented in the Sentinel’s coverage. Difficult budgetary decisions will have to be made in the coming months, but before I’m asked to vote on a closure for Tunstall or Shelton Pool I want to know that everything has been done to trim the fat in the authority. Perks for Members and Officers like snacks at meetings should be first on the chopping block, so let’s not shilly-shally around with a ‘refreshments policy’.

The ward fund - how we used it in 08/09

by Councillor Mark Davis

As many of you know, the Councillors in each ward got the chance to direct the spending of £150,000 in the last financial year. Tom, Denver and I made a concerted effort to find good causes and important improvements to spend the money on, and I think when you look at the list below you’ll agree that we didn’t go too far wrong. Some of the work has already been done, some of it will be done over the next couple of months, but hopefully all of it will make a difference to the people of Longton North.

Amongst the things we’ve funded are:

Fencing in Heathcote Street, Havergal Walk, Speedwell Street, Clewlow Place, Ashwood.
Gating works in Neath Close, Short Bambury Street, Sutherland Road, Anchor terrace.
Donations to the Chad Centre and Longton Community Church towards their building improvements.
More litter and dog bins.
Funding for the Longton Events Board’s Christmas and Summer events.
Additional lighting columns in Bright Green Street.
Youth work project to fight anti-social behaviour.
Money for extra police patrols.
A mural to decorate the site of the former Burgess’ Bakers shop.
Donation to Longton Boys Brigade website fund.
Money for extra work to trees in the area.
Speed reduction signs.
Sports taster sessions.
Demolition of derelict garages at Barclay Street.
Increased street cleaning in the neighbourhood.

We’d really welcome other ideas and projects that we could consider funding from the coming year’s allocation.