Out and about - Fairtrade for Bassetlaw spreads the word

2 www.bassetlaw.gov.ukWelcome…Bassetlaw is a great place tolive and that’s why we want toensure we have enough housing,more jobs and a better environment.On this page you can read all aboutthe Council’s plans to improve areasof Bassetlaw, regenerate the economyand develop our housing stock so thatwe can increase your satisfaction withCouncil services.There is great community spirit inBassetlaw and there are numerousinitiatives out there designed to helpyou. Read our community pages 8 & 9to learn about the Anti-rogue tradersdirectory and about the activities of theFairtrade campaign.We are also an active bunch in Bassetlaw,and we want to encourage fitness for all,find out how families can get fit togetheron page 17. Meanwhile the response tothe first ever Run for Life event in ClumberPark has been phenomenal, please seepage 16 for the full story.Last but definitely not least we want tomake sure that Bassetlaw is a safe placeto live and you can meet your new Victimand Witness Champion, Sally Potteron page 21 and find out what Sally willbe doing to help offer support to localpeople in tackling anti-social behaviour.If you have any subjects that youwould like us to cover in future issues ofBassetlaw News, please write tothe Editor.Mike QuigleyLeader of the councilA message from the EditorWelcome to the latest edition ofBassetlaw News. Now that theSummer is coming I am sureyou are all hoping for some sunshine.If the weather is good why not pop downto the Canch and check out the latestrefurbishment, or if you feel like dancing,then get along to the dance festivals takingplace in Retford and Worksop and join inthe fun. Of course there is always a priceto pay for fine weather, sunburn and waspstings being some of the more painfulones. Read our Sunsafe tips on page 16for sunburn free skin and learn how theCouncil can help you deal with unwantedwasp’s nests on page 5.If you are a business owner looking foroffice space then read about the worktaking place at Welbeck Abbey, which iscurrently attracting worldwide attentionwith its School of Artisan Food appearingon Radio 4 and Working Lunch. Fromformer school buildings through to thehistoric stables, we bring you the first in aseries of articles that tells you all about thework on the Welbeck project. Please readthe article on page 4 and if you have anyinteresting stories or facts about WelbeckAbbey please send them to us and we’llpublish a selection in the next issue.We are also pleased to announce thismonth’s competition winners as follows:Joseph Warden of Carlton in Lindrick wonthe £10 voucher for providing us with thenickname of UK Prime Minister, DavidLloyd George which was ‘The WelshWizard’ and Alice Jones of Harworth toldus that the farmer’s faithful dog in theCBBC series ‘Shaun the Sheep’ was Bitzer.Congratulations to you both.Please see pages 4 and 17 for details ofthis month’s competitions. This monthI’m also going to ask you to send in yourideas about what you would like to see infuture editions of Bassetlaw News, pleasewrite to me as we want to bring you thenews that you want to hear. Write to theEditor, Bassetlaw News, Bassetlaw DistrictCouncil, Queen’s Buildings, Potter Street,Worksop, Notts S80 2AH or Email: editor.bassetlawnews@bassetlaw.gov.uk.The corporateplan: ourcontract with thecommunityRegenerate the area: work on the piping and pump house for the new Canch fountain poolErnest Hemingway a famousAmerican writer once said “I liketo listen. I have learned agreat deal from listening carefully.Most people never listen”.Bassetlaw District Council will launch itsnew Corporate Plan in June. It has beenbased on listening carefully to what youwant. As a result we’ve learned that thereare four key areas we need to address.• improve customer satisfaction• regenerate the area and improve theenvironment you live inImprovements to the environmentImproved customer services• provide support to create a vibrantlocal economy• and improve your quality and choiceof housing.We believe that most people are proudto live in Bassetlaw and that many enjoya strong local identity. During 2010 to2013 we are going to increase our workwith people in the community to deliverprojects that encourage everyone to beproud of Bassetlaw.By working together we will be able tocreate a safe and attractive environmentfor people who live and work here and alsofor people who visit the area.We also want to encourage localbusinesses and organisations to worktogether to create a successful localeconomy, so that there are opportunitiesavailable for everyone in Bassetlaw.To make this happen we think that thebest way forward is to keep you fullyinformed about the work that we do.That is why we are starting indoors withcommunication workshops to ensure thatall of our staff has the right informationto help communicate effectively withyou. The more our staff learn about thepurpose of our corporate plan the betterplaced they will be to help and provide youwith information that helps to improveyour local community. The corporate planwill also be made available to the localpress and media.We know that our staff are ourambassadors; they represent the Counciland are there to listen to you and give youthe best advice that they can. And we haveexcellent and dedicated staff that worktirelessly to improve the community thatmany of them are proud to live and work in.We think Bassetlaw has a lot of goodpoints but we realise there is alwaysroom for improvement. What do youthink? Why not write and tell us aboutwhat’s good or bad in your opinion. Ifyou tell us we’ll promise to listen and ifneeded to we’ll take action to improvewhere necessary.Write to The Editor, Bassetlaw News,Bassetlaw District Council, Queen’sBuildings, Potter Street, Worksop, NottsS80 2AH or Email: editor.bassetlawnews@bassetlaw.gov.uk you can add your nameand address if you wish or just tell us thearea you live in.Improved quality and choice of housing