Bin there done that – keep on recycling

<strong>Bin</strong> <strong>there</strong> <strong>done</strong> <strong>that</strong> <strong>–</strong> <strong>keep</strong> on recycling
SPRING 2016

Get noticed <strong>–</strong>
advertise with us
Rushcliffe Reports goes out three times
a year to 50,000 homes and over 2,000
businesses. It’s widely read so it’s seen
by a lot of people <strong>–</strong> if you’re interested
in advertising your business in the next
edition due out in June 2016,
contact us at media@rushcliffe.gov.uk
Contents
01
02
03
06
08
10
11
12
15
COUNCIL NEWS
Residents’ survey results 4-5
Annual Council Tax bills 7
DEMOCRACY
Police and Crime Commissioner election 8
BUSINESS NEWS
£10.5m regeneration scheme for Cotgrave 11
COMMUNITY
Protect yourself from crime 14
WASTE & RECYCLING
<strong>Bin</strong> <strong>there</strong> <strong>done</strong> <strong>that</strong> 16-17
LEISURE
East Leake shapes up 21
SPORT
Meet Rushcliffe’s Junior Elite Athletes 24-25
HOUSING
Want a home to call your own? 27
EVENTS
Dates for the diary 32
Rushcliffe
Reports on CD
An audio version of
Rushcliffe Reports is available
for blind and partially-sighted
people. Contact us to get
the latest edition by emailing
media@rushcliffe.gov.uk or
call 0115 914 8555.
EU Referendum
STOP PRESS: As we go to print, the date
for the referendum on whether Britain should
remain in the European Union or not has
been announced and is scheduled to be
held on Thursday 23 June 2016. To be able
to have your say on whether the UK stays
in the EU or not, you must be registered to
vote by 7 June <strong>–</strong> go to www.rushcliffe.gov.
uk/elections/registertovote to find out how to
register.
2

Building
up to new
leisure
facilities
We welcomed in 2016 by breaking ground
on the Rushcliffe Arena site on Rugby Road
in West Bridgford. The new leisure centre
and office building is on track to open in
January 2017, despite last September’s
arson attack whilst the site was being
prepared for partial demolition.
When it’s finished the two storey, 8,000
square metre building will house a 25m
pool and a beach-themed fun pool, gym
2016 is an exciting year for Bridgford Hall,
the Grade II listed building in Bridgford
Park. We’ve secured £1.5m of Heritage
Lottery Fund (HLF) money to renovate the
Hall and our contractors, Robert Woodhead,
based in Edwinstowe, started work this
spring.
The ground floor of the building will
house the County Council’s wedding and
registration service again, whilst the first
and second floors are being converted
to seven apartments which will be run by
Birchover Serviced Apartments.
To celebrate the start of the building work,
we’ve got a whole host of activities planned
for history-loving residents to get involved
in. From hard-hat tours, where you can have
a ‘behind the scenes’ look at the building
Left to right: Cllr Simon Robinson, Cllr John Cottee,
Cllr Neil Clarke (front), Paul McClements, Farrans Project
Manager, Helen Penniston, Rushcliffe Project Manager and
Cathal Montague, Site Manager.
and fitness studios, bowls rink, sports hall,
squash courts and wellness rooms. The new
centre will be run by Parkwood Leisure.
The redevelopment of the site also gives
the Council a chance to relocate its offices
to a smaller, more efficient site which will
save money and free up the Civic Centre
on Pavilion Road in West Bridgford for
alternative uses.
Bridgford Hall renovation celebrations
site with a historian to guide you, to heritage
trails and free community theatre explaining
the Hall’s history, <strong>there</strong>’s plenty to build on
your enthusiasm.
To find out more about the project and
activities, including booking onto the hardhat
tours, go to:
www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/bridgfordhall
3COUNCIL NEWS
01

COUNCIL NEWS
01
Residents’ survey
what you’ve told us about Rushcliffe
The feedback from the residents’ survey
<strong>that</strong> we ran at the start of the winter has
now been analysed and the numbers
have been crunched. Well over 700
people completed the survey and our
thanks go out to those who took the time
to respond. With your help, we can spot
the things about Rushcliffe <strong>that</strong> you like,
as well as identify areas where you think
improvements can be made.
We also had quite a lot of feedback
about things <strong>that</strong> other organisations
are responsible for <strong>–</strong> for instance many
comments related to roads, pavements
and street lighting and it’s Nottinghamshire
County Council who look after these. So
we’ve collated all of these comments and
passed them on to the right people.
Here are some of the main headlines of what you said:
We were delighted to hear <strong>that</strong> you like where you live and like our services:
90%
are satisfied with
their area as a
place to live
71%
are satisfied with
street cleanliness
65%
agree <strong>that</strong> the
Council provides
good value for
money
80%
are satisfied with
the refuse and
recycling service
4

80%
feel safe in their
local area after
dark
But we were concerned <strong>that</strong> only:
56%
think the Council
acts on the concerns
of local residents
94%
feel safe in the day
satisfied with a
Council event they
84%are attended
It’s important to us <strong>that</strong> we listen to what our residents have to say and give you
a chance to influence decisions <strong>that</strong> affect you. The survey results suggest <strong>that</strong>
we need to do more to ensure we’re achieving this.
We’re now working on a plan to act on the feedback you’ve given us to make
sure the good things stay good, and to improve those things you’ve told us
aren’t so good. We’ll tell you more about what we’re going to do in the Summer
edition of Rushcliffe Reports and at www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/yousaidwedid
37%
agree <strong>that</strong> they can
influence decisions
<strong>that</strong> affect their
local area
5COUNCIL NEWS
01

COUNCIL NEWS
Money matters
an update on Universal Credit
Universal Credit (UC) is a new benefit <strong>that</strong> supports people who are on a low income
or out of work, and helps ensure <strong>that</strong> you are better off in work than on benefits. UC
will give you the support you need to prepare for work, move into work, or earn more.
In return for this support, it is your responsibility to do everything you can to find
work or increase your earnings.
01
UC is replacing the following benefits:
• Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Housing Benefit
• Working Tax Credit
• Child Tax Credit
• Employment and Support Allowance
• Income Support
UC is a single monthly payment, usually
claimed online, assessed and administered
by the Department of Work and Pensions
(DWP). Any other benefit or support should
still be applied for and administered as
usual - for example Council Tax Support
will continue to be administered by us for
borough residents.
What does this mean for
Rushcliffe residents?
For most of the country, at the moment,
the move to UC is limited to new
single customers with no dependents who
are claiming benefit for the first time or after
coming out of work.
If you live in the borough, are single and of
working age, and are claiming for the first
time or after a break in any existing benefit,
from 15 February 2016 you are required to
claim UC.
All claims for UC will be made to the DWP
who will assess and pay UC. This means
<strong>that</strong>, instead of housing costs (assistance
with rent) being paid through Housing
Benefit by the Council, it will be claimed
from and paid by the DWP as part of any
UC payment.
6

Only working age customers will claim
UC as customers of pensionable age will
continue to claim existing benefits.
Nottinghamshire
County Council
Police and
Crime
Commissioner
Combined
Fire
Authority
Rushcliffe
Borough
Council
Your Parish
Council
The DWP will still work with us to provide
assistance with online and personal
budgeting support for residents who need
assistance locally by referring certain
cases to us. The DWP will tell you if this is
happening and you will be contacted by us
if you are identified as needing support.
The Council will still assess and pay
Council Tax Support, <strong>there</strong>fore you need
to contact us as soon as possible if you
think you may be eligible for help with
your Council Tax payments, regardless of
whether you are claiming UC.
For further information on
eligibility of UC and more
details on how it affects
you, visit
www.gov.uk/universalcredit
Annual
Council Tax bills
We sent out Council Tax bills to all
households at the start of March so you
should have received yours. Although we
collect your Council Tax, the money you pay
is actually split between:
• Nottinghamshire County Council
• Police and Crime Commissioner
• Combined Fire Authority
• Rushcliffe Borough Council
• Your Parish Council (if <strong>there</strong> is one where
you live).
Your bill tells you how much of your total
goes to each organisation but if you’d like
to know more go to www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/
counciltax/whereyourcounciltaxgoes
7COUNCIL NEWS
01

DEMOCRACY
02
Police and Crime Commissioner
election <strong>–</strong> May 2016
On 5 May you will be able to vote for the county’s next Police and Crime
Commissioner (PCC).
In 2012, Paddy Tipping was elected as
Nottinghamshire’s first Police and Crime
Commissioner for a four year term. The PCC
is responsible for setting the priorities for the
police force in Nottinghamshire, responding
to the needs of local communities, setting
the policing budget, and monitoring how
well the police are performing.
Although the election is for a PCC to
represent the whole of Nottinghamshire,
on polling day <strong>–</strong> Thursday 5 May <strong>–</strong> you will
be able to vote at your usual polling station
(or by postal vote if you have one). Polling
cards will be sent out in early April and
these will tell you how to cast your vote.
The full list of candidates standing for
election will be announced on 8 April,
following the close of nominations on 7
April. This information will be published on
the Home Office website along with some
details of what each elected candidate
proposes to do if elected and a little about
their background. You’ll find a link to this
information, along with details of how to
become a candidate by visiting
www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/pccelection
Votes will be counted and results
announced on Friday 6 May. If you want to
find out who was elected, we’ll announce
the result at www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/
pccelection and on social media.
Don’t miss out on having your say:
You can’t vote in the PCC election if you’re
not on the Electoral Register. If you are
unsure whether you’re on, call us on
0115 981 9911 to find out. If you do need to
register to vote, you will need to visit
www.gov.uk/register-to-vote with your
National Insurance number to hand by
Monday 18 April.
8

Planes,
trains and
automobiles…
…well taxis to be precise. Life for the
Rushcliffe traveller just got easier with
the launch of a dedicated link between
East Midlands Airport and East Midlands
Parkway train station.
The ‘Railink’ service provides an hourly taxi or
mini-bus service between these two key transport
hubs and is operated by Rushcliffe-based Elite Cars.
The service was launched last year and it’s used by
hundreds of passengers each month. Passengers
can buy train tickets directly to the airport using the
Railink from East Midlands Parkway.
Rushcliffe Borough Council is giving advice and
support to the scheme which is funded by East
Midland Trains and East Midlands Airport. For
more information about Railink, including fares and
timetables visit: www.emarailink.co.uk
9BUSINESS NEWS
03

BUSINESS NEWS
03
Kick starting
careers and enterprise
Working with the D2N2 Local Enterprise
Partnership, we have secured funding
from the Careers and Enterprise
Company to link up employers with
secondary schools and colleges to help
young people in making better-informed
choices about their next steps and
future careers.
Enterprise coordinators have been
appointed to coordinate this work and
engage with schools and business leaders
across the D2N2 area (Derbyshire, Derby,
Nottinghamshire and Nottingham).
An enterprise coordinator will be working
with Rushcliffe Borough Council and
covering Rushcliffe, Gedling, Broxtowe,
and Newark and Sherwood. They will be
a dedicated resource to support our local
schools with this nationally-important
agenda.
A key part of the enterprise coordinator’s
role is to identify volunteer business
leaders who are willing to work with and
support schools to implement a plan
to improve their careers and enterprise
provision and create better links between
schools and businesses.
To find out more or if you are interested in
becoming an enterprise advisor, visit the
D2N2 website at www.d2n2lep.org/skills
Growth boards
Rushcliffe is booming and has set
up ‘growth boards’ to maximise
the opportunities for business and
residents. These boards are made up of
people from leading organisations with
a key role in the area, such as councils,
local businesses, schools, leisure
providers and health organisations.
There are four growth boards; three local
growth boards which focus on Cotgrave,
West Bridgford and a combined one for
<strong>Bin</strong>gham and Radcliffe on Trent, plus an
overall strategic growth board.
The key themes which the growth boards
focus on are major infrastructure (road,
rail and broadband), business growth,
employment and skills growth and housing
growth.
Our growth boards will ensure <strong>that</strong>,
together, we are planning for the future
growth of our communities as outlined in
the recently adopted Local Plan.
Basic broadband
for all
The Government has committed to giving
access to 2Mbps download speed to all
business premises in the UK.
As part of this commitment,
Nottinghamshire County Council, in
conjunction with Broadband Delivery
UK, is offering the option of a subsidised
satellite broadband installation for eligible
premises. To find out more, and to see if
you are eligible, please visit:
www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/
business-employment-and-benefits/
better-broadband-for-nottinghamshireprogramme/basic-broadband-for-all
10

£10.5m
regeneration scheme
for Cotgrave
BUSINESS NEWS
03
In December, our Cabinet gave the go ahead for extra funding, and
plans to regenerate Cotgrave town centre are now underway.
Improvements will include:
• a new health centre, library and police
station in a joint location
• a business centre above improved shops
• a new play area
• more car parking
• better landscaping so the shops can be
seen from Candleby Lane
• 15 new employment units next to Colliers
Way, next to the housing development.
Planning proposals will be submitted
towards the end of summer 2016 which,
if approved, would see construction start
towards the end of the year.
House building is continuing at Hollygate
Park (see page 26) and residents have
started to move in.
To stay up to date with what’s happening in
Cotgrave, go to
www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/cotgrave
11

FOOD
Making takeaway
a HOT option
A new scheme is helping takeaway businesses across the borough
to offer healthier choices to their customers.
04
The Healthier Options Takeaway (HOT)
scheme, which was piloted in Rushcliffe,
was launched across the county in January.
It’s led by Nottinghamshire County Council
with partners from the environmental health
teams at the district councils including
Rushcliffe.
The HOT scheme aims to reduce obesity
across the county by rewarding takeaways
and sandwich shops who make simple
changes to how they prepare, cook or
display their food to make it <strong>that</strong> little bit
healthier.
There are lots of simple steps businesses
can take to make their food healthier without
compromising on taste, for example grilling
instead of frying, removing salt pots,
promoting low sugar drinks and offering
smaller portion options for adults.
To find a HOT approved takeaway near
you, or to join the scheme if you’re a food
business, go to www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/hot
12

Marvellous
microchips
PETS
Dogs reunited
We have a new tool to help us reunite
lost pets with their owners. Recently we
launched a social media campaign which
promotes pictures of the lost and stray
dogs <strong>that</strong> our dog wardens find. We ask
our followers to share or retweet them
so we can quickly get in touch with their
owners.
The campaign is proving a success
already - a recent post on Facebook and
Twitter was widely shared and helped this
lost little terrier get back home with his
owner by the day after our post.
A huge thank you to everyone who has
helped us to reunite lost pets with their
owners and please continue to share
our posts. You can follow us @rushcliffe
on Twitter or like us on facebook.com/
rushcliffeborough to get the latest
updates.
And speaking of lost dogs, from April,
new regulations come into force meaning
<strong>that</strong> all dogs must be microchipped.
This is essential for identifying them if
they are lost or stolen. If you’re a dog
owner and you’d like to know more about
microchipping, visit
www.gov.uk/get-your-dog-microchipped
05
13

COMMUNITY
06
Protect yourself from crime
Levels of crime in Rushcliffe are thankfully low and we work hard with our
partners to <strong>keep</strong> it <strong>that</strong> way but over the last few months <strong>there</strong>’s been an
increase in reported crime. Some of the most common crimes are cycle theft,
theft from a motor vehicle and shed burglaries and <strong>there</strong> are steps you can
take to reduce your risk of being a victim.
Unsecured property makes it easier for the
thieves to commit these crimes so:
• make sure your car is locked when you
leave it
• secure your shed properly with an
effective lock
• use a solid ‘D’ lock to secure your bike.
Also, think about where you leave your
property and:
• don’t leave items on show in your car
• do lock your bike in a visible, well-lit area
• do security mark your property with a
marking pen and kit (visit
www.creproducts.co.uk for details)
• do register all your valuables for free at
www.immobilise.com to improve your
chances of getting them back if they are
stolen.
If you’re cycling in West Bridgford,
remember <strong>that</strong> you can park your bike on
Central Avenue in the secure cycle hub
in Bridgford Road car park which has 24
hour CCTV protection. You just need a
Nottingham Citycard to get access - go
to www.citycardnottingham.co.uk/get-acitycard.html
to find out how to get one.
Stay Alert!
They say forewarned is forearmed! So if
you’d like to know what’s happening in your
area, sign up to Neighbourhood Alert, free
email updates <strong>that</strong> give you local police
updates and community news straight to
your inbox. Register now at
www.rushcliffecommunity.co.uk and you’ll
get all the details of our next free security
bike marking and ‘swap a lock’ sessions.
14

Save time, do it online
Many of us do our banking and book
our holidays on the internet. But do
you contact the council or use our
services online?
It’s cheaper for us when you do business
with us on the web (rather than on the
phone or face to face) but it’s quicker for
you too and you can do it from the comfort
of your sofa <strong>–</strong> so it’s a win-win!
Our website is mobile-friendly <strong>–</strong> ideal for
those of you who browse on a smartphone
or tablet and <strong>there</strong> are almost 100 ‘tasks’
<strong>that</strong> you can do online <strong>there</strong> <strong>–</strong> for example
reporting a missed bin, paying for a garden
waste bin or applying for a job.
Let’s be social
Over 8,500 residents and businesses
connect with us on social media <strong>–</strong> to ask us
things, tell us what they think or to <strong>keep</strong> up
with what we’re doing.
Why not join in and be sociable:
• Follow us on Twitter @rushcliffe
• Like us on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/rushcliffeborough
• Get business updates at www.linkedin.
com/company/rushcliffe-boroughcouncil
• Check out our photos on Pinterest at
www.pinterest.com/rushcliffe
DO IT ONLINE
07
For the full list of transactions, go to
www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/doitonline
15

WASTE & RECYCLING
08
<strong>Bin</strong> <strong>there</strong> <strong>done</strong> <strong>that</strong>
When it comes to recycling, you’ve
probably <strong>Bin</strong> <strong>there</strong> <strong>done</strong> <strong>that</strong> and got the
t-shirt!
<strong>Bin</strong> <strong>there</strong> <strong>done</strong> <strong>that</strong> is a campaign to help
<strong>keep</strong> Rushcliffe recycling. We want to
promote clean recycling and say thanks
to you for the positive contribution <strong>that</strong> you
already make to the borough’s recycling
rates. We also want to make sure you
recycle the right things.
Each year we collect around 7,000 tonnes
of recyclable waste from the blue bins but
we have to remove around 450 tonnes of
incorrect items <strong>–</strong> <strong>that</strong>’s 50 bin lorries full
of the wrong things. In addition,
<strong>there</strong> are still a huge 1,250 tonnes
of recyclable waste in the grey
bin (96 lorries full)! So <strong>Bin</strong> <strong>there</strong>
<strong>done</strong> <strong>that</strong> is about reminding our
residents about what can go in the
blue bin.
Did you know?
Recycling one fizzy
drink can could
save enough
energy to power
a TV for four
hours
Top tips!
• Rinse all bottles and tins before you
recycle them
• Remove all bottle tops and put them in
your grey bin
• Squash cans and bottles and flatten
boxes to save space in your blue bin
• Recycle newspapers and envelopes
Did you know?
Your recycled plastic
bottles could be made
into your favourite
team’s football
shirt
16

On the <strong>Bin</strong> <strong>there</strong> <strong>done</strong> <strong>that</strong> webpage <strong>–</strong>
www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/bin<strong>there</strong><strong>done</strong><strong>that</strong> <strong>–</strong>
we’ve broken down household recycling by
the different areas of your home, helping
you to recycle as much as possible to
✓ ✗ No Thanks
Yes Please
Paper
Paper
✓ Newspapers
✓ Envelopes
✓ Magazines and catalogues
✓ Junk mail
✓ Newspapers & Magazines
✓ Envelopes & Writing paper
✓ Catalogues & Directories
✓ Junk mail
(remove plastic
packaging first)
Cardboard
Cardboard
✓ Cereal & Egg boxes
✓ Kitchen & Toilet roll tubes
✓ Flat pack cardboard
✓ Cereal boxes
✓ Egg boxes
✓ Cardboard tubes
Food tins, drink cans
and aerosols
Food tins, drink cans
and aerosols
✓ Food tins
✓ Empty aerosol cans
✓ Drinks cans
✓ Food tins
✓ Empty aerosol cans
✓ Drinks cans
Plastic bottles
and yoghurt pots
Plastic bottles and
yoghurt pots
✓ Drink bottles
✓ Shower gel and
shampoo bottles
✓ Cleaning product bottles
✓ Milk & Soft drink bottles
✓ Shower gel & Shampoo/
Conditioner bottles
✓ Household cleaning
Please take your product lids off and bottles put them in
your general ✓ waste Fabric bin. softener Lids are sometimes bottles
made from a
✓
different
Cosmetic
plastic
& Toiletry
and are
bottles
often
a different colour to the plastic bottle.
reduce waste, cut costs and help
the environment. And here’s a quick
reminder of what you can and can’t put
in your blue bin:
Other paper
Other Paper
✗Kitchen roll
✗Tissues
✗Wet paper
✗ Kitchen roll
✗ Tissues
✗ Wet paper
Drinks cartons
Drinks cartons
✗Tetra Pak
✗Juice cartons
✗Pet food pouches
✗ Tetra Pak
✗ Juice cartons
✗ Pet food pouches
Plastic food trays
and wrapping
Plastic food trays
and wrapping
✗Plastic bags
✗Cling film
✗Food trays
✗Bottle tops and lids
✗ Plastic bags and film
✗ Polystyrene
✗ Food trays and punnets
✗ Textiles or toys
✗ Bottle tops and lids
These are often made
from different plastic
which is not recyclable
Glass
We can not currently accept
glass bottles and jars in your
recycling wheeled bin.
No glass.
Your local district/borough council provides
other facilities
Please
for recycling
take
glass
your
so
glass
please
contact them for bottles further and details. jars to Glass your
is accepted at all local of Nottinghamshire’s
bring site
Household Waste Recycling Centres.
Glass
Please make sure <strong>that</strong> <strong>that</strong> the the items you you place in in your your bin bin are are clean clean and and empty empty
www.areyoubinsmart.co.uk
WASTE & RECYCLING
08
ottinghamshire
17

WASTE & RECYCLING
08
Keep your
garden tidy with a
green bin
For those of you with green fingers, our
2016/17 garden waste scheme is now open
<strong>–</strong> just in time for spring. If you’re already a
member of the garden waste scheme you
should have received your renewal invoice
by now.
A reminder
what can go in your
green bin
• Grass cuttings
• Hedge clippings
• Twigs and small
branches
• Weeds with soil
shaken off
• Flowers and plants
• Leaves and bark
If we don’t collect your garden waste at the
minute but you’re a keen gardener, join up today.
Membership costs £30 for the year and we will
collect your garden waste every fortnight apart from
a short break over the festive period. You’ll also get
a subscription to our Rushcliffe Gardener magazine,
and can purchase additional bins for £15 each for
the year.
To pay your invoice or join the scheme, Did you know?
go to www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/greenbins
A bin lorry holds about 10 tonnes of
or call us on 0115 981 99 11.
garden waste. That’s 1,200 bin lorries
each year full of garden waste <strong>–</strong> enough to
stretch from West Bridgford to <strong>Bin</strong>gham if
they were end to end!
18

A day in the
life of a bin man
Duncan Wilson is one of our most
experienced bin men as he’s been
driving bin lorries in Rushcliffe
since 1997.
On a typical day, Duncan gets up at 5.30am
and goes to our depot in West Bridgford.
Before leaving to do his rounds, he performs
essential safety checks on his vehicle and
sets out for the day, during which his team
will empty around 1,000 green bins.
They may be experienced but Duncan
and his team still encounter difficulties on
their rounds. One of those problems is
negotiating busy streets, built up areas and
tight bends in the lorry, while trying to work
as quickly and as quietly as possible.
Duncan explains: “Over the years the
lorries have advanced, but they’ve also got
bigger so they don’t get easier to drive. The
ones we use these days have 16 wheels
and weigh up to 32 tonnes. Having bigger
vehicles means we can empty more bins
in a single trip and dispose of waste more
Duncan in his lorry
efficiently, but it also means we have to take
extra care when negotiating busy streets.”
Duncan adds: “The last thing we ever want
to do is cause damage to your car, so
making sure you park sensibly can really
help us get round and make sure we empty
everybody’s bin”.
Once Duncan’s round is finished, the team
head to the disposal site where they empty
the garden waste they’ve collected, and
then go back to the depot to clean their
vehicle. If any missed bins are reported,
they are always happy to return to the route
and collect them.
WASTE & RECYCLING
08
Help our bin men to help you:
• Ensure your wheels are straight if
parked on the street <strong>–</strong> if they’re pointing
outwards they’re easier to catch
• Park sensibly and leave plenty of room
on the road
• Be mindful of double parking on narrow
roads and tight bends, especially on
new estates
• Leave your bin in an obvious place <strong>–</strong>
we will try to put it back exactly where
we found it
• Bear with us if one of our crews is
temporarily blocking a road, we’ll try to
be as quick as we can
Did you know?
All our bin lorry drivers attend yearly training
courses to <strong>keep</strong> up to date with legislation
and ensure safe driving practices.
19

HEALTH
09
National funding supports
services closer to home
Rushcliffe has been awarded £3.8m of
national funding to transform health and
social care services for local people.
Rushcliffe was named as one of 50
‘Vanguard’ sites in England last March and
will pioneer changes <strong>that</strong> will act as the
blueprint for other areas of the country.
The money has been given to Principia,
the local partnership of GPs, patients
and community services, from a national
NHS transformation fund of £200 million to
support the development of a ‘new model’
of care.
Rushcliffe’s proposal is to establish a Multispecialty
Community Provider (MCP) model,
focusing on prevention and integrated care
as well as moving some traditional hospital
services out into community settings.
Dr Stephen Shortt, GP at East Leake and
Clinical Lead in Rushcliffe, said: “This isn’t
about another reorganisation of the NHS
or of social care. It’s about making betterfunctioning
teams of clinicians and care
givers who, although they might work in
different organisations, will come together
around the needs of individuals and
take responsibility for improving patients’
outcomes. Increasingly, this will be in the
community, closer to home and not in the
hospital.”
Vicky Bailey, Chief Officer at NHS Rushcliffe
Clinical Commissioning Group, added:
“This is fantastic news for patients in
Rushcliffe. The patient survey we sent to
every household last year, gave us a real
insight into how people would like their
care delivered in the future and the funding
provided for the MCP will help us do this.”
For more information visit www.england.nhs.
uk/ourwork/futurenhs/new-care-models
20

East Leake shapes up
In January, East Leake Leisure Centre
got in to tip-top shape by installing a
suite of brand new fitness equipment in
the gym and studio area.
The equipment means gym goers can
now make use of 20 new cardiovascular
machines and 12 weight machines, as
well as a selection of free weights and
studio areas for class activities. All pieces
of equipment are made by LifeFitness
and feature the cutting edge Explore
Console, which allows users to connect to
any machine where it will remember their
personal workout data.
The new equipment comes just in time for
new members to take advantage of the
Sportivate offer, which allows people aged
16-25 to join for just £20 for the first two
months with no joining fee.
LEISURE
10
Swim lessons
The leisure centre offers children’s swimming lessons with its Activ Swim lesson
programme. The sessions run all year round and take place 4<strong>–</strong>6pm on weekdays and
8.30am<strong>–</strong>12.30pm on Saturdays. Children need to attend their first session with their
swimming kit to be assessed to make sure they are placed in the right class. The next
assessment day for new swimmers is Saturday 30 April from 9-11am.
For more information contact East Leake Leisure Centre,Lantern Lane,East Leake LE12 6QN
<strong>–</strong> call 01509 852 956 or email eastleakeleisurecentre@carillionplc.com
21

LEISURE
10
Little Ruggers
at Cotgrave Leisure Centre
Cotgrave Leisure Centre has teamed up
with Nottingham Rugby to start their award
winning Little Ruggers programme.
Little Ruggers is a fun rugby-based
activity programme for kids aged 2-5
years, whilst a parent or guardian helps
them to develop basic
sporting skills and take
part in healthy activities.
Sessions are led by
qualified rugby coaches
and run from 4pm -
4.45pm on Fridays at
Cotgrave Leisure Centre.
Places are limited, so
contact the centre to book
your child’s place.
Teens get gym-fit
Junior gym classes are available at all
five of our leisure centres. The classes
are suitable for all abilities, based
around group exercise and are ideal for
teenagers. They’ll get a toning workout
for the whole body, especially around the
major muscle groups.
#ThisGirlCan
Parkwood Leisure Centres are giving
women and girls free access to their
fitness facilities from 1-10 April, as part
of Sport England’s aim to get more
females active.
It’s all part of the ‘This Girl Can’ campaign,
which has helped over 3 million women
across the UK become more active. All of
Parkwood’s leisure centres in Rushcliffe
are offering a 7 day fitness pass to all new
female customers (terms and conditions
apply).
Spring into
Shape!
Sign up as an Expressions gym member
this spring between 1 March and 15 April
and you’ll save £75 as you qualify for:
• no joining fee
• one month’s free membership
• 50% off interim pro rata payment
• a free programme review.
Our fully qualified instructors will be
thrilled to help you get started and devise
a workout for you to help you achieve your
goals and shape up this spring.
If you’re already a member, why not ‘Bring
a Buddy’? When you bring a friend along
to the gym, we’ll give them a free 3 day
pass to enjoy the facilities too. If they
then join up as a member, we’ll give you a
month’s membership for free!
22

Take the plunge
LEISURE
Adult swimming lessons
Take the plunge and book a course of adult
swimming lessons <strong>–</strong> they’re fun and relaxed
and you learn at your own pace. Book a
place now and you’ll be ready to swim in
time for your summer holidays.
For women aged 16-25, as part of the
#ThisGirlCan campaign, we’re offering
a 50% discount on one course of
lessons to help get you started.
Junior swimming lessons
We offer junior swimming lessons for
children from 6 months old. Lessons can
now be paid for by monthly direct debit
and this includes free general swimming for
the child. Crash courses are also available
during school holidays.
10
Our leisure centres
Rushcliffe Leisure Centre <strong>–</strong> Boundary Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 5FF
0115 923 4921 | email rushcliffelc@parkwood-communityleisure.co.uk
<strong>Bin</strong>gham Leisure Centre <strong>–</strong> The Banks, <strong>Bin</strong>gham, Nottingham, NG13 8BL
01949 838 628 | email bingham@parkwood-communityleisure.co.uk
Keyworth Leisure Centre <strong>–</strong> Church Drive, Keyworth, Nottingham, NG12 5FF
0115 937 5582 | email keyworth@parkwood-communityleisure.co.uk
Cotgrave Leisure Centre <strong>–</strong> Woodview, Cotgrave, Nottingham, NG12 3PJ
0115 989 2916 | email cotgrave@parkwood-communityleisure.co.uk
You can also go to www.leisurecentre.com to find out more about any of these activities.
23

SPORT
Meet Rushcliffe’s
Junior Elite Athletes
Our Elite Sports Sponsorship Scheme provides young athletes who compete
at national or international level with free access to the borough’s leisure
facilities to help with their training. They also receive a grant to support them
with the costs associated with competing in a sport at a high level and some
sports clothing from local kit supplier, Player Layer. Here we introduce you to
three young athletes on the scheme:
11 Ashleigh Plumptre
Ellie Downie
Ashleigh, from Ruddington, is a student at
The Becket School and a regular squad
member of the England U19 Women’s
Football Team. In the summer, she
represented England at the UEFA Women’s
U17 European Championship Finals.
Ashleigh plays for Notts County Ladies first
team and took part in the Women’s FA Cup
Final at Wembley in August, a historic match
as it was the first time the FA Cup Final
for women had been played at the iconic
Wembley Stadium.
Ellie is a member of Notts Gymnastics Club
based at the East Midlands Gymnastics
Centre in Rushcliffe. She is a member
of the GB women’s artistic squad and in
2015 she made history at the European
Championships as the first ever British
woman to medal in a major All Round Final
<strong>–</strong> aged just 15. At the World Gymnastics
Championships in Glasgow at the end of
2015, Ellie and her GB team mates came
away with the bronze medal in the women’s
team event. She is currently training hard
as part of the GB squad preparing for the
Olympic Games later this year and is hoping
to be chosen to go to Rio as part of Team
GB.
Ashleigh Plumptre
24
Ellie Downie

Jack Crowston
Jack Crowston
Jack is 14 and from Ruddington. He
attends Rushcliffe School and plays ice
hockey for Nottingham Ice Hockey Club.
In September 2014, he was selected to
play for England U14’s in a tournament in
Austria. Last June, he was voted Players’
Player of the Year as well as Coaches’
Player of the Year for Nottingham Tigers
and, in August, he was chosen for the
England U15 team, who are going to
Fussen in Germany in April.
Rushcliffe
Coach
Scholarship
Scheme
Do you coach at a club in
Rushcliffe and want to improve
your coaching skills or get on the
coaching ladder?
The Rushcliffe Coach Scholarship
Scheme helps volunteers and unqualified
coaches to begin coaching, as well as
supporting qualified coaches to progress.
The scheme gives financial assistance to
coaches who coach in the borough and
want to complete a Level 1, 2 or 3
sports-specific coaching course.
The Coach Scholarship Scheme opens for
applications on 1 April and the deadline
for applications is 31 May 2016.
For details, and an application form, go to
www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/coaching or email
sportsdevelopment@rushcliffe.gov.uk
SPORT
11
25

HOUSING
New year,
new homes for
Cotgrave families
Families have started moving into the first
new affordable homes at Hollygate Park,
the major £100 million redevelopment
of Cotgrave colliery. The project will
transform the former coal mining site into
a community of up to 470 new homes by
2020, 137 of which will be available for
social rent or low cost home ownership.
12 Home alarm
The Council is working in partnership
with Metropolitan Housing Association,
builders Barratt and David Wilson Homes,
the Homes and Communities Agency,
Nottinghamshire County Council and
Cotgrave Town Council to deliver the new
development.
Rachael Wilson, 28, has moved into
a three-bedroom house with her son
Junior, 7, and daughter, Kyla, 5. A lifelong
Cotgrave resident, she secured a place on
the Council’s housing register and is now
resident in one of Hollygate Park’s brand
new family homes.
She said: “The kids were really excited to
move to a new house, and it’s a big relief
for me to know <strong>that</strong> we’re settled here now.
I’m really pleased with the place <strong>–</strong> it’s nice
and big, and has a beautiful back garden
<strong>that</strong> the kids love.”
Left to right: Beth Watson, Head of Housing Services (North)
at Metropolitan; Kyla Wadi, new resident; Rachael Wilson,
new resident; Junior Wadi, new resident; Allen Graham,
Chairman of Cotgrave Strategic Board and Chief Executive
of Rushcliffe Borough Council
equals peace of mind
Are you or your relatives living
alone and in need of support in an
emergency?
The Home Alarm service, run by Rushcliffe
Borough Council, has been providing
support for residents in Rushcliffe for over
30 years.
We provide an emergency response
service to around 1,000 customers, 24
hours a day, 365 days a year to provide
peace of mind if the unexpected
happens.
Our service gives you:
• Friendly, caring and professional staff
• High customer satisfaction (96% of our
customers are satisfied)
• Easy to install <strong>–</strong> all you need is a
telephone point and a plug socket
nearby
• No pressure, no obligation
demonstration in your own home
• Annual service visit to check your
equipment
For a free demonstration or to find out
more about the service, contact our
housing support team on 0115 914 8377
or visit www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/homealarms
26

Want a home
to call your own?
HOUSING
Are you looking to get on to the
property ladder but not sure if you
can afford it?
Help to Buy helps to make it affordable for
you to buy a home. Here are three schemes
<strong>that</strong> can help you buy your perfect pad:
The Equity Loan scheme helps you to
buy a home with a loan of up to 20% of the
full price of the property. So you purchase
100% of a new home from a registered
developer but you only need to raise 80%
of the purchase price yourself, as the
Government will lend you the remaining
20% as an equity loan, which is interest free
for the first five years. You’ll need to save
a minimum deposit of 5% and also get a
mortgage to raise your 80%.
Shared Ownership gives you the chance
to get your foot on to the property ladder
by buying a home on a part-buy, part-rent
basis. You buy a share of between 25%
and 75% of a brand new home from a
housing association and then pay a monthly
subsidised rent to the housing association
for the remaining share. The bigger share
you buy, the less rent you have to pay.
You will need to be able to raise a mortgage
for the share you want to purchase, unless
you have sufficient savings of your own to
buy your share outright. Shared Ownership
is great if you have limited savings, as the
deposit you need to save is based on the
share <strong>that</strong> you are buying.
Help to Buy: ISA
If you are saving to buy your first home,
save money into a Help to Buy: ISA and
the Government will boost your savings
by 25%. For every £200 you save, you
receive a Government bonus of £50 up to a
maximum bonus of £3,000.
If you’re interested in any of these Help
to Buy schemes, you can find out more,
including eligibility criteria, on the Help
to Buy Midlands website <strong>–</strong> www.helptobuymidlands.co.uk/help-to-buy-options
<strong>–</strong> or you can call them on 03458 50 20
50 option 2, Monday to Friday 8am to
6pm.
12
27

ENVIRONMENT
We care about your air
As a mostly rural borough, Rushcliffe generally experiences good air quality.
However, we have three designated Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs)
caused by emissions of nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) from vehicle exhausts in areas
of high commuter traffic <strong>that</strong> are close to residential properties.
13
These have been in place for a number of
years and we have an air quality action plan
to reduce the NO 2 levels in these areas. We
regularly monitor the AQMAs and are seeing
NO 2 levels slowly fall in two of the three
targeted areas, Nottingham Knight/A52
area and the Trent Bridge AQMA. A more
accurate NO 2 monitor will be installed this
year in the Trent Bridge area, in partnership
with Nottinghamshire County Council’s
transport planners to further assess this
area. The third AQMA at the junction
of Stragglethorpe Road and the A52 in
Radcliffe on Trent is being monitored and
levels of NO 2 have also fallen at this location
in 2015.
New government legislation covering
Nottingham and other large cities such
as Birmingham and Derby is due to be
consulted on in 2016. The new legislation
is expected to set out details of the clean
air zone requirements. These will focus on
emission reductions for buses, coaches,
taxis and heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and
will require these vehicles to meet tighter
emission limits by 2020. As the Trent Bridge
AQMA is a major route into Nottingham city,
this would see further reductions in NO 2
emissions in Rushcliffe.
28

ENVIRONMENT
Trees for life
13
Trees benefit both people and the
environment <strong>–</strong> they provide homes
for wildlife, help to absorb pollution
and reduce breathing-related health
problems and produce fuel and wood
products. Trees also play an important
role in counteracting climate change
by providing a barrier to strong
winds, helping to reduce flooding and
preventing soil erosion.
Rushcliffe has seven ancient woodlands
<strong>that</strong> have existed since at least 1600 AD but
woodland covers only 5.75sq km (1.04%)
of Rushcliffe, so all the trees we have are
important.
The Council works to protect our trees
and woodlands and, where appropriate,
increase the area of woodland and
numbers of trees in the borough. We work
with developers to ensure <strong>that</strong> newly-built
developments include appropriate tree
planting. We can make a Tree Preservation
Order (TPO) if it we feel it is right to do so to
protect trees <strong>that</strong> add value to an area. This
means <strong>that</strong> permission is then required to
remove or carry out work on the tree.
Trees and woods require long-term
management to maintain and enhance their
wildlife interest, and financial help for tree
planting and maintenance may be available.
More help and advice
The Woodland Trust provides free tree packs for community groups and schools. They also
operate MOREwoods, a UK-wide scheme which provides financial and practical woodland
creation support. Please see www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/plant-trees/help-and-support for
more details.
The Forestry Commission operate the woodland elements of the Countryside Stewardship
grant scheme for larger farm-based woodlands. Please see www.forestry.gov.uk/
countrysidestewardship for more details. The Tree Council also provide grants and advice,
see www.treecouncil.org.uk
If you have further questions about trees and woodlands you can visit
www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/conservation/treeshedgesandlandscaping or email
design&conservation@rushcliffe.gov.uk
29

RUSHCLIFFE PLACES
Village in focus
Sutton Bonington
14
In the second of our series of articles on villages in Rushcliffe, we’re focussing
on Sutton Bonington. This attractive village is located in the very south-east of
the borough, close to the River Soar. Sutton and Bonington were originally two
separate settlements, possibly dating back to Anglo-Saxon times and recorded in the
Domesday Book of 1086.
The village boasts two pubs <strong>–</strong> the Anchor
and the King’s Head, with a third, the
Star Inn (locally known as ‘Pit House’) on
the road towards West Leake. It has two
medieval churches, a primary school and a
post office. It spreads out over a mile along
Park Lane and Main Street, along which
is the delightful Sutton Bonington Hall. A
couple of the lanes leading into the village
are designated quiet roads where walkers,
cyclists and horse riders are welcome.
For the sports fan, the village has a cricket
club, two football teams, a bowls club and a
tennis club. It also has a vibrant village show
each September which provides hours of
entertainment for everybody. The Midshires
Way, a long-distance footpath, runs close to
the village through stunning countryside.
Sutton Bonington is also home to what was
originally an agricultural college, now a
campus for the University of Nottingham
schools of bioscience and veterinary
medicine.
If you’ve never been to Sutton Bonington,
then make 2016 the year to change <strong>that</strong> <strong>–</strong>
it’s well worth a visit.
30

RAF Syerston
You may have read our article about
Flintham in the last edition of Rushcliffe
Reports, where we stated <strong>that</strong> the
airfield used to serve the RAF. In fact we
stand corrected because RAF Syerston
is still an operational airbase for the
Royal Air Force.
RAF Syerston has a unique history; it
opened in 1940 and in WWII it was home
to Wing Commander Guy Gibson of
‘Dambusters’ fame. Today, RAF Syerston
plays a key role in training Air Cadets
and their staff. It houses the prestigious
Number 2 Flying Training School and
Central Gliding School, as well as Number
644 Volunteer Gliding Squadron, which
are attended by cadets and their staff
from all over the country.
Flight Lieutenant Manny Harbron, who’s
been stationed at RAF Syerston for three
years, told us: “The cadets learn from the
best instructors <strong>that</strong> the military has. There
are approximately 41,600 Air Cadets
across the country, and some of them go
on to become fully fledged pilots in the
RAF”. See www.raf.mod.uk/rafsyerston
and www.raf.mod.uk/aircadets to find out
more.
Rehab centre
taking shape at
Stanford Hall
The creation of the Defence and
National Rehabilitation Centre (DNRC)
at Stanford on Soar is moving forward
at pace. When it’s finished in 2018, the
centre will be a 21st century clinical
facility to help repair our seriously
wounded servicemen and women.
The foundations are almost complete
for the new buildings next to the existing
Stanford Hall, which itself is being
restored and updated. By the end of this
year the scale of what is being built will be
clear. If you’d like to follow the progress
of the build, you can see video footage
including a fly through of the site and
updates at www.thednrc.org.uk <strong>–</strong> look at
the ‘What’s happening on site?’ section.
A national fundraising campaign is now
also in full swing and if you’d like to
donate, you can do so via the website or
by calling 0300 123 4577.
RUSHCLIFFE PLACES
14
31

EVENTS
Dates for the diary
15
A right royal affair
Rushcliffe residents are encouraged to
get behind special projects to mark the
Queen’s 90th birthday. Beacons will be lit
on Thursday 21 April in over 200 towns and
villages across the UK and on Sunday 12
June street parties are being planned to
coincide with The Patron’s Lunch on The
Mall.
Want to get involved? You’ll find some
planning guides and a list of local events at
www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/queen90
Here comes
the sun
Proms in the Park
comes to Bridgford
Park, West Bridgford
on Saturday 25
June to celebrate
Armed Forces Day,
a nationwide celebration of
the British Armed Forces. As well as lots
of great patriotic music, local sports clubs
will be providing free taster sessions plus
<strong>there</strong>’ll be community displays, charity stalls
and family activities. For more details go to
www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/armedforcesday
A taste of the good life
The third annual Taste of Rushcliffe festival,
incorporating the YouNG market, will take
place on Central Avenue, West Bridgford on
Saturday 2 July.
Some of the finest food and drink
businesses in Notts will be <strong>there</strong>, along with
top local chefs delivering master classes
and demonstrations. There’ll also be fun
children’s activities and great treats on offer
at nearby bars and restaurants. The festival
launches with the Friday Night Fiesta on
Friday 1 July <strong>–</strong> an open-air party with music,
food and dancing. Go to
www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/taste2016 for full
details.
Rushcliffe Community Contact Centre Rectory Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 6BU
By telelephone: Mon to Fri 8.30am - 5pm
In person: 8.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, and from 9am to 1pm on the first Saturday of every month.
T 0115 981 9911 | E customerservices@rushcliffe.gov.uk | W www.rushcliffe.gov.uk
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Rushcliffe Reports
is the newsletter
of Rushcliffe Borough
Council. It is distributed
to every home in the
Borough.
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