south werrington and north gunthorpe focus newsletter - issue 98
TRANSCRIPT
PETERBOROUGH LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
Keeping in touch – working all year round
GUNTHORPE RESIDENTS’
NEWSLETTER Issue number 98
Darren Fower, Julia Davidson and Andrew Bond
WELCOME - and a parting of the ways Welcome to this ‘first edition’ of FOCUS (which is actually our issue number 98).
Some readers will be familiar with FOCUS as a black-and-white publication. This is our first edition in full colour. We hope you like it.
Other readers will be seeing FOCUS for the first time. So, we should explain what is going on!
For a long time, FOCUS has been produced by local Liberal Democrat councillors Darren Fower and Julia Davidson – and FOCUS Team Co-ordinator Andrew Bond – for residents in the council ward of South Werrington. It is written, paid for and distributed by volunteers. It is just part of the service that the local community gets from Liberal Democrat councillors.
The FOCUS Team out knocking on doors earlier this year. Regular surveys to ask residents what they want is just part of the service you get from Liberal Democrat councillors.
In May next year, though, all the council ward boundaries change. The existing South Werrington ward is being split down the middle – and extra bits are being added to both halves!
To get ahead of the changes, we have extended distribution of FOCUS to all of what will be a new Gunthorpe ward.
But we are continuing to distribute FOCUS in the part of South Werrington that will move into a new Werrington ward next May. So this is issue number 98 for some readers – and the first ever FOCUS for others!
Darren and Julia will continue to be the elected councillors for the existing South Werrington ward right up until next year’s elections. So please do contact them or Andrew if they can be of help. You will find the contact details on the back page.
Darren, Julia and Andrew would also welcome contact from residents in the areas for which they are not councillors.
RAIL JUNCTION Network Rail is planning major changes to the railway junction near Werrington in order to separate slow-moving freight trains from passenger trains on the East Coast Main Line.
In summer 2014 public consultation events took place at Hodgson Community Centre at which Network Rail outlined two options – a ‘fly over’ or ‘dive under’.
At the start of October Network Rail was back at the Hodgson Centre to explain its decision to go for the ‘dive under’ solution.
Local Liberal Democrat councillor Julia Davidson went along to quiz the organisation on its plans.
More details will be available next summer when Network Rail will be back for a further round of consultations on more detailed plans.
SEEN A RAT? Local Liberal Democrat councillor Darren Fower has been contacted by residents living around Ripon Close, Werrington, who have reported seeing rats.
Darren said: “I myself have seen rats, running around near to food outlets and along paths where rubbish has started to collect.”
But what should you do if you spot one? The
answer depends upon where you see it. If it is on PRIVATE LAND, contact Midland
Environment Contracts Ltd on 01858 439017. If you see a rat on PUBLIC LAND call the
city council on 01733 747474.
CONTACT FOCUS Text or phone your local Lib Dem councillors Darren Fower – 07572 463 904 Julia Davidson – 07506 536 627 By post: Town Hall, Bridge St, Peterborough PE1 1HG By e-mail: [email protected]
Contact FOCUS Co-ordinator Andrew Bond Phone or text 07761 563 465 or email [email protected]
Visit the councillors’ ward ‘surgery': 6:00 to 7:00 pm
First Friday of month Community Centre, Church
Street 9:00 to 10:00 am
Third Saturday of month Brookside Church
Gunthorpe Rd
Search for ‘SWNGFOCUSTeam’
Printed by Exaprint 86-90 Paul Street London EC2A 4NE Published and promoted for and on behalf of the Liberal Democrats by Peter Chivall, 88 Elmfield Rd, Peterborough PE1 4HB
HAVE YOU SEEN THE LIGHT? FOCUS Team Co-ordinator Andrew Bond writes .. I'm sure local residents have noticed the upgrade to
many of our street lights. These new energy-efficient
lights are superior in nearly every aspect to the old street
lights that were previously in place.
The new lights provide a remarkable amount of
illumination while tackling head-on the problem of
carbon emissions by the use of energy-efficient lamps.
Your local Liberal Democrat councillors and I have
been discussing the new lights with local residents that
we meet in our ongoing work within the community.
We have received a great response from many
residents, many of whom feel safer and more secure
while walking the streets after dark. Many also feel
that the new lights will deter petty crime. I hope this is
the case as we have a growing issue with crime as well
as anti-social behaviour. I believe this will go some way
to tackling this issue and could be part of a new
strategy to deal with the problem.
These ‘wonder lights’ allow light levels to be adjusted to
provide the best possible and desirable results as well as
cutting down on the cost of maintenance, hence helping
to save the council money while providing a superior
result.
I am always keen to discuss local community issues
and to hear residents’ opinions about what occurs in our
area. If you have any comments or issues with the new
street lights, or would like some more information about
them, please contact me – my address details are below.
I hope this article has shed some light on this issue!
Kind regards
Andrew Bond
CUT SPEED, SAVE LIVES Local Liberal Democrat councillor Darren Fower wants 20 mile per hour speed limits in residential areas.
He says: “Tests show that 20 mph limits reduce the most toxic diesel fumes. They could help to reduce the 30,000 annual UK deaths from air pollution.
“All our Tory-controlled city council has promised is to review, evaluate and share the feedback – but not until 2017!”
What do you think? Would you like to see 20 mph limits? Please let Darren know – his contact details are below.
FENCED IN Local Liberal Democrat councillor Julia Davidson helped tackle a potential road safety problem in Uldale Way following erection of a new fence by a home owner.
Nearby residents were concerned that the fence obstructed the view of drivers at the nearby road junction.
Julia contacted the council and, after checking the sight-lines at the junction, one of its compliance officers asked the home owner to reduce the height of the fence at the point nearest to the road.
Julia said: “I would like to thank the council and the homeowner for their swift and helpful response.”