Agenda item

Progress Reports from Portfolio Holders.

Minutes:

Councillor Barnes entered the meeting.

 

Councillor David Ellis (Public Protection)

 

·         The Public Protection team had undertaken partnership working with Childrens’ Services to address issues of concern regarding a family’s living conditions.

·         Recent recruitment to posts within the Public Protection team had been successful and seen posts filled by experienced professionals.

·         The cross-party working group who had worked on the International Women’s Month programme should be commended. A series of events celebrating women would take place across the Borough throughout March.

·         The Women’s Quilt Project to commemorate women killed by their partners between 2009 and 2015 and raise awareness of Domestic Violence had now launched. The concept was created locally and many local residents had been involved in the project. As a result, there was an interest in the project’s nationwide tour beginning in the Borough.

 

Councillor Gary Gregory (Community Development)

 

·         Councillors Bailey Jay, Clarke, Gregory and Truscott had recently commissioned the Men in Sheds group to build a number of bird boxes for Gedling Country Park using their Community Initiatives Funds.

·         Consideration was being given to ways to boost sales opportunities for the Men in Sheds group. The Portfolio Holder had written to Age UK and consideration was being given to potential pop up show opportunities.

·         Gedling Play Forum has received a large donation of cupcake trays. The Portfolio Holder had been assisting the group to distribute the trays to local schools and community groups. The Portfolio Holder and Mayor had been invited to bake with a number of the recipients. The Portfolio Holder had been in touch with Tesco regarding donation of ingredients.

 

Councillor Henry Wheeler (Housing, Health and Wellbeing)

 

·         A new intern had recently begun work at Bonington Theatre.

·         The Bonington Theatre now has a satellite in place to allow the theatre to live broadcast events from elsewhere.

·         Direct debits had been introduced for swimming lessons.

·         A health and wellbeing “Keep Me Posted” page had been created.

·         The Clinical Commissioning Group had recently produced a self care guide listing treatments that would no longer be funded and would need to be accessed or purchased over the counter from pharmacies.

·         A really popular mental health befriending service is being run at Arnold Methodist Church.

·         The Borough Council will launch a Senior’s Council later this month.

·         The housing needs service continues to see a high level of demand for emergency and temporary housing.

 

Councillor Peter Barnes (Environment)

 

·         The Council had recently signed a deal with the County Council to take over maintenance of Bestwood Country Park.

·         The garden waste scheme has been launched for the forthcoming financial year.

·         Work on the Gedling Country Park visitor centre was ongoing.

·         The Portfolio Holder, along with Councillors Clarke, Gregory and Payne, had recently toured the Borough with Parks and Street Care officers to look at street cleansing issues. While the team are doing a good job, it is clear that a large number of people continue to drop litter. Consideration was to be given to publicity around littering.

 

Councillor John Clarke (Leader of the Council)

 

·         The Leader expressed his thanks to all of those who took part in the recent “Spring Clean” event.

·         The graffiti artist who had recently vandalised property across the Borough had been convicted and given a suspended sentence.

·         The Council’s “Keep Me Posted” system now has over 25,000 subscribers. The “Keep Me Posted” bulletins had been well received and attendance at events at the Bonington Theatre that had been publicised within it had increased.

·         The Gedling Access Road and nearby housing development plans continue to progress.

·         Serious issues with road conditions across the Borough were being bought to the Leader’s attention. The Leader informed Members that the number to report potholes or other road damage to the County Council, who have responsibility over Highways, was 0300 500 80 80.