Agenda item

Progress Reports from Portfolio Holders.

Minutes:

Councillor Peter Barnes (Environment)

 

·         There had been positive feedback about Christmas light displays and the Arnold lights switch on.

 

·         Wording and pictures will shortly be fitted to benches to commemorate miners at Gedling Country Park.

 

·         Memorial to soldiers at Carlton Cemetery is being constructed.

 

·         Waste department ran well over the busy Christmas period thanks to the hard work of the staff

 

Councillor Jenny Hollingsworth (Growth and Regeneration)

 

·         Well done to all involved in bring the Calverton Neighbourhood Plan to fruition.

 

·         Meetings of the Developer Forum and Business Forum continue to take place and have proved to be useful.

 

·         Work on progressing the improvements to Carlton Square and the acquisition of the Arnold Market site were ongoing.

 

Councillor Gary Gregory (Community Development)

 

·         Gedling Heritage Brought Alive project will recruit volunteers from across the area and it is hoped to shared the heritage strategy shortly.

 

·         Newstead Christmas Fair light switch on was a success.

 

·         The Seniors Council is looking at the issue of isolation amongst older people in partnership with Gedling Homes.

 

Councillor Henry Wheeler (Housing, Health and Well-being)

 

·         There continues to be good customer feedback from Leisure centres with more than 9000 visits to the new Carlton Forum Health Suite in the last year.

 

·         The Health and well-being group were hoping to recruit community navigator volunteers.

 

·         Dementia Friendly training continued to be rolled out to and would soon reach neighbourhood watch groups and garden centre staff.

 

·         Further Dementia Friendly screenings at the Bonnington Theatre Cinema as well as swimming session were planned.

 

·         A campaign on Obesity prevention would begin in February.

 

·         The post of Temporary Health and Housing coordinator aid home discharge from hospital was currently being recruited.

 

·         Active Nottinghamshire, the new name for Sports Nottinghamshire, was consulting on its future.

 

·         Bestwood Healthy Communities Project now self-sufficient and continues to be successful.

 

·         Homelessness prevention officers now in post and will be creating action plans to prevent homelessness.

 

Councillor Michael Payne (Resources and Reputation)

 

·         This year’s Pride of Gedling ceremony will take place on 29 March. All members were encouraged to nominate.

 

·         The Carlton Customer Contact Point signage is now installed and usage has been steady. There would be continued promotion of the service.

 

·         The Council’s twitter feed is now able to audio describe pictures that are posted.

 

·         Work on the next contacts magazine edition has started for publication in March.

 

·         Job applicants can now apply online to work at the Council. Members were encouraged to report issues with website content to the Communications Team.

 

Councillor David Ellis (Public Protection)

 

·         The Council’s Empty Homes Officer has been involved in 120 cases over the last year and the officer has been doing some excellent work.

 

·         Following a recent enforcement operation in the City all taxi drivers have been reminded of the rules regarding only taking pre-booked pick ups.

 

Councillor John Clarke (Leader of the Council)

 

·         There had been recent negative publicity from Council owned recycling sites. There wold shortly be a meeting with operators to try and tidy their appearance.

 

·         Recent positive feedback on the crematorium at Lambley which is seen as a good facility for the borough.

 

·         Winter flu and NHS pressures were being felt and the Council will be looking at how best to offer support and how to minimise disruption to our services.

 

·         There had been much debate recently about the impact of Brexit on the Gedlng area and it was hoped that practical discussions could be held once a clearer picture is emerges.

 

·         It had been recently confirmed by Sainsbury’s that their new Colwick store should be open by 2020.