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Lancashire News

More electric car chargers have been introduced across Council car parks in the borough. People with electric or hybrid vehicles can now charge up in five different car parks in Blackburn and Darwen. New EV (electric vehicle) charging points have been installed in Brown Street Car Park in Blackburn, Varley Street Car Park in Darwen and Weir Street Car Park in Blackburn.

This is part of Blackburn with Darwen Council’s efforts to combat climate change, and earlier this month it passed a motion to declare a climate emergency at a Council Forum meeting. This committed the Council to a target of making Blackburn with Darwen carbon neutral by 2030, taking into account both production and consumption emissions. The Council also has an electric van in its fleet of vehicles, used in the environmental crime team, and hope to add to this in the future. All the car parks have two EV 22kWh fast sockets each, making it easy for people who have switched to the eco-friendly mode of transport.

They join the existing 22kWh EV charging points at Feilden Street Car Park and Darwen Market Rooftop Car Park, supporting the growing population of plug-in cars in the area. There are currently over 100 in the borough and over 1,000 in surrounding areas.

To get a charging card please go to the Swarcoeconnect card at https://www.swarcoeconnect.org/

Further EV chargers will also be available at the Reel Cinema development on the site of the former Waves Centre when it is completed in 2020.
Parking continues to be free for electric and hybrid vehicle drivers while charging at Council car parks.

Councillor Phil Riley, Executive Member for Growth and Development, said: All Council-run car parks now have electric vehicle chargers which is a great move forward for a greener and more environmentally-friendly future. Electric car use is growing across the borough and this shows that Blackburn with Darwen welcomes electric and hybrid car users and they can now visit the borough knowing they can charge up wherever they go.”
Stuart Scott, former Council employee, who has an electric car, said:
I’ve had an electric car for just over two years, and chargers like this make it even easier to come into Blackburn and Darwen, knowing I can charge up at all these car parks.

This easy way of charging is an added bonus to the environmental aspects, and helps me do my bit in a small way to add to the green benefits.”

Lancashire News, Lancs Health & Care

Work has started to build more new homes for older residents and residents with dementia in Wigan Borough. Two new developments, in Leigh and Bryn, will offer 32 affordable homes which have been specially designed to suit the needs of residents to help them stay independent in their own home for longer.

The investments are mainly funded through the council’s capital programme with grant funding through Homes England. It’s all part of the local authority’s approach to create specialised housing for residents to meet their needs. Councillor Keith Cunliffe, deputy leader of the council, said: “We know having the right home has a direct impact on someone’s health and wellbeing and their quality of life.

“Ultimately having the right home which meets your needs means you can live a longer, happier and healthier life. “Through The Deal we are committed to building a high standard of accommodation that is well designed, attractive, and affordable for residents.

“We want to keep people independent in their own homes but also connect them into a local community which is why these schemes are brilliant and they can help to tackle social isolation.” The scheme at Etherstone Street in Leigh will be home to 12 apartments for residents living with dementia and is expected to be completed in April 2020.

The Bryn development, on the former Walkden House site on Priory Road, will be 20 apartments for older people and will be complete in July 2020.
It will be similar to a previous council scheme at Little Lane which opened last year, with a communal lounge and hosts regular activities for residents.
The homes are being built by Seddon and will be let on affordable rents.
Duncan Williams, regional director at Seddon, said: “Our priority is to build the highest quality homes with exceptional facilities, allowing residents to maintain their independence for as long as possible.

“These developments will be assets to the communities of Leigh and Bryn, and most importantly will be affordable to those who need them most. We look forward to handing the projects over in 2020 and seeing the positive impact made on local lives”.

Susan Mackie, Specialist in the Home Ownership and Supply team, at Homes England, said: “We are really pleased to be playing an integral role in funding the building of affordable and bespoke specialist homes in Wigan.

“This joint venture with the council has enabled us to recognise the ambitions of the council in providing good quality specialist housing, and maximise our joint funding, resources and capabilities in delivering more homes faster.”

Nottingham News

Selston Country Park has been recognised by the Green Flag Award Scheme as one of the very best parks in the world it joins five other green spaces awarded recognition in Ashfield. The Green Flag was raised by the Leader of Ashfield District Council, Cllr Jason Zadrozny, Cllr Arnie Hankin, Cllr Andy Gascoyne, Cllr David Martin and the Chairman of ADC Cllr Anthony Brewer along with members of ADC’s Environment team who maintain the park. This is the 8th year of retaining the Green Flag Award, having first received the award in 2012.

The park is among a record-breaking 1,970 UK parks and green spaces and 131 in thirteen other countries around the world that will today receive a prestigious Green Flag Award– the mark of a quality park or green space. This international award, now into its third decade, is a sign to the public that the space boasts the highest possible environmental standards, is beautifully maintained and has excellent visitor facilities.

Cllr Helen-Ann Smith, portfolio holder for Streets, Parks and Green Spaces said: “We are absolutely thrilled to receive a Green Flag Award for the 8th year. We are working hard to deliver improvements to our parks and green spaces throughout the district because we know how much quality green spaces matter to residents and visitors. The Green Flag Award recognises the hard work and dedication of the Environment team who work all year round maintaining our parks and green spaces to such a high standard.”

Nottingham News

Streetwise’s vibrant flower displays are currently lighting up Central Avenue in West Bridgford to welcome residents and visitors alike to a great summer of colour in the Borough. The dozens of sweet-smelling and brightly coloured flowers have been giving the busy thoroughfare a vibrant boost in recent months thanks to the team’s creations in large flowerbeds and decorative lamppost planters. Managing Director Nigel Carter said positive feedback has flooded in on this year’s displays.

He said: “We asked residents again last year for their opinions on how we could improve our floral creations and comments suggested that we could incorporate even more colourful flowers.

“We have therefore included a range of geraniums, surfinias, verbena, begonia and sanvitalia and we’ve been really pleased with the positive comments we have received.

“Displays in places such as this make the Borough such a pleasant place to live and work and we’re delighted we can work with Rushcliffe Borough Council to make summer sparkle here on the street.” Streetwise offers a range of services to keep your garden in great shape all year round.

Call 0115 914 8408, email streetwise@streetwiseenvironmental.co.uk or visit www.streetwiseenvironmental.co.uk

Lancashire News

Four colourful new planters have been unveiled in Oswaldtwistle and Knuzden.

Two planters have been installed at Rhyddings Street in Oswaldtwistle with another two on Windsor Road, Knuzden, after Oswaldtwistle Councillors, Cllr Glen Harrison and Cllr Stewart Eaves worked with community representatives from Oswaldtwistle Civic and Oswaldtwistle in Bloom on a successful bid for £1,800 from the Prospects Foundation’s Windfall Fund to buy and fill the planters with blooms.

Cllr Glen Harrison, who led the project, said; “It’s great to see the planters installed now, they look wonderful and represent the culmination of a lot of hard work, working with multiple agencies over several months on the successful bid for £1,800. I want to thank all the community groups involved, including volunteers from Oswaldtwistle Civic Theatre and Oswaldtwistle in Bloom, also the Parks Team at Hyndburn Council and staff from Lancashire County Council who also helped with the bid. It’s been a real community project with lots of people giving their time and energy to make it happen. A huge thanks to them all.”

Gayle Knight of Oswaldtwistle Civic said; “We were very happy to be part of this project to brighten up these areas in Oswaldtwistle.”
Sarah Barton of Oswaldtwistle in Bloom added;

“It’s lovely for the Oswaldtwistle In Bloom team to help bring some extra colour throughout other areas of Oswaldtwistle. The flowers at Jubilee Gardens last year totally transformed a bland area into a lovely place to sit and walk through. Volunteers to help make a difference are always welcome, visit our Oswaldtwistle in Bloom Facebook page or contact anyone you recognise in the photos and they will point you in the right direction.”

Lancashire News, Lancs Leisure

A new play area is now open in Milnshaw Park, Accrington ready for the long summer school break.

The £120,000 playground includes an aerial runway, basket swing, large rotator, swings and a ‘skynet’. The ‘skynet’, the first of its kind in Hyndburn, is the centre piece of the play area where children can climb to the top of the large pyramid shaped net before they are rewarded with a slide back down to the ground. For the younger children there is a colourful climbing structure in the shape of a train, with a slide at one end. Councillor Paul Cox, Cabinet Member for Parks and Open Spaces, said;

“Milnshaw Park has been a big priority of mine since I was first elected in 2011 and something I’m really proud to have helped achieve. The play area is already proving very popular, providing families and local children with a wonderful facility in their local park for the summer holidays.

The Hyndburn Green Spaces Forum, working closely with Hyndburn Council have secured a grant from the Lancashire Environmental Fund for £30,000 and Hyndburn Council provided the remainder. Cath Holmes of the Hyndburn Green Spaces Forum, said;

“It is nice to see a wonderful new play area in Milnshaw Park for the local community to enjoy. We are once again pleased to work with Hyndburn Council to help improve the parks and open spaces in Hyndburn and thank you to the Lancashire Environmental Fund for their support locally.”

Nottingham News

A new mural in Beeston Town Centre is well underway as part of the Beeston Street Art project. The design brings a touch of mother nature right into the heart of the town centre and has already been catching the eye of local residents and shoppers.

Renowned artist, Mural Life has spray painted the new design about the origins of the word Beeston (derived from the Saxon Beos meaning long grass and Tun meaning settlement) on Station Road, next to another piece of street art which was completed in October depicting three Beeston icons – the late actor Richard Beckinsale, the late singer/songwriter Edwin Starr and fashion designer Sir Paul Smith by Zabou. The street art was commissioned by Broxtowe Borough Council using an art fund inherited from Henry Boot Plc and is expected to be completed later this week.
Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor Steve Carr said: “It’s great to have another piece of street art completed in Beeston to brighten up the area and showcase the town as the creative place it is. A massive thank you to Mural Life for creating such a beautiful piece of work that the town can be proud of.”

Jeanie Barton, Organiser of Beeston Street Art added “This beautiful landscape helps make our project more cohesive – there are now many different artists, styles and subjects to explore in Beeston; we are well on our way to becoming a top destination in the UK for Street Art, which can only help our high street.”

Mural Life, also known as Russ Meehan, said, “My idea was to try and encompass meanings of the name Beeston so I’ve combined the reeds, rushes and long grasses with the bees which represent Beeston for a lot of people. My design has just tried to put them both together with lots of flowers into a great piece for Beeston town.”

The redevelopment of Beeston Square began in 2013 and work on Phase 2, which includes 120 new homes, a cinema and a number of new food and drink outlets, is set to begin very soon.

Nottingham News

A wonderful range of creative entries were received at the Materials Recovery Facility in Mansfield for the new Welcome Sign competition design. Veolia (Nottinghamshire County Council’s waste contractors) are delighted to announce that the Harry Lobley from Mansfield has been named as the winning designer.

Thousands of guests are welcomed every year to the Materials Recovery Facility in Mansfield. Schools, community groups, and local residents visit to find out more about recycling in Nottinghamshire and learn what can and cannot go into the recycling bin. The 110 entries from children across Nottinghamshire were considered by a panel of judges from Veolia and Nottinghamshire County Council who were all in awe of the fantastic array of imaginative entries.

The winning entry has been designed by local student Harry Lobley aged 10 from High Oakham Primary School in Mansfield. Harry was delighted to see his design and said ‘I’m thrilled to have won this competition. I thoroughly enjoyed designing the welcome sign and it is great to see it on display. The fact that Veolia make pencils out of newspaper means that this quote will be a pencil next week.’

Mr James Sas, Harry’s year 5 teacher said: ‘We are very proud of Harry’s achievement. He worked diligently to create a wonderfully artistic yet educational new welcome sign for the Materials Recovery Facility. During our school visit to the site, we learnt about their recycling process, which Harry reflected clearly in his brilliant design. Congratulations from staff and pupils at High Oakham Primary School.’

Wayne Draycott, Treatment Manager for Veolia said: ‘It was wonderful to see all the creative designs, there was a very high standard to choose from and a tough job for all the Judges to decide upon a winner. Congratulations to Harry for winning the competition, and for his design including recycling for the world and the journey recyclables take in Nottinghamshire.
Harry was presented with his prize on Friday 19th July by the Chairman of Nottinghamshire County Council Councillor Kevin Rostance and Wayne Draycott from Veolia.

Chairman of Nottinghamshire County Council Councillor Kevin Rostance said: “I am thrilled that so many pupils took part in this creative competition, it’s fantastic that Harry’s work will be seen by all of the visitors to the Materials Recycling Facility. I am also really encouraged by the number of local residents who visit this important Nottinghamshire facility, and that the recycling message is being spread far and wide.”

If you would like to become a champion of recycling at home, download the recycling information leaflet from https://www.veolia.co.uk/nottinghamshire/RecycleForNottinghamshire

Lancashire News, Lancs Leisure

Eight Pendle parks were awarded the international Green Flag for being welcoming places with eco- friendly environments including great natural habitats for wildlife.

“The announcement, during Love Parks Week, is a credit to hard working staff, park friend groups and people who help out on volunteering days,” explained Councillor Mohammed Iqbal, Leader of Pendle Council.
The parks which have retained the prestigious Green Flag status are Alkincoats Park in Colne, Ball Grove Park in Trawden, Barrowford Park, Heyhead Park in Brierfield. Marsden, Victoria and Walverden Parks in Nelson and Valley Gardens in Barnoldswick.

Councillor Iqbal added: “Pendle is very lucky to have so many wonderful parks and they have great facilities such as playgrounds, cafes, picnic areas, free tennis and bowling.

“You can find out more on Pendle Council’s website: www.pendle.gov.uk/parks “

Councillor Iqbal stressed that community involvement is an important criteria in winning a Keep Britain Tidy Green Flag award. “The judges were impressed with what’s being achieved here in Pendle despite the challenge of big reductions in our budgets over the last 10 years. “They recognise that more investment in time and money is needed and that many areas need more resources that we just don’t have at our disposal.

“This is why we are in a process of transferring some of our parks or aspects of local parks to be run by their local parish or town council.”
Thanks to friends groups and local volunteers a new community orchard has been planted at Walverden Park Nelson. And a new Pocket Park is being developed alongside Alkincoats Park, Colne including a green gym and vegetable plots.

Kieron Roberts, Pendle Council’s Green Spaces Manager, said: “We are indebted to people who volunteer in our local parks, helping with tree planting, tending flower beds , organising events and general weeding and litter picking.

“It’s thanks to our volunteers and excellent staff that we’ve been able to retain Green Flags in eight of our parks. “And we’d love more people to come forward and volunteer a little of their time to help us continue to provide these wonderful spaces.

“We care passionately about our parks which are important for the health and well-being of our local community and wildlife. “Anyone who’s interested can email us at: parks@pendle.gov.uk or ring me on 01282 661587.”

International Green Flag Award scheme manager Paul Todd added. “It’s fantastic that we have more Green Flag Awards in the UK than ever before, joined this year by 131 International winners.”

“Each flag honours the thousands of staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to maintain the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award”

Lancashire News

An operation to manufacture illegal tobacco in Burnley has been smashed with more than 700kg of raw tobacco being seized. The empty shop premises was being used as a factory to make and package cigarettes, and package rolling tobacco.

Lancashire Police investigating a complaint last week found a large amount of raw tobacco, branded packaging and materials to make cigarettes were being stored on the premises.

In total just under 700kg of raw tobacco was seized, enough tubular papers to make 650,000 individual cigarettes, packaging for Gold Virginia and Amber Leaf tobacco and L&M cigarettes, along with 1,700 pouches of tobacco and 200 packs of L&M cigarettes. If genuine, these illicit products would be worth in the region of £300,000.

The tobacco haul has been passed to Lancashire County Council Trading Standards Service and enquiries are continuing. County Councillor Albert Atkinson, cabinet member with responsibility for Trading Standards, said: “This illegal factory demonstrates the value of the illegal tobacco trade, and the lengths that criminals will go to, in order to profit from illicit tobacco products and avoid paying duty. “Tobacco smoking remains the single greatest cause of preventable illness and early death in England, and cheap illicit tobacco makes it easier for young people to take up and continue smoking. Preventing these products from entering the market place protects legitimate businesses and our comm unities.”

PC Phil Ellis said “We will continue to work with our colleagues at Trading Standards to share information and disrupt criminals involved in this type of activity.”

Anyone with information about illegal tobacco sales can help by reporting it to the Citizens Advice Consumer helpline 03454 040506.