To receive updates from ward councillors from Wingfield, Dinnington, Hellaby and Holderness on the activities supporting Thriving Neighbourhoods across the Borough.
Minutes:
Further to Minute No. 55 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 19th November, 2018, consideration was given to the annual Ward updates for Wingfield, Dinnington, Hellaby and Holderness as part of the Thriving Neighbourhood Strategy.
The Strategy signalled a new way of working for the Council both for Members and for staff and covered every Ward in the Borough delivered through Ward Plans developed with residents to address local issues and opportunities. Ward Members would be supported by the Neighbourhood Team and would work with officers and residents from a range of organisations to respond to residents.
Councillors Allen, R. Elliott and Williams, on behalf of the Wingfield Ward, gave a review of what had taken place during 2019/20 together with the services necessary during the Covid-19 pandemic. Initiatives that had taken place in the Ward included:-
· An end of Term event for partners and local groups in February 2020 using the Spotlight Theatre facilities at Wingfield Academy
· A Christmas tree on the site of the old public hall in Greasbrough
· The Greasbrough Gala held on 12th October, 2019 in Greasbrough Park
· Isolation – a friendly bench purchased and situated in Greasbrough Park, supported the annual OAP Christmas party and reassurance visits undertaken with Neighbourhood Officers and PCSOs
· Work with 2 churches – St. Mary’s and St. John’s to bring about social events to bring communities together
· Events organised – Vintage afternoon tea (2nd November 2019), Remembrance Day Service (10th November, 2019), Summer Fayre (29th June, 2019)
· Anti-social behaviour – continued work with Housing and the Police on St. John’s Green with new lighting and fencing due soon to increase the safety for the residents of the flats, work with Streetpride on clearing/cutting back on entrances to underpasses and painted to make them lighter and brighter to feel safer
· Work with Housing and their Commercial Estate Services to secure funding to demolish garages on Ochre Dike and refresh shop frontages and planting, acquire new business residents and the provision of a car park. This had reduced anti-social behaviour and provided a pleasant environment
· Young people – networking meeting to receive the results of the consultation exercise undertaken by Early Help and contributed to by over 300 young people. A basket swing had been purchased in accordance with their wishes and progress was being made on the requested Greasbrough Multi-Use Games Area
· Neighbourhood working - Partnership working had brought some good successes in the Ward. Honoured to host the international Nemesis project through the primary schools in the Wingfield Ward. The legacy project of this work would see a new SEND provision at Rockingham School
· Improvements would be sought for the area surrounding what would be the new Coach Road junction hopefully demolishing garages off Main Street and resurfacing, the making of a new car park and to introduce a new green corridor to link the entrance to Green Park to the recreation park and onwards to the new shared use pathway and cycle lane further along Fenton Road
· Further partnership working included the installation of a new toucan crossing on Fenton Road, reassurance visits and the removal of hedges and shrubs around Kimberworth Park Road to reduce anti-social behaviour and increase community safety
· Thanks to all the partners and the Neighbourhood Team
Councillors Mallinder, Tweed and Vjestica, on behalf of the Dinnington Ward, gave an update on their Ward priorities and welcomed the opportunity to thank the Neighbourhood Team and listed a number of initiatives that had taken place in the Ward and as a result the community were benefiting from:-
· Supporting communities to address the Covid-19 crisis
· Provision of support from the Ward budget to a number of local community groups including Laughton-en-le-Morthen Parish Council’s project, the Dinnington Community Coronavirus Volunteer Group and Dinnington Salvation Army, in order to enable them to provide food and support to vulnerable residents
· Helping Hands – which included the delivering of meals
· Ward Members volunteering including a “befriender” through the Council’s Rotherham Heroes Scheme and calling vulnerable residents through the NHS volunteer programme
· Prior to the pandemic, active engagement in work to save Rother Valley College both with residents in the form of a petition and with parents/partners
· Happy to Chat bench in Dinnington to encourage residents to talk to each other. St. Leonard’s Church and the Council worked together to site the bench within the Church grounds
· Provision of an electric powered cycle for use by the local PCSO team in Dinnington
· Renewal and upgrading of playground facilities in conjunction with Laughton Parish Council
· Billy and Belinda bollards purchased and installed outside Laughton All Saints School
· Dinnington Town Football Club to bid for external funding to improve and develop their facilities
· Funded facilities for a U9s girls football team in Dinnington
· Supported Dinnington Bowling Club with storage facilities and new equipment
· Funded books for a new library at Dinnington Primary School
· Thanks to the Neighbourhood Team
The Mayor (Councillor Jenny Andrews), Councillors Brian Cutts and John Turner, on behalf of the Hellaby Ward, gave an update on their Ward priorities and listed a number of initiatives that had taken place in the Ward including:-
· Hellaby Community Hall – supported the Parish Council in the refurbishment of the kitchen
· Hellaby Newsletter
· Community skips in Maltby and Hellaby
· Maltby – requested a path across a green to improve access to local transport and local shops. This was now completed and included pedestrian safety
· Supported the lowering of speed limits in Hellaby village and other road safety issues in Bramley and Maltby
· Local school requested support for library for the children to improve the reading of local children
· Electric bike purchased for local PCSO
· Supported local groups in the community and an event organised to bring everyone together to thank everyone for their hard work
· Work with Wickersley Parish Council on the project of a solar light system illuminating a well used path through a graveyard
· Reflective bollards on Morthen Road
· Help provided to the Austen Drive Allotment Society
· Community flower bed
· A new cooker for and decoration of The Lings – a very much used community group building
· St. Alban’s Church, together with Wickersley Parish Council, purchased a new flagpole
· Thanks to the Neighbourhood Team and local PCSOs
Councillors M. Elliott, Pitchley and Taylor, on behalf of the Holderness Ward, gave an update on their Ward priorities and welcomed the opportunity to thank the Neighbourhood Working Group, staff and volunteers and listed a number of initiatives that had taken place in the Ward and as a result the community were benefiting from:-
· Supported S26 Covid-19 Community Support Group set up by a local resident to help the most vulnerable
· Offered Community Leadership to offer financial support to help with running costs and PPE as well as time in delivering prescriptions
· S26 Food Bank set up - received donations from local business, residents and Aston TARA
· Thanks to Aston-cum-Aughton Parish Council for their financial support and use of the community building
· Continued to carry out socially distanced walkabouts. Residents said their neighbourhood and environment was very important to them so continued to look at ways of making residents proud of where they lived with the provision of free compost bins across the Ward, provision of dog bins and community clean-up days in partnership with Housing and the Police
· The Police had continued to carry out regular speedwatch operations
· Community litter picks and residents organised their own small group litterpicks
· Gardening Competition open to all residents
· Support for the local bowling group to purchase construction materials to enable a self-build project which vastly improved their facilities
· Bowling Group provided lessons for some pupils from Springwood Academy
· To help encourage children into learning an approach had been made to Gullivers Theme Park who had generously offered half price tickets. Ward Members had purchased 80 tickets and awarded 10 tickets to each of the schools in the Ward. Each School had awarded their tickets as rewards e.g. good attendance, lucky dip and exceptional attitude to learning. The response had been amazing
· In conjunction with Aston Leisure Centre, young person’s fitness sessions with a professional instructor organised as well as “mini-me” sessions for mothers and their young children
· Stride Out Aston which enables women of all abilities to enjoy running in a safe and supportive manner
· Replacement of Alexandra Park sign – Springwood Academy had been approached for their pupils to design the sign. The winner and runners up was invited to see the sign made up as the finished article
· Event held to recognise the volunteers in the Ward
· Thanks to the Ward Co-ordinator
Resolved:- That the Ward updates be received and the contents noted.
Mover:- Councillor Watson Seconder:- Councillor Read