Telford & Wrekin Council’s innovative
approach to nurturing house building makes it
well placed to deliver the number and type of
new homes needed in the borough despite the effects
of one of the deepest recessions in decades.
With no housing stock and very little land of
its own, the Council has developed partnerships
to keep house-building alive, while helping to
address strategic housing needs.
The Council has responded to an Audit Commission
report published today of its strategic housing
services, highlighting the positive progress it
and partners have made on new homes and endorsing
the approach as being on the right track
Working with the Homes & Communities Agency,
the Council was earlier this year the first in
the region to develop a Local Investment Plan
to spur on growth in this key sector, so vital
for construction, employment and its effect on
house prices.
The Commission recognise the Council’s strong
leadership, investment and partnership working
and the positive results for local people, for
example to improve their homes and bring more
back into use.
A key point raised by the Commission was the number
of new homes being built in the borough to meet
local needs, when the recession has greatly increased
the housing needs that councils are expected to
meet.
Councillor Eric Carter, cabinet member for Housing,
Regeneration and Prosperity, said; “There
has been so much progress on this issue and our
achievements with the HCA, with private developers
and housing association partners, to bring schemes
forward in the face of unprecedented recession
show how we are leading the field nationally.
“Some of this is very recent, for example
the launch of a market intervention fund to support
local housebuilders and changes in the housing
market are very rapid so it is not surprising
the Audit Commission has not been able to fully
reflect this.
“In the last year together we helped provide
184 additional affordable homes, a record for
the borough. In addition some 500 new homes for
sale have been delivered locally an increase on
recent years.
“I believe for example our innovative approach
was also key to helping secure £2.8 million
of national funding for The Wrekin Housing Trust
for 59 new homes in Wellington, when many councils,
because of national cutbacks, lost out under this
scheme.
“This follows an investment of over £4M
of national funding earlier this year to maintain
delivery of one of our flagship schemes at Lawley.
We are well aware of the ongoing challenge we
face and remain committed to working with partners
and our residents to meet local housing needs
including addressing the quality of existing housing.
“We have also made huge strides forward
in tackling the use of temporary accommodation
for homeless people and are really beginning to
address the issues around rural housing.
“We are committed to listening to the needs
of local people through our housing-led regeneration
work, particularly in South Telford where the
work of a whole range of partners and residents
was identified as best practice by the Commission.”
Police in Wem are appealing for information after
a cat suffered what are believed to be pellet
wounds.
The black and white cat had last been seen fit
and well at about 6pm on Monday at its owner’s
address in Pepper Street, which backs onto open
ground.
At about midday on Tuesday, the cat was seen to
be walking with a limp and was taken to the vets,
where a number of wounds were found on both of
its back legs and one pellet had to be removed.
The incident is being treated as criminal damage
and it is believed the pellets came from some
sort of weapon, possibly a rifle.
Anyone who might have seen or heard anything the
area at the time which might be connected or who
has any information as to who might be responsible
is asked to contact police on 0300 333 3000.
Information can also be passed on anonymously
via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, where a reward
is sometimes offered.
Residents in businesses Oswestry say they will
continue to campaign against a new supermarket
in the town.
Yesterday, Shropshire Council's Strategic Planning
Committee threw out plans for a supermarket to
be build on the site of central car park. The
decision was made at a public meeting.
Three other planning applications for the Richard
Burbidge site, Smithfield livestock market, and
the JT Hughes/Guttercrest application. Where deferred
to gather more information.
PC John Walters, Local Policing Officer for Wrockwardine
Wood and Trench, has confirmed that preparations
are now complete ahead of a ‘Midweek Sports
Challenge’ event for young people that is
being held on the athletics track at Oakengates
Leisure Centre on Wednesday 4th August.
The event will give youngsters from four local
schools – Wrockwardine Wood Infants, Wrockwardine
Wood Junior School, Teague’s Bridge Primary
and St Luke’s Primary - the chance to participate
in a number of activities that will be loosely
based on those that will form part of the 2012
Olympic Games in London.
The young people – who will be aged between
5 and 11 - taking part in the challenge will be
split into teams and then take part in a number
of track and field events with the aim of accumulating
points for their team.
Speaking about this new event - which runs from
10am until 3pm - PC Walters said: “Each
year we try to hold at least one large event to
bring youngsters from different local communities
together and get them involved in different types
of activities. It has been proven that sport can
be a good way of breaking down barriers and obviously
it also helps to promote healthier lifestyles
for those who participate.
“Local Policing Teams (LPTs) have many
roles and responsibilities on their respective
beat areas and events like this are aimed at fostering
trust within our communities and showing people
that their LPT will do what they can to guide
young people in a positive way.
“Past events like this have led to several
community projects that have been sustained over
the past two years and, together with our partners
such as the local Parish Council and Telford &
Wrekin Council, we have since been able to provide
free diversionary activities, 3 times a week,
for young people locally.
“We are all really looking forward to this
event and I’m confident that all the young
people that take part will have a great day. This
again provides us with a great opportunity to
engage with young people from our ward and hopefully
the event with help develop a healthy respect
between ourselves and the younger element within
the community we serve.”
Reducing anti-social behaviour is a high priority
for West Mercia Police. Our aim is to raise awareness
of the impact anti-social behaviour can have on
others and encourage communities to respect and
tolerate each other.
A pioneering scanning service to improve access
to professional healthcare support and advice
has been launched in Sutton Hill.
The Sutton Hill Scanning Project is designed to
bring scanning services out to the community and
ensure more women are able to have scans by the
12th week of pregnancy. Advice on pregnancy, health,
screening and needs assessments are also carried
out.
The service is based at the Surestart Childrens
Centre, and is the result of partnership work
between The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS
Trust, Telford & Wrekin Council and Sutton
Hill Children’s Centre. Funding was provided
by NHS Telford and Wrekin.
Women accessing this service can receive a full
range of support and advice thanks to the Trust’s
scanning departments being run by midwives who
have a duel role as sonographers.
Cathy Smith, Head of Midwifery at the Trust, said:
“This innovative project has been made possible
thanks to the hard work and dedication of the
staff from the Trust, Telford & Wrekin Council
and Sutton Hill Children’s Centre.
“This is a valuable service for the community
and provides a real benefit to families by giving
them access to these important services closer
to home.”
Councillor Stephen Burrell, Telford & Wrekin
Council’s cabinet member for children and
young people, said: “This is a great example
of agencies working together to benefit the community.
The new service will enable residents in Sutton
Hill to have more scans and access free advice
and all of that is clearly a positive.”
The Trust has always strived to put families first
and in the past taken portable scanning machines
out to community settings, but this had to stop
when the equipment being used was not deemed suitable
for today’s scanning purposes.
The vision for the Sutton Hill Scanning Project
started in 2007 when Lesley Adams, senior midwife
at Wrekin Maternity Unit, and Christine Murray,
Manager of the Surestart Centre in Sutton Hill,
began working together to bring midwives out to
the centre.
This resulted in the creation of a one-stop shop
providing a raft of benefits for both families
and the local health community. By having the
scan appointments and booking service together
this service can help to boost the number of people
being seen by the 12-week point, and helping more
vulnerable families to attend appointments that
otherwise may have been missed due to issues such
as transport problems.
Due to the early success of this project it has
been shortlisted as a finalist in the annual Trust
Awards, which will take place alongside the Trust’s
annual general meeting on 5 August 2010.
The Hive music and media centre in Shrewsbury
town centre has an exciting array of puppet shows
for children this year – and yet again,
they are proving very popular!
On Tuesday 3rd August, the Krazy Kat Theatre
Company will be presenting a thrilling take on
the classic childrens favourite Little Red Riding
Hood. Suitable for three to seven year olds and
grown-ups too, the show starts at 2pm and there
are still a handful of tickets available, at £6.50
for adults and £4.50 for children.
If you can’t make Little Red Riding Hood,
the highly renowned Sea Legs Theatre group are
performing an innovative take on Peter & the
Wolf on Tuesday 10th August, where this traditional
tale will burst into life! Again, tickets are
reasonably priced at £6.50 for adults and
£4.50 for children, with the show starting
at 2pm.
For something a little different, the Hive suggests
Journey of Turtle on Tuesday 17th August at 2pm,
for an interactive educational experience about
these fascinating creatures! Or alternatively,
come along on Tuesday 24th August for the last
show of the season – with Amazing Mr Noah!
Tickets for both these shows are also priced at
£6.50 for adults and £4.50 for children.
To book tickets for any of the shows whilst they’re
still available, contact the Hive on 01743 234970
or come and see us in the town centre, at 5 Belmont.
More information about the Hive’s wide variety
of events and activities can be found on the website,
www.hiveonline.org.uk.
Damage has been caused to the door of a youth
project building in Whitchurch, leading police
to appeal for anyone with information to contact
them.
Although not seriously damaged, a side door at
Centre North East Youth Project in Bridgwater
Street was targeted between about 7pm on Tuesday
and 8am Wednesday.
No entry was gained and the incident is being
treated as vandalism rather than an attempted
break-in.
Teenagers in Much Wenlock are set to hold
a ‘Dig Day’ on a new bike track they
are building with the support of two world-ranking
downhill mountain bikers.
Members of Wenlock Bikers, made up of young people
from the town and surrounding areas, are almost
three-quarters of the way towards completing the
course, which has been made possible due to partnership
working between the police and the National Trust.
And in the meantime, funding has been secured
for the group to use the town’s Edge Adventure
complex to hone their skills over the summer holidays,
while work is ongoing.
Police Constable Stuart Lippitt, Local Policing
Officer for the area, said the group could access
the site of the new downhill track anytime but
a special ‘dig day’ had been set up
for Sunday 1st August.
“They have put a huge amount of work into
this and are just starting to ride some parts
of the track which have been finished, learning
the best lines to take to negotiate the course,”
he said.
“Although the dig day has been set aside,
many of them have continued to work on it over
the summer holidays and, once complete, it will
be a new facility for anyone to use in the town.”
Wenlock Bikers continues to grow as a group and
has attracted support from two professional downhill
mountain bikers - downhill racer Matt Simmonds
and rider Jessica Stone.
“Both of these have world ranking status
and it has been a huge boost for Wenlock Riders
to get such backing,” added PC Lippitt.
The project is being highlighted as part of West
Mercia’s ‘Respect Week’ and
aims to promote the range of measures that the
force and our partners have in place to address
and reduce anti-social behaviour.
Our aim is to raise awareness of the impact anti-social
behaviour can have on others and encourage communities
to respect and tolerate each other.
Communities can play an active role in identifying
and reducing ASB by providing us with valuable
information about what is happening in their area.
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