West Area Committee Award Presentation

On Wednesday 31st March myself and a couple of committee members attended the presentation of the ceremonial cheques for our application for funds for a community cohesion project.

These awards are created for the individual Councillors budgets to make a positive impact in the communities they represent. The application form for these awards are simple and give access to funds to community groups from a wide selection of society without having to go through some of the normal complicated processes required to obtain funding for the projects involved.

This year we have applied to take members of the estate on a day trip to Skegness by either train or bus depending on the level of interest from residents.

Here's hoping the day we pick will have some sunshine.

West Area Community Chest Award

I've received a letter (23rd Feb) to say we have been successful in our application for funds from the Community Chest Award.

The application was to take residents from the estate on a community trip to the seaside on the train.

Hopefully it will be as successful as last years Nottingham Forest and Leicester City football match we all attended but on this occasion not as many people can go.

We will have to start organising the event and getting applications from residents as soon as we have the money if we are to fit it in this year.

All good fun.

Ainsley Area Residents Association - Meeting 6th January 2010

Present:

Anthony Kelly (Chairman)

Michael Thomas (Secretary), Christine Thomas (Treasurer), Eve Earley, Chris Earley,

Brian Bird, Roger Codling

In Attendance:

Councillor Gary Long

Karen Coker (Head Teacher, Robert Shaw School)

Susan Ward-Rice (NAO, Nottingham City Council)

1. Apologies

Lynn Thompson, Councillor Alex Foster

2. Matters Arising from the Previous Minutes

These were agreed as a true record.

Robert Shaw Playing Field

Is open and we have been informed is being used. We are currently waiting for a bin installation, which has been ordered and some signage. There has been a small issue of fly tipping which needs to be kept and eye on. There was also an email circulated about travellers being move on from a site somewhere else in the city so for residents to be vigilant.

3. Robert Shaw Playing Field Future Development and Funding.

Future development for the field would hopefully include the installation of some equipment. There are various sources of funding to which Residents Associations can make applications. Some require bid matching, some don’t. Susan agreed to collect some information regarding the variety of sources available.

There was also a group called Groundworks that can help with voluntary work to help develop the field. Susan was to ask them if they could attend the next meeting to explain what they can do for us.

Action: Susan Ward-Rice

4. Goal / Development Ideas for 2010

Committee members are ask to think of any developments or issues they would like to see taken forward during the next year.

Robert Shaw 60^th Birthday

Karen informed the meeting that the school would be reaching its 60^th birthday celebration and had plans to hold various events including a street party if possible. Karen asked if investigations could be made in to the availability of the street party option.

Action : Councillor Long

5. Any Other Business

Western Boulevard Underpass

There seems to have been a collection of litter in the underpass. Councillor Long would raise this with the Streetscene department.

Action : Councillor Long

Dorothy Grove Cut-through

The extremely icy condition of the cut-through was raised. The meeting was informed that given the limited resources available and the need to grit before the ice appears this issue was unlikely to be solved.

Allotments – Composting Toilet

Councillor Foster asked that the meeting be informed about Oakfield Special School having an allotment at the rear of Northdown Road / Grassington Road. The School wanted to install a composting toilet so facilities were available for the children to use. Although the exact location of the allotment was not known, no objection was raised from the committee members.

Aspley Lane / Western Boulevard

There is currently an unused allotment of the corner of these roads where small trees and privet have overgrown intruding in to the pathway and cycle path. This problem is complex because of the private nature of the allotment and locating the owner to pay for any work the council would carry out. A couple of committee members expressed an interest in doing some remedial work if they had time to try and remedy some of the problem.

6. Date of Next Meeting.

Wednesday 3rd March 2010 at 6pm Robert Shaw School

Community Visit to Nottingham Forest Match

Following the grant from the West Area Committee as group of residents spent the afternoon on a community cohesion trip to a Nottingham Forest match on Saturday 5th December.

Twenty seven residents went in total to the match played against Leicester City. This was the first time some had been to a football match played in the major leagues.

It was a very exciting game to go and see with nearly a 30,000 crowd attending and a pitch walk by the Mercer Regiment who had currently finished a tour of duty in Afganistan.

In the end Forest managed to thrash Leicester City 5 - 1 which made the day even more enjoyable.

Another grant has been applied for to enable the residents of the estate to visit Skegness on a day trip by train during the summer months. We shall have to see if we are successful

Ainsley Area Residents Association - Meeting 4th November 2009

Ainsley Area Residents Association

Held Wednesday 4^th November 2009

6pm Robert Shaw Primary School

Present:

Anthony Kelly (Chairman)

Michael Thomas (Secretary), Christine Thomas (Treasurer), Lynn Shepherd, Chris Earley, Jo Bride, Brian Bird, Peter Dixon

In Attendance:

Councillor Gary Long

Councillor Alex Foster

Karen Coker (Head Teacher, Robert Shaw School)

Susan Ward-Rice (NAO, Nottingham City Council)

1. Apologies

Roger Codling

2. Matters Arising from the Previous Minutes

These were agreed as a true record.

David Lloyd Leisure Centre

Following a letter to David Lloyd a response was received thanking the committee for bringing the Grassington Road part of their property to their attention. Members of staff from the centre cleared the existing litter and they had asked their gardening company to trim back the vegetation. At the time of this meeting it looks as though this work has been carried out.

Grab-a-Grand Competition

The association was unsuccessful in its attempt to be shortlisted for this competition but Robert Shaw was. Robert Shaw Primary School was the winner within Area 3. Congratulations to the school for winning.

Football Match Community Event

Applications were received from residents of the estate and on this occasion there are sufficient funds from last year’s community chest application to send everyone to the match that applied. Tickets for the match are on general sale from the 21^st November. The Secretary will go to purchase the tickets at this time and it was agreed to distribute the tickets to the residents a day or 2 before the match.

Action : Michael Thomas

Arbrook Drive

Given the relatively small amount of traffic that would seem to be using Arbrook Drive, possibly as a cut through, an official traffic survey is unlikely to take place. There is always the possibility of the residents conducting a mini-survey in traffic volume themselves at the times they feel are the worst during the day.

3. Robert Shaw Playing Field Updates

With a great effort from the Karen, Susan, Gary and Alex the field has now been opened. The meeting has been informed that the field has started to be used already and Karen told the meeting that it already seems to be having a positive impact on the reduction in the illegal use of the school grounds.

A combined litter and dog waste bin is on order as well as a new sign for the gates and a notice sign for the school informing anyone thinking of using the school grounds that the field is now open.

A litter pick has been initially done around the entrance which seems to have been litter exposed following the ground works. Brambles near the entrance have been cut to the floor and one of the committee was hoping to try and remove these stumps this Saturday afternoon to neaten the area up further dependant on the weather. Any helpers would be welcome on any weekend.

4. West Area Committee Community Chest Application

A few suggestions were put forward for the application for this years Community Chest grant application. The closing date is 27^th November. It was agreed that the Secretary would put together a costed application from the previous year’s ideas or this years suggestions.

Action : Michael Thomas

5. Any Other Business

No other business was raised.

6. Date of Next Meeting.

Wednesday 6^th January 2010 at 6pm Robert Shaw School

A Bit More Work

The grounds people have done the best job they can so far with the field given the state that it was in. Whilst I was there at least 15 different children and a couple of Adults came on the field to use it and we have been informed that illegal use of the School grounds has dropped significantly which is fantastic.

Hopefully we can get some goal posts on soon and sort out the insurance issue regarding these. Who would have thought that had to be so exacting.

Whilst not essential to the use of the field, one of the Residents Association cleared up a bit of the debris where the brambles had been removed and cleared the entrance up some more to give them field a more inviting feel. A lot of the debris has been moved but while a couple of stumps were removed they are a little challenging to get rid of so this is a job for another day with a sharp spade.

It was gratifying that while the committee member was working several of the youngsters on the field were wanting to help out. They level of assistance they offered was debatable given their young age but the thought was there.

Southfield Road Playing Field

Thanks to a large amount (10 years) of effort by Robert Shaw Primary School, local Neighbourhood officers and the local Lib Dem Councillors the Southfield Road Playing Field is finally open again.

At the moment a significant square has been cut to enable football to be played on a marked mini-pitch. The ground is in an OK condition but now it is being maintained again hopefully it will start to recover and reach a better condition.

The entrance has been improved and cleared to enable access and as I was passing saw one young lad venturing on to have a look.

The company have cut away significant amount of brambles close to the entrance but hopefully with some assistance from other members of the Residents Association we can litter pick and weed this area to remove the remaining stumps and flatten the ground a bit more.

In the years to come, hopefully, with more council and school assistance we can make further improvements now that the ground work has been completed.

A big thank you to everyone involved.