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WILFORD COMMUNITY GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2004 |
Wilford Community Group was formed in November 2002 following a public meeting at Wilford Church Hall in September 2002.
The Group is registered with Nottingham City Council Housing Department, which allows us representation on the Clifton & Wilford area Committee.
The present Committee consists of nine members:-
Roger Steel, Acting Chair
Sheila Hatherton, Treasurer
Josie Foster
David Boulton
Brian hardy
Brian & Kate Clark
Jonathan Shewell- Cooper
Mike Cathcart.
Roger Steel became Acting Chair following the resignation from this post by David Boulton due to work commitments.
Brain Hardy was elected at the last AGM.
Our constitution allows for up to 20 members and if you would like to play your part in representing the residents of Wilford, please do not hesitate to join us tonight.
Simply fill in a nomination form and you will be welcomed wholeheartedly by the Group.
Under the constitution the Committee will stand down and will need to stand for
Re-election at this AGM.
Roger Steel represented the Group at the Area Committee meetings.
Two main topics predominated:-
(1) The new John Ryle Health Centre Complex at Clifton which will serve the residents of Wilford (now under construction).
(2) The plethora of complaints in respect of the traffic calming measures (road humps) introduced at Clifton (ongoing reviews).
We successfully installed two community notice boards – allowing us to display valuable information for Wilford residents. One at Co-op and one Main Road, Wilford at the end of Bee Bank.
SOME OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS RESULTING FROM THE ACTIVITY OF YOU COMMITTEE.
Daffodils along the Bee Bank.
Bluebells under the Horse Chestnuts opposite the “Village Shop”.
Residents lobbied for a footpath along the flood bank between Looking Good and The Sewage Station. This has now been completed with planting to screen adjacent homes is imminent.
Severn-Trent are now doing regular maintenance to reduce the increase in complaints from local residents of the smells emanating therefrom.
Noise and disturbance continue to be a problem for locals, but the police are aware and taking measures to restrict access such as Looking Good and the Bee Bank special deterrent gates.
A donation of £100 was agreed towards a Tree Planting Scheme in the school grounds.
A WCG stall was instigated at The Rotary Club event for fundraising purposes.
The Group commented on various planning applications for housing developments such as David Wilson Homes (granted), Fittings House (rejected) and the recent proposal for Looking Good (deferred/re-submission).
The Group have had various meetings and ongoing representations with NET I respect of 3 main concerns identified by residents.
In order of priority:-
(1) The tram should run to the east side of the existing embankment for the full length between Coronation Avenue and Wilford Lane.
WCG have been unable to receive any explanation from NET or councillors or Council Officers/Members as to why the current proposals identify a 450 metre length of the embankment behind Bader Road being reduced in height for tram use.
(2) The re-siting of the tram stop near the Ferry Inn, which it is felt will create traffic parking chaos in this part of Wilford Village. Residents feel that a “Residents Parking Scheme” is unacceptable, with the attendant problem of enforcement.
The Nottingham Modems Rugby Club will be severely affected having “lost” the parking currently available on the Toll Bridge access road. This too will seriously affect residents in this area. WCG will offer full support to NMRC to achieve a sensible solution to this potential problem
(3) The installation of an alternative/further stop at Bader Road which it is felt will allow more convenient tram access for a larger proportion of village residents, together with the proposed housing and school development on the east side of the embankment.
None of these tram priorities have yet come to fruition.
I identify further activities which have taken place since our year end in March, which I feel are too important not to mention at this public meeting.
Some of you will have seen the two male Street Wardens who cover Clifton/Silverdale/Wilford. They are here to help – please engage them if you have any specific concerns. The wardens were introduced to the Group a few months ago and confirmed that they will give us mobile phone numbers which we will display on the noticeboards.
A good response from residents helped to identify priorities.
The Bee Bank was a blot on Wilford’s image from the other side of the river (Queen’s Drive). This was cleaned off and now subject to regular inspection/removal.
With the removal last year of the yellow fluorescent school signs, Wilford now looks more appealing from both sides of the river.
Two large additional bins have been installed at the bus-stops either side of Wilford crossroads.
At the Pumping Station removed. Lockable barrier to be installed.
Other actions are outstanding/ongoing.
WCG acts has instigated initiatives to allow co-ordination of Neighbourhood Watch Schemes.
Currently two areas are operational, and we welcome any further approaches to extend the scheme to your area.
A very successful Open Gardens was held in June raising over £1100 for Marie Curie Cancer Care.
My thanks to Josie Foster and her Committee for all the hard work involved.
The actions of a local resident in reporting and liaising with PC Nigel Brown, resulted I a bike being seized and the end of that particular disturbance.
WCG have distributed guidance notes for residents in the areas predominantly affected: Main Road/Coronation Avenue/Vernon Avenue with relevant contact numbers.
Your Acting Chairman is in regular e-mail contact with PC Nigel Brown and I can report that various initiatives are underway to curb these bikers. Your support in registering/recording each and every event – as directed – is the key to stopping this disturbance.
THE FUTURE PRIORITIES?
WCG is here to represent you. Your views and ideas are important to us and communication is the key.
Our aim is to engage the whole community from Becket School to Emmanuel School.
Are you with us?
Are you willing to offer a little of your time to “make a difference”? To your local community?
Shall we have some fun?
Will you support us?
Newsletters are an essential means of communication. Will you deliver some to your street? Better still, give us the opportunity to send newsletters and up-to-date priority messages by email. Take copies for your immediate neighbours who do not have the facility. Make life easy!
Leave your email address tonight.
Or email WilfordCG@hotmail.com.
FOCUS: THIS IS WILFORD
We are intending to focus on “This is Wilford” as a means of bringing our community more closely together. We have a head start with an excellent website instigated and managed by David Boulton.
Thank you David for all your endeavours in this respect.
Have a look for yourselves, “thisiswilford.org.uk”.
So what is Wilford?
What does Wilford want?
Wilford is a long established community whose residents span all ages, a good proportion having resided here for many years – because we like it here!
The four schools in our locality all have increasingly excellent reputations – parents clamour to get into the catchment area. I can only see this as an increasing trend with the proposals for new build schools for Emmanuel and Becket.
We have a thriving local Church community.
Communication links with Nottingham City Centre, Train Station, local supermarkets, Nottingham East Midlands Airport and the M1 are excellent.
We are but a stone’s throw from open countryside, yet near enough to walk to the city centre.
We are relatively quiet and live in a pleasant environment, we are blessed with riverside walks.
Is this Idyll Wilford? Yes it is!
(Check us out on the website)
We would like to promote Wilford more through “this is Wilford” initiatives so that residents have more opportunities to participate.
We want to build upon the success of the Open Gardens day and have some interesting ideas for next year.
Will you open your garden?
Gleeds have offered the use of their lawns with marquees on a Sunday in June 2005.
What would you like to do there?
Charity event / Family Day / Garden Party / Midsummer Ball ?
The noticeboards could be used for a more local feel.
Residents photo-portraits – old and young.
Weddings.
Babies.
Where are conundrums?
Etc, etc, this list is endless.
The library has been identified as totally inadequate for present residents’ needs which are likely to increase with future housing by David Wilson Homes and, at the Chateau Site, etc. It is dilapidated, the roof leaks, and the facilities for our young people – computer terminals - totally inadequate and the part-time opening hours are most inconvenient and unsuitable.
Can we have your support to campaign for funding for a replacement library.
The demolished phonebox/postbox.
The WCG have been active in seeking a suitable replacement postbox. The old postbox was considered too small for business post and lacking in capacity – especially with the Bellway houses nearing completion.
The post office have offered to put a new type of pedestal box as replacement but this is considered totally inappropriate in a conservation area. WCG are campaigning for an old style red pillar box and a decision on this is eminent.
BT have indicated that they do not wish to replace the phonebox which they say was damaged beyond repair and uneconomic.
Whilst this red telephone box was a “landmark” in the middle of the conservation area, and environmentally compatible with its surroundings, much pressure needs to be applied to achieve a similar replacement. PC Nigel Brown has indicated that he feels it is essential from a safety point of view that a public payphone is re-instated here.
The support of local councillors and City Council Conservation Officers and possibly English Heritage will probably be required to get BT to change their views. Although this is a decision open to the BT managers discretion.
Your new Committee awaits your answers.
Please feel free to contribute to tonight’s opportunity.
Finally, I will now request your acceptance and approval of the content of this report.