Ridgeway Ramblings from Mike Preston

September 2009
Welcome to my ramblings for September, I have had a busy 3 months in my new job at Charnwood but generally things are going well. We have introduced a new waste contract, I hope you have had a good experience of the new contractors so far. As I usually say at this time of year many people will be looking towards doing a course at the local college. Why not try something new? What about Painting be it watercolour or your house? I am sure there are courses in both areas.

South Charnwood Leisure Centre
I was present at the topping out ceremony of the new Charnwood Leisure Centre, which will be reported in the main paper. I would however like to say one or two things about the project so far. Internal work is now underway and the £3.1m project is still running to cost and is expected to open ahead of schedule in early September. A new gym and dance studio featuring the very latest equipment as well as new changing rooms and additional car parking spaces are being constructed as part of the scheme.
If you are interested in signing up for swimming or the gymnasium then you can do so at the temporary office which is now open on the school playing fields in front of South Charnwood Leisure Centre. There are some great deals on offer and further details can be obtained by calling into the office between 12 noon and 8pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 2pm on Saturdays. Alternatively, call (0116) 264 0057 and speak to Kevin Stanley or Helen Bird. Further details about the work taking place at South Charnwood Swimming Pool, and other leisure facilities in the Borough, are available by logging on to www.charnwood.gov.uk/pages/leisure .

Social Housing Energy Saving Program
The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has this week announced that Charnwood Neighborhood Housing and Charnwood Borough Council have been successful in their bid for £1,062,500 to insulate 1,250 homes over 2 years. Charnwood is one of only three social landlords in the East Midlands to receive this funding to help insulate social homes, reducing fuel bills for tenants and cutting carbon emissions. The Social Housing Energy Saving Programme (SHESP), first announced in April’s 2009 Budget, will provide cavity wall insulation for thousands of homes. The initiative forms part of the government’s Housing Stimulus Package. The funding, payable over two years, is expected to insulate up to 110,000 difficult-to-fill homes. It is anticipated that works will start this summer.The funding made available will achieve a number of aims:

• an increase in the number of homes that have cavity insulation
• an overall improvement in the SAP (energy) ratings
• a reduction in carbon emissions.

Community Composting
Community composting is an innovative way of enabling residents to collectively compost their household green waste, including grass cuttings, flowers and prunings. Leicestershire Waste Partnership is seeking to support two or three small scale Community Composting projects across the county (excluding Leicester City) and is inviting any group that is interested to request an expression of interest form.
For further information about community composting and to request an expression of interest form, please contact Sally Kilbourne on 0116 305 5749 or email sally kilbourne@leics.gov.uk . The deadline for receiving completed forms is 4pm on Wednesday 16th September.
A shortlist of projects will then be selected from the forms received with successful projects being given the chance to apply for funding of between 50 -70 per cent to cover their initial set up and running costs over the first 12 months. The Community Composting scheme is open to any established community group within Leicestershire, including allotment societies, Parish Councils, charities or environmental groups.

Contact Details:
If you want to get into contact with me then please use one of the following methods:
Telephone: 01664 424647    Fax  01664 424647 (Please Telephone First)
E-Mail Mike@mepreston.com  or Try www.telmike.com