Ridgeway Ramblings for August by Mike Preston.

It’s the summertime or so it should be, I guess this turns our thoughts to summer events in my youth this involved going to the swimming baths, in my case at Cossington Street in Leicester. Don’t things change, we now have our newly refurbished Leisure centre in South Charnwood.
Leisure Centre Community Panel
Currently the Borough Council manage the South Charnwood Leisure Centre. The Council has two other centres one in Mountsorrel and in second at Loughborough, both are run by SERCO. Charnwood Borough Council is undertaking a retendering project for the management and operation of its three leisure centres. We are seeking members of the community, both users and non users, of the leisure centres to form a Community Reference Panel that will act as a ‘sounding board’ to give guidance and vital input into the re-letting of the contract. The Community Reference Panel requires 12 volunteers who will reflect diverse age, gender, ethnicity, users of each centre and non users from the local community. The Panel will meet on Wednesday 11th August 2010 from 5.30pm to 8.00pm at the Council Offices in Loughborough and will also meet again at some point in 2011.
If you have a view on what makes good leisure centre provision; can identify what’s important to include in the new contract and help guide on priorities in evaluating the tenders, please contact Kevin Stanley on 01509 634593 or email kevin.stanley@charnwood.gov.uk by Friday 30th July 2010 if you would like to take part. Even if you cannot make this date then please let Kevin have your comments so they can be included in the consultation.
£100,000 Cash Boost
A £100,000 cash boost will enable more people to become involved in and enjoy Charnwood’s countryside and green spaces. The Borough Council has been given money from Natural England, as part of its Access to Nature programme which is funded by the Big Lottery Fund’s Changing Spaces Programme, so it can work more closely with communities and encourage them to make the most of the area’s natural places. Two Access to Nature Officers have been recruited to work with Leicestershire County Council, the Natural Forest Company, the Woodland Trust, Human Rights and Equalities Charnwood, Loughborough Council of Faiths, Charnwood Arts and the council’s Play Rangers and Guided Walks Scheme to organise community initiatives at sites across the Borough.
These will include nature-based activities such as new volunteering opportunities and arts and community events. There will also be nature-based activities for young people such as bush craft and conservation work, as well as health and educational walks. The Access to Nature Officers will also work closely with Leicestershire County Council and the Woodland Trust. The council will also team up with Leicestershire County Council to extend the popular all-terrain Mobility Scooter Scheme, currently running at the Outwoods, to include other sites in the area.
Leicestershire Attractions By Bus
The 2010 edition of the ‘Leicestershire Attractions by Bus’ guide is packed full of information about exciting places to visit and how to get there by bus. The 56-page booklet, published by the County Council, includes offers of discounted entry and information about over 60 tourist hotspots such as Snibston Discovery Museum, Stonehurst Family Farm, Conkers and Tropical Birdland. This year’s ‘Big Book of Bus Fun’ is a free, 32-page guide containing fun and games and loads of activities to keep children occupied during the holidays. Bus travel is a great way to start your day out, especially as 95 per cent of county residents now have access to at least one bus every hour. The Leicestershire Attractions by Bus guide features up-to-date information on bus services across the county. To get a free copy visit www.leics.gov.uk/fun_by_bus where it is available to download now, call 0116 305 0002 or e-mail funbybus
Charnwood Borough Council to Review Spending Plans
In light of the recent Budget announcements of reductions in central Government expenditure the Borough Council is reviewing its spending plans for future years. Detailed information on the direct effects on Charnwood’s support from Government will not be known until the middle of October when the Government announces the outcome of the Spending Review. Nevertheless the Council is developing plans based on funding projections over the Summer to ensure it is in a good position to act promptly when the details are revealed. Whilst the Council is in a sound financial position due to the action taken during the past year to make significant savings. It is important that we start planning now because we know that further significant reductions will have to be made over the next couple of years. This means that some tough decisions will have to be made if we are to maintain key front line services to our communities.