All posts in Ridgeway Ramblings

February 2010 The results of the cold weather are showing up the damage to the roads and the current financial situation is being addressed in a number of ways. I have given some details of some of the activities to address both these problems. Pot Holes Highway patrols are out and about fixing pot holes across Leicestershire after the big freeze. Now that temperatures are increasing and ice and snow has melted away, the number of pot holes on the roads is expected to rise. To make sure that the highway network is in top condition, the County Council is out inspecting the roads but is also encouraging the public to report any they spot. Pot holes form as water enters the tiny cracks in the road surface and freezes. As water expands when it freezes, this forces the tiny cracks to open up and break open a pot hole, this is compounded further by vehicles passing over it. The County Council spend on average £300,000 filling pot holes every year. Highway inspectors are busy inspecting the County’s roads but reports are always welcome via the web site www.leics.gov.uk or on 0116 305 0001, leaving details of the location. Project To Reduce Energy Consumption From Street Lights Leicestershire County Council currently own and maintain 66,000 street lights and 12,000 illuminated signs. The Council has an ambitious programme to reduce our carbon emissions by 30% by 2014. One of the ways we will be able to achieve these targets is to reduce the level of street lighting we provide across the County. In addition we are now using low energy bulbs when installing a new street light or undertaking lantern replacements on existing street lights. They provide a similar level of illumination while reducing energy consumption by about 30%. We are also removing illumination from signs wherever we are able, whilst still ensuring we comply with government regulations. We will be dimming some of the brightest lights on our main roads between 10.00pm and 7.00am, and switching off some lights completely in rural areas or in other locations where there are no houses fronting on to the roads. We will also be part-night lighting streets in residential areas, switching lights off between midnight and 5.30am, in consultation with local communities. The emergency services support these proposals in principle and will be consulted on all proposals. We estimate that these plans will reduce our current carbon dioxide emissions by up to 3000 tonnes per year, that’s 23% of our total street lighting emissions, equivalent to the carbon used to boil 277 million cups of tea!. Of course this project is all about saving Council tax-payers money too, and we calculate it will save up to £700,000 per annum. Take Care A carelessly dropped cigarette end has cost a Loughborough man more than £450 in fines and legal fees. Charnwood Borough Council took action against 52-year-old George Clarke, of Manor Drive, after he was caught littering in the town’s Southfield Road last August. He was ordered to pay a £175 fine, £276.38 in costs and a £15 victim surcharge by Loughborough Magistrates on Tuesday 2nd February, after he failed to pay a fixed penalty notice issued by a street warden who witnessed the incident. Litter is a huge problem. If everyone put their litter in the bin it would save millions of pounds a year and make communities look and feel better. Capita to deliver £3 million in savings to the Council New technology and new processes will provide a seamless service to the customer. Charnwood Borough Council announces that it has signed a 10 year partnership with Capita Local Government Services for the administration of the Council’s benefits and revenues service. The contract is worth £22.5 million and commenced on 1st February 2010. Capita was selected as Charnwood’s preferred partner in 2009. The contract is expected to deliver £3 million in savings to the Council by leveraging Capita’s existing expertise in efficient service delivery. Capita will provide a new ICT infrastructure and invest in new technology to improve processes at the Council, including smart solutions. This will enable front and back office to access the same customer information, providing a seamless overview of each citizen and will enable more effective service delivery. The partnership transferred 67 employees from the Council to Capita and they will remain in the Loughborough area to ensure continuity of service. We are confident that this solution will improve service delivery to the residents of Charnwood and also help us meet the Council’s objectives. We said we would make Charnwood Borough Council more efficient and better for customers. Mike Preston 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