…….A team of youngsters undertook Restorative Justice yesterday on the park, picking litter in lieu of fines for various offences. In the company of two Neighbourhood Wardens they repaid their fines by way of litter-picking.

A good scheme, which has the added beneficial effect of teaching kids the error of their ways, whether it is under-age drinking, littering or other misdemeanour.

Friends of Peafield Park are hosting the Greenwood Friends Forum tomorrow so this litter pick in the park is well-timed; when we take our walk in the park, it will be good to show off how clean and tidy it is, so ‘thanks’ to the team of workers.

……..to be held on Peafields Estate could well be a sign that there is little crime in this area of Leeming Ward.

Sergeant Lindsay, PC Colley and PCSO Gilbert were available for consultations in the mobile station, which is equipped with tables and seating. A few residents turned up to show their support for our local force and children were thrilled to get the chance to look around the mobile station, but as for complaints, they were thin on the ground.

The date of the next surgery will be announced and if you have problems you wish to discuss you will get a friendly welcome.

……..Liberal Democrats in Mansfield have welcomed the launch of the Liberal Democrats’ vision for Britain by Party Leader Nick Clegg MP. Called ‘Make it Happen’, the paper will be debated at the party’s conference in Bournemouth in September.

In ‘Make it Happen’ the Liberal Democrats say:

• They will cut taxes for ordinary families
• If your local hospital can’t see you on time, they will pay for treatment elsewhere
• They will switch taxes from people to pollution - so it pays to go green
• To improve standards in education, they will fund extra help for those who need it most
• They will put Britain at the heart of Europe to make us a force for good in the world
• They will stop ID cards so we can keep control of our privacy
• They will change the voting system so everyone’s voice counts
• They will bring communities together with local people in charge
• They will give communities a say in how offenders pay for their crimes

No resident of Mansfield has escaped the rising cost of food and fuel. The credit crunch is biting hard and local people are feeling the pinch.

Nick Clegg has set out how we Liberal Democrats can help ordinary people through cutting the taxes of those on low and middle incomes. Thousands of people in Mansfield would benefit from this.

I am delighted to be able to back ‘Make it Happen’. It sets out how the Liberal Democrats will run Britain.

If you would like to join the Liberal Democrats, please see the column on the left of page or call me, for details.

…….are moving at a terrific rate. We now have a clear idea of what will be happening on  - 23rd August. Thanks to funding from various agencies we are able to provide an array of free activities for local children and their families

ALL THESE ACTIVITIES ARE FREE!!!!! FREE!!!!!!FREE!!!FREE!!!!

Farm animals from White Post Farm,

2 Bouncy Castles,

Punch & Judy Show,

Story-telling with Puppetry,

Fairground ride,

Play tents,

Native American  Teepee,

Army vehicles (and Soldiers),

Fire Engine (& Firemen) ,

Police Car (and Officers),

Climbing Wall,

Taekwondo Display,

Nature Walks with a Forest Ranger and craft tent.

IF YOU WANT TO SPEND MONEY, there are stalls of all kinds and  food, ice creams and refreshments for sale.

 Official opening at 1pm by the Chairman of Mansfield District Council, Alan Fell and closes at 5pm.

……..but having arrived at 10.30 am to help set up the Navi Saheli stand, I thought it would be a non-starter. It was so cold and dreary, but the indomitable spirit of the locals rose to the challenge and the streets of Warsop were lined with people to watch the parade, led by Chairman of MDC, Alan Fell, wearing his chain of office.

On our stand we had a delicious array of Indian food and beautiful jewellery, displayed upon colourful saris. We are encouraging all ethnic groups, whether minority or majority to come and join us - we have a first class Luncheon Club on Tuesdays at Quakers Meeting House, Rosemary Street. 12.30 to 1.30. A 4 course vegetarian meal for £2.50, freshly cooked on the premises by Indian cooks.

There is a young sapling on Litton Road on the approach to Peafield School which has been stripped of all its bark, right up to its  lowest branches. (Double-click on the pic to enlarge it) If you saw who did this to this piece of Mother Nature’s art, contact me or the Police. This beautiful tree will now die and I think it is such a shame; I love trees with a passion (in fact on the quiet I am a bit of a tree-hugger!) and find it   difficult to sit on MDC’s Planning Committee and pass judgment on planning applications which involve the felling of trees. However, as a responsible member of the Committee I have to apply the planning considerations by which we are bound by law and bear in mind the rules set out by Central Government.

It’s not an easy task, I might add but it’s one that has to be done, like it or not.

….and in attendance were the Chairman of Mansfield District Council, Alan Fell, the manager of Mansfield CVS, Alan Lloyd along with Sarah Clerkson of NCC Grant Aid Fund.

After the meeting, during which I was elected as acting Chairman, there was a wonderful buffet, prepared by the kitchen staff at Navi Saheli, Mrs Joashi and myself, with help from the teacher of special needs at Brunts, Jenny and two of her pupils, John and Stephanie. The next meeting will be held at 6pm on July 25th, at the Quakers Meeting House on Rosemary Street.

Navi Saheli will be at Warsop Carnival on Sunday, with a display and an invitation to join the group or have lunch at the Tuesday luncheon Club, where freshly cooked- on -the -premises Indian vegetarian food is served.

In the company of MDC’s Corporate Director for Customer Services, Community Safety and Regulatory Services, I met with two representatives of Clearsprings, the property management firm tasked by the Government to provide homes for those offenders  who have been released early from prison or persons who are awaiting trial.

The meeting certainly allayed fears I had about an influx of large numbers of ne’er do wells in the district. The people to be housed are perpetrators of what are considered to be low-level crimes. There will be no-one in these homes who has been convicted of arson, sexual assault, violence or paedophilia. The type of crimes that will have been committed by people who need accommodation are petty car crime, shop lifting and the like.

Any who have a drug or alcohol addiction,  have to make a commitment to supported rehabilitation schemes and in addition will be tagged under the Home Detention Curfew scheme.

There are currently no sites in Mansfield identified for use by Clearsprings, contrary to reports.

…a scheme run by Mansfield District Council;   officers give illustrated talks to other officers and elected members. I attended the session yesterday which was given by Mark Wilkinson, the council’s Conservation Officer. He told us about Mansfield’s past and showed wonderful pictures of the old Mansfield- the number of lovely old buildings of character that had been obliterated by savage demolition to make way for fashionable faceless concrete monstrosities in the sixties and seventies was staggering. These buildings that were so under-valued when they were standing are only now receiving well-deserved praise. There is a picture of ‘Lost Mansfield’  (c1823) available at the Museum and other historical pictures are held by The Old Mansfield Society.

It’s very true that we ‘don’t know what we’ve got till it’s gone’

….took place yesterday and in the company of  Jayne Parsley, M/W Housing Officer, Pete Healey of Street Cleansing, Councillor Jill Usher and resident, Bill Hurt, I took a walk about the estate. I am happy to report that the estate looks reasonably clean and tidy. There were a few ‘grot spots’ which we made note of and the odd bit of fly-tipping but over-all the general opinion was that there is an improvement in the condition of the place we call home.

The approval for the fencing works around Charlesworth Court has been given the go-ahead, so work should be starting soon. This will give a degree of privacy to the residents in the flats and hopefully will go some way to reducing the incidence of anti-social behaviour against residents.