Ravenshead Parish Council & Leisure Centre

Ravenshead Parish Council- June 24, Newsletter report;

Ravenshead in Bloom and the Best Kept Village competition
Apologies for the typo in last month’s newsletter. Planting of the tubs in the precinct will take place on Saturday 1st June at 10.00am in preparation for the Best Kept Village competition, which will be judged during June. Whilst the County Council will be spraying the weeds that are beginning to grow at the edges of roads and pavements during the coming months, we would urge all residents to take a look at the front of their own property and give it a tidy before the judging commences. With everyone doing their little bit, we should be able to show off our fantastic village with it looking at its best.
Parish Council accounts
The Parish Council accounts have recently been the subject of both an internal and external audit and have once again passed with flying colours. Thank you to Belinda Kalka, our RFO (Responsible Finance Officer) and Parish Clerk for keeping our finances in such good order. The accounts are available for public inspection and a summary will be placed both on our website and on the Parish council noticeboard in the precinct. Inspection is by appointment only, Monday 3rd June- Friday 12th July.
Annual Parish Meeting
As previously advertised, the Annual Parish meeting was held on 20th May. In addition to a report being delivered on the activities of the Council in the preceding twelve months, it was also an opportunity for residents to ask any questions. Thank you to the residents who attended and participated. It must be assumed that as no other issues were raised, other residents must be happy with the running of the Parish Council!!
Leisure Centre Refurbishment- Update
The final costings were recently approved by the Parish Council and we expect work to commence in August and take around six months to complete. Once we have met with the site manager, we will be able to update users of any closures, which we hope to keep to a minimum.
Martin Smith
Chairman, Ravenshead Parish Council

Please click the link below for the latest Chairman's Report at Ravenshead Annual Parish Meeting held on Monday 20th May 2024.

www.ravensheadpc.org.uk

Who is joining us this week??? We will be working on an easy to follow dance routine, increasing our heart rate, oxygen flow, releasing happy hormones, and maybe magically, bringing summery weather 😁🤞☀️

Despite the conditions outside, the vibes for this week are sunshine, joy and a happy feeling 😍💃😎

Get your dancing shoes on, and join us:
Wednesday - 9:30 am - Ravenshead Parish Council & Leisure Centre
Wednesday - 6 pm - Anytime Fitness Mansfield (members only)
Thursday - 9:30 am - The Acacia Centre
Thursday - 7 pm - Summit Centre, Kirkby-in-Ashfield

See you there! 😀🤩🥳💃

RPC would like to thank everyone for taking the time to send in letters of support for the upgrade to the Haddon Road Playpark and the supporting comments on our social media. This all goes a long way to helping us gain financial help to provide the best facilities we can in the area. All your support has been submitted to the grant providers and we will keep you all updated on the outcome. 🤞 Thanks again 😁

Ravenshead Parish Council & Leisure Centre needs your help to restore the Haddon Road play park site to its full glory. Due to the recent inspection reports and high costs of repair, some items on the park will soon be totally removed. To replace these items before this happens we need your help. If you support Haddon Road park and enjoy time there or would return to the park if the standards were raised then please contact the office on [email protected] and show us your support. Without your support we won't get help from local grants which leaves us in danger of losing parts of the park. Many thanks in advance. RPC

Please register your attendance by email on [email protected]. Hopefully we will see some of you there RPC.

Ravenshead Parish Council

Childrens Play Parks
As previously mentioned, the Parish Council is very keen to both upgrade and replace ageing equipment on our three play parks. Thanks to a sizeable grant last year from a waste management company, we were able to replace a large piece of equipment at the Leisure Centre park. Our attention has now turned to the Haddon Road Park where there are two pieces, the Train and the Wendy House, which are now beyond repair. Again, we will be submitting a bid for funding but would welcome as part of the bid, any feedback from residents to support the application, please contact Parish Clerks at [email protected]

Ravenshead Litter Force
The March litter pick was unfortunately cancelled but there is another scheduled for 6th April. Regular members will be contacted but any further offers of help will be gratefully received. Please contact the Parish Clerks on 01623 490035 or [email protected] Two young people have recently offered to help with litter picking around the village as part of their Duke of Edinburgh’s award. Thank you to them.

Ravenshead in Bloom – help required
You will no doubt have seen the fantastic displays of crocuses around the village, primarily at road junctions, on the Ravenshead Common and on the Leisure Centre site. These have been planted by the St Peter’s eco group over the last two years, with the bulbs being kindly donated by the Rotary club. The planters around the village too, are looking fantastic and a big thanks goes out to all the helpers.
We are holding a short meeting for all existing and hopefully new volunteers who will plant, water and maintain our planters across the village. If you feel able to help in any way at all, the meeting will be on 10th April in the Lonergan Room at the Leisure Centre at 2.00pm. Tea/coffee and biscuits will be provided. Please contact the Parish Clerks if you require further details.

Ravenshead Post Office update
Whilst at the moment, the Sorting Office, based at the Post Office is secure, the concern has shifted to the viability of the Post office itself. Our Post Office may no longer be able to operate as a business unless more residents use it. There has been a steep decline in footfall since Christmas resulting in the reducing of opening hours. This has been put in place to reduce over heads. As always, use it or lose it.

New Tennis Court flood lights
New LED lights have recently been installed on our three tennis courts, resulting in much improved lighting as well as significantly reducing our energy consumption. For those who have not visited your village Leisure Centre recently, there are numerous activities and classes available for all ages. Our website is www.ravensheadleisure.co.uk

Leisure Centre driveway and car park
The Parish Council has been contacted recently about cars driving at excessive speed on the Leisure Centre driveway putting pedestrians in danger. We have been asked about installing both a footpath and lighting. Whilst that would be a nice project to undertake, the £25000 plus cost is unaffordable as well as being impossible as we do not own the driveway, we only have access rights. There are three other access points to the Leisure Centre site for pedestrians, one from Regina Crescent, again this path is not owned by the Parish Council. The other two short paths cross the Ravenshead Common from Swallow Crescent. Car drivers are urged not to exceed the 20mph speed limit on the drive and be on the lookout for pedestrians both on the driveway and in the car park.

Xmas Lights switch on 2024 – save the date
And finally, a date for your diary. The annual Christmas lights switch on will this year be held a few days earlier than usual, on Saturday 30th November at 5.00pm. Our previous food caterer is unable to attend this year and we are looking for perhaps a couple of different traders to stand on site that evening. If anyone has any suggestions or contacts, please do get in touch.

Martin Smith
Chairman, Ravenshead Parish Council

Childrens Play Parks
As previously mentioned, the Parish Council is very keen to both upgrade and replace ageing equipment on our three play parks. Thanks to a sizeable grant last year from a waste management company, we were able to replace a large piece of equipment at the Leisure Centre park. Our attention has now turned to the Haddon Road Park where there are two pieces, the Train and the Wendy House, which are now beyond repair. Again, we will be submitting a bid for funding but would welcome as part of the bid, any feedback from residents to support the application, please contact Parish Clerks at [email protected]

Ravenshead Parish Council- Chairman's Report.

Ravenshead Litter Force
Litter picking volunteers were out and about in the village on Friday 9th February and a further session is planned for Saturday 2nd March. Regular volunteers will be contacted with the details. However, if anyone else would like to offer two hours of their time to enhance our fantastic village, please contact the Parish Clerks on 01623 490035 or [email protected]
Council tax village precept
At our January Parish Council meeting, Councillors were presented with several options regarding setting a balanced budget for 2024/25. A unanimous decision was made to put forward a proposal to increase the village element of the council tax by a modest amount. For a typical Band D property, this will result in an increase by 5.3p a week or £2.79 a year, at 4.97%. With inflation still running considerably higher, particularly for utility bills, this was considered by Parish Councillors to be a necessary increase. As mentioned previously, no financial support is given from Gedling towards the cost of providing facilities within Ravenshead, this has to be found from the precept.
Parking issues
Ravenshead Parish Council is aware that there have been several posts made recently on Facebook about parking issues within the village. Comments have been made asking what the Parish Council is doing about it.
The Parish Council recognises that parking on pavements is a contentious issue, but space should always be left for pedestrians, double buggies and wheelchair/mobility scooters to pass, without being forced onto the road.
Enforcement is a police matter and as with all other policing issues, residents should, if necessary, voice their concerns by dialling 101. The Parish Council, will if notified, politely write to residents who routinely block pavements and if there is no improvement, contact the Police. This has happened recently with the Police speaking to tradesmen working at a property within the village.
As with all issues, let's try to think of others, particularly if there is a need to park on a pavement.
Despite numerous requests, pavements are still often difficult to navigate due to overgrown hedges. Please inspect your hedge and if it extends beyond your boundary, please cut it back.
GBC consultation
Gedling Borough Council has launched a consultation on its latest Equality and Diversity Policy and is inviting residents to have their say.
The policy sets out clearly the commitment that the council has to promote equality and diversity both within the organisation and through service delivery and how it aims to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and challenge inequalities.
To have your say visit www.gedling.gov.uk/haveyoursay.

Sinkholes update
As mentioned last time, our second sinkhole has been attended to by the Coal Authority and the football pitch is back in action. My hope, that was the last one we would encounter was unfortunately short lived, as another small one has appeared on pitch 1a. Again, prompt work from the Coal Authority has enabled the pitch to be back in use fairly quickly.
Street signs
Eagle eyed and observant residents, will have noticed that several missing or worn street signs have been replaced recently by Gedling BC staff. You may have also noticed that there is still a missing sign where Lea Road meets Church Drive. When the sign came to be installed, it was noticed that Lea was spelt Lee. The sign has now gone back to be altered. At least it wasn’t installed and left place!

Martin Smith
Chairman, Ravenshead Parish Council

See some of the activities available to join at Ravenshead Leisure Centre, and a selection of spaces available for a range of activities. RPC

Ravenshead Parish Council is aware that there have been a number of posts made recently on Facebook about parking issues within the village. Comments have been made asking what the Parish council is doing about it.
The Parish Council recognises that parking on pavements is a contentious issue, but space should always be left for pedestrians, double buggies and wheelchair/mobility scooters to pass, without being forced onto the road.
Enforcement is a police matter and as with all other policing issues, residents should, if necessary, voice their concerns by dialling 101. The Parish Council, will if notified, politely write to residents who routinely block pavements and if there is no improvement, contact the Police. This has happened recently with the Police speaking to tradesmen working at a property within the village.
As with all issues, let's try to think of others, particularly if there is a need to park on a pavement.

Gedling Borough Council has launched a consultation on its latest Equality and Diversity Policy and is inviting residents to have their say.
The policy sets out clearly the commitment that the council has to promote equality and diversity both within the organisation and through service delivery and how it aims to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and challenge inequalities.
To have your say visit www.gedling.gov.uk/haveyoursay.

We're back at Ravenshead Parish Council & Leisure Centre for more free music making sessions, promoting positive mental health throughout February and March 🤩🎸🪇🎶

Come and join us as we make music, together as a group. No musical experience is required but people of musical abilities are welcome. 18+

You can learn to play Drums, Guitar, Bass, Keyboards & Vocals. We will be learning popular songs, whilst learning instrument basics, designed help you quickly play along together as a band. Positive mental health and wellbeing are at the very core of our mission and these sessions are inspired by the fun and satisfaction of musical interaction with others 🥁

Sessions dates are - Mondays
🎼 February 19th & 26th
🎼 March 4th, 11th, 18th & 25th

Session times:
🎼 4.30 - 5.30pm
🎼 5.30 - 6.30pm

Contact: [email protected] for more information or to book your space.

🎶🥁🎸🪇🎤🎹

Chairman's Report.

Happy New Year
Happy New Year to all residents, from Ravenshead Parish Council.
Christmas lights switch on event
The Christmas lights switch on last December proved to be another huge success. In excess of 400 residents attended and Santa and the Round Table were kept very busy, handing out presents to over 150 children. The grotto, which was installed by the Scouts, was beautifully decorated inside once again by Stephen Reddish. Thank you to all those who attended, and in particular to my fellow Parish Councillors and staff for organising the event, alongside the Village Hall Management Committee. There was a great children's disco inside and the music outside was particularly enjoyed by the young children, especially when the artificial snow machines were operating. Thank you to the Vicar for the blessing and to Santa for switching the lights on. The bar and the mulled wine were very popular as were the hot drinks and mince pies served by the WI. The raffle income helped to offset some of the costs due to the fantastic prizes of hampers which were filled with donations from local businesses. We thank you all.
As mentioned previously, new lamp post lights and lights for the trees were purchased this year by the Parish Council. The consensus is that they were much improved on those previously rented from Gedling Borough Council. The village now owns its own lights with considerable savings in installation costs being possible in future years.
Leisure Centre Refurbishment
A further delay to the start date of the refurbishment has occurred whilst funding is sought. The cost of materials and labour has rocketed recently, which has meant a few changes to the plans have been necessary to ensure the costs remain within budget. Regular users will continue to be informed, but the start date for work to begin is expected to be 1st May.
Sinkholes
Users of the sports pitches will have noticed a small and large area cordoned off. Recently, two holes appeared in the pitches which required investigation by the Coal Authority. A crack in the bedrock was discovered which required sealing, back filling and turfing. Hopefully we will have no further issues.
Skatepark petition
At a recent meeting of the Parish Council, a resident attended asking for the reinstatement of the Skatepark. Residents will recall that it was removed due to the very expensive costs required to maintain it. In the last few years before it was dismantled, more than £22000 was spent on repairs. A large part of which was used to rectify vandalism To replace the skatepark with a concrete bowl, it would cost around £200,000, money which we do not have and could only be obtained by grants.
The Parish Council has always been clear with residents, that we have numerous spending priorities and constraints. At a recent Parish Council meeting, a medium- and long-term spending/funding strategy was agreed.
In priority order, it was agreed that funding should be sought for:
1. Leisure Centre refurbishment, phase 1.
2. Leisure Centre refurbishment phase 2
3. Haddon Road playpark. Replacement of equipment.
4. Abbey Gates playpark. Replacement of equipment.
5. Leisure Centre floodlighting. Replacement with LED lights.
6. Skatepark. Replacement of ramps.
7. Leisure Centre playpark. Refurbishment.
We are actively seeking funding from external sources and have been successful with some of these applications. As mentioned in a petition, conducted by residents, other areas have secured funding, often provided by the housebuilders working within their area. Fortunately, Ravenshead has not been faced with large scale development and only a small contribution from the Piper Homes development on Longdale Lane, was required for public open spaces.
The work required on the skatepark will be very costly and will be looked at in the order of priorities that has been identified. In the meantime, those young people who wish to skateboard have a number of alternative options within the local area.
If and when any funding does become available, we will consult residents.

Ravenshead Litter Force
The team will be resuming its regular litter picking sessions on 9th February and 2nd March. Please meet in the Hutt car park at 9.30am. Regular members will be contacted, but new volunteers are always very welcome. Please contact the Parish Clerks, details below.

Parish Council
Please remember that as volunteers we do our best to serve the residents of Ravenshead. We may not be the local authority responsible for services which you may need assistance with, however our Parish Clerks should be able to point you in the right direction. They can be contacted at [email protected] or on 01623 490035.

Martin Smith
Chairman, Ravenshead Parish Council

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