FOCUS www.PeterboroughLibDems.org.uk

SOUTH WERRINGTON and NORTH GUNTHORPE RESIDENTS’ NEWSLETTER

“Working All Year Round”

Edition: 75

39

TEAM CONTACT DETAILS:

Councillors: Darren Fower and Julia Davidson Text or call Darren’s mobile: 0796 184 91 10 Text or call Julia’s mobile: 0750 653 66 27 Email: SWNG_FOCUS @peterboroughlibdems.org.uk Ward website: www.campaigns. libdems.org.uk/SWNG Darren’s website: www.darrenfower. mycouncillor.org.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/SWNG. FOCUS.Team Post: Cllr Darren Fower or Cllr Julia Davidson, Town Hall, Bridge Street, Peterborough PE1 1HG

BUS SHELTERS NEEDED Local Liberal Democrat councillor Darren Fower has been contacted by

residents about the need for bus shelters in certain areas of the ward. So far the two areas that seem to be most in need of attention are the stop on The

Green, opposite Lewes Gardens, and the stop on Coniston Road, between

Ambleside Gardens and Campbell Drive.

Darren has had previous success in

introducing shelters to other well-used stops

in our area. He said:

"Getting the Tory council to spend money

on bus shelters used to be like getting blood

out of a stone. These days it’s like getting

blood out of a huge rock!

“However, the bus is the only real feasible

alternative to car reliance and thus reduction

in traffic, pollution and fines. The city

council and Stagecoach should therefore be

looking to make it as comfortable as possible.

“The first thing is to provide shelter from

the elements while passengers wait."

Darren says he intends to speak further with council officers and hopes to provide

an update on the shelters later in the year.

If you know of a location where a shelter is needed please phone, email or text

Darren or councillor Julia Davidson to tell them about it.

TACKLING MOTOR BIKES Local Liberal Democrat councillor Darren Fower recently spoke with

residents in Dukesmead who reported motor cycles and mopeds using the

footpath leading from Carron Drive through to Dukesmead. As a result Darren has paid several visits to the area and on one occasion even

deterred one moped rider from using the footpath.

Darren said: “Footpaths and cycleways are not

designed for motorised vehicles. Using motorbikes

and mopeds on these paths is dangerous.

“The footpath at Dukesmead is not the only place

where this occurs. During one cycle around the ward,

I was overtaken by a motorbike while I cycled along

the footpaths adjacent to Campbell Drive.

“I did try to stop the rider but the motorbike headed

off through Baron Court.

“I will be keeping an eye on the situation from now on and if people continue to

ride on the cycleways I'll take the appropriate action."

CAN YOU HELP? Could you spare an hour or so once a month to help

deliver FOCUS? We are looking for new volunteers to join our deliverers

in a few local streets. Please contact local councillors Darren or Julia.

WIN CASH AND HELP FOCUS! FOCUS is written and delivered by

volunteers but we have to pay for

printing. One way we raise money

is through the 100 Club which also

pays cash prizes to its members.

It costs just £1 per month. Half

the money received is paid out in

prizes – much better odds than the

National Lottery!

For details see our website at

www.peterboroughlibdems.org.uk

or talk to your local councillors.

“You wait for ages and then three bus shelters all turn up at once …. The Lib Dems hope to get shelters erected at several local stops.”

Printed by Keyprint, Peterborough PE3 7PR. Published and promoted for and on behalf of the Liberal Democrats by Peter Chivall, 88 Elmfield Rd, Peterborough PE1 4HB

DOG DIRT After being contacted by local

residents, Lib Dem councillor Darren

Fower has had dog dirt removed from

the footpath leading from Church

Street through to the recreational area. Darren said: "Often the issue along this

footpath is the overgrown foliage but

recently the amount of dog dirt increased.

Following contact from several residents, I

persuaded the council to clean it up.”

Darren is seeking to have more dog

waste bins placed in the recreational area

between Church Street and Warwick Road

as at present there is only one bin.

FACTS & FIGURES Every ten years the Office for National

Statistics (ONS) carries out a census to

find out about local neighbourhoods The latest census took place over a year

ago when ONS sent questionnaires to 25

million households. The first data from the

2011 census is now being published. You

can get the details from the council website

at www.peterborough.gov.uk.

But here are some interesting statistics

for the South Werrington and North

Gunthorpe ward taken from the census.

We have an average 2.2 people per

household – the lowest in the city. Central

Ward has the highest with 3 people per

household.

There are now 3,782 males and 3,937

females in this ward – fewer residents than

at the time of the 2001 census.

Along with Central Ward, Glinton &

Wittering we have the lowest percentage of

divorced people (all at 7.7%) while Paston

has the highest percentage at 13.3%.

We have the city’s highest percentage of

residents listed as widowed at 10%.

We have the city’s lowest percentage

(0.8%) of households with no adults in

employment but with dependent children.

The Peterborough average is 4.9%.

We have the lowest percentage (21.3%)

of households with dependent children (all

ages). Orton with Hampton has the highest

percentage at 44.0%.

We have the highest level of female lone

parents in full time work at 35.6%.

Along with Newborough and

Northborough we have the city’s lowest

level of residents born outside of Europe.

If space permits, we will bring you more

‘snapshots’ from the census data in a future

issue of FOCUS.

COUNCIL BUDGET CUTS At the recent full council meeting to discuss the city council’s annual

budget, both your Lib Dem city councillors stood up to defend the

views of people in this area, while the Tory councillor for this ward

said nothing and did not even bother to vote! Werrington and Gunthorpe Lib Dem councillor Darren Fower said: “Some

of the most basic services this council has are being cut. It’s these service

which are there to help those people in our communities who can least afford

to help themselves. At the same time the council is spending lots of money

on grandiose projects.”

Both Darren and his colleague Julia Davidson – the other Lib Dem

councillor for this area – were applauded by members of the public after

their speeches.

Nick Sandford - Walton councillor

and leader of the Liberal Democrat

group on the city council - has

slammed the council’s budget cuts as

“damaging and insensitive”.

“The council is faced with some

difficult choices and has to cut its

budget,” Nick said. “But the Liberal

Democrats think it has made the

wrong choices.”

The Tory proposals, which were

bulldozed through a council meeting

in March, see funding for local bus

services cut by half, meaning we

could lose most evening bus services.

Services for older people will see

huge increases in charges for meals on

wheels and day care.

The local Werrington library will close one or two days each week and

have shorter opening hours on other days.

All the council’s play centres are to close. The Gunthorpe Family Centre,

which provides vital services to local families, will lose council funding and

is likely to close. However, Julia Davidson has asked the council to look at

the possibility of handing the centre over to the parents themselves to run.

Despite all these cuts, our council continues to waste money. The Tories

will spend £2 million replacing paving stones and ‘street furniture’ in Long

Causeway, £700,000 extra on chopping down trees and a whopping £87

million on building a new waste incinerator. And they are doubling spending

on the council newspaper, Your Peterborough, despite government warnings

that councils should not waste money on politically biased publications.

WERRINGTON MEADOW Local Lib Dem councillors Darren Fower and Julia Davidson have

paid several recent visits to Werrington Meadow to inspect flooding

which has blocked the footpath leading to Fulbridge Road. Darren said: "I spoke with one blind

gentleman who had been led into the

water by his dog. Only when the water

was up to his ankles did the dog turn

back.

“There is clearly something wrong at

this point because when we have heavy

rain the water is not dispersing properly."

Darren and Julia have now reported this issue to the city council.

You can watch videos of your councillors in action on this and other issues on YouTube – just search for SWNGFocusTeam.

Children’s play centres will close and library opening hours will be cut because of council budget cuts.