Your district Council Matters issue 23

Your District Council

Mattersissue 23 spring 2011

insid

e: Council Tax supplementWin tickets to The DukesEaster bin collectionsWhat’s on guide

…to the latest edition ofYour District Council Matters.

In this edition we have detailsof the forthcoming city councilelections, refuse collections overEaster and some of the projectsthat are being developed tohelp boost the district’s economy.

In the centre section you’ll findyour annual Council Tax leaflet,which includes details of ourplanned spending over the next12 months and annual chargesfor the city, county and parishcouncils, police and the fireauthority.

As you may have noticed, thisedition is slightly different thannormal both in style and theway it is delivered.

That’s because, to reduce cost,we’ve combined YDCM withyour annual Council Tax leaflet.

We’ve also teamed up with ourcolleagues at Preston CityCouncil to share printers, againreducing costs and increasing theefficiency of how it is delivered.

We hope you enjoy thisedition. If you have anycomments please send them byemail to [email protected], or by writingto Communications, LancasterTown Hall, Dalton Square,Lancaster, LA1 1PJ.

Welcome...

Andy marches in for Challenge66

On the front cover:THIS month’s front cover was

taken at Wray ScarecrowFestival, which this year takesplace from April 23 to May 2.

IF you would like a large printor audio version of Your DistrictCouncil Matters, please call01524 582041.

This product isproduced fromsustainablymanaged forest andcontrolled sources.

LANCASTER City Council elections willbe held on Thursday May 5.

City council elections, for all 60councillors, are held every four years so thisis your chance to elect the people who willrepresent you until 2015.

Parish Councils will also be holding theirelections on May 5.

To make your voice heard and vote in theelections, as well as the referendum on theAlternative Vote, you must be on theElectoral Register by April 14.

Canvass forms were delivered betweenAugust and November last year, so if youfilled one in you should still be registeredand do not need to do so again unless youhave since moved home.

If you have moved home you will need tofill in a ‘rolling registration’ form, if youhaven’t done so already.

You can check if you’re registered byphoning the elections helpline on 01524582905, or by visiting Lancaster Town Hallduring normal office hours.

Poll cards, which include details of yourpolling station, will be delivered in April. Ifyou don’t receive a poll card there’s noneed to worry – if you are on the electoralregister you can vote by going to thepolling station and giving them your nameand address.

Details of your polling station can befound by typing your postcode into LocalView at www.lancaster.gov.uk/nearest

If you can’t get to your polling station, orwould prefer the convenience of voting bypost, you can apply for a postal vote.

Call the elections helpline on 01524582905.

The closing date for new applications tovote by post is 5pm on April 14.

ANDY McMenemy, the son of a formersoldier, will be coming to Lancaster in Mayas part of his challenge to break theGuinness World Record for consecutiveendurance marathons with no rest days.

The official record currently stands at 52, set bya Japanese runner. During Challenge66 Andy

will run 66 Marathons in 66 Days, one fromeach of the UK’s 66 cities.

Andy will be coming to Lancaster on May 3,when he will be starting his 49th marathon. He’shoping to raise £20,000 from each city for ABFThe Soldiers Charity.

To sponsor Andy in his endeavours visitwww.everydayhero.co.uk

Making your voice heard

Take the plunge at a pool near you

STAFF at Lancaster City Council’s Morecambe Visitor InformationCentre (VIC) are celebrating the news that the centre has beenshortlisted to receive a prestigious award at the national EnjoyEngland Awards for Excellence 2011.

In September last year, Morecambe VIC (run in partnership withLancashire County Council) picked up gold in the regional awards afterbeating off stiff competition to win North West TIC of the Year.

In April, the centre will be taking its north west title through to thenational final where it is set to receive either a gold or silver in theVisitor Information Services category.

The Enjoy England Awards for Excellence 2011 ceremony will takeplace on April 15 at Birmingham University's Great Hall when the centrewill be competing for gold against three other regional winners in theVisitor Information Services category.

For more information visit www.enjoyengland.com/excellence

LANCASTER City Council willcontinue to run three communitypools following the outcome ofsuccessful partnership working withLancashire County Council.

Your feedback demonstrates how muchthe pools are valued and so, over the lastyear, the two councils have workedpositively to find ways they can share anumber of services.

In turn this has released enough fundsto allow the city council to continuerunning the pools at Heysham, Carnforthand Hornby.

If you haven’t used these pools before,now is a great time to take the plunge,see what they have to offer and ensuretheir continued success.

One of the main reasons for thepopularity of swimming is that it’s agreat form of exercise and is suitable foranyone, whatever their age and fitnesslevel.

All of our pools offer a variety ofsessions that cater for a wide rangerange of people: Adults only, over-50s,

family fun, parent and child, children’sparties and the popular aqua-fit classes(gentle exercise in water) are some of thewide variety of sessions on offer. We alsohave a range of swimming classes foradults and children that run throughoutthe year for people who want to increasetheir confidence in the water.

Of course if you just want to swim,we’re flexible enough to be able to makesure you can visit at a time that suits you.Some of our pools offer early birdswimming from 6.30am and late night

swimming until 10pm. We also provide£1 swimming sessions at least once aweek at all of our pools, so those on atight budget can also get to swim.

Whatever you want from a pool, ourcommunity pools can offer a range ofactivities all conveniently located nearyou. It’s time to head for the pool.

To find out what’s on at your local pool,opening times or directions of how toget there, contact the pools directly orvisit their websites:

Carnforth Swimming Pool 01524 734699 www.lancaster.gov.uk/carnforthpool

Heysham Swimming Pool01524 420763 www.lancaster.gov.uk/heyshampool

Hornby Swimming Pool015242 21119www.lancaster.gov.uk/hornbypool

Salt Ayre Sports Centre01524 847540www.lancaster.gov.uk/saltayre

Morecambe Visitor Information Centre goes for gold

THE majority of properties in thedistrict should now have receivedtheir silver kitchen caddies, andthose without green garden bins, agreen outdoor caddy.

All types of food can be included in thefood waste collection – cooked anduncooked – including leftover or out ofdate food, peelings, egg shells, tea bagsand coffee grinds, meat, bones, fruit andvegetables, and much more.

The silver kitchen caddies can be linedwith newspaper or compostable bags,bearing the compostable logo, that canbe purchased from supermarkets oronline. Unfortunately bags which arenot compostable will not be collected.

Once full, the contents of the kitchencaddy including the newspaper orcompostable bag, should be emptiedinto either the green wheelie bin or theoutdoor caddy. The green wheelie binshould be put out for collection asnormal, and residents who have anoutdoor caddy should put these out forcollection in the same place as theirrecycling boxes.

We’re also trialling some newreplacement lids for kerbside recyclingboxes. The new lids, called box hats, arewaterproof covers which are tied to therecycling box. The lids are being issuedto replace damaged or missing lids and itis hoped that these will reduce the

number of lidsneeding to be

replaced eachyear due to

bad weather.More

information aboutwhat can and

can’t be recycledis available from

www.lancaster.gov.uk/foodwaste or by callingCustomer Serviceson 01524 582491.

Keeping a lid on recycling

Week beginning April 18

Monday Monday April 18Tuesday Tuesday April 19Wednesday Wednesday April 20Thursday Thursday April 21Friday Saturday April 23

Week beginning April 25

Monday Tuesday April 26Tuesday Wednesday April 27Wednesday Thursday April 28Thursday Friday April 29Friday Saturday April 30

Week beginning May 2

Monday Tuesday May 3Tuesday Wednesday May 4Wednesday Thursday May 5Thursday Friday May 6Friday Saturday May 7

Usual collectionday

Will be picked up on

Usual collectionday


Usual collectionday


THIS Easter we can all enjoy a totalof four Bank Holidays, including anextra day to celebrate the RoyalWedding.

But there’s no need to worry aboutwhen your waste and recycling will becollected as all the changes are alreadylisted on your collection calendar, whichwas delivered last July.

If you’ve mislaid your calendar you candownload a copy by entering yourpostcode at www.lancaster.gov.uk/nearest, contact Customer Services on01524 582491 or [email protected] toarrange for one to be sent to you.

Alternatively, we’ve listed the dateshere to make it easy to find out yournew collection day over the Easterperiod.

You canBankon us tocollect!

ONE of Lancaster City Council’s keyaims is to ensure that we are easy tocontact for information and queriesabout our varied range of services.

To achieve this we have a dedicatedcustomer service team. Whether yourenquiry is about household waste

collections, bulky waste, missed bins,abandoned vehicles, fly tipping, flyposting, litter bins, street cleansing,planning or licensing, our team is on handto help. We can also offer advice onassistance with home improvements andhousing standards.

As well as the customer servicecentres at Lancaster andMorecambe town halls, you cancontact us and access informationby telephone, email, or via ourwebsite.

We are very keen to ensure youare happy with the customer servicewe offer and are actively seekingyour views. Your feedback is very

important to us and will be used to help usto improve our services.

To help us to do this you may be asked togive your opinion on our customer servicefollowing any contact you have with us.

If you have any comments you would liketo make about the level of service youhave received, please let us know byparticipating in our customer surveys.Alternatively, you can do this at any timeby completing a Talk Back form availablefrom our customer service centres or viaour website at www.lancaster.gov.uk/talkback.

For more information you can contact uson 01524 582000 or [email protected]

Customer service centres – we want your views

WE want to make asmany of our services aspossible available attimes that suit you.

One way we are doingthis is via our onlineservices.

Our online ‘Find MyNearest’ service was usedover 60,000 times lastyear, making it one of themost popular features onthe council website.

If you’ve never used theservice before, simply visitwww.lancaster.gov.uk/nearest and enter youraddress. You’ll then seeyour immediate locationdetails – your ward,polling district, parish,constituency and your bincollection days (you caneven print off your ownrefuse and recyclingcalendar).

Once you’ve entered anaddress, you can then findyour nearest amenitiesand services, and reporthighways, street lightingand street cleaning issues.

How ‘near’ are you?

In addition to our website, we also have a number of other online services. Our e-newsletterbrings the latest news and information on the council straight to your inbox. Sign up now atwww.lancaster.gov.uk/newsletter. You can also follow us on Twitter @lancastercc and Facebookat Facebook.com/lancastercc

Education Health Services Amenities Transport LeisureNurseries Chemists Ambulance Allotments Bus Stops Cash points

Primaryschools

Dentists Libraries Communitycentres

Car parking Places to eat

Secondaryschools

Doctors Police Places ofworship

Petrol stations Places to stay

Furthereducation

Opticians Post Offices Post boxes Railwaystations

Sports facilities

Pre-school Vets Polling stations Public toilets Taxi ranks Playgrounds

• What ‘nearest things’ can I find online?

Highways Lighting Street Cleaning Other

Road defects Street lighting Litter/dog bins Graffiti

Pavement defects Illuminated signs Fly posting Fly tipping

Pedestrian crossings Bollards Vegetation Abandoned cars

Street signs Bus shelters Flooding Dead animals

You can view these as a simple address listing, or as locations on a map, and you can even specifya search area (for example, within five miles of your address).

• What faults and issues can I report online?

You can report these issues either by entering an address, or by clicking a location on a map.

WORK has started on a wide-range ofbuilding repair works at Lancaster andMorecambe town halls.

Lasting approximately six months, the workswill involve extensive scaffolding to bothbuildings.

The works are necessary to bring the buildingsup to scratch for modern requirements.Lancaster Town Hall (above), in particular, ismore than 100 years old and, like any buildingof its age and size, needs careful maintenance.

The building works will also allow morepeople to work from the town halls. meaningthat other office buildings can be closed orleased out to both reduce costs and increaseincome to the council.

As a result of the work to Lancaster TownHall, access to the Customer Service Centre,which will remain open throughout, will be viathe George Street entrance (opposite themagistrates’ court).

Signs will direct customers to the entrance viaRobert Street or Thurnham Street.

The memorial gardens will also remain openand disabled parking can be found on GeorgeStreet (instead of directly outside the CustomerService Centre).

At Morecambe Town Hall (below), the mainaccess through the front doors will remain,although extensive scaffolding will be usedaround the building and there may be dust andnoise from the building works.

THE next full census of England andWales takes place on Sunday March27, 2011.

On this day the Office for NationalStatistics (ONS) will be asking everyhousehold in England and Wales tocomplete a census questionnaire.

The census asks about work, health,citizenship, education, language,religion, marital status and so on. Thesestatistics are then used to build a pictureof today’s society.

The census results help theGovernment and local authorities to planthe services and resources we all need,such as transport, housing, healthcareand education.

Lancaster City Council, along with allother local authorities in England andWales, relies on census populationstatistics to get the central governmentfunding we need for public services.

The amount of money we have tospend on important services over thenext ten years is directly influenced bypopulation statistics from the census.That’s why it is so important thateveryone takes part.

Your questionnaire will arrive by post.You can fill it in and return it in thesupplied pre-paid envelope, or you cando it online via a secure website.

Everything you tell the census will be instrictest confidence and will only be usedto produce statistics. ONS will not shareyour personal information with anyother government department ororganisation.

If you need help filling in the form visitwww.census.gov.uk or telephone theCensus helpline on 0300 0201 101.

Town hall buildingworks underway

Help to shape the district

HELP Direct provide people inLancashire with FREE practicalsupport, guidance and informationto help them get the most out oflife.

The FREE service – based on ChapelStreet in Lancaster and Ashtrees Way inCarnforth – helps all adults over theage of 18 with any question or query.

Now in its third year, the service isnow even more accessible with thelaunch of its new website,www.helpdirect.org.uk

The website is a mark of success forHelp Direct, who provide the service forall adults in Lancaster.

The website is focused on providingaccessible information and supportonline so it can be accessed by residentsof Lancashire 24 hours a day.Operations Manager Allan Conwaysaid: “The demand for an onlinepresence was very apparent and ournew website is a direct response to that.”

The website will provide an overviewof the service outlining additionalservices Help Direct offer such as; SmallSparks; Social Prescribing; GP Advisorsand the increasingly popular SafeTrader scheme run in conjunction withTrading Standards.

Funded by Lancashire County Council,Help Direct has proved an invaluableresource to those who use it. Withenquiries ranging from benefit claimsadvice, finances, blue badgeapplications and health issues, tofinding a local social group or supportgroup, Help Direct have a vast resourceof information, local knowledge andclose links with neighbourhood andmainstream services to find the rightinformation for you.

The service can be accessed face to

face, over the phone, by email and nowonline. There are also rural outreachvenues and advisors within most GPsurgeries across the Lancaster district.Dawn Bentley, GP Advisor said: “Theaim is to get you the right help andinformation to support you in makingyour own choices and decisions aboutwhat works best for you.” Beingaccessible is certainly important to theservice, who continually strive to beuser-friendly and approachable.

The launch of the website aims tostrengthen accessibility by providinganother way for people to use theservice to get the right help and advicebefore an issue becomes a crisis.

You can visit the new website – www.helpdirect.org.uk; pop into the drop-in shops on ChapelStreet, Lancaster, and Ashtrees Way, Carnforth;call us on 0303 333 1111; oremail your query to: [email protected]

Make 2011 your year; ask us about:

• Health & FitnessGet into shape

• FinancesLearn to manage your money

• Social groups to suit youGet involved

• RetrainingTake a fresh approach to work

• VolunteeringGive something back

• Home and GardenFind a reliable trader to help you make your house a home

• Community GroupsApply for a small sparks grant of £50-£500 to kick start or enhance community groups.

CAROL was worried about the types ofservices she could access when the daycare centreshe was attending was closed due to funding;Help Direct found alternative groups for Carol toattend. Carol was really happy with the serviceand glad she had further support available.

MARTIN was made redundant and neededhelp understanding and accessing benefits andwanted to know more about volunteering; HelpDirect offered support with benefit applicationsand went through options for volunteering, butalso provided the emotional support he neededbeing there to confide in when he felt hecouldn’t burden his family. After months of highsand lows Martin was offered a job – he was sohappy and his advisor was one of the first tohear the good news.

JOHN wanted to find out about walkinggroups, having just moved back into the area;Help Direct found walking groups in his area aswell as offering further options locally.

GILL wanted to find someone to clean hercarpets; Her Help Direct advisor was able torecommend a carpet cleaner from the SafeTraders list and speaking to Gill also found outshe was eligible for benefits which she is nowsuccessfully claiming.

How Help Directhave helped others...

Put the BounceBounceinto your 2011!

THE leisure and tourism sector iskey to our local economy, withthe visitor market currentlyworth over £300 million to ourdistrict and annually bringing inmore than six million visitors.

The sector also plays a key role ineconomic development andregeneration, supporting morethan 5,000 jobs locally.

Supporting this importantindustry is therefore one ofLancaster City Council’s keypriorities.

The sheer variety and contrastbetween the three main areas –Morecambe and the Bay, LancasterHeritage City, and the Lune Valley– represent both a hugeopportunity and a challenge interms of promotion of the district.

A recent report highlighted theneed for much-neededimprovements to the public realmand heritage offer, includingLancaster’s Georgian architecture,development of the castle as amust-see attraction, and raising theprofile of the city.

The value of heritage to the identity of Morecambeis also recognised and the ongoing regeneration ofthe resort will provide further opportunities toimprove the town’s attractiveness to visitors.

Local businesses have a strong role to play and thecouncil is dedicated to helping support businesses totake our district forward and become both acompetitive visitor destination and an attractive andvibrant place to live.

Accommodation providers can get help with thenational quality assurance scheme and there iscurrently funding for rural businesses to develop theirtourism offer, or even for provision of basic facilitiessuch as cycle storage for those cyclists passing throughon the new coast to coast route, the Way of the Roses.

Of course, it’s not just about bringing visitors to thedistrict; it’s as much about providing facilities andopportunities for those of us who live here to enjoy agood quality of life and a place that we can be proudto call home.

Where to stay, where to go, andwhat to eatLANCASTER CityCouncil has launchedits holiday guide for2011.

Featuring a finecombination ofnationally accreditedaccommodation, greatphotography anduseful ideas of placesto visit and eat outacross Morecambe,Lancaster and the LuneValley, the holidayguide is popular withboth locals and visitors.

To request a copy topass on to friends andfamily, telephone 01524582394/ 582808 or visitwww.citycoastcountryside.co.uk

The £300m industryon our doorsteps

WHO needs to go away when there’s so muchto do on our own doorstep?

Whether it’s a festival or a walk, a museum or agallery, a picnic or a bike ride, a castle tour or a play,our district offers everything.

For expert advice on what to see and do why notcontact our award-winning (see page three) visitorinformation centres at The Storey Creative IndustriesCentre, Meeting House Lane, Lancaster - tel. 01524582394 and Old Station Buildings, Marine RoadCentral, Morecambe - tel. 01524 582394.

Visitor information centres

THE Dukes in Lancaster iscelebrating two specialanniversaries this year.

The summer will see the 25thanniversary of the popular outdoorshows in Lancaster’s Williamson Parkand 2011 also marks the 40thbirthday of The Dukes as Lancashire’sonly producing theatre.

The Dukes’ enthusiasm for stagingplays rooted in the North continueswith The Rise and Fall of Little Voicewhich runs from March 24-April 16.

This Lancashire fairytale centres onLittle Voice, who loves to imitategreat divas such as Shirley Bassey andJudy Garland.

The summer will see Williamson

Parktransformedinto amagicalmedievalsetting forMerlin andThe Legendof KingArthur from July 8 to August 13.

Thousands of people are expectedto watch what has become thebiggest outdoor walkabout theatreevent in the UK.

To book tickets for any of TheDukes shows, ring the box office on01524 598500 or visit www.dukes-lancaster.org

A feast of festivalsFESTIVALS and events play akey role in helping to attractvisitors to our wonderfuldistrict, as well as providingentertainment for those whochoose to live and work here.

They also have a significanteconomic impact. Independentanalysis of the recent LancasterFireworks Spectacular estimatesthe event, which attracted morethan 10,000 people, generatedover £400,000 of visitor spendinto the district.

This year the city council willonce again be funding andorganising a number of events.But more importantly, it isworking closely with a range ofpartners – retailers, museums,independent organisations, theChamber of Commerce, BayTourism Association, MorecambeTown Council and more – toensure a packed eventsprogramme.

Here are some of the highlightsof the coming months:

Wray Scarecrow FestivalApril 23 to May 2

THE city council is proud tosponsor one of the prizes for thisquirky and fantastically popularfestival in the Lune Valley.

Lancaster UnlockedMedieval FestivalMay 27 to 30

STEP back into the dark ages andenjoy a medieval festival hostedby a range of partners includingLancaster City Council. CelebrateLancaster's past with a host offamily friendly activities.

Morecambe Kite FestivalJuly 24

THIS terrific event, organised byMore Music in Morecambe, is a

firm favourite and the citycouncil is delighted to beable to support it.

MorecambeSandcastle FestivalAugust 6 and 7

WHO will beMorecambe’s SandcastleBuilding Champion for 2011?

Come and find out, take partyourself and enjoy Morecambe'sregenerated seafront and sandybeaches.

The two-day event will includesand artists, competitions, musicand street theatre.

Morecambe SeasideFestivalSeptember 10 and 11

THIS year the council’s event issupported by Morecambe TownCouncil and will be bigger andbetter than ever, including live

music, aeroplanes and fireworks.

Bands in the Park (EverySunday May 1 to Sept 11)

RELAX in Happy Mount Park andenjoy the sounds of some bestbrass bands in the country.Thanks to the Café in the Park,whose sponsorship has ensuredextra dates for 2011.

What’s on information can befound at www.citycoastcountryside.co.uk and aWhat’s On brochure will beavailable in the spring.

competitionTO be in with a chance of winning a pair oftickets to see Little Voice during April, simply: Name one of the famous singers LittleVoice likes to imitate.

........................................................................

Send your entry to: Communications, LancasterTown Hall, Dalton Square, Lancaster, LA1 1PJ.Deadline for entries is Thursday March 31.

Name:………………...............................................

Address:………………............................................

................................................................................

Daytime phone number:………………….............

The Dukes’ Little VoiceCalling all local retailers... WE are currently inviting concessions for the city council’s festivals. Interested?

Contact Simon Armstrong on 01524 582829 or email [email protected]

THE city council continues toprovide support to local businessesthrough its Economic DevelopmentTeam.

The team can offer advice on funding,business start-up and development,mentoring, business premises and muchmore.

Nineteen businesses have benefitedfrom the council’s Rent Grant scheme,including Louise Ann Wilson whorelocated her theatre company toLancaster’s Storey Creative IndustriesCentre last year.

Her production of ‘Jack Scout’ incollaboration with Sap Dance company,was a huge success last September. JackScout was a site-specific walking anddance performance on the heath andshore line of Jack Scout near Silverdale.

Although the Rent Grant scheme hasnow closed, funding is still currently

available for rural businesses throughLancashire County Council’s RuralLancashire Development Fund, andthrough the Rural DevelopmentProgramme for England (RDPE). This isjointly funded by the European Unionand the Department for theEnvironment, Food and Rural Affairs(DEFRA).

Nikki Hesford, of Miss Fit UK, iscurrently seeing her business boomthanks to RDPE funding.

The company, which designs andmanufactures clothes for ‘big bustedwomen’ (her words, not ours!), iscurrently developing a new range andnegotiating contracts with a number ofhigh street retailers, including lingeriegiant BeCheeky.

And her success was recentlycemented when she won the ArtemisAward for most inspiring young

EVER fancied running your ownbusiness but don’t know where tostart?

Why not take advantage of the specialintroductory trader rates on offer inMarch at Morecambe’s Festival Market.

This exciting opportunity awaits anyonewishing to expand or re-locate an existingbusiness, or those looking to start a newventure in a traditional, bustling andpopular market.

Morecambe Festival Market is atraditional covered market close toMorecambe Promenade offering over100 stalls, shops and cafes. It is open on

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday andmost Bank Holidays throughout the year.

To qualify for the special rates on offer,which aim to attract new types of stallsto the market, traders would need tooffer commodities from the following list:

Branded sportswear, denim wear, foamproducts, gold and silver jewellery, healthfoods, cycles and accessories, fishmongers,cobblers, tableware, motor accessories,lighting, fashion footwear, toys, armysurplus/camping, dry hairdresser,dressmaking services/fabric anddecorating products (wallpaper/paint).

For more details, please contact theMarket Manager Tracey Bruce on 01524414251, email [email protected] orvisit www.lancaster.gov.uk/markets

To enquire about availability of stalls atLancaster Market, Assembly Rooms or theCharter Market telephone 01524 66627or email [email protected]

It’s boom not bustfor local business!

Nikki Hesford (left), Miss Fit UK, and MaxineBenson (MBE) co-founder, everywoman.

entrepreneur at the NatWest everywoman Awards.Nikki said: “The support and funding I received have

really helped me get my business off the ground anddevelop new products and markets.”

To find out how the city council can support yourbusiness, or help get your idea off the ground, visitwww.lancaster.gov.uk/business or call Linda Loganon 01524 582081 or [email protected]

Don’t stall – there are market places on special offer...

THE council has listings of all commercial property available in the district, which are updatedevery two months. For details visit www.lancaster.gov.uk/propertyLooking for premises?

Young people at the summer playscheme at Skerton St Luke’s Primary Schoolwith their ideas and suggestions on how to improve Skerton.

LAST year an innovative new project waslaunched in the Skerton area of Lancaster.

Connecting Communties aims to work withpeople who live and/or work in the area to findout what is great about Skerton.

We also wanted to find out from the communitywhat small things can be done by the community,public services and local organisations to makeSkerton even better.

The project has been led by Lancaster CityCouncil and Lancashire County Council, and awide range of other organisations have also beeninvolved (both public and voluntary). Funding hascome from the Department for Communities andLocal Government.

The project has been about finding out what isimportant to local people, although it is not justup to the agencies who work in the area to makechanges. We can all do something to make ourcommunity an even better place to live.

To date the project has involved speaking to andfinding out the views of people who live and/orwork in Skerton. These views will help to producea community plan for the Skerton area.

A number of small environmental improvementshave also been completed. These have includedpainting of children’s play areas, cutting back ofovergrown trees and weeding.

THE Volunteer AchievementAwards are hosted annuallyby Lancaster DistrictCommunity and VoluntarySolutions (LDCVS) and it isthe only event of its kindheld in the district.

It is an invaluableopportunity for local groupsto celebrate the commitmentand dedication of theirvolunteers and promotevoluntary work in thecommunity, as well as

providing guests andnominees with theopportunity to meet and sharetheir experiences.

Last year’s event was attendedby more than 150 guests froma diverse range of localcommunity and voluntarygroups and each nomineereceived a certificate marking

their individual commitment.This year’s event will be held

in partnership with LancasterCity Council and hosted at theAshton Hall, Lancaster TownHall on Tuesday June 7, 4pm to7pm.

Nominations are beingsought for volunteers undertwo categories; Volunteer ofthe Year and Young Volunteerof the Year (18 and under) aswell as nominating groups ofvolunteers.

LDCVS would like to

encourage you to nominatevolunteers in recognition oftheir commitment to yourorganisation and volunteeringwithin the Lancaster District.

The deadline for nominationsis Friday May 20.

Nomination forms areavailable to download fromthe website www.lancastercvs.org.uk/volunteerawards,by emailing [email protected] or calling(01524) 555900 Ext 26.

Connectingcommunities

Awards that celebrate our volunteers

‘How can I make a difference where I live?’IF you are asking yourself thequestion: ‘What can I do to make adifference in my neighbourhood?’how about joining an existingcommunity group, or why notspeak to your neighbours andfriends about starting your own?

Talk to your local councillor, contact

Help Direct 0303 333 1111 andLancaster District Community andVoluntary Solutions (LancasterDistrict CVS) 01524 555900 forfurther information.

For more information on theConnecting Communities projectplease visit www.lancaster.gov.uk/connecting

WE would like to say a bigthank you to all thosepeople who have taken thetime to get involved inpublic consultations,workshops and drop inevents to give us your viewson the future direction oflocal planning policy andland allocation for futuredevelopments, as well as theregeneration of centralMorecambe (the MorecambeArea Action Plan).

We have also recentlycompleted a ‘Call for Sites’exercise inviting residents,prospective developers andother stakeholders to putforward sites that they wouldlike to see identified for newuses.

From these consultations wehave been able to build up apicture of some of the keyissues affecting the district,and we are now looking inmore detail at the differentoptions that exist to meetfuture development needs andregeneration priorities whilstat the same time ensuring thedistrict's environmental andhistoric assets are protected.

Please help us by joining ourconsultation database toreceive news updates andinformation on how to haveyour say.

Send your contact details [email protected]

Visit www.lancaster.gov.uk/ldfor www.lancaster.gov.uk/morecambeaap for moreinformation or look us up onFacebook at 'Shaping a BetterFuture for Lancaster District'and 'Morecambe Area ActionPlan’.

LANCASTER City Council haslaunched a new Food HygieneRating Scheme across the district.

This scheme provides information onfood hygiene standards to help peopleto choose where to eat out or shop forfood.

Food outlets, such as restaurants,takeaways and pubs, are inspected byfood safety officers from the citycouncil, to check that their hygienestandards meet legal requirements.

The hygiene standards found at theseinspections are rated on a scaleranging from zero at the bottom

(which means ‘urgent improvement necessary’) to atop rating of five (‘very good’).

By the end of March approximately 1,170 foodpremises will be able to display their rating in theform of a window sticker and also a certificate todisplay inside the premises.

For more details on the scheme, and to check outthe ratings, visit www.lancaster.gov.uk/foodratings

Hygiene ratingsfor food outlets

(From left) Claire Crook (Outreach and Engagement ProjectWorker), Carol Lucas (Holywell Registered Manager), NatalieMuckalt, Sabe Connor (Holywell Responsible Person)

JUST a short time ago NatalieMuckalt from Morecambelooked to have few prospects.

Unemployed and living withoutheating, ventilation or natural light,the 21-year-old needed help to turnher life around.

In stepped Claire Crook, fromLancaster City Council’s PositiveSteps team.

Working with Claire, Natalieapplied for a job as a support

worker for people with learningdisabilities and dementia sufferers.

With Claire’s help Natalie preparedfor the interview by researching thesubject thoroughly, knowing thatshe would be up against somegood candidates with the relevantskills and experience.

Their hard work paid off andNatalie started the job in Octoberand is now studying for a LearningDisabilities Qualification.

Holywell’s RegisteredManager, Carol Lucas,said: “Despite Natalie’slack of qualifications orexperience, it was herenthusiasm and obviousdrive and determination,along with herpersonality, that led to usoffering her the job. Webelieve that in this field,the chemistry betweenpeople is very importantand we always try tomatch the right staffmember to each client.

Natalie also fits in verywell with our team andis exactly the sort ofperson we were lookingfor.”

Positive Steps is aproject funded by theLancaster District LocalStrategic Partnership(LDLSP) and supportslocal residents who havebeen out of work forlong periods.

Natalie takes Positive Steps

Helping us toconsult further

HES puts energy into makingcarbon and fuel bill savings

ARE you interested in preserving theenvironment, encouraging safer and cleanertransport options and supporting localenterprise?

Would you like to take part in projects to raiseawareness of climate change and reduce resource use?

Then why not join the Sustainability Partnership ofLancaster District.

The Sustainability Partnership, formed in 2003, is agroup of local residents and organisations promotingsustainable activity in Lancaster district. Their projectsinclude:

•Public events and information stalls on a variety of topics, including the Incredible Edibles Awards – championing local food growing – taking place on Sunday, July 10;

• The Little Book of Sustainable Living, a free guide to environmentally-friendly living in Lancaster district, available online at www.lancaster.gov.uk/littlebook or you can request a hard copy from 01524 582061;

• The Rainwater Harvest Project, which converted waste plastic food barrels into water storage containers saving over 7,000kg of plastic from landfill and providing free water to local allotments.

If you want to get involved and help shape positiveand sustainable activity in Lancaster district, you canjoin the Sustainability Partnership by downloading amembership form atwww.lancaster.gov.uk/sustainability-partnershipor you can request a copy by calling 01524 582061

For more information on the items above, please contact Lancaster City Council’s Sustainability Team on 01524 582061 or [email protected]

THERE’S a new community-based service available inLancaster – the Home EnergyService, which aims to helppeople save energy.

Fully-trained volunteers with theHome Energy Service (HES) arrangeto visit you in your home to learnabout your current energy use.

A fully-qualified Domestic andCommercial Energy Assessor withHES then produces a specific reportfor your household about what themost effective energy-savingmeasures would be along withtheir carbon and cost savings.

This free and independent service

is funded through Scottish PowerEnergy People’s Trust and aCharities Aid Foundation trust fund.

If you would like a survey, or areinterested in volunteering withHES, please contact Kathy New on01524 66100 or [email protected]

Trained volunteers provide free advice on energy use

Take positive action

DITCH the chocolate eggs thisEaster and lose some pounds and£s with a range of special offers atSalt Ayre Sports Centre this Easter.

On Saturday April 23 and SundayApril 24, the centre is offering halfprice bookings on the hire of itsfacilities, plus you can splash out on aswim for just £1.

Whatever the weather outside, comealong, have fun and get healthy witha great range of activities to suiteveryone, all at a very special price.

• Indoor football, netball, basketball, volleyball and unihocOnly £10 per court for 55 minutes

• Badminton, table-tennis andshort tennisOnly £2 per court for 55 minutes

• Fitness classes, circuits and body pumpOnly £2 per session

• Swimming pool, spa pool and waterslideOnly £1 for unlimited use

Courts can be booked from April 1and payment must be made at thetime of booking. Please note thatbookings are non-refundable.

The centre will be closed on all BankHolidays. If you can’t get down to SaltAyre this Easter, then this offer will berepeated on the following weekend ofApril 30 and May 1.

Eggsercise andeggcitement...

Get active this EasterCHILDREN can get active this Easterwith our exciting holiday activityprogramme.

There are over 40 activities availableincluding cheerleading, orienteering,archery, football, dodgeball and manymore.

All our workshops are reasonably priced,held in a fun and safe environment andare run by experienced coaches.

To find out more about what activitiesare available and when

they are happeningplease call 01524

842493 or visit:www.lancaster.gov.uk/holidayprogramme

CUSTOMERS of Morecambe’sFestival Market already know thatit is the place for great value,great service and ‘Bargains bythe Sea’, but from March therewill be even more reasons to visit...

Where’s Eric?DURING March bring some sunshine intoyour life! See if you can find ‘EricMorecambe’ hiding somewhere in themarket each day. Complete an entry towin £50 of vouchers in the weekly Marchdraws.

Easter eggstravaganzaTHE Easter Eggstravaganza begins onApril 16 with competitions, the EasterBunny in his Easter House and an EasterBonnet Parade on Easter Sunday.

Competitions include ‘Find the Egg’, ‘Guessthe number of eggs’ and a colouringcompetition for ages four to 11. Prizes includechocolate eggs, vouchers and cuddly toys.

Easter competition entry forms are availablefrom April 1 at the market office.

The market is open Tuesday, Thursday,Saturday, Sunday and most Bank Holidaysfrom 9am until 4.30pm in Winter and 5pmfrom May 1.

For further details contact Tracey Bruceon 01524 414251 [email protected] or visitwww.lancaster.gov.uk/festivalmarket

Pensioner specialsEVERY Thursday in March, participatingstalls displaying a large red star areoffering 10% reductions for pensioners(selected lines where indicated).

March

18: Back to the Good Old Days of MusicHall – Platform, 2pm, £8

18: Kate Howden and Paul Jones –Platform, 8pm, £10/£9

19: The Searchers – Platform, 7.30pm, £16.50

20: Morecambe and Heysham CanineSociety Dog Show – Platform 10am

23: Magical Day – Happy Mount Park,12pm. Magician, fancy dress competition, artworkshop, story telling

24 March to 16 April: The Rise and Fall ofLittle Voice – Dukes (see page 9)

26: Dr Feelgood – Platform, 8pm, £15/£14

27: Promenade Concert Orchestra –Platform, 3pm, £12/£10, concessions £5

April

1: Houghton Weavers –Platform, 7.30pm, £13/£12

2: Rollermania! An eveningwith Les McKeown

and the legendaryBay City Rollers –The Platform,7.30pm, £18.50

8: ‘Magic - AKind of Queen’ –

Platform, 7.30pm,£16.50

9: Aly Bain and PhilCunningham –Platform, Marine RoadCentral, Morecambe.8pm, £14/£13

10: Northern England’sStrongest Man (under105kg) – Salt Ayre

Sports Centre, 12pm to4pm. Adults £3, children £1

15: Alan Price – Platform, 8pm, £16.50

16: Karine Polwart – Platform, 8pm, £13

16-30: Easter Extravaganza – FestivalMarket, Morecambe free

19: Elmer the Elephant – Platform, 2pm.Tickets £6 adults, £5 children, £20 family

20: Lunchtime Concert with Sue Parish –Platform, 12.45pm. Free admission

23: Easter Extravaganza – Happy MountPark, 12pm. Come and meet the EasterBunny and join in the Easter Egg Hunt

23: Morecambe Band Easter Concert –Platform, 7.30pm, £8/£5

27: Lunchtime Concert with Five in a Bar– Platform, 12.45pm. Free admission

27: Frank Carson – Platform, 7.30pm, £18.50

23 April to 2 May: Wray ScarecrowFestival

30 April to 2 May: Morecambe LiveWeekender www.morecambelive.com

May

4: Lunchtime Concert with the Ermysted’sBig Band – Platform, 12.45pm. Free admission

6: King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys –Platform, 8pm, £14/£13

7: Old England Day – Happy Mount Park,12pm. A step back in time with MorrisDancers, Hobby Horse ‘Racing’ for childrenand Maypole display

8: Baby Maze Baby and Toddler Show –Platform, 10am to 3pm. Free admission

11: Lunchtime Concert with La SerenataEnsemble – Platform, 12.45pm.Free admission

13: The Enid – Platform, 8pm. Tickets £16/£9 students. Over 14s only

14: Joe Longthorne – Platform, 7.30pm, £21

17: Lunchtime Concert with Janet Hoyle –Platform, 12.45pm. Free admission

20: The Poozies – The Platform, 8pm, £13/11

21: Geno Washington – Platform, 8pm.Tickets £15 on the door/£14 advance

22: Promenade Concert Orchestra ‘Musicfrom the Shows’ – Platform, 3pm. Tickets£12/£10 concessions, £5 children

25: Lunchtime Concert with Val BaulardAnd The Boscats – Platform, 12.45pm. Freeadmission

27-30: Lancaster Unlocked – variouslocations around Lancaster. More details atwww.lancasterunlocked.co.uk

28: Inter-Galactic Day – Happy Mount Park,12pm. Fancy dress competition and artworkshop. Monsters, aliens and spacecreatures all welcome

28 and 29: Country Kickbackwww.morecambelive.com

Platform box office

DID you know that you can now buytickets for events at the Platform onlineat www.lancaster.gov.uk/platform-tickets as well as from the box office on01524 582803 or in person fromMorecambe and Lancaster VisitorInformation Centres.

What’s On: March to May GenoWashington

FrankCarson

JoeLongthorne

Lancaster City Council

Customer Services: 01524 582000Domestic Waste and Street Cleaning:01524 582491Environmental Health and Housing Standards:01524 582257Elections: 01524 582905Out-of-hours Emergencies: 01524 67099Website: www.lancaster.gov.ukEmail: [email protected]

Lancashire County Council

LCC General Enquiries/Switchboard – 0845 053 0000Social Care: 0845 053 0009Highways: 0845 053 0011Registrars: 0845 053 0021 Welfare Rights: 0845 053 0013Website: www.lancashire.gov.ukEmail: [email protected]

Education

Lancaster University

Telephone: 01524 65201Website: www.lancs.ac.uk

Lancaster and Morecambe College

Telephone: 01524 66215Website: www.lmc.ac.uk

University of Cumbria (Lancaster campus)

Telephone: 01524 384384 Website: www.cumbria.ac.uk

White Cross Education Centre

Telephone: 01524 60141Email: [email protected]: www.lancashire.gov.uk

useful contact numbers Main contact details for keylocal services in the district

Emergency services

Lancashire Police

Telephone: 0845 1 25 35 45. In anemergency always dial 999.Contact information for your localneighbourhood police team can be found atwww.lancashire.police.ukFollow us on Twitter @LancsPolice

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service

We can provide a free home fire safety check,fit smoke alarms if needed and give you adviceon what to do in the event of fire. CallFreephone 0800 169 1125.

Health

NHS Direct: 0845 46 47 or www.nhs.uk Stop smoking service: 01524 845145Drug and alcohol service: 01524 834210To access a dentist: 01253 306378To find your nearest pharmacy: text ‘pharmacy’to 64746

Voluntary sector

Help Direct

Telephone: 0303 333 1111Website: www.helpdirect.org.ukEmail: [email protected]

Lancaster District CVS

Telephone: 01524 555900Email: [email protected]: www.lancastercvs.org.uk

Published by Lancaster City Council. Designed by ONESTOP Media Services Ltd. Tel: 01782 338396. Printed by Benhamgoodheadprint Ltd. Tel: 01869 363315.

Your district Council Matters issue 23

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Transcript of Your district Council Matters issue 23