Wednesday 31 August 2011

What's in the Box?

Now appearing across our library network in Portsmouth the "Have Your Say" Ballot box. What's in the box? Well...
We want you to:


Tell us about your political hero
A person from the past or present who you admire from local, national or international politics. We want to hear your reasons and why they are important to you personally.
What qualities or attributes do you admire in this person?

We will collect the answers on our blog and try to build a picture of the city's thinking.

Pose a question
Put a question to our Question Time Panel taking place on Friday 30th September. We will have local politicians and experts ready to answer your questions. They can be about human rights related issues or wider politics.

Can't make it to a library?
click here to vote online

Want to email us a question: takepart@portsmouthcc.gov.uk


The ballot boxes will be in libraries for the next three weeks, so be quick!


It’s bin changed – from October

From Monday 3 October, the day and time of rubbish and refuse collections will change for most households in Portsmouth.

This is because there will be a new waste collection contractor, Biffa, who have worked out an improved collection system which will save money.


Unlike a lot of councils, there will still be a weekly rubbish collection and the recycling collection will remain fortnightly. 


The changes affect houses only – there will be no change to communal collections for blocks of flats.  

You can find your new collection day by:
  • looking out for the new collections calendar leaflet which will be delivered to all households in September
  • using the postcode search facility which will be available from 17 September at http://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/waste/21935.html
  • or attending one of these information roadshows 

Date
Venue for roadshow
03-Sep
Commercial Road, Cosham High Street and Palmerston Road
08-Sep
Sainsbury's Farlington
13-Sep
Co-op North End (ex Somerfield)
15-Sep
Sainsbury's Portsmouth
17-Sep
Commercial Road, Cosham High Street and Palmerston Road
20-Sep
Waitrose Southsea
24-Sep
Commercial Road, Cosham High Street and Palmerston Road
26-Sep
Morrisons - Anchorage Park

Friday 26 August 2011

Solent NHS Trust is looking for members like you…

Are you interested in healthcare? Would you like a say in your local NHS Trust?

If you answered yes to the above questions, then membership is for you. 

Solent NHS Trust is your local provider of community and mental health services. Their services include health centres, children’s centres and care in people’s homes. By becoming a member you will be able to help shape local services in your area. 

You can decide how involved you would like to be. You might choose to receive updates, you might like to comment on our plans and take part in events. You may even consider standing for election as Governor on our Council of Governors.  

The choice is yours!  

To find out more and to become a member visit www.solent.nhs.uk/membership.  

Wednesday 24 August 2011

Hilsea Community Drop-in

Last Friday (19th August) saw the hosting of a community drop-in event outside the Co-Operative store on London Road in Hilsea. The event was supported by city councillors and members of Portsmouth COPS (Council of Portsmouth Students), facilitated by the council's community engagement team.



The drop-in gave residents and shoppers the opportunity to discuss local issues, as well as tell us about problems on their doorstep. We also challenged those who dared to take the "Pompey pound challenge" which asks them to decide neighbourhood priorities and indicate where they think resources should be allocated.




We also used the event as an opportunity to promote our activities for local democracy week in October. This includes "Political hero"- asking people to name a figure from local, national or international politics (past & present) as well as the qualities they admire in our elected representatives.




There was also a chance to post a question for our question time radio debate which will include Cllr Mike Hancock CBE MP, Cllr Simon Bosher and George Brown from the British Red Cross. If you missed that chance, why not email us at
takepart@portsmouthcc.gov.uk



If you are interested in future events of this kind in your area, please get in touch. We have also had some interest in restarting the Hilsea Neighbourhood Forum and would like to hear from you if you are keen to be involved with shaping this going forward.




Our thanks once again to Southern Co-Operative for their support in the running of this event.




We will shortly upload an actions sheet highlighting the issues raised and our progress in resolving them.




More images



Actions Sheet
Link



Monday 22 August 2011

Still struggling with the big society?

Where are we? and what is it now?






Date: 21st September
Location: The View café, 5th Floor, Civic Offices, Portsmouth

This first event is designed to generate discussion, questions and debate around where we are with the big society and it’s progress in Portsmouth. 
  • What potential obstacles are there in progressing this agenda at the local level?
  • What do we still need to know about the big society?
  • A broken society? How do recent events inform this agenda? 
Attendees will need to register for the event through Eventbrite

Thursday 18 August 2011

Eastney Pumping Station - Update

The following is an update letter from Southern Water about works at Eastney Pumping Station.

I am writing to update you on the ongoing work that Southern Water is carrying out to make improvements to Eastney Pumping Station. Representatives from Southern Water, including myself, met with local residents in June to listen to their concerns, in particular regarding odour and noise. Since then we have carried out a number of improvements and more work is scheduled to take place in the coming months.

Since the meeting we continued to review the performance of the existing odour treatment plant. We have reinforced a “closed door policy” at the pumping station to contain odours and have recently installed a new odour suppressant system at the site. Daily readings from the odour plant are logged and are made available to the City Council’s Environmental Health Officers.

We are carrying out an investigation to look at how we can reduce the amount of smoke emitted from the diesel pump exhausts. A successful trial has recently taken place and work is continuing. We have also fixed the weekly diesel pump testing to Thursday mornings to avoid unnecessary disruption to local residents at other times.

A survey has been completed that looked at noise from the site and we are now designing noise reduction measures. In addition to this we have started a programme to refurbish the three final effluent pumps, which pump the treated wastewater out to sea via the long sea outfall. This will help reduce noise and odour. This work has started but we can only work on one pump at a time, as the site must be able to operate effectively at all times.

In the coming months we will also be replacing the low level pumps to reduce noise and vibrations further and additional odour suppressant will be installed.

We are committed to making improvements at Eastney to ensure it works effectively and to ease the impact on residents living nearby. However it is a complex site and we cannot make these improvements overnight. It remains a priority for us and is an important part of our overall investment in Portsmouth over the next five years.

I hope that this has provided you with a useful update on the situation.  We will also be writing to local residents to keep them informed about our progress.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you require any further information.

Yours sincerely

Stewart Garrett
Wastewater Area Manager (West)
Southern Water

Thursday 11 August 2011

Loan Shark Advice



Please don't be tempted to use a loan shark!
  • They can be expensive and dangerous;
  • You could pay them back for years, with no dent in the original loan;
  • They won't just harass you, they'll target your family and friends too.
Loan sharks may be operating in your area - illegal money lenders who don't have a Consumer Credit Licence.

From 2-4pm on Tuesday 16th August, advice will be available in ASDA (North End) car park with support and reassurance for residents.  Come and say hello!

Thursday 4 August 2011

Outreach Librarians

Portsmouth City Libraries has appointed Outreach Librarians to cover three areas of Portsmouth and their attendant libraries. www.portsmouth.gov.uk/learning

Their role is to increase the footfall and number of active users at the city’s nine libraries. 

If you have any events where it would be appropriate for them to promote the library service please let them know

Their names and contact details are:

Linda Collins
Outreach Librarian North
North End Library
Gladys Avenue
Portsmouth
PO2 9AX
T: 07960960585
Responsible for Paulsgrove, Cosham and North End Libraries

Patricia Garrett
Outreach Librarian South
Southsea Library and Customer Service Centre
19-21 Palmerston Road
Southsea
Hampshire
PO5 3QQ
T: 023 9268 8039
Responsible for Southsea, Alderman Lacey and Beddow Libraries

Penny Bremer
Outreach Librarian Central
Central Library
Guildhall Square
Portsmouth
PO1 2DX
T: 023 9268 8065
Responsible for Central, Carnegie and John Pounds Centre Libraries

Tom Williams
Outreach Librarian Central
Central Library
Guildhall Square
Portsmouth
PO1 2DX
T: 023 9282 2581
Responsible for Central, Carnegie and John Pounds Centre Libraries

Sherry-Ann Kelly Parsons
Outreach Librarian
Central Library
Guildhall Square
Portsmouth
PO1 2DX
T: 02392688066
Available for all areas

Wednesday 3 August 2011

Free Community Toolkit



Community Toolkit is a FREE information resource for people who want to get involved in organising smaller, straightforward community activities.

Developed by Zurich Insurance plc, in association with specialists from legal, health and safety, risk management and volunteering backgrounds, Community Toolkit aims to make volunteering more simple by providing some information and guidance for individuals and small groups who want to do more in the places where they live, for their own benefit and for those around them.

Tuesday 2 August 2011

M275 Tipner interchange scheme

The city council needs your help!
Please complete the survey at  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Tipner to help secure the funding from central government to regenerate Tipner.

The M275 Tipner interchange scheme (comprising the new junction, a southbound bus priority lane, and park and ride) is one of 45 major schemes currently being considered by the Department for Transport for funding.  

Portsmouth City Council is now required to submit a Best and Final Bid (BAFB) for funding by 9th September 2011. 

The Department does not expect that all 45 schemes will be funded.  All bids will be scrutinised very carefully and promoters will be challenged to demonstrate high value for money as well as significant savings on cost.  They will also look at a range of other criteria and will seek the views of interested parties including members of the public.  The process is competitive and those schemes that do not reach an acceptable standard will not be funded. 

If the council are to be successful in securing funding for the above transport improvements, it is vital that it is demonstrated to the Department for Transport that the scheme is supported by those living, working and visiting in Portsmouth - full details of the plans and the survey are on the city council website at http://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/living/8781.html 

Or contact the planning team
• call 023 9268 8205
• email tipner.projects@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
• write to:
Tipner Interchange Scheme,
Portsmouth City Council,
Highways and Coastal Services,
Guildhall Square,
Portsmouth,
PO1 2NE.