EBC News 2024 12 04

Mayor of Erewash's Christmas message
Mayor of Erewash Cllr Kate Fennelly has issued a Christmas salute to residents paying tribute to the borough's "rich community spirit". She says:

"It is my absolute honour, as the Mayor of Erewash, to share a Christmas message with everyone, in all corners of our wonderful borough.

"I am acutely aware of the constraints we are all feeling over the cost-of-living and the troubles around the world. This is affecting all of us and, of course, it may be difficult to feel like celebrating the festive season. However, I would like to focus on the hope and light that Christmas can bring and the positives that this year has brought.

"The festive period is a special time of year and it is my dearest wish that this year families and friends can be together to celebrate and enjoy a safe and peaceful time. My thoughts go to those who will be alone for one reason or another at this time.

"Whilst carrying out engagements, I have seen first-hand the rich community spirit which exists within our communities. My gratitude as well goes to the volunteers and carers who give their time all year round to make such a positive difference to the lives of so many of our residents. Most go unnoticed but are very much appreciated.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who are working for us throughout the festive period, those who work in retail and those who keep us safe and secure in the NHS, the emergency services and our Armed Forces. Having served away myself on many military tours over the festive period, I have seen first hand how difficult it can be for many serving personnel who are away from family and friends.

"It is sad that the demand on food banks is increasing – and my heartfelt thanks go to the volunteers who keep them running, plus the companies and individuals who donate produce. Also, thank you to those running the warm spaces within the Borough.

"On behalf of my fellow councillors and officers of the Borough Council, I should like to wish you all a very happy Christmas and send our very best wishes to you all. Stay safe."

Saturday shoppers get free Xmas parking
An early Christmas present has been announced for shoppers in Erewash – with free Saturday parking during December. The £4 fee for more than three hours plus the £1.50 for shorter stays will be suspended from 10am in almost all the borough council's car parks – with charges only continuing to apply at Long Eaton's train station.

The first of the free Saturdays is on December 7. Payments will also be waived on the 14 and 21 – while car users hoping to grab post-Christmas bargains on Saturday 28 December will also benefit.

Deputy Mayor's £400k tube ride
A thrilling new fun zone for children is officially opened by Erewash council's young deputy mayor – who wore his chain of office as he insisted on sliding down its giant corkscrew tube.

Cllr Harry Atkinson joked as was called forward to cut the ribbon: "As long as I can have a go." He clambered up the nine-metre tower to test the slide as he was cheered on by children from the local Grange Primary School, who attended the opening ceremony in the town's West Park.

The £400k play mecca has taken six months to build – after the council clinched Shared Prosperity Fund money from the government.

The authority came up with two competing designs for the attraction – and local people got to vote for their favourite. Toddlers can enjoy a separate section featuring a rocking boat while juniors explore bridges and a zipwire.

Harry – who became the borough's youngest-ever deputy mayor when he was appointed at the age of 24 – said after sliding down the snaking tube: "It was great fun."

New nature reserve taking shape
Erewash's leader James Dawson beams in sunglasses as a fellow councillor dazzles him with his spadework – while helping to plant a new wood at the borough's latest nature reserve.

Cllr Harrison Broadhurst grabbed the shovel to put a young oak in place as a delegation from Ilkeston Town Hall went to see the superb work of local people helping to turn the old Pewit municipal golf course into a wildlife haven. The residents – seen in hi-vis vests – are volunteer tree wardens. They have been busy planting the first of some 1,500 saplings. Harrison is a councillor for the Ilkeston ward of Little Hallam – as is Dave Snaith.

The planting comes amid a hive of activity at what is called Pewit Coronation Meadows Nature Reserve – where bee and butterfly banks have been constructed.

Pitch perfect! £450k boost for local sport
Footie stars of the future officially got the green light to make use of a new state-of-the-art playing surface in Erewash – as the £450,000 boost for local sport was formally opened by the Mayor.

Cllr Kate Fennelly was joined by town hall officials and senior councillors including leader James Dawson at Ilkeston's Rutland Sports Park.

The all-weather 3G pitch – built after the council secured government funding – meets FIFA standards and is perfect for wannabe Jude Bellinghams. The project incorporates multi-use games areas for a wide range of acitivities. Upgraded LED floodlighting has been installed along with a new shockpad, replacement kickboards, new divider nets and new fencing.

Parkwood Leisure, which has a contract to run the borough's leisure facilities, oversaw the five-month construction. Managing director Glen Hall said: "Our partnership with the council continues to strengthen and provide the people of Erewash with new and excellent leisure facilities and services."

Cllr Josy Hare, who is Lead Member for Health and Wellbeing, said: "This fantastic new pitch is further proof of our commitment to the borough's leisure centres – which we are investing in so residents have access to the very best facilities."

Bookings to use the new pitch can be made by calling 0115 930 2033

Showcase arena opens for events
Major open-air extravaganzas such as Erewash's biggest carnival have just been given a huge boost – with the completion of work by the council to create the perfect venue for events.

The project has seen power hook-ups, new lighting and water supplies installed at what has long been used as a staging post for Long Eaton Carnival's floats. Car park improvements have also been made to tempt more promoters and community organisations to use what is now a showcase two-hectare site. Bookings for the five-acre events space at West Park in Long Eaton can be made via the Erewash Borough Council website.

Funding for the arena – which is where carnival organisers hold regular car boot sales to raise funds – has come from the government under the £25m Long Eaton Town Deal.

Save on garden waste: Erewash offers best deal
Residents who signed up to keep getting garden waste collected after cash-squeezed Erewash council reluctantly brought in its brown bin charge are set to continue paying way less than in most other local authorities.

A majority of households opted in when the annual fee of up to £37 was launched last spring – with most grabbing an early bird deal that cut the price to £20. There were no plans for a similar discount in 2025. But officials have now recommended there should still be one, although it will rise by a fiver. It means people who sign up by 31 March will pay just £25. The full price payable after that date will be pegged at £37. Nearby local authorities charge an average of £46 – while £56 is typical nationwide.

There was no direct debit option when the council introduced charges in the spring – and this remains the case, meaning residents need to subscribe again. They will be encouraged to do so online using their My Erewash accounts just like before.

The charges will be subject to a vote by the full council – ahead of the 2025 offer being launched at the end of January.

Christmas refuse collections
There will be some changes to refuse and recycling collection days during the Christmas period.

If your bin is normally emptied on a Wednesday (25 December), it will be collected on Monday 23 December. If your bin is normally emptied on a Thursday (26 December) it will be collected on Monday 30 December.

Collections that are usually carried out on a Wednesday (1 January 2025) will be done the following day, on Thursday 2 January. More information, including about clinical collections and Christmas tree recycling, can be found at erewash.gov.uk

. . and avoid shellshock by checking bins for PETS!
A tortoise cheated death by a miracle after being carted off with tonnes of rubbish to a recycling centre – sparking a plea to Erewash residents to check their bins for pets.

Little Pee-wee – which was the name given to him by vets – survived being scooped up by a digger and going through a glass-smashing machine as part of the sorting process.

Only his shell was slightly damaged at the Grantham recycling hub that is used by Erewash council. The centre's Paul Frost, 41, admitted a year after finding three kittens unharmed: "I'm surprised he's alive still."

Free New Year lunches at fun camps for kids
New Year fun days aimed at children who qualify for free school meals have been lined up to help boost Erewash families – as the borough council continues to support those hit hardest by the cost of living.

The Winter Holiday Activity and Food Camps include a free packed lunch. The first is on Thursday 2 January at the Rutland Sports Park in Ilkeston. Another the next day – Friday 3 January – will be at The Long Eaton School in Thoresby Road. The sessions run from 10am to 2pm and are open to seven to 12-year-olds from across the borough. Children are promised "sports, games and fun activities". At the Rutland Sports Park there will also be "soft play and inflatable bouncy castle fun". Families need to book in advance to enrol children using a code available from school offices.

Museum needs your votes
Erewash's much-loved museum is urging people to vote for it to scoop a major prize – amid plans by the award-winning heritage and culture hub to transform its garden into a Victorian-style Eden that everyone can enjoy.

The Path To The Past project has made the shortlist in a competition run by water giant Severn Trent, which is offering £2,500 of funding plus an army of volunteers like on telly's DIY SOS. But residents need to vote for Ilkeston's Erewash Museum to win. The ballot closes on Thursday 12 December – and can be found at the link below. It also takes you to an online video explaining the history of Dalby House – a former grand residence in Ilkeston which is now home to the Erewash Museum.

In the film Cultural and Heritage Assistant Georgia Haney shows where the idyll will be. She says: "The Path To The Past project aims to regenerate this area of the garden back to its former glory – the way it would have looked in the Victorian era when the museum was home to the Maltby family."

Superstar Mimi opens £1.3m gymnastics hub
Former gymnastics superstar Mimi-Isabella Cesar cut the ribbon as a new £1.3million mecca for those hoping to follow in her footsteps opened in Erewash.

The Commonwealth Games veteran, 29 – a three-time all-round medallist – was a VIP guest at the new Long Eaton home of Erewash Valley Gymnastics Club, which also has a training centre in Ilkeston's Hallam Fields Road.

The booming club is celebrating its golden anniversary. Its New Tythe Street site was demolished and rebuilt from the ground up thanks to support from a local family trust. The project took a year.

Erewash Borough Council has backed the club's mission to find Olympic gymnasts of the future with a £1,500 "Fast Funding" community grant towards new equipment.

The grants use government money to boost organisations that benefit the community – especially those that rely on volunteers.

Win £50 in town travel survey
A prize of £50 is up for grabs in an online quiz to find out how people in Ilkeston get around town. The survey's aim is to discover what may be stopping residents walking or cycling more.

Erewash Borough Council has commissioned a national charity that specialises in sustainable transport to lead the research. It takes just a few minutes to complete the Sustrans survey, which runs until 31 December. Participants will go into a draw to win a £50 shopping voucher. The quiz can be found at the link below.

The money for the scheme is from what are known as Section 106 levies. These are paid by developers to provide funding that is ringfenced to improve travel in Ilkeston.

Have a cool Yule . . as golden year ends
As 2024 draws to a close the Mayor of Erewash is seen unveiling a plaque to celebrate how this year has been the golden anniversary of the borough council.

Councillor Kate Fennelly was joined by the authority's Chief Executive Jeremy Jaroszek at Ilkeston Town Hall.

A similar plaque is due to be unveiled at Long Eaton Town Hall.

Erewash Borough Council came into being 50 years ago in a 1974 local government shake-up that merged district councils in Ilkeston and Long Eaton. Events to mark the anniversary have included granting the freedom of the borough to 814 Naval Air Squadron – an anti-submarine helicopter force that the council has forged close links with. The squadron is nicknamed the Flying Tigers.

Christmas opening hours
The council offices, including phone lines, will close at 2pm on Christmas Eve, Tuesday 24 December and at 2pm on New Year's Eve, Tuesday 31 December.

The council will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

The town hall receptions will be closed on Friday 27 December, Monday 30 December and Tuesday 31 December. Customers can still contact us online via a My Erewash account or by calling 0115 907 2244.

Erewash Borough Council wishes all its residents a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year!