Rogerstone Councillors

An update from Rogerstone

Thanks to everyone who got in touch with their ‘sports’ related activities, local City and Community Councillor Tom Bond was the first to reply:

Tom wrote..

I was really pleased to be at Rogerstone Rangers Junior Football Club Presentation Day on 12th May. It was fantastic to be there to recognise another year of hard work by everyone involved in the Club, and the individual and team successes of the players, many of whom received awards for their performance. Welsh football has had an incredible year this year, and I believe its current and future strength is rooted in the hard work happening at grassroots level across the country, and the Rangers is a good example. If you’ve got time to spare and could volunteer or know someone who might want to play, let us know and we’ll put you in touch with the Club.

Rogerstone RFC ….

Rogerstone RFC will be celebrating their 40^th Anniversary next season and also their first game at their new floodlit pitch at the Newport Fugitives Athletic Club which has become the permanent home of the club. In addition, they have appointed former Wales front row forward Garin Jenkins as their head coach.  Chairman Carl Bridges said, “It is an exciting time for this club and having Garin on board is part of our long term expansion plans. As the leading club in the area we are looking to develop both a youth and junior side as well as bringing along new players to represent the community of Rogerstone, and anyone who would like to come along will receive a warm welcome as well as the opportunity to train under some outstanding and highly respected coaches. The Fugitives Athletic Club is a family friendly club with outstanding facilities and this has also been a very positive move for the club, so we are looking to the season ahead with confidence”. If anyone is interested in joining the club please contact Carl Bridges on 07813 830054 or visit our website atwww.rogerstonerfc.com 

Welfare Grounds….today! Bank Holiday Monday

If you’re looking for something fun to do with the family today (it’s Bank Holiday, and, I’m sure the sun is shining?!) why not pack a picnic, and head down to the welfare grounds? Remember your tennis racket, as, use of the tennis courts is FREE for this year, and, more good news, the miniature golf course is also FREE, from the end of this week! So, if your kids are future Wimbledon or Ryder Cup stars, practise free, at the welfare…and have some family fun along the way!

If tennis, golf, football or rugby isn’t your thing, why not go for a good walk? Regular monthly walks are currently being put on (whatever the weather) at 14 Locks Canal and Heritage Centre, they take place on the first Saturday of each month, at 10am, phone 01633 892167for full details.

And finally, a note for your diaries, the next ‘Neighbourhood Committee’ is on Wednesday 19^th June, Rogerstone and Bassaleg Social Club, 7pm till finish,  these meetings are a great opportunity for locals to voice their concerns about Rogerstone and City matters, with Police, Community Safety Wardens, Newport City Homes, Street scene (NCC roads, green services etc) and of course your City Councillors, all in attendance, it’s also been confirmed that representatives from the ‘Walters Group’ will also be on hand, to answer any questions regarding the Jubilee Park development, so, if you’re interested in  local issues, make a note to pop along.

If you want to tell us what you’re up to: Chrispevans1@mac.com

Tel 07778 279235

A call to action from people power website 38 Degrees

Tax-dodging. It’s been all over the headlines. And on our own, it’s easy to feel powerless when we face big business. But people power has changed that. 38 Degrees members have teamed up to find a way to fight back.

When Npower admitted they hadn’t paid a single penny of corporation tax for three years, 38 Degrees members sprang into action. [1] Thousands of us signed a huge petition. We funded an investigation that proved their profits had been channelled through Malta. Our people-powered, tax-dodging scoop hit the front pages. [2]

And then we played our trump card: a new tool on the 38 Degrees website to make it easy for Npower customers to switch providers. So far, it’s working. Thousands of Npower customers have changed energy companies. But we can do better. Can you spread the word today and get more people involved?

Npower are one of the biggest energy companies in the UK, so chances are you’ve got customers among your friends and family. Even if you’re not sure whether they use Npower or not, they’ll probably know someone who does. Can you send them this email, and ask them to join in by clicking here?


SWITCH SUPPLIER 

An update from Rogerstone

EVANS AND CLARK.. 40 YEARS ON…Local greengrocers and convenience store ‘Evans and Clark’ are celebrating 40 years of trading,  situated at 3 Uplands Shops, Rogerstone (see picture) shop owners, and local Roggie characters Dennis and Peter have been pals from school, Peter, who was a assistant pro golfer, later became a area manager for a supermarket chain, he met up again with old friend Dennis who had a market stall, and they decided, in 1973 to ‘open up shop’ in Roggie, 40 years later, they’re still going strong! It’s great to hear a local independent shop success story, if you haven’t visited ‘Evans and Clark’ for while, there’s a great selection of garden plants in stock, as well as fresh fruit and veg, together with household goods,  and, it’s a great place to catch up on all the local gossip! I asked Dennis and Peter for the secret to their success, to which they replied… ‘giving people quality, at a good price, with a smile’, I’m sure you’d join me in wishing them continued success, and, congratulations, on 40 years of serving our Community.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED…..

Three Counties Community Play project supports communities to establish more play opportunities for children and young people.

they have supported the communities of Maindee, Crindau, Brynglas and Beechwood to provide safe play opportunities.

they are currently looking for community members to provide fun activities for children in Rogerstone – where volunteers will be supported, trained and provided with equipment so that the children of Rogerstone can benefit.

No experience is required but if you want to give the children in your community something fun and worthwhile, or you have any questions or queries please contact Hayley or Karen on 01495 742470 or play@tvawales.org.uk

BEE ORCHID….GRASS VERGE, RUSKIN AVENUE

The grass verge area at Ruskin Avenue, Rogerstone is currently being managed as a meadow to promote the growth of the Bee Orchid.  The management regime includes cutting the site twice per year, which involves leaving the arising’s for a few days to enable the seeds to drop off.  The Bee Orchid is an internationally protected species under Section 13 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981.

The Bee Orchid is an attractive orchid with several small flowers, which mimics a female Bee both in scent and appearance.  The flower tricks the male bee into landing which enables pollen transfer.  However the Bee Orchid is able to self-pollinate in the absence of a suitable insect pollinator.  Bee Orchids may only flower once in their lifetime, which explains their erratic behaviour – large numbers some years and disappearing the next.

Any enquiries about this area or any other biodiversity issues please contact Lucy Kelly at Newport City Council on 01633 656656.   

ROGERSTONE COMMUNITY COUNCIL… At the recent AGM meeting, Cllr Stephen Jones (CON) was elected Chair, with Cllr Stephen Bowen(LAB) elected as this year’s Vice Chair, congratulations to both, it’s good to see some cross Political Party cooperation on our Community Council, let’s hope this will continue during the next 12 months.

ROGERSTONE LIBRARY… Some good news for our local library, opening hours have been extended, the library will now be open Monday 9-7, Tues. 9-530,wed 9-530, thurs 9-530, Fri. 9 -530 and Saturdays 9 till 1pm, with other library services facing a uncertain future, it’s clear, we need to ‘support our own local library’- why not rediscover Rogerstone Library, this week?

SURGERY…. The next City Councillors surgery is on 25^th May, 10am till 12 noon, 14 locks Visitors Centre.. pop along, if you have any local or City concerns, the 25^th is also the next date for the ‘Rogerstone Spring Clean’, meet 10am, outside Rogerstone Primary School, all are welcome, even if you can only spare a hour, call City Councillor Tom Bond 07880 742886 for more information.

Are you planning a School fete, or local summer event? Drop me a line, and, I’ll try my best to include it over the coming weeks.

£400m funding boost for affordable homes in Wales by 2016

A £400m funding boost to increase the supply of housing in Wales will help realise the Welsh Government’s ambitious plans to deliver 7,500 new affordable homes by 2016, Welsh Labour’s Finance Minister Jane Hutt said today.

Despite UK Government budget cuts, since 2011 the Welsh Government has taken a number of major steps to boost investment in affordable housing.

Along with the private finance that these initiatives facilitate, the Welsh Government’s contribution will total around £160m, and includes:

·         In 2011/12 £18.1m extra allocated to boost the supply of social housing and £3m extra for physical adaptation and disabled facilities grants.

·         In 2012/13 £29m extra allocated to boost the supply of social housing – delivering 464 new affordable homes, £1m extra for Independent Living Grants, £5m extra for the West Rhyl housing project, and £10m in 2012/13 for the new Houses into Homes initiative to bring empty properties back in to use – this has already brought at least 450 houses back in to use with the first wave of interest-free loans.

·         In 2013/14 and 2014/15 £16.7m extra to enable use of public sector land for housing, building on the Ely Mill model.

·         The Welsh Housing Partnership, which enables four Registered Social Landlords to use Welsh Government funding to lever investment by the Principality Building Society to provide affordable rental housing across Wales.  The Welsh Government will be investing £21m between 2010/11 and 2014/15 in this initiative, supporting a total investment of over £100m, delivering up to 900 homes.

The Minister today announced plans are being finalised for a new innovative mechanism for financing social housing – which will enable investment of up to £140m over the next few years to deliver around 1,100 new homes.  The Minister will announce further capital funding allocations across a number of sectors next week.

The Minister said the Welsh Government is responding to these challenges through the Wales Infrastructure Investment Plan. Published a year ago and regularly refreshed, the Plan aims to sharpen our prioritisation, improve investment planning and boost the resources available for infrastructure investment to the benefit of the Welsh public & private sectors. 

Bee Orchid, Grass Verge - Ruskin Avenue, Rogerstone

The grass verge area at Ruskin Avenue, Rogerstone is currently being managed as a meadow to promote the growth of the Bee Orchid. The management regime includes cutting the site twice per year, which involves leaving the arising’s for a few days to enable the seeds to drop off. The Bee Orchid is an internationally protected species under Section 13 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981.

The Bee Orchid is an attractive orchid with several small flowers, which mimics a female Bee both in scent and appearance. The flower tricks the male bee into landing which enables pollen transfer. However the Bee Orchid is able to self-pollinate in the absence of a suitable insect pollinator. Bee Orchids may only flower once in their lifetime, which explains their erratic behaviour – large numbers some years and disappearing the next.

Any enquiries about this area or any other biodiversity issues please contact Lucy Kelly at Newport City Council on 01633 656656.

Volunteers needed in Rogerstone

Would the community of Rogerstone benefit from our support? 

Three Counties Community Play project supports communities to establish more play opportunities for children and young people.

We have supported the communities of Maindee, Crindau, Brynglas and Beechwood to provide safe play opportunities.

We are currently looking for community members to provide fun activities for children in Rogerstone – where volunteers will be supported, trained and provided with equipment so that the children of Rogerstone can benefit.

No experience is required but if you want to give the children in your community something fun and worthwhile, or you have any questions or queries please contact Hayley or Karen on 01495 742470 or play@tvawales.org.uk

Grassroots update

ROGERSTONE SPRING CLEAN…. The first ‘Rogerstone Spring Clean’ event (see pictures), organised by  City Councillors and Yvonne Forsey, Community Councillor, was a great success, over 35 volunteers turned up, including Scouts, members of the Rogerstone Roses, (W.I), staff from McDonalds and local residents, the event which centred around 14 Locks and the North area of Rogerstone, saw a amazing 46 bags of rubbish collected plus 18 bags of recycling plus a tin bath, mattress, 2 tyres… and a ‘for sale’ sign! Volunteers were rewarded after the ‘big clean up’ with bacon sandwiches kindly provided by staff at 14 Locks Visitors Centre, well done again to all involved, the next event in the Rogerstone Spring Clean Calendar, is on the 25^th May, and, focuses on the Cefn Wood area, meet at 10am Rogerstone Primary, and finish at the Alcan Club, if you’d like to take part in this great, community initiative, contact Tom Bond on 07880 742886 for details (The Rogerstone Spring Clean is also being supported by Newport City Council) big thanks to the staff at 14 Locks for their help and support.

London Marathon….Rogerstone’s know Police Sergeant, Angela Jones, took part in this year’s London Marathon, finishing in 5 hours 30 minutes, and, raising a impressive £4,000 for the British Legion Poppy Appeal, well done our Angela! We’ll now expect to see you running around Rogerstone dealing with local policing issues! (after a well earned rest, of course).

Welfare Grounds- Miniature Golf and Tennis Courts…. Some good news! at the last Rogerstone Community Leisure committee meeting, I proposed, that, for this year, we make the facilities’ FREE,  This suggestion was duly agreed at the last full meeting of RCC, which is great news, so, as from now, the tennis courts are free to hire, and, from 24^th May, the Miniature Golf Course will also be free of charge, in these days of price increases and, cuts to public services, it great to see Rogerstone Community Council putting fitness and family fun first, demand is likely to be very high… so, book in advance go to www.rogerstonecommunitycouncil.com/welfaregrounds for further details, anyone interested in taking part in a family ‘Miniature Golf Day’ in the summer, get in touch, and, maybe we can organise one together.

 Some dates for your diaries, our City Councillors next surgery is on 25^th May, 14 Locks Visitors Centre,10am till 12 noon, the next Neighbourhood Committee is on 19^th June, at the Alcan Club, 7pm till finish, Police, City Council Officers, Newport City Homes and City Councillors will all be on hand, to deal with residents questions and concerns.

We’d love to hear what you’re up to. Send your stories to  Chrispevans1@mac.com 07778 279235