St Matthews & St Marks News 

I’ve been working with residents and local organisations to develop a number of schemes that will have an immediate impact on the area.

 

The main priority is to encourage joint working as well as improving the environment. Two important schemes are due to start shortly. These are the new park and football pitch at Dysart Way and a 5-a-side pitch on St Marks. I think, after talking to residents and local organisations, that these facilities will prove extremely popular. I have also been working closely with the Tenants’ Association in St Matthews to develop a scheme to recruit 20 street stewards and to employ an estate gardener to train and encourage local people to grow their own fruit and vegetables.

 

Hopefully the funding applications that we’ve submitted will be successful! This will be complemented by a local fruit and vegetable market, I’ll also be talking to local businesses to see if they would be interested in supplying low cost produce. A number of events have also been organised to bring important services to the areas. For example an employment, training and enterprise event took place on 27th February. Clean up days for both St Matthews and St Marks are also being planned and it is hoped to involve the local schools and award prizes to the best efforts.

 

Furthermore I’ve set up a number of sub groups of key agencies to help deal with some of the issues
facing the estate. These groups will make it easier for residents concerns to be heard and hopefully speedily resolved where possible!

 

Finally, patch walks with residents on St Marks have taken place, in all weathers, and more are planned. This will hopefully provide a way of engaging local people and establishing a new resident group for the area.

 

Brian Wheeler
Neighbourhood Manager