Villages
| Published date | 16 March 2022 |
| Publication title | Loughborough Echo |
Clerk Sue Lewis reported that the council groundsmen, when taking down the Christmas trees for the 2021 festive period, had carried out a survey on all the large Christmas tree lights and the brackets.
The clerk said the lights on the trees on the Friendship Garden, Gotham Road car park and two of the trees on Memorial Garden were either only partially working or not at all and that seven brackets needed to be replaced.
Following a discussion at the meeting, the clerk said it was agreed that a quotation be sought for replacing the lights on the trees in question. It was also agreed that they should try and go for a larger tree bracket. Sue was asked to purchase one bracket and speak to all the shops that need a new one to see if they would be happy having the small ones replaced with the larger one.
MINISTERIAL VISIT. Government Health Minister for Patient Safety and Primary Care, Maria Caufield, has been to East Leake to see for herself the inadequate facilities that are provided at the village health centre for the ever-growing population figures in the area.
The Minister visited the village and was told of the new health centre proposals
that are planned to tackle the problems that patients have to currently face when using the existing facility. The government minister was in the village at the invitation of Tory MP Ruth Edwards.
While in the village, the Minister was told of exciting plans for a new community hub and had the opportunity to meet representatives from the practice, patient's groups, the Rushcliffe Primary Care Network and others, all of whom underlined the current provision for the village was
no-longer fit for purpose.
The current health centre in East Leake is the oldest in Nottinghamshire and as such the building is acknowledged as not meeting present day requirements, being incredibly out of date. The Minister was told that the centre roof leaks in the rain, a situation that can lead to flooding and problems with the fixtures and services on site.
The practice based at the current centre has also struggled to deal with the increase in population in its catchment area as new housing estates have been built and brought many more people to the area, and it is admitted the issues severely effect patient care to the point where there is a squeeze on the amount of services that can be offered, at a time when everyone asks more and more from their GPs.
As previously outlined in the Echo, there are exciting plans in the works to develop a state-of-the-art community hub, incorporating additional services including the GP's surgery, the dentists, the library, the pharmacy, and others, moves that are being warmly welcomed by those having to both work in and use the existing facility.
It is readily acknowledged there is a massive amount of community support on this issue and patients in East Leake were unanimous in their praise for the staffin the existing health centre.
However, there is an understanding that they could only do their best given the lack of space available in the building. The proposed move into a new space would provide more consultation rooms that could deliver a wider range of services such as with on-site physiotherapists, prescribing pharmacists, social prescribers, and mental health services. Having those services in house would increase patient awareness of them, make treatments more accessible and deal with the root causes of illnesses before a GP appointment is required.
The inadequacies of the East Leake Health Centre are not new, having existed for months. The Rushcliffe MP has been working with various stakeholders such as the Rushcliffe Borough Council
and Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Clinical Commissioning Group to look at options for a new health centre since her election in 2019, when she took over from Kenneth Clarke, and has welcomed the fact that the Minister is very supportive of the vision now being progressed.
It has been acknowledged of course that the UK national situation involving the COVID pandemic caused problems involving delays, but it has been confirmed that the CCG has restarted the business case after delays caused by the pandemic. "I will work to help move the business case along and get it submitted because we need this facility urgently."
Minister for Patient Safety and Primary Care Maria Caulfield said: "It's been great visiting East Leake Health Centre to hear about their proposal for a new practice. The team are doing an incredible job and I thank stafffor going above and beyond, caring for their community during the pandemic.
"We've made an extra £520 million available to improve access to GP practices on top of £1.5 billion to create an additional 50 million appointments in general practice by 2024."
HISTORY SOCIETY SUPPORT.
Cash support is being given by the parish council at East Leake to their Local History Society by agreeing sponsorship for their book, To a place of greater safety - Evacuees in East Leake 1939-45.
Following a presentation to members by the society at a meeting of the council, it was agreed to financially assist the Local History Society with the production of more copies. Coun Matt Barney offered to match the parish council's donation with a donation from Nottinghamshire County Council's Community Fund. The book will be publicised in the next parish council newsletter to promote sales.
The parish council has agreed to give the history society £300 towards the cost of the book, which will be match funded by Coun Barney from his Community Fund. Parish chairman Coun Kevin Shaw, seconded: Coun Donna Griggs and agreed unanimously.
JOINT MEETINGS. Churches
in East Leake have been joining together and holding joint learning meetings during Lent with everyone being welcome to attend and take part.
The first Lent group meeting
was on March 9 at St Mary's Parish Church, and the next meeting is Friday this weekend, March 18 at 7.30pm at the Methodist Church.
On Wednesday, March 23 a Lent Group will meet at East Leake Catholic Church and the final Churches Together meeting will be at the Baptist Church at 7.30pm on Monday, March 28.
PLANS. Although the parish council at East Leake did not oppose development plans for the property at Pine Bank, on West Leake Road they did make some comments.
The application to Rushcliffe Borough Council was for the construction of a two storey front extensions, a loft conversion/first floor side extension with raised roof and part remodelling and an external alteration to include a tongue and groove weatherboard, the parish council made comments they would like to see serious protection of the trees to stop them from being damaged, and to ensure property will not be used for commercial purposes.
The council unanimously supported an application involving 37 Potters Lane, for the proposed...
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