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Is your internet stuck in the slow-lane?
What could you do with super-fast speed?
Leicestershire County Council, working with a range of partners, including District Councils, is seeking to improve broadband speeds across Leicestershire.
Local authorities and the Government will invest almost £8.5m. A supplier will be contracted in the summer 2013 and the rollout will take 2 years after this.
A briefing session has been organised to help communities and businesses get up to speed on the project. More »
This will be held on;
11th February 2013 - 6.30-8.00pm (refreshments available from 6.00pm) at Sparkenhoe Committee Room, Leicestershire County Council
This event is open to community broadband groups, Parish Councils and local businesses.
If you wish to attend please contact Kate Harvey (kate.harvey@leics.gov.uk, 0116 305 7016) and provide the following information:
Name; Village or Parish Council represented; business name (if relevant); email address.
The deadline for registration is the 25th January 2013.
If you have any specific queries regarding broadband please contract Matthew Kempson (broadband@leics.gov.uk, 0116 305 6179) » Less
We are seeking your views on the draft strategy for health and wellbeing in Leicestershire.
This strategy is our overarching plan to improve the health and wellbeing of children and adults in the county and to reduce health inequalities.
The strategy is driven by our joint strategic needs assessment, the overarching assessment of the health and wellbeing needs of our population across the wider health and social care economy.
Over the next three years Leicestershire’s Health and Wellbeing Board, in partnership with local stakeholders, aims to “add quality and years to life” by improving health throughout people’s lives, reducing health inequalities and focusing on the needs of the local population. More »
Please follow the link to the County Council website to Have your say on the draft strategy by reading the document and completing the form. » Less
Leicestershire County Council (LCC) is committed to creating opportunities for more power to be shifted towards ordinary citizens and to people who use publicly funded services. In December 2011 it launched Phase 1 of a new and exciting initiative called the ‘Innovation Challenge programme’.
Due to the success of Phase 1, LCC have now launched a Phase 2 programme supported by a further round of bursaries. In Phase 2 the idea is to build on the processes put in place for Phase 1, but widening the scope and focusing outcomes to include early intervention and prevention priorities. More »
Phase 2 bursary funding is targeted at the whole provider market offering health and social care or housing related support services. Providers can apply for bursaries of up to £20,000. For information about applying for a bursary please refer to www.leics.gov.uk/innovation
In Phase 1 the challenge was for providers to create new ways of enabling people who receive housing related support services to be more involved in the design and delivery of that support and for providers to develop more personalised ways of working. Bursaries were available and the Council worked in partnership with Community Catalysts www.communitycatalysts.co.uk who provided the project support to the successful providers.
A total of 8 projects were successful and here are two examples:
Adullam Homes Housing Association Limited
The “‘My Living Voice’ project builds on the talents and assets of a group of people supported by Adullam and involves working with community artists Katherine Brown www.beautyandutilityarts.com and Winsome Ruddock: www.wb-arts.co.uk/ plus writers David and Sue MacKrell jessntab@aol.com to create a visual and creative record of their experiences before, during and after a period in custody. A key outcome of the project has been the improved confidence and self esteem of the people involved in the project along with increased employability skills with people making decisions and working as part of a team.
An exhibition of the creative art work produced by the Adullam group will go on display at St Nicholas Church Leicester LE1 4LB from 5th – 8th December from 10.00-2.00pm.
NW Leicestershire District Council has been another successful provider in the Phase 1 bursary programme. Their project has involved tenants in sheltered housing schemes in the NW Leicestershire villages coming together to share memories whilst cutting, sewing and creating a large quilt with images of family life, work and commerce.
Participatory artist Rikke Digerud-Waring has led the quilt making sessions and the quilt along with a wall hanging will go on display from 5th December at Snibston Discovery Centre, Coalville. This will be a private viewing but visitors to Snibston will be able to see the quilt there during December. For more information on the exhibition contact: rikkedigerud@hotmail.com
For further information or to apply, please visit www.leics.gov.uk/innovation.htm
or contact admin.teamcountyhall@leics.gov.uk or 0116 305 4699 » Less
A Neighbourhood Planning Networking Event will be held at Leicestershire County Council on Tuesday 20th November 2012 starting at 5.30pm.
The workshop is open to any communities thinking about developing a Neighbourhood Plan or that have started one. The workshop will include advice and good practice from current Leicestershire Front Runners on getting started, communication and how to organise a stakeholder event. Speakers include the Department of Communities and Local Government, Local Planning consultants supporting front runners and the Rural Community Council who can provide support and advice during the Neighbourhood Planning process. There will also be an opportunity to network with front runners, local planners and other communities interested in developing a Neighbourhood Plan to share positive experiences that can be recommended or discuss problems that have been encountered and how they were overcome. More »
If you would like to book a place please contact Sophie Davies at Sophie.Davies@leics.gov.uk or Sarah McCartney Sarah.McCartney@leics.gov.uk » Less
