your voice
Your guide to what’s happening in Telford and Wrekin
April 2012
Get set for Spring
Spring is upon us – and the next few months in Telford and Wrekin promise to be full of iconic scenes that will leave us with memories we will treasure forever.
After all, it’s not every day that the Olympic torch tours the country so the fact it is coming to Telford and Wrekin on May 30 is something for us all to be very proud of.
The Olympic Torch Relay is just one of a number of exciting events – the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee takes place just days later, the Euro 2012 football championships in Poland and Ukraine will dominate early June. And then of course there are the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games from the end of July.
On May 30, torchbearers will be carrying the Olympic flame into the borough across the Iron Bridge and down The Wharfage. It can also be seen in Telford Town Centre and Newport.
It is a fantastic opportunity for people to get directly involved with the Games and details on how you can do this are on page eight.
The major event to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee is taking place at RAF Cosford, with plenty of Telford and Wrekin input. This will feature a full scale pageant including 5,000 children, floats and carnival pieces, music and colour. This is on July 12 between 10am
and 5pm.
It is expected that there will also be a number of street parties and other events to mark the Jubilee. The Council has a special toolkit to help people organise events. This can be found at
Showing enterprise
A new resource for businesses is opening in Telford to provide affordable workspace and regular training sessions to help local people acquire an entrepreneurial spirit.
Telford Enterprise Hub is a contemporary business centre providing a base for new start ups and existing small businesses.
It has room for more than 50 independent concerns and is co-funded by Telford & Wrekin Council. The resource aims to give the borough’s brightest emerging businesses the finest working, meeting and training space in the region.
It comprises of a 6,000 sq ft space in Hadley Park East and is ideal for entrepreneurs, free lancers and creative designers.
Businesses can buy space in the new hub space for just £150 a month. A further £10 a month gets you a professional registered address and there is also the option to drop in and hot desk using Wifi for just £10 a day.
The UK’s first Start Up Zone
Telford Enterprise Hub will also have 2,500 sq ft of space reserved exclusively for the UK’s first Start Up Zone.
This will provide a launch pad for 100 fledgling enterprises operated by self employed local
young people.
This project aims to reduce local unemployment rates and help young people discover self employment as a route to lifetime earning – effectively using their skills to “make their own jobs”.
The young people will be able to register as self employed independent contractors and be supported in their first year with workspace and training workshops through the facility.
The project is being backed by the property owner and private funder the TTC Group.
Get In Touch...
If you are interested in any of the business services and are aged between 18-24
and would like to register for the Start Up Zone, call 01952 580745, email
or visit
Your Views Matter
Budget 2012/13
Thank you to all readers who returned the Council Tax questionnaire in the last edition of Your Voice. They were part of more than 2,800 views we received on the Council’s budget.
Council Tax responses:
37% favoured a 2.5% increase
26% favoured a 3.5% increase
37% favoured a one year freeze
Even after taking account of the Council’s decision to increase Council Tax by 2.5% to help protect services for vulnerable adults and children, our Council Tax is around £52 less a year than neighbouring Shropshire’s. However, unprecedented cuts in Government funding, will mean that we will have to continue to make further savings and more cuts.
We continue to need your help on budget decisions and will be seeking your views, ideas and suggestions. Here are ways you can give your views and get involved
- Keep up-to-date on budget issues throughout the year at
- Give your ideas on ways that you think we can do things differently to help save money or improve services at
- Join our Community Panel at or call 01952 382131
Big names for a big investment
High quality restaurant tenants have been confirmed for Telford’s £250m Southwater development – as the ambitious plan to kickstart a vibrant night time economy gathers pace.
Cineworld had already been announced as operator of the new Southwater Square’s 11 screen multiplex cinema.
Now eight instantly recognisable brands from the hotel and catering industry have also been announced. See below.
Also major refurbishment work at Telford Ice Rink will begin from June to transform the facilities, including upgrading the rink, a new café and soft play area. This means it will be closed from May 28 for four months, but we’ve some exciting plans to keep you skating over the summer. More details will be published soon.
Citygrove
Toby Baines, of Citygrove Securities, said: “Citygrove is excited to be working with the Council to deliver their vision for the regeneration of Southwater Square to provide Telford with a much needed modern cinema and restaurant quarter.”
PREMIER INN
“Southwater Square is set to be transformed into a major leisure and conference centre destination in Telford complete with a new cinema and market leading restaurants – exactly the type of development our customers want us to be in,” said John Bates, of Whitbread Hotels and Restaurants.
“A new Premier Inn hotel will be a great addition to the scheme, helping to help create the night-time economy Telford badly needs and delivering new jobs in the town.”
NANDOS
“We are delighted to be opening in Telford and believe this development will be a wonderful addition to the leisure facilities for the town. The choice of restaurants will be second to none in the area,” said Peter Atkinson, of Nandos.
CHIMICHANGA
“Chimichanga is excited to bring Mexican cuisine to the redevelopment of Southwater Square. Telford lacks a modern leisure destination and this redevelopment will provide residents with a new multiplex cinema and an exciting line up of restaurants,” said Jonathan Kaye, of Prezzo.
PIZZA EXPRESS AND ZIZZI
A spokesperson from Gondola confirmed that the company was excited to be part of the regeneration of Southwater Square to provide Telford with a much needed high quality leisure offer.
Cineworld
Stephen Wiener, of Cineworld, said “We are very pleased to be afforded the opportunity to provide a modern multiplex facility for the residence of the Greater Telford area. We will do our best to become a valued member of the community.”
BELLA ITALIA
“We look forward to serving the people of Telford our great Italian food and hospitality,”
Jonathan Haverhand, of Bella Italia.
Visitor Centre opens
The new Town Park Visitor Centre is the perfect base to explore the nooks and crannies of one of Telford’s more popular attractions.
It is the first building to be completed as part of the Southwater development and is now open.
Situated at the edge of the play area between Withy Pool and Spout Pool, it replaces the original Spout Farm House.
It includes a cafe, cycle hire provided by the Bicycle Hub (contact 01952 883249) and a meeting room that can be booked by calling 01952 382340
Something big is happening in Telford
Keep up to date at
Your Money, Your Projects
Your Money, Your Projects has made a pot of £1,000 available to each of the Council’s 54 councillors to put forward proposals for the money to be spent on improving their individual ward. The fund has helped a range of projects across the borough, benefitting local groups and residents of all ages. Below are some of the highlights.
Lawley & Overdale Ward
Cllrs Roy Picken & Jayne Greenaway
Old Park Residents Association.
Dingle Pond
A group of local residents (pictured) have worked together to improve their local area, demonstrating a real sense of civic pride.
Residents can be seen regularly tidying up the pond and its surrounding areas, coming together at weekends to collect rubbish and generally keep the immediate area clean
and tidy.
Councillors Roy Picken and Jayne Greenaway have donated £300 of their Your Money Your Projects fund to the Residents Association to purchase wildflowers.
The flowers will be planted by local resident volunteers to create a natural grassed habitat
for wildlife.
Malinslee & Dawley
Magna Wards
Cllrs Shaun Davies, Kuldip Sahota,
Frances Bould, Brian Duce, Clive Elliott.
Dawley Town Hall
The local community have expressed their desire to see Dawley Town Hall back in the heart of the community and a vibrant part of local life.
Dawley Town Hall Steering Group has been formed consisting of Telford & Wrekin Council, Great Dawley Parish Council, Capgemini, Telford College, Dawley Regeneration Partnership and Phoenix School.
The partnership is looking at ways that it can help to bring it back into use and the partners have put forward some funding. Through Your Money Your Projects, local Ward Councillors have also contributed £2,000. The partnership plans to establish a Friends of Dawley Town Hall Group to help plan the building’s future.
Brookside Ward
Cllrs Arnold England & Jackie Loveridge.
Brookside Community Garden
The community garden was established in 2011 in the grounds of Windmill School.
Volunteers have been recruited to help plan and design the garden, how it will look and the textures and smells they want to capture using plants and sculptures made from local wood.
Through Your Money Your Projects, councillors have donated £665 towards an oak bench and to buy plants for the garden.
Newport Wards
Cllrs Roy Scammell, Adam Stanton,
Adrian Meredith, Eric Carter.
Heart of England in Bloom
Designing and planting a flower bed to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics 2012 on the Stafford Road in Newport for all to enjoy.
The design will feature the Olympic rings and a crown with a gravel border. The flower bed will start to take shape early May and local volunteers will maintain it.
Local councillors from all four Newport Wards contributed £200 each through Your Money Your Projects giving the project a total of £800.
Got an idea for your local area?
Contact your local councillor. See page 12.
Get set for Wellington!
Welcome to the new Wellington Civic & Leisure Centre...
A state of the art building that incorporates newly refurbished leisure facilities, a new modern library, a register office and community cafe
– all at the heart of Wellington.
It’s now open to the public and has fantastic facilities, as well as being one of the most energy efficient buildings in the borough.
Catering for everyone’s health and fitness needs…
These hi-tech leisure facilities offer more choice than ever before including:
- New pool changing rooms
- Extended gym with latest equipment
- New fitness changing rooms
- Cafe
- Refurbished swimming pool
- Updated Health suite
- Unlimited use memberships for £6 per week
- Function room for hire, call 01952 382720
First Point Wellington - Access our services…
The new First Point Wellington at Wellington Library will allow residents to access a number of Council services including:
- Applying for concessionary travel passes and blue badge parking permits
- Requesting replacement bins and recycling containers
- Reporting faulty street lights, potholes, graffiti and fly tipping
- Surgeries for Housing and Council Tax Benefits
- Making payments for Council services (by cheque or debit/credit card)
- Help with completing application forms for Council services
Get stuck in a book with a brew in the new library...
The brand new library includes computers with free internet access for all visitors. Wifi is also available – even in the centre’s new cafe. It also features quiet study spaces, a dedicated children’s area and a health zone.
If you are in a rush or running late, you can use all the new library’s facilities outside of normal working hours provided the Leisure Centre is open.
Self service – the new improved method of borrowing or returning books – enables you to scan your library card and books.
Your new Register Office...
At some stage during your life you will use this facility to register or obtain a record of a life event. So the design has a special setting and quality finish.
It will provide you with an attractive and appealing location for you to complete your registration event on an easy access ground level development.
Leisure facilities for Madeley...
The opening of Wellington Civic & LeisureCentre follows hot on the heels of the newleisure facilities at the Abraham DarbyLearning Community site.
It includes a modern fitness suite, a25 metre swimming pool, sports hall and anaerobics studio as well as a broad range of the latest gym equipment.
West Mercia Police - Prepared for the challenges ahead
Superintendent Amanda Blakeman, who is West Mercia Police’s Territorial Policing Commander in Telford and Wrekin, has reassured local residents she is confident the service they receive from the police will remain of the highest standard despite the well publicised challenges the police service as a whole is currently facing.
“Here in Telford and Wrekin, police officers and staff continue to work as hard as possible to keep local people safe” - Superintendent Amanda Blakeman
Having joined West Mercia Police as a Police Constable in 1992, Amanda has risen through the ranks before being promoted to Superintendent in 2011. Late last year she was then posted to Telford as the new Territorial Policing Unit (TPU) Commander.
Working with her team of officers in Telford, she has already used her experience and knowledge of operational policing to make a number of effective changes to the way the TPU works.
Superintendent Blakeman said: “Although there’s little doubt that financially times are tough, West Mercia Police’s priorities remain the same.
“Whatever impact financial restrictions have on us in terms of police numbers, we will continue to do all we can to deliver high quality, value for money policing services to protect our communities from harm.
“Here in Telford and Wrekin, police officers and staff continue to work as hard as possible to keep local people safe.
“West Mercia Police remain committed to local policing and our Local Policing Teams (LPTs), which each contain at least one Police Constable and one Community Support Officer, continue to put the communities they serve at the centre of all the work they do.”
Superintendent Blakeman said crime rates remain low in Telford and Wrekin when compared to the rest of the country, but it is still important that local residents do all they can to remain safe and secure.
“There are many simple things you can do to protect your family and your property and I would ask people to spend just a few minutes thinking about their own security measures. Advice on home and personal security is available at
“I’d like to reassure local residents that teams of specialist officers continue to tackle those crimes that have the biggest impact on the lives of victims – serious assault, burglary and robbery for example.
“No matter what challenges we face financially, our priority will always be the safety and welfare of the people we serve.
“However, please remember that assistance from the public remains vital to us.”
Telford College – Helping people back to work
The Work Club at Telford College is going from strength to strength as it assists the local unemployed get back into the job market.
The group, which meets every Thursday between 9.30am to 12.30pm, is open to anyone in the local community. It operates as an informal ‘drop-in’ session where support is offered in a wide breadth of areas to help individuals with their job search.
Activities such as CV preparation and interview skills can be conducted in a supportive environment where everyone has the same goals and aspirations. The club helps motivate and inspire, boosts self-esteem and provides opportunities to secure that elusive opening.
It is also an important place to network, share experiences and increase contacts.
At 25 years old, Alan Walker from Wellington is using the Work Club to find employment. Despite leaving school with five GCSEs and an ICT Level Three qualification, Alan has found it difficult to secure a career.
“I’ve had many jobs, but they have all been short-term contracts or temporary positions. I’d really like a proper permanent position so I can start planning my future.” Alan says the Work Club has helped him focus his search.