Levenshulme Community Manifesto Meeting

Come along and find out about the new Levenshulme Community Manifesto on Wednesday 28th February at The Klondyke. Developed by and for our community it is a statement of what our community wants for the future of Levenshulme.

A Community Manifesto For Levenshulme

Levenshulme Community Association is supporting a new project to develop a Community Manifesto for Levenshulme.

The first meeting took place on 27 September and identified a wide range of issues that people wanted addressed. We will hold monthly meetings leading up to publishing our Community Manifesto in Spring 2018.

The first meeting identified key priorities and areas to be addressed. This is a starting point, not a definitive list:

1. Community cohesion

2. How to communicate more effectively with different groups / communities

3. Public transport

4. Traffic levels and cycling provision

5. Personal safety, crime and policing

6. Antisocial behaviour

7. Older people’s issues

8. Youth provision and support

9. Landlords – private and commercial

10. A6 corridor – development, shopping offer, visual appeal, high rents, number of takeaways

11. Quality of housing

12. Recognition of the character and heritage of the area, particularly the architecture – promotion of the Conservation Area

13. Planning issues and enforcement

14. Clean air

15. Generating clean energy / local energy supplies

16. Green spaces – quality, support and use

17. Street trees

18. Playgrounds

19. Redevelopment of Old Baths

20. Public facilities including new use for Old Library

21. Employment opportunities

22. Business development and support

The next meeting will take place at 7.30pm in the Community Room at Levenshulme Methodist Church on Wednesday 25 October.

What Is Your Vision For Levenshulme?

Everyone is welcome to a meeting to discuss the future of Levenshulme at 7.30pm on Wednesday 27th September at The Klondyke (1Burnage Range).

This will be the first of a series on public meetings and consultations where we can all suggest ideas and priorities for how we want Levenshulme to develop over the next few years.

There is no set agenda as this is something driven by us all but discussion will be guided and notes kept so all views are valued. This is an initiative by our community for our community.

  • How do you want to see Levenshulme develop?
  • What are your priorities for the future?
  • What are the main issues that need addressing?
  • How can we work together effectively to make our community what we want it to be?
  • What is your vision for Levenshulme?

Levenshulme Pride Launch

Come and say hello on 5th May.

Levenshulme Pride is for everyone. We want your ideas. We need your help. Why not organise a Pride event with a group you are part of? Help make Levenshulme Pride yours.

Guest Blog from Inspire – GM Citizen’s Assembly

Join the GM Citizen’s Assembly 

  • Bank Holiday Monday – 1st May
  • 2-4pm at the Lowry Centre
  • Coach leaving the Inspire Centre at 12.45pm
  • Coach tickets available from Inspire (£5 waged, £2.50 unwaged)

On the 4th of May, all eyes will be on Levenshulme as we elect a new MP to replace the much-loved Gerald Kaufman. But there will be another important election that day that could possibly have more day-to-day impact on our neighbourhood – the election of a Greater Manchester ‘metro mayor’.

The new mayor will cover all 10 boroughs of Greater Manchester and have powers over transport, policing and some aspects of planning too. He or she will play an important role in relation to devolution and will become something of a figurehead for our city – much like Boris Johnson or Sadiq Khan have done for London.

But one of the crucial reasons for us having a new metro mayor is to make us feel closer to democratic decision-making. It is easy to be cynical – so how do we do this?

For some time now, around 20 groups and organisations from all over Greater Manchester have been meeting to plan a special GM Citizen’s Assembly. The plans is that over 1500 people will pack out the Lowry Theatre on Bank Holiday Monday 1st May and together we will tell all of the possible mayoral candidates about some of the big issues we are concerned about and demand that if they are elected they will do something about them.

It’s a strategy that has worked very well in London and has led to the introduction of the London Living Wage which has benefited thousands and thousands of low-waged people living in the capital city.

In Greater Manchester we are going to lobby the mayoral candidates on 4 big issues: cuts to social care; homelessness; hate crime; and the Living Wage.

The Assembly won’t be boring! We understand it will be a bank holiday but we want people to make the most of the day. There will be music, drama, comedy, plays, powerful testimonies and of course hearing from the candidates themselves. We will be joined by the mayoral candidates, other surprise guests and Sir Peter Fahy. We want people to bring families and children. This is for ordinary families and people across our community.

If you’d like to come along you need to sign up. You can do so online by clicking here. Or alternatively you can join the coach that is leaving from Inspire at 12.45pm. The event is free but you need to buy a coach ticket in advance – £5 for waged people; £2.50 for unwaged.

If you want to find out more then don’t hesitate to contact me.

Anne Priest

Levenshulme Inspire GM Citizens Co-ordinator

anne.priest@itfacilitas.co.uk

 

 

Consultation: Funding for Voluntary and Community Sector Organisations in Manchester

Manchester City Council is consulting on future funding arrangements for voluntary and community organisations.

“We fund many voluntary and community sector organisations. They’re an important part of the city providing care, support and help to Manchester people.

We want to make sure we get the best value for money, and provide that money in a way that helps organisations to do good work.

Over the past few months we have been working with a ‘co-design group’ made up of people from the council, voluntary and community sector organisations and the NHS, to come up with some new options for funding the voluntary sector in Manchester. We’ve based these proposals on the Our Manchester Strategy.”

See full information and respond HERE

Read the “Our Manchester” strategy HERE

Levenshulme Neighbourhood Planning Forum Meeting

There will be a meeting of Levenshulme Neighbourhood Planning Forum on Wednesday 23rd November 2016, 19.30 at the Klondyke (1 Burnage Range, off Albert Road).

The meeting will be to agree a position on Manchester City Council’s proposals to our area. The council proposes a much reduced area for our Forum that would not cover Levenshulme.

Levenshulme Neighbourhood Planning Forum has been trying to reach a decision with the council since its application was submitted in October 2015. The delays have been frustrating but the group remains determined to find a solution that meets the needs and wishes of the residents and businesses of Levenshulme.

If you are interested in what happens in Levenshulme and how to have a voice to improve Levenshulme with a focus on planning issues then please come along.


Council Consultation On Takeaways

Manchester City Council are consulting on new powers to control Hot Food Takeaways. 

The consultation is available HERE

All comments must be received by the Council by 5pm on 20th September 2016

The announcement from the council follows:

“Manchester City Council Draft Hot Food Takeaway Supplementary Planning Document 

The Council would like to inform you that it is beginning a consultation on the draft Hot Food Takeaway Supplementary Planning Document and would welcome any comments you may have on this issue.   

The draft Hot Food Takeaway SPD builds on existing policies in the Core Strategy relating to health and the night time economy, including policies SP1, C1, C2, C10 and DM1. The intention of the SPD is to provide further detail on these policies in relation to hot food takeaways. A copy of the Core Strategy can be found on the City Council’s website http://www.manchester.gov.uk/downloads/download/4964/core_strategy_development_plan.   

The SPD is accompanied by a Consultation Statement and a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Screening. The Consultation Statement provides details related to the previous consultation in the Summer 2015 and how this stage informed the preparation of the draft document. The SEA Screening confirms that there is no need to complete a full SEA. 

The draft hot food takeaway SPD is the next stage following the Issues and Evidence gathering stage, which was completed last Summer. This stage seeks comments on the draft document and there are a number of ways to do this: 

 Through our consultation portal –

http://consult.manchester.gov.uk/portal/planning/supplementary_planning_documents/reports/hot_food_takeaway_spd/draft_hot_food_takeaway_supplementary_planning_document

By email to planningstrategy@manchester.gov.uk 

By Post to Planning Strategy Team 

                City Policy 

                Manchester City Council 

                Level 5, Town Hall Extension 

                PO Box 532 

                Manchester 

                M60 2LA 

All comments must be received by the Council by 5pm on 20th September 2016. 

Following the consultation the Council will consider all the comments and possibly make modifications before adopting the final version of the SPD, at which point it will inform the Council’s decision making process.   

If you require any further information on this consultation please do not hesitate to contact Rebecca Friday on 0161 234 4561.”

The Levenshulme EU Referendum Debate

OK, people of Levenshulme, the debate is on!

  • The Levenshulme EU Debate
  • Wednesday 15th June 2016, 19.00
  • The Klondyke, 1 Burnage Range, Levenshulme, M19 2HQ (off Albert Road)

Levenshulme Community Association is delighted to announce the big EU debate.

This is an open, public meeting. Your chance to discuss and debate the EU referendum. Speakers from both Stronger In Europe and Vote Leave are being confirmed.


Should the UK remain part of the European Union or should it leave? You decide.

Levenshulme Community Association is not a political organisation and does not take a position on the EU Referendum.

http://levenshulmecommunity.org.uk/2016/06/levenshulme-eu-referendum-debate/

Friends Of Levenshulme Station Access Petition

Friends of Levenshulme Station (FoLS) have organised a petition for better access at Levenshulme station.

The summary is below and you can go to the petition HERE

Levenshulme Train Station Needs Accessibility For All

The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and the Equality Act 2010 makes it illegal to discriminate against users in respect of disabled access to transport, such as buses and trains.

Currently Levenshulme train station does not meet these requirements at all. Access onto the station and station platforms is not possible for anyone who is disabled or has limited mobility, parents with young children in prams and passengers with bikes.

Friends of Levenshulme Station have made numerous attempts to communicate with Network Rail and Northern Rail to understand the timescale for accessibility improvements to Levenshulme station. We have been assured that it is indeed a priority station, but are no clearer as to what that means for access improvements.

The only offered solution at present is calling Northern Rail customer service 24 hour in advance for a taxi to be booked and paid for, but even this is only offered to passengers with a registered mobility disability.

This is not reasonable and is not in line with 21st century public transport travelling aspirations. The growing population of Levenshulme deserve more!

Let’s persuade Network and Northern Rail to make our train station ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL. Let’s encourage them into the 21st century!

Thanks for helping the Friends of Levenshulme Station. Spread the word!

Arcadia Library And Leisure Centre Consultation

Arcadia Library & Leisure Centre wants your views on how the Centre can develop to best meet the needs of our community and make best use of the fantastic facilities available in Levenshulme. So there’s a consultation. Do get involved.

This is what they say:
“As you will be aware, the centre opened in February and as a result of consultation carried out during the two years prior, the leisure programme from Levenshulme was transferred under the ‘lift and shift’ principle In the weeks since opening, we’ve received a small number of challenges regarding the existing leisure programmes.

In addition, leisure usage at Better, Arcadia Library and Leisure Centre is considerably higher than at Levenshulme, so over capacity of some sessions is being experienced.

We’d appreciate it if you would take a few moments to answer some questions about the centre, and your usage of it, in order for us to see whether there any changes required that could help improve the service and facilities that we currently deliver.”

If you use Arcadia please click HERE

If you haven’t used Arcadia yet please click HERE

You can also collect a survey form from the Arcadia reception.

The closing date for surveys to be returned to Arcadia or completed online is Sunday 3rd July 2016.

Arcadia Library & Leisure Centre User Group Meeting

Arcadia Library & Leisure Centre User Group
The next User Group meeting will take place at 6pm on Tuesday 17th May at 6pm.
All welcome!

Levenshulme and Gorton South Election Hustings 2016

Once again Levenshulme Community Association is organising hustings for the local elections. All candidates have been invited. Everyone is welcome. These are open, public meetings and an opportunity for anyone to ask questions of any candidates in the May local elections.

Levenshulme Ward

Wednesday 27th April

19.30 start

Klondyke

1 Burnage Range, Levenshulme, M19 2HQ

Gorton South Ward

Thursday 28th April

Inspire

747 Stockport Road, Levenshulme, M19 3AR

What’s Your Vision For Levenshulme?

Levenshulme Neighbourhood Planning Forum would love to hear your ideas for how you want Levenshulme to develop. What’s your vision for our community?

14.00 today in the Community Studio at Arcadia Library and Leisure Centre.

This isn’t just bout dull planning matters, this is bout what we want our community to be and to look like.

Everybody welcome.

  

Levenshulme Neighbourhood Planning Forum Meeting 

The Levenshulme Neighbourhood Planning Forum will be holding a meeting on Saturday 19th March 2016 at 14.00 in the Community Studio in the Arcadia Library and Leisure Centre.

Come along and say how you want Levenshulme to develop.

  

Arcadia Library & Leisure Centre User Forum Meeting

The first meeting of the Arcadia Library & Leisure Centre User Forum has been confirmed. The invitation is provided below:
Arcadia Library & Leisure Centre User Forum

The first User Group meeting for Arcadia Library & Leisure Centre will take place in the Community Studio at Arcadia on Tuesday 8th March from 6pm to 8pm.

If you are interested in getting involved please contact reception and come along on the night. You can leave you details with one of our team, email arcadia@gll.org or call us on 0161 641 9911

We look forward to meeting you.

Andrew Smith

Partnership Manager – Manchester

  

Council Budget Cuts Consultation Ends Today

Manchester City Council is consulting on budget cuts for 2016/17. The consultation closes today.

“We’re setting our budget for 2016/17 and want your views. You can read what we’re consulting about and the options we’re considering and have your say.

Today is your last chance to respond – the formal consultation closes midnight.”

Find out more and submit your views HERE.

Watch an explanatory video HERE.

Help Shape Levenshulme’s Future

There is a general meeting of the Levenshulme Neighbourhood Planning Forum this Thursday 3rd December at the Inspire Centre, 19.00-21.00.
We’ve now had three events to gather new ideas and thoughts for Levenshulme and there are 7 areas of interest. We will need to start developing groups that will start focussing on these items:

  1. Parking and Traffic management (traffic lights, one way system, cycling, parking, pedestrian crossing)
  2. Public and green spaces (protection, support to improve green spaces, playground equipment, community facilities)
  3. Build environment (mix of housing, land use, describing the look of our area, conservation area, list of significant buildings)
  4. Environmental improvements (improving existing housing stock, bulk buying, energy and insulation)
  5. Environmental health and wast management (rubbish and litter, fly tipping, recycling, vermin, bins)
  6. Communication (community engagements)
  7. Business and economic development ( A6 development, business diversity.

If you are interested in one of these areas and you would like to look in developing ideas in relation to the above items, please let us know. We will be discussing these areas at our meeting on Thursday and will start putting together groups that will investigate these areas further.

I know we are a little late in releasing the agenda for this Thursdays meeting, but we’ve been quite busy in the background. 
Agenda:

  1. Update our planning application for forum status.
  2. Discuss the above described work groups
  3. Current planning issues, and the method in which the forum deals with current planning application.
  4. Any other business

There are not many items on the agenda, but I think the discussions around the workgroups will be taking most of the meeting.

I hope you will be able to attend and see you on Thursday.

Maria van Elk
Chair, Levenshulme Neighbourhood Planning Forum

www.levenshulmenpf.org.uk

  

Planning Forum Public Events

Levenshulme Neighbourhood Planning Forum (LNPF) public events.
Come along and find out about the LNPF and how our community can influence local planning issues.
What matters to you? Green spaces? Affordable housing? Improving our High Street? Supporting businesses for local jobs? Protecting buildings? Takeaways? Parking? Litter? Transport?
Everyone is welcome to get involved and help decide what the priorities and desires are for people who live and work in Levenshulme. This will become our plan for our community.
Saturday 31st October

09.30-16.30

Levenshulme Library (Cromwell Grove)
Thursday 5th November

15.00-19.00

Inspire Centre (Stockport Road)
Saturday 7th November

10.00-16.00

Levenshulme Market (Station Car Park)

  

Another New School Planned

Another new school is being planned near us. This time in Rusholme in addition to the new school run by the Dean Trust opening in Ardwick.
Great to see Manchester City Council planning for the future and committing itself to a good model of educational provision.
Council statement and consultation:

“We’re planning to open a brand new secondary school in Rusholme in September 2017 to meet the growing demand for places in the area. And we want to know what you think.

The school will be built on land just off Lytham Road. It will be for girls and boys, and have eight forms for each year group.

The new school will be set up as a ‘free school’. Find out more about free schools at: www.gov.uk/types-of-school/free-schools

With modern facilities and a high-quality environment, the new school will help more children meet their full potential and encourage people to live in the neighbourhood.

What do you think?

Give us your views and we’ll use them to help develop the proposal in the best way to meet local needs.

When we have drawn up more detailed plans we’ll invite interested organisations to bid to become the school’s sponsor.”

The consultation is available HERE

The consultation closes at 5pm, Friday 13 November 2015.