Parents consulted on holiday proposal

PARENTS and residents across Nottinghamshire are being asked for their views on whether they want a fixed break at the end of the spring term for schools across the county.
The County Council is consulting widely over the next 12 weeks on two options for the future of school holidays for maintained schools across the county.
The first is whether the existing pattern of school holidays should stay the same.
The alternative option is whether a fixed break of two weeks at the end of the spring term — making the spring and summer terms more similar in length — would work better
Traditionally the length of spring and summer terms has been dictated by where Easter falls. So if it’s early, for example, the knock-on effect is that the summer term can end up being much longer. County Council cabinet member for children and young people’s services Philip Owen said: “We will be asking schools to get in touch with parents to let them know how they can complete the survey and find out more about the consultation. But we’re also keen to get views from a range of people and groups who are directly affected and other residents.
“The idea around a fixed spring break is that this would create more equal term lengths as an alternative to the current situation where the holiday at the end of the spring term is dependent on when Easter falls.”
If parents choose to keep arrangements as they are, for the 2013/14 school year, this would mean that a 13-week spring term and an 11-week summer term. However, if parents opt for a fixed spring break, spring and summer terms for the same year would both be 12 weeks long.
Responses will be used to inform the final decision on which model will be adopted for the three academic years between 2013 and 2016 which will be made by the council’s cabinet in June.
The survey and more information can be found at www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/schooltermconsultation or you can respond with your views to schooltermconsultation@nottscc.gov.uk. The consultation will close on 15th April.

Council drops crossing bid

PLANS for a new zebra crossing on the B686 Burton Road in Carlton have been abandoned by Nottinghamshire County Council after complaints from local residents.
The authority had planned to install a crossing in Burton Road near its junction with Park Road following a public consultation in the Carlton, Gedling and Netherfield area which highlighted a number of road safety concerns.
However, the proposed location of the crossing met with strong opposition and a meeting took place with residents last month to discuss their concerns.
“Alternative sites for a crossing were looked at but none was found to be suitable.
We had a request for this crossing as part of a wider consultation on traffic issues in the Carlton area,” said Richard Jackson, the council’s cabinet member for highways and transport.
“We were aware of the concerns of affected residents and worked hard on ways to try and resolve the issues to everyone’s satisfaction.
“However, after listening carefully to the objections of local people and taking into account the pressure to install crossings elsewhere in the county, we have decided not to go ahead with plans for the crossing.”

Returning blackbird bit of all white!

BIRD watchers are being urged to keep an eye out for an all-white blackbird at a Nottinghamshire country park.
For the last four years, the leucistic blackbird has taken up residence at Nottinghamshire County Council’s Rufford Abbey Country Park in an area around the Abbey and nearby woodland.
Each year it returns, the bird has shed more of its black feathers for white.
Last summer, park rangers snapped the blackbird, which was spotted completely head to claw in white feathers.
The term leucistic suggests that the bird lacks dark pigmentation, and Notts County Council conservation experts say the fact it has completely changed colour is unusual.
Site manager John Clegg said: “This bird has been steadily turning whiter over the years and last summer it was completely white.
“It was quite a sight and it has become quite a character at the park in recent years.
“It tends to appear in the warmer months and we have not seen it for a few months but hope it will return here soon. It must be down to genetics that the bird’s feathers have changed so much but even for a leucistic bird it is unusual that it was most recently completely white.
“One concern is that its prominent new colour could also make it a target for predators as it stands out more than traditional blackbirds.”
Elsewhere in Notts, conservationists have spotted all-white (either leucistic or albino) wood pigeons, starlings, pheasants and moorhens in recent years Nature Conservation Leader at Notts County Council, Nick Crouch said: “The fact that the amount of white has changed between years on the all-white blackbird which has been spotted at Rufford is particularly interesting, and probably quite unusual.”
Visit www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/gbw/gardens-wildlife/garden-birds/behaviour/plumage

Extra safety measures for A614

NOTTS County Council has announced a number of extra improvements to increase the safety of the accident-plagued A614.
Work to install speed cameras will start soon — the latest in a series of moves to cut accidents on the busy Nottingham to Ollerton road.
Over the last five years there have been 283 people killed or injured in accidents on the A614 and the County Council pledged to put measures in to make this road safer.
Already, there have been improvements to signs and road markings and the introduction of a lower 50mph speed limit.
Now, to ensure drivers adhere to this safer speed limit, cameras will be installed to record average speed over the length of road travelled.
Where these cameras have been used elsewhere in the county there has been an 80% reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured.
“Any measures to improve the safety of this road are welcome,” said Councillor Richard Jackson, Notts County Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport.
“Encouraging drivers to travel at a more appropriate speed should drastically reduce the number of accidents on this road,” he concluded.

Euro glory bid for city Thai champ

PROFESSIONAL city Muay Thai boxer Rocalda Gardner is striking out for European glory in 2012 after landing a British title as an early Christmas present.
The 23-year-old K1 fighter defeated Liverpool rival Danny Horton in the latter’s ‘own back yard’ to win the coveted ISKA British crown.
It added to the welter and middleweight fighter’s northern area success. Now, Rocalda — who fights out of the Cobra gym under Owen Comrie and also trains in Manchester — is hoping to build on his win by being as successful in Europe.
He said: “This win has really opened a few doors for me.’m now a full time fighter and plan to really go for it. want to go across Europe to try and win more fights and possibly go to America.”
Rocalda is pictured with coach Owen.

My new name is crazy in-Deed!

NEW figures show that over 100,000 Brits changed their name by Deed Poll in 2011, writes Tina Clough.
A spokesman from the Legal Deed Poll Service said that while many sought to make the alteration due to divorce, boredom or to bring a bit of cheer to their lives, others just ‘fancied a change’.
Nottingham-based beauty therapist Charlotte Price changed her name to ‘Pink Sparkly and All Things Nice My Old Name Was Charlotte Price’ after he obsession with everything pink reached new heights.
Charlotte, who runs Beauty With Charlotte, wanted a new name that reflected her personality. She said: “I run one of the only pink beauty business in Nottingham where I use a pink treatment bed, pink wax, pink wax strips and I even have a pink carry case. I loved the idea of becoming ‘Pink Price’.
Pictured are the pair formerly known as Daniel Knox-Hewson and Kelvin Borbidge, who are believed to have the world’s longest names, EMPEROR SPIDERMAN GANDALF WOLVERINE SKYWALKER OPTIMUS PRIME GOKU SONIC XAVIER RYU CLOUD SUPERMAN HEMAN BATMAN THRASH — and BARON VENOM BALROG SABRETOOTH VADER MEGATRON VEGETA ROBOTNIK MAGNETO BISON SEPHIROTH LEX LUTHOR SKELETOR JOKER GRIND respectively.

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