Oak Tree Councillors

Oak Tree Ward Councillor Vaughan Hopewell:

Vaughan Hopewell was elected as councillor the ward of Oak Tree at the local elections on May 6 2011.  Cllr Hopewell represents the Labour party and has lived on the Oak Tree estate for a number of years.

As this is Vaughan’s first term as an elected councillor we thought that it would be good to find out more about the man, his background and his plans for the area. Vaughan has agreed to take part in an online interview and so we have asked him a number of questions to get inside our local councillor.

Photo courtesy of Mansfield District Council

Interview with your local councillor

 1. You’ve lived in Oak Tree for a long time but I am sure lots of residents will still not know much about you, how would you describe yourself in three words?

Committed, enthusiastic, passionate.

2. Your family is also active in the community, can you say a little about them?

 My wife, Cath, is Chair of the North Oak Tree Residents’ Association works very hard with the committee to improve the North Oak Tree area of the estate. She also works with other organisations. At the moment they are working on the annual Fun Day that will take place on the 10^th August on the school field. Hopefully the weather will be nice, and they need as many people possible to attend, to make it the success it deserves to be.

3. What affected your decision to run as a councillor for the area?

 I ran for Councillor because living on Oak Tree I experience with everyone else everyday life on the estate. I see the problems at first hand and felt that as a local resident I would be more motivated to improve my own, and everyone else’s, environment.

4. What did your family think when you told them?

 They wished me all the best, and helped me where they could.

5. I know you also work so with this new role and your other job what will you do for down time?

 Well, by the time this goes to print I will have left my job and will be fully committed to the role of Councillor for Oak Tree, as I have found that there are many daytime meetings and, had I continued to work, I would have missed many meetings. I’m also sorry for any meetings I have missed already.

I love music from an era when music was good – the 1970s!

6. When did you first become interested in politics?

 When I was at a young age (around the age of twelve) I went to a meeting where the councillors of Clay Cross had organised a Rent Strike, and I saw Dennis Skinner at a public meeting. This was sometime around 1971.

7. Is the coalition working?

 No comment.

8. What will Oak Tree look like 10 years from now?

 The district heating scheme will possibly have changed – most of the boilers used at present are not green enough. The Council are looking into various ways to replace them, one of which is ground source heating.

Most of the houses will have new bathrooms. Hopefully we will have a couple of new play parks for the children and possibly a full time Youth Worker to set up Youth Clubs.

9. What’s good about it now?

The numerous voluntary organisations that work on the estate such as Barrowhill Community Link, both the Tenants’ and Residents’ Associations, the Wardens, the PCSOs and the staff at the Oak Tree Neighbourhood Management Team, all of whom are working to make Oak Tree a better place. Also the facilities, such as the leisure centres, the large supermarket, the numerous community centres and the many open spaces.

10. What changes need to be made in the area?

 It would be nice if once a month the dustbin vehicle could tour the estate and collect bulky items to help to prevent fly-tipping. The estate could also use more litter bins and some dog fouling bins. Ideally it would be nice if an area could be designated for dog walking, with bins for fouling.

11. What do you see as the big issues affecting Oak Tree?

 Because of the spending cuts both the County and District councils are cutting back on money spent on the estate, and they are looking at all the community centres with a view to closing them down or selling them off. We really do need to use them, because once gone, you will not get them back. We have lost our designated street cleaners on the estate now, so we worry more about tippers. The elderly residents are also at risk as their care is being reassessed with the intention of removing their care support.

We need more playground facilities and activities for the very young – maybe a youth centre or a similar club would be nice. We could also do with organised events for adults – I know that work is in progress to organise this.

12. Britain’s Got Talent or The Apprentice?

 Neither really.

13. Italian meal or Indian?

 I like neither, to be honest – however, I do like a Sunday roast dinner.

14. Cat or dog?

 Dog.

15. How will you ensure that you are accessible to the local community?

 I have organised a series of meetings that will be held every week on a Thursday in alternate community centres around the estate. These dates can be seen on posters in the centres and at Barrowhill Community Link, and hopefully on the NMT website. I have also organised a leaflet drop with the dates on.

In a few weeks’ time I will be starting a drop-in session at Barrowhill (after the building work has been completed). These meetings will hopefully be on a weekday morning, but exact details have yet to be finalised.  

16. How can residents contact you?

Phone: 01623-437-488

Mobile: 07846-042-022

County Councillors:

Martin Wright:

 Photo courtesy of Nottinghamshire County Council

As you will be well aware money is very tight at the moment, different groups and organisations have had much of their funding reduced or stopped altogether. The funding that myself and Cllr Bob Cross have at our disposal has to be spent far more wisely and where the money will do most good. That is why, together with Cllr Bob Cross, we have recently donated nearly £500 to Oak Tree Primary School to fund two Literacy Volunteers for a year. The volunteers attend Oak Tree Primary on Tuesdays each week. We feel that giving to this type of scheme enhances those children, that need that little bit of extra help, life chances and a better chance of moving to secondary school with good reading and communication skills.

So what do Literacy Volunteers do? They help children to enjoy reading and communicating. They help in primary schools with selected children who are finding reading difficult. They do not teach reading. Instead they talk, read and play games with children, on a one-to-one basis, to give them confidence and help them enjoy reading and communicating.

Bob Cross:

 Photo courtesy of Nottinghamshire County Council

Telephone:
Home: 01623 438569
Daytime: 0115 9772770
Mobile: 07743 496309
Email: bob.cross@nottscc.gov.uk