Snippets

This page reproduces some of the articles from The Rudd that don’t feature in the main news feed on the Home page.

Crime figures for Ruddington

For April, these were as follow:

  • 4 x criminal damage
  • 5 x burglary from an outbuilding
  • 3 x burglary from a dwelling
  • 1 x burglary from a factory
  • 1 x theft from a shop
  • 1 x theft of number plates
  • 1 x theft of fuel
  • 2 x theft from vehicle
  • 2 x theft of vehicle
  • 1 x assault

For crime prevention advice, please visit www.nottinghamshire.police.uk/advice.

Annual Parish Council Meeting

At the Annual Parish Council Meeting on 14th May 2019, the following Councillors were elected as Chairman of the Parish Council, Vice Chairman of the Parish Council, Chairman of the Environment & Policy Committee and Chairman of the Amenities Committee respectively: Councillor W. A Wood, Councillor K Piggott, Councillor Mrs M Pell and Councillor D Hall.

Borough Councillor Election Results

Further to the Rushcliffe Borough Council elections on Thursday 2nd May, the three Councillors for Ruddington are:  Mike Gaunt, Jen Walker and Gary Dickman. Their contact details can be found at www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/councilanddemocracy/.

The Borough Councillors will attend the monthly Surgeries held at St Peter’s Rooms on the second Saturday of each month (excluding August and December), from 10am to 12pm.

Councillors and co-options

Ruddington has 16 Parish Councillors across 4 wards of 4 Councillors. 9 names were put forward for the elections on Thursday 2nd May.  Since no ward had more than 4 nominations, these 9 are “elected unopposed” and will take up office during May.  They are:

  • Camelot Ward: Marion Pell
  • Easthorpe Ward: Sue Matthews, Ken Piggott, Chandler Wilson, Ian Wilson
  • Flawford Ward: John Hawson
  • Manor Ward: David Hall, Leo Lanzoni, Allen Wood

The Parish Council will be looking for 7 more Parish Councillors during May / early June.  If you’re interested, please contact the Parish Council office.

9 people have been put forward for the 3 Borough Council places, so you can also vote for them on Thursday 2nd May.

Keep well this hay fever season

Across the country the NHS is reducing prescribing for medicines that you can buy over the counter. This may include hay fever medicines. As hay fever affects around 2 in 10 people in the UK, we expect that many people will need to buy hay fever medicines this summer. Look out for unbranded medicines as these are often best value for money. Many of these are the same as those that you would have been prescribed by your GP in the past. Also check for offers. For example the pharmacy in Ruddington has an offer of three products for £10.

So what are your treatment options?
The most commonly used treatments are antihistamines, nasal sprays and eye drops.

Antihistamines come as either tablets or liquid medicines. Older antihistamines cause drowsiness but now there are several non-drowsy antihistamines available. Do check with your pharmacist if you want to take antihistamine tablets with other medicines. Did you know that you can buy packs of 30 antihistamine tablets from a pharmacy?

Nasal sprays work to reduce sneezing congestion. The most popular products in our pharmacies are steroid nasal sprays. You may have been prescribed these by your GP in the past. If you use these regularly, they work to prevent you from getting symptoms. Some people tell us that nasal sprays also ease their eye symptoms.

Eye drops relieve red, itchy eyes that are often a problem for hay fever sufferers. One of the most popular eye drops is sodium cromoglicate – you might have seen this under the Opticrom® brand.

So whatever your symptoms, call into your local pharmacy to find out which hay fever medicines will help you.

Emma Anderson, Evans Pharmacy

Carers’ Federation

Are you caring for a family member who’d struggle without your support? You can access information and support through your medical practice or by contacting Margaret (Maggie), our support worker.

You can speak to Maggie by calling 07739 237 443 or she will be in Ruddington Medical Centre on the first Tuesday of each month between 11am and 12noon.

Alternatively, if you need help or support, you can speak to nurse Jo Sansome who is the Carers’ Champion for our practice.

Ruddington Medical Centre

Do you want to stay independent, active and well?

Connect is a community-based service offering short term help when you need it. They offer free practical advice and information, and can put you in touch with other local services that can help you deal with whatever issues are affecting your independence.

For example, they can help with completing forms for benefits, blue badges etc; provide support for you to attend appointments or find housing; or simply boost your confidence with getting out and about in the community.

Connect will be at St Peter’s Rooms on Wednesday 16th May from 10am until 12 noon. You can also contact them on 0115 939 5406 or email connect@metropolitan.org.uk.

If your health and independence is at risk because of age, mobility issues, disability, health conditions or bereavement, then this service is for you.

Barbara Breakwell

GP extended hours service

Recently when I was unwell at a weekend, I discovered a service that I wasn’t aware existed in our area. Now that I’m aware of it, I wanted to share the information.

As a Rushcliffe patient, you can now access routine appointments in the evenings and at weekends. These appointments are best suited for things that will not need ongoing review by your usual GP practice.

You can book through your surgery during opening hours for appointments between 6.30pm and 8pm in the evening on weekdays, and between 8.30am and 12.30pm at weekends.  If you request one of these appointments, which are outside usual working hours, you’ll be offered a slot with a Rushcliffe GP, Nurse or Healthcare Assistant at one of three locations across the borough. The location you’ll be asked to attend will depend on the day of your appointment.

Evening and weekend appointments are available at:

  • Castle Healthcare Practice in West Bridgford
  • East Bridgford Medical Centre
  • Keyworth Medical Practice

As you may not see your usual GP, you’ll need to give consent for the GP you’re seeing to have access to your medical records and to send information about your consultation back to your usual GP.

Please note that all extended hours appointments are pre-bookable only by contacting your own GP practice. There is no walk-in service offered. If you require urgent assistance before 8am or after 6:30pm, please call 111.

Also, don’t forget you can go into our local chemists and ask the Pharmacist for advice. If they can’t help directly, they’ll advise you what to do next.

Barbara Breakwell

New ear, nose and throat service

Evans Pharmacy in Ruddington is taking part in a scheme to assess and treat an extended range of ear, nose and throat conditions. The service is available to patients registered with a GP in Ruddington and the pharmacy will be working closely with our local doctors.

After an assessment by a specially trained pharmacist – who’ll follow the same guidance as your GP – you’ll have access to NHS-funded medicines where appropriate, including prescription-only medicines. If the pharmacist thinks you need to be treated elsewhere, they can refer you to an appropriate healthcare professional.

How to access the service
You need to attend the pharmacy in person, where you’ll have a private consultation with an accredited pharmacist.

This service is free. However, if you need medication then you’ll need to pay for prescription items as normal unless you’re exempt from NHS prescription charges.

Please be aware that there’s only value in using antibiotics to treat certain bacterial infections, as the vast majority of infections are caused by viruses. If antibiotics won’t benefit you, there are other medicines available that will relieve your symptoms, which your pharmacist can advise you on.

Did you know?

Here in Ruddington, we’re very lucky to have a wide range of businesses and shops. If you’re looking for anything from accommodation to web design, Lotto ticket outlets to dog walkers, check out our web pages at www.ruddingtonparishcouncil.gov.uk/community/local-businesses. You’ll find comprehensive listings, sorted A to Z by trade (note that food and drink outlets are listed separately here).

If you own a local business and wish to be added to our listings free of charge, please contact us at office@ruddingtonparishcouncil.gov.uk with your details.

Did you know about Streetwise?

This is the latest in our series of articles to help spread the word about services provided in the village which you may not be aware of.

Streetwise provides a variety of environmental services within Ruddington on behalf of Rushcliffe Borough Council. These are:

  • Abandoned vehicle removal
  • Dead animal removal from publically accessible areas
  • Street cleaning & litter picking
  • Removal of flytips
  • Removal of flyposting and graffiti
  • Emptying of litter and dog bins
  • Grounds maintenance at Rushcliffe Country Park

You can access these services online www.rushcliffe.gov.uk or by calling 0115 981 9911.

Claire Dorans, Clerk to Ruddington Parish Council

Coffee mornings at St Peter’s Rooms

Did you know that a Coffee Club is held every week in the Lounge at St Peter’s Rooms?

The Wednesday Coffee Club is a social hour for over 55s to get together and chat over coffee or tea. There’s a free Community Bus available in the village, so less mobile residents can attend. The Clubs meets every Wednesday (except Christmas Day) from 10am to 11am. If you’d like to come along, call Lorna McCullough on 0115 921 4975 for details.

Ruddington Craft Group

Ruddington Craft Group meets on the first and third Monday of each month, except Bank Holiday Mondays and the whole of August. Meetings take place between 10am and 12noon, in the Main Hall at St Peter’s Rooms.

It costs £3 to attend, which includes tuition, materials and refreshments. You may like to bring your own basic equipment, such as a pencil, ruler and scissors.

We participate in a variety of crafts, with September’s sessions covering Encaustic Art (Monday 4th) and Parchment Cards (Monday 18th). Newcomers are welcome to come along and learn a new craft – experience isn’t essential!

Did you know what a Parish Councillor does?

Parish Councillors are no different to you and me, except that they have made the decision to “get involved” and are fortunate enough to have been elected or co-opted on to the Parish Council.

The Parish Council is made up of 16 Councillors, 4 to represent each ‘ward’, or area, in the village. They come on to the Parish Council in a number of different ways, but mainly at election time, which takes place every 4 years, or if there is a casual vacancy (se below).

Councillors are all ages and come with a very diverse range of life experiences – from nursing, accounting, private enterprise, teaching, the legal profession, home-making and more. Some are single, some are parents or grandparents, and whilst some have lived in the village for more than 25 years, others are new residents. More importantly, although most have no experience of committees they bring life experience and enthusiasm. The one thing they all have in common is that they are all committed to ensuring that Ruddington gets the best value for money it can afford.

So, how do you get on the Parish Council other than at election time?

Occasionally, a Councillor resigns due to personal circumstances and a casual vacancy is advertised. If Rushcliffe Borough Council receives 10 or more requests for an election, one may be held but if this doesn’t happen, the Parish Council can co-opt instead. This means that the vacancy will be advertised and eligible members of the public invited to apply within a specific timescale. A Working Group from the Parish Council then sits down with the candidate/s, and after a chat and a few questions, votes to fill the vacancy with the most suitable candidate at that time. All very painless, straight forward and friendly!

Once you’re a Councillor, you’ll be asked to join either the Amenities or Environment & Policy Committee, as well as attending Parish Council meetings. Each committee meets 6 times a year, as does the full Parish Council, and there are occasional planning meetings as well.  Members of the public are encouraged to attend these meetings so that they can see the Councillors at work and make sure their views are heard. Smaller Sub-Committees and Working Groups are often formed to look deeper into specific issues such as Twinning and Events. These then report back to the appropriate committee in greater depth; this is an opportunity to really get your teeth in to something you feel strongly about.

Being a Parish Councillor can be a very rewarding and interesting role – keep your eyes open for a vacancy and get involved!

Claire Dorans, Clerk to the Council

Report a fault or problem online

Did you know that it’s now possible to report a wide range of faults or problems, or make certain types of enquiry, online? Both the Rushcliffe Borough Council and Nottinghamshire County Council websites now offer this facility.

Here are the web addresses to get you started:

You can also report certain faults via an independent website, www.fixmystreet.co.uk. This service liaises with the relevant council on your behalf, making life easier for you, whilst also helping ease the administrative burden faced by councils. Visit the website to find out more.

We’ve now updated the Parish Council’s own site to make it easier for you to ascertain which fault or problem is the responsibility of which council, so you can get in touch with the right people more quickly. Click here to find out more.

Battery recycling

Recycling your batteries only takes a moment, but helps protect our environment from the effects of dumping them in a landfill site. Rushcliffe Borough Council provides free battery bags which you can leave on top of any coloured wheelie bin on your refuse collection day. The batteries will be recycled and you should be left a replacement bag.

If you don’t have a bag, you can request one by calling the Borough Council on 0115 981 9911. Or, why not pop your used batteries into the Parish Council office next time you’re passing? There’s a box on the table in the entrance hall where you can leave them. Please note that car batteries and any batteries with acid or gel inside them can’t be accepted.

Noise nuisance app

Rushcliffe Borough Council will take action against a noisy neighbour or event – but only if there’s proof of the problem. To help you report noise nuisance, Rushcliffe have recently introduced the “Noise App,” which is an electronic noise diary for smartphones and tablets. You can use the app to make recordings of the noise and add notes about the disturbance, which can then be sent to Rushcliffe for use as an evidence base for action to follow.

For more information about what the Borough Council can do about noise nuisance, and to download the Noise App, please visit rushcliffe.gov.uk/noise. If you’re not sure how to do this, just ask your Rushcliffe Borough Councillor to help.

Nick Tegerdine 

Ruddington Medical Centre online services available

All registered patients are now able to access the following services online:

  • Request repeat prescriptions
  • Book routine GP appointments
  • Cancel appointments at http://www.theruddingtonmedicalcentre.co.uk/. Click on the relevant icon at the bottom of the home page.
  • Using Patient Access via our website. Registering for the online service allows you to manage your appointments and request repeat prescriptions 24/7. 

Run out of medicine at the weekend?

Your pharmacist may be able to help with an emergency supply.

Did you know if you run out of medicines at the weekend, you may not need to wait for an out of hours’ doctor to write you a prescription?

“Five days’ supply of most medicines can be issued by your community pharmacist at weekends when your doctor’s surgery is closed,” says pharmacist Emma Anderson, who is based at Evans Pharmacy on the High Street. “If you do not pay for your prescriptions this service is free of charge.

“To give you an emergency supply of your medicines, we need you to come to the pharmacy in person. It is helpful if you bring an empty medicine box or a repeat prescription request form with you. Unfortunately ‘controlled drugs’, which include strong analgesics and some sleeping tablets, are not included in the scheme.

“We may also be able to supply patients who have had medicines prescribed by doctors in other parts of the UK.”

Kay Garrett