The South Werrington and North Gunthorpe FOCUS newsletter is designed and distributed by local volunteers to over 2,800 households in the local area.

1. FOCUSwww.PeterboroughLibDems.org.uk
SOUTH WERRINGTON and NORTH GUNTHORPE RESIDENTS’ NEWSLETTER
“Working All Year Round”
Edition: 75
39
TEAM CONTACT DETAILS:
Councillors: Darren Fower and
Julia Davidson
Text or call Darren’s mobile:
0796 184 91 10
Text or call Julia’s mobile:
0750 653 66 27
Email: SWNG_FOCUS
@peterboroughlibdems.org.uk
Ward website: www.campaigns.
libdems.org.uk/SWNG
Darren’s website:
www.darrenfower.
mycouncillor.org.uk
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/SWNG.
FOCUS.Team
Post: Cllr Darren Fower or Cllr
Julia Davidson, Town Hall, Bridge
Street, Peterborough PE1 1HG
BUS SHELTERS NEEDED
Local Liberal Democrat councillor Darren Fower has been contacted by
residents about the need for bus shelters in certain areas of the ward.
So far the two areas that seem to be most in need of attention are the stop on The
Green, opposite Lewes Gardens, and the stop on Coniston Road, between
Ambleside Gardens and Campbell Drive.
Darren has had previous success in
introducing shelters to other well-used stops
in our area. He said:
"Getting the Tory council to spend money
on bus shelters used to be like getting blood
out of a stone. These days it’s like getting
blood out of a huge rock!
“However, the bus is the only real feasible
alternative to car reliance and thus reduction
in traffic, pollution and fines. The city
council and Stagecoach should therefore be
looking to make it as comfortable as possible.
“The first thing is to provide shelter from
the elements while passengers wait."
Darren says he intends to speak further with council officers and hopes to provide
an update on the shelters later in the year.
If you know of a location where a shelter is needed please phone, email or text
Darren or councillor Julia Davidson to tell them about it.
TACKLING MOTOR BIKES
Local Liberal Democrat councillor Darren Fower recently spoke with
residents in Dukesmead who reported motor cycles and mopeds using the
footpath leading from Carron Drive through to Dukesmead.
As a result Darren has paid several visits to the area and on one occasion even
deterred one moped rider from using the footpath.
Darren said: “Footpaths and cycleways are not
designed for motorised vehicles. Using motorbikes
and mopeds on these paths is dangerous.
“The footpath at Dukesmead is not the only place
where this occurs. During one cycle around the ward,
I was overtaken by a motorbike while I cycled along
the footpaths adjacent to Campbell Drive.
“I did try to stop the rider but the motorbike headed
off through Baron Court.
“I will be keeping an eye on the situation from now on and if people continue to
ride on the cycleways I'll take the appropriate action."
CAN YOU HELP? Could you spare an hour or so once a month to help
deliver FOCUS? We are looking for new volunteers to join our deliverers
in a few local streets. Please contact local councillors Darren or Julia.
WIN CASH AND
HELP FOCUS!
FOCUS is written and delivered by
volunteers but we have to pay for
printing. One way we raise money
is through the 100 Club which also
pays cash prizes to its members.
It costs just £1 per month. Half
the money received is paid out in
prizes – much better odds than the
National Lottery!
For details see our website at
www.peterboroughlibdems.org.uk
or talk to your local councillors.
“You wait for ages and then three
bus shelters all turn up at once ….
The Lib Dems hope to get shelters
erected at several local stops.”

2. Printed by Keyprint, Peterborough PE3 7PR. Published and promoted for and on behalf of the Liberal Democrats by Peter Chivall, 88 Elmfield Rd, Peterborough PE1 4HB
DOG DIRT
After being contacted by local
residents, Lib Dem councillor Darren
Fower has had dog dirt removed from
the footpath leading from Church
Street through to the recreational area.
Darren said: "Often the issue along this
footpath is the overgrown foliage but
recently the amount of dog dirt increased.
Following contact from several residents, I
persuaded the council to clean it up.”
Darren is seeking to have more dog
waste bins placed in the recreational area
between Church Street and Warwick Road
as at present there is only one bin.
FACTS & FIGURES
Every ten years the Office for National
Statistics (ONS) carries out a census to
find out about local neighbourhoods
The latest census took place over a year
ago when ONS sent questionnaires to 25
million households. The first data from the
2011 census is now being published. You
can get the details from the council website
at www.peterborough.gov.uk.
But here are some interesting statistics
for the South Werrington and North
Gunthorpe ward taken from the census.
 We have an average 2.2 people per
household – the lowest in the city. Central
Ward has the highest with 3 people per
household.
 There are now 3,782 males and 3,937
females in this ward – fewer residents than
at the time of the 2001 census.
 Along with Central Ward, Glinton &
Wittering we have the lowest percentage of
divorced people (all at 7.7%) while Paston
has the highest percentage at 13.3%.
 We have the city’s highest percentage of
residents listed as widowed at 10%.
 We have the city’s lowest percentage
(0.8%) of households with no adults in
employment but with dependent children.
The Peterborough average is 4.9%.
 We have the lowest percentage (21.3%)
of households with dependent children (all
ages). Orton with Hampton has the highest
percentage at 44.0%.
 We have the highest level of female lone
parents in full time work at 35.6%.
 Along with Newborough and
Northborough we have the city’s lowest
level of residents born outside of Europe.
If space permits, we will bring you more
‘snapshots’ from the census data in a future
issue of FOCUS.
COUNCIL BUDGET CUTS
At the recent full council meeting to discuss the city council’s annual
budget, both your Lib Dem city councillors stood up to defend the
views of people in this area, while the Tory councillor for this ward
said nothing and did not even bother to vote!
Werrington and Gunthorpe Lib Dem councillor Darren Fower said: “Some
of the most basic services this council has are being cut. It’s these service
which are there to help those people in our communities who can least afford
to help themselves. At the same time the council is spending lots of money
on grandiose projects.”
Both Darren and his colleague Julia Davidson – the other Lib Dem
councillor for this area – were applauded by members of the public after
their speeches.
Nick Sandford - Walton councillor
and leader of the Liberal Democrat
group on the city council - has
slammed the council’s budget cuts as
“damaging and insensitive”.
“The council is faced with some
difficult choices and has to cut its
budget,” Nick said. “But the Liberal
Democrats think it has made the
wrong choices.”
The Tory proposals, which were
bulldozed through a council meeting
in March, see funding for local bus
services cut by half, meaning we
could lose most evening bus services.
Services for older people will see
huge increases in charges for meals on
wheels and day care.
The local Werrington library will close one or two days each week and
have shorter opening hours on other days.
All the council’s play centres are to close. The Gunthorpe Family Centre,
which provides vital services to local families, will lose council funding and
is likely to close. However, Julia Davidson has asked the council to look at
the possibility of handing the centre over to the parents themselves to run.
Despite all these cuts, our council continues to waste money. The Tories
will spend £2 million replacing paving stones and ‘street furniture’ in Long
Causeway, £700,000 extra on chopping down trees and a whopping £87
million on building a new waste incinerator. And they are doubling spending
on the council newspaper, Your Peterborough, despite government warnings
that councils should not waste money on politically biased publications.
WERRINGTON MEADOW
Local Lib Dem councillors Darren Fower and Julia Davidson have
paid several recent visits to Werrington Meadow to inspect flooding
which has blocked the footpath leading to Fulbridge Road.
Darren said: "I spoke with one blind
gentleman who had been led into the
water by his dog. Only when the water
was up to his ankles did the dog turn
back.
“There is clearly something wrong at
this point because when we have heavy
rain the water is not dispersing properly."
Darren and Julia have now reported this issue to the city council.
You can watch videos of your councillors in action on this and other issues
on YouTube – just search for SWNGFocusTeam.
Children’s play centres will close
and library opening hours will be
cut because of council budget cuts.