Plans were revelaled at Tuesday’s neighbourhoood meeting for earth mounds to be put on a corner of Kingsthorpe Rec to provide a track for BMX bikers. Young people came to the meeting to speak in support of the idea. The mounds would be placed well away from housing, and would be funded by my colleague John Yates out of his Council Council ‘empowering councillors’ fund.

Instead of adults telling young people what they will have, this idea has come from young people themselves, and they have the guts to come to a public meeting in speak up for it against some opposition. A minority too often give young people a bad name, but they deserve a place which is their idea, their design and somewhere they can call their own.

Sadly, the NN2 residents association were outbid at auction for the land by the river known as Kingsthorpe Meadows. The highest bid was placed by Labour councillor Iftikhar Choudary acting on behalf of an anonymous bidder.

Councillor Choudary has never discussed his plans with Sally Beardsworth or myself as local councillors, and he does not speak or act on behalf of the council. Any plans to build a mosque or any other large building there would require planning permission, and as we know, the land is largely in the floodplain and has been identified as open space in the local plan.

We will wait to see what is proposed. If Cllr Choudary has plans for community use of the land, it is disappointing that he did not discuss these with residents or the councillors for the area before the auction. We will continue to support residents in their efforts to protect the land for the local community and await with interest news of Cllr. Choudary’s plans.

7.00pm 23rd September Pastures Community Centre, Acre Lane.

All welcome. Your chance to have your say on the work of the Kingsthorpe neighbourhood board. Police update and info on grass roots funding.

A planning application has been submitted for a smoking area and dining area in the car park at the back of the Cock Hotel. The planning reference is N/2008/0954 and the plans can be viewed on the Borough Council’s website or at the council officers in the Guildhall or Cliftonville House.

Plans were revealed at the Kingsthorpe Village Conservation Area Committee meeting tonight for a new village noticeboard and a decorative village sign to go near the junction of Kingswell Rd. and The Green. The sign will be 3 metres tall on an oak post, with a local stone base. It will be decorated with pictures of the the church, the Methodist chapel, the old Walkers Mill that used to be on Mill Lane, and the Seal of King John which is held in John the Baptist Church.

The noticeboard will be erected close by in memory of Derek Simpson, a well known village personality (and Focus deliverer), who sadly died earlier this year. Sally Beardsworth is contributing some of her County Council ‘empowering councillors’ budget to the project.

The Kingsthorpe Conservation Committee was set up some years ago to to speak up for the protection of the old village, which is a designated conservation area. It is consulted by the Borough Council on planning applications in the village, and is increasingly taking action itself to create a special environment in the village. The proposed design of the decorative village sign is superb, a great focal point for the village.