Free Home Safety Checks

A free confidential home and garden safety check is available to all North Lanarkshire residents, this includes checks on electrical points, smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors and plugs. Parents and carers of young children can also have a free child safety equipment check.

Staff from the unit will also hasppily provide speakers and displays for community organisations.

For more information call 01698 274247 or email homesafety@northlann.gov.uk

Energy Advice

From the NLC web-site:

"In the last year NLC's Energy Unit have carried out various projects to help improve the quality of living for all residents in North Lanarkshire.

Our Energy Assessors are carrying out energy surveys in various areas of North Lanarkshire giving energy advice. The Energy team have helped many owner occupiers to access grants for free central heating, cavity wall & loft insulation and draught proofing.

In the present economic climate and with high energy prices combined with rises in basic food prices I expect this work to become even more valuable.

Please contact: 01236 616358 or energy@northlan.gov.uk for further information and advice."

Please pass this on to anyone who you think might need it.

Change of use to Hot Food Takeaway, 35 Bellshill Road

An application S/08/01400/FUL, has been received looking to turn the carpet showroom at this site into a takeaway shop. Residents will already be aware of how busy this area is and the fact that that there are two hot food stores here already.

I look forward to any comments/observations you might have, you can also raise issues with the planning officer, Colin Campbell, directly. You can call him on 01698 274118.

Words 2008: North Lanarkshire Festival of Books and Writing

The Council is re-running this tremendous event, it is now well underway, having begun on 30th September and will finish on 11th October. More information can be found here http://www.northlan.gov.uk/leisure+and+tourism/libraries/local+libraries/words+2008.html

I was able to attend a fantastic talk with Mark Millar, the comics creator on Saturday and I'm really looking forward to an evening with Science Fiction author Ken MacLeod tonight.

I'm gutted about missing the event with Joan Lingard in Wishaw this Saturday, I adored her Kevin and Sadie stories as a kid. I'd happily recommend this or any of the other events.

Check them out.

Black Gold

The Motherwell Fairtrade Steering Group are arranging a screening of the fabulous film Black Gold http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Gold_(film) on October 23rd in Motherwell College at 6.30 PM. There will also be a Fairtrade "virtual" fashion show, tea, coffee and a raffle.

Space is limited, so anyone wanting to attend should contact Eileen Imlah at the college on 01698 232264 to confirm a place.

Free Swims Back Again

Everyone under the age of 16 in Motherwell West can get free entry to all North Lanarkshire Leisure pools, 10am to 4pm from Monday, 13^th October until Friday, 17^th October.

The usual rules will apply.

Proposed Installation of a Mobile Phone Mast on Bellshill Road, Motherwell, ML1 3TJ

I have been written to by consultants based in Glasgow regarding proposals to install a mobile phone mast on Bellshill Road, close to the junction with Kylemore Crescent.

There has been no formal planning application submitted yet, but I would welcome any comments that people might like to add.