News Items for the Newtown Ward
Newtown Community Skip Dates
Monday 20th October - Blacksail Close (on grass)
Monday 10th November - Newham Grange Avenue
Green waste
The collection of green garden waste has now been extended to ALL properties with a garden. You should by now have received a roll of clear plastic bags for your waste and a leaflet explaining when the full bags will be collected and what you can and cannot leave in the bags. If you are missing anything please check the details via the related content link on this page or call Care For Your Area on 01642 391959.
Stockton to support extended free bus travel
It's all aboard for Stockton's concessionary pass holders after the Council's Cabinet agreed an enhanced bus travel deal to improve on the Government's new national free scheme. The deal with local bus operators allows local holders of the new English National pass free travel at any time, any day, throughout the Stockton, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough and Redcar & Cleveland Council areas.
Within these areas, the pass does not have the weekday restriction of the national scheme, which, on Mondays to Fridays, allows travel only between 9.30am and 11pm. However, this restriction on travel times will apply when local people board buses outside the four local boroughs. In Stockton, the Council has agreed to pay local bus operators more than £3 million for free travel in 2008/09. Almost 26,000 Stockton residents have applied for the new national bus pass. Residents who applied after 14 February should now have received their passes. If you have any problems or queries about this scheme please call 01642 528499.
How to quit smoking
Stockton Council, working with the Primary Care Trust have sessions all over the Borough helping residents to give up smoking. To find out where your local sessions are and confirm availability please phone the Tees Start Stopping Service on 01642 223023. Alternatively call the Free NHS smoking helpline on 0800 1690 169 which is open from 7am to 11pm every day of the week.
Pigeon Problems
A working group of Stockton Council's Environment Select Committee is looking at ways to improve the environment of the Borough, including how to deal with the increase in numbers of pigeons in town centres. Pigeons are encouraged by people feeding them and dropping food on the street and the Committee is keen to find ways of raising public awareness to reduce the number of pigeons. The group will identify the degree of pigeon infestation across the Borough and look at ways to increase awareness of the Council's policy to control such issues, through educating the public about health risks, taking enforcement action and physical measures to discourage nesting and roosting to prevent further increases in pigeon numbers.
Council Telephone Contact Centre Opens
The Telephone Contact Centre for Stockton in February 2008, through which customers are able to make a single phone call to access a variety of services. During the first phase of this Access to Services programme staff are dealing with enquiries for Care For Your Area, Council Tax, Housing and Council Tax Benefit, the Pupil and Student Support service and Libraries. The Telephone Contact Centre is also delivering the main 393939 switchboard service. There are also plans to roll out a number of one-stop shops and a network of local access points, which started with Tesco in Ingleby Barwick where the service is delivered on Friday afternoons.
