Cash boost for Manton area

The money was left over from Manton Community Alliance, which was wound up last year.

Now Bassetlaw Council has agreed to spend the money on a project entitled Developing Manton, aimed at rejuvenating a long-deprived area.

People living in the Worksop neighbourhood can look forward to three new schemes offering opportunities for all.

One such scheme is a play park for children living in the Manton Villas area. It is something ward councillor Josie Potts has been campaigning for with Manton Villas Action Group.

And a £13,000 allocation will go a long way towards achieving the £50,000 target.

“I am just buzzing to hear the news that we’ve been given this money,” said Coun Potts.

“It feels like we are really getting somewhere now.”

Children gathered at half term for a consultation exercise on the play park, to see what kind of equipment they would like.

“It’s really important we cater for the older kids and the younger kids and the parents too,” said Josie.

“The kids desperately need somewhere safe to play around here. It’s too far for them to go up to the Rainbow Park off Shrewsbury Road.”

Another project which is set to flourish through the funding is the Radford Street Allotments site, which is set to undergo a £60,000 revamp.

The largely overgrown green space currently only has one allotment holder, who has kept his plot complete with chickens and ducks for many years.

Coun Potts said: “Taking inspiration from the success of Spur Crescent allotments I would like to see the Radford Street site transformed.”

“Spur Crescent has been a massive success and there’s even a waiting list to get on there. It’s blooming.”

Coun Potts said a fresh allotment community could bring people together in Manton and help them through the tough times ahead.

“With what is going to be happening in terms of further funding cuts and benefit reductions people need to be thinking about how they can live cheaply and thriftily,” she said.

Last but certainly not least under the Developing Manton funding is a £25,000 grant for a dance studio.

The studio will be based at the Centre For Sport and Learning on Community Way at Manton, which is managed by North Notts College.

It will offer dance activities and classes for Manton residents and the wider Worksop community.

Coun Potts said all the schemes from the Developing Manton funding would provide ‘good quality investments’ in the community.

“It’s about raising aspirations and building better communities for people around here,” she said.

“Manton has always been on the edge of everything. It’s an area that has been through some really bad times but things are looking up.”

Speaking at last month’s Bassetlaw Council cabinet meeting when the funding allocation was agreed, council leader Simon Greaves said the regeneration of Manton could set an example for improvements in other areas.

“It’s important that this authority does all it can to regenerate that area and if possible move on to the next area and the next,” he said.

“It is about bringing improvements to what is without a doubt one of the most deprived areas in the East Midlands.”