Richard Shepherd’s County Councillor’s Blog
Gigahubs
Sileby Library will be one of the beneficiaries of a partnership between the County Council and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) to improve the connectivity of schools, libraries, recycling centres and other public sector buildings in "hard-to-reach" areas which wouldn't have received an upgrade commercially owing to their rural location.
Gigabit-capable broadband will be available at 43 sites in all over the next few months as new contracts are taken up. The £1.5 million programme is intended to open up digital resources for pupils, doing away with the frustration of buffering. It will enable libraries to offer more activities and should make the areas concerned more attractive for potential future investment from commercial broadband suppliers.
Local Transport Plan
A consultation is now open on Leicestershire's fourth Local Transport Plan (LTP4) Core Document.
LTP4 aims to increase greener travel and improved connectivity across the County. The Plan's five core themes are:
Enabling health and wellbeing
Protecting the environment
Delivering economic growth
Enhancing our transport network's resilience
Embracing innovation.
The County's population is growing faster than the national and East Midlands average. It is projected to rise from 713,000 to 830,000 by 2043, with those over 65 being the largest age group, and the transport networks must grow and change to support this and allow the County to thrive.
The consultation is open until Monday, 23rd September, and may be accessed at: leicestershire.gov.uk/ltp4-draft
GoLearn!
The County Council's Adult Learning Service offers part-time day, evening, and weekend courses for adults aged 19+ to learn new skills or take on new hobbies.
New courses available this year include Digital Skills for Beginners, First Aid and Food Safety qualifications, Silk Painting, Lino Printing, and Connecting with Nature (A Better Mental Health Workshop). Many more courses are also on offer; popular ones include Drawing and Painting, Introduction to Smartphones and Tablets, Yoga, Pottery, Fused Glass, Better Mental Health and Language courses. There is a 30 per cent discount for anyone who books on a course by Monday, 30th September, and the discount can be used alongside the 70 per cent reduced cost discount available for anyone on a low income and/or certain eligible benefits.
GoLearn also offers free Skills for Life courses, which are designed to help learners improve their Maths and English, together with valuable digital skills.
For more information about what is available please call freephone 0800 988 0308 (lines are open Monday-Friday from 8.30 a.m. until 7.00 p.m.) or visit the website: golearn leicestershire
Richard Shepherd, County Councillor
Telephone: 01509 413903
Posted: Tue, 27 Aug 2024