The first of the new Area Forums takes place today at 7pm on Wednesday 8 October at Hilton Village Hall, Peacroft Lane, Hilton.

The new style meetings are part of the Council’s aims in its Corporate Plan to concentrate on listening to and informing local people.

Says Cllr Heather Wheeler, the Leader of South Derbyshire District Council, “It doesn’t matter to most people who provides the services so long as they are effective and efficient. In future there will be even greater involvement with Derbyshire County Council and with the Derbyshire Constabulary.

“The County Council will be part of every meeting and will be able to listen to people’s concerns on issues such as highways. While the Safer Neighbourhood Meetings are the main forum for community safety issues, the Police will be at the Area Forums to deal with matters other than specific crime and disorder issues such as an overview of policing in South Derbyshire and traffic matters. Specific issues will still be dealt with at the Safer Neighbourhood Meetings.

All the Area Forum meetings for the coming year have been fixed. All forum meetings will be held at 7pm.

Area Forum Meetings

Etwall Covering Barton Blount, Burnaston, Church Broughton, Dalbury Lees, Egginton, Etwall, Findern, Foston & Scropton, Hatton, Hilton, Hoon, Marston-on-Dove, Osleston & Thurvaston, Radbourne, Sutton-on-the-Hill and Trusley	Wednesday 8 October, 2008 Wednesday 4 February 2009 Wednesday 1 April 2009	Hilton Village Hall, Peacroft Lane, Hilton Frank Wickham Hall, Portland Street, Etwall. Hatton Centre, Station Road, Hatton.
Linton Covering Castle Gresley, Cauldwell, Coton-in-the-Elms, Drakelow, Linton, Lullington, Netherseal, Overseal, Rosliston and Walton-on-Trent	Wednesday 22 October, 2008 Tuesday 3 February 2009 Monday 30 March 2009	Walton on Trent Village Hall, Main Street, Walton on Trent Netherseal Village Hall, Main Street, Netherseal. Coton-in-the-Elms Community Centre, Elms Road, Coton-in-the-Elms.
Melbourne Covering Aston-on-Trent, Barrow-on-Trent, Calke, Elvaston, Foremark, Ingleby, Melbourne, Shardlow & Great Wilne, Smisby, Stanton-by-Bridge, Stenson Fields, Swarkestone, Ticknall, Twyford & Stenson and Weston-on-Trent	Thursday 30 October, 2008 Monday 9 February 2009 Wednesday 15 April 2009	Melbourne Leisure Centre, High Street, Melbourne Stenson Fields Primary School, Heather Close, Stenson Fields. Ticknall Village Hall, Ingleby Lane, Ticknall.
Newhall Covering Midway, Newhall and Stanton	Wednesday 15 October, 2008 Monday 2 February 2009 Thursday 26 March 2009	Stanton Village Hall, Woodland Road, Stanton Old Post Centre, High Street, Newhall. William Allitt School, Sunnyside, Newhall.
Repton Covering Bretby, Hartshorne, Newton Solney, Repton, Willington and Woodville	Tuesday 11 November, 2008 Tuesday 27 January 2009 Monday 20 April 2009	Goseley Community Centre, Hartshill Road, Hartshorne Repton Village Hall, Askew Grove, Repton. Woodville Infants School, High Street, Woodville.
Swadlincote Covering Church Gresley and Swadlincote	Thursday 6 November, 2008 Wednesday 28 January 2009 Tuesday 31 March 2009	Town Hall, The Delph, Swadlincote St George & St Mary’s Parish Rooms, Church Street, Church Gresley. Town Hall, The Delph, Swadlincote.

The next Safer Neighbourhood meetings will be:

Area 1, North West area (Etwall, Hilton, Hatton, Burnaston, Egginton and Foston) at 6:30pm, Monday 1 December at Hilton Village Hall

Area 2, Mercia area (Willington, Findern, Repton, Bretby and Stenson Fields) at 6:30pm, Tuesday 2 December at Repton Village Hall

Area 3, North East area (Melbourne, Aston, Weston, Shardlow, Thulston and Elvaston) at 6:30pm, Tuesday 9 December at Barrow-on-Trent Village Hall

Area 4, Central area (Swadlincote, Woodville, Church Gresley and Hartshorne) at 6:30pm, Monday 8 December at Woodville Infants School

Area 5, Newhall and Midway area (Newhall, Midway and Stanton) at 6:30pm, Wednesday 3 December at The Old Post, Newhall

Area 6, South area - (Overseal, Linton, Netherseal, Coton, Walton and Rosliston) 6:30pm, Thursday 11 December at Netherseal Village Hall.