Mick's latest news...
Latest from the Community Safety portfolio
In addition to my duties as a County Councillor for Hucknall division, I am also the Council's Cabinet Member for Community Safety. At most County Council meetings I present a report on latest developments within my portfolio. Please follow these links to see my most recent reports:-
March 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
September 2011
June 2011
(Updated 25/4/2012)
Council plans to adopt a committee system
Pending approval at the Council’s Annual General Meeting on 17th May 2012, Nottinghamshire County Council plans to exercise its new power under the Localism Act 2011 to adopt a committee system of decision-making. This will replace the current Leader and Cabinet model adopted under the Local Government Act 2000.
The rationale for a committee system is that it is the most democratic and transparent form of governance. It ensures all 67 democratically elected Councillors are able to fully participate in decision-making and shaping the policy of the Council. It ensures greater transparency in that all reports are publicly available prior to any decision being made, and all decision-making meetings are held in public.
Reports were taken to the Full Council meetings in January and March (Item 11), with final approval being sought, as stated above, in May.
(Posted 17/4/2012)
Council tax frozen again in 2012/13
At the Nottinghamshire County Council budget meeting on 23rd February it was agreed to freeze county council tax for a third consecutive year. With public finances under strain across the country, the council has saved £87 million so far, £44 million of which has been reinvested directly into frontline services. In the coming financial year we will spend: -
- £2.8 million more safeguarding children;
- £5.2 million more on care for older people;
- £2.7 million more on adults with mental health & learning disabilities;
- £1.4 million more on adults with physical disabilities; and
- £1 million more to support young carers.
We are also committed to invest £289 million in capital over three years on:-
- Improving school buildings;
- Modernising day centres;
- New youth clubs;
- Improving libraries;
- Improved broadband services;
- Improved roads and pathways;
- New and improved bus stations.
Councillor Reg Adair is the council's Cabinet Member for Finance & Property. In his speech presenting the budget, he outlined the results of the council's budget consultation. In response to public feedback, we are: -
- providing additional library opening hours at 15 locations across the county;
- holding Meals at Home charges at £3.95 for 2012/13; and
- not increasing charges for Blue Badge holders in 2012/13, unlike many other local authorities.
(Posted 28/2/2012)
Hucknall Town Centre Improvement Scheme wins Government approval
As part of his Autumn Statement on 29th November, the Chancellor of the Exchequer promised £8.5 million towards the Hucknall Town Centre Improvement Scheme. The total scheme cost is £12.375m with the County Council having sought a contribution of £8.489m from the DfT.
The project involves pedestrianising the High Street between the South Street/Baker Street junction and the Watnall Road junction. A new inner relief road, running parallel with the High Street, will cater for the majority of the displaced traffic and will also accommodate additional local traffic generated by new housing developments. A new two-way 'bus only' link will also be constructed to connect the proposed inner relief road with the remaining portion of the High Street that carries traffic. This bus link will serve to maintain bus penetration into the town centre. The existing double roundabout at the junction of Linby Road, Station Road and Ashgate Road will be replaced with a new traffic signal controlled junction.
As an individual local councillor I have made no secret of the fact that I have some reservations about the scheme, but I have to respect the democratic decisions made by Nottinghamshire County Council and the Government. Now that the project is set to go ahead, my responsibility is to ensure the best possible outcome for Hucknall people. The Hucknall Town Centre Improvement Scheme is referenced on page 21 of the HM Treasury National Infrastructure Plan 2011.
(Posted 30/11/11)
New approach to domestic violence prevention and response services
As Cabinet Member for Community Safety I recently presented to Cabinet proposals to simplify the way Nottinghamshire County Council commissions domestic violence services in the county are commissioned.
The Council carried out an eight-week consultation from 27th July this year asking organisations involved in domestic violence their views on four options to distribute funding across the county. This was in response to concerns raised by agencies that the current arrangements are confusing as a number of organisations provide similar services in the same area. Domestic violence service providers and organisations which refer victims to these organisations such as the Police, health and the Council’s social services teams were consulted.
The four options were as follows: -
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A county-wide model;
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A north ( Mansfield, Newark and Bassetlaw) and south model (Ashfield, Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe);
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A three area model – Mansfield and Ashfield; Bassetlaw and Newark; and Broxtowe, Rushcliffe and Gedling;
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A four area model – Mansfield and Ashfield; Bassetlaw; Newark and Sherwood; and Broxtowe, Rushcliffe and Gedling.
The north and south model and three area model were the most popular amongst the agencies which gave feedback. Therefore, it has been agreed to adopt the north and south option for the following reasons: -
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less back office and management costs as there are fewer contracts so more money can be directed at frontline services;
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reduces confusion for agencies referring victims for support services as it is a simpler model;
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victims who are at risk of serious harm, need refuge and require support will be able to access this from a single organisation as the model is in line with current arrangements for high-risk victims in the county.
The new model means there will be two contracts for commissioned domestic violence services funded by the Council. The funding is targeted at refuges, women’s supported housing, outreach and support services for children affected by domestic violence, domestic abuse link workers and information gathering to identify and work with high-risk victims.
(Posted 11/11/11)
Improved facilities for disabled children
A scheme to improve changing facilities for disabled children at leisure centres in Nottinghamshire has now been completed thanks to money from Nottinghamshire County Council’s Aiming High for Disabled Children programme.
Hucknall Leisure Centre has had its changing rooms revamped to include a changing bed, a hoist in the changing room, support rails and a pool chair. Specialist equipment has also been purchased to make sport more accessible across the county including off road wheel chairs, sports chairs, hand bikes, Inline Sledge Hockey equipment and funding for new sports clubs and sessions.
The aim is to help transform the lives of disabled children and their families across the county. We want Nottinghamshire to be a great place for all children and young people to grow up. I am delighted with the new facilities and equipment and hope that they will help young people across the County lead an active and healthy lifestyle.
(Posted 10/11/11)
Scambusting success
As Cabinet Member for Community Safety, I’m delighted to report that an organisation which leads the war on counterfeit goods worldwide has hailed the work of local Trading Standards Officers.
On 10th August the Trading Standards East Midlands "Scambusters" Team, managed by Nottinghamshire County Council, received a prestigious national award from the Anti-Counterfeiting Group (ACG) in recognition of its excellent work during 2010 protecting ACG members and consumers in the region from threats posed by fake goods.
ACG represents the interests of UK and multinational companies and works with Trading Standards to stop the trade in counterfeit goods. Counterfeiting is a serious organised crime - such fakes are always a rip-off and can be very dangerous.
The team fully deserve this prestigious award. Without them, many of these potentially deadly items could have found their way into the homes of unsuspecting people throughout the country.
(Posted 15/8/2011)
Grants available for sports clubs in Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire County Council is challenging local sports clubs and organisations to come forward with new projects that encourage people to get involved in sport. The reward, from the Community Sports Fund, is a maximum of £1,500 to Clubmark accredited clubs and £1,000 for other not for profit organisations such as voluntary or community organisations. The money can be used to help with costs such as coaching fees, facility hire, equipment costs and publicity costs but it must be spent within 12 months.
To be eligible for the fund, applicants must be a club or organisation based in Nottinghamshire and affiliated to their national governing body. New organisations will need to demonstrate their intent to affiliate.
We’re passionate about supporting grassroots sport at all levels and clubs need funds - that ‘s why the Community Sports Fund is such a fantastic scheme as it gets money straight to where it can have the most impact. The best ideas for projects, that encourage new people in sport through a structured programme of activities, will benefit. To apply for a Community Sports Fund visit www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/sport-support
The closing date for applications is 2nd October 2011.
(Posted 15/8/2011)
Welcome fall in crime in Nottinghamshire
As Cabinet Member for Community Safety I welcome the latest Home Office figures which show crime in the county is reducing three times faster than the national average. All crime fell in the county by 14 percent during 2010/11 compared to the national average of just 5 percent.
Nottinghamshire County Council works in partnership with Nottinghamshire Police, local authorities and organisations in the county on community safety issues with the aim of making it a safer place for everyone by reducing crime. The Council’s community safety activities include working with young offenders, providing safer public areas, helping people feel safer at home and providing new facilities for young people.
These figures are great news and show that the Police and local authorities in the county are working in the right direction to help cut crime locally. As a key player of the Safer Nottinghamshire Board, the County Council is committed to making the county a safer place to live, visit and work.
We have made great strides with tackling domestic violence by providing support to high risk victims, introducing gating orders in areas with high rates of anti-social behaviour and reducing hate crime, particularly aimed at people with learning disabilities. However, we are not going to rest on our laurels and will continue to work hard to improve community safety in the county.
(Posted 20/7/11)
£2.5 million boost for Supporting People
Despite local budget pressures and a reduced grant from central Government, Nottinghamshire County Council has invested an extra £2.5 million in its Supporting People programme.
Supporting People is a national programme that provides housing related support to help vulnerable people live independently. It will see its Government grant in Nottinghamshire reduced to £17.6 million this year, threatening the County Council’s previous year’s Supporting People spend of £22.5 million.
However, thanks to a new £1.5 million investment from the local NHS, plus a further £1 million diverted from the County Council budget, the Government’s allocation has been given a vital boost in Nottinghamshire. This limits the reduction in the County’s Supporting People budget to just over 10%, from £22.5 million to £20.11 million. The restricted budget reduction has also been made possible by the County Council’s decision early this year, following public consultation, to keep its savings on Supporting People to £10 million over the next three years rather than two higher reduction options of £12.5 million and £15 million.
These funding measures support feedback gained from a second, two-month public consultation on Supporting People services this year (in Feb/March), to form new proposals which went before Full Council on 30th June 2011. These proposals ensure that:-
- Most accommodation based services continue to be funded, albeit at reduced levels;
- ‘Floating support’ services, which offer support to people in their own homes, will be delivered consistently across issues of homelessness prevention and offender, drug and alcohol, gypsy and traveller and young people’s services;
- Mental health services are reviewed and delivered more efficiently;
- Young people’s services are reviewed for greater efficiency;
- Community alarm and warden services for older people are replaced with a new short term service targeted at helping vulnerable people to remain independent in their own homes.
We’ve talked to those who use the services, to our District Council partners, to project providers and voluntary and community groups, including church leaders, to find ways to make savings through efficiencies. We will target the money at front line services that meet the needs of those who are most vulnerable and in greatest need.
Nottinghamshire was successful in securing Government money under Supporting People when the programme first started eight years ago but we’ve seen this central funding steadily fall by nearly £11 million since that time. We believe that after the £10 million savings have been made, the level of funding in Nottinghamshire for these services will still compare well with other Council areas.
(Posted 20/7/2011)
More grass cuts
Nottinghamshire County Council is increasing the number of times it will be cutting grass verges this year.
As part of this year’s budget savings it was originally intended to reduce the frequency of routine grass cutting in urban areas from six to four times a year. However, we have listened to public feedback and have now increased that frequency to five cuts. In rural areas the frequency remains at two cuts a year.
At the same time we have issued guidelines for a growing number of residents who are happy to cut the grass verges outside their homes. Again, this is a direct result of feedback from the Council’s Big Budget Conversation consultation process, when hundreds of people said they would be prepared to cut verges if it helped to release money for use on other priorities, such a repairing potholes.
The guidelines highlight what needs to be considered when cutting grass near the roadside. They can be found online at: www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/roadverges
(Posted 14/7/11)
School buildings investment
I am delighted to report that Annie Holgate Junior, Holy Cross Catholic Primary and Annie Holgate Infant & Nursery and Children's Centre in Hucknall are amongst the schools set to benefit from the first phase of Nottinghamshire County Council's new £100 million programme to refurbish and improve school buildings.
At the Annual General Meeting of Nottinghamshire County Council on 19th May, the Cabinet Member for Children & Young People's Services, Councillor Philip Owen set out the full Schools Capital Refurbishment Programme List, covering three years up to 2014.
In line with the "Three R's" set out by the Government for school building works (Refresh, Refurbish, Re-use), Nottinghamshire County Council has set the criteria to prioritise the schools most in need of improvements for the first year. The condition of roofs, external walls and windows, electrical arrangements and mechanical issues such as boilers have been considered.
More in-depth surveys of the schools in the first year list will take place from June and works on a small number of schools will begin during the summer holidays. The Council started a review of school buildings across the county following the cancellation of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.
The County Council will be funding around £30m of the programme with the remaining money coming from the authority’s Government grant for school maintenance.
(Posted 1/6/2011)
Hucknall's Citizen of the Year: Cyril Thomas
As Nottinghamshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Community Safety I'm delighted to congratulate this years 'Hucknall Citizen of the Year' award winner Cyril Thomas for his fantastic contribution to the community. He received this honour at the Pride of Ashfield Civic Awards, as reported in the Hucknall Dispatch.
Cyril is an active member of numerous community groups and lives on Greenwood Vale. Born in Gloucestershire, he spent his early life working as a fireman and on the railways and then served in the Royal Air Force. After meeting his future wife, Rita, he moved to Hucknall in 1953 and went on to work for Raleigh and then the National Coal Board workshops.
Rita sadly died ten years ago, but Cyril found support through the Hucknall Retired Members Association, of which he is now Chairman. He contributes a lot of his time to helping older people in the Hucknall area and it is quite right that he be recognised for the fantastic work he has done and continues to do.
(Posted 1/6/2011)
Dob Park
As reported recently in the Hucknall Dispatch, a new home has been created for protected creatures at the heart of one of Hucknall’s most cherished open spaces. Dob Park, off Washdyke Lane, was the first woodland to be planted as part of the Greenwood Community Forest 20 years ago. The River Leen flows through the site, which is one of the jewels in the crown of Notts County Council’s ‘Green Estate’.
Now £8,000 has been spent on creating three new ponds and watercourses. It is hoped these will provide the perfect habitats for endangered water voles and white-clawed crayfish. Funding has come from the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) in a project that has been carried out by Nottinghamshire Biodiversity Action Group (NBAG).
I paid a visit to Dob Park to see the work that has been done and I’m delighted that the Local Improvement Scheme continues to fund projects like this. This area is a rich source of wildlife, and the new habitat will help protect a number of species for years to come.
A smaller project to create a pond for crayfish, water voles and other wildlife has been carried out at The Ranges — the former Linby Colliery pit-tip on the border of Hucknall and Linby. The LIS has also funded 5,000 leaflets on crayfish in Nottinghamshire in a bid to protect the animal and hopefully encourage the safeguarding of its habitat.
(Posted 1/6/2011)
Council Budget 2011/12
At the Nottinghamshire County Council Budget Meeting on 24th February 2011 I joined my Conservative colleagues in voting to freeze Council Tax for a second successive year. In doing so, I approved £4.1 million of changes to the Council’s original budget proposals in direct response to the outcomes of the Big Budget Conversation. Extra money has now been found from reserves for the Supporting People programme, grant aid to voluntary groups, libraries, country parks and welfare rights advice.
With less formula grant funding from the Government, Nottinghamshire County Council has to find more than £80 million of savings in 2011/12 by reducing management and administration costs and reviewing expenditure on non-essential services. Just over half of this is being reinvested to meet growing demand for our most vital services, including: -
The budget was approved at the Council meeting by 34 votes to 29.
(Posted 28/2/2011)
Gritter Twitter
Nottinghamshire County Council will now be advising the public of when the county’s roads will be gritted, using Twitter. During the cold weather last winter there were a number of calls to the Council’s Customer Service Centre asking when the roads would be gritted. Now people can sign up to the Council’s Gritter Twitter feed to receive the latest gritting alerts.
In an age of social networking and 24-hour news, the Council recognises the need to give people ‘live’ information that will help them plan their journey. You can sign up to follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nottscc
(Posted 11/11/2010)
Improvement Programme latest
At the full meeting of Nottinghamshire County Council on 21st October I joined my Conservative colleagues in supporting the recommendations for action contained within the Nottinghamshire County Council Improvement Plan Progress Report.
The Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor Martin Suthers set out the financial challenges facing local authorities across the country and stated that Nottinghamshire County Council needed to save £150 million over the next three years.
He said this would require savings of £69 million in 2011/12, to be achieved through a series of major initiatives including reprioritisation of services, improvements in business management and a review of property owned by the Council.
Of this £69 million, it is intended to reinvest £39 million largely in services for our most vulnerable service users. The council has faced a 59% increase in children’s social care referrals over the last year and a 25% increase in the number of children in care over the last two years.
For Children and Young People, a proposed reinvestment of £22.5 million will provide:-
Our Adult Social Care & Health services are under similar pressure, with 500 extra people aged over 80 and 4,000 extra people over the age of 65 in Nottinghamshire every year. Our proposed reinvestment of £13 million in 2011/12 will provide: -
- the care and support services necessary to meet this increased demand
- more support for adults with physical disabilities
- more support for adults with learning disabilities and mental health needs
- extra resources for independent sector care.
I joined my Conservative colleagues in arguing that Nottinghamshire County Council must live within its means and ensure frontline statutory services are maintained.
(Posted 5/11/2010)
Rolls Royce decision welcome
As reported in the local press, I am delighted by the decision of Rolls Royce to keep its sheet metal work facility in Hucknall. The firm was believed to be contemplating moving production from Hucknall to a site abroad, which would have affected around 250 jobs. Now the company and Unite workers and staff have agreed changes that will ensure the Hucknall sheet metal works remain competitive and commercially viable.
As a former Rolls Royce employee and now a Hucknall county councillor this has been a major concern and I have joined my County Council colleague and Member of Parliament for Sherwood, Mark Spencer, in discussions with the company and its employees. We are relieved and very happy that a solution has been found.
(Posted 12/8/10)
Improvement Programme
Like every council in the country, Nottinghamshire County Council faces ongoing, significant and unavoidable increases in demand for key services. At the same time, it faces an unprecedented and long-term reduction in the resources available to it. Present forecasts are that the Council must reduce its current expenditure by at least £88m, or 18% of its revenue budget, over the next three financial years. Most of this reduction will be used to fund increased demand in other service areas. £30m of reductions have already been identified for 2010/11, leaving a further £58m to be found in 2011/12 and 2012/13.
In the past, reductions have been achieved through a process of allocating savings targets across departments. However, the scale of the financial challenge is now such that a more strategic approach is needed to achieve reductions in a structured and consistent way.
At the County Council meeting on 25th February 2010 the Deputy Leader of the Council, Cllr Martin Suthers gained approval for a new Improvement Programme to deliver these aims, called ‘One Council - One Business - One Plan’. This will involve an estimated investment of £21 million over five years to deliver total aggregated savings of over £200m over a five year period.
The Improvement Programme will include: -
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a complete overhaul of the Council’s approach to procurement
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implementation of an integrated Business Management System and changes in processes
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rationalisation of the Council’s property portfolio and improvement in flexible ways of working
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a fundamental review of all services followed by a comprehensive programme of organisational redesign
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departmental improvement programmes that deliver service-specific developments and
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the Chief Executive’s own programme to deliver improvements in partnership working, communications and organisational development.
The aim of ‘One Council-One Business-One Plan’ is to drive out inefficiency, target resources, minimise the impact on service delivery and create an organisation that is fit for purpose and financially sustainable in the long term.
(Posted 8/3/10)
New Stategic Plan
Nottinghamshire County Council's new Strategic Plan 2010-2014 sets out our promise to the people of Nottinghamshire; our priorities for the next four years; and how we aim to support the people of our county to be aspirational, independent and to share with us responsibility for the future.
This Plan complements the wider Nottinghamshire Sustainable Community Strategy which is the collective plan that outlines how organisations in the county will work together to promote and deliver a better Nottinghamshire.
Our plan is ambitious. It is a plan based on what local people tell us they want, and what they want to see happen. The success of our plan relies on us working well together with local people and organisations. Whilst we face challenging financial times, nevertheless we have opportunities to promote and deliver a better future for Nottinghamshire.
(Posted 8/3/10)
