Lots has happened in the last month. I am please it is nearly October to be back in a routine!
Local Government Reorganization
Well that was disappointing (the postponement I mean). I am about to do another post on this. I started 2 months ago but events keep overtaking me. In the meantime I’ll carry on explaining to residents that I really am not just pushing them around from pillar to post when I forward their emails to another councillor because their query relates to a different level of government a. Hopefully this will be resolved soon.
Town Council:
We got there! The petition received more than enough signatures.
But this is only the first step on the ladder. Now a group has been created to undertake a “Community Governance Review”. Unfortunately although this is constituted as an informal group, it has been decided by Rushcliffe Borough Council that it must have the same political make up as Rushcliffe itself, which means once again, we end up with a Tory dominated (and indeed South WB dominated) group making decisions about the people of West Bridgford who as a group did not vote that way. I note those councillors were opposed to a Town Council. Anyway the next consultation will be from November.. so keep an eye out of that.
City Ground:
I am pleased that a decision has been made that will reduce uncertainty in the area. We were in planning blight before the decision and unfortunately we still are, as all councils will now say they can’t make decisions on many things in the area (like normal day to day residents’ parking) until the new stadium is built, This is partly because when the building is completed (or thereabouts) they will get access to the “Section 106” (S106) money from the development, to spend on mitigation work – like new junctions, or parking controls.
Although I am pleased, I think there are still problems for residents, fans and Forest really.
- Decisions around the S106 money will be made by a group that is chaired by NFFC and only includes council officers etc. Clearly these officers have the needs of the whole of Nottinghamshire etc in mind, not the needs of local residents. It is very unfortunate that the Planning Committee did not insist on there being local councillors on that group to express the views of local residents.
- As it is, if the group cannot reach a decision on how to spend the S106 money, there is a risk it will end up being given back to Forest. This decision group should have had representatives of local residents on it.
- I am worried that the planning condition related to getting people across Trent Bridge on foot might become an unachievable barrier to Forest- it seems quite a lot to ask them to sort out on their own.
- There is a problem with telecons during matches which has impact on the businesses too. County seem to say that it IS a material planning consideration (effect on infrastructure)but RBC said it isn’t which is unfortunate to say the least. Currently the County are asking residents to send in details of problems as that will allow county to try to get some action on this… but probably wont be til new stadium is built unfortunately.
- Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) for match days): This is completely frozen as the County won’t do anything until the new stadium is built. This isnt good enough as we have problems now.. and I do not see why Forest should pay for it all. The County are saying it is going to be a huge project, but they could start rolling it out now in very small area around TB now as that cant make things worse outside and will allow them to trial various things. Please sign this petition if you agree.
- Currently in central WB we have few “real shops”. There is a positive feedback loop occurring where the councils ask the businesses for their opinions but those business are increasingly cafes which benefit from the club. The “real shops” have been squeezed out have no voice. Since Rushcliffe isnt asking the councillors from WB what they think about the interaction of the stadiums and Central Avenue, the residents have little voice too.
- Miraculously.. something has happened on football disruption.. an automatic sign will go on LB bridge to warn of when it will be closed. I am now asking for diversion signs on Loughborough road when it is closed.
September Full Council Meeting at NottsCC
Question on Adult Social Care
There seems to be a general issue with people having problems with payments to and from Nottinghamshire County Council in this area. So I asked what fraction of people receiving Adult Social Care under the age of 60 last year were in dispute with the Council on finance. The answer was a shocking 5.5%. I will try to take this up further as it usually occurs when people’s circumstance are changing, and people needing ASC (or their families) are sometimes caused a lot of stress by these issues.
Dropped Kerbs Motion
I brought a motion on the enforcement of no parking on dropped kerbs at full NottsCC meeting in September. I had been told for years, even before I was a councillor, that dropped kerbs could not be enforced. It turns out that they can.. they do in the City by responding to phone calls from residents complaining about people parking over their drive etc.
I am delighted to say this was unanimously approved so let’s hope we see a change.
Annual Scrutiny Report
Councils spend a lot of money on Scrutiny but it isnt clear how much it achieves. I feel there is generally “too much talk and not enough action” in councils. We pay for flurries of feasibility studies and performative consultations that often feel like an expensive way of trying to placate residents, silence councillors, and kick the can down the road. It would be more sensible to say “we cant do that” if that is the real situation. Anyway, I proposed some ways the Scrutiny report could be more focused on actions last year, and there seemed to be a willingness to take these on board.
