Published on 8th September, 1993 and shared at private meeting of Mapperley Branch Labour Party. Ill Health at Kingsthorpe Close.
Residents moved into new council houses at Kingsthorpe Close from May onwards.
They have been falling ill (diarrhoea) since June but only more recently discovered they all had the same problems.
Severn Trent has tested the water and says there's no problem, but the City Council's Environmental Health department may have identified a problem.
Residents met today and both John Heppell and Pete Scoffings attended.
This, plus certain other building problems, means that the estate has not got off to the start I would have wanted.
However, the City Council are aware of the need for the reputation of the estate to be high and be kept high. To this end, a pamphlet has been produced to attract people to the estate.
Sales of Police Sports Ground.
The Police Sports Ground was sold to the County Council last year. The Council is now preparing to sell the land.
The land cannot be sold for development purposes, so those that are showing an interest (including a school in the city), are looking to buy or lease the grounds as sporting facilities.
The sale is not likely to be for another three months.
The former tennis courts part of the field remains in the ownership of the Police Federation who have had planning permission for development for 2 and a half years. Meanwhile, I'm trying to ensure the land is properly maintained.
Sale of Land near Woodthorpe Park.
A plot of land (currently grassed) between Woodthorpe Grange and Woodthorpe Drive is to be sold by the City Council.
The sale of the land was first mooted as a way of raising finance to help the Gardeners to remain at Woodthorpe Park.
Prostitution.
This matter continues to cause concern and has been addressed in John Heppell's newsletter.
Police Reform.
The Government White Paper seeks to amalgamate the Notts. and Derbyshire Police Forces; to reduce the Police authority to 16 members, of which only 8 will be councillors and the remainder are to be magistrates and businessmen.
All appointments will be subject the the Home Secretary's approval.
The reforms are bad because they reduce the accountability of the Police to the community and this weakens the Police.
In tackling crime, it cannot be said that the level of public scrutiny of the Police is responsible for rising crime or falling detection rates.
The Popkess Affair.
Our current Police Authorities came from the Royal Commissions of 1960 and 1962. The earlier Watch Committees, formed entirely by Councillors, were abolished. One of the reasons was the Popkess affair.
Popkess was Nottingham City's Chief Constable. In 1959, he investigated Labour City Councillors who had visited East Germany (to consider buying a planetarium) and were alleged to have claimed expenses without proper approval.
But the investigation had only started after the City Council had refused some of the Chief Constable's plans, particularly for more Police Housing.
Further, details of the investigation were leaked on City Council election day.
The Watch Committee demanded to see the reports of the investigation and when this was refused, they suspended the Chief Constable.
There was an outcry including a 5,000 strong protest in the Market Square. The Home Secretary threatened to withdraw financial support for Nottingham Police so the Watch Committee backed down.
These were difficult times for Labour Councillors who were fighting the abuse of power by a Chief Constable, and yet the end result was for Councillors to lose powers to hold the Chief Constable to account.
The Sheehy Report.
The Sheehy Report calls for the Police to be run along more commercial lines. The Police Federation has responded very angrily.
Road Pricing.
I spoke against road pricing for motorways, and in general, at September's Environment Cttee.
Hall St.
The County Council have declined a request for traffic calming on Hall St. and around. I'm trying to tackle the problem in another way.
Branch Membership.
…
Cases Reported.
Have recorded 116 requests for help since April.
Park By-election.
Called for October 7. …
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