A quick summary of news, events and casework for March 2005
31st – Nottingham a world leader in traffic control - a new study of transport in several cities across the world has praised Nottingham for the way it has succeeded in limiting traffic growth; the city has managed to keep traffic volumes at a standstill for the past six years, bucking the national trend, according to the report by the Commission for Integrated Transport; the CfIT said many of the world’s finest cities could not boast Nottingham’s track record; the report highlighted our strengths as transport planning and integration, the tram system, park and ride, parking management, pedestrianisation and cycle lane provision;
31st – letter published in NEP – “Recently, the leader of Nottingham's Tories condemned those who talked up problems with crime for political advantage. She said at a meeting of Full Council - "People with a political agenda should stop running Nottingham down." “But now, she talks up our problems with gun crime, citing comments from an interview with the Chief Constable, which the Chief Constable now says he regrets. “I'm not sure after the Thatcher and Major years of cuts, that anyone will give any credence to Tory calls for expanding public services. “For the record, under Labour, the number of police officers in Nottinghamshire has increased by 203, there are 102 new community safety officers and 294 more support staff help officers in the front-line. And from April, the City Council will increase the number of the popular Neighbourhood Wardens to 75 as part of our "Respect for Nottingham" campaign. “Crime in Nottingham is now falling. Remember, under the Tories, crime in Britaindoubled.”
30th – Labour announces increased funds for higher quality school meals;
29th – a former Trot member of the Labour party announces he will stand for the “nationwide ‘Socialist Green Unity Coalition’ (aligned with the Scottish Socialist Party)” – not to be confused with the “United Coalition of Green Socialists” or the People’s Front of Judea;
26th – magazine for Labour Councillors (“Agenda”) celebrates best practice award for Nottingham’s tram;
25th – the architect of the Tory Party’s efficiency drive resigns as Deputy Chair as it becomes clear that the exercise hides the Tory Party’s ambition to cut public services;
24th – plans for new look Old Market Square approved; meanwhile, Nottingham Pensioners Action Group protest about getting rid of toilets in Old Market Square – having refused to hear re-assurance that new toilets will be provided as part of the scheme;
24th – trained to serve on the new Licensing Cttee.;
24th – Nottingham Development Enterprise consider the implications of Gordon Brown’s “Science City” announcement and seek to develop innovation in the city;
22nd – Mapperley and Sherwood Area Cttee - - review cleaning plans for the ward; - review analysis of social deprivation in the ward; - hear about work of Ozanam House on Blyth Street;
22nd – Executive Board - - agree Local Transport Plan including allocations to improve road safety outside Hogarth school and to re-enforce embankment on Woodthorpe Road; - quarterly report on performance of City Council shows further improvement;
22nd – Chief Constables explains to Notts Police Authority that he now regrets interview with Sunday Telegraph; however, reputation of the city has taken an unnecessary knock and many businesses are quite angry about what’s happened;
21st – Kevin Mulloy, once Lib Dem, then Independent Cllr. For Wollaton East and Lenton Abbey resigns, claiming to acknowledge that he no longer lives in the city;
18th – join Graham Allen MP for the opening of the Vision Business Centre, at Firth Way in Bulwell;
18th – START - clampdown on ticket fraud on Nottingham’s trams and buses;
17th – Elliott Durham Governors;
17th – discuss good progress on performance management by the City Council with the Audit Commission;
16th – Elliott Durham family of schools present second set of dances at Mapperley sports village;
16th – new inspection of Notts Police announced;
16th – Gordon Brown's budget; another year of economic growth targets being met; other announcements include- - award to Nottingham of a science city status; - £200 allowance for every pensioner household paying Council tax; - increased primary school re-building programme;
16th – team Nottingham reviews Council's customer focus;
15th – event to celebrate career of Robin Aldridge, retiring acting director of Education;
15th – officers meet TACT to discuss concerns over volumes of traffic using Thorneywood Mount and residents' latest traffic surveys;
15th – tour Kingsthorpe Close estate with Police, neighbourhood wardens and housing officers; Kildare Road and small wood behind Kendale Court have recently been pruned and tidied; estate has a patch manger - housing department now has 90 patch mangers in place across the city;
14th – John Reid travels on the NET for the first time; he was the transport minister who gave the go-ahead to the NET project;
14th – John Reid visits Nottingham to meet 100 Notts people chosen to be representative of the County for a meeting organised by the CBI, the Consumer Council and the voluntary sector; key points - - an NHS without targets would mean the progress on improving service would not be maintained; and - the objectives now are not just 18 months maximum waiting time from diagnosis to operation, or last year's 9 month achievement, or this year's 6 month target, but 18 weeks by 2008, which is to cover the time from first reporting a problem to the doctor.
13th – Chief Constable Steve Green expresses concerns about crime and staffing, despite levels of crime in the city falling; City MPs organise a meeting with the Minister for Police for the following day;
11th – Visit John Heppell at the House of Commons, where Royal Assent is finally given to the bill for extra anti-terrorist measures; within hours, 12 orders are issued against suspected terrorists;
9th – Nottingham Express Transit's 1st birthday; 8.4 million journeys have been made on the new tram in its first year;
7th – Budget day; confirm £15 million of extra services, prioritised for schools, help for those who need help most and safer & cleaner communities; paid for by extra Gov't grant, £5 million of efficiencies and other savings and a 4.8% Council tax increase - average for unitary authorities; Labour also proposes a further £1 million on pavements using the "NET Reserve Fund"; the Tories call for a lower tax by offering one-year only savings; and the Lib Dems call for fewer neighbourhood wardens;
5th – Nottingham Evening Post report on City Council's aspirations for a sustainable development below The Crescent, Alexandra Park;
2nd – A new visual identity is unveiled to promote Nottingham and Nottinghamshire as a centre of distinction for culture, entertainment, shopping and much more; the brand, symbolised by a bold capital ‘N’, will be used in leaflets and on road signs and is being used by businesses and organisations proud to be associated with Nottingham;
1st – "Painting the picture" - City Council hosts a debate on the future for Nottingham;
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