Here’s a quick summary of news, events and casework for November 2005
28th – Full Council;
27th – Labour Group meets to discuss City Council budget for next year;
25th – Peer Review of workings of Nottingham City Council, reports;
24th – Elliott Durham full governors; receive reports on improved attendance and behaviour;
22nd – Sherwood and Mapperley Area Cttee.;
22nd – Executive Board; Agree free bus passes – with the new Gov’t support for free bus passes, the current annual charge of £7.50 for elderly and disabled members of the City Council’s concessionary travel scheme will be dropped from April 2006; and current restrictions for the elderly between 4pm and 6pm Monday to Friday will also be removed, enabling them to travel free of charge at all times except 7.30am to 9.30am Monday to Friday; disabled pass holders will continue to travel free of charge at all times; Agreed to consult on incorporating the refurbishment of Cherry Trees elderly persons’ home at a cost of £1,442,000, the closure of Hazel Hill elderly persons’ home, a review of Mellors Court and the development of specialist facilities in other homes at a cost of £253,000;
21st - A blueprint for how the centre of Nottingham will be developed over the next five to ten years is launched; this long-term vision maps out emerging developments, future proposals and the framework which connects them together, has been produced, in the Nottingham City Centre Masterplan; it shows how more than £2bn of investment will transform the city centre as we know it; the Masterplan plots out the connections between transport and environmental improvements, developments within the established city centre and the opportunity for the centre to grow by opening up new development sites; it outlines key projects which collectively will transform the city centre over the next decade which include: - the redevelopment of the Old Market Square and a dozen new public spaces; - the completion of Turning Point and start on NET Phase Two along with their associated environmental improvements and the implementation of the Station Masterplan – which in turn paves the way for the Meadows Gateway scheme and other development on the City’s Southside; - the huge Broadmarsh expansion to improve links from the Southside and Station to the city centre and raise Nottingham’s retail game; - the proposed Centre for Contemporary Arts near the Broadmarsh; - one of the largest regeneration schemes in the country on The Island site which will kick-start the transformation of the City’s Eastside;
18th – on holiday in Oman; see the national day celebrations;
German Christmas market opens along Long Row East;
11th – Core Cities – Nottingham Summit – visit to Nottingham by David Miliband - http://www.gnpartnership.org.uk/corecities, with fellow ministers Caroline Flint, Karen Buck and Baroness Andrews; they met 70 school and college sixth formers, 30 representatives of the business community, the Leaders and Chief Execs of Nottingham, Leicester, Derby City Councils and of their three respective County Councils followed by the Leaders and Chief Execs of the Nottingham District Councils and - after a wet and windy walking tour of the Stonebridge area of St Ann’s - representatives of voluntary sector and community organisations including representatives of One Nottingham our now refreshed Local Strategic Partnership which works to improve educational attainment, reduce drug related crime, improve employability and reduce teenage conceptions with Graham Allen MP chairing its new board; David Miliband also opened Experian’s new headquarters building, Landmark House;
11th – Barry Brazier, a campaigner for racial equality, enthusiastic voluntary worker and former governor of Elliott Durham dies;
The City Council is named Transport Authority of the Year at the National Bus Awards, after bus passenger numbers rose by 3% in the past 3 years and bus user satisfaction increased over each year to 83%; the Council also won the Integration category for its development of the Link bus services and the transformation of Maid Marian Way has earned yet another plaudit - receiving a National Award for Design Excellence and Innovation;
5th – Bonfire Night - 400th anniversary of the gunpowder plot;
5th – John Heppell MP does a roving surgery of the “A” block of Mapperley ward; the houses south of Redcliffe Road and Mapperley Road in Mapperley Park;
4th – Meet Phil Woolas MP, Minister for Local Government with representatives from SIGOMA (the Special Interest Group of Metropolitan Authorities (in the LGA)); discuss tax and urban policy issues;
3rd – meet Professor Nick Clifford (University of Nottingham, Rivers) and Research Fellow Phil Edwards (Melbourne University) re: International Benchmarking: Water and Sustainable Cities; talk about an environmental project within the Universitas 21 scheme; discuss – attractiveness of River Lean, making ponds etc. in parks more attractive and high level of water table below Nottingham;
2nd – David Blunkett resigns from the Cabinet for the second time;
2nd – Local Government Association raises concerns over shortages of funds for non-school local services, for which an increase of 1.5% is planned; schools are set for a 5% per pupil increase; Nottingham City’s medium term financial plan shows an increase of 5% for next year;
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