Published on the blog, most probably on 30th November, 2011.
My, the news yesterday was depressing. A year has been lost. The cuts were for nothing. The notion that the private sector could take up the slack created by reducing the public sector in tatters.
Some consolation perhaps that the Government have given up on any sense of sticking to a plan A. Now, they see some value in doing more to lend and underwrite new investment. But none of it carries the conviction needed, the certainty that says we need to put the needs of people first; and we need the financial sector to pay for the debts it created, which it could so easily do through a financial transaction tax.
In November, I attended 3 city council committees for the first time.
The City Centre Area Committee met on Monday and I chaired the meeting. The takeover of the Broadmarsh shopping centre by the owners of the Victoria shopping centre was a big surprise and now we are all reflecting on just what is the right way to deliver the renewal that the malls in Nottingham than many want. The cttee is wanting to hear more of the predictions for the future of retail, including understanding the impacts of people buying through a combination of media (TV and internet as well as in the shop) and what smart phone technology can offer to both commerce and the experience of visiting the city centre. The cttee received a presentation listing 20 or so city centre improvements made since 2006.
The Bridge, Dunkirk and Lenton Area Cttee. includes projects and services provided in the Meadows and reports were received celebrating the success of Meadows in Bloom, and the timetable for the new street lighting planned for the Meadows between February and April next year.
And I have attended the Development Control committee for the first time. Adjudicating on planning applications in a judicial like setting, I am hoping for clearer thinking in the future on the extent of green architecture and technology to reduce the energy consumption and costs of future buildings; as well as a fuller consideration of the impacts of developments on pedestrians and public transport users. I was disappointed by an application to build a small supermarket (in Wollaton) at the expense of 2 bungalows, where the notion that it would increase sustainable shopping and create local jobs seemed marginal.
Concerns for the ability for the Pilgrims Church to successfully hold wedding and funeral processions when the tram system is introduced has been successfully addressed, following an on-site visit; the viability of the existing trees are to be independently assessed in January / February. The tram will mean a new signalled junction at level on Robin Hood Way, and that will have an impact on the speed of traffic on the road. A handrail is to be provided on a short path serving a bus stop on the road, and the provision of handrails to short paths serving the road near Launder Street are now being explored.
Some clearing of gutters and paths have been achieved following resident requests, but it was clear from a meeting of residents in the Old Meadows that enforcement is being sought on people who tip or leave bins out.
In these difficult times, it is nice to report 3 positive and significant developments in The Meadows.
1. Welbeck Primary school is to be expanded from one form entry to one and a half form entry, utilising the land previously used by the neighbouring family unit; all meeting increased local demand for places.
2. The third phase of a new play park for children on the Victoria Embankment was officially opened and it is superbly well-equipped, and made accessible to those who use wheelchairs; a throw back to a short time ago when we had more ambition for the public;
3. hit by an expected fore-shortening of the current terms for feed-in tariffs from solar power units, Nottingham City Homes have responded by making remarkable progress to installing 1,400 units for tenants before the 12th December deadline. 50 or so properties in The Meadows could benefit.
But time behind the scenes is being taken up by concerns about what the next tranche of cuts in support for the city council (around GBP 20 million) will mean for local people and neighbourhoods.
The first example has been the re-organisation of refuse collection, with 70% of collection days starting last week. One street in particular suffered missed bins on Thursday (and a resident visited Loxley House on Monday to protest, but I was chairing the city centre area committee at the time). I tried to make amends by making a house call in the afternoon, but in return, he wasn't in either! The bins were collected later that day. Generally, the change has gone very well given how used people get to their bin day, but the changeover requires special attention for some time yet.
More generally, unemployment has increased in Bridge ward and at the 3rd highest rate out of the 20 wards in the city.
I attended the official remembrance ceremonies, in the Old Market Square on the 11th and at the Victoria Embankment on the 13th. I also attended the switch-on of the Christmas lights last week. A bit disappointed to see a Nottingham Post columnist call for money to be spent on celebrities switching on the lights - a bit at odds with what I think the public would expect of the council at these difficult times. Meanwhile, at the City Centre Cttee., the manager of the retail improvement project paid for by a levy on businesses listed a whole series of initiatives to promote Xmas shopping in Nottingham this year.