Richard Jackson

About Richard

Richard Jackson was first elected to represent the Chilwell division at a by-election in June 2002, and was re-elected to Council in 2005 and in 2009 to represent the Chilwell & Toton division. He also represents the Chilwell West ward on Broxtowe Borough Council, where he is Leader of the Broxtowe Conservative Group.

Following his re-election to the County Council in June 2009, Richard was appointed Cabinet Member for Transport & Highways in the new administration. Between 2005 and 2009 he had served as Opposition spokesman on Finance & Property issues.

Born in Chilwell, Councillor Jackson was educated at the Meadow Lane, College House and Alderman White Schools, then Basford College and Nottingham Trent University where he studied Civil Engineering.

Richard is available to meet constituents at any convenient time at a suitable venue. His contact details are displayed on the left of this page. 

Richard's latest Councillors' Divisional Fund awards...

Each Nottinghamshire County Councillor now has an annual fund of £10,000 to support worthy initiatives in the division they represent. The Councillors' Divisional Fund aims to make use of each councillor's 'grass roots' knowledge to identify projects, events, people and clubs that work hard to benefit and promote their local area, but often lack access to resources. Even a small amount of funding can sometimes make a huge difference. 

If you know of a deserving initiative in the Chilwell & Toton division that might be eligible to receive a CDF grant, please contact me. You can click the following link to read the eligibility guidance criteria.   

Follow this link to the Councillors' Divisional Fund web page to see some of the latest projects I have been able to support.

Richard's latest news...

Latest news from the Transport & Highways portfolio

In addition to my duties as a County Councillor for Chilwell & Toton division, I am also the Council's Cabinet Member for Transport & Highways. At most County Council meetings I present a report on latest developments within my portfolio. Please follow these links to see my most recent reports:-

March 2012

January 2012

December 2011

November 2011

September 2011

June 2011

(Updated 25/4/2012)

Council plans to adopt a committee system

Pending approval at the Council’s Annual General Meeting on 17^th May 2012, Nottinghamshire County Council plans to exercise its new power under the Localism Act 2011 to adopt a committee system of decision-making. This will replace the current Leader and Cabinet model adopted under the Local Government Act 2000.

The rationale for a committee system is that it is the most democratic and transparent form of governance. It ensures all 67 democratically elected Councillors are able to fully participate in decision-making and shaping the policy of the Council. It ensures greater transparency in that all reports are publicly available prior to any decision being made, and all decision-making meetings are held in public.

Reports were taken to the Full Council meetings in January and March (Item 11), with final approval being sought, as stated above, in May.

(Posted 17/4/2012)

Council tax frozen again in 2012/13 

At the Nottinghamshire County Council budget meeting on 23^rd February it was agreed to freeze county council tax for a third consecutive year. With public finances under strain across the country, the council has saved £87 million so far, £44 million of which has been reinvested directly into frontline services. In the coming financial year we will spend: -

• £2.8 million more safeguarding children;
• £5.2 million more on care for older people;
• £2.7 million more on adults with mental health & learning disabilities;
• £1.4 million more on adults with physical disabilities; and
• £1 million more to support young carers.

 We are also committed to invest £289 million in capital over three years on:-

• Improving school buildings;
• Modernising day centres;
• New youth clubs;
• Improving libraries;
• Improved broadband services;
• Improved roads and pathways;
• New and improved bus stations.

Councillor Reg Adair is the council's Cabinet Member for Finance & Property. In his speech presenting the budget, he outlined the results of the council's budget consultation. In response to public feedback, we are: - 

• providing additional library opening hours at 15 locations across the county;
• holding Meals at Home charges at £3.95 for 2012/13; and
• not increasing charges for Blue Badge holders in 2012/13, unlike many other local authorities. 

(Posted 28/2/2012)  

Success!  The A453 gets the green light!

I am absolutely delighted by the Chancellor’s announcement that the Government is fast-tracking the widening of the A453. This is the best Christmas gift that businesses and residents in Nottinghamshire could have, bringing a £540m boost to the East Midlands economy.  

In May this year, Nottinghamshire County Council pledged £20m towards the scheme if it was bought forward. Since that pledge was made, the campaign to widen the road has garnered support from the local business community and other local councils, including a pledge of £500,000 towards the scheme from Rushcliffe Borough Council in October.

The A453 has been on the Council’s wishlist since the 1970s. At last it is going to happen and I am thrilled for local businesses and commuters alike. I want to particularly thank East Midlands Airport, Boots, RH Freight, Hardstaffs, the Nottingham Post newspaper and partner authorities for their support in this campaign.

In the five years up to October 2010, there were 185 accidents involving personal injury on just the Nottinghamshire part of the A453. The Nottinghamshire section of the road is the second most congested part of the national road network after a short section of the M25. This congestion has been costing larger businesses as much as £100,000 a year because of increased fuel usage, difficulty reaching customers, abandoned journeys and accident costs.

Finally, we can look forward to smoother and safer journeys on this vital road link through Nottinghamshire from the M1 and I am immensely pleased that the Government has listened to our determined campaign.  

(Posted 30/11/2011)

Midland Main Line motion

At Full Council in September, as Cabinet Member for Transport & Highways I proposed a motion (see minutes pages 12 & 13) urging Nottinghamshire MPs to unite in a call for investment in the Midland Main Line rail route from Nottingham to London.

Through the motion, which was unanimously approved, Nottinghamshire County Council is calling for the Government to invest £32m in the line to bring a boost to the local economy by increasing average speeds and creating a journey time from Nottingham to London of less than 90 minutes.

Midland Main Line has a long history of under-investment and much slower speeds to and from London than any other inter-city route. Each year some 303,000 journeys between Nottingham and London are for business purposes. That’s 30% of the 1,020,000 total number of journeys on this route and a figure that’s growing by six per cent each year.

£32m may sound like a lot, but time is money and the economic benefits for the East Midlands of achieving travel times of 90 minutes would provide an immediate and ongoing return for such investment.

(Posted 17/11/2011)

Newark bus station official opening

As Cabinet Member for Transport & Highways I was delighted to take part in the official opening ceremony for Newark's brand new bus station on Friday 11^th November, before it opened for business the following day.

Part of the £50m Asda supermarket development on the town’s Potterdyke car park, the new state-of-the-art bus station is fully enclosed and boasts digital information screens, seating, CCTV for added security, toilets, baby changing area, vending machines and a staffed information point.

The new building is jointly owned by Nottinghamshire County Council – which will operate the bus station – and Newark and Sherwood District Council. Both worked alongside Asda on its development.

It has been estimated that there will be around 2,000 bus arrivals and departures a week – with around 25,000 passenger arrivals and departures over the same period.

The new bus station provides a welcoming first impression for anyone arriving in Newark by bus and I am confident that anyone using the new bus station will be impressed by the modern, first-rate facilities it offers. As joint owner of the facility, we are delighted to see it open and become available to residents of Newark and Sherwood. It is a significant part of the regeneration of this part of Newark town centre which will help to maximise the area’s economic potential.

The new Newark bus station is part of the County Council’s commitment to improving the quality of bus waiting facilities throughout the county. A new bus station opened in Retford in 2007, the bus station in Sutton in Ashfield was substantially improved in 2009 and work on a new £9m bus station in Mansfield is underway. Options to improve the bus facilities in Worksop are also being examined.

(Posted 11/11/2011)

Zebras, puffins and toucans alive and well in Nottinghamshire

Britain's zebra crossings have just celebrated their 60^th birthday – and are still earning their stripes in Nottinghamshire. Despite claims that nationally the crossings, like the animals themselves, are declining in numbers, Nottinghamshire County Council is responding to public demand and installing 10 zebras this year, as well as a number of puffin crossings which are controlled by lights.

This year Nottinghamshire County Council has already installed zebra crossings outside the Garibaldi school in Clipstone; Coxmoor Road in Sutton in Ashfield; Netherton Road in Worksop; Nottingham Road in Selston and in Linby Road in Hucknall. It is planning to install zebras in Nottingham Road in Eastwood; Church Street in Market Warsop; Burton Road in Carlton, Lady Bay in West Bridgford and Victoria Parkway in Netherfield.

In addition it is proposing to introduce puffin crossings in Nottingham Road, Burton Joyce; Ambleside in Gamston; Rosemary Street in Mansfield and Wilford Lane in West Bridgford. These crossings are similar to zebra crossings except that they are signalised and have a "green man". Puffins are installed at locations where zebras are not considered sufficient - usually where traffic speeds are high.

In addition to zebras and puffins, local councils are also able to install toucan crossings which are for pedestrians and cyclists and pegasus crossings for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders. There are plans for a toucan next year on Annesley Road, Hucknall, close to the shopping centre near Washdyke Lane.

(Posted 11/11/2011)

CBI report boosts our A453 campaign

As Cabinet Member for Transport & Highways I welcome a report by the CBI which calls for a national programme of road building – including the widening of the A453 – to help boost the economy.

The CBI has issued a plea for 26 new road projects to be given the go-ahead to help unlock £200 billion of infrastructure investment and kick-start growth in the UK economy. The CBI’s "wish-list" of projects includes ten publicly-funded schemes which, it says, could be accelerated without damaging the Government’s fiscal plans.

In addition, it says that 14 projects – including the A453 – which have been delayed until after 2015 could be brought forward, possibly with the help of private finance. Nottinghamshire County Council has already pledged £20m towards the cost of widening the route and earlier in the year was part of a delegation which went to London to meet former transport minister Philip Hammond. Council Leader Councillor Kay Cutts has now written  to Mr Hammond’s successor, Justine Greening, to re-iterate that offer. Rushcliffe Borough Council has made an offer of a further £500,000 towards the cost, together with another £500,000 offered by private enterprise.

As the UK’s most influential business lobbying organisation, the views of the CBI carry a lot of weight with Government, so I hope their intervention can expedite the A453 improvements. It is one of the most congested roads in the country and costs larger businesses as much as £100,000 a year because of increased fuel usage, difficulty reaching customers, abandoned journeys and accident costs. To the region as a whole, it has been estimated that an improved A453 would bring a boost to the economy of £540m.

(Posted 10/11/11)

Burton Road bus plug to be opened permanently

The Burton Road bus plug in Gedling will be opened on a permanent basis following a six month experiment.

The bus plug was introduced in 2007 as part of the A612 Gedling Integrated Transport Scheme but earlier this year, following significant public consultation, Nottinghamshire County Council introduced an experimental Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) as well as a 7.5T environmental weight restriction.

Extensive traffic counts and surveys were undertaken to check on traffic volumes and patterns in Burton Road and results showed negligible impact on bus users and a similar impact on congestion or road safety.

There has been overwhelming public support for the reopening of the bus plug in Burton Road. The recent trial has proved that congestion at the Burton Road/Shearing Hill junction has not returned to the levels experienced prior to the May 2007 opening of the relief road.

During the experimental reopening almost 600 comments were made by members of the public, with 95% in favour of making the experiment permanent. The vast majority of responses received were from Burton Joyce residents and surrounding areas.

The main reasons for supporting the reopening of the bus plug were convenience and the reduced mileage on single journeys. As well as the re-opening of the bus plug and the introduction of a 7.5T weight restriction being made permanent, it is also recommended the Burton Road carriageway narrowing and signal arrangement be retained.

(Posted 15/8/2011)

£2.5 million boost for Supporting People

Despite local budget pressures and a reduced grant from central Government, Nottinghamshire County Council has invested an extra £2.5 million in its Supporting People programme.

Supporting People is a national programme that provides housing related support to help vulnerable people live independently. It will see its Government grant in Nottinghamshire reduced to £17.6 million this year, threatening the County Council’s previous year’s Supporting People spend of £22.5 million.

However, thanks to a new £1.5 million investment from the local NHS, plus a further £1 million diverted from the County Council budget, the Government’s allocation has been given a vital boost in Nottinghamshire. This limits the reduction in the County’s Supporting People budget to just over 10%, from £22.5 million to £20.11 million. The restricted budget reduction has also been made possible by the County Council’s decision early this year, following public consultation, to keep its savings on Supporting People to £10 million over the next three years rather than two higher reduction options of £12.5 million and £15 million.

These funding measures support feedback gained from a second, two-month public consultation on Supporting People services this year (in Feb/March), to form new proposals which went before Full Council on 30^th June 2011. These proposals ensure that:-

• Most accommodation based services continue to be funded, albeit at reduced levels;
• ‘Floating support’ services, which offer support to people in their own homes, will be delivered consistently across issues of homelessness prevention and offender, drug and alcohol, gypsy and traveller and young people’s services;
• Mental health services are reviewed and delivered more efficiently;
• Young people’s services are reviewed for greater efficiency;
• Community alarm and warden services for older people are replaced with a new short term service targeted at helping vulnerable people to remain independent in their own homes.

We’ve talked to those who use the services, to our District Council partners, to project providers and voluntary and community groups, including church leaders, to find ways to make savings through efficiencies. We will target the money at front line services that meet the needs of those who are most vulnerable and in greatest need.

Nottinghamshire was successful in securing Government money under Supporting People when the programme first started eight years ago but we’ve seen this central funding steadily fall by nearly £11 million since that time. We believe that after the £10 million savings have been made, the level of funding in Nottinghamshire for these services will still compare well with other Council areas.

(Posted 20/7/2011)

More grass cuts

Nottinghamshire County Council is increasing the number of times it will be cutting grass verges this year.

As part of this year’s budget savings it was originally intended to reduce the frequency of routine grass cutting in urban areas from six to four times a year. However, we have listened to public feedback and have now increased that frequency to five cuts. In rural areas the frequency remains at two cuts a year.

At the same time we have issued guidelines for a growing number of residents who are happy to cut the grass verges outside their homes. Again, this is a direct result of feedback from the Council’s Big Budget Conversation consultation process, when hundreds of people said they would be prepared to cut verges if it helped to release money for use on other priorities, such a repairing potholes. 

The guidelines highlight what needs to be considered when cutting grass near the roadside.  They can be found online at: www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/roadverges

(Posted 14/7/11)

Pocket Park & Ride launched at Stragglethorpe

As Cabinet Member for Transport & Highways I'm delighted to report that Nottinghamshire County Council is launching its second ‘pocket’ park and ride site, to help cut congestion and carbon emissions, on July 18, 2011.

Drivers will be able to park for free in the 56-space car park at the Shepherds pub, owned by Mitchells & Butlers, on Main Road, Stragglethorpe, between 7am and midnight and then catch a bus into West Bridgford or Nottingham from the stop outside. The Council is spending £39,500 on minor improvements to the car park and road, including lighting and CCTV, a bus shelter, cycle shelter and signs. It will pay the pub £1,000 a year for use of the site.

We opened what we believe is the first ‘pocket’ park and ride site in the country in December at Cotgrave Welfare and, if these prove successful, the aim is to open further sites in pub, club or community car parks that are mainly empty during the day.

This new site will be 70% bigger than the first one at Cotgrave and it is in an even more convenient location, so we hope and expect it can become popular.

The Rushcliffe district in particular needs a park and ride service and we believe that several smaller sites are much more cost-effective than one large site. We are also hoping to extend the scheme to the north of the county.

Details of Stragglethorpe buses are available at www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/timetable-a.

(Posted 14/7/11) 

Pledges of support sought for A453 widening

As you may have seen in the Nottingham Post newspaper, Nottinghamshire County Council has stepped up the campaign to convince the Government of the urgent need to improve the A453. A letter has already been written to transport secretary Philip Hammond pledging £20m towards the cost of widening the route.

The Leader, Councillor Kay Cutts, has now also written to major businesses in the region, urging them to support the bid. The importance of improving the A453 to Nottinghamshire and the regional economy cannot be underestimated.

In order to maximise our chance of success we need to gather pledges of support from as many local people and businesses as possible. There is now a dedicated A453 web page on the Nottinghamshire County Council web site where you can read about the campaign and sign up to pledge your support.

(Posted 17/6/2011)

Cycle Safety

On 11^th May, campaigners for improved road safety had cause to celebrate the launch of an international initiative which aims to save millions of lives by reducing the number of road traffic deaths and injuries on our highways by encouraging communities to improve their road safety action plans. Though our statistics show that Nottinghamshire’s roads are the safest since records began, it is still reassuring to know that the Global Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020, is being supported by the Nottinghamshire Road Safety Partnership (NRSP).

The NRSP - a joint working group with representatives from Nottinghamshire County Council, Nottinghamshire Police, Nottingham City Council, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, East Midlands Ambulance Service and the Highways Agency – will support this global campaign by launching a cycle safety awareness initiative.

This initiative will target cyclists who travel to work by encouraging them to protect themselves with cycle helmets and high visibility clothing.  At the County Council we are fully committed to driving down road traffic casualties. Our figures for January to December 2010 show that, compared with 2009, fatalities fell by 45% to 23 (with no child fatalities at all); serious injuries decreased by nine per cent to 370; and slight injuries by 17% to 2,207. This meant that we exceeded all the Government’s casualty reduction targets to be met by 2010. 

We will continue to improve our roads with features that encourage better driver and road user behaviour to aid our continued reduction in casualties. We have a dedicated team of highway safety officers who contribute to casualty reduction by analysing police casualty data, helping to identify specific behaviours which lead to road traffic accidents. They investigate and determine the appropriate remedial measures through engineering, information, education and training schemes. They liaise with schools to teach young children road safety etiquette. They provide school crossing patrols services, pedestrian and cycle training, and champion road safety awareness at public events.

The Government is expected to set new casualty reduction targets to be met by 2020 and we will be developing a strategy for the next 10 years to help us achieve this. We will also continue to work effectively with Nottinghamshire Police, Nottingham City Council, the Highways Agency, and Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue, and other organisations, to coordinate a wide range of road safety measures and activities aimed at reducing casualties. 

We have also been working in partnership with local authorities and police forces from Nottinghamshire, Derby and Derbyshire, Leicester and Lincolnshire by working on projects like the ‘Fatal 4’ campaign.  This campaign has been funded through the Road Safety Partnership Grant to tackle drink driving, speeding, mobile phone use and failure to use seat belts.  The campaign is currently being evaluated and the results will be used to aid future campaigns.

We all know that there is more to be done and we are committed to carrying on our vital work to bring down casualty levels even further. I look forward to working with our partners on the Global Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020, and eagerly await the positive results the next ten years will bring us.

(Posted 25/5/2011)

Tram

On 24^th September 2009 Nottinghamshire County Council voted to withdraw its financial support for the NET Phase Two transport scheme. As a Conservative County Councillor I was elected on a manifesto which stated: "We will avoid spending a small fortune on tram extensions which few people in the county will be able to use."

As Cabinet Member for Transport & Highways I presented the argument for this change of policy. I referred to the increasing costs of the scheme and argued that flexible bus services rather than a fixed tram line represent the most suitable public transport solution to serve the whole of Nottinghamshire. 

Some of my colleagues took the opportunity to state that, contrary to some media reports, the Conservative position on the proposed tram extensions has not changed. They pointed out that the previous Labour administration had entered into certain legal agreements in relation to NET Phase 2 which must be respected to protect the interests of the County taxpayer, but the new Conservative administration is quite clear that it does not support the proposed tram extension routes. 

Despite the position of the Nottinghamshire County Council Conservative Group, the Coalition Government has recently agreed to approve funding for the NET Phase Two Scheme. I am disappointed by this decision, I do not agree with it and I will continue to represent the concerns of local residents as the situation develops. 

(Updated 25/5/11)

Council Budget 2011/12   

At the Nottinghamshire County Council Budget Meeting on 24^th February 2011 I joined my Conservative colleagues in voting to freeze Council Tax for a second successive year. In doing so, I approved £4.1 million of changes to the Council’s original budget proposals in direct response to the outcomes of the Big Budget Conversation. Extra money has now been found from reserves for the Supporting People programme, grant aid to voluntary groups, libraries, country parks and welfare rights advice.

With less formula grant funding from the Government, Nottinghamshire County Council has to find more than £80 million of savings in 2011/12 by reducing management and administration costs and reviewing expenditure on non-essential services. Just over half of this is being reinvested to meet growing demand for our most vital services, including: -

• £15 million more for specialist foster care placements;
• £6.3 million more to look after adults with acute learning disabilities and mental health needs;

• £2.8 million more on children’s social workers;

• £2.8 million more on services for older people;
• £1.5 million more to care for adults with physical disabilities; and
• £1 million more for young carers.

The budget was approved at the Council meeting by 34 votes to 29.

(Posted 28/2/2011)

Gritter Twitter

As Cabinet Member for Transport & Highways I'm delighted to announce that Nottinghamshire County Council will now be advising the public of when the county’s roads will be gritted, using Twitter. During the cold weather last winter there were a number of calls to the Council’s Customer Service Centre asking when the roads would be gritted. Now people can sign up to the Council’s Gritter Twitter feed to receive the latest gritting alerts.

In an age of social networking and 24-hour news, the Council recognises the need to give people ‘live’ information that will help them plan their journey. You can sign up to follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nottscc

(Posted 11/11/2010)

Improvement Programme latest 

At the full meeting of Nottinghamshire County Council on 21^st October I joined my Conservative colleagues in supporting the recommendations for action contained within the Nottinghamshire County Council Improvement Plan Progress Report.

The Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor Martin Suthers set out the financial challenges facing local authorities across the country and stated that Nottinghamshire County Council needed to save £150 million over the next three years.  

He said this would require savings of £69 million in 2011/12, to be achieved through a series of major initiatives including reprioritisation of services, improvements in business management and a review of property owned by the Council. 

Of this £69 million, it is intended to reinvest £39 million largely in services for our most vulnerable service users. The council has faced a 59% increase in children’s social care referrals over the last year and a 25% increase in the number of children in care over the last two years.  

For Children and Young People, a proposed reinvestment of £22.5 million will provide:-

• more specialist foster placements for children

• more support to young carers
• more children’s social workers
• development of free school transport for secondary school children.

Our Adult Social Care & Health services are under similar pressure, with 500 extra people aged over 80 and 4,000 extra people over the age of 65 in Nottinghamshire every year. Our proposed reinvestment of £13 million in 2011/12 will provide: - 

• the care and support services necessary to meet this increased demand
• more support for adults with physical disabilities
• more support for adults with learning disabilities and mental health needs
• extra resources for independent sector care.

I joined my Conservative colleagues in arguing that Nottinghamshire County Council must live within its means and ensure frontline statutory services are maintained.

(Posted 5/11/2010) 

Meeting with Friends of Bramwell

I recently met with the Friends of Bramwell campaign group to discuss their concerns about the future of Bramwell care home. 

Unfortunately, a lot of misinformation seems to have been circulating regarding Nottinghamshire County Council's Aiming for Excellence initiative. I can state that there are absolutely no plans to close Bramwell or indeed any of the 12 other care homes run by this Council. The Council is currently investigating the feasibility of selling the homes to a private operator, with a requirement that all should remain open and continue to provide quality care. If a suitable purchaser is not found for any of the homes, they will continue to be run by the council.

(Posted 30/7/10)

Road resurfacing

I am pleased that the High Road and Attenborough Lane in Chilwell from the Charlton Arms public house to Bypass Road has been resurfaced. Work will also begin shortly to resurface Chilwell Lane outside Alderman White School in Beeston, and the Stapleford Lane/Banks Road/Swiney Way junction near Tesco in Toton.

(Posted 30/7/10) 

Improvement Programme

Like every council in the country, Nottinghamshire County Council faces ongoing, significant and unavoidable increases in demand for key services. At the same time, it faces an unprecedented and long-term reduction in the resources available to it. Present forecasts are that the Council must reduce its current expenditure by at least £88m, or 18% of its revenue budget, over the next three financial years. Most of this reduction will be used to fund increased demand in other service areas. £30m of reductions have already been identified for 2010/11, leaving a further £58m to be found in 2011/12 and 2012/13.

In the past, reductions have been achieved through a process of allocating savings targets across departments. However, the scale of the financial challenge is now such that a more strategic approach is needed to achieve reductions in a structured and consistent way.

At the County Council meeting on 25^th February 2010 the Deputy Leader of the Council, Cllr Martin Suthers gained approval for a new Improvement Programme to deliver these aims, called ‘One Council - One Business - One Plan’. This will involve an estimated investment of £21 million over five years to deliver total aggregated savings of over £200m over a five year period.

The Improvement Programme will include: -

• a complete overhaul of the Council’s approach to procurement

• implementation of an integrated Business Management System and changes in processes

• rationalisation of the Council’s property portfolio and improvement in flexible ways of working

• a fundamental review of all services followed by a comprehensive programme of organisational redesign

• departmental improvement programmes that deliver service-specific developments and

• the Chief Executive’s own programme to deliver improvements in partnership working, communications and organisational development. 

The aim of ‘One Council-One Business-One Plan’ is to drive out inefficiency, target resources, minimise the impact on service delivery and create an organisation that is fit for purpose and financially sustainable in the long term. 

(Posted 8/3/10)

New Strategic Plan

Nottinghamshire County Council's new Strategic Plan 2010-2014 sets out our promise to the people of Nottinghamshire; our priorities for the next four years; and how we aim to support the people of our county to be aspirational, independent and to share with us responsibility for the future.

This Plan complements the wider Nottinghamshire Sustainable Community Strategy which is the collective plan that outlines how organisations in the county will work together to promote and deliver a better Nottinghamshire.

Our plan is ambitious. It is a plan based on what local people tell us they want, and what they want to see happen. The success of our plan relies on us working well together with local people and organisations. Whilst we face challenging financial times, nevertheless we have opportunities to promote and deliver a better future for Nottinghamshire.

(Posted 8/3/10)

Gritting

The exceptionally cold weather which affected Nottinghamshire and most other parts of the UK between December and February led to unprecedented pressures on local authority gritting supplies. Nottinghamshire County Council possessed stockpiles far exceeding Government recommendations and was able to keep its priority routes gritted even when other councils had exhausted their supplies. The biggest difficulty was obtaining replacement supplies, given the exceptional pressure on the two national companies who supply the country’s salt. 

Taking these events into account, it was agreed at the recent County Council budget meeting to increase the gritting budget by £50,000 for 2010/11. It is also intended to use 6mm rather than 10mm salt, which will improve spread rate and increase our gritting capacity still further. 

(Posted 8/3/10)

Workplace Parking Levy (WPL)

At the Nottinghamshire County Council meeting on 24^th September 2009 I made it clear that the new Conservative county administration is opposed to Nottingham City Council's proposals for a Workplace Parking Levy (WPL). I expressed concern about the financial impact such a levy could have on County residents who work in the City and stated my belief that the WPL would be unlikely to cut congestion. I argued that the scheme could lead to significant parking problems in the County area, frighten off economic investment in the City and County and hit business confidence at a time when it needs to be nurtured. 

(Posted 20/10/09)