Two Gedling borough GP surgeries are set to benefit from Labour’s latest plans to upgrade NHS practices.
Highcroft Surgery in Arnold and Calverton Practice in Calverton have been named as part of Labour’s newly announced upgrades scheme, which will deliver bricks and mortar upgrades to 22 GP practices in Nottinghamshire which have been allocated a share of £2.1m to carry out work to reconfigure existing buildings.
The Labour government say that some GP practices are unable to see more patients because they don’t have enough room or the right facilities to accommodate them. From creating new consultation and treatment rooms to making better use of existing space, the schemes will help more patients to be seen faster.
Work at the approved GP practices is set to start in the coming months, with a target for all the schemes to be completed by Spring 2026.
Highcroft Surgery in Arnold is getting £60k to create additional clinical space and a self-help area by converting an office and meeting room into consulting rooms and repurposing two underutilised rooms into fully functioning clinical spaces. It’s estimated this will create 19,000 additional appointments each year..
£120,000 is being spent at Calverton Practice to create a small first-floor extension to create one consulting room and expansion of dispensary. It’s estimated this will create 7,500 additional appointments each year.
Amanda Sullivan, chief executive of NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, said: “Our GP practice workforce continue to do an excellent job and provided more than 7.8 million appointments last year, but we know that demand continues to increase and some patients still find it difficult to access GP services.
“GP practice teams have been expanded in recent years to include additional roles such as physiotherapists, pharmacists, social prescribers and mental health practitioners, bringing additional expertise and capacity to local GP Practices. However, sometimes practices are constrained by the physical space available to make best use of the brilliant new resource, which these building schemes are intended to address.”
A gang of six men – including one from Gedling – who supplied a ‘colossal amounts’ of crystal meth and high-strength cannabis have been jailed.
The gang smuggled the drugs into Nottinghamshire from America.
They have now been convicted of importing the Class A and B drugs into the UK on an industrial and unprecedented scale, with leaders of the drugs cartel collecting hundreds of thousands of pounds on a monthly basis.
Nottingham Crown Court heard the organised crime group’s multi-million pound drugs operation was uncovered following a parcel interception at Stansted Airport in May 2023.
The package had been shipped from America and had a label that described it as a weight loss shake. But when examined by Border Force officials, the parcel was found to contain 900g of methamphetamine – also called crystal meth – and 2kg of cannabis.
Further parcels linked to the case were soon discovered, sparking a major investigation by Nottinghamshire Police’s Serious Organised Crime Unit that resulted in detectives seizing the largest haul of crystal meth in the force’s history.
colossal amounts of crystal meth and high-strength cannabis were smuggled into Nottinghamshire from America.Pleaded guilty to playing a significant role in the importation of a Class A drug (methamphetamine) into Nottinghamshire and conspiring to import a Class B drug (cannabis).
More than £7million worth of the stimulant drug was discovered and seized during the 18-month probe – the largest-ever quantity of crystal meth seized by Nottinghamshire Police.
Approximately £70,000 worth of cannabis was also seized during the investigation, which was codenamed Operation Continental.
As detectives unearthed the full scale of the enterprise, it was established the drugs gang had smuggled additional parcels into the UK, weighing 67kg in total. While the contents are not known, the court heard they were likely to have contained further significant quantities of crystal meth and cannabis.
The investigation found the criminal gang launched their drugs enterprise by identifying addresses suitable to be used as recipients of drug shipments.
The criminal associates would then abuse their relationships, friendships and trust to dupe the occupants of addresses into accepting parcels, which they believed to be for a legitimate purpose.
The drugs shipments would be disguised in shipping labels as a weight loss powder, furniture, clothing and motorcycle helmets.
Once the parcels were delivered the contents were decanted and sold throughout Nottinghamshire and other parts of the UK.
This resulted in the drugs gang leaders collecting hundreds of thousands of pounds on a monthly basis, with the ill-gotten gains used to fund luxury holidays and trips to places such as Thailand, Dominican Republic, Dubai, Central America and the Greek Islands.
The gang members also spent large sums on designer clothing – including a pair of £1,200 trainers – and high-value watches.
However they will now spend many years in prison after Nottinghamshire Police worked closely with the United States Department of Homeland Security and the US Embassy to bring the criminal enterprise to a crushing end.
Faced with overwhelming evidence, nine defendants entered guilty pleas at Nottingham Crown Court on 24 January. They were sentenced earlier today (7 May 2025). They include:
Davante James, aged 29, of Edingley Avenue, Sherwood, Nottingham
Role: Leader of the criminal gang. The boxing coach directed the collection of cash and distribution of drugs. He also recruited associates to seek addresses within Nottingham to ship drugs to.
Pleaded guilty to playing a significant role in the importation of a Class A drug (methamphetamine) into Nottinghamshire and conspiring to import a Class B drug (cannabis).
Sentence: Jailed for 17 years.
Rakeem Thomas, aged 28, formerly of Weightman Avenue, Gedling
Role: Heavily involved in the running of the operation, including decanting drugs from parcels and distributing them.
Pleaded guilty to playing a significant role in the importation of a Class A drug (methamphetamine) into Nottinghamshire and conspiring to import a Class B drug (cannabis).
Sentence: Jailed for 11 years and 6 months.
Jesse Kolo, aged 30, of Birdbrook Close, Dagenham
Role: Office manager who abused his access to his employer’s courier account to create false shipping labels that disguised the contents of parcels.
Pleaded guilty to playing a significant role in the exportation of Class A drugs (2.5kgs cocaine) to Australia.
Sentence: Jailed for 5 years and 4 months.
Lemar Taylor, aged 32, of Sherwin Walk, St Ann’s, Nottingham
Role: Trusted associate who was in regular contact with occupants of addresses used to store drug parcels. Helped decant drugs from the packages and distributed them to customers.
Pleaded guilty to importing a Class A drug (methamphetamine) and conspiring to import a Class B drug (cannabis).
Sentence: Jailed for 7 years and 6 months.
Kyiem Raymond, aged 27, of Melford Road, Bilborough, Nottingham
Role: A trusted member of the crime gang. Assisted with the collections and deliveries of packages imported into the UK.
Pleaded guilty to conspiring to import a Class B drug (cannabis).
Sentence: Jailed for 45 months.
Lavontie Cameron, aged 26, of Kelvedon Gardens, St Ann’s, Nottingham
Role: Assisted the criminal gang by meeting with parcel recipients. Evidence proved he attended key addresses in the case and was in contact with several of the co-accused on the days when parcels were delivered.
Pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of a Class B drug (cannabis).
Sentence: Jailed for 38 months.
Taisha Chalmers, aged 29, of Brayton Crescent, Basford, Nottingham
Role: Linked to at least three delivery addresses by providing address details to a co-defendant. Also received and moved drugs across Nottingham.
Pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of a Class B drug (cannabis).
Sentence: Handed an 18-month Community Order with a rehabilitation activity requirement.
Jabari Smith, aged 30, of Ballerat Crescent, Top Valley, Nottingham
Role: A gym instructor and personal trainer who was tasked with sourcing addresses for deliveries. Responsible for providing at least four addresses to the crime gang.
Pleaded guilty to being concerned in an arrangement which facilitated the acquisition, retention, use or control of criminal property.
Sentence: Handed an 18-month Community Order including 80 hours of unpaid work.
Bryony Hajman, aged 25, of Church Road, Clipstone, Mansfield
Role: Allowed her address to be used to receive two shipments from the United States and passed them on to a co-defendant.
Pleaded guilty to being concerned in an arrangement which facilitated the acquisition, retention, use or control of criminal property.
Sentence: Handed an 18-month Community Order including 50 hours of unpaid work.
Following the sentencings, Detective Inspector Ian Smith, of Nottinghamshire Police’s Serious Organised Crime Unit, said:
“This has been an exhaustive investigation which has culminated in almost 50 years of prison sentences.
“This is a true testament the hard work and dedication by officers from a number of Nottinghamshire Police departments, not least the serious and organised crime division.
“Together with UK Border Force, we have wiped out an organised criminal group, preventing them from continuing to gain extreme profits.
“Drugs on this scale invariably lead to further criminality including violence and acquisitive crime so to seize this quantity of drugs and secure a plethora of convictions is an excellent result.
“All nine defendants entered guilty plea and that is testament to the exceptional work of the investigation team in unpicking this major drugs conspiracy and bringing each and every offender operating in this conspiracy to justice.
“Drugs trafficking encourages a culture of violence and addiction and today’s result sends a clear message to those who blight our communities in this way. Criminal gangs operating will not be tolerated and we will find you and we will prosecute you.
“We are now pursuing powers under the Proceeds of Crime Act to ensure that any property, cash or profits gained through this gang’s criminal activity are identified and seized.”
Monique Wrench, Border Force Director of UK operations, added:
“Border Force officers are dedicated to protecting the border and working to keep the public safe from harmful substances.
“We will continue to work closely with Nottinghamshire Police to stop illegal drugs from entering our communities and to bring those responsible to justice.”
A Proceeds of Crime hearing is due to take place in September. Such hearings determine the amount of money a convicted person must pay back from their criminal gains.
Officers searching for a wanted suspect have made an arrest.
A search has been ongoing for a suspect since a man was stabbed outside a shop in Westdale Lane, Gedling, last night.
The victim, a man in his thirties, remains in hospital with serious injuries.
A 45-year-old suspect was detained in the Bakersfield area at 2.39pm today and arrested.
Superintendent James Woolley said: “This was a shocking incident and our thoughts this afternoon remain with the victim and his family.
“Multiple officers, supported by colleagues from across the force, have worked tirelessly to bring this man into custody and I am grateful to them all for their efforts.
“Our investigation into what happened last night will now continue but we are not looking for any other suspects.”
Councillor Sam Smith has been re-elected as the Conservatives Leader at Nottinghamshire County Council and new Leader of the Opposition at Nottinghamshire County Council today following Reform taking control of the authority following last week’s local elections..
Smith said the election had been ‘tough’ for Conservatives..
“I’m so very sorry to see many of my amazing colleagues across Nottinghamshire not get re-elected to the County Council. This is through no fault of their own, as they have been outstanding servants of their communities, but it is a result of national policies (immigration) playing a huge part in the outcome of a local election. Their hard work and dedication to their residents will be missed.
“We Nottinghamshire Conservatives entered the election with a proud track record of delivering on local priorities and getting things done. As the Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council,
“I was extremely proud to be going around the county reminding residents that as a Conservative-run Council we had; never closed a library; increased the highway repair budget to £70+m; protected local bus routes with £9m of investment; retained our youth services; deliver good care; improved SEND; invested an extra £60+m year on year into better local services; built new schools and expanded others; and delivered all that while never increasing Council Tax by the maximum, which saved residents £22m.
“It is because of this proud track record of getting things done and delivering on the local priorities of residents that myself and a total of 17 Conservative County Councillors were re-elected and elected onto Nottinghamshire County Council last week.
“This makes us the biggest Conservative opposition Group in the country (of those councils that had elections). I am the only Conservative Leader in the Midlands to retain their seat. On what has been a disappointing outcome to the election, these two points offer a little joy and optimism.
“We hand over a good Council to the incoming Reform administration and, whilst continuing to deliver on local matters, it is now the role of the opposition Group, that I now I lead at County Hall, to showcase to the electorate that national issues, such as immigration, can not be addressed at the County Council.
Police are appealing for the public’s help to find a wanted man in connection with a stabbing in Gedling last night.
The incident happened at around 10.30pm on Tuesday (6) next to the Co-op in Westdale Lane.
A man, in his 30s, was stabbed and has been sent to hospital with serious injuries.
Members of the public are being urged not to approach Simon McHughThe incident happened at around 10.30pm on Tuesday (6) next to the Co-op in Westdale Lane.
Police are now searching for 45-year-old Simon McHugh.
Members of the public are being urged not to approach him.
He is around 6ft tall, last seen wearing a black hoodie and tracksuit bottoms that are ripped at the left knee.
A police spokesman said: “We believe the man to be extremely dangerous and are calling on anyone with information to immediately contact the police.
Anyone with information should call 999 or 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
There is a heavy police presence in Gedling after a man has been attacked.
The incident happened at around 10.30pm on Tuesday 6 May next to the Co-op in Westdale Lane.
A man, in his 30s, was stabbed and has been sent to hospital with serious injuries.
Police are at the scene and a large cordon is in place while a thorough investigation takes place. So far, no one has been arrested in connection with the incident.
Chief Inspector Jo Elbourn said: “We would like to reassure the public that a thorough investigation is taking place to determine what has happened.
“There will be a cordon in place for some time while these investigations take place.
“We are calling for anyone with information or who saw what happened and has not yet come forward to please get in touch.
“We know a number of people were in the area at the time of the incident.
“Our thoughts remain with the family of the man who has been attacked during this extremely difficult time.”
Anyone with information can call police on 101 quoting incident numbert 801 of the 6th May 2025 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
A party source told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the decision is expected to be finalised by May 12, following the party’s sweeping victory in Thursday’s local election.
Nigel Farage’s party swept to power in a poll result which followed a similar pattern in local votes held in other areas of England on May 1 – nationally Reform won control of ten councils overall and two regional mayoral posts.
At Nottinghamshire County Council, the party unseated the Conservatives, although former Tory leader Cllr Sam Smith defended his own seat and is expected to remain as leader of the group in opposition.
Labour and the Ashfield Independents were also dealt heavy losses, losing 11 and nine seats respectively.
Dr John Doddy, who had been the only Reform councillor before the May 1 election, says the party will decide who should be the county council leader in the “oncoming days” but did not specify a date.
However, a different party source told the LDRS the leader’s identify is due to be finalised on Monday following a meeting.
Dr Doddy was re-elected as a Reform councillor in his Stapleford and Broxtowe Central division.
When asked by Notts TV if the county council has elected their leader, he said: “We’re going to be meeting shortly to decide a leader in the oncoming days.
“We’re a new group now in charge of the county hall.”
When asked whether they’ve elected Cabinet members, Dr Doddy said this will only happen once the county council leader has been decided.
He said: “Cabinet will be appointed once the group leader is selected.
“Once these are in place, we will then decide our group secretaries that are under cabinet appointments.
“Vice chairs of the committees will then follow after that. That’s the stages we’re going according to.”
Dr Doddy said other procedures were yet to be finalised, saying he was the group’s unofficial “spokesperson”, and adding the party is still getting on its feet after Friday’s historic set of results.
The county council’s next full council meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 22 at Oak House.
Dr Doddy added: “We’re following Reform’s policy procedure when it comes to appointing our members.
“We’ll appoint our group deputy leader, secretary, and then there are 20 steps after that are required before we prepare for a full council meeting on May 22.
“We will appoint our chairman and vice-chair of the council then.”
Reform UK have taken control of Nottinghamshire County Council in a sweeping victory that has been replicated across the wider Midlands.
Reform won 40 of the 66 available seats, clear of the 34 required to take overall control of the authority, in the May 1 election.
The Conservative Party, which had been in control of the council with a slim majority, now has just 17 remaining.
Both Labour and the Ashfield Independents suffered significant losses, too.
Labour has been left with four seats, while the Ashfield Independents – who had been the main opposition – have been almost entirely wiped off the map with but one seat remaining.
One of the Ashfield Independents’ main casualties was that of the group’s leader Jason Zadrozny, who was unseated by Reform’s Alan Bite by more than 600 votes.
In Broxtowe the sheer number of new groups – independent of the main parties – only seemed to contribute further to Reform’s gains.
The newly-formed Broxtowe Alliance, made up of 18 former Labour councillors, secured just one seat.
This was in Beeston Central and Rylands, and led to the unseating of the Labour Group’s leader Kate Foale.
Reform’s James Walker-Gurley, who beat the Broxtowe Alliance’s Milan Radulovic and Labour’s Will Mee to the Eastwood seat, said the group would be holding a meeting on Sunday to discuss the position of leader and cabinet members.
“We are not fully experienced county councillors but we have good leadership around us,” he said.
“I’ve got good contacts. I’ve got Lee Anderson’s number I can use. Cllr John Doddy has got fantastic experience, a good track record.
“I understand there are national issues that are at the forefront of people’s thinking at the moment, immigration being one of them.
“I understand that we don’t have any impact over that, but I think that is wrong. The awareness, the approach, and drawing attention to issues in a straight way, a blunt way, is having an impact.
“I don’t know, logistically, how we are going to tackle some of the issues people voted for. But at least in the long term we will be closer, when it is the General Election, to getting these issues sorted out.”
Cllr Sam Smith, the leader of the Nottinghamshire Conservatives and former leader of the authority, was one of few Tories to have kept their seat.
“I’m absolutely gutted to have lost so many outstanding councillors,” he added.
“They have sadly not been re-elected today. That is through no fault of their own, it is a national swing from Conservative and Labour to Reform.
“But if you look at what’s happened across the country, we are actually the biggest Conservative Group left in the country, based on the results today, and I’m the only Conservative leader to retain their seat in the Midlands as well. It is a sad day locally, but if you compare us we have actually done pretty well here.
“The incoming Reform administration have a good council to take forward. I still am unclear on their local priorities and their local issues they wish to focus on, as are the residents of Nottinghamshire.
“They received letters from Nigel Farage saying vote reform and get the boats stopped, and get your bins emptied, but the council can do neither of those. Reform won’t even be able to stop the boats coming down the Trent here in Nottinghamshire.”
Family have paid tribute to a 16-year-old boy who died after getting into difficulty whilst swimming at Colwick Country Park.
Nottingham College student, Valentine Ikechukwu, has been described as a “well loved” son and brother to his three sisters and baby brother.
Emergency services were called to Colwick Country Park at 5.20pm on Wednesday (30 April) after Valentine got into difficulty whilst swimming in the lake.
A multi-agency rescue operation was launched involving a police underwater search team, assisted by Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service.
“Valentine will remain in our hearts forever. He was a well-loved son and brother”Emergency services were called to Colwick Country Park at 5.20pm on Wednesday after Valentine got into difficulty whilst swimming in the lake. (IMAGE: Gedling Eye)
He was discovered shortly before 8pm.
In a statement, his family said: “Valentine will remain in our hearts forever. He was a well-loved son and brother, and we are absolutely devastated as a family.
“Long live Valentine, forever 16.
“He was a Nottingham College student and was well-liked amongst his friends. Words cannot describe what we are going through right now.
“We would kindly request for privacy so that we can grieve as a family and try to come to terms with what has happened to our Valentine. He will be forever missed.”
Detective Inspector Gail Routledge said: “Valentine’s family are being supported by specially trained officers following this incident.
“This was a tragedy where a young boy has lost his life. Our thoughts remain with Valentine’s family and friends during this incredibly difficult time.
“While work continues to understand how Valentine came into difficulty, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the devastating consequences of entering open water – regardless of whether people do so deliberately or inadvertently.”
Valentine’s death is not being treated as suspicious and a file is being prepared for the Coroner.
A Gedling police officer has been thanked after helping to save a man’s life while off-duty at a community running event.
Police Constable Tom Packer was supporting his wife at the Newark Parkrun held at Sconce and Devon Park on 22 March.
While waiting at the finish line, PC Packer became aware of a man who was with two children and complaining about feeling unwell and light-headed.
The neighbourhood officer helped the man, who was aged in his 40s and had completed the run, to a seat on a nearby bench.
However, he then slumped forward, became unconscious and stopped breathing.
PC Packer, of the Gedling neighbourhood policing team, said: “It was at this point I suspected the man was having a heart attack and knew from my training that speed was of the essence in helping him.
“I dragged him onto the floor and began CPR. My wife had finished the run by this point and she supported the man’s children while I continued with the first aid and told other people who had gathered to call for an ambulance and find a defibrillator.
“Another member of the public also helped by assisting with the breaths while I carried out compressions.
“I was soon handed a defibrillator and again my police training helped me in knowing how to use the machine and apply pads to the man.
“After administering a shock to him and further CPR, he thankfully took a breath on his own.
“Police officers from Newark had now arrived at the scene along with paramedics and the man was taken to hospital by air ambulance.”
PC Packer was relieved to receive a message from the man’s wife a few days later thanking him.
He added: “It was confirmed he had suffered a heart attack and required surgery but is now thankfully recovering.
“I’m grateful for the message and it’s brilliant news he is on the mend. I had to think quickly and I’m pleased my police first aid training was able to help save this man’s life.
“I did nothing that any other officer wouldn’t have done. I was just at the right place at the right time.
“I’d also like to thank the other members of the public who stopped to help and the paramedics and other responders.”
