Gedling Borough councillors last night voted in favour of a motion to oppose Nottinghamshire County Council’s plans to abolish the borough and district councils in favour of a single unitary council for the whole of Nottinghamshire.
The motion was presented to Gedling Borough Councillors at last night’s Full Council meeting and called on the Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, Councillor Kay Cutts, to re-engage with leaders of all councils, work transparently and with a manner of mutual respect and to lobby central Government for fairer funding in the region instead of attempting to redraw council boundaries.
35 Councillors voted as follows; 22 in favour, 12 against and one abstained.
Conservative councillors, who make up the second-largest group on the council, voted against the proposals.
During a heated meeting deputy leader Michael Payne, who represents the Redhill ward for Labour, asked how Conservative councillors would be able to look members of staff in the eye, knowing they had voted to abolish their jobs.
He said: “I hope you hang your heads in shame when you go and speak to your caseworkers who are helping you day to day, whose jobs you just voted to cut.
“I await to see all the Conservative candidates in May at the next election standing for a council they want to scrap.
“We will fight this plan every step of the way.”
However, Conservative leader Chris Barnfather said he had a duty to look into whether they could save “up to £30 million” a year for taxpayers.
He also said people in Arnold “didn’t care” where decisions were made, but that they just wanted services to be delivered well.
He said: “I think we owe it to residents to investigate and explore whether savings can be made.”
Tonight’s motion follows a joint letter sent to the Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, Councillor Cutts, signed by five district and borough councils, that questions her decision to bring her motion for a single unitary council for Nottinghamshire to County Councillors calling it ‘flawed and inappropriate at such a significant time for the region’.
The letter signed by the Leaders of Ashfield District Council, Bassetlaw District Council, Gedling Borough Council, Mansfield District Council and Rushcliffe Borough Council was sent to Councillor Cutts on 9 July asking her to withdraw the motion presented at Nottinghamshire County Council on Thursday, July 12.
Here’s how Gedling councillors voted:
Councillor Michael Adams Woodthorpe Conservative Against
Councillor Pauline Allan Redhill Labour Deputy Mayor of the Borough of Gedling For
Councillor Bruce Andrews Newstead Abbey Conservative Against
Councillor Emily Bailey Jay Cavendish Labour For
Councillor Peter Barnes Daybrook Labour For
Councillor Sandra Barnes Daybrook Labour For
Councillor Chris Barnfather Newstead Abbey Conservative Leader of the Opposition Against
Councillor Alan Bexon Gedling Conservative Against
Councillor Tammy Bisset Bestwood St Albans Conservative Against
Councillor Nicki Brooks Carlton Labour For
Councillor John Clarke Netherfield Labour Leader of the Council For
Councillor Bob Collis Porchester Labour For
Councillor Jim Creamer Carlton Hill Labour For
Councillor Boyd Elliott Calverton Conservative Against
Councillor David Ellis Ernehale Labour For
Councillor Roxanne Ellis Ernehale Labour For
Councillor Andrew Ellwood Phoenix Liberal Democrat For
Councillor Paul Feeney Carlton Hill Labour For
Councillor Kathryn Fox Phoenix Labour For
Councillor Helen Greensmith Dumbles Conservative Against
Councillor Gary Gregory Cavendish Labour For
Councillor Sarah Hewson Plains Independent Abstain
Councillor Jenny Hollingsworth Gedling Labour For
Councillor Viv McCrossen Woodthorpe Labour For
Councillor Barbara Miller Netherfield Labour Mayor of the Borough of Gedling For
Councillor Marje Paling Coppice Labour For
Councillor John Parr Plains Conservative Against
Councillor Michael Payne Redhill Labour Deputy Leader of the Council For
Councillor Carol Pepper Plains Conservative Against
Councillor Stephen Poole Trent Valley Conservative Against
Councillor Alex Scroggie Carlton Hill Labour For
Councillor Paul Stirland Calverton Conservative Against
Councillor Jane Walker Calverton Conservative Against
Councillor Henry Wheeler Coppice Labour For
Councillor Paul Wilkinson Carlton Labour For
