News - Page 110 of 1015

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20/02/2025

Letters: ‘Nimby’ complaints about battery site ‘hilarious’

Our readers from across the borough give their weekly take on the biggest issues impacting Gedling and beyond.

Join the debate by sending your letter to letters@gedlingeye.co.uk . Please put ‘Letters’ in the subject line. You can also submit a letter by filling in the simple form below, and it may appear online.

Some letters refer to past correspondence which can be found by clicking HERE

Names and addresses will be withheld by request but must be included in the email. We reserve the right to edit letters. Letters published do not reflect the views of Gedling Eye

‘Nimby’ complaints about Lambley battery site are ‘hilarious’

Sir,

Is it just me who finds the whole NIMBY battery storage site whining hilarious? (Gedling MP says he has ‘serious concerns’ about plans for battery storage site near Lambley)

When i read your story about the public meeting I did laugh when it said residents were perfectly happy to have this ‘unsafe’ and ‘dangerous’ site placed in Stoke Bardolph, just not in the utopia of Lambley.

All we hear about is complaints about the price of fuel, yet something being put in place that would store energy rather than having to buy more is dismissed out of hand.

The rest of us are having to see the countryside taken away for infrastructure improvements and housing – so why should Lambley be an exception?

Terry Ford
via email

How can we keep warm with smoking fuel ban?

Sir,

I find it laughable that a Labour council is enforcing a smoke control zone.

It was a Labour government that took the heating allowance of us pensioners and they now want to stop us burning cheap fuel so we can afford to keep warm.

What next? Why not take away our state pensions and force us back to work!

Paul Linfield,
Carlton

Just move to Arnold – or stop whinging!

Sir,

Why doesn’t Alan Fagg just move to Arnold and stop whingeing about it? (Business centre in Arnold ‘makes no sense’ – Letters 13/02/25)

Personally, as an Arnold resident, I wish they’d force the owners of Front Street shops (ex Bon Marche etc) to refurb or preferably demolish them – its an utter eyesore

Will Rob,
Arnold

Short-term thinking over smoke ban will harm planet

Sir,

Yet again, the grey-haired, old men brigade are out moaning about the forthcoming smoking fuel ban being imposed across Gedling.

No interest in the future generations, but as long as they are ok, the planet can go to hell as they will be dead in twenty years, so who cares.

I do! I care about our planet – and so should we all.

Honestly, the ‘I should be able to light my fire’ rantings I have seen on your site and social media are hilarious. No interest in the future, just today. I should be able to swim in the River Trent but can’t as it’s highly polluted.

Such short-term thinking is why our once beautiful planet is in such a mess.

I bet these folk are the same who cried when the steam engine was replaced.

D Jones,
Carlton

Japan has right idea about cracking down on retail crime

Sir,

Our convenience stores and supermarkets in the borough are a happy hunting ground for shoplifters and thieving in this country who act with near impunity.

If caught they tend to get nothing but a slapped wrist or a fine that they’re unable to pay and it’s not unusual to be out thieving the next day.

Things coulkd be different though if we took a leaf out of the Japan’s book on crime prevention.

A Japanese woman was charged with criminal damage in Fukuoka for damaging a 95p cream-cheese bun by squashing it.

The Japanese police are also cracking down on ‘Sushi terrorism’ where people spoil sushi meant for diners and lick soy sauce bottles.

Just what sort of deterrent have we in this country?

None compared with the Japanese approach to petty crime.

If we did something similar, retail crime would quickly fall!

Ron Lim,
Carlton

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MATCH REPORT: Sheffield 1-2 Carlton Town

Alan Murphy

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20/02/2025

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MATCH REPORT: Sheffield 1-2 Carlton Town

The home side will have been bitterly disappointed at having lost the game after going in a goal ahead at half time. But Carlton showed some resilience in the second period even though they’d actually played better in the first half. And the goals from Davie and Nat Watson were excellent.

Mark Harvey and Tommy Brookbanks named an unchanged side from the team which won at Belper last time out which meant a 200^th Carlton appearance for the ever-reliable Dan Brown, a superb achievement. New loan signing Diego Edwards was on the bench.

Sheffield came into the game adrift at the foot of the table and the Millers, backed by a very credible 30 or so midweek travellers, went at Club from the kick off. A super ball from Watson sent Ollie Clark bursting clear on goal in just the third minute. His shot was saved by Mikey Roxburgh and cleared by Bradley Beatson before Clark could get to the loose ball.

Charlie Carter, playing wide on the right with Clark in a more advanced role just behind Liam Moran, then found Moran but his shot drew a tremendous block from Beatson.

Next it was Lamin Manneh’s turn to run at the home defence. He got to the edge of the box and then slipped the ball to Carter who shot high and wide from a good position.

Centre-half Dean Freeman then hit a volley from 20 yards that was well saved by Roxburgh.

With their first attack of the game Sheffield scored. A long ball was flicked on into the path of Luke Aldrich and he took a touch before hitting a rocket into the roof of the net giving Felix Annan no chance.

The goal buoyed the home side who were putting their bodies on the line to keep out the Millers. Carlton for their part continued to play some neat passing football on a reasonable surface, but found it more difficult to break through the Club rearguard. Khyle Sargent was controlling the middle of the park and along with Watson moving the ball well. Manneh did have a shout for a penalty at one point, albeit so did Sheffield shortly afterwards, and Watson volleyed wide shortly before half time from a Lewis Durow cross.

Another fine move early in the second half saw Carter send Moran into the area but the striker’s touch was heavy and the chance went.

Sheffield were far more in the game in the second period and had a spell of pressure when Annan saved from Archie White and Luke Mangham fired wide. Carlton brought on Davie and Edwards to provide additional threat and within five minutes of their introduction they were level. A fantastic cross from the left from Carter was met by a powerful header from Watson into the corner of the net.

It was game on now. Brown and Freeman had to be alert and Michael Ford and Durow nipped in with some key interceptions. Annan made another save from Aldrich while at the other end another substitute, Niall Hylton, drew a decent save from Roxburgh.

A point didn’t really suit either side and Carlton finished the game with only three defenders as they went for the win. Sheffield went close with a last-minute corner before the referee signalled six minutes of added time. In the third of those minutes Carlton won the game in dramatic fashion. A lovely move involving Lawrence Gorman, Hylton and Watson saw the ball squared to Davie and he curled home a delicious strike from outside the area into the top corner to spark scenes amongst the travelling support behind the goal and a delirious celebration amongst the players, with Annan sprinting 100 yards to join in with the entire team.

Carlton saw out the remaining minutes comfortably to secure another valuable win in their push for the playoffs.

Carlton Town: F Annan, M Ford (L Gorman 84), L Durow (N Hylton 84), D Brown, D Freeman, C Carter, N Watson, K Sargent, L Manneh (G Tempest 90+5), O Clark (N Davie 59), L Moran (D Edwards 59).

Goals: N Watson 64, N Davie 90+3; Luke Aldrich 22

Carlton Town Supporters Club MOTM: Nat Watson

Att: 263

Council says 230 patrols ‘busting myth’ parking wardens are never out

Lauren Monaghan

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20/02/2025

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Council says 230 patrols ‘busting myth’ parking wardens are never out

A council leader says he wants to “bust the myth” that parking wardens are not “out and about” across Gedling borough after figures showed two local roads had been visited more than 60 times over the past year.

In total, wardens had patrolled hotspots across Nottinghamshire more than 230 times in the past year.

Burton Road and Beaumaris Drive in Gedling have been visited 65 times in the same period.

One key route has also been checked more than 100 times in 12 months, Nottinghamshire County Council said.

The council’s 25 Civil Enforcement Officers, or road wardens, have been out inspecting multiple traffic and parking hotspots across the county.

The 234 visits in total across the county are part of the council’s plans to ensure better road safety and less congestion for pedestrians and drivers by assessing where traffic builds up, identifying roads that can become blocked by parked cars and ensuring better road visibility around schools.

A parking camera enforcement vehicle on patrol

There are 29 miles of double and single yellow line parking restrictions across Nottinghamshire, along with 700 enforceable bus stops, more than 300 schools with restrictions and 650 limited waiting bays near shops.

There are also 123 residents’ parking zones covering 480 streets, nearly 250 disabled parking spaces and a network of number plate recognition cameras along bus routes.

Wardens also patrol restricted areas daily to make sure residents can park close to their homes.

County Council Leader, Sam Smith (Con) says the council is “committed to keeping the roads safe for everybody” and says wardens are “out at all hours, weekends, evenings and out in all weathers”.

He said: “I hear all the time residents being grateful of the instillation [of road safety measures], but the myth that they’re not enforced- I want to bust that myth, I’m on their side.

“We know they want to be able to pull in and out safely and have no parked cars on either side of the road, and for children getting in and out of school safely, that’s why we have these officers.”

The leader added that the authority hands out around 60,000 penalty notices each year for people not adhering to these road rules.

Councillor Neil Clarke (Con), cabinet member for environment and transport, said the measures to reduce obstructive parking will “allow for better flow of traffic”, specifically around schools.

He said: “I know it’s easy for people to say they never see wardens or camera cars, but I can assure residents we have over 20 officers who carry out patrols.

“We keep a record of where they have been and we can identify when wardens have visited villages or towns and carried out their work.”

Residents are able to submit requests for new road safety measures on their streets through the council website.

UPDATED: Cancellations and delays expected as software glitch takes some of borough’s electric buses off the road

Gedling Eye

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20/02/2025

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UPDATED: Cancellations and delays expected as software glitch takes some of borough’s electric buses off the road

UPDATE: Bus services across Gedling borough that were affected are now running again.

Passengers using a number of bus services across the borough are being told to expect cancellations and delays today as a failed overnight software update has resulted in electric vehicles being taken off the road.

Nottingham City Transport (NCT) issued an alert to passengers at 07.59am this morning, warning them to expect disruption on a number of routes served by electric vehicles.

Borough services affected are:

39, 50, 53, 53B, 54, 54B and 61

An NCT spokesman said: “An overnight software update to our electric buses has failed, which has prevented some buses from entering service.

“The vehicle manufacturer is working with us to resolve the issue and has fixed the glitch on around half of them, which are now leaving the garage to start service.

“There will be cancellations and delays on these service until all buses are in service and the issue fully resolved. Thanks for your understanding and sorry for the inconvenience caused.

You can see the latest service updates on Nottingham City Transport’s website https://www.nctx.co.uk/ or app.

Underground tank that can hold 500,000 litres of rainwater installed in Carlton to protect borough from flooding and sewage spills into River Trent

Emily Sanchez

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19/02/2025

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Underground tank that can hold 500,000 litres of rainwater installed in Carlton to protect borough from flooding and sewage spills into River Trent

A huge underground water tank has been completed in Carlton to protect borough residents from flooding and also sewage spills going into the River Trent.

Severn Trent has now installed a massive underground storage tank which is hidden from view underneath the car park of the Richard Herrod Centre on Foxhill Road.

The water firm said the new tank will ‘take the strain’ when there’s heavy rainfall, reducing the pressure on the local sewage network.

It’s estimated the new tank will hold more than 500,000 litres of rainwater during periods of heavy rain across the borough.

James Jesic, Capital Delivery and Commercial Director at Severn Trent, added: “The new hidden storm water tank in Carlton will serve as a blueprint for the improvements we’re making across our region to move at pace to reduce the use of storm overflows.

“As all the improvements get up and running, the benefits of this work will be seen in the year ahead.”

The water and wastewater company also confirmed that now 1,500 storage tanks have been installed, the average amount of spills from storm overflows is expected to fall by over 25% to reach an average of 18 per year by December. 

To keep customers updated, Severn Trent has launched an interactive map where anyone can track progress in real time and see what investments are planned. They can be seen here:  www.stwater.co.uk/rivers-and-your-community

Tougher restrictions on buying knives online to be introduced into law in bid to tackle knife crime

David Bratton

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19/02/2025

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Tougher restrictions on buying knives online to be introduced into law in bid to tackle knife crime

New laws are being introduced to help prevent young people from accessing dangerous knives online.

Stricter rules for online retailers selling knives will be introduced by the government, along with tougher penalties for those failing to enforce them.

Retailers will soon be required to report any bulk or suspicious-looking purchases of knives on their platforms to police to prevent illegal resales happening across social media accounts.

The sentence for selling weapons to under 18s will also be increased. It will rise from six months to up to two years prison time. This could apply to an individual who has processed the sale or even a CEO of the company.

This increased penalty will also apply to the sale or supply of prohibited offensive weapons such as recently banned zombie-style knives, following police evidence that identified a discrepancy in current legislation means there is more leniency for illegally selling weapons than possessing one.

A new offence of possessing an offensive weapon with intent for violence will be introduced in the Crime and Policing Bill which will carry a sentence of up to four years in prison. This means that no matter if the weapon in possession is legal or not, if there is intent to cause violence, it will be viewed as a crime.

The new measures will collectively be known as ‘Ronan’s Law’ in honour of Ronan Kanda who was tragically killed in 2022 in a case of mistaken identity near his home in Wolverhampton aged 16.

Ronan’s killers, who were also teenagers, illegally bought lethal weapons online and collected them from the Post Office on the day of the attack, with no age or identity verification taking place. It was later revealed that one of Ronan’s teenage killers had bought more than 20 knives online, including by using his mother’s ID.

Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper said: “It is horrifying how easy it is for young people to get hold of knives online even though children’s lives are being lost, and families and communities are left devastated as a result.

“Not enough has been done to tackle the online market over recent years which is why we made it an urgent priority in our manifesto and the measures today will be underpinned by investment for a new dedicated police unit to go after those who are breaking the law and putting children and teenagers lives at risk.

“We are honouring our commitment to introduce Ronan’s Law in memory of Ronan Kanda who was tragically killed in 2022. I am so grateful to the Kanda family for their endless perseverance in ensuring governments take the right actions to protect young people from further tragedy.”

Last Autumn, the Home Secretary commissioned National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Knife Crime, Commander Stephen Clayman to conduct an end-to-end review into the sale of knives online. The review exposed lethal loopholes in the sale of knives online which are allowing dangerous weapons to end up in the wrong hands.

The review highlighted the lack of minimum standards for age verification and delivery checks.

Commander Stephen Clayman said: “The evidence in the end-to-end review clearly demonstrates just how easy it is for anyone to purchase a knife online, often avoiding any age verification at all, or where it is in place, exploiting vulnerabilities, especially with delivery.”

Handler’s grief as ‘much-loved’ police dog Rambo who helped tackle crime across borough passes away

David Bratton

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19/02/2025

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Handler’s grief as ‘much-loved’ police dog Rambo who helped tackle crime across borough passes away

A handler has shared his grief following the sudden passing of a ‘much-loved’ police dog who helped tackle crime across Gedling borough.

PD Rambo, an eight -year-old Belgian Malinois renowned for his bravery and loyalty, fell seriously ill at the end of last week and died at the weekend following treatment by a specialist vets team and with his handler at his side.

Rambo was brought to the force from Holland in 2018 and has been partnered with his handler PC James Coupland ever since.

The duo spent many hundreds of hours together on patrol and quickly established a reputation as a highly effective crime-fighting team.

Car thieves, drug dealers and violent criminals were among those to come face-to-face with Rambo, who became well-known to viewers of Channel 4’s Police Interceptors series.

As recently as last week the dog ran after and detained two runaway suspects.

Rambo passed away over the weekend following a short illness

“Rambo was more than just a dog to me. He was my best friend and the greatest colleague to have by my side for many years.
PC James Coupland

Back in 2022, Rambo hit the headlines after chasing down a suspected police in Arnold.

A suspect had fled from the car but was chased down and detained by Rambo, who was struck several times around the head as his handler rushed to the scene.

Rambo lost some fur during the incident but was otherwise uninjured.

Rambo’s handler PC James Coupland said: “Rambo was more than just a dog to me. He was my best friend and the greatest colleague to have by my side for many years.

“I will be forever grateful to him for his company, and for always making sure that we went home safely to our family at the end of each shift.

“He was my greatest challenge but he was always the key figure in our greatest achievements”

Gedling MP says he has ‘serious concerns’ about plans for battery storage site near Lambley

David Bratton

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19/02/2025

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Gedling MP says he has ‘serious concerns’ about plans for battery storage site near Lambley

Gedling MP Michael Payne has written to Gedling Borough Council raising ‘serious concerns’ about plans for a battery energy storage system (BESS) on land between Burton Joyce and Lambley.

If plans submitted by developer Grenergy are approved, a BESS site would be built on green fields at Burton Wood Farm, off Spring Lane.

A public meeting was held on Monday, January 27, organised by a local opposition group, giving residents the opportunity to raise their concerns about the safety of the site and potential environmental damage.

More than 250 objections have been submitted by members of the public to Gedling Borough Council over plans.

Now MP Payne has joined calls for plans to be rejected.

In a letter to the authority he wrote: “There appears to be no substantive justification – in the form of Very Special Circumstances – for the unacceptable impact this proposed development would have on the openness of the green belt”

PICTURED: Land earmarked for the new BESS site near Lambley (IMAGE: Google)

“The proposed Battery Energy Storage System is not a facility for the increased production of energy from renewable energy sources, it is an energy storage system. It is therefor highly questionable as to whether ‘very special circumstances’ are met by this proposed facility within the green belt, which would have an overbearing and significant impact on historic open green space and agricultural land in the immediate surrounds of Lambley village.”

He also raised concerns about flood risk, fire risk and noise pollution.

He concluded “I would implore Gedling Borough Council to seriously consider the negative impact of allowing such a development at this location.”

BESS are being built across the UK to help balance the electricity grid, which is becoming increasingly powered by renewables.

The systems hold electricity generated from renewable sources such as wind turbines and solar farms.

Developer Grenergy said that fire safety and preventing noise pollution would be at the ‘forefront of all considerations’ at the proposed site.

They also claimed the site would power 300,000 Houses per hour and save 1.77 tonnes of carbon over a 40-year period

In a statement on their website they said: “BESS sites are under frequent scrutiny regarding fire safety, due to the large quantities of lithium-ion batteries in a confined space.

“Engagement with local fire authority and planning authority with emergency response plans, fire water management strategies and fire safety management plans.
Separation distances or thermal barriers are being placed between all equipment, including the battery containers.

In response to fears around noise pollution they said: “The batteries themselves produce very little noise, however, cooling fans are required to maintain the batteries at the correct temperature emit some noise. With any planning application a detailed noise assessment is completed to ensure the plant causes no detriment to local sound levels.”

What is a battery energy storage system

Battery energy storage systems (BESSs) use batteries, for example lithium-ion batteries, to store electricity at times when supply is higher than demand. They can then later release electricity when it is needed.

What are ‘Very Special Circumstances’ when it comes to planning?

If a proposed development has the potential to ‘provide significant environmental benefits’ or ‘enhance the visual amenity of the area’, it could be considered a very special circumstance for granting planning permission in the Green Belt.

Notts council leaders welcome local government reform but reject idea of city expansion

Lauren Monaghan

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19/02/2025

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Notts council leaders welcome local government reform but reject idea of city expansion

Nottinghamshire political leaders have welcomed the merging of councils in the Government’s proposed plans to overhaul local authorities, but they say Nottingham City Council’s borders should not be expanded.

The Labour Government’s English Devolution White Paper from December 2024 supported giving powers back to local areas through the creation of more “strategic authorities” and new combined councils.

These would replace the existing ‘two-tier’ structures like here in Nottinghamshire, where services are split between lower and upper-tier councils.

Nottingham City Council is a unitary authority, meaning it has sole responsibility for all the services in its area such as social care, waste collection and disposal and parks.

However, in the county, the ‘upper-tier’ county council is responsible for services such as social care, education and waste disposal.

In districts and boroughs, the seven, smaller lower-tier councils have responsibility for services like housing, planning, bin collections and parks.

Abolishing the two-tier structure would mean all seven of Nottinghamshire’s district and boroughs could disappear by 2027 or 2028.

The leaders of the county’s councils saw the suggested nine options for local government reorganisation in Nottinghamshire last Friday (February 14).

The first was a ‘super council’, which would cover the city and county.

The second would see the City Council remain, with the county taking on the services run by the districts and boroughs, meaning boundaries would remain similar.

The remaining options discussed city expansion, which includes varying degrees of the city expanding into Gedling, Broxtowe or Rushcliffe.

But this later option was something rejected by Councillor Sam Smith (Con), who’s the leader of the county council.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “If the city [council] take over their areas they’re going to lose access to services, access to libraries, get worse care and pay more tax.

“That is the strongest reason why I’m not in favour of city expansion – it means worse services.”

He added if a reorganisation of the councils in the county can “smooth” out and “streamline” services to create a “one-stop shop” for residents accessing council services, then he supports the changes.

Cllr Neil Clarke (Con), who’s leader of Rushcliffe Borough Council, added: “My immediate priority is to protect the residents of Rushcliffe and the good services they receive.

“Any suggestion that our area would be combined into the city would result in a severely reduced standard of service and their tax would go up.

“It’s completely unacceptable talking about Rushcliffe becoming a part of the City.”

In a statement, Rushcliffe’s Labour MP, James Naish, said “financially sustainable authorities” need to be created in line with the government’s plans.

He believes “limited changes” to existing boundaries can be achieved.

However, he noted the higher ‘tax pull’ in the south of Nottinghamshire compared with the north, where service demand is “higher in the north”.

For example, more than half of all homes in Mansfield are of the lower Band A council tax banding, whereas greater numbers of Rushcliffe homes are in Band D and above.

The MP says that this would mean a ‘North Notts Council’ would find it harder to ‘pay its way’.

Nottingham City Council was approached for comment on the proposed changes.

A spokesman referred the Local Democracy Reporting Service back to the joint statement made on behalf of all the councils on February 7, which reads: “Councils have until March 21 to submit initial plans and preparatory work across all nine local authorities have already started.

“This is the biggest shake-up of local government in 50 years and following the initial plan, councils will be asked to submit their final proposals by 28 November.

“All nine councils will continue to work together in the public interest, exploring all options available that meet the Government’s requirements.”

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‘Nimby’ complaints about Lambley battery site are ‘hilarious’

How can we keep warm with smoking fuel ban?

Just move to Arnold – or stop whinging!

Short-term thinking over smoke ban will harm planet

Japan has right idea about cracking down on retail crime

Got something to say? Send us your letter using the form below

What is a battery energy storage system

What are ‘Very Special Circumstances’ when it comes to planning?

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