Two men have been arrested after drink cans and a bike helmet were hurled at police during a high-speed chase on a stolen motorcycle in Arnold.
Officers were on patrol in the town when they spotted two men riding a motorbike which did not have a registration plate.
As the bike passed the police car an item was thrown and struck the windscreen.
Officers from the Operational Support team began pursuing the motorbike after it then failed to stop around 7.45pm on Tuesday (24).
The bike was ridden dangerously and at speed along residential streets through the town.
Further items, including a helmet and drink cans, were also flung towards police before officers made tactical contact with the bike at low speed.
One suspect remained with the bike and the other was detained after a brief foot chase.
Officers found two knives when they carried out searches and seized a crowbar which was found nearby.
A 20-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle, possession of a knife in a public place, driving a motor vehicle dangerously, failing to stop and driving without a licence or insurance.
A second man, aged 24, was arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle, possession of a knife in a public place, criminal damage, going equipped for theft and an unrelated assault.
Inspector Steven King, local area commander for Gedling borough, said: “The officers on patrol did an excellent job to bring this pursuit to a safe conclusion, make two arrests and seize a stolen motorcycle.
Councillor Andrew Meads is an independent councillor representing the Calverton ward on Gedling Borough Council. Here he voices his concerns about the council’s latest plans to create a new leisure centre in Carlton…
This must be a very worrying time for bowling club members, and casual players.
To give some personal background, in my day job I’ve worked on around 40 new leisure centres over the last 30 years. That experience has given me many concerns about the Carlton Active project.
I believe the Carlton Active project should not go ahead in its planned form, it should be on a new site in Carlton or Netherfield, adjacent to the more modern parts of Gedling’s road network, but every time I raise my concerns about lack of parking, inflated income, or massively over ambitious hire fees for the community venue I’m told by that it must go ahead and we’ve got to trust the consultants.
All the leisure centres I’ve worked on have been consultant led, and over budget and delayed.
Looking at the latest drawings there’s around 50 less parking spaces than Carlton Forum, but that’s got to be shared with the football club and allow for increases in gym users, swimming users, new traffic for the soft play and the community venue (which in itself would need around 60-80 parking spaces).
PICTURED: Richard Herrod Centre in Carltion
The new building would have to open two hours earlier than the existing Richard Herrod centre to allow users to access the gym from 6am, meaning the traffic around the Foxhill Road area will greatly increase, and from much earlier in the day through too late at night, causing a huge inconvenience and nuisance to all the local residents.
The newest leisure centre close by, at Bingham, has almost double the parking spaces of the proposed Carlton Active but without the soft play, the community venue, and a smaller gym. Despite this, the car park at Bingham is regularly full through early in a morning, to late at night.
Then there’s no seating for swimming competitions – just a viewing gallery, so we are spending £30 million on a new leisure centre with an eight-lane pool which won’t allow local, or county-wide galas, or with the parking to cope; to me that seems so short sighted. Other leisure centres (like at Bingham) that cost a lot less have this provision.
Going to a new larger site would solve all these problems, as well as providing easier transport routes to the leisure centre. When I have raised this, I’ve been told we as a council can’t afford it. The slight additional cost would more than pay for itself in a very short time, never mind over the projected 50-year lifespan of the building.
If the consultants had investigated swimming locally, they would have found the whole county only has one 50M pool, at Harvey Hadden. This lack of provision in the county causes club galas to be held at venues out of the county, at Sheffield for example. If the new leisure was built on a new site in Carlton or Netherfield a 50M pool could be included, which would allow double the number of school sessions, as well as county and regional galas, generating huge additional income, as well as making Carlton Active a regional hub for sports, leisure and health.
Moving Carlton Active to a new site would leave Richard Herrod standing and I’m sure the staff could be accommodated at the new leisure centre once it was built, avoiding making them all redundant. It would also allow the indoor bowls club to run Richard Herrod themselves.
But the big question for me is funding. In a few months’ time we will find out if the borough will be split in half under LGR, this will mean that expected Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) won’t be able to be used towards this project.
Regarding the CIL, I’ve raised my concerns that I dont think the CIL report presented to the cabinet last year was done to the council’s own scoring methodology. No proof was requested for matched funding on the other projects put forward, the matched funding was there, and this would have dramatically changed the scoring which would have shown Carlton Active coming out fourth and not first. I’ve asked if it is going to be redone, but the answer is that it can’t be because cabinet has approved it now.
The cabinet have now agreed to progress this project but it seems very premature to agree to spend £1.5million on stage 3 and 4 when the funding is not in place and the outcome of LGR is not known for a few more months. As I’ve said before, the new authority or authorities that take over from Gedling Borough Council may have completely different ideas on leisure provision going forward.
The budget papers for next month allow for the Richard Herrod Centre to stay open until next year, but there’s no separate provision in it, or in the latest report on Carlton Active for the cost of redundancy for all the staff at the Richard Herrod and some at the civic centre. It seems to me that the staff have been forgotten in all this.
The cabinet have agreed to the recommendations of the report but I just wish they would pause until the outcome of LGR is clearer. In the meantime, they could have a look into having the centre at a new site that would provide the room for the necessary parking provision and footprint of the building.
Warning signs have been installed on what critics have described as Nottinghamshire’s ‘most dangerous road’ due to the severity of potholes.
However, campaigners have called on the Reform-run Nottinghamshire County Council do more after the potholes were reported a week before.
The spotlight has been on the A612 Colwick Loop Road since February 16 after a video – made and shared on Facebook by Conservative Nottinghamshire County Councillor Mike Adams – showed the treacherous conditions of the road in an urgent appeal for the council to fix it.
The junction next to Marks and Spencer’s at Victoria Retail Park, Netherfield, was shown to be in a severely deteriorated state with deep potholes by the set of traffic lights.
The potholes on Colwick Loop Road (IMAGE: Cllr Mike Adams)
The video has more than 40,000 views at the time of writing and since its upload he gave an update letting residents know the county council’s highways director had visited the spot on February 19.
Cllr Adams said he first notified the council’s highways director of the issue on February 15 and asked for a meeting. He was then expecting an update from the council’s highways team on Monday (February 23) but so far “has not heard a thing”.
Instead, two road signs displaying ‘Ramp Ahead’ and ‘Slow’ heading towards Nottingham have been placed just before the damaged spot to warn drivers – Cllr Adams noticed these on February 19 on the highways director’s visit.
Cllr Adams says the junction has “massively deteriorated” in the past eight weeks, claiming drivers have to slow down to five miles per hour to go over it.
He said: “It’s arguably the most dangerous road in Nottinghamshire at the moment.
“It has hundreds of thousands of journeys per year, it connects two of our bridges, it’s a 40 miles per hour zone, it’s in a braking zone.
“If you overshoot the junction there’s cars coming from the right. ABS (anti-lock) brakes stutter as you brake – if you hit a bump while your brakes are doing that you generally don’t stop when you should.
“People are swerving to avoid it, people slamming on their brakes. It all has knock-on effects of cars behind you, never mind the obvious damage to people’s vehicles.”
Cllr Adams said he was “annoyed” at the lack of action to fix the road, saying: “This is a serious problem – all we’ve got is a slow and ramp sign. After a week that’s all we’ve got… why can’t the council just fix it?”
Under the previous Conservative council the policy was for temporary repairs to be completed within 24 hours of notification but then to return within 90 days to complete a resurfacing section.
Cllr Sam Smith (Con), a county councillor who also represents the Trent Valley ward on Gedling Borough Council alongside Cllr Adams, referred to the potholes as “craters” and the road being “the surface of the moon”.
He said: “It’s the worst part of the network in Nottinghamshire that I have to drive over every day. It’s atrocious, it’s a main thoroughfare connecting Gedling to Nottingham and other parts of the county.”
Cllr Smith said he was “shocked, horrified and disgracefully frustrated” when he noticed the two signs on his drive “over the rumble strip” on Tuesday.
He said: “What a disgrace. Is that a joke? This is what Reform’s pothole repairs look like, forget the roads, we’ll just put signs to warn you. Those signs are doing absolutely nothing to save the residents I represent.
“I’ve got a brilliant idea: instead of sending people to put signs out, send the same people to fill the potholes.”
Gedling resident Francis Rodrigues, who is part of the Gedling Village Local History and Preservation Society, said other roads in his area, such as Brooklands Drive and Lorimer Avenue, were becoming “rat runs” due to people avoiding certain roads due to their poor conditions.
He said: “The worst road for me is Avon Road up to Lambley Lane, there’s a series of ruts and you have to travel over it at three or four miles per hour to avoid damage.
“I’m a keen cyclist… it’s added danger to cyclists as they have to avoid them. If you hit a pothole with a tyre its a lot more bone shaking.”
Mr Rodrigues said he had concerns for people, particularly the elderly, tripping over and sinkholes opening up.
The LDRS contacted Nottinghamshire County Council on Monday (February 23) for updates on pothole fixes to Colwick Loop Road in light of the news its highways director had been to visit the spot.
It was confirmed to the LDRS on Wednesday the council would not be providing comment.
The Reform-run Nottinghamshire County Council plans to spend £153m on permanent road repairs over the next three years.
The East Midlands Combined County Authority has given it an extra £46.9 million in funding to fix potholes.
Council leader Mick Barton (Ref), said at least £400 million extra was needed on top of other funding to ensure the roads were in a “serviceable state”.
Cyber resilience is no longer just an IT concern. It is a board-level priority that directly impacts revenue, reputation, and long-term viability. As cyber threats become more sophisticated, businesses must move beyond basic security measures and adopt a resilience mindset. That means preparing not only to prevent attacks, but also to detect, respond, and recover quickly.
Here are ten practical steps organisations can take to strengthen their cyber resilience.
Conduct a Comprehensive Risk Assessment
You cannot protect what you do not understand. Start by identifying critical assets, data flows, third-party dependencies, and potential vulnerabilities. Map out where sensitive information lives and how it moves across your systems.
Passwords alone are not enough. Multi-factor authentication adds an additional verification layer, significantly reducing the risk of unauthorised access.
Apply it across:
Email systems
Cloud platforms
Administrative accounts
Remote access tools
This single step dramatically lowers the likelihood of account compromise.
3. Keep Systems Updated and Patched
Unpatched software remains one of the most common entry points for attackers. Establish a disciplined patch management process that ensures operating systems, applications, and firmware are updated promptly.
Automated updates, where possible, reduce reliance on manual oversight and help maintain consistency.
4. Strengthen Endpoint Protection
With hybrid and remote working now standard in many industries, endpoints such as laptops and mobile devices are key risk areas.
Invest in modern endpoint detection and response solutions that provide real-time monitoring and behavioural analysis. This allows threats to be identified and contained before they spread across the network.
5. Develop a Tested Incident Response Plan
Preparation is essential. An incident response plan outlines clear steps for detection, containment, communication, and recovery during a cyber event.
Crucially, this plan should be tested through simulations or tabletop exercises. Practising response scenarios ensures teams understand their responsibilities and can act quickly under pressure.
Regular, practical training helps employees recognise suspicious activity and respond appropriately. A culture of awareness strengthens overall resilience.
7. Back Up Critical Data Securely
Reliable backups are fundamental to resilience. If ransomware or system failure occurs, secure backups enable rapid recovery.
Best practice includes:
Maintaining encrypted backups
Storing copies offline or in isolated environments
Testing restoration processes regularly
A backup that cannot be restored is not a backup at all.
8. Secure Your Supply Chain
Many breaches originate from third-party vendors. Review the cybersecurity posture of suppliers, partners, and service providers who have access to your systems or data.
Establish clear security expectations in contracts and conduct due diligence assessments to reduce external risk exposure.
9. Adopt a Zero Trust Approach
Traditional perimeter-based security assumes that internal users and devices can be trusted. Modern environments require a different mindset.
Zero Trust architecture verifies every access request, regardless of location. This approach limits lateral movement within networks and reduces the impact of compromised credentials.
Organisations seeking to modernise their infrastructure can benefit from strategic IT partners such as cisilion.com, which specialise in secure, scalable technology environments that support long-term cyber resilience.
10. Monitor Continuously and Improve Constantly
Cyber resilience is not a one-time project. Threat landscapes evolve constantly, and defensive strategies must evolve alongside them.
Continuous monitoring, regular audits, and performance reviews ensure that security controls remain effective. Metrics such as response times, vulnerability remediation rates, and employee training completion provide measurable insight into resilience maturity.
Businesses that treat cybersecurity as an ongoing discipline rather than a reactive fix position themselves for sustained stability.
Market conditions today fluctuate overnight, vendor prices change without warning, and departments need software tools approved yesterday. However, many UK organisations still operate procurement processes designed for a slower, more predictable era.
When approval cycles stretch across weeks and requisition forms gather digital dust in email chains, you’re not losing time. You’re losing competitive advantage. Let’s explore what truly agile procurement looks like in 2026.
The Real Cost of Procurement Delays
A marketing manager needs analytics software to launch a campaign next month. They submit a request in January. Finance questions the pricing in February. IT flags security concerns in March. By April, when approval finally arrives, the campaign window has closed. Your competitor launched their version six weeks earlier.
Traditional procurement operates on sequential reviews. Finance scrutinises every request. IT evaluates security implications. Legal assesses contract terms. Each department adds value, but these bottlenecks paralyse decision-making and compound across your organisation.
What Agile Procurement Actually Means
Agility doesn’t mean abandoning oversight. It means building intelligent workflows that move purchasing decisions forward without sacrificing control. Vertice AI demonstrates this by embedding intelligence throughout procurement processes, automatically routing requests based on risk levels, spend thresholds and policy requirements.
The most responsive procurement teams share several characteristics. They’ve automated routine approvals while maintaining human oversight for complex purchases. They’ve established clear spending authorities so employees know which purchases they can make independently. They’ve built vendor catalogues that pre-approve preferred suppliers.
These organisations understand that speed and control aren’t opposites. Smart automation actually strengthens governance by flagging high-risk purchases for immediate review while processing standard requests automatically.
Building Flexibility Into Your Workflows
Consider how your team handles a typical software renewal. Someone spots an upcoming expiry date, scrambles to gather usage data, checks budget availability, and coordinates with stakeholders. Meanwhile, the renewal deadline approaches and negotiating leverage evaporates.
Agile procurement anticipates these moments. Systems track renewal dates automatically and alert relevant teams months in advance. Usage analytics show whether the software delivers value or wastes budget. Benchmark data reveals whether you’re paying competitive rates. You’ll enter renewal discussions prepared, not panicked.
When someone requests new software, intelligent systems check whether existing tools already provide similar capabilities. They compare quoted prices against market benchmarks. They identify vendors who’ve caused problems for other customers. All this happens within minutes rather than days.
Breaking Down Departmental Silos
Procurement rarely fails because of individual incompetence. It fails because departments operate in isolation, each applying their own criteria without visibility into others’ priorities.
Modern procurement platforms centralise information so everyone works from the same facts. When a purchase request enters the system, all relevant stakeholders can see the business justification, budgetary impact, security assessment and contract terms simultaneously. They can collaborate in real-time rather than passing requests sequentially.
This transparency accelerates decisions whilst improving them. Finance can weigh costs against documented business value. IT can assess security in context of operational needs. Legal can identify deal-breakers early rather than discovering them weeks into review.
The Technology That Enables Agility
Spreadsheets can’t deliver the responsiveness that modern procurement demands. Effective procurement technology does several things simultaneously:
Captures requests through simple intake forms that guide employees without overwhelming them
Routes approvals dynamically based on request characteristics rather than rigid workflows
Surfaces relevant data at decision points, from pricing benchmarks to vendor risk scores
Tracks everything so you’ll understand where bottlenecks occur and can optimise accordingly
The best systems also learn from your organisation’s history. They’ll recognise patterns in successful purchases and problematic vendors. They’ll suggest approval paths based on similar past requests. They’ll flag unusual spending before it becomes a budget crisis.
What This Means for Your Organisation
The pace of business change won’t slow down. Vendor spaces will continue evolving. New tools will emerge constantly. Market conditions will shift unpredictably. Organisations with rigid procurement processes will struggle to adapt. They’ll watch competitors move faster, respond quicker, and capture opportunities whilst they’re still routing approval forms through email chains.
When you can evaluate and approve purchases rapidly, you’ll be better positioned to capitalise on opportunities. When you have real-time visibility into spending patterns, you’ll spot problems before they escalate. When your team focuses on strategic decisions rather than administrative tasks, they’ll deliver genuine value. Your procurement process either enables business agility or constrains it. There’s no middle ground in 2026’s competitive environment.
Choosing a dentist for your family is an important decision. It is not just about routine check-ups; it is about building a long-term relationship with a healthcare provider who understands your family’s needs, supports preventative care, and creates a positive experience for both children and adults.
If you are looking for guidance, these practical tips will help you select the right dentist with confidence.
1. Look for a Family-Friendly Approach
A great family dentist should feel welcoming to patients of all ages. From toddlers attending their first appointment to grandparents requiring restorative care, the practice should be equipped to handle different stages of life.
Check whether the clinic specifically mentions family dentistry. Look for signs that they cater to children, such as gentle communication styles, patient explanations, and a calm atmosphere.
2. Check Qualifications and Experience
Your family’s oral health deserves professional expertise. Make sure the dentist is fully qualified and registered with the General Dental Council.
It is also worth checking how long the practice has been operating and whether the team participates in ongoing professional development. Experienced dentists are better equipped to handle both routine care and unexpected issues.
If you are based in South London, exploring trusted providers such as the dentists in Balham can be a useful starting point when comparing local options.
3.Read Reviews From Other Families
Online reviews can give you valuable insight into how a practice treats its patients.
Look for comments about:
Staff friendliness
Waiting times
Communication with children
Clear explanation of treatments
Overall comfort during visits
Consistent positive feedback from other families is a strong indicator that a dentist values patient care.
4.Consider Location and Accessibility
Convenience plays a significant role in keeping up with regular dental appointments.
Choose a practice that is easy to reach from your home, your child’s school, or your workplace. Check public transport links or parking availability if needed. Also consider opening hours. Flexible appointments, including early mornings or evenings, can make scheduling much easier for busy families.
5. Evaluate Communication Style
Clear communication is essential, especially when children are involved.
A dentist who takes the time to explain procedures, answer questions, and reassure nervous patients can make all the difference. During your first call or consultation, notice whether staff members are patient and helpful.
A family-focused dentist will encourage questions and ensure you feel confident about treatment plans.
6. Review the Range of Services Offered
Families often benefit from a practice that provides comprehensive care under one roof.
Look for services such as:
Routine check-ups and hygiene appointments
Paediatric dentistry
Orthodontic assessments
Cosmetic treatments
Emergency care
Having access to a wide range of services means fewer referrals elsewhere and more continuity in care.
7.Ask About Preventative Care Philosophy
A dentist who prioritises prevention helps protect your family’s long-term oral health.
Ask how the practice approaches preventative dentistry. Do they provide advice on brushing techniques, diet, and fluoride treatments? Are regular hygiene appointments encouraged? Preventative care reduces the likelihood of more complex procedures in the future.
8.Understand Fees and Payment Options
Transparency around pricing is essential for families managing household budgets.
Ask about treatment costs, payment plans, and whether the practice accepts your insurance. A trustworthy dental practice will provide clear estimates before any treatment begins.
9.Visit the Practice Before Committing
If possible, arrange a visit before booking major treatment. A quick tour allows you to observe cleanliness, organisation, and the general atmosphere.
Notice how staff interact with patients. Do children appear relaxed? Is the reception area welcoming? Small details can help you decide whether the environment feels right for your family.
10.Trust Your Instincts
Finally, trust your judgement. You should feel comfortable, respected, and confident in the care your family will receive.
If you leave a consultation feeling reassured and informed, that is a strong sign you have found the right dentist. If anything feels rushed or unclear, it is perfectly acceptable to continue your search.
Choosing the right dentist for your family is about more than proximity. It is about finding a supportive, experienced team that puts your family’s comfort and health first. With careful research and thoughtful consideration, you can select a practice that helps every member of your household maintain a healthy, confident smile for years to come.
Loss rarely announces itself gently. It arrives in the middle of ordinary routines and reshapes everything in a matter of moments. The room feels different. Time slows down. Simple tasks suddenly require effort. Yet alongside the heaviness, something else begins to unfold. Without fanfare or formal agreement, people start moving closer. A quiet network forms around those who are grieving, often before they even realise they need it.
Grief can feel isolating, but community has a way of softening that isolation in subtle, steady ways. It does not always look dramatic. It often looks like someone sitting at a kitchen table longer than usual, a neighbour knocking on the door with groceries, or a friend handling a phone call that feels too overwhelming to make. These gestures are rarely grand, yet they carry enormous weight. When loss makes thinking difficult and decision-making exhausting, practical help becomes one of the most meaningful forms of care.
Presence Matters More Than Words
In the first hours and days after a death, words are often inadequate. People worry about saying the wrong thing, and silence can feel uncomfortable. Yet presence matters more than perfect language. Sitting beside someone, making tea, helping sort paperwork, or simply being available creates a sense of stability when everything feels unsteady. Community support at this stage is not about fixing pain. It is about reducing the number of things the grieving person has to carry alone.
Sharing the Responsibility
As the initial shock fades, responsibilities begin to surface. There are calls to make, arrangements to organise, relatives to inform, documents to gather. This stage can feel strangely busy, almost mechanical, as families move through tasks that feel disconnected from their emotional reality. Here, community becomes structure. People naturally step into roles without needing to be asked. One friend becomes the organiser, keeping track of dates and appointments. Another becomes the listener, answering late-night messages. Someone else takes care of meals or childcare. Responsibility spreads across many shoulders, and in doing so, it becomes lighter.
Professional guidance also plays an important role in this collective support system. During such an overwhelming time, clear direction can provide calm. Services like https://www.exithere.com/ help families understand what needs to happen and when, offering practical assistance that removes uncertainty from an already emotional process. When families are supported with clarity and care, they are free to focus on remembering and honouring their loved one rather than feeling lost in logistics.
Food as Comfort and Stability
One of the most universal expressions of community during loss is food. Across cultures and backgrounds, meals appear at the door almost instinctively. Food replaces decisions when appetite is low and energy is scarce. It brings routine back into days that feel unstructured. It gives visitors a reason to stop by briefly without demanding emotional performance. Sharing a meal allows conversation to flow naturally or sit comfortably in silence. The act of eating together becomes a quiet reassurance that life, in some form, continues.
Gathering to Create Meaning
Ceremonies and gatherings further demonstrate how communities come together during loss. A funeral or memorial is often seen as a tribute to the person who has died, but it is equally an act of collective healing for those who remain. When people gather to share stories, they weave individual memories into a shared narrative. Grief moves from private disbelief into communal acknowledgement. Each person carries a different version of the one who has passed, and when those stories are spoken aloud, they build a fuller, richer picture of a life that mattered. In that sharing, something shifts. Loss becomes not only an absence, but a legacy.
Support That Continues Quietly
What is particularly powerful is how support evolves over time. In the beginning, help is frequent and visible. As weeks turn into months, life for everyone else resumes its pace. Yet the most meaningful gestures often happen later. A message on an anniversary. A phone call when a familiar date approaches. An invitation to walk, talk, or simply sit together. Grief does not disappear when the ceremony ends. It changes shape. Community adapts alongside it, becoming less concentrated but more intentional.
Why People Show Up
Many people show up during times of loss because they recognise something deeply human within it. Supporting someone who is grieving is not just an act of kindness. It is an acknowledgement that love connects everyone, and that one day they will need others in the same way. When someone steps forward with care, they are not only helping another person; they are reinforcing the shared understanding that no one should face life’s hardest moments in isolation.
Turning Grief Into Memory
Over time, conversations gradually shift. Condolences turn into stories. Stories turn into laughter. Laughter, once unexpected, becomes a sign that memory is settling into a different space. Communities help guide this transition. By keeping the person’s name in conversation and their impact alive in shared recollection, they transform grief into connection. The person who died becomes part of the ongoing narrative of the community rather than a chapter that has closed completely.
Burton Road, Gedling 26 February – 01 March Roadworks, Delays likely next to the crossing point Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Carlton Hill, Carlton 01 March – 02 March Road closure Responsibility for works: Cornerstone Telecommunications Infrastructure
Frederick Avenue, Carlton 01 March – 02 March Road closure Responsibility for works: Cornerstone Telecommunications Infrastru
Gedling Road, Arnold 27 February – 02 March Roadworks, Delays likely Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
High Street, Arnold 26 February – 27 February Roadworks, Delays likely
Mapperley Plains, Mapperley 26 February – 27 February Roadworks, Delays likely Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Oxclose Lane, Arnold 28 February – 28 February Roadworks, Delays likely with lane closure Responsibility for works: Severn Trent Water
Cavendish Road, Carlton 26 February – 26 February Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Severn Trent Water
Churchmoor Lane, Redhill 25 February – 26 February Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Church Street, Lambley 27 February – 02 March Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Haddon Road, Ravenshead 25 February – 27 February Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Openreach Ltd
Lambley Lane, Gedling 27 February Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Severn Trent Water
Longdale Lane, Ravenshead 26 February – 27 February Roadworks, Delays possible just before the junction with The Heyes Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Nottingham Road, Ravenshead 01 March Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Openreach Ltd
Park Lane, Lambley 25 February – 02 March Roadworks, Delays possible from Grange Close to just before Lambley Road Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Ravenswood Road, Arnold 27 February – 02 March Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Sidlaw Rise, Arnold 25 February – 26 February Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Severn Trent Water
Woodthorpe Drive, Woodthorpe 27 February – 02 March Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Gedling councillors have slammed their authority’s decision to exclude a long-standing bowls club in leisure centre redevelopment plans and called for a pause on decisions.
The group of Conservative councillors have called on Labour-run Gedling Borough Council to reconsider keeping the club in plans by ensuring the decision is re-assessed by a committee.
Gedling Borough Council has plans in the pipeline to build a brand-new ‘Carlton Active’ leisure centre on the site of the existing Richard Herrod Centre in Carlton.
This project will involve demolishing and replacing the Richard Herrod Centre and Carlton Forum Centre with the new, singular facility – but it will come at more than one cost.
Last Thursday (19), the council’s cabinet re-confirmed its stance that Gedling Indoor Bowls Club, based at the Richard Herrod Centre, would not be included in the Carlton Active scheme due “significant” design and money risks – leaving the club’s future vulnerable and members ‘angry and distressed’.
PICTURED: Members outside Gedling Borough Council’s head office (PHOTO: LDRS)
Gedling Indoor Bowls opened in 1987 and has around 320 members aged between 25 and 92, running 2,200 sessions each month, including for bowlers with disabilities. Members have been protesting for months to safeguard its future.
The authority said it would be continuing its offer of “non-financial” support to the club to help it look for relocation options.
Now, a group of authority’s Conservative councillors – Cllr Mike Adams, Cllr Martin Smith and Cllr Sam Smith – have triggered a “call-in” on the council’s decision to exclude the club from plans, meaning the decision is expected to further examined by its Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
Cllr Sam Smith said: “It’s an absolute disgrace the council has decided to close one of the only indoor bowling greens in the county on what seems to me is done on the back of a flawed process.
“There is a petition signed by hundreds of people [to reinstate the club in plans] that just seems to have been totally ignored by the cabinet – we’re asking for that to be reviewed and taken into account.”
Cllr Smith said the incoming reorganisation and merging of Nottinghamshire councils – meaning the borough council will not exist as it is in future – is another issue to consider.
He said: “Gedling is at a high risk of [merging with] Nottingham city. You’ve got the council who are about to spend millions of pounds building a new leisure centre that they’re going to hand the keys to the new authority for.”
In a statement announcing the ‘call-in’, Cllr Mike Adams said: “Residents engaged in good faith with this process, yet the strength of feeling from the community does not appear to have been properly recognised in the final decision – that is deeply concerning and warrants full scrutiny.”
Cllr Martin Smith said the club was “a lifeline, not a luxury” for many residents, with the Conservative councillors calling for the implementation of the council’s decision to be paused while the situation is re-examined.
Responding to the efforts to pause the council’s decision, Jenny Higgins, a director at the bowls club, told the LDRS it “welcomes” the step.
She said: “Indoor bowls is not a -‘nice to have’ – it is a lifeline.
“The depth of support shown is matched only by the depth of feeling in the community to save this much-needed and deeply loved sport, and to stop the displacement of the member and community bowlers without sufficient mitigation.
“This decision must now be paused and properly scrutinised. Anything less would ignore the people whose lives and wellbeing depend on this facility.”
Ian Summerscales, a fellow director at the club, told the LDRS it had been a “tough few days” for the club since the council’s decision but thanked the councillors who are showing their support.
He said: “The level of support we have received has at times felt overwhelming, but it shows the depth of feeling among not only club members but the wider community.”
Speaking at Thursday’s meeting, Councillor Henry Wheeler (Lab), portfolio holder for lifestyles, health and wellbeing, called the club “part of the fabric” of the community but reiterated the council’s financial risk.
He added: “The equality impact assessment recognises the importance of provision for older residents and those with conditions.
“Carlton Active responds with a fully accessible design and a dedicated exercise suite which uses power-assisted equipment, designed to support all adults, those with long-term health conditions, those undergoing rehabilitation.
“[The club’s] lease comes to a scheduled end on the 30th April, 2026, which has been known to the club for some time – this is not sudden or premature termination, it is not an eviction, it is a natural point of transition.”
Council leader, John Clarke (Lab), spoke of applying pressure, including to Nottinghamshire County Council, to find the bowls club a new home saying “we owe the bowls club”.
Two petitions have been set up since September to protect the club’s future, with one having more than 1,000 signatures.
Earlier council documents said both existing leisure centres faced more than £2 million in backlog works and require a yearly subsidy of around £545,000. The new wider project is currently estimated to cost just under £30 million.
A former Arnold care home is set to be demolished to make way for new supported living and affordable homes.
The former Leivers Court Care Home, based at the end of Douro Drive in Killisick, has been vacant and boarded up since 2019, despite a petition attracting hundreds of signatures for it to stay open.
Nottingham Community Housing Association applied to Gedling Borough Council back in 2024 to bulldoze the site to make way for 30 new homes, split between supported living and affordable family homes.
The plans went through the council’s planning committee in February 2025 where they were approved, although it wasn’t until Friday, February 20 they were given the final seal of approval.
The empty care home can now be knocked down to make way for 22 one-bedroom apartments in a three-storey block, designed as supported living homes for young people.
The block will have a private, secure courtyard garden area, along with a staff office and communal area.
Separate to the supported living apartments, eight affordable rent family homes will be built on the site, including six two-bed properties and two three-beds.
Plans say the scheme will be managed by Nottingham Community Housing Association and will “contribute towards the demand for much-needed affordable housing in the East Midlands”.
The revamped space will use the existing access off Douro Drive and a new shared access road will be made.
Only eight parking spaces will be provided for the supported living apartments, mainly to be used by support staff and visitors, as plans say the residents are not expected to own cars.
For the family homes, 16 spaces will be provided along with three spots for visitors.
