Former Gedling MP and Labour peer Vernon Coaker led a successful resistance against a Government Bill intent on cracking down on disruptive protests.
The Public Order Bill, which is at a draft stage, was stopped in its tracks in the House of Lords on Monday, January 30.
Lord Coaker (Lab), who became a peer in March 2021, led an amendment to alter the Government’s proposal to lower the threshold for the definition of ‘serious disruption’.
Peers voted 243 to 221 in favour of a higher threshold before the authorities may intervene in a protest, particularly ridding the legislation of the phrase “or is capable of causing serious disruption”.
Lord Coaker argued such a fact “should trouble us all”, and said: “Goodness me, many of us, noble Lords in this Chamber and others watching these proceedings, would have been arrested or would have fallen foul of the law under these provisions.”
However Home Office minister Lord Sharpe (Con) said the Bill is simply aiming to prevent hindrance to the British public.
Similarly another section of the Bill, which sought to stop protesting about a topic in current debate being used as a defence, was also rejected by 244 votes to 221.
The defeat comes as teachers across Nottinghamshire and beyond tok part in strike action on Wednesday, February 1, the latest in a flurry of strikes from public sector workers.
Speaking in the Lords, Lord Coaker said: “It is my contention, and that of my party and others from other parties across the House, that the Bill has gone too far.
“There is a risk of the police, in my view and that of others, being given lots of new powers that, instead of providing clarity, will end up undermining and clamping down on peaceful and legitimate protests.”
He added: “I want us all to consider that when we decide how we should vote on these matters. In other words, on some of the specifics around these amendments, we have to remember that an offence does not even have to happen; it just has to be capable of happening, and that should trouble us all.”
Responding Lord Sharpe of Epsom, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Office, said: “The debate is not about whether these measures ban protests: quite simply, they do not, and I thank the noble Lord, Lord Coaker, for his comments emphasising that fact.
“We are trying to ascertain the point to which protesters can disrupt the lives of the general public.
“This Government’s position is clear: we are on the side of the public.
“The Government want to protect the rights of the public to go about their daily lives without let or hindrance. I do not believe that his amendment supports this aim; therefore, I cannot support it.”
Here’s our latest round-up of latest events taking place from Friday 3 February to Thursday 9 February across the borough.
Friday, February 3
Arron Jones – Woodborough Hall, Woodborough
The smash hit magic show comes to Woodborough Hall. Debuting at the Edinburgh Fringe 2022 The 1 Hour Straightjacket Escape Magic Show sees devilishly handsome magician Arron Jones trapped in a straightjacket, performing an entire magic show with his hands literally tied behind his back!
Nottingham Organ Society : Robert Davies – Bonington Theatre, Arnold, 7.30pm
Popular organist Robert Davies will play a new and varied concert programme featuring music from great musicals, light classics, ballads and stirring marches, along with music from the 60’s and 70’s. An eclectic collection from Bach to the present day.
Bachata Tuesday – The Punchbowl, Mapperley, 7.30pm & 8.30pm
Learn to dance Bachata (Moderna & Sensual Style) with Professional Salsa & Bachata Dancer, Performer & Renowned Choreographer – Bruno from Salsa Passion UK
Maire Ni Chathasaigh & Chris Newman – The Bonington Theatre, 7.30pm
In a class of their own, ‘one of the UK’s most staggering and influential acoustic guitarists’ (Roots Magazine) in concert with the ‘doyenne of Irish harpers’ (Scotland On Sunday) take to the stage with a spellbinding treat for the audience.
Two absolute icons of UK music have been announced as headliners for the 15th birthday edition of Splendour.
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and Madness are a couple of the biggest acts to ever headline the East Midlands’ signature weekend summer music festival taking place on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 July.
Joining the headliners in Nottingham’s Wollaton Park will be The Kooks, Rudimental, Sugababes, Sam Ryder, Confidence Man and Altered Images, with further acts to be added across all five stages for the epic weekender. Tickets go on sale 10am Friday 3 February.
Performing at the festival on Sunday 23 July, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds first emerged in 2011 with their eponymous album released in October that year. The album went double platinum in the UK, platinum in Ireland and has sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide. Following 3 UK Number 1 studio albums, June 2021 saw the release of ‘Back The Way We Came: Vol 1 (2011-2021)’ – a diverse Best Of album marking a decade of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. This Gold certified album was the 12th UK Number 1 album across Noel’s career.
This show is part of an extended run of open air summer shows that will follow the release of Gallagher’s much anticipated new album ‘Council Skies’ released on 2nd June. The album features recently released ‘Pretty Boy’ and the brand new single ‘Easy Now’.
Noel’s continued success with the High Flying Birds cements his position as one of the most gifted, successful and enduring songwriters to come out of the British music scene in the last 50 years.
Madness is one of the most prominent bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s two-tone revival, known for their “nutty sound,” blending ska rhythms with catchy melodies and a showman’s sense of humour. During the 80s, the band’s songs spent a total of 214 weeks on the UK Singles Charts, with 15 tracks reaching the UK Top Ten, making them one of the most popular bands in Britain at the time.
Ever since their 2009 Splendour headliner slot, Madness has been a fan favourite and the most requested act by the festival crowd. With their superlative back catalogue including ‘Baggy Trousers’, ‘House of Fun’, ‘One Step Beyond’ and ‘Our House’, they are a dead cert to get the crowd jumping along to their two-tone beat.
Anton Lockwood, Director of Live at DHP Family, which organises Splendour, says: “We’re absolutely over the moon to have secured two bona fide music legends for the Splendour weekend. Madness has been one of the most requested acts of the Splendour audience time and time again, and Noel and his band have been on our wish list for years.
“Following the success of last year’s debut two-day music festival, it was obvious that there was an appetite for a full weekend of Splendour. Once again, people can expect a fantastic mix of rising stars, Splendour debutantes and well-established heavy hitters. We have more up our sleeves and will be revealing the full line-up in the coming months. Get ready for a spectacular 15th birthday Splendour!”
Indie rock band The Kooks broke into the musical mainstream with their debut album ‘Inside In/Inside Out’ (2006), which went on to achieve quadruple platinum status in the UK within a year, overseas in the form of a platinum certification in Australia and two times platinum in Ireland. Almost two decades since forming, The Kooks continue to experience career highs and are sure to have everyone singing along to hits such as ‘She Moves in Her Own Way’ and ‘Naive’.
PICTURED: Fundamental will be playing at this year’s Splendour festival
Rudimental is one of the UK’s most successful dance acts of the last decade. Multiple chart entries, two number one albums, three number one singles, five billion streams, four albums, world tours, platinum-selling singles plus a plethora of awards have cemented their position as trailblazers with a formidable reputation for producing hit records.
Sugababes will also be making their Splendour debut. The pop superstars are one of the most successful British girl bands of the 21st century with six number one singles including the perfect pop tracks ‘Round Round’, ‘Freak Like Me’ and ‘Push The Button’, millions of global sales and several multi-platinum albums. Fast forward two decades, the original line-up of Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhan Donaghy are back in full force and becoming the talk of the summer festival scene.
Sam Ryder has quickly become a household name after his Eurovision success. Following his incredible run with ‘Space Man’ and the Eurovision Song Contest, bagging the highest charting UK Eurovision entry in 26 years, his single is one of the biggest selling singles of 2022. Ryder is also nominated for Best New Artist at the 2023 Brit Awards, becoming the first Eurovision act to be selected in this category.
Indie electro pop act Confidence Man will fire up the party vibes. The Brisbane band is unarguably one of the hottest acts on the planet right now, with their performances custom designed to make the crowd dance and lose their cool. Formed in 2016, they have already played at some of the biggest festivals in the world.
Scottish post-punk band Altered Images quickly found success in the early 80s, achieving worldwide fame selling millions of records, which topped the charts in several countries. They recorded three Top 10 Albums and had six UK Top 40 hits, including ‘Happy Birthday’, ‘I Could Be Happy’, and ‘Don’t Talk to Me About Love’. Singer Clare Grogan will also be familiar to many from the Scottish coming of age film, Gregory’s Girl.
In response to the cost-of-living crisis, new for this year is the introduction of a payment plan ticket option, offering ticket buyers a flexible option to split the cost of their ticket into more manageable monthly instalments between now and the event in July.
George Akins, MD, DHP Family, says: “Now in its 15th year, Splendour has become a firm fixture in the summer for the East Midlands, with thousands attending year after year for an epic weekend with friends and family. The introduction of a flexible payment plan makes it easier for ticket holders to spread the cost over several months, something we hope will help during the cost-of-living crisis. Everybody should have the opportunity to have a great time and enjoy live music.”
To make sure families from across the East Midlands can enjoy Splendour together, a new 11-17-year-old youth ticket has also been introduced, while children aged 10 and under can attend for free with an accompanying adult. Keen festival fans can also act fast to get their hands on an exclusive Early Bird Weekend ticket on sale from 10am on Friday morning.
Splendour has been held in the picturesque parkland at Wollaton Park in Nottinghamshire since its first outing in 2008. Each year, an eclectic mix of rising national acts, global icons and local favourites, as well as fringe performers and laugh-out-loud comedians, take to the five stages to perform in front of thousands.
The Confetti Stage at Splendour is in partnership with Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies, a leading provider of creative industry education. This year marks the tenth festival working together. Craig Chettle MBE, Chief Executive Confetti, says:
“We’re over the moon to once again be supporting Splendour, and in its 15th year no less. For a decade now, hundreds of staff and students from Confetti and Notts TV have worked alongside professional crews to produce, stage and film Nottingham’s biggest and best outdoor festival. From the aspiring Confetti artists who join the line-up, to the talented students working behind the scenes, it’s a highlight of our year. We’re proud to be part of this important milestone for Splendour and the city of Nottingham. Get ready for another weekend of superb family entertainment.”
Cllr Pavlos Kotsonis, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Planning at Nottingham City Council, said: “It’s great that Splendour is returning to Nottingham this July for its 15th year, following the huge success of last year. We are proud that Wollaton Park will once again host Nottinghamshire’s leading music festival for two days, giving local artists and musicians the chance to perform alongside internationally renowned acts. This year’s line-up looks set to be one of the best yet.”
Tickets for Splendour Festival 2023 go on sale at 10am on Friday 3 February, with an exclusive early bird price for weekend tickets priced at £92 for adults. City residents weekend tickets are priced at £82.80. Accompanied children aged 10 and under go FREE. Day tickets are also available, along with VIP tickets. Head tosplendourfestival.com.
Some of the famous Red Arrows will be taking flight again tomorrow (1) as part of their busy training schedule.
Residents in Burton Joyce, Calverton and Woodborough might see them as the skies above are within the training airspace they use around RAF Syerston, near Newark, to practise their routines.
The team’s Syncro Pair will be out training tomorrow in the skies above Nottinghamshire so there’s a chance you could spot them.
They will be training between 8.15am and 9.15am and then again between 12pm-12.45pm
The team will again be out training a week later on Wednesday, February 8 at the same times.
When do the Red Arrows Train?
Typically, winter training starts in October, with small groups of three or four aircraft formations. Each pilot flies three sorties a day, five days a week, and the formations grow in aircraft number as training progresses.
These flights involve a thorough brief, debrief and discussion to ensure safety is paramount and the formations are precise. One complete cycle consisting of these elements lasts about two hours, usually with a 30-minute flight.
Winter training lasts until mid-March or early-April, when the team usually moves overseas to a location with more predictable, settled weather to maximise flying hours and perfect the display. This is known as Exercise Springhawk.
During Springhawk the team is assessed by senior Royal Air Force officers, with the aim of gaining Public Display Authority. If this is awarded, the team’s pilots change from green coveralls into their famous red flying suits and the ground crew are allowed to wear their royal blue display coveralls.
The season then officially begins and public performances by the Red Arrows are permitted.
Children from three local primary schools have shared what they love about Arnold as part of a new building site hoarding on Rolleston Drive.
The designs for the hoarding were created as part of an art competition, run by ilke Homes and housing provider Jigsaw Homes Midlands, for Year 4 pupils from Arnold View Primary School, Coppice Farm Primary and Robert Mellors Primary Academy.
The hoarding sits at the entrance to the new Birch Fields development which will have 131 new affordable homes, manufactured offsite by modular housing pioneer ilke Homes, on behalf of Jigsaw, which will own and manage the homes.
PICTURED: An artist’s impression of the new homes on Rolleston Drive
The children were asked to draw or paint what they loved about living in Arnold, and five winners from each school were chosen for their bright, colourful designs featuring parks, their school, the library, and sports clubs. They each received a book voucher as a prize.
The winners were also invited along to see the unveiling of the hoarding and their drawings in full colour as well as see the progress of the development, which will have a mix of two, three and four-bedroom homes.
Pupils had previously been given a presentation from representatives from Jigsaw and ilke Homes explaining the process of manufacturing homes and how they are brought onto site, as well as some of the careers involved and staying safe on site.
A total of 46 homes will be available through shared ownership from Snugg Homes, part of Jigsaw Homes Group. The remaining 85 for affordable rent will be managed by Jigsaw Homes Midlands and allocated to local people.
Donna Quarless-McGee, head teacher at Coppice Farm Primary School said: The children have thoroughly enjoyed creating posters and celebrating their home town. They loved the workshop led by the ilke/Jigsaw team and were fascinated by the building process of the new homes. It’s been a wonderful opportunity for our school to be part of a very exciting new development.”
Lynsey Holley-Matthews, Senior Marketing Manager at ilke Homes said: “A huge well done to all the children for producing such fantastic drawings that really show the joy and pride they have about living in Arnold, and how important their community is to them. We hope that this art project has given them an interest in construction and development and that it inspires them for the future.”
Joanne Bonnington, Assistant Director of Development at Jigsaw Homes Groupadded: “It’s wonderful to see such creativity from the children and it’s great that they are able to follow the development’s progression from a plot of disused land to new homes to be enjoyed by generations to come.”
Misconduct hearings have led to dismissals for 32 former or serving Nottinghamshire Police officers in the last two years.
The force says most were for “honesty and integrity matters”, adding the dismissals show it takes incidents seriously.
Twelve dismissal sanctions were issued after misconduct hearings in the most recent recorded year – between April 1, 2021, and March 31, 2022.
A further 20 dismissals were issued in the previous 12-month period.
It follows an inspection of all constabularies in the country examining their approaches to vetting, misconduct and misogyny policies.
The inspections came in response to widespread concern over vetting and police conduct in the wake of the conviction of Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens’ for the murder of Sarah Everard.
Couzens, who was off-duty at the time, posed as an on-duty officer enforcing lockdown rules before kidnapping, raping and strangling Ms Everard in March 2021 and burning her body.
Serial rapist David Carrick – also a serving officer on the same force – was convicted earlier this month after 48 separate rapes over 17 years.
Both officers had passed police vetting processes despite concerns about their previous behaviour.
The national inspection, conducted by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), assessed all forces on their vetting and misconduct processes.
Forty-three recommendations for improvements were found, with 28 issued directly to chief constables.
They aimed to introduce more pre-employment checks on all new officers entering the police.
National police organisations were also asked to improve processes for vetting and corruption and improve the quality and consistency of vetting.
Other recommendations aimed to improve the understanding of misogynistic and predatory behaviour relating to policing, the way police collect intelligence and investigate misconduct.
A visit was made to Nottinghamshire Police in March last year and the force was rated as ‘good’.
It found 24 of the 28 recommendations were already existing practice at the force, including teams working together when adverse information about a candidate is found.
The inspection found decisions on vetting were met with “detailed written rationale”, while professional standards and intelligence were properly logged.
One area for improvement was found, relating to analysing vetting decision data for “disproportionality”.
Inspectors found there was no “meaningful analysis” on vetting for applicants with protected characteristics.
However, the force’s vetting unit will transfer to a new system next month, which has a mandatory field for this issue to “allow for effective analysis moving forward”.
The force has since welcomed the inspection result and says despite the ‘good’ grading, it is “not complacent”.
Deputy Chief Constable Steve Cooper said: “Nottinghamshire Police take every complaint against the force and our staff extremely seriously.
“It was reassuring that the inspectorate rated us as ‘good’, with only one area for improvement, which we have now addressed.
“That said, we are not complacent and will continually look to improve the service we offer.
“The force regularly rejects applicants and dismisses those staff who badly let down the public and their colleagues.
“From April 1, 2021, to March 2022, the force dismissed 12 police officers following misconduct hearings.
“The majority are for honesty and integrity matters. This shows how seriously we take any incidents that affect our reputation.
“The public can have trust and confidence in the processes and procedures we have in force, to ensure that our officers and staff meet the high standards expected of them.
“When a member of the public calls the police they want that trust, confidence, reassurance, and professionalism immediately and that is what we will deliver.”
DCC Cooper adds the force has volunteered to be a pilot organisation in implementing recommendations around vetting practices.
The inspection will be discussed by councillors on the Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Panel on February 7.
A union leader says Firefighters in Nottinghamshire will join strikes if a pay resolution isn’t found with the Government – but crews would still respond to major incidents if the action goes ahead.
The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) confirmed national plans for industrial action this week after rejecting a five per cent pay award from ministers.
More than 80 per cent of FBU members voted in favour of the walk-out but no strike dates have yet been announced.
IMAGE: Deposit Photos
The union will meet with fire service employers – the brigades and rescue services in England – on February 8 before any announcements are made.
The FBU says it hopes to receive a revised pay offer by this date, with the East Midlands branch secretary hoping it will be “something close to inflation”.
The union says its members have experienced a 12 per cent drop in real terms earnings since 2010.
In the same period, the FBU says about one in five firefighter jobs have been cut nationally.
The vote on Monday (January 30) came after firefighters were initially offered a two per cent increase.
This raise, which the East Midlands FBU says had “angered our members”, was later increased to five per cent before being rejected again.
Of the 73 per cent of FBU members who voted in the ballot, 88 per cent of staff voted to take action.
But Mark Stilwell, regional chair of the East Midlands FBU, says the union hopes a walk-out will not be necessary.
He said: “We definitely don’t want to strike.
“We’ve given employers loads of time to negotiate. We’ve extended our time and given them another week for this meeting on February 8.
“Our plan is to give them as much time as possible to come up with a solution before we have to take any industrial action.
“We need to get an offer that is acceptable to the membership. I can’t put a figure on it but it has to be something close to inflation.
“The resounding ballot and a mandate from membership mean we’re in a strong position.”
He admitted a walk-out “would cause disruption” but said the FBU has agreed firefighters would return from picket lines to respond to major incidents.
“There’s always going to be disruption but this will be minimised,” he added.
“However, we don’t want it to get to that point.”
If firefighters do go on strike, it will be the first time they had walked out over pay since 2003.
A separate strike, in 2014, was held following disputes over the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme.
Trainee firefighters in Nottinghamshire currently earn £24,191 upon starting the role, rising to £32,244 when fully qualified.
Crew manager salaries are capped at £35,747, while watch managers and crew managers earn a maximum of £39,974 and £45,861 respectively.
The union expects further details on the industrial action to be provided following the meeting next week.
However, the Government has urged firefighters not to walk out.
“I think strike action would be disappointing and concerning for the public,” the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson said on Monday.
“We will continue to work with that union to see what we can do to mitigate against the possible risks that that poses – and in the first instance call on them to reconsider and keep negotiating.”
Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service has been approached for a comment.
Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service is now taking applications for on-call firefighters at its Carlton station.
If you live or work near to the station, then this could be your new role.
Station Manager Simon Glew said “on-call firefighters are a vital part of Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service. They provide an efficient, effective service that gives emergency cover across the county, trained to the same standard as our full-time colleagues.
On-call firefighters are needed at Carlton Fire Station (PHOTO: Gedling Eye)
“In Nottinghamshire, on-call firefighters make up 38% of our operational firefighters and are generally located in rural communities, small towns, and villages.
“I’d encourage anyone to apply, even if you’ve never considered a job as a firefighter. Our on-call firefighters get a huge sense of belonging and local recognition, not only from attending incidents but also from the community outreach work.”
As part of the Service’s recruitment drive, there are several webinars and ‘Have a Go Days’ throughout the month of February. Sign up to these via Eventbrite.
A ‘Have a Go’ Day is planned at Carlton Station on February 8 between 9-1pm
Cat hit-and-runs could soon be a thing of the past if a new law is introduced, says the UK’s leading road safety charity.
Motorists that run over a cat on Britain’s roads would have to stop, report the incident to the police and seek help from a vet, if the new law is passed.
Drivers are only required to report collisions involving animals such as dogs, horses, pigs and sheep under the current Road Traffic Act (1988).
Cats are not protected under the same regulations, and collisions do not need to be reported.
IAM RoadSmart supports parity of treatment for cats, by ensuring that they are also recognised under legislation.
Their plea comes in the wake of MPs also speaking in support of the appeal at a Petitions Committee debate on January 9, which was prompted after an e-petition amassed 102,436 signatures.
During the debate, transport minister Richard Holden acknowledged the “heartbreak caused by the loss of pets”.
The charity, Cats Protection, estimates that there are 11 million owned cats in the UK, with just over one in four households (26 per cent) owning a cat.
But tragically, a 2022 UK Parliament motion heard that approximately 230,000 cats are hit by cars every year, averaging 630 every day.
The research, conducted by insurers PetPlan, also claimed that kittens are most at risk, with half of all cats hit by vehicles being aged between seven months and two years.
Neil Greig, Director of Policy and Research at IAM RoadSmart, said: “Drivers are required by law to stop and report incidents where they have hit a dog, and we have witnessed cars either drive slow and with extreme caution, or stop, when a dog has run loose into the road.”
“However, the same level of care is rarely observed when a cat runs out – perhaps because the driver knows that, legally, they do not have to stop.”
“But if a law requiring drivers to stop if they hit a cat were to be brought in, we believe it could strengthen driver vigilance and responsibility overall – meaning the benefits of the legislation will stretch far beyond the protection of cats.”
Mandy Hobbis, Co-Founder of Cats Matter, the feline road traffic accident group, added:
“Updating this law simply boils down to minimising suffering and saving cats’ lives.”
Thankfully, many drivers already do the right thing and stop their vehicle to tend to a cat they have run over, regardless of the legislation being in place.
However, there are also drivers who sadly need the threat of punishment to act in such circumstances.
“It simply can’t be right that drivers can hit a cat and legally leave them alone, scared, or worse, left to die. Like dogs, cats are loved members of the family for millions of households up and down the country, so we see no reason why sad instances of the nation’s beloved cats being run over on the road should not be treated in the same way.”
