Iceland has announced it is to cut prices for over-60s to help with soaring food prices amid the cost-of-living crisis and rising inflation.
The Grocery Gazette has revealed that the supermarket chain – which has stores in Arnold and Carlton – will be cutting prices for shoppers aged 60 and above.
The discount will only be available on Tuesdays and will allow shoppers to take 10% off whatever they spend.
Launching on Tuesday, May 24, shoppers looking to take advantage of the discount will be able to claim the offer in-store at branches of Iceland and The Food Warehouse by showing a proof of age.
There is no minimum spend and the discount applies across all products and ranges.
The retailer said it decided to launch the offer following the news that Age UK recently revealed that three-quarters of older people in the UK (9.4 million) are worried about the effects of the rising cost of living.
The charity also revealed that two million older households will have insufficient income to cover their essential spending this year, with almost half of these living in poverty or just above the poverty line.
“We have a long history of supporting our over 60s customers, such as when we launched ‘Elderly Hour’ at the height of the pandemic,” said Iceland’s managing director Richard Walker.
“The cost of living crisis has made support for these customers even more important, which is why I’m proud that we’re finding new ways to support them, including the launch of this discount. We hope it will help all those in this age category to cut costs where they can.”
A Gedling councillor first elected almost 50 years ago has become the borough’s ceremonial mayor for the coming year.
Councillor Peter Barnes (Lab), who represents Daybrook, has been a member of the council since 1974 and was voted in to chair the authority’s full council meetings during the annual general meeting on Wednesday (May 18).
The councillor, who has previously held the mayoral position, has also been chairman of Nottinghamshire County Council when he represented Arnold South on the authority.
The position is largely ceremonial, with Cllr Barnes to run the full council meetings and also attend civic events on behalf of the authority.
He will also raise money for a charity of his choosing while holding the position until May next year.
Speaking after his election on Wednesday, he described the position as an “honour”.
He added: “I’ve been on this council since 1974 and has been a fantastic few years on Gedling Borough Council.
“We’ve got the best record in Nottinghamshire in looking after the people of this borough, and we should all, as members of this council, be very pleased on what we’ve achieved.
“We have achieved so much. It has been tremendous, we’ve also got a very good record looking after people from a disadvantaged point of view and from different nationalities.
“That’s one of our greatest achievements. We’re an international council, we believe in people wherever they come from and we respect their ability to do well – I welcome that.
“Thank you very much for giving me this job.”
Cllr Michael Payne (Lab), deputy leader of the council, proposed Cllr Barnes for the role and described his service as a “real inspiration”.
Cllr Payne, who was recently selected as Labour’s parliamentary candidate for the next general election, said: “It gives me real pleasure to propose Cllr Peter Barnes to be elected as mayor for the ensuing year.
“He is two things – one of my closest friends on the council and one of the reasons I was elected into public office.
“He’s a real inspiration and has given almost half a century’s service to the residents and communities here in Gedling borough.
“I think there is no finer office to hold to top off, almost, this half a century than the office as the first citizen of our borough.”
Royal Mail is set to hike prices and slash costs in a bid to offset soaring inflation – despite posting a rise in annual earnings.
The group cautioned over “significant headwinds” as it faces higher wage demands, surging energy and fuel costs.
It is cutting costs by more than £350 million to help mitigate the hit, but said it would also have to look at prices.
The group has already increased the cost of posting letters by an average of around 7%, and parcel prices by an average of about 4%.
The increases took the cost of a first-class stamp to 95p and a second-class stamp to 68p.
It came as the group reported an 8% rise in underlying operating profits to £758 million for the year to the end of March.
But it sees numerous threats from rising costs ahead, including the failure to agree a pay deal with the Communication Workers Union (CWU) which is opposing measures the company wants to implement as part of its transformation programme towards a parcel-focused business.
The union said it was seeking a “no strings attached pay rise” for Royal Mail staff on the grounds the company could afford it after posting adjusted operating profits of £758m for the year to 27 March.
Simon Thompson, chief executive of Royal Mail, said: “As we emerge from the pandemic, the need to accelerate the transformation of our business, particularly in delivery, has become more urgent.
“Our future is as a parcels business, so we need to adapt old ways of working designed for letters and do it much more quickly to a world increasingly dominated by parcels.”
He added: “Our focus now is to work at pace with our people and our trade unions to reinvent this British icon for the next generations, so that we can give our customers what they want, grow our business sustainably and deliver long-term job security for our great team.
A tanning salon in Stoke Bardolph and plans for five new dwellings are amongst the many applications submitted to Gedling Borough Council in the last week.
Here is a round-up of the latest plans that the council’s planning officers will now decide on.
Arnold
Discharge of condition 3 of planning permission 2020/0645 Ramper Covert Wood Mansfield Road Arnold Nottinghamshire Ref. No: 2022/0535DOC
Proposed side single storey flat roof bedroom extension 2 Pinewood Avenue Arnold Nottinghamshire NG5 8BU Ref. No: 2022/0520
Erection of double storey rear extension, extending 4m from the original wall and single storey side extension. 6 Kirkley Gardens Arnold Nottinghamshire NG5 7GF Ref. No: 2022/0503
Erection of double storey rear extension, extending 4m from the original wall and single storey side extension. 6 Kirkley Gardens Arnold Nottinghamshire NG5 7GF Ref. No: 2022/0503
Single storey rear extension 33 Jenned Road Arnold Nottingham Nottinghamshire NG5 8FT Ref. No: 2022/0449
Bestwood
No planning applications this week
Burton Joyce
Alteration to garage of plot R3 (NMA to application 2020/0475) Land At Glebe Farm Glebe Drive Burton Joyce Nottinghamshire Ref. No: 2022/0557NMA
Garden room, loggia and replacement balustrade 44 Lambley Lane Burton Joyce Nottinghamshire NG14 5BG Ref. No: 2022/0523
Demolish existing outbuilding and construct storey side and rear extension 188 Nottingham Road Burton Joyce Nottinghamshire NG14 5BD Ref. No: 2022/0521
Alterations to conservatory; applying render to existing elevations and construction of a single storey rear extension 20 Hillcrest Gardens Burton Joyce Nottinghamshire NG14 5DE Ref. No: 2022/0451
Calverton
Single storey front extension 4 Jumelles Drive Calverton Nottinghamshire NG14 6QD Ref. No: 2022/0495
Carlton
Approval of details reserved by condition 3 (materials) of planning permission 2019/1031 Site Of The Earl Of Chesterfield Carlton Hill Carlton Nottinghamshire NG4 1BG Ref. No: 2022/0550DOC
Proposed 5 new dwellings, parking and landscaping on the land to the rear of Nos. 31-37 Gardenia Grove. Widening of the existing access/creation of a new entrance from Gardenia Grove @ 35 Gardenia Grove, Mapperley, Nottingham, NG3 6HY. 34 Gardenia Grove Carlton Nottinghamshire NG3 6HZ Ref. No: 2022/0545
Proposal to install 2x Teko Booster Compressor Pack within secure store and New 2x Kelvion 4 Fan Gas Cooler with 1.1 m High Armco Barrier around Tesco Stores Ltd 2 Carlton Hill Carlton Nottinghamshire NG4 1EB Ref. No: 2022/0494
Approval of details reserved by conditions 6 (EV charging points), 13 (levels), 14 (bat and bird boxes) and 15 (boundary treatments) of planning permission 2021/1080 Land South Of Colwick Loop Road Road No 3 Colwick Nottinghamshire Ref. No: 2022/0546DOC
Approval of details reserved by condition 7 (CEMP) of planning permission 2021/1080 Land South Of Colwick Loop Road Road No 3 Colwick Nottinghamshire Ref. No: 2022/0497DOC
Proposed office extension Goodman Metal Works Road No 7 Colwick Nottinghamshire NG4 2JW Ref. No: 2022/0476
Gedling
Alteration to rear fence line and height of plots 1, 3-22 (NMA to permission 2021/0694) Land To The South Burton Road Gedling Nottinghamshire Ref. No: 2022/0558NMA
Relocation of 1.8 metre high close boarded timber boundary fence 9 Corbett Chase Gedling Nottinghamshire NG4 4LU Ref. No: 2022/0467
Proposed rear 2 story extension with twin pitched roofs over. 52 Westdale Lane East Gedling Nottinghamshire NG4 3NA Ref. No: 2022/0469
Approval of details reserved by condition 3 (hard and soft landscaping) of planning permission 2020/1255 Land At Chase Farm (Former Gedling Colliery), Adjacent To Arnold Lane And Land Off Lambley Lane Gedling Nottinghamshire Ref. No: 2022/0337DOC
Lambley
Variations of conditions 1 and 5 attached to planning permission 2020/0767 (relating to the hours of operation of the business). 19 Church Street Lambley Nottinghamshire NG4 4QB Ref. No: 2021/0761
Single storey side and rear extension. 35 Newstead Avenue Mapperley Nottinghamshire NG3 6GB Ref. No: 2022/0524
Proposed single-storey front, side & rear and two-storey side extensions 36 Plains Road Mapperley Nottinghamshire NG3 5LE Ref. No: 2022/0517
Netherfield
Addition of door to unit 4. Land Off Teal Close Netherfield Nottinghamshire Ref. No: 2022/0534NMA
Newstead
No planning applications this week
Ravenshead
Extension at rear of house. 71 Nottingham Road Ravenshead Nottingham Nottinghamshire NG15 9HG Ref. No: 2022/0561
Redhill
No planning applications this week
Stoke Bardolph
Application for the use of unit 4 as a Tanning Salon (Sui generis) Unit 4 Teal Park Local Centre Magenta Way Stoke Bardolph Nottinghamshire Ref. No: 2022/0502
Woodborough
Removal of Lime Tree (10) Replanting of 12 trees to create a positive carbon offset The Farm House Bank Hill Farm Bank Hill Woodborough Nottinghamshire NG14 6EF Ref. No: 2022/0547TPO
Variation of condition 2 (approved plans) attached to planning permission 2019/0790 for the demolition of existing dwelling and construction of replacement dwelling 10 Bank Hill Woodborough Nottingham Nottinghamshire NG14 6EF Ref. No: 2022/0530
Woodthorpe
First floor side extension and single storey rear extension 29 Grouville Drive Woodthorpe Nottinghamshire NG5 4NN Ref. No: 2022/0519
Extend the garden out on to the garage roof and erection of fencing. 40 Breck Hill Road Woodthorpe NG5 4GQ Ref. No: 2022/0346
A dangerous driver who crashed into parked car as he attempted to flee from police in Daybrook has been jailed.
Alan Jackson, aged 44, was spotted driving with suspected cloned numberplates and was followed by officers on routine patrol.
As Jackson continued along the A60 towards Nottingham, the Ford Fiesta he was driving was successfully targeted by a police Stinger device.
Undeterred by his punctured tires, Jackson attempted to flee from the pursuing officers – driving on the wrong side of the road as he passed through red traffic lights.
He was eventually boxed in by two police cars – but not before colliding with a parked car in Daybrook. Thankfully nobody was injured.
Jackson gave a false name to officers when he was arrested on the evening of Saturday October 2, 2021.
He then tried to shift the blame to his female passenger, falsely claiming she was driving at the time of the incident.
He later admitted to charges of dangerous driving and driving whilst disqualified, and two unrelated counts of assault.
Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Monday, Jackson, of no fixed address, was jailed for 18 months.
PC Leanne George, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “In a forlorn bid to escape from officers, Jackson drove in a reckless and dangerous way – placing himself, his passenger and other members of the public at significant risk of harm.
“He had absolutely no right to be on the road in the first place and was fortunate not to have caused further harm.
“This incident is yet another reminder of the power of modem technology and its ability to alert officers instantly to people who are committing offences on our roads. By using this technology to target people like Jackson we’re helping to keep the wider public safe.
“I am pleased he has now been punished and hope he uses his time in prison to reassess the direction of his life.”
Two suspects were arrested after police were called about a break-in at Woodthorpe.
Officers were called to Chestnut Walk when a member of the public reported a break-in at the garage of a nearby property.
Damage was reported to a car inside and two 15-year-old boys were arrested at the scene on suspicion of burglary and cannabis possession. They remain in police custody.
Inspector Ben Lawrence, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “These kinds of offences cause considerable upset and inconvenience to residents and we will always respond very quickly when we learn of them.
“On this occasion we very quickly apprehend two suspects and our investigation continues.”
Anyone with additional information about this incident is asked to call 101 quoting incident 816 of 18 May 2022.
Work to create an £8.5m ‘fish pass’ that will allow them to swim freely up the River Trent at Colwick is gathering pace.
The structure at Holme Sluices will be the largest of its kind in the country and will serve as an ‘elevator’ to allow fish to hop up and downstream.
The Environment Agency said there were presently a number of barriers to fish migration within the River Trent catchment.
These include the Holme Sluices, a major flood management structure that was built in the 1950s.
The agency says the direct environmental benefits of the fish pass will be £18.6m.
PICTURED: Artist’s impression of the completed fish pass in Colwick
Over the last few months construction workers have been diverting the road and services at the site in Colwick Country Park, and clearing the site ready for the sheet piling, with some now installed along the north section.
A new bridge has also been installed at the entrance to Colwick Country Park to enable the heavy cranes and piling rigs to access the fish pass site.
The project is due to be completed in 2023.
Simon Ward, fisheries technical specialist, said: “Our priority is to open up the River Trent for all fish species.
“By installing fish passage, it will become easier for salmon and other fish to reach their spawning and feeding grounds.”
He said the agency was working with a number of partners on the wider project for the river, known as the Trent Gateway, and other possible plans could include a visitor centre telling the story of the Trent, its history, ecology and how it has shaped communities along its length.
The number of Nottinghamshire children whose family circumstances mean they qualify for free school meals has soared by around 10,000 since the start of the pandemic.
At least 29,885 pupils were known to be eligible for food support in the county’s schools during the Easter holidays last month.
And data published by the authority last year confirmed the number of known eligible children in March 2020 – right at the beginning of the Covid pandemic – was 19,061 countywide.
It means the number of children whose families requiring support with food has increased by about 57 per cent in two years.
The latest figure also represents more than one in four of the 113,451 children who were on the roll in Nottinghamshire schools during a census survey conducted in January this year.
And it comes at a time when families across Nottinghamshire and the country are facing a surge in the cost of living.
Children and families are eligible for free school meals when households meet a set of criteria – including being on Universal Credit with a net income of no more than £7,400.
Families on Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance are also eligible.
And parents receiving Child Tax Credit are also eligible, permitting they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190.
The data has led to concern from opposition councillors in Nottinghamshire, with the figures described as “shocking”.
Councillor Debbie Darby (Ind), who represents Collingham, is the Independent Alliance’s spokesperson for children and young people.
She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “These figures are shocking and show child hunger continues to rise across our county.
“They are the single biggest indicator of poverty, and we expect these figures to rise and rise again as the cost of living increases.
“A growing number of residents are increasingly becoming reliant on food banks, but many are being put off by the bad publicity surrounding them – especially lately.
“These figures show that residents, including my area of Newark, are going hungry. It’s not a case of heat or eat – many can do neither.”
Cllr Michelle Welsh, Labour’s spokesperson on the issue, added: “When you consider foodbank usage is at its highest ever number in this country, this shows the cost of living crisis is one of increasing levels of child poverty across Nottinghamshire.
“Free school meals are incredibly important, clearly the families who rely on them should get the support they need, but people will be rightly asking the question ‘why are these numbers going up?’
“Wages are falling at a time when inflation is surging, the cost of living crisis is sky-rocketing, and as a result Nottinghamshire families are really struggling and in many cases aren’t able to make ends meet.”
Conservative-led Nottinghamshire County Council is planning to approve provision for free school meal vouchers for all eligible pupils during the half-term holiday later this month.
A delegated decision will be taken by Cllr John Cottee (Con), cabinet member for communities, on approving about £450,000 in vouchers for the one-week school break through the Household Support Fund.
Under the proposals, each child would receive vouchers to the value of £3 per day, or £15 for the five-day week, to support families with food during the half-term.
The council has operated this project in the most recent school holidays over the past six months.
Cllr Cottee is expected to approve the funding during the delegated decision on Tuesday (May 24) – the first of its kind since a return to cabinet governance.
In a statement, he said: “I’m proud that we have decided to use the Household Support Fund to once again fund thousands of free school meals for pupils from low-income households during the school holidays.
“We’ve taken these steps because we understand the cost of living is hurting local families, and we want to use what is in our toolbox to ease the pressure.
“I hope that struggling families whose children are eligible for free school meals will now feel more comfortable as we approach the half-term holidays.”
Nottinghamshire County Council has announced that free school meal vouchers will be issued to those most in need during the next half-term in May and June.
The decision has been taken by Councillor John Cottee, Cabinet Member for Communities, with more than 25,000 eligible youngsters from low-income households in Nottinghamshire expected to benefit.
The council will fund the 125,000 meal vouchers from the government’s Household Support Fund.
PICTURED: County Hall
Nottinghamshire County Council Cabinet Member for Communities, Councillor John Cottee, said: “I’m proud that we have decided to use the Household Support Fund to once again fund thousands of free school meals for pupils from low-income households during the school holidays.
“We’ve taken these steps because we understand that the cost-of-living is hurting local families, and we want to use what is in our toolbox to ease the pressure.
“I hope that struggling families whose children are eligible for free school meals will now feel more comfortable as we approach the half-term holidays.”
Funding has been secured to create a protected cycle lane between Colwick and Victoria Retail Park in Netherfield.
The money will come from of a £4.63m pot of cash handed out by the Department for Transport to fund Nottinghamshire County Council’s Active Travel Fund work.
The new proposed cycle track would run along Colwick Loop Road between Private Road 1 and the popular retail park.
The council said it would ‘create a high standard route that improves cycle access to a key retail site from nearby residential areas and the city.’
The funding would secure the delivery of the necessary design, consultation, and approval process.
Active travel schemes aim to encourage residents to undertake more local journeys by foot and by bike. The schemes could also have longer-term benefits, including reduced congestion and improved air quality.
Councillor Neil Clarke MBE, chairman of the Transport and Environment Committee at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “Nationally over the last year, cycling has risen by 46%, the highest increase since the 1960’s.
“There are many reasons more people in Nottinghamshire have looked at their transport options and our successful bid highlights the Council’s commitment to make sure that walking and cycling are encouraged within our communities.”
