A new live blog has been set up to cover a Gedling family’s efforts to take in Ukrainians who have fled war in their home country.
It will follow their attempts to use the UK government’s humanitarian sponsorship scheme to provide Ukrainian refugees with sanctuary in Britain.
The blog has been set up by Nottingham Trent Student Union’s Platform Magazine.
The family of four from Gedling plan to remain anonymous to protect the privacy of any refugees they may take in as part of this process.
The family has space to accommodate a parent and their children or up to two adults.
They are willing to pay travel costs from anywhere in Europe and any visa applications fees as well as support their guests financially for as long as they need.
The earliest posts in the live feed below will detail the key developments between March 1, when the humanitarian sponsorship scheme was announced, and March 9, when this article was made live.
From March 9 onwards it will be updated whenever there is a new detail to cover as part of this story.
Platform hopes the last post will be about refugees arriving safely at the family’s home… whenever that might be.
The live blog can be read below…
iFrame
About to go out but back about 9pm in case you need anything else.
The Gedling borough cafes, pubs, takeaways, sandwich shops and chippies which have earned three five-star food hygiene ratings in a row have been revealed.
Scores on the Doors hands out an ‘Elite’ award for businesses which show real consistency in this field – achieving three five-star ratings for ‘very good’ food hygiene in a row.
Their pubs across the UK have been hit with the price hike where the price of a pint has gone up by 10p except in London where the price rise is 20p.
A Wetherspoon spokesperson said: “Occasionally Wetherspoon does increase the price of its drinks. We always aim to keep our prices as competitive as possible.
“Prices on drinks in the majority of our pubs have increased by an average 10p from Tuesday March 1, with an increase of 20p in pubs in and around London.
“This represents an average two per cent increase in the majority of Wetherspoon pubs and four per cent in pubs in and around London.
“We believe that our drinks offer still represents great value-for money.”
Wetherspoon is known for its cheap prices and the price hike will come as a blow for Brits who are already worrying about the cost of living crisis.
Food shops, fuel, energy bills and National Insurance are among the things going up in April.
A new law is soon to be introduced making theact known as ‘cyberflashing’ a criminal offence.
‘Cyberflashing’ is the practice of sending an unsolicited sexual image to people via social media or dating apps.
It can also be done over data sharing services such as Bluetooth and Airdrop too.
It’s a practice that’s on the rise too, as new research conduced by Professor Jessica Ringrose from 2020 found that 76% of girls aged 12-18 had been sent unsolicited nude images of boys or men.
This is why government ministers have confirmed their plans to ban the act, which is set to be included in the landmark Online Safety Bill, alongside wide-ranging reforms to keep people safe on the internet.
Under this new law, those who send photos or films of a person’s genitals for specific purposes, including for their own sexual gratification, could face up to 2 years in jail.
The Government says the new offence will ensure ‘cyberflashing’ is captured clearly by the criminal law, giving the police and Crown Prosecution Service “greater ability to bring more perpetrators to justice”, and it follows similar recent action to criminalise upskirting and breastfeeding voyeurism.
The Government says it is “determined” to protect people, particularly women and girls, from these emerging crimes.
Speaking on the introduction of the new law, Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Justice, Dominic Raab said: “Protecting women and girls is my top priority which is why we’re keeping sexual and violent offenders behind bars for longer, giving domestic abuse victims more time to report assaults and boosting funding for support services to £185 million per year.
“Making cyberflashing a specific crime is the latest step – sending a clear message to perpetrators that they will face jail time.”
According to the government, the Online Safety Bill will put more legal responsibility on social media platforms, search engines and other websites or apps which host user-generated content to tackle a range of illegal and harmful content on their services, and the new cyberflashing offence comes after three other new criminal offences were introduced through this Bill, tackling a wide range of “harmful private and public online communication”.
These include sending abusive emails, social media posts and WhatsApp messages, as well as ‘pile-on’ harassment – where many people target abuse at an individual such as in website comment sections.
Eye Say is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting Gedling borough. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of Gedling Eye. Send your views to letters@gedlingeye.co.uk
People have to live somewhere
Why are so many people against the new HMOs in Netherfield?
Many young people now require a place to live and everyone has to live somewhere.
Not everyone can afford to rent a house or get a mortgage and some will not want to live with their parents forever.
These HMOs provide a place to live for a lot of people so should be allowed to continue.
Name and address withheld by request
Crime in Arnold
Is it me or does is seem out of control?
Every crime story seems to be about Arnold in Gedling Eye.
What are the police doing about it?
I don’t think there is enough for youngsters to do in Arnold and that seems to be the problem.
I think money should be put into extra youth clubs and more to do at the leisure centres.
Paula Rawson, Arnold
Bring the tram to Gedling
A push is needed to get the tram to Gedling.
All we hear about is the Gedling Access Road but I think the tram would make more of a difference.
A line linking Netherfield with Mapperley and Arnold would be great and would help improve the local town economies as more people would visit the different high streets.
Plans for 11 new dwellings in Ravenshead and a bungalow extension in Carlton are among the planning applications that have been made this week across Gedling borough
Every week dozens of planning applications are submitted to the council – and the recent coronavirus pandemic has not changed that.
Here is the list of applications that have been submitted and validated by Gedling Borough Council in the last week.
Visit the council site HERE the links below to find out more and to have your say…
Arnold
Installation of PV solar equipment on a non-domestic premises Sherwood Lodge Sherwood Lodge Drive Arnold Nottingham Nottinghamshire NG5 8PP Ref. No: 2022/0223PN
Bestwood
No planning applications this week
Burton Joyce
No planning applications this week
Calverton
Fell trees T1-T6 and T13; T9 remove water sprouts; T14 crown reduce and lift; Fell G11 and G12 135 Main Street Calverton Nottingham Nottinghamshire NG14 6FE Ref. No: 2022/0204TCA
Conversion of integral garage to a study/hobby room. 23 Maple Close Calverton Nottinghamshire NG14 6QG Ref. No: 2022/0147
Carlton
Extension of existing bungalow by increasing roof height to accommodate first floor accommodation, dormer windows to side elevations, two storey side extension to create new internal staircase and accessibility lift to proposed entrance, lowering of ground level to create front driveway and landscaping. (amendments to permission 2019/0691) 12 Fearn Chase Carlton Nottingham Nottinghamshire NG4 1DN Ref. No: 2022/0171
Colwick
Single storey rear and first floor side extension 1 Ozier Holt Colwick Nottinghamshire NG4 2DQ Ref. No: 2022/0187
Daybrook
Construct single storey front extension 4 Abbots Close Daybrook Nottingham Nottinghamshire NG5 6AU Ref. No: 2022/0232
Gedling
Creation of vehicular access (removing 6 kerb stones) 35 Shearing Hill Gedling NG4 3GY Ref. No: 2022/0096
Erection of two storey rear extension and the change of use for thegarage to a home salon 4 Ullswater Close Gedling NG4 4WG Ref. No: 2021/1427
Lambley
Damaged tree – urgent work required to prevent a large branch from falling 6 Cocker Beck Lambley Nottingham Nottinghamshire NG4 4QP Ref. No: 2022/0212TPO5
Linby
No planning applications this week
Mapperley
Erection of detached garage 130 Kent Road Mapperley Nottinghamshire NG3 6BS Ref. No: 2022/0198
Planning application to retain existing temporary classrooms for 5 years: 7/2016/0665NCC expire 31 December 2021 Westdale Infants School Westdale Lane West Mapperley Nottingham Nottinghamshire NG3 6ET Ref. No: 2022/0218NCC
Netherfield
No planning applications this week
Newstead
Proposed new alterations and extentions to existing dwelling Newstead Abbey Park, Knights Cross Station Avenue Newstead NG15 8GE Ref. No: 2022/0201
Demolition ofexisting detached garage and erection of home gym Broadeaves Newstead Abbey Park Newstead Nottinghamshire NG15 8GE Ref. No: 2022/0176
Papplewick
No planning applications this week
Single storey rear extension 83-85 Main Street Papplewick Nottinghamshire NG15 8FE Ref. No: 2022/0248
Ravenshead
Erection of 11 No. detached dwellings 28 Kighill Lane Ravenshead Nottinghamshire NG15 9HN Ref. No: 2022/0250
Redhill
Construction of rear single storey extension, first floor extension to the side and all associated external works. 9 Lilleker Rise Redhill Nottinghamshire NG5 8HS Ref. No: 2022/0197
Construct first floor side extension 23 Houldsworth Rise Redhill Nottinghamshire NG5 8HZ Ref. No: 2022/0194
Stoke Bardolph
No planning applications this week
Woodborough
No planning applications this week
Woodthorpe
Construct extension to switchroom building. Electricity Sub Station Marlborough Road Woodthorpe NG5 4GB Ref. No: 2022/0202
Major plans to bolster police numbers across Nottinghamshire to cope with rising demand will include recruiting 70 extra officers and staff this year.
Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry (Con) said a rise in the part of council tax which pays for policing will ensure an extra 45 police officers and 25 police staff are employed.
Twenty four of the officers will be deployed to Operation Reacher teams, which work across each area of the county to disrupt and dismantle organised crime including drug dealers.
The teams – based in each of the 12 neighbourhoods – use tactics such as early morning raids to target those selling drugs and making large quantities of cash to fund lavish lifestyles.
Four more officers will also be deployed to the two dedicated knife crime teams, which can use powers such as ‘stop and search’ to take weapons off the streets of Nottinghamshire.
A further five officers will also work in digital media investigations to retrieve vital evidence from mobile phones, laptops and across social media.
There will also be a force operational lead overlooking violence against women and girls, which will include targeting perpetrators as well as ensuring women feel safe on nights out.
Eight officers will also be recruited into the modern slavery and county lines teams to try to ensure vulnerable people and children are not exploited.
‘County lines’ involves a tactic used by drug dealers to use children as young as 11 from deprived estates in Nottingham as sellers and couriers in drug houses across the county.
Notts Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry ,right, with Chief Inspector Craig Guildford
Dedicated mobile phone lines are then set up so that drug orders can be placed with them, helping the organiser to avoid justice.
Last year, around 20 Nottinghamshire children were found in areas as far away as Scotland and Newquay.
Mrs Henry will increase the part of council tax which pays for policing by 4.1 per cent this year to provide an extra £4.8m. This is an increase of £9.99 for a Band D property, making the cost £254.25 a year.
She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “The cost of living is increasing so if I was going to ask Nottinghamshire people to pay more money then I would deliver what they wanted me to deliver and that is more boots on the ground.
“I want people to know I am not wasting a penny of their money.”
Nottinghamshire Police officer numbers reached 2,380 in March, a number which has gradually increased from 1,824 in February 2017.
A government uplift of more than 300 new officers has also been achieved a year earlier than planned.
These extra 45 officers are in addition to the uplift. There will also be an additional 25 police staff investigating fraud, child sexual exploitation, and carrying out surveillance work on some of the county’s most serious suspects.
Craig Guildford, chief constable of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “I welcome these additional resources by the police and crime commissioner. I have deployed these officers into areas of the greatest operational need across the county and look forward to the difference they make.
“This will mean more visible neighbourhood policing teams, more knives recovered but also a quicker turnaround of the devices seized and subsequently presented to court.”
Other plans as part of the council tax rise include investing an extra £500,000 into Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras – which stop criminals using the road network by tracking their vehicles.
Mrs Henry added: “I want to make our roads really hostile for criminals, so we don’t have people coming into our area to cause harm. The city is pretty good for ANPR but there are more gaps in the county that we need to fill.”
She also plans to create a new restorative justice service with the cash to bring victims and offenders into contact where appropriate to consider the impact of their crimes.
There will also be up to £100,000 for each of the eight Nottinghamshire districts for the next three years to fund crime prevention in their areas including further CCTV cameras.
There will also be a dedicated point of contact in the police control room for rural communities affected by crime including the theft of farming machinery and poaching as well as new rural beat officers.
Gedling boxer Leigh Wood has retained his WBA featherweight title after producing a brutal last-round knockout of Michael Conlan.
Conlan was sent through the ropes by Wood’s powerful punch and on to the floor.
Wood had been losing before the knockout and himself been knocked down in the first round.
But the Gedling boxer showed amazing desire, despite suffering a cut over his eye in the fourth round, as both men continued to trade blows in a hugely entertaining clash.
Wood gradually started to work his way back into the fight, aided by some great shots to Conlan’s body, before the away fighter was judged to have been knocked down in the 11th, despite arguments from his corner, who told referee Steve Gray their fighter had slipped.
But, after one minute 25 seconds of the final round, the fight ended in dramatic circumstances. Wood caught Conlan with a glancing blow to the head. Conlan dropped his arms, looking exhausted, and Wood landed the knockout blow.
Conlan was later carried from the arena on a stretcher and taken to hospital.
Wood stopped his celebrations while Wood received immediate medical treatment.
He told broadcaster Dazn after the fight: “I just hope Michael is all right; I can’t celebrate until I know he is.
“He is so tough and it was a bad knockout so I just want to see he is all right.”
Conlan later gave an update on his condition from hospital hours later, saying his CT scans were clear.
Nottinghamshire County Council has revealed high friction surfacing needs to be installed down at the Burton Road end of GAR to allow the road to open.
This will mean that from Monday, March 14, a four-night closure will be in place on the new section of the GAR between the Burton Road and the A612 junctions.
The closure will be in place from 8pm until 5am for four nights. Access for pedestrians and residents on Whitworth Drive and the Nottingham Road (service road) will be maintained at all times and the section will be open to traffic in the day time. Bus services will use the A612 and Stoke Lane. All other traffic will be diverted along the A612, A6211 Colwick Loop Road up towards Shearing Hill and vice versa.
Once Colliery Way is open, a section of Arnold Lane will be closed for three months to allow it to be realigned and linked onto Colliery Way. These works will also see changes to the existing traffic signals at the Arnold Lane / Mapperley Plains junction.
After this, overnight closures will be required for the junction as well as Gedling Road and Mapperley Plains (towards the city) for final surfacing works.
A spokesman for VIA East Midlands who are constructing the new road said: “We would like to thank you for your patience throughout the construction and apologise for any inconvenience that these works may cause.”
Gedling MP Tom Randall has welcomed changes to the Ukraine Family Visa scheme announced this week.
Home Secretary Priti Patel announced the changes this week.
From Tuesday, Ukrainians with passports will no longer need to go to a visa application centre to give their biometrics before they come to the UK.
Instead, once their application has been considered and the appropriate checks completed, they will receive direct notification that they are eligible for the scheme and can come to the UK.
During an Urgent Question on this subject on Thursday, Gedling’s Conservative Member of Parliament Tom Randall said: “I welcome today’s announcement, which I am sure will also be welcomed by the many Gedling residents who also want a generous approach.”
Tom went on to ask the Home Secretary for an update on the processing of visas for those Ukrainian refugees currently in northern France.
PICTURED: Tom Randall, left, and Home Secretary Priti Patel
The Home Secretary replied: “We have surged our visa application centre capacity across the region. There are sites in France, with work in Calais and in Lille, and we are looking to expand our capacity in France based on working with the French Government, who are effectively identifying, right now, the various routes that people are using to travel through France to the United Kingdom.”
Speaking after questions to the Home Office about refugees from Ukraine, Tom said, “The UK Government has pledged almost £400,000,000 in aid to help the Ukrainian people, which includes £220 million in aid for basic necessities like medical supplies, as well as £74 million through the World Bank to support the Ukrainian Government directly and a £100 million economic package to support Ukraine financially.
“The Home Secretary’s announcement means that Ukrainians with passports will be able to get permission to come here fully online from wherever they are and will be able to give their biometrics once they are in Britain. That will mean that visa application centres across Europe can focus their efforts on helping Ukrainians without passports and, like many Gedling residents, I am pleased the UK has surged our visa application centre capacity in Calais and in Lille.”
“While I welcome this extension of this Ukraine Family Scheme visa scheme, I look forward to the urgent introduction of further measures to support Ukrainians.”
