Home Blog Page 489

Gedling Borough Council works on county plan to prevent homelessness

Gedling Eye Reporter
-
0
Gedling Borough Council works on county plan to prevent homelessness

More than 3,000 people are now on the waiting list for social housing across three local councils in Nottinghamshire – with high rents in the private sector putting extra pressure on councils to prevent homelessness.

A new homelessness and rough sleeping strategy is being drawn up between three neighbouring authorities.

Broxtowe Borough Council, Gedling Borough Council and Rushcliffe Borough Council are working together on the new plan.

All councils say they face common challenges and want to come up with joint initiatives to reduce homelessness across the county.

Councils are worried the Covid-19 pandemic could see homelessness rise, including evictions due to debts and unemployment.

Most people affected by homelessness are single adult males, however, there are a number of single females and single females with children.

Over half of people assessed are under the age of 35.

The most recent figures for those at risk or facing homelessness are 135 people aged between 18 and 24.

Rough shelter
PICTURED: A wooden makeshift home with a homeless man inside off Vernon Street in Nottingham (PHOTO: LDRS)

The main reason behind people threatened with homelessness for all three local authorities is family or friends no longer willing to accommodate them.

There were 62 cases of this in Broxtowe, 29 in Gedling and 22 in Rushcliffe in the year 2020/21.

The second most common reason was end of private rented tenancy followed by domestic abuse and then non-violent relationship breakdown.

History of mental health problems appeared predominately. Rough sleeping figures were low, with five cases in 2020.

The waiting list data shows there are a significant number of people that are seeking and waiting for a social housing tenancy.

A report prepared by all three councils states: “There is an ever-increasing demand for social housing and supply outstrips demand.

“People are waiting longer for accommodation without the certainty of being allocated a property to meet their needs.

“The lack of settled affordable accommodation can mean households put their lives on hold or in some instances, are placed in temporary accommodation whilst waiting for suitable accommodation to be found.

“This accommodation can often be in the form of hotel accommodation.

“Previously the three boroughs had been able to access accommodation within the private rented sector, but as competition of rental properties increases, landlords routinely increase their rents.

“This means that many areas of Nottinghamshire are seeing rents far in excess of the Local Housing Allowance (LHA). This makes it increasingly a less viable solution.”

In Broxtowe, there were 2,151 applicants on the waiting list for social housing, 596 in Gedling and 594 in Rushcliffe.

The number of units of social housing by borough are 5,596 in Broxtowe, 4,864 in Gedling and 4,038 in Rushcliffe.

The three councils are putting a plan in place including improving links with registered social landlords that are looking to evict so the councils can improve early intervention.

There is also a plan to increase the amount of supported accommodation in South Nottinghamshire and to work to bring empty properties back into use.

The councils also want to improve accommodation options for rough sleepers and in times of severe weather.

Each council is set to discuss the plans next week at separate council meetings.

Duck found with horrific fishing wire injuries in Bestwood Country Park

Gedling Eye Reporter
-
0
Duck found with horrific fishing wire injuries in Bestwood Country Park

A duck has been found at Bestwood Country Park with ‘horrific injuries’ caused by a discarded fishing line.

The mallard was discovered on Wednesday (2) by a member of the public after becoming “entangled in reams of fishing wire”.

It was then sent to Brinsley Animal Rescue for treatment but unfortunately could not be saved.

In a Facebook post, the charity wrote: “Today we have sadly had to euthanise a wild mallard, the kindest decision we can make for her horrific injuries,

“Kind people found the wild mallard entangled in reams of fishing wire wrapped around the duck and surrounding shrubbery, they got her free and contacted us.

“Her injuries including a completely severed foot, lacerations to her body and wing and sadly deep lacerations to her bill, where undoubtedly she had been trying to free herself.

“The injuries and trauma were far too severe for this poor girl to survive so the kindest action we could take was to end her suffering.

They added: “Choosing to end an animal’s life is never taken lightly and it never becomes routine to us; it’s heartbreaking, not least when we are dealing with preventable injuries, inflicted by the irresponsible actions of humans.”

Burglary suspects snared and sent to court as police crackdown on borough house thefts

Gedling Eye Reporter
-
0
Burglary suspects snared and sent to court as police crackdown on borough house thefts

Gedling Police’s dedicated burglary teams tracked down two suspected burglars – who have now been charged and sent to court during a crackdown on house thefts.

Mark Sargant, 31, of Westcliffe Avenue, Gedling was charged with burglary with intent, burglary and theft after a laptop, bank cards, purses and a savings tin were all taken during a break-in in Bayliss Road, Gedling, between 10.30pm and 7am leading into Wednesday January 12.

He appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (February 1) and was remanded into custody to next appear at Nottingham Crown Court on March 1.

A 38-year-old man was also hauled up in front of the courts after being charged with two attempted burglaries at the same address four days apart.

Following a thorough investigation by officers on the burglary team John McSalley, of Valley Road, Carlton, was charged with two counts of attempted burglary at an address in Porchester Road, Mapperley.

Officers received reports of two attempted break-ins on January 25 and 29, both around 8.25pm and thanks to the quick investigative work, the suspect was charged and remanded to appear at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court yesterday (February 3).

Detective Chief Inspector Richard Bull, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “We understand the impact burglaries can have on victims and that is why our officers take such a strong stance on the matter.

“Officers are regularly sending out safety messaging and speaking to residents on how best to protect their homes and belongings and we also focus on any patterns that may appear across the county showing areas where burglaries are occurring.

“Our officers also work together to carry out warrants to apprehend any suspected offenders and more importantly it is a top priority for the force to make sure any repeat offenders are off our streets and we create a strong case with as much evidence as possible to keep people safe in their own homes.

“We will continue to work incredibly hard to make sure the people of Nottinghamshire’s concerns are listened to, they are kept safe and burglaries are fully investigated and those responsible brought to justice.”

Gedling Borough Council announces new plans to increase recycling rates in Gedling.

Gedling Eye Reporter
-
0
Gedling Borough Council announces new plans to increase recycling rates in Gedling.

Plans to increase recycling rates and create more sustainable ways of disposing waste have been approved by Gedling Borough Council’s cabinet. 

They want to ensure all households have large 240 litre recycling bins as standard and access to additional recycling bins, free of charge, if there’s a proven need.

The council also plan to offer additional glass recycling boxes to households who need them.

GBC will also offer a large 240 litre residual waste bin as standard to all households consisting of one to five residents. Further residual waste capacity will be offered to households where there are six or more residents.

Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor John Clarke MBE said: “This is the first time we’ve have a policy in place that reinforces the work we are already doing to increase recycling rates and get more people reducing their carbon footprint by reducing their general waste.

“We need to work with Nottinghamshire County Council, who are responsible for waste disposal, to do more to make it easier for people to recycle in our borough. They are in a very long term contract with the recycling disposal company, Veolia, and more needs to be done to make it easier for our residents to recycle more items.

“There is still confusion about what we can and cannot take and we need to address this by giving our residents the right information and reminding them of the importance of not contaminating their recycling bins.”

Deputy Leader Councillor Michael Payne said: ”We are proud of our waste collection crews, who have managed to maintain all of our collection services throughout the last two years, with minimal disruption to residents. The fact 82% of residents are satisfied with how we run our service speaks volumes.

“We know residents want to dispose of their rubbish correctly and that the impact of covid means more people are at home for longer each day, which is one of the reasons we will offer large 240 litre bins for both general waste and recycling. It was deeply disappointed to be made aware that misleading leaflets about bin sizes being reduced were being put through residents’ doors by candidates and a particular political party during the recent Cavendish ward by election.”

Cabinet members met on Thursday, January 27 to approve the consultation on the new waste and recycling policy.

The consultation will be open for four weeks and people can have their say by visiting www.gedling.gov.uk/haveyoursay where the policy is available to read in full. 

NCT buses in Gedling borough will return to weekday timetables later this month

Gedling Eye Reporter
-
2
NCT buses in Gedling borough will return to weekday timetables later this month

NCT has today (2) announced that weekday timetables are returning, meaning more buses will be running across Gedling borough during Monday to Friday.

Many services have been running on Saturday timetables due to a national driver shortage and Covid absence.

But NCT said driver availability has improved considerably and the shortfall is now less than half of the 10% NCT was experiencing when it announced its move to the current timetable at Christmas. 

The bus firm has now announced that Friday, February 18 will be the last day it operates its Saturday timetable on weekdays and that weekday timetables will start again from Monday February 21.

NCT said customers can preview timetables on the NCTX Buses App and at www.nctx.co.uk/services as well as collecting new timetable leaflets from the Travel Centre in the Old Market Square. 

NightBus services remain suspended.

David Astill, NCT managing director said, “I’d like to thank my colleagues and our customers for their support and patience over recent weeks whilst we operated the enhanced Saturday level of service across the network.

“Since announcing our improved pay rates for drivers, which are now amongst the highest in the country outside London, we have seen a very encouraging uptake in applications from local people wishing to pursue a career with NCT as a bus driver.

“Whilst it will take a while to feel the benefit of this, it is one of the reasons why we now have the confidence to reinstate a weekday service, which will increase capacity across the network for our customers”.

‘WRONG DECISION’: Nottinghamshire County Council say they will not financially support new footbridge over River Trent

Andrew Topping (Local Democracy Reporter)
-
3
‘WRONG DECISION’: Nottinghamshire County Council say they will not financially support new footbridge over River Trent

Nottinghamshire County Council says it will not pay anything towards the construction and upkeep of a new footbridge across the River Trent at Lady Bay and has reiterated its stance a new bridge is the wrong decision.

Instead, the authority will leave management costs and upkeep to both Nottingham City Council and Rushcliffe Borough Council – the two authorities pushing forward with the plans.

The two councils recently confirmed Trent Basin as the preferred location for the footbridge, which would connect pedestrians and cyclists to facilities like Colwick Country Park from the south side of the river.

It would also be used as a walkway for those attending Nottingham Forest games and create better links between West Bridgford and the city centre.

The structure will be the first new bridge over the River Trent since Clifton Bridge opened in 1958, and forms part of a £9.2 million plan.

However, the county council has distanced itself from the proposals and believes the money should have been spent making improvements to the nearby Lady Bay Bridge.

The authority says those improvement works would have offered “better value for money” due to lower construction costs, shorter construction timescales, and “negligible” maintenance costs.

Now the council has confirmed it does not plan to enter into an agreement to part-fund the bridge’s construction and future maintenance – leaving the funds to be picked up by the other councils.

The authority’s transport and environment committee will be recommended to approve the stance when councillors meet on February 9.

A report published ahead of the meeting states: “The county council considers improvements to the existing Lady Bay Bridge would have been a better value for money option, as it was identified as the preferred scheme option in the initial feasibility study.

“As the scheme promoter, the city council has, however, determined that it wishes to construct a new bridge.

“Given the above, it is considered that neither the construction costs of the overall project nor its ongoing future maintenance liability costs should fall to the county council.

“It is therefore proposed that the county council does not enter into any agreement to lead on and/or fund/part-fund either the construction, future improvements to, or any future maintenance liabilities for the new bridge.”

Rushcliffe and Nottingham councils’ preferred option would see the bridge land on old industrial space near the Trent Basin housing development on one side and near the Trent Fields on the other, backing onto The Hook in Lady Bay.

Two other sites identified as potential locations were Poulton Drive and Trent Lane, but both were “discounted” as not being cost-effective.

Planners say the Trent Basin site will complement the other four other Nottingham bridges already built close by – Wilford Toll Bridge, the Suspension Bridge, Trent Bridge and Lady Bay Bridge.

It is part of wider plans to improve cycle paths on Daleside Road and Colwick Park.

Councillor Rosemary Healy (Lab), city council portfolio holder for highways and transport, previously said: “We have discounted the other two options because the Trent Basin route is more cost-effective, and it is less impactful on green spaces on the southside.

“The project will open up new walkways and cycling routes for leisure and commuting. It will also make it easy for people to use sustainable transport to alleviate traffic pressure in the city especially over the River Trent.”

The boundary between the city and Rushcliffe borough runs along the centre of the river, so a joint planning application will be needed.

This is expected to be submitted this year, with the bridge scheduled for spring 2023.

It will be part-funded by the Government’s Transforming Cities Fund.

National Rail is offering free Greggs breakfast and coffee to train commuters in Gedling borough as part of plans to boost passenger numbers

Gedling Eye Reporter
-
4
National Rail is offering free Greggs breakfast and coffee to train commuters in Gedling borough as part of plans to boost passenger numbers

Train commuters in Gedling borough are being offered a free Greggs breakfast in an effort to boost passenger numbers.

Complimentary breakfast food and hot drinks, including bacon sandwiches, from the high street bakers is among a number of perks available in a new rewards scheme being offered to people who travel to work via trains.

The new initiative has been introduced by industry body the Rail Delivery Group (RDG).

Other benefits will include free audiobooks, access to a mindfulness app and 50% off theatre shows.

Train-suspended

Passengers are required to sign up to nationalrail.co.uk/commuter and select the rewards they want.

They must enter details of their commute but are not required to provide evidence of their travel history.

RDG chief executive Jacqueline Starr said: “Taking the train is more than just a journey, it benefits the environment, economy and local businesses.

“To encourage and support commuters as they return, the rail industry has launched a new commuter rewards website offering free hot drinks, mindfulness, course upgrades, music streaming, audiobooks and more to help enhance customers’ on-train and at-destination experiences.”

Only 1,000 free Greggs breakfast rolls will be available through the scheme, but other offers will be introduced in the coming weeks.

Police and Crime Commissioner to create ‘Ring of Steel’ around Nottinghamshire as she launches her first major crime plan

Gedling Eye Reporter
-
1
Police and Crime Commissioner to create ‘Ring of Steel’ around Nottinghamshire as she launches her first major crime plan

A major plan on how to tackle crime across Nottinghamshire has been published – which includes creating ‘a ring of steel’ around the county through a bigger network of cameras which automatically track car number plates.

Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry (Con) has launched her first Police and Crime Plan – which determines how money will be spent on policing up to 2025.

Called ‘Make Notts Safe’ the plan explains which areas of crime will be targeted and how Mrs Henry will measure performance.

Its key aims include reducing the level of violent knife crime across the county by 10 per cent, as well as cutting the number of first-time entrants into the youth justice system by the same amount.

Mrs Henry also wants to increase the proportion of rape offences which result in a charge or summons, and invest in more technology to fight crime.

She said: “It is my vision that by the end of my term in office there will be fewer victims, greater trust and confidence in the police and criminal justice system and a stronger and more resilient network of services supporting victims to recover from harm.

“I am committed to prioritising the issues that we know are causing the greatest harm and concern to our communities – including serious violence, domestic and sexual abuse, substance abuse and neighbourhood priorities such as anti-social behaviour, speeding and rural crime.”

As crime commissioner, Mrs Henry sets the budget for Notts Police and lays out its local priorities. Day-to-day operational control lies with the Chief Constable, Craig Guildford.

Caroline Henry
PICTURED: PCC Caroline Henry (PHOTO: LDR service)

Notts Police will receive around £245m this year, which includes an increase in the annual council tax police precept to £9.99 for a Band D property.

Other key aims from Mrs Henry’s plan include:

  • Increase safety and feelings of safety across Nottinghamshire – particularly among women and girls.
  • Make £800,000 available for crime prevention initiatives to increase neighbourhood safety and hotspot locations across Nottinghamshire.
  • Invest £400,000 into the city’s night-time economy, such as ‘Operation Guardian’ which cracks down on drug dealers.
  • Invest over £1.5m in custody-based diversion for young people and further enhance the suite of out of court disposal options available to tackle the underlying causes of early onset offending.
  • Work with local authority partners to ensure all primary schools in Nottinghamshire are offered specialist healthy relationship programmes which include issues such as consent, coercive and controlling behaviour.
  • Invest over £2.6m into local drug treatment services for offenders across Nottinghamshire, and increase referrals into drug treatment services through ‘test on arrest’.
  • Make at least £300,000 of new funding available to improve the police’s response to crimes committed or facilitated online.
  • Expand the force’s digital media investigation team to enable better outcomes for victims of online crime.
  • Establish an Anti-social Behaviour Taskforce that will work to increase public confidence in the response to ASB.
  • Develop Operation Reacher – which disrupts and dismantles drug dealers by increasing the number of officers and level of resources available.
  • Improve the recording and reporting on specific rural crimes, such as farm machinery theft, fuel theft, fly tipping, poaching, livestock offences and equine crime.
  • Make an additional £400,000 available to tackle rural crime such as equipment like drones, hardware tracking and off-road stingers.
  • Provide £500,000 additional funding to expand the use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology, creating a ‘ring of steel’ around Nottinghamshire that will help to stop criminal use of the road network and improve the response to county lines drugs trafficking.
  • Work with partner agencies to improve the speed of investigations. This includes driving improvements in outcomes for rape and other serious sexual offences.
  • Launch a £1m Make Notts Safe Grants Fund for third sector organisations to take action to address the community safety issues they face.
  • Continue to lobby Government to ensure full implementation of the long awaited police funding formula review which currently sees the area lose over £10m per year.

Chief Constable of Nottinghamshire Police, Craig Guildford, said: “We will unapologetically seek the relentless disruption of serious and organised crime. We will continue to support and refer victims whilst safeguarding the vulnerable.

“The nature and complexity of the crimes that we deal with continues to change, which is why we have invested in more specialist posts to tackle online and serious organised crime.

“We must balance addressing the visible impact of crime such as anti-social behaviour and burglary with tackling the often hidden impact of organised crime or crimes committed behind closed doors, such as domestic and sexual abuse, which can lead to great harm and vulnerability.”

Urgent appeal for missing girl from Carlton with police ‘concerned’ for her safety

Gedling Eye Reporter
-
0
Urgent appeal for missing girl from Carlton with police ‘concerned’ for her safety

Police have issued an urgent appeal for information regarding the whereabouts of a missing teenager from Carlton.

Gabriella Reilly was reported missing from the Carlton area at around 1650 yesterday (February 1).

Gabriella is described as white, of Slim build and is around 4ft 9ins tall. She is described as having brown hair and was last seen wearing black puffer jacket, white top, black shorts and off white trainers.

A police spokesman said: “If you have seen Gabriella or have any information about her whereabouts, please contact Nottinghamshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 0532 of 01 February 2022

Home Secretary Priti Patel meets Gedling police officers out on patrol in Arnold town centre

Gedling Eye Reporter
-
5
Home Secretary Priti Patel meets Gedling police officers out on patrol in Arnold town centre

Home Secretary Priti Patel joined police out on patrol around Arnold town centre last week.

She was invited to the town on Friday (28) by Gedling MP Tom Randall and took part in a beat walk of Front Street with Gedling’s Neighbourhood Policing teams.

During her visit the Home Secretary was shown inside Gedling’s latest Operation Reacher police car, which is equipped with the latest Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology that is helping to disrupt criminal activity across Gedling.

Patel said: “I am grateful to Gedling’s Neighbourhood Policing team for the superb work they are doing to keep Gedling safe.

“More than 240 additional officers have already been recruited here in Nottinghamshire with over 25 extra police officers deployed across Gedling. These extra police officers are able to shut down drug gangs, take knives off our streets, crack down on anti-social behaviour, reduce speeding on our roads and protect Gedling’s communities from harm.”

Mr Randall said: “I am delighted that the Home Secretary is here in my home town of Arnold to witness the impact that increasing police numbers and Operation Reacher is having across Gedling 

“Since my election in 2019, more than 25 extra police officers have been deployed onto Gedling’s streets, crime is down by 10% and Gedling is safer.”

1...488489490...1,012Page 489 of 1,012