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Gedling MP Tom Randall defends agriculture bill vote on food standards

Gedling Eye Reporter
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Gedling MP Tom Randall defends agriculture bill vote on food standards

Gedling MP Tom Randall has revealed why he voted against an amendment to an Agriculture Bill – which critics are saying would have protected food standards in the UK following Brexit.

The Government bill came back before MPs on Monday with amendments which had been made by the House of Lords.

A condition was included that was designed to ensure that food imported into the UK would also have to meet the standards applied to food produced in the UK following Brexit.

However the amendment was voted down with Gedling MP Tom Randall being one of the Conservative MPs voting against it.

Many have now voiced their concerns saying that the move will lead to poor standard food coming into the UK and also affect the livelihoods of farmers in the UK who have to meet the high standards in place.

Critics are saying that this could lead to lower quality meat products coming into the UK – such as chlorinated chicken – including those which are currently not allowed due to standards set by the EU.

Farmers in the UK are concerned that lower standards will lead to poor standard food coming into the country

But Mr Randall has responded saying that the necessary safeguards will still be in place to ensure food quality.

He told Gedling Eye: “The manifesto I stood on was clear that in all trade negotiations, our high environmental protection, animal welfare and food standards will not be compromised. The Government will stand firm in trade negotiations to ensure any deals live up to the values of our farmers and consumers.”

“I am pleased that all food coming into this country will be required to meet existing import requirements. The EU Withdrawal Act transfers all existing EU food safety provisions, including existing import requirements, onto the UK statute book. These import standards include a ban on using artificial growth hormones in domestic and imported products and set out that no products, other than potable water, are approved to decontaminate poultry carcasses. Any changes to existing food safety legislation would require new legislation to be brought before Parliament.

The overwhelming weight of political opinion is against us lowering our standards. We need to keep the same high standards on food and agriculture imports as we had in the EU. And that is exactly what the Government is doing.”

Gedling borough wins four Green Flag Awards for its parks and open spaces

Gedling Eye Reporter
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Gedling borough wins four Green Flag Awards for its parks and open spaces

Four council parks across Gedling borough have won the prestigious awards which recognise the best parks and green spaces across the country.

Gedling Country Park, Arnot Hill Park, Burton Road Jubilee Park and for the first time, Bestwood Country Park joined a record number of parks and green spaces collecting a Green Flag Award.

Arnot Hill Park retains the award for the 14th consecutive year, Gedling Country Park for the 5th year in a row, Burton Road Jubilee received the award for the sixth time and Bestwood Country Park has received the award for the first time since the management of the park was taken over by Gedling Borough Council.

The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for their management across the United Kingdom and around the world.

The four parks in Gedling Borough join over 2,000 sites across the country in collecting the award for 2020. 

Arnot_Hill_Park
PICTURED: Arnot Hill Park

Councillor Peter Barnes, Portfolio Holder for Environment said: “We take enormous pride in our green spaces, parks and play areas and we know these are incredibly important for our residents and communities.

“A key priority for us is to enhance these areas, and to get recognition with four Green Flag Awards this year just goes to show that all our hard work is paying off. I’d like to thank our staff for doing such a fantastic job taking care and managing our parks, and to our residents for supporting us and using these great assets that we are able to enjoy all across our borough.”

Councillor John Cottee, Chairman of the Communities and Place Committee at Nottinghamshire County Council said; “It’s fantastic news that so many of our county’s parks and green spaces have been awarded a Green Flag!  The accolade is testament to the hard work the teams and volunteer groups who look after these special places put in.

“The County Council and Gedling Borough Council own Bestwood Country Park. The park houses the Winding Engine House which is a wonderful example of the county’s industrial heritage, the Green Flag status is now another reason to explore the 650 acres of beautiful landscape and wildlife.”

Keep Britain Tidy Chief Executive Allison Ogden-Newton OBE said; “This year, more than ever, our parks and green spaces have been a lifeline and we know that millions of people have used them to relax, meet friends, exercise or simply escape for a short time.

“It is testament to the incredible dedication and hard work of parks staff and volunteers that, despite the challenges that went along with record numbers of visitors, Gedling Borough Council has achieved the highest international standards for four of their parks, demanded by the Green Flag Award.”

Staff covid cases shut Netherfield Primary School

Gedling Eye Reporter
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Staff covid cases shut Netherfield Primary School

A Gedling borough school has closed after staff tested positive for coronavirus.

Netherfield Primary School will now close for two days after members of the school staff tested positive for the virus.

A letter to parents on Wednesday (October 14) said the decision to close was taken as ‘a precautionary measure’.

Sent by Jon Crone, headmaster of Netherfield Primary School, he said: “On Wednesday afternoon, (14th October) we were informed that two members of the Trust’s
workforce had tested positive for Covid-19.

“Due to their role, these colleagues have identified a significant number of our teaching staff as close contacts.

The colleagues were not in direct contact with children. However, after consultation with the
Department for Education Covid-19 helpline, we have taken the difficult decision to shut the school on Thursday 15th October and Friday 16th October.

The headmaster added: “We regret the concern and inconvenience that this will cause. The decision has not been taken easily, rather it is a pre-cautionary measure to ensure the safety and wellbeing of both children and staff at Netherfield Primary. This must be our overriding priority.”

Coronavirus: 83 new cases across Gedling borough in 24 hours

Gedling Eye
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Coronavirus: 83 new cases across Gedling borough in 24 hours

The number of recorded coronavirus cases in Gedling borough increased by 83 over the last 24 hours, official figures show.

Public Health England figures show that 1085 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 11pm on Wednesday (October 14) in the borough.

Coronavirus

The rate of infection in Gedling borough now stands at 282.5 cases per 100,000, up from 131.5 per 100,000 the previous week.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 19,724 over the period, to 654,644.

Health chiefs across Nottinghamshire are urging the public to follow the new Tier 2 lockdown measures across Notts to help lower the rate of infection.

Leader of Gedling Borough Council, John Clarke also asked residents to follow the new regulations.

He said: “Following the government’s announcement yesterday, Gedling borough now falls under new COVID restrictions under the Tier 2 High COVID alert levels. This means that new restrictions will come into force from Wednesday.

“We are asking that you all follow the rules and help us to reduce the number of cases in Gedling, which have seen a rapid increase over the last two weeks.

“We realise that, once again, you are being asked to take a step back from your normal lives and, once again, you are being asked to make more sacrifices to stop this pandemic from tipping over and we appreciate how complicated this can be for many of you, however, we really need you to do this to save lives.

Leaders fear that if the numbers continue to rise, the Nottingham could be put into Tier 3, which would result in the closure of pubs, gyms and restaurants.

Consultation underway to see if wider selective licensing scheme for private landlords is needed after successful trial in Netherfield

Gedling Eye
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Consultation underway to see if wider selective licensing scheme for private landlords is needed after successful trial in Netherfield

Gedling Borough Council has launched a consultation to see if a selective licensing scheme for private landlords is needed in wider areas after a successful trial in Netherfield

The scheme will make it mandatory for landlords to have licences for each of their private rented properties.

It was successfully piloted in Netherfield and the consultation is asking for views to expand it to Colwick, Carlton Hill, Daybrook and Newstead Village.

The licence requires that landlords meet a minimum standard of accommodation for residents. 

The council will work with landlords and residents to improve the area but where necessary use the licensing conditions and enforcement powers to bring about improvements.

Selective Licensing can be applied in areas where there is deprivation, high levels of antisocial behaviour, high levels of crime, high levels of migration and poor housing conditions.

The licensing will give the council’s Environmental Health team powers to do more when landlords are not taking steps to deal with issues relating to property standards.

To_Let_stock

The pilot scheme in Netherfield was a success with 662 landlords applying for a licence. Over 86% of properties inspected by the council were found to contain hazards that required work to protect the health and safety of the tenant. 32 properties inspected had imminent hazards around areas such as fire safety and inadequate fire protection or detection, which all required immediate action.

The scheme also improved partnership working with Gedling Borough Council and Nottinghamshire Police to reduce anti-social behaviour and make residents feel safer where they live. Two landlords received civil penalty notices for failing to apply for a licence. 

Consultation on the new scheme will take place between October and January 2021 and, if approved, would not be implemented until mid 2021 and could be affected by the situation regarding the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Landlords and residents can have their say by visiting www.gedling.gov.uk/haveyoursay 

Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor John Clarke said: “We are opening up a 12-week consultation on plans to expand on the success of the selective licencing scheme in Netherfield.

“The scheme has been very successful so far and has raised the living standards of many residents living in privately rented accommodation. We want residents’ views on expanding this scheme to other areas that have similar issues with poor property conditions. 

We want to create safer communities for our residents and reduce hardship and inequality and this scheme will help contribute towards that ambition. We also want to reduce anti-social behaviour and fear of crime and we have seen this happen during the pilot scheme in Netherfield.”

People in Gedling borough urged to report attempts of Covid fraud to new Crimestoppers hotline

Gedling Eye Reporter
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People in Gedling borough urged to report attempts of Covid fraud to new Crimestoppers hotline

People in Gedling borough are being urged to contact a new Covid fraud hotline if they fall victim to scams linked to the virus.

The new fraud hotline, which has been launched by the government and Crimestoppers is now live.

You can call anonymously on 0800 587 5030 or report activity online at covidfraudhotline.org.

The line is open every day for 24 hours.

It will enable the public to anonymously report fraud against the 150 more schemes which have been launched to support the individuals, communities and businesses in the Covid Pandemic.

woman-phone-worried
You should contact the new fraud hotline if you have been targeted by scammers

These schemes include grants schemes and loans schemes, including Bounce Back Loans, Business Support Grants and the newly launched Green Homes Grants.

Every report to the line will all be reviewed to help the government better find and stop fraud.

Where possible the government will take action through disrupting fraud, looking to get money back and, in some cases, prosecuting.

The information from the hotline will also help the government to improve safeguards to stop fraud in the future.

Nottinghamshire Police’s Detective Inspector Ed Cook said: “Covid scams have naturally been taking advantage of people whilst the country is at its most vulnerable.

“Whilst we still encourage all reports of Cyber Crime and Fraud to Action Fraud, this is a great additional reporting tool to help directly respond to these fast moving trends as efficiently as possible to help further protect against them.”

Speeding drivers dealt with during road safety crackdown in Burton Joyce and Ravenshead

Emily Sanchez
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Speeding drivers dealt with during road safety crackdown in Burton Joyce and Ravenshead

A proactive operation across Burton Joyce and Ravenshead targeting those who flout road safety laws has seen a driver arrested and others reported after being caught for traffic offences.

The road safety crackdown involved Gedling’s dedicated Operation Reacher Team and Special Constables and was held in response to community concerns.

The operation, which took place on the A612 running through Burton Joyce and Main Road, Ravenshead, was the latest in a series of initiatives carried out across key areas of the Gedling borough.

A total of 10 vehicles were stopped during Saturday’s operation and the drivers were issued with traffic offence reports (TOR) meaning they could be asked to attend an educational programme, face a fine or be summoned to court.

Nine reports were issued in Burton Joyce, with three given for speeding offences, three for not wearing a seat belt, two for using a mobile phone while driving and a further report was issued for using a vehicle without the correct insurance.

A report was issued on Main Road in Ravenshead for using a vehicle without insurance. The driver was also arrested on suspicion of drug driving offences and their vehicle was seized. The driver has since been released under investigation.

Other recent operations conducted by Gedling Special Constables, resulting in action being taken against offending motorists, have taken place on the A60 Mansfield Road at Redhill, Carlton Hill at Carlton and Longdale Lane at Ravenshead.

Speeding motorists

Inspector Chris Pearson, Neighbourhood Policing Inspector responsible for local policing in the Gedling borough area, said: “The Special Constables will continue to work together with the Neighbourhood Policing Team, Operation Reacher and our partners in order to respond to community concerns about road safety and speeding.

“Speeding is one of the local policing priorities we are tackling, based on feedback from members of the public, and more operations are planned as we continue to address their concerns.

“Excessive speed is identified as one of the ‘Fatal Four’ main causes of collisions resulting in fatal or serious injury.

“The careless and dangerous actions of one motorist can have devastating effects on the lives of others.

“We’re urging motorists to travel within the speed limit, pay attention and take care at all times and to ensure their vehicles are in good condition and winter-ready before heading out on to the roads.

”Saturday’s activity is just another example of how the force’s Operation Reacher team is responding to priority issues raised by the public.

“The new officers, in a team of seven, are being used to react quickly to community concerns, increase the pressure on local criminal networks and build confidence in local communities.

“They will continue to react dynamically to community concerns and build trust and confidence that the police will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with residents to make our communities safer.”

Council leader reacts to Gedling borough placement in high alert tier

David Bratton
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Council leader reacts to Gedling borough placement in high alert tier

The leader of the Gedling Borough Council has responded to the announcement that Tier 2 lockdown measures are to be introduced tomorrow (October 14) across the borough in an effort to curb rises in the number of covid-19 cases.

The Prime Minister on Monday (October 12) announced a new three-tier system for lockdowns across England to “simplify and standardise local rules”.

Nottinghamshire was placed into the ‘High’ coronavirus alert level – escaping the tougher restrictions set out in Tier 3.

This means that as well as abiding by national rules such as the ‘rule of six’ and the 10pm curfew for the hospitality industry, households will not be allowed to mix indoors, unless they are part of a support bubble.

Following the government’s announcement about the tiered approach, Councillor John Clarke, Gedling Borough Council’s leader called on the people of Gedling to help bring down the number of cases in the borough.

Gedling Borough Council Civic Centre

He said: “Following the government’s announcement yesterday, Gedling borough now falls under new COVID restrictions under the Tier 2 High COVID alert levels. This means that new restrictions will come into force from Wednesday.

“We are asking that you all follow the rules and help us to reduce the number of cases in Gedling, which have seen a rapid increase over the last two weeks.

“We realise that, once again, you are being asked to take a step back from your normal lives and, once again, you are being asked to make more sacrifices to stop this pandemic from tipping over and we appreciate how complicated this can be for many of you, however, we really need you to do this to save lives.

He added: “We will continue to provide support to our most vulnerable residents affected by the pandemic. Our Giving for Gedling webpage has information about what support we can offer people who need help. We are also administering more support to businesses who are affected by the local restrictions. 

“We are waiting for more information from Nottinghamshire County Council and Central Government about how the new restrictions will be enforced, should they need to be.

“So please follow the rules, wash your hands, wear a mask and stay two metres apart.”

‘Completely avoidable’: Nottingham East MP Nadia Whittome slams Government handling of local lockdown

Gedling Eye Reporter
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‘Completely avoidable’: Nottingham East MP Nadia Whittome slams Government handling of local lockdown

Nottingham East MP Nadia Whittome is calling on the government to offer better support for residents affected by the further local lockdown measures.

Ms Whittome represents the people in Mapperley, which falls under the Nottingham East constituency.

She made the calls during a speech in Parliament which was was part of a debate on Covid-19 and was linked to votes on various Covid-19 Regulations.

Ms Whittome, the youngest MP in Parliament, described the recent surge of Covid-19 cases in Nottingham as “completely avoidable.”

In the speech she criticised the government for “confusion and delay” in responding to the rapidly increasing infection rate in the city, and for failing to speak to MPs and councillors before information about planned lockdown measures was briefed to the press.

PICTURED: Nottingham East MP Nadia Whittome

She sad: “The saddest thing about this is that it was avoidable.

The government has failed us time and time again during this crisis. It failed to protect elderly and vulnerable people who have died at an alarming rate in care homes and nursing homes. It failed to implement a test and trace system, and it failed to listen to the OECD’s advice that to protect the economy we must avoid a second wave, and told people one minute to go out to pubs, to eat out to help out, and then blamed them for doing so the next.”

She also called for a “serious economic package to protect jobs and businesses,” an increase in Statutory Sick Pay and an extension on the evictions ban which ended last month.

The Prime Minister announced the tiered approach to lockdown on Monday with a statement in Parliament followed by a national statement in the early evening. Nottingham is placed in the restriction bracket ‘Tier 2 – High’.

Earlier in the year, Ms Whittome returned to her previous job as a careworker to support colleagues at a retirement village complex. She has challenged the Government on their lack of PPE and the failings of the track and trace system.

Watch out for these roadworks across Gedling borough over the next few weeks

Gedling Eye Reporter
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Watch out for these roadworks across Gedling borough over the next few weeks

Drivers are being warned to expect traffic and travel delays due to roadworks across Gedling Borough during the next few weeks.

This list contains only the roadworks considered to be most likely to cause delays on key routes as well as those involving road closures and temporary traffic lights.

It is not an exhaustive list and does not feature some minor or emergency repairs that come up after publication. Other roadworks may finish or start before schedule or be cancelled altogether.

All information from Highways England, local authorities and utility companies.

CARLTON

Albert Avenue

October 19 — 24

Delays possible – Traffic control (Stop/Go boards)

Carlton Hill

October 15 — 19

Delays possible – Some carriageway incursion

GEDLING

Main Road

October 19 — 21

Delays likely – Traffic control (Stop/Go boards)

Florence Road

October 19 — 24

Delays possible – Traffic control (Stop/Go boards)

Roadworks-Gedling

MAPPERLEY

Fernleigh Avenue

October 19 — 23

Delays likely – Road closure

Hallam Road

October 20

Delays possible – Traffic control (multi-way signals)

Moore Road

October 20

Delays possible – Traffic control (multi-way signals)

Works location: 26 Moore Road Porchester Gardens NG3 6EJ (Footway)

Porchester Road

October 20

Delays possible – Traffic control (multi-way signals)

Works location: 26 Moore Road Porchester Gardens NG3 6EJ (Footway)

WOODTHORPE

Breck Hill Road

October 19 — 25

Delays likely – Road closure

Gresham Gardens

October 19 — 24

Delays possible – Traffic control (Stop/Go boards)

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