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MP Tom Randall hails Government funding boost for Gedling Borough Council but deputy leader slams figures as ‘smoke and mirrors’

David Bratton
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MP Tom Randall hails Government funding boost for Gedling Borough Council but deputy leader slams figures as ‘smoke and mirrors’

Gedling MP Tom Randall has praised the government for increasing spending power in Gedling borough, saying a planned 2.3% council budget boost will ‘help ensure everyone lives in a community they can be proud of’.

Mr Randall said that Gedling Borough Council would now receive a share of £49.2 billion local government funding this year – a 4.4 per cent real terms increase and the largest year-on-year real terms increase in a decade.

The government increase in council spend is being hailed as ‘the biggest funding boost for local councils in a decade’.

The MP for Gedling said the increase ‘would ensure key public services would be protected, with significant extra resources dedicated to areas where they are needed most’.

He said: “Thanks to the investment being made by the Conservatives, Gedling Borough Council will have an extra 0.2 million pound to spend this year.

But earlier today, the deputy leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor Michael Payne accused the Gedling MP of ‘spinning figures’.

He said a potential uplift in funding for Gedling Borough Council would not be provided by the government, but instead is from the collection of Council Tax.

In the latest government budget announcement Mr Randall revealed…

  • The Local Government Finance Settlement will include an additional £1.5 billion for social care. When added to the existing social care package, local authorities will now have access to over £5.5 billion of dedicated funding across adult and children’s social care in 2020-21.
  • Local authorities will also be rewarded for building new homes, with another £907 million committed to the New Homes Bonus scheme for 2020-21 to encourage development that benefit local communities.
  • Local authorities will be able to prevent excessive Council Tax rises – striking the right balance between the interests of council taxpayers and addressing pressures on services.
Figures provided by Mr Randall’s office above show core spending power by local authority in 2020-21 compared to 2019-20.
PICTURED: Gedling MP Tom Randall has praised the government for increasing Gedling Borough Council’s budget
Cllr_Michael_Payne
PICTURED: Cllr Michael Payne said the MP has been ‘spinning figures’

Tom Randall MP said: “Local authorities play a vital role in our communities, providing the crucial local services that people rely on every day.

“I am delighted that the Conservative Government has confirmed Gedling Borough Council will have an additional 0.2 million pound funding this year, which will help our local councillors make positive change in Gedling.

“The Conservatives were elected on a promise to level up local communities across the whole country, and with this funding increase, we can start to do exactly that, ensuring everyone lives in a community they can be proud of.”

But deputy leader of Gedling Borough Council Cllr Michael Payne said the funding announcement was ‘smoke and mirrors’.

He told Gedling Eye: “This is pure spinning of facts and figures from our local Conservative MP. The so called ‘increase in funding’ he is celebrating does nothing to alter the fact Gedling is the worst hit council in England in terms of change in its Core Spending Power since 2015/16 as a result of cuts by the Conservative Government.

“This year’s £220,000 (£0.2m) potential uplift in funding for Gedling Borough Council, quoted by Tom Randall MP, is not provided by this Conservative Government, it is from the collection of Council Tax. This isn’t an increase in funding from the Government’s coffers, it is the Conservative Government expecting our local residents to pay more in local tax.

“Why have Conservative-run Rushcliffe Borough Council and South Derbyshire Council received 5% and 13.2% increases respectively in their core spending power over the last five years when we’ve had a 21.3% cut – making Gedling the hardest hit in the country.

Mr Payne produced figures from the MHCLG (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) website in reaction to Mr Randall’s claims

“No amount of smoke and mirrors from Tom Randall MP can hide the facts – Gedling has been hit by a £5.38m cut to its funding from central government since 2010, that’s a 61% reduction. 

He added: “It’s a real shame Tom Randall MP is more interested in spinning figures than spending time taking real action to reverse the decision to make Gedling Borough Council the worst affected council in the country as a result of his Conservative Government’s cuts.”

Delays on Gedling borough bus services due to bad weather

Gedling Eye
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Delays on Gedling borough bus services due to bad weather

Nottingham City Transport said there are delays on services to Gedling borough due to poor road and weather conditions, with services also affected by the ongoing closure of Clifton Bridge.

*UPDATED AT 5PM* – The following borough bus services are affected:

  • Red 43 and 44 are back to normal route.
  • Lilac 25 are operating between City, Carlton, Westdale Lane and Mapperley only
  • Blue 39 are operating between City and Thorneywood Mount only
  • Sky Blue 45 is operating between City, Mapperley and Holyoake Road only
  • Lime 56, 57, 59 are operating between City, Sherwood and Thackeray’s Lane / Breckhill Road roundabout only
  • Lime 58 is operating between Arnold Town Centre and Killisick via Coppice Road and Beechwood Road in both directions

Customers can access the latest information online at https://www.nctx.co.uk/badweather as well as following NCT on Twitter – @NCT_Buses and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NottinghamCityTransport/

Storm Ciara: Fallen trees close roads and railways as borough is battered by high-speed winds

Emily Sanchez
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Storm Ciara: Fallen trees close roads and railways as borough is battered by high-speed winds

Storm Ciara lashed Gedling borough with heavy rain and winds of more than 90 miles an hour (145 km/hour) yesterday (Sunday, 9), forcing the cancellation of train services and closing major roads in the area.

A number trees were brought down during the storms which blocked major routes in and out of the borough.

Traffic was brought to a standstill on Main Road in Gedling, after a tree fell, closing the road for several hours while it was removed. Traffic had to be diverted back up Arnold Lane via the roundabout and away from the village by police during the incident.

IMAGE: Nathan Dye
IMAGE: Francis Rodrigues

Spring Lane at the junction with Mapperley Plains was also closed off to traffic after a tree fell into the road.

Lowdham Lane in Woodborough and Calverton Road near Dorket Head were also closed to traffic.

Trains serving Netherfield Station were cancelled during the morning and early afternoon after a tree was brought down onto the tracks. It was eventually cleared by Network Rail.

This trampoline, featured in the video above, was one of many carried out of gardens by the winds as they battered the borough. This one being blown into the road was captured on camera by Arnold resident Andrew Jackson.

PICTURED: A tree was brought down into the road outside The Longbow Pub on Calverton Road in Arnold

Businesses were also left damaged in Arnold town centre, with tiles crashing to the floor after being brought off the roof during the storm.

Councillor Roxanne Ellis surveys damage in Arnold town centre (IMAGE: Ernhale Councillors/Facebook)

The fastest gusts of 97 miles per hour were recorded on the Isle of Wight on Sunday, with 93 miles per hour winds hitting Aberdaron, a village at the tip of the Llyn Peninsula.

The situation in Gedling borough mirrored what was happening across the country as Storm Ciara caused chaos.

Inland, Manchester Airport recorded gusts of 86 miles per hour, while 178mm of rain fell in Honister Pass, in Cumbria, in the 24 hours to 4pm on Sunday – around one-and-a-half times the average February rainfall of 112mm.

Some 539,000 people experienced a power cut on Sunday with 118,000 left without power by 4pm across the whole of the UK, according to Energy Networks.

The national meteorological service said it had recorded a maximum wind speed of 93 miles an hour at Aberdaron in Wales, on a day of storm disruption that stretched into northern continental Europe.

If you have any pictures of the devastation so far caused by Storm Ciara, please email news@gedlingeye.co.uk

Man in hospital after stabbing in Daybrook

Gedling Eye Reporter
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Man in hospital after stabbing in Daybrook

A man is now in hospital after a stabbing in Daybrook.

Officers were called just after 1.30am today (Sunday, February 9) to a report of an incident on Rosecroft Drive.

A man was taken to hospital with injuries which are not currently believed to be life-threatening.

Police-notepad
Police are investigating

Detective Inspector Ed Cook, who is investigating the incident, said: “Officers are working hard to establish the circumstances of this incident.

“Police will be in the area while we conduct our enquiries and I would encourage any residents who may have concerns to speak to one of our officers.

“If you have any information about what happened you should call Nottinghamshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 71 of 9 February 2020, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

Gedling football club raises £10k for When You Wish Upon a Star charity

Gedling Eye Reporter
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Gedling football club raises £10k for When You Wish Upon a Star charity

Players, parents and staff at a local football club in Gedling have raised £10k for a local charity which grants magical wishes for youngsters with life threatening illnesses.

Representatives from Gedling Southbank Football Club invited Mayor of Gedling Sandra Barnes and Wish Upon A Star founder Barbara White along to a special evening of celebration where the cheque was presented to the charity.

Club representative Matt Johnson said: “It was a great celebration of the work put in by all those involved in the fundraising activities to help children less fortunate than ourselves. Well done to everyone” 

MARC WILLIAMS: ‘Why would I want to go and watch that?’

Marc Williams
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MARC WILLIAMS: ‘Why would I want to go and watch that?’

Mapperley-based sports writer Marc Williams shares his own opinions and thoughts on national footballing topics.

251 of the most dedicated spectators had just watched Nottinghamshire-based Gedling Miners Welfare share the spoils with Heanor Town in an enthralling 3-3 draw in the tenth tier of English football one bitter December afternoon when a feeling of pride kicked in.

Welfare’s largest crowd of the season – inevitable against their renowned Derbyshire opponents – make their journeys home and the tireless efforts of behind-the-scene volunteers conclude for yet another weekend of non-league football.

Goal nets are hauled down, muddy paths are swept and interviews are conducted in a makeshift portacabin with questionable lighting and frazzled audio. The freshly washed teams trundle their way to the nearby clubhouse where a chip roll and a pint of something awaits to replace lost electrolytes.

Opposing players, often friends, work colleagues and former teammates at this level, huddle in smoking areas to discuss the 90 minutes with playful tongue-in-cheek banter, meaningless jibes and jovial quips before doing it all again next week.

Groundhoppers. Raffles. Togetherness – all synonymous with non-league football. This is the proper game and there is nothing else like it.

Sitting nine steps below the Premier League, the East Midlands Counties League, and many others, is miles adrift, where clubs are indebted to the help of the often-unpaid players and volunteers, local communities and sponsorship – small or large – all with no guarantee of a future.

Up and down the country, efforts of those committed to the non-league cause are facing regular adversity. Crippling finances, break-ins and little governing support are a select number of factors that are contributing to club liquidation, and the incline of their uphill battle to maintain a status as a football club becomes ever steeper.

Groundhoppers. Raffles. Togetherness – all synonymous with non-league football. This is the proper game and there is nothing else like it.

But despite that, and with the Premier League juggernaut becoming stronger each year, the popularity of non-league football is rising and those deterred by the monetised behemoth that graces our television screens week in, week out are beginning to find out why.

To others, it has been there all along.

Since its introduction in 1992, the Premier League has become an entity that has reached unforeseen levels with little sign of slowing down, and the oft-repeated phrase that the working man is being priced out of the game is becoming increasingly poignant.

The beautiful game which we all know and love is being diluted into commercialised marketing propaganda that only favours corporate guests, tourists and the prawn sandwich eater, with ‘real’ fans of the sport being left in the dark.

Ticket prices, television subscription rates and lack of empathy are forever increasing and the experience of attending a game in today’s market feels overwhelmingly expensive and sterile.  And with any emotion now utterly sapped by video assistant referees, or VAR, fans are now seeking a more economical, less-tinkered alternative.

Any avid follower of non-league will vouch that it is not just the affordable prices and simplicity that keeps them coming back – it is a lot more than that – and football played at the depths of the FA’s pyramid system is now slowly clawing its way back to its rightful level following a renaissance in recent years.

PICTURED: Former Norwich City Striker Grant Holt warming up as a substitute for Wroxham in the FA Vase. Credit: Nick Palmer (@stickypalms)

With rustic straightforwardness and an overwhelming sense of camaraderie, non-league football allows fans to strip back any PR and marketing gloss, a millionaire budget and fancy leather seats and get back to the beating heart of the game played in a relatable environment.

Clubs at this level are, quite inevitably, operationally smaller in size to their professional counterparts, but are immensely close-knit; as one with their local community and ridding of any untouchable titles, such as board member, chairman or president.

Everyone is family and the sense of belonging is unmatched. 

The affordable quality is there, too, with little surprise when supporters frequently read of non-league players stepping up and succeeding at full-time level.  

We have all heard of Jamie Vardy’s story. He combined a job as a technician whilst playing for Stocksbridge Park Steels in the Northern Premier League Division One South before signing for Halifax Town (then-Northern Premier League) in 2010.

Moves to Fleetwood Town (then-National Premier League) followed before he secured a £1million move to Leicester City – a non-league record fee – to become Premier League champion in 2016.

But whilst Vardy’s impressive career continues to fledge, he’s not the only player who owes a lot to non-league for their rise through the ranks.  

Before signing for Reading in 2008, West Ham United winger Michail Antonio plied his trade at Tooting and Mitcham. Chris Smalling, now on loan at Italian giants Roma from Manchester United, began his football career at Maidstone United.

Yannick Bolasie (Hillingdon Borough), Jimmy Bullard (Gravesend and Northfleet), Ian Wright (Greenwich Borough) all look back with fond memories and the trend continues as January’s transfer window saw many fulfil their childhood ambitions.

League Two’s Forest Green Rovers announced the signing of Josh March from Leamington of the National League North, whilst Muhammadu Faal and George Thomason secured moves to Bolton Wanderers from Towns Enfield and Longridge respectively.

Blackpool plumped for Warrington Town’s Ben Garrity on deadline day.

It is a beautiful spectacle and the sincerest testament to non-league football and its following.

However, it is not just the fresh-faced wonderkids, stepping into professional boots, whom be indebted to life outside the 92. Others, who have ‘been there and done it’, see it as one final stop-off; a late test at the tail end of their careers, before retiring into coaching, punditry… or wrestling.  

38-year-old, former WWE star and ex-Norwich City striker Grant Holt scored for Wroxham, based in the Norfolk Broads, as they progressed to the fifth round of the FA Vase with victory over South Normanton recently.

Well-travelled target-man Jamie Cureton (44) continued to score hat tricks at Bishops Stortford, before his move to Hornchurch earlier this month, and even Ricardo Fuller (40), who made several hundred professional appearances over a near 20-year career, is now seen leading the line for Nantwich Town this season.

With admission as low as £3 at some clubs, non-league football provides a sense of old-school nostalgia that will help the more disillusioned fan rediscover their love of the game, with even the possibility of an ex-professional cropping up somewhere or a starlet in the making.

It is cost effective entertainment that has fans wanting more with many teams adhering to a less conservative style of play that makes for high scoring and exciting contests, unlike the more reserved, multi-millionaires that play at England’s top table. 

You will feel welcomed. You may even stick around long enough to become part of the furniture. But more importantly, you will play a part in the existence and longevity of a much-needed commodity of any local town, city or village – a football club.  

To Jordan Sinnott,

a talented non-league footballer with Matlock Town who tragically died in Nottinghamshire on Saturday 25 January. He was 25.

A Huddersfield Town graduate, Jordan had spells at Altrincham, FC Halifax Town, Chesterfield, Alfreton Town before signing for Matlock in 2019.

Movingly, he scored his first ever career hat trick for the Gladiators in his last ever game; a 5-0 win over Basford United in the League Cup in mid-January, eleven days before his death.

Jordan Sinnott
1994 – 2020

Oscars 2020: You can watch these nominated films at The Bonington in Arnold

David Bratton
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Oscars 2020: You can watch these nominated films at The Bonington in Arnold

Oscars buzz is everywhere following the nominations last month, with film fans now looking to seek out the flicks favoured by judges.

But those living in Gedling borough won’t have to go far, with The Bonington in Arnold giving people the chance to see if this year’s selections are really statue worthy.

These are the Oscar-nominated films playing over at The Bonington over the next few weeks…

1917 (15)

Friday, February 7 – Monday, February 17

You can also catch-up in March from Friday 13 – Thursday 19

Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes (Skyfall, Spectre, American Beauty) brings his singular vision to his World War I epic as two British soldiers embark on a dangerous mission to save 1,600 men from certain doom.

At the height of the First World War, two young British soldiers, Schofield and Blake are given a seemingly impossible mission. In a race against time, they must cross enemy territory and deliver a message that will stop a deadly attack on hundreds of soldiers—Blake’s own brother among them.

Jojo Rabbit (12A)

Saturday, February 22 – Thursday, February 27

Jojo is a lonely German boy who discovers that his single mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their attic. Aided only by his imaginary friends – who happens to be Adolf Hitler – Jojo must confront his blind Nationalism as WWII continues to rage on.

SHOWING SOON: The Lighthouse

The Lighthouse (15)

Friday, March 28 & Saturday, February 29 at 7.30pm

From Robert Eggers, the visionary filmmaker behind modern horror masterpiece The VVitch, comes this hypnotic and hallucinatory tale of two lighthouse keepers on a remote and mysterious New England island in the 1890s.

Parasite (15)

Friday, March 13 at 7.30pm

Winner of the prestigious Palme d’Or, Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite has become the first Korean film to ever be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.

Greed and class discrimination threaten the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan in this funny, thrilling and hugely entertaining film.

Nominated For: 6 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director and Best International Film

Marriage Story (15)

Sunday, March 15 & Thursday, March 19

No Netflix? No problem! Nominated for Best Picture, Noah Baumbach’s emotional and heartfelt film chronicles a coast-to-coast divorce that pushes a stage director and his actor wife to breaking point.

Nominated For: 6 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Actress (Johansson) Best Actor (Driver) & Best Original Screenplay.

Arnold Foodbank thanks community after 13.5 tonnes of goods are donated over festive period

Gedling Eye Reporter
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Arnold Foodbank thanks community after 13.5 tonnes of goods are donated over festive period

Trustees of the Arnold Foodbank have thanked the community for their generosity over Christmas.

People across Gedling borough donated 13.5 tonnes of food and toiletries to the charity centre in Mansfield Road – that is a third of their annual amount in just one month.

Helen Lloyd, manager of Arnold Foodbank, said they’d never had a Christmas like it in terms of donations

She said: “We have now finally sorted through all our donations, finding all the mince pies before they go out of date.

PICTURED: Items being donated to the foodbank

“The food is still going out at a rate of at least one tonne a week and the abundance we have just now should mean we have food enough to keep us in stock until March. By then our tinned fruit and meat may start to look a bit low, but we can be sure that our pasta, beans and tea bags will still be going strong.

“We are so grateful to have the use of Daybrook Baptist Church, as every available space in this old building has been taken over to accommodate the generosity of the community. “

“The centre would like to thank those who have given through Gedling Borough Council, schools, churches, businesses, in stores and local shops – often giving multiple donations, and the many of you who gave financial donations directly or through our Just Giving page.”

Angry passengers say they are ‘packed like sardines’ on daily train to borough stations

David Bratton
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Angry passengers say they are ‘packed like sardines’ on daily train to borough stations

Angry train passengers have been venting their frustration, saying they are being ‘packed like sardines’ on a daily service to two of the borough’s stations.

Commuters catching the 17.26pm service from Nottingham to Lincoln, which calls at Carlton and Burton Joyce stations, have said they are ‘baffled’ as to why it remains just two carriages when the service is in such high demand.

Passengers told us they could not fit onto the service or had to squeeze into the packed carriage on a daily basis.

Gedling resident Tom Rice catches the service to Carlton and said he was hoping the problem, which has existed for several years, would be solved when East Midlands Railway took over the franchise last August.

He said: “It’s been terrible for years. You have to accept being packed like sardines if you want to get home on time using this train. It’s always standing room only. I thought a third carriage would have been added by now as it’s really clear that two is not enough. I’m worried it’s only when someone gets hurt that something will finally be done.”

PICTURED: Passengers board the busy service at Nottingham
PICTURED: Passengers waiting for the service to Carlton and Burton Joyce

Sheila Evans said she’d missed her stop several times as she’d been unable to get off the service in time.

“It’s too packed. It’s so difficult to get off the train on time. On several occasions I have ended up missing the Carlton stop and then had to get off at Burton Joyce.

“Why can’t East Midlands Railway do something? It’s dangerous. I’ve seen pensioners having to stand up on this service and they look really anxious. People just want to get home safely.”

Gedling Eye contacted East Midlands Railway who said they were aware of the problem.

An East Midlands Railway spokesperson said:  “The number of carriages made available for each train company are agreed with the Department for Transport at the start of every franchise and every carriage within our fleet is being used as efficiently as possible to provide as much capacity as possible for customers.

“We are aware that some services between Nottingham and Carlton are extremely busy and can be overcrowded. We anticipate that from March this year, we will be able to strengthen the 17:26 service to an extra carriage, which will help passengers travel more comfortably. 
“We will continue to work with stakeholders to seek feedback and look at possible options to improve services on this route in the future.”

Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Paddy Tipping goes on walkabout in Netherfield to hear concerns about crime

David Bratton
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Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Paddy Tipping goes on walkabout in Netherfield to hear concerns about crime

Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire, Paddy Tipping today (Friday, 7) met with residents and local business owners in Netherfield to find out more about how neighbourhood police teams were tackling crime in the town.

Mr Tipping was joined on the walkabout by councillors Nicki Brooks and David Ellis, along with members of the local neighbourhood police team.

The group’s first visit of the day was to St George’s Centre, on Victoria Road, where they heard from manager Tina Simpson about the positive relationship community centre users have with local officers.

She said: “It’s wonderful that the neighbourhood police officers pay regular visits to the community centre. They have such a great relationship with our users and help them where they can. The beat surgeries they hold here are also popular too with residents.

“People using St George’s praise the active role the local police play in our community and I know they are really comfortable talking to these officers if they need help or want to report a crime.”

Two of the beat officers best known to people at the centre in Netherfield are PC Shajiat and PCSO Parkinson, who both joined Mr Tipping today on his walkabout.

Both agreed that despite a drop in crime around the town, proactive policing must remain a priority.

PC Shajiat said: “Our role is to keep making sure these local residents see police on their streets and feel reassured.

“We will keep regularly going into the community centre and also talking to residents and local business owners in the town as this is key to building up confidence in us.

“The more confidence these people have in local police officers, the more likely they are to report a crime to us when it happens and we can then quickly deal with it.”

PICTURED: Councillor Nicki Brooks, Paddy Tipping, PCSO Parkinson and Councillor David Ellis on their walkabout in Netherfield (PHOTO: Gedling Eye)
PICTURED: The group talk to It’s Inn The Bank landlord David Murphy about his crime concerns
PICTURE: Gedling Eye
PICTURED: PCC Paddy Tipping talks to PC Shajiat, right, about his work in the community
PICTURED: The group met with St George’s Centre manager Tina Simpson, second, left, during their walk around town

PCSO Parkinson was pleased that residents had the opportunity to talk to Mr Tipping face to face today.

He said: “Today’s event has given us a chance to hear views from the community and let them tell us and Mr Tipping about the concerns they have about low level crime and antisocial behaviour in the area, which they say continues to be a concern.

“We need to keep a close relationship with the people in this community as they are our eyes and ears and working closely with them means we can make real progress quickly when it comes to dealing with local crime.”

The police team and councillors’ final destination was the It’s Inn The Bank pub where they talked to customers and gathered their thoughts on local policing.

Mr Tipping also took the opportunity to quiz pub landlord David Murphy about his concerns for the town and his work with Pubwatch, a group which brings pub owners together to combat crime and anti-social behaviour in local licensed premises.

Mr Murphy expressed his concerns about the lack of police presence in the town to Mr Tipping.

Later, Mr Murphy shared more details about his conversation with the police and crime commissioner.

He said: “Mr Tipping told me at a Pubwatch meeting last year they would be recruiting more officers and he’s reiterated that promise to me here today, saying there will be another 100 by the end of the year.

“An increase is numbers is definitely needed: there simply aren’t enough police on the streets around Netherfield. There’s no point in police officers driving past trouble in police cars, they need to be on the streets so they can see what’s going on.”

He did praise neighbourhood police teams and Mr Tipping for being supportive of the Pubwatch scheme.

“We get a police report every month and an officer also attends every time we have a meeting,” he said.

“They are always asking what they can do to help and I can’t fault neighbourhood police on this; they are always supportive of the work we do in the Pubwatch group.”

Netherfield resident Garry Norman got the opportunity to talk to the neighbourhood police team during their pub visit and asked for more bobbies to be put on the beat.

He said: “There needs to be more police on our streets to reassure everyone that they are here for us and that they are protecting us. In the last ten years the community have been self policing around Netherfield.”

Mr Norman told us he wasn’t convinced that more officers would appear on local streets, despite assurances from the police team today.

“I’m not convinced, no, but let’s hope they do,” he said.

After completing his visit, Mr Tipping told Gedling Eye he believes Netherfield is now a town ‘on the up’.

He said: “I know Netherfield well as my daughter used to live here. The area did go through a bit of a down time but from what I’ve seen from our visit today that things are really picking up. There’s a great community spirit here.

“I think Netherfield is a good place to live, It’s getting a better place to live and it’s in all interests to make Netherfield an even safer place to live. We can do this with more police officers and there will soon be more on the streets. We’re recruiting hard with 107 extra police officers now joining us and numbers will continue to increase.”

Mr Tipping also addressed concerns raised about the sale of Carlton Police Station, which many believe had an impact on police numbers locally.

“The police are around. They are on these streets today. People want to see more bobbies, not buildings,” he said.

“By closing down buildings and reducing the size of the estate we’ve been able to invest more in policing. We have more police officers now than when I came into this post.

“More police on the streets is what the public told me they want. I listened to them and I am trying to deliver.”

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