A tough new traveller ban has been granted giving protection to open areas across Gedling borough.
Gedling Borough Council has been granted an injunction by the courts that bans any unauthorised encampments within the borough.
The council’s legal team put a case to Nottinghamshire County Court who granted the injunction, the first of its kind in Nottinghamshire, banning anyone from setting up an unauthorised encampment within Gedling Borough.
The injunction means that anyone who sets up an unauthorised encampment within the borough can be held in contempt of court, liable to imprisonment, fined or have assets seized. The court granted the injunction until the end of October.
Last week, there was an unauthorised encampment in the car park of the Richard Herrod Leisure Centre, Carlton. Council officers, with the support of private bailiffs, removed them from the site within two days.
PICTURED: The Richard Herrod Centre in Carlton
The council has previously had success in the removal of unauthorised encampments through action under common law as landowners, using private bailiffs and court orders however, this is the first time the council has successfully been able to gain an injunction that covers the entire borough.
Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Cllr John Clarke said: “We are really pleased that the courts have finally granted us this injunction that bans illegal encampments across the borough.
“Evicting illegal encampments, unfortunately, is not as simple as it should be. There is a legal process that is required to take place and, as a council, we are very limited with the powers we have available to evict occupiers. It’s frustrating for us and it’s frustrating for residents.
“Our legal team have done a fantastic job at finding new ways to get eviction orders that we can use across the borough. We will continue to challenge any unauthorised encampments and remove them as quickly and efficiently as possible.”
Police have arrested a seventh man in connection with a shotgun being fired towards a driver in Arnold.
A 22-year-old man has now been arrested in connection with the incident which took place back in June.
He is the seventh person to be arrested as part of the investigation after a man fired a shotgun toward the driver of a vehicle in Roundwood Road, at 11.45am on 8 June 2019.
No-one was hurt in the incident.
Police have said that the man remains in custody.
Nottinghamhsire Police also issued details about the other six people who were arrested:
* A 20-year-old man been charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. He has subsequently been released on conditional bail.
* Two men, aged 26 and 24, arrested on suspicion of firearms-related offences have been released on conditional bail.
* A 22-year-old man, arrested on suspicion of drugs-related offences, has been released on conditional bail.
* A 35-year-old man, arrested on suspicion of firearms-related offences, has been released under investigation.
* A 23-year-old man, arrested on suspicion of driving-related offences, has been released under investigation.
The Brexit Party has selected a new candidate for Gedling to fight in the General Election.
Graham Hunt is to be the prospective parliamentary candidate for the Gedling seat.
Mr Hunt is a recently retired manager for a local energy utility and also a local resident for 24 years.
He will contest the constituency in the next general election, standing against incumbent, Vernon Coaker.
PICTURED: Graham Hunt, right, talks to residents in Arnold about his plans for the area if elected
Mr Hunt said he felt compelled to stand after seeing “the biggest ever public mandate being ‘trashed’ by the UK’s two main parties and political establishment”.
He said: “I am not a politician, but I felt I could not standby and let this happen, so I joined the Brexit Party, a party that’s all pulling in the same direction which is not driven by division and is seeking to restore trust in Democracy and aims to break the two party system and ‘Change Politics for Good’.
“Gedling Voted 55.6% to Leave in the 2016 Referendum, and despite 481 MPS voted to trigger Article 50, after three years of prevarication and delay we still haven’t left the European Union.
He added: “The recent European elections highlighted that the mood to ‘leave’ was still as strong as ever in Gedling, with the Brexit Party coming a clear first on 37.17% of the vote, with the Labour Party on 16.6% and the Tories on just 8.6%.”
As well as delivering a ‘clean’ Brexit, saving £39 billion, Mr Hunt said he would also campaign to scrap HS2, cut student loan interest and promote small business opportunities in the Gedling area.
He added: “I am just an ‘average Joe’ who has had some success in life, and is grateful for this opportunity and who would be immensely proud to serve the people of the Gedling Constituency for the next five years. I guarantee that I would give you my all.
The three Brexit Party MEPs for the East Midlands today congratulated the prospective candidate for Gedling.
Annunziata Rees-Mogg, Jonathan Bullock, and Matthew Patten said in a joint statement: “We would like to wish Graham all the best in Gedling. Along with our prospective candidates up and down the country, Graham will fight for Brexit and fight to restore trust in our democracy which has been betrayed by the Government and the political classes”
A park and ride service in Colwick will get a boost from Monday – with buses being offered every 10 minutes when it’s added to a Gedling bus route.
Nottingham City Transport’s Red 44 will begin calling at Racecourse Park & Ride and take passengers to Nottingham City Centre – and buses will run every 10 minutes during Monday to Saturday daytimes. This is up from the current 15 minute frequency.
NCT say the £4 per car fare will remain unchanged.
Regular users will benefit from reduced travel costs as NCT’s full range of tickets and passes become available, including Easyrider.
A month’s unlimited use on Park & Ride and all other NCT services in Nottingham costs £58 – the equivalent of £2.90 per day – and is £18 less per month compared to paying with a Robin Hood Pay As You Go Card (£3.80 per day).
Red 44 operates with low emission bio-gas double deck buses
and customers will be able to make use of USB charging points and free Wi-Fi on
board, which are only available on NCT operated Park & Ride services in
Nottingham.
The existing Nottingham City Council funded Ecolink service will stop running after Saturday (August 31), replaced by Red 44 for Racecourse Park & Ride users and by new NCT service 50 to Lady Bay Retail Park, East Point Retail Park, Daleside Road, Colwick Industrial Estate and Victoria Retail Park
The changes are being introduced as Nottingham City Council
have to make changes to their tendered Link bus network due to budgetary
pressures.
David Astill, NCT Commercial and Operations Director said,
“We have worked closely with Nottingham City Council and are pleased that we
can both improve the service for Racecourse Park & Ride users with a more
frequent service, USB charging points and free Wi-Fi, whilst also assisting the
City Council in these financially difficult times.”
Councillor Adele Williams, Nottingham City Council’s
Portfolio Holder for Transport said, “NCT offering a replacement to the Ecolink
bus service on a commercial basis demonstrates the success of this route, which
until now has been run as part of our subsidised Linkbus network. It’s
encouraging to see that this can now be run commercially by NCT. In addition,
this will save the council half a million pounds a year, and at a time of much
needed budget savings, this is an opportunity not to be missed.”
It looks at 24 different potential impacts it could have, ranging from panic-buying of fuel and economic destabilisation to procurement at local leisure centres and staff recruitment.
The document, ‘EU Exit and No Deal Action Plan’, was released after a Freedom of Information request by the People’s Vote campaign.
Councils have an obligation to plan for all sorts of events, including catastrophic floods and terrorist attacks.
These form part of a technical document known as a ‘risk register’ – a comprehensive list of any foreseeable problem a council may face.
A senior Labour figure said the plan was not “scaremongering”, but part of being a responsible authority.
A leading Conservative said the Government was working “flat out” to ensure the UK leaves in October “deal or no deal”.
But the People’s Vote campaign said it was “outrageous” to claim there was any democratic mandate for a no-deal Brexit.
With no sign of a new agreement between the UK and EU being put on the table by either side, the prime minister said on August 26 that it was “touch and go” whether there would be a deal or not by October 31.
Among the risks examined are:
Downturn in development and construction locally with implications for affordable housing delivery due to increases in the price of building resources
Potentially greater demand for social/ affordable housing if the economy slumps
Additional tariffs for local exporting businesses would increase costs and may be forced to shed labour as a result
Destabilising economy reducing development due to increased costs of building resources and lack of construction workers, listed as ‘high’ impact
More people in poverty requiring assistance and support in respect of homeless provision and benefit support
Panic buying of fuel supplies could cause difficulties in providing environmental services
The People’s Vote campaign said the combined effects “could bring Gedling grinding to a halt within weeks of the UK leaving the EU”.
PICTURED: Civic Centre at Arnot Hill Park
Susan Martin, coordinator of the Nottingham People’s Vote campaign, said: “The concerns identified here are not hyperbole from politicians in the Remain campaign or exaggeration by journalists.
“They are the sober assessment of public officials in Gedling Borough Council dedicated to the provision of key services from housing to traffic and waste management.
“This is not ‘project fear’ so much as ‘project here’ because the impact on council services will affect thousands of people in Gedling and the surrounding area as they go about their everyday business in these communities.
“At a time when the Prime Minister is saying he is prepared to impose this kind of Brexit on the British people, these risk registers should provide a wake-up call to both politicians and the public.
“During the last referendum, the prospect of a no deal was barely discussed and it is outrageous to claim there is any form of democratic mandate for it now.
“Before any form of destructive Brexit is inflicted on these communities, it is essential for the health of our democracy that the permission of the people is sought through a final say referendum.”
Councillor Michael Payne, deputy leader of the council, who represents the Redhill ward for Labour, said: “As a responsible council, we create risk registers for all types of events.
“The purpose of the risk register is to honestly assess scenarios, including worst case ones, so we can decide how likely they are to happen. The register is not an indication that we expect these scenarios to happen.
“The Prime Minister has made it clear the Government is ‘scaling up’ preparations for a no deal Brexit – it is sensible for local councils to do the same. Having the risk register helps ensure we are as prepared as we can be for any eventuality including a deal or no deal Brexit.
“This is not scaremongering. Our residents and our local businesses expect us to be ready because they know failing to prepare is preparing to fail.
“Brexit will ultimately be judged as a success or failure by localities: real people in real communities. That’s why we need to be as prepared as possible for any and all outcomes of the Brexit negotiations.”
Tom Randall, the newly-announced Conservative candidate for Gedling at the next general election, whenever it is called, said: “The people of Gedling voted for Brexit and the Conservative government is working flat-out to ensure that we leave the European Union, deal or no deal, by October 31.
“People shouldn’t be alarmed by worst-case scenarios, which are not an indicator of what is most likely to happen. Whichever way we leave the EU, the core services Gedling Borough Council provides – like dealing with planning permission applications or getting the bins collected – will continue as before.”
A Mapperley man has been jailed for four months following a burglary in Arnold.
Joshua Symington, 27, of Redcliffe Road, Nottingham, pleaded guilty when he appeared at Nottinghamshire Magistrates’ Court on Monday 19 August 2019.
PICTURED: Joshua Symington (IMAGE: Notts Police)
Officers arrested Symington after a member of the public reported someone breaking into their neighbour’s garage on Oxclose Lane on Sunday, August 18, 2019.
Sergeant Nick Wood, from Nottinghamshire Police’s Prisoner Handling Team, said: “This was fantastic work by all involved, which led to the quick apprehension, charge and conviction of the man responsible.
Police have arrested a 25-year-old man on suspicion of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life after an incident in Gedling.
The arrest follows reports of a firearm being discharged on the evening of Wednesday (August 21, 2019) at Jessops Lane in Gedling.
A window was damaged and there were no injuries following the incident.
The man remains in police custody.
A spokesman for Nottinghamshire Police said: “If anyone has any information, has dash cam footage of the area on Wednesday evening or saw anything suspicious please call 101 quoting incident number 225 of 22 August 2019.”
A man from Colwick has been jailed after pleading guilty to handling stolen goods and going equipped to steal.
At around 10pm on June 24, 2019 the occupant of a property on Greenwood Road, Carlton, was awoken by noises coming from outside.
He looked out of his window and saw 52-year-old Carl Thomas crouched down near rubbish. When he asked what Thomas was doing he replied with an abusive gesture and walked away.
PICTURED: Carl Thomas (IMAGE: Notts Police)
The occupant alerted police who arrested Thomas, of Balmoral Road, Colwick, after he had returned to the victim’s address. Thomas was carrying a shopping bag which contained various items including an angle grinder and a balaclava.
When officers carried out searches at Thomas’ home address they recovered a number of items which had been previously stolen by someone from the garage of a property on Mile End Road, Colwick, and from a shed on Greenwood Crescent, Carlton.
Thomas was jailed for a total of 13 months when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday (August 20, 2019) after admitting two counts of handling stolen goods and one count of going equipped to steal.
A new Arnold night bus service is to run for passengers between Carlton, Gedling and Mapperley, Nottingham City Transport has announced.
Residents in the borough will now have a direct evening bus to Arnold from Monday, September 2, as Nottingham City Transport extends its Lilac 25 to operate later.
Lilac 25 currently runs between City, Carlton, Westdale Lane and Mapperley at night, but will extend to Daybrook and Arnold Town Centre every 30 minutes on Mondays to Saturdays.
The last bus from Arnold Town Centre will be just after 22:30, making it ideal for people enjoying a show or film at the Bonington Theatre, bargain hunting at Arnold Flea Market or meeting friends.
PICTURED: Gedling Borough Council leader Cllr John Clarke, left, with NCT marketing manager Anthony Carver-Smith (IMAGE: NCT)
The improved evening timetable also provides Arnold residents with two hours extra social time at Mapperley, with the last bus at approx. 22:15 instead of 20:15.
Gedling Borough Council Leader, Cllr John Clarke, welcomed the extension.
He said: “This extended low emission service provides a much improved option for our residents to enjoy the nightlife in our borough.
“Whether they’re travelling from Carlton or Mapperley to visit The Bonington for an evening film screening, or heading from Arnold to Mapperley Top for a bite to eat, I’m sure these later night buses will be very popular and will be welcomed by businesses in the areas. It’s great to see NCT investing in bio-gas buses alongside these new routes for our communities.”
Lilac 25 operates with NCT’s low emission fleet of bio-gas double deck buses, with USB chargers and free Wi-Fi on board and have proven popular with customers since their introduction two years ago.
Anthony Carver-Smith, NCT’s Marketing Manager added, “Lilac 25 provides an important and well used daytime link to Arnold Town Centre and following requests by Gedling Borough Councillors and customers for later buses to and from Arnold, we’re delighted to introduce these extra buses.”
New timetable leaflets are now available at the NCT Travel Centre and local libraries, as well as online at nctx.co.uk and in the NCTX Buses app.
Carlton le Willows Academy students are celebrating some ‘supreme’ results for summer 2019 with 80% of students gaining five or more GCSEs at Grade 4 or above.
In total 64% of Year 11s gained Grade 5 and above in English and maths
alone. Results in the maths department were particularly strong with 39% of
students getting Grade 7 or above (A/A*). Across all subjects 29% of students
secured an A*/A equivalent.
PICTURED: Top performing boy and girl Ben Fletcher and Leah Rich
Head teacher Mr Weaver said: “These results are simply supreme. To call
then outstanding does not do them justice. Everyone knows these exams are far
more rigorous than ever before and yet this year’s students have delivered
better than ever before.
“Ultimately it just goes to show that sustained commitment, focus and
expertise alongside a clear focus on each individual child can yield incredible
results. I know all these young people have shown such commitment and
resilience and they will inevitably take those skills forward into whatever
path they now choose.”
Top
performing Academy girl was Leah Rich with eight grade 9s, a grade 8 and an A*
distinction in Further Maths. Top performing boy was Ben Fletcher who secured
six grade 9s, two 8s, and an A* distinction in Further Maths.
Year 11 triplets Josh, Jak and Megan Kane all scored highly across
the board with 10 grade 9s between them.
