Ashfield council leader's pledge to communities as Covid rules tighten

I am pleased that the council is continuing to support town centre businesses. We have visited more than 600 businesses in Hucknall, Kirkby and Sutton offering help and advice – not just on reopening but also how to continue to trade safely. We have also been offering help and advice on financial assistance available.

With coronavirus rates rising across Nottinghamshire – especially amongst 21-45 year olds – we need to do everything possible to restrict its spread.

The new lockdown rules are a source of frustration for residents.

Government rules are confusing and baffle many residents including me. How can it be right that residents can assemble in a cinema or a circus in Kirkby legally – yet we can’t visit our parents and grandparents? I haven’t met face to face with my grandparents John, 96, and Stella, 89, who live in Annesley, since February. Leaving a bouquet of flowers on the doorstep for my grandma’s birthday was heartbreaking.

Ashfield District Council continues to do everything possible to support residents during the Covid pandemic. This is our number one priority. Unfortunately, you can’t say the same for the Conservatives at the county council.

The news that Conservative-led Nottinghamshire County Council have failed with their bid to scrap borough and district councils is welcome. The fact that the Tories prioritised scrapping councils like Ashfield, Broxtowe and Mansfield is a shocking indictment of their sense of priorities. Instead of prioritising recovery and putting residents first like we are in Ashfield – the county council pursued their ideological intention to create a super council and take the ‘local’ out of local government.

All this has cost the taxpayer more than £100,000 – this is on top of the £250,000 the Conservatives wasted the last time they failed to scrap our councils two years ago. I was pleased that Ashfield District Council passed a motion against the creation of one big super council.