Campaign launched to keep Hucknall out of Nottingham City Council

Coun Lee Waters, the councillor for Hucknall North, has claimed Hucknall could be swallowed up by Nottingham City Council if a Local Government Reorganisation was to go ahead.

Coun Waters said: “Now is not the time for expensive reorganisations of local government, our council should be concentrating on recovery from Covid-19.

"Ashfield was the only council in the county to maintain a full bin collection service during the lockdown.

"In fact, we were the only council in the country to offer an enhanced bin collection service via our ‘Bag It’ and ‘Spring into Summer’ campaigns.

"While many councils in the country went into partial lockdown, Ashfield went into overdrive.

"Now our staff’s jobs are being put at risk. That’s their reward for putting their lives at risk.

"If Hucknall becomes part of Nottingham City we will lose a huge amount of services.

"Hucknall will lose its identity.

"Hucknall will never be the same again.

“The campaign to save Hucknall from Nottingham City Council’s clutches starts now.

"If Hucknall ends up being part of Nottingham things we love like our Leisure Centre will be under threat.

"The Ashfield Independents will not accept this and have written to the Secretary of State making these points.”

Coun David Mellen, leader of Nottingham City Council, said: “Many people who live in Hucknall travel to and from the city for work and leisure on a regular basis, often using the tram service which links the town to the centre of Nottingham.

"But Ashfield councillors are absolutely right that we all have more urgent matters to deal with at this time than pursue Local Government Reorganisation.

The city council has been standing shoulder to shoulder with district councils in opposing the way that the county council has put forward its proposals.

"We trust that the Government will not support these proposals and we can focus on supporting our communities through the national pandemic.”

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