‘Nottingham says no cuts’ campaigners deliver petition to Downing Street

It calls on the Government to provide no-strings-attached financial support for Nottingham City Council, which has effectively declared itself bankrupt.

The authority is likely to push through sweeping cuts and more than 550 job losses in order to set a balanced budget.

The group Resolve Nottingham has united community groups, the arts sector and other concerned residents to oppose the plans.

Nottingham-born actor Vicky McClure has also thrown her support behind the campaign.

The group, which travelled to London on last Friday, say they ‘don’t want to imagine the future’ after the cuts are made, saying they will lead on to higher rates of crime and mental health problems.

They handed the petition – addressed to MP Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities – to staff at 10 Downing Street.

Adam Pickering of The Left Lion and The Hustle Collective told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “We hope the petition will make its way to Michael Gove’s desk.

“We want to get him in front of the people of Nottingham and see their concern and worry.

“They should be working out how to bring more revenue in rather than cuts.

“The amount of signatures we gathered says a lot about Nottingham’s togetherness, resilience and resolve. 11,500 people have spoken with a united voice.

“A lot of people we spoke to didn’t know what was happening – they deserve to be in the know.”

Some of the planned cuts include removing all council funding for operating community centres, permanently closing the Old Market Square fountain, and closing the Jackdawe in-house homecare service.

Removing £198,000 from the cultural sector is also planned, as is a cut of £3m to Community Protection and the libararies service is to be again reviewed.

The council is due to meet to discuss and decide its budget for the next 12 months today (Monday).

Marcellus Baz, of non-profit youth support service Switch Up, said: “These cuts will affect young people and the disadvantaged worst.

“We need government investment to be able to continue these vital services, keeping the city safe and vibrant.

“With the cuts, we will see more crime and more mental health problems.

"Services are already exhausted and depleted.

" can’t imagine what is going to happen – 11,500 people have said ‘no cuts for Nottingham’.”

Sarah Manton from Curious Nottingham arts studio said: “People are incredibly worried.

“It’s terrible that the council has been forced to do this before they have received a finance boost.

"There shouldn’t be cuts until the council’s future has been secured.

“There’s a lot of worry in the arts sector about what the cuts will mean.

"The arts were only just recovering from the pandemic.

“We believe the Government has underfunded the council for years.

"They should give it no strings attached boost to get the city back on its feet.

“We know the city council isn’t perfect, but we don’t lay the blame on it.

"The Government should be working collaboratively with them.”

The council has a £23m budget gap for the financial year ending in April, and a £53m gap for the following one.

The Labour-led council declared effectively bankruptcy in November, and last week the Government appointed commissioners to help run its finances, taking away some control from elected councillors.

Senior councillors say rising care costs and past Government grant funding cuts are to blame.

But they have also acknowledged the authority’s cash reserves have been drained by serious past financial errors which include the fallout from the collapse of council-run Robin Hood Energy and unlawful misspending of money meant for housing imrpovements.

‘Nottingham says no cuts’ campaigners deliver petition to Downing Street

Campaigners fighting sweeping council cuts planned for Nottingham say the city has made itself heard after they delivered a petition with more than 11,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street.

The Government last week gave the council emergency financial support, which will allow it to sell assets and borrow a total of £66m to keep essential services going – but a grant or loan has not been on the table.

A spokesperson for the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said: “Councils are ultimately responsible for their finances and will see their overall funding for the upcoming financial year increase to £64.7 billion – a 7.5 per cent increase in cash terms.

“The Government has also provided Nottingham City Council with further financial flexibilities so it can balance its budget and deliver vital services.

“In order to address its financial and governance challenges, we announced commissioners in Nottingham City Council in February.”