🗳️ NOTTINGHAMSHIRE LOCAL ELECTIONS: A thread

There are elections tomorrow for all 7 district & borough councils in the county, along with Nottingham City Council

3 currently Labour run, 2 Conservative run, 2 in no overall control, 1 run by Ashfield Independents

1/ In total that’s 343 seats up for grabs, including Mansfield’s mayor

In 2019, the last time these councils had elections…

🔴 Lab: 162
🔵 Con: 96
⚫️ Ind/other: 68
🟠 Lib Dem: 15
🟢 Grn: 2

2/

NEW: Series of cost-cutting proposals published by Nottingham City Council as it looks to balance its books, including:

- Closure of 6 Children's Centres
- New charge for 2nd & 3rd permits in residential parking zones (1st still free)
- Charge for bulky waste collections

1/ - Some Linkbus services reduced
- Medilink fares increased
- Reduced play & youth services
- 91 council job cuts
- Council tax up by 2.99% (incl 1% social care levy)

Would all save £12.2m, with £15.7m more still to come in the new year

2/

So which tier of covid restrictions is Nottinghamshire likely to be in? A thread:

First thing to say is the PM told the Commons on Monday tiers will be decided on a regional basis, rather than at district level, so we expect Nottinghamshire to be treated as one

1/ Things considered when deciding tiers are:
-Infection rates
-Ages of those getting infected
-Rate of change
-% of tests coming back positive
-Hospital pressure

So let’s go through each one in turn…

2/

I understand @MHCLG will shortly start an investigation into the finances of Nottingham City Council. It follows the publication of an external auditor’s report in the summer, criticising the Council for its handling of Robin Hood Energy

1/ It'll be led by Max Caller - a name that sends shivers down the spines of anyone in local government. He led the investigation into Northamptonshire County Council which, ultimately, has led to that authority being scrapped because of financial trouble

2/

Nottingham under lockdown, a thread: