Nottingham City Council commits to Fairtrade

Nottingham City Councillors are urging businesses and local communities to support their ambition for Nottingham to be recognised nationally and globally as a Fairtrade City.

Councillor Mick Newton will move a motion at the Full Council meeting on Monday 13th July, which outlines the council’s commitment to only use Fairtrade products for internal meetings/events, to promote the principles of Fairtrade among partners and to urge local businesses and employers to support and promote Fairtrade products and values to employees and customers.

To set an example, the Council will amend its own procurement and facilities management policies in order to achieve its goal of becoming a Fairtrade City.

The Council will also look to further Global Citizenship within schools across Nottingham.

Councillor Mick Newton said:

Tories u-turn on funding Sure Start

Councillor David Mellen, Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services, responds to news that the Conservatives have refused to guarantee funding for the national SureStart programme.

Councillor David Mellen is dismayed by the statement from Phillip Hammond, the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, that the Conservatives may not guarantee funding for the Labour government’s early years programme, SureStart. In 2008, Oliver Letwin stated that SureStart would continue under a Tory government at the same level to which Labour was committed. He said: “It will not be cut back.”

Hammond has now signalled that the programme would be subject to the same scrutiny and possible ten to 15 per cent cuts subjected to all departments.

Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services, David Mellen, said:

“Our Children’s Centres and SureStart activities have become a vital part of the support for children and young families in every community across the city…

Conservative SATs proposals flawed

Conservative plans to end SATs taken at primary school effectively delaying them until the first year a child attends secondary school have been been described as ‘ill thought out’ by Councillor David Mellen, Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services.

Councillor Mellen said:

“Children should be assessed in an environment where they can do their best. For some children, the first few days at secondary school can be overwhelming and bewildering; these are hardly the circumstances to measure accurately a child’s progress and potential.”

Nottingham’s NET Phase Two is key to future job creation

Councillor Graham Chapman has issued the following statement regarding the threat to future job creation in Nottingham and its conurbation, if the Tories were in power and pulled support from the tram:

“NET Phase Two will not benefit only the City. It will give better access to areas of Chilwell and, via park and ride and feeder bus, for outlying areas to the south of the county. It will also bring economic benefits to Chilwell and Beeston town centre. It’s the whole of the conurbation – jobs, inward investment, transport links – all will feel the effects.

* Jobs – the overall employment impact of NET Phase Two has been estimated by the Centre for Economics and Business Research to be up to 10,000 new jobs
* Inward investment – the NET extensions would link BioCity with Highfields Science Park as well as research institutes at the Universities and QMC – making it easier for this sector to grow. The tram is a already major attraction for inward investors in the proposed Medicentre
* Supporting transport links – the redevelopment of Nottingham’s Railway Station and improvements to the City’s Link bus service which serve some of the city’s key employment sites, hospitals and universities

Tory policy threat to jobs and investment in Nottingham

The Conservatives’ threat to the Tram lines 2 and 3 could jeopardise jobs and investment in both the City and the County, claims Councillor Graham Chapman, Deputy Leader of the City Council:

“Not only does it put at risk the £450m investment in the tram itself, most of which would be Government funding, it also undermines job creation and inward investment of the sites along the proposed tram lines.”

These sites are:

Nottingham City Council civic appointments 2009/10

The following people have been nominated to civic positions at Nottingham City Council for the municipal year 2009/10:

* Lord Mayor – Jeannie Packer
* Deputy Lord Mayor – Mick Wildgust
* Sheriff – Leon Unczur

The Lord Mayor will be elected at the Annual Council meeting on Monday 11th May. The Deputy Lord Mayor and Sheriff will also be appointed at this meeting.

All three nominees were born and bred in Nottingham.

Nottingham Tories lose their nerve over transport strategy

Theresa May’s backing for Nottingham Tory plans to withdraw support for £400m investment in Nottingham’s tram network represents the ease with which local Conservative County Councillors have abandoned green strategies and caved in to short term interests.

This view contrasts totally with an article in The Sunday Times in which David Cameron was supportive of tram systems as a means of regenerating urban transport systems.

Leader of Nottingham City Council, Jon Collins said:

“This is a clear example of small minded politics being played by the Tory County Councillors who fail to appreciate the implications of their actions for the citizens of Nottingham.

Labour: Nottingham Tories have “no vision, no ambition”

Nottingham City Labour Group reaction to Nottingham County Council Conservative Group pledge to withdraw support for the proposed NET Phase Two:

Nottinghamshire County Council Conservative Group is saying no to £400m investment through the expansion of NET phase One of the tram system. Their pledge to withdraw from NET if they are in power would deny Nottingham City and County the £400m investment pledged by the Government.

The investment, which was announced last year, has been praised by businesses located at the ng² business park, which is on the route of the extension.

Mark Bielby of Miller Birch explains: “Occupiers at ng² are looking forward to its arrival because it will provide a direct and rapid link with the railway station and many other parts of Nottingham.”

Free personal safety alarms for Basford pensioners

Local Basford councillors have decided to commit their £10,000 ward councillor budget to acquire personal safety alarms for all elderly people of a pensionable age in Basford. After a spate of street attacks / muggings, local councillors have responded to enable the elderly to fulfil their daily lives feeling safe and secure.

The alarms are multi-purpose and can be used on the individual or within the home.

Speaking to residents at Kersall Court residential home, Councillor Newton said:

“Crimes against the elderly are one of the most abhorrent crimes in society. Feeling safe and secure both inside the home and outside in the wider community is a fundamental basic human right.

Nottingham Children’s Centres are on target

In a recent Children’s Centres progress report, Labour Members of Nottingham City Council have praised the programme and services delivered by the Children’s Centres in the City which have been supported by £8,433,031 of revenue budget. The target of 16 designated Children’s Centres has already been achieved for 2008/09.

85% of families with children from 0 – 5 years in the City have access to a wide range of core services including family health services, childcare, early education, family support, outreach services, links to employment and training opportunities and information for families.

In addition to those services above, Nottingham has recently been selected as a national child poverty pilot area for the Work Focussed in Children’s Centres Programme. This will provide three JobCentre Plus advisors located full-time in three Children’s Centres across the City.