Nottingham City Council approves plans for £28m in cuts

Five children's centres are facing closure after Nottingham City Council approved £28m of cuts.

The authority will introduce charges for bulky waste collections and additional residential parking permits, and scaling down two bus services.

It will also cut 83 of its full-time staff, although 24 of these posts are currently vacant.

The 2022/23 budget meeting on Monday also heard the saving plans included a council tax rise of 2.99%.

Council leader David Mellen claimed underfunding had made the council's job "significantly harder".

The Labour-run council will charge a £20 fee for bulky waste collections and for residential parking outside homes, a second car will cost £35 and a third car will be £50, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Earlier plans had earmarked six of its nine children's centres for closure, but after a public consultation this was reduced to five, which are Bilborough, Bulwell, Sneinton and Amesbury Circus and Minver Crescent in Aspley.

The number of youth workers in the city will also be reduced, buses will be cut on the Locallink and Worklink services, a public toilet at Victoria Embankment will close and community centre grants will be slashed to save money.

Mr Mellen said the council's core funding from central government had fallen by £145m since 2010/11, but pledged to continue with local investment projects.

He said: "Despite the difficult decisions in this budget our priorities remain - you will see more council houses being built, houses made to be more energy efficient, and our ambitious plans to regenerate the south side of the city and complete our new central library."

Kevin Clarke, leader of Nottingham Independents, said he agreed Covid had made things worse and government budgets were inadequate, but criticised the Labour-run administration.

He cited how £17.5m had been pumped into the Broadmarsh shopping centre before it collapsed, and how an anticipated £38m was wasted on Robin Hood Energy.

"Once again asking the people of Nottingham to pay up and receive less," he said.

"You are treating the people of Nottingham with contempt when you are trying to pretend you have no part to play."

Andrew Rule, Conservative group leader, added: "The position would be far less uncertain if the council was still not subject to the enduring legacy of Robin Hood Energy and the impact of its failing on council reserves."

Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].