Agenda item

Clifton

JC asked the following question of the Leader of the Council:

In 2019, the Leader of the Council responded to a question from a member of the public who was concerned that the Leader of the Opposition had described the Clifton area as being in a state of 'demise'. Now, with almost three-years having passed since this question was asked, would the Leader of the Council please provide an update regarding the work that he and the Council as a whole have undertaken to ensure the success of Clifton — in spite of the pandemic — and advance the interests of its citizens?

Councillor David Mellen replied as follows:

I am grateful for the citizen’s question and the opportunity to talk about this Council’s commitment to investment and regeneration across our neighbourhoods. Firstly, let me say that Nottingham City Council has invested significantly in Clifton, in the face of disproportionate Government cuts to Council funding over the last ten years. Like all our neighbourhoods, we’re committed to making it a desirable place in which to live, learn, work and play. Whether that’s through retrofitting energy efficient provision in housing stock, or delivering the obvious benefits of having the tram serving the area, providing a vital link to the city centre, the Queens Medical Centre, the north and the west of the city, and attracting fresh investment into Clifton. We’ve continued with our commitment to improve and maintain the housing stock in Clifton with approximately £5m spent on maintenance since 2019, which includes £1.4million spent on 25,000 repairs, £1million on boiler installations, £208,000 on housing adaptations and £200,000 spent on a sprinkler system for Southchurch Court. Through the Decent Neighbourhood Programme, within Clifton alone we’ve repaired footpaths to Homewell Walk, Bramford Avenue, Ridgmont Walk, Dungannon Road and Wilkin Gardens, with additional car parking refurbishments at Barkla Close, South Church and Fleming Gardens. The Council is also investing £6.39million in the development of 36 new homes at the newly built Keiron Hill Court due for completion in October this year.

Clifton remains one of the priority areas and we will continue to look for opportunities to enhance the local area and create jobs. Clifton’s commercial retail centres are currently in a very healthy condition. Following a comprehensive survey in the late summer of last year there was only one single vacant unit in the three main shopping parades of Varney Road, Central shops and Holy Trinity. There are two units available on the newly developed Clifton Triangle site but there is currently commercial interest in both units from new businesses wanting to come into the area.  Covid restrictions over the last two years have been a major disruptor as staff from the Economic Development team working in the Clifton area were diverted to lead on the processing and payment of approximately £100 million of much needed grants to businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors. This helped thousands of businesses across the city area, including many in Clifton, survive during this very difficult period. This process has had to be repeated several times during the various lockdowns and the numerous grants that have been available at various stages through the pandemic. The process has just started again with the grants now being made available for hospitality and leisure businesses most impacted by Omicron.  Economic Development and the Markets and Fairs teams are always looking at ways to improve the Clifton outdoor traditional market on a Friday and Saturday but the varying restrictions over the last two years have made it difficult to implement. However, unlike many markets across the country, we kept Clifton market running to make sure the traders’ businesses survived. We followed guidance and allowed essential and non-essential retailers to trade when the varying restrictions permitted. We are currently exploring interest from new potential traders to create a vibrant market that offers a balanced retail mix.

Economic development, through Nottingham Jobs, continue to run jobs fairs in the area and held a well-attended Jobs Fair on 18 November 2021 at the Highbank Community Centre in the southern part of the estate to help Clifton residents look for work or training. Nottingham City Council has expanded the Nethergate Academy in Clifton by 48 extra places for additional provision for young people with special needs or disabilities across the city. This involved an approximately £2.5m investment that was completed in September 2020.

The Public Realm and Park Service has had a long standing programme of park and play area improvements within both the Clifton wards. Our programme of improvement since 2019 has continued but this should also be viewed in line with the improvements that have also been carried out within the Clifton wards over the last 10 years, for example since 2010 every play area within the Clifton area has been completely refurbished.  Since 2019 there have been smaller capital works which have included the Ruddington Lane play area improvements, benches and picnic tables at Ironmongers Pond along with additional signage, and railing painting and improved signage at Clifton central park.

Of course, our commitment to regenerating communities applies to the city as a whole with the following council housing schemes having been delivered:

·  Marlstones, Bulwell  – 13 homes;

·  Tunstall Drive, Basford  - 17 homes; and

·  Knights Close, Top Valley - 20 homes.

Currently on site at Eastglade, at the Woodlands Office in Radford, and 21 apartments at the former Meadows Police Station. Additional schemes in the pipeline in the Bestwood area include the Padstowe and Beckhampton schemes.  Finally, I’m pleased to say that through our neighbourhood regeneration schemes we’ve also achieved many other successful developments, whether it’s working with Blueprint, other developers or in partnership with registered providers to provide new housing in Colwick, the Meadows, Lenton, Bilborough and Mapperley; securing new funds for schools in Colwick and at the former Clarendon College site; or the prospect of the new library in Sherwood, positive change and improvement have been seen across Nottingham

So, whilst people will often see the cranes in the city centre delivering flagship infrastructure for future generations to enjoy, such as the Castle, the College Hub or the new Bus Station and Car Park and the Island Quarter, we are proud that we can also deliver real and lasting change in our neighbourhoods in Nottingham, including Clifton, which has seen significant investment from this Labour Council. Far from being in a state of demise, this area of the city has seen significant investment and improvement. Thank you.

John Carroll Leisure Centre

DC asked the following question of the Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Schools:

I understand that the popular ‘The One Show’ on BBC1 recently filmed footage at Mellers Primary School for possible broadcast over the coming days. I have spoken to some of the parents and teachers at the School, which used to walk their pupils to John Carroll but now have to hire a rickety old double-decker bus, adding to their costs, to drive their pupils on a 10-mile round journey to Harvey Hadden Leisure Centre instead.  Swim England’s usage data supplied to me over spring 2021 showed that figures for the swimming pool at John Carroll (at 95% capacity) were very good considering its imminent closure, and the subsequent knock-on effect on Djanogly (the closest Leisure Centre to John Carroll) means that the swimming pool there is now effectively operating at saturation point, which is probably why Mellers School now has to use Harvey Hadden.  How does the situation affecting Mellers School, Swim England’s Primary School of the Year 2021, align with the Council’s oft-cited green credentials?

Councillor Eunice Campbell-Clark replied as follows:

Firstly, I would like to congratulate the Mellers School for their Swim England award this year and also congratulate the City Council’s own team who deliver school swimming who were awarded School Swimming Lesson Provider of the Year 2021. These awards show the strength of commitment and quality in the city for teaching children to swim. With regard to Mellers, it was their decision where they wanted to swim once the decision to close John Carroll was made and actually worked well for the school as the larger shallower water space offered by Harvey Hadden and longer lesson time has led to a better overall experience for the children to learn to swim. Our figures show that the pool has never operated at 96% capacity during the past 5 years.  The new timing we have been able to put in place, with more classes sharing a bus, has kept the number of journeys to a minimum, which supports the Council’s carbon neutral agenda. So I would like to welcome this decision and hope that the school will continue to show that swimming is important to the health and wellbeing of the children who attend Mellers Primary School. Thank you Lord Mayor.

John Carroll Leisure Centre

DC asked the following question of the Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Schools:

John Carroll was initially created as a partial community centre. It was a place where seniors suffering from loneliness remained rooted in their community, and where young people, who have had opportunities stripped away after a decade of austerity, were supported by community groups to build their skills, maintain their confidence and help to avoid the risks of an alternative life of crime.  This crucial community cohesion role of the leisure centre was not taken into account by Nottingham City Council.  The closure of John Carroll along with cuts to other local facilities has led to an increased sense of abandonment and social isolation within the community.  Can the Council now commit to undertake a genuine equality impact assessment taking into account the disproportionate impact of the closure including on community cohesion, health inequality, loneliness, ethnic minorities, disabled citizens and anti-social behaviour.

Councillor Eunice Campbell-Clark replied as follows:

Thank you again Lord Mayor. As the citizen mentioned in their question, the original design of John Carroll Leisure Centre did include a community centre.  This closed many years ago and the area was converted in to a fitness studio. As part of the consideration of closure of the leisure centre, an equality impact assessment was completed which took into consideration the impact of closure would have on the wide range of citizens. During last year’s consultation process we worked hard with sports and community organisations to explore alternative options but unfortunately these were unsuccessful. However, whilst John Carroll Leisure Centre was the Council’s lowest attended leisure centre facility, I am pleased to say that the vast majority of its citizens and users have been able to move to other facilities to continue their activities. Thank you.