Nottm City Council bankruptcy

[HSR 286]

Can't log in without posting so..Testing..can't see any icons other than a magnifying glass (search) and a icon that resembles a 1950's bush radio which is a shortcut to all activity!

 

On topic.

Regarding overspill, I think four St Mary's graveyard's, the last Bath St closed about 1894 if i remember correctly, area still densely populated until final clearence 1930ish,

There's only to things certain in life, where did they 'go'.

[West Bridgfordian 144]

Depressing...

Notts city council bankrupt.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-nottinghamshire-67374024

[LizzieM 9,507]

Is anyone surprised about this?  The Labour City Council has for many years been totally inept and sadly unchallenged. They’ve had free-rein for too long and sadly the local electorate have continued voting them in.  Wonder if our bins will be emptied tomorrow?

[philmayfield 6,123]

I was just looking at the list of city councillors and none of them has a financial background or the experience of running a business. Says it all really. A bunch of amateurs!

[Brew 5,413]

Viewing Mel Barret's (CEO), blurb on the web he may not be competent to run a burger stall but he is at least expert in gobbledegook... I wonder if any heads will roll?

[Dreamon 17]

On 11/29/2023 at 6:24 PM, philmayfield said:

I was just looking at the list of city councillors and none of them has a financial background or the experience of running a business. Says it all really. A bunch of amateurs!

 

Other councils manage with no greater skills without going bankrupt. What's so bad about Nottingham council?

[Brew 5,413]

29 minutes ago, Dreamon said:

What's so bad about Nottingham council?

 

 

A complex subject perhaps best discussed in the political thread...

[Dreamon 17]

On 12/7/2020 at 7:53 PM, LizzieM said:

Certainly incompetence within the Nottingham City Council Phil.  Since Labour took over control of the Council 30 odd years ago there have been numerous financially disastrous decisions imposed on the City taxpayers.  Without even needing to think hard I can list some of these.  

1. Losing millions by investing in the failed Icelandic Bank

2. Robin Hood Energy has lost the taxpayer £38 million

3. The ugly, boring, soulless Old Market Square is reported to have cost in excess of  £8 million when it was constructed about 15 years (?) ago and I’ve yet to meet anyone who thinks it’s an improvement.  
4.  The debacle surrounding the Broad Marsh Centre, which is still being discussed as to what they intend  to do with the area. The latest idea of a green space will

just be a magnet for winos and drug addicts, but hey-ho. 
5.  Nottingham Castle works ..... estimated at the start to be £30 million ...... 

      no doubt a lot more by the time it’s opened up again, it still looks exactly as it did before, from the outside anyway. 
6.  The UNUSED cycle lanes, the one running the length of Castle Boulevard takes 

      up a third of the highway, and there’s hardly anyone using it, the cyclists would  rather ride along the canal towpath, putting pedestrians at risk.

7.  And just to get Catfan wound up, the tram ..... !! 
     The only time I’ve used the tram is to get to QMC, it’s a convenient way to travel 

      there and avoids searching for ages to find a parking spot, at great expense.

Lots more failures to list I’m sure but when there are 50 Labour councillors and only a couple of Conservatives they can just do as they please whilst enjoying their free tea and sandwiches. 

 

 

I haven't been followed Nottm City council's affairs but the news this week of its bankruptcy made me sit up and pay attention. Your old post from 3 years ago seems rather prescient. Are there any threads discussing the current situation? My own searches for "bankruptcy" found nothing.

[Cliff Ton 10,464]

There aren't any other threads covering this subject, so I reckon this can continue.

 

I've slightly modified the title to reflect the new situation.

[Brew 5,413]

It's ironic that they're blaming the rising cost of child and adult social care plus taking a swipe at the homeless when their mismanagement is the root cause of the problem.

I know  looking back with hindsight makes it is easy to start a blame campaign, but this situation has long been forecast and the loss making decisions complained about for years.

Had they not had ambitions beyond their ability to deliver then perhaps the social services they say are to blame would not be a cause for concern.

 

Had they stuck with what councils are supposed to do and not done stupid things like fiddle the books with ILLEGAL misappropriation of funds...

Sadly Lizzies post from 2020 has more to be added.  Looking at more recent fiascos the sheer incompetence is staggering though I doubt anyone will lose their job

 

At the moment we're hearing about a toxic atmosphere in government. Without knowing exactly what that means  I'd guess it  goes it something like -

"Strong Leader” process sometimes deterred officers from challenge"  - which is in the Penn report.

Councils have external account auditors, why did they sign them off when they noted the amounts involved were below ‘materiality’ levels - whatever that means.

 

I'm not taking bets on the Broad Marsh but despite the council labelling it an opportunity, I'm fairly sure it will launched with a great fanfare and be the usual disaster. 

[LizzieM 9,507]

The other day local residents on the Mapperley Park Facebook site were complaining about the lack of leaf clearing in MP,  it’s particularly important now that the leaves on the pavements are frozen and a number of people have slipped and been hurt.  A road sweeper comes around very occasionally and attempts to clear the gutters but they’re hampered by parked cars in any case.  Anyway, it was the day after the Council were declared bankrupt so the Facebook discussion turned to that.  I commented that the Labour Council had no experience amongst ‘em to run a business, nevermind a City Council.  That comment stirred up a local resident who said that the Deputy Leader of the Council (a good friend of this woman) is an accountant and has a very successful local accountancy firm.  I called on Mr Google to give me an insight.  Turns out that this lady has been a director of 33 companies, the majority of them now liquidated or dissolved.  She was also appointed to Robin Hood Energy when it was still in existence.  She’s a Bestwood Councillor.  
 

[philmayfield 6,123]

She’s an ex director of 23 dissolved companies. A director of 10 active companies which have a combined net value of minus thirty million pounds. I think she may have an MBA but she’s not a Chartered Accountant. Not someone I would trust for financial advice. 

[LizzieM 9,507]

Unbelievable Phil!  Maybe she should concentrate on getting her own personal interests back into the black.  

[bamber 128]

 

On 12/10/2020 at 1:04 PM, philmayfield said:

Ultimately the Government will take over.

Which is what the government always intended. Central Government wants to get its hands on the proceeds of selling off city assets that have been built up over the past couple of hundred years. The city's financial difficulties provides the perfect cover.

[Dreamon 17]

   

I'm inclined to think the Council's bankruptcy is down to plain old-fashioned incompetence rather than a conspiracy.

[Annesley Red 80]

I' ve heard the fountains on the Square will not be switched back on.... Oh no what shall we do ?

[philmayfield 6,123]

This just illustrates the level of their intelligence. 'Let's switch off the fountains, charge for the toilets, increase parking charges'. All things to keep people away from the centre so that more shops close and the business rate income goes down. What a grossly incompetent collection of councillors.

[MargieH 7,600]

Playing devils advocate here…

what’s wrong with parking at a tram terminus instead of driving into the centre - free if you have your bus pass.  

[Cliff Ton 10,464]

One of the money-saving options which the Council were reported to be considering was stopping bus passes being used on trams.

[Brew 5,413]

7 minutes ago, MargieH said:

Playing devils advocate here…

what’s wrong with parking at a tram terminus instead of driving into the centre - free if you have your bus pass.  

 

Using the tram to go into Nottingham, unless a commute, means shopping and shopping means bags and packages being toted around until you get back to the car. At this time of year that can mean trudging through town in the cold and rain to stand and wait for a tram that may or may not have a seat.

 

Car parking charges in town, despite what some tightwads of this parish say , are not that bad. I'll happily pay a fiver or so just for the convenience.

[LizzieM 9,507]

We’ve only ever used the tram to go to QMC, it’s far easier to either go to Forest Park and Ride or catch a bus into town (every 3 or 4 minutes from the end of our road) and then get the tram straight through to the hospital,  than it is to search for a hospital parking space.  It can be stressful enough going to the hospital without the stress of driving around looking for somewhere to park your car.  Oh and another thing I read a couple of days ago, 5 cars were destroyed in one of the hospital car parks when a Mercedes caught fire 

[benjamin1945 16,157]

I refused to go to QMC @LizzieM For my regular treatment because of the Parking......i now go to 'Kings Mill'' which is 5 minutes away....and luckily my favourite Consultant (lady) moved their also..........

[philmayfield 6,123]

Why pay to park in Nottingham when I can get most things from the ‘sheds’ or delivered to the door? Nottingham isn’t the pleasant city it used to be. I did try the tram once from Hucknall to the station and back but it didn’t have a first class carriage! 

[IAN FINN 807]

Dance Duck?  Good Therapy.

[MRS B 517]

I think you can only use your bus pass on the Nottingham trams if the bus pass was issued in Notts. Mine isn’t.