philmayfield 6,130 Posted December 7, 2020 Report Share Posted December 7, 2020 The Nottingham City Council is at risk of having to declare bankruptcy. It has the highest level of debt to budget ratio and the second lowest level of reserves of similar sized cities. They will be looking for funding from the Government to get them out of the mess. Possibly they will also be looking towards the council tax payers as well. It looks like there could be incompetence within the the Council. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LizzieM 9,507 Posted December 7, 2020 Report Share Posted December 7, 2020 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. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stavertongirl 1,719 Posted December 7, 2020 Report Share Posted December 7, 2020 Having lived in Doncaster during the Donnygate scandal of the labour run council it is no surprise at all. Even after this was discovered some of the councillors involved were voted back in again. It just defied logic. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,130 Posted December 7, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2020 They are being investigated over the Robin Hood Energy debacle. I hope heads will roll if incompetence is discovered. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
woody 552 Posted December 7, 2020 Report Share Posted December 7, 2020 If it can be proved that they are incompetent they should be removed and banned from standing again. Given their track record it should not be too difficult. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LizzieM 9,507 Posted December 7, 2020 Report Share Posted December 7, 2020 Jon Collins got out just in time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
swe62 334 Posted December 8, 2020 Report Share Posted December 8, 2020 nothing will happen its a gravy train 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,130 Posted December 8, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2020 I think this could be serious. They should all be very concerned. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan 14,793 Posted December 8, 2020 Report Share Posted December 8, 2020 Typical Labour for you. Spend Spend Spend, it's not our money. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
radfordred 6,284 Posted December 10, 2020 Report Share Posted December 10, 2020 What happens if the city council goes bankrupt, does another body take over? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,130 Posted December 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2020 Ultimately the Government will take over. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
trogg 2,016 Posted December 10, 2020 Report Share Posted December 10, 2020 I am sure someone will answer this for me as I am not familiar will such high levels of finance. How can the City be made bankrupt when it is the biggest land owner by far in the City. This link should take you to a page where all the Council owned property in the City is indicated in red. With this amount of assets could they be made to sell some and clear the debts without charging more Council Tax. Nottingham City Council - Insight Mapping GIS Mapping If the link will not work go to Nottingham city council insight mapping, which takes you to a map, then click on housing and property then layers layers and scroll down to property ownership (council owned land) click on that, the results surprised me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,130 Posted December 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2020 Technically a local authority cannot be made ‘bankrupt’. They can, however, be forced to sell off assets to make good the deficit. There could also be large staff redundancies as they may be unable to pay wages. I’m not sure what would happen to certain councillors if misfeasance or negligence is proved against them but I’m sure legal action could be taken. It’s all governed by section 114 of the Local Government Act which is a lengthy piece of legislation and is best Googled rather than cut and pasted here. Having looked at the map referred to they have an abundance of property for potential disposal. The sale of some of this could be a short term solution to balance the books but that would be at the expense of future rental income where property is let. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DJ360 6,728 Posted December 11, 2020 Report Share Posted December 11, 2020 I haven't lived in Nottm since around 1970.. so I have little or no intimate knowledge of Nottm politics and finances. From a distance, I see them as running a very good city bus service and a somewhat controversial tram service. In every other respect I see them as.. err.. crap. They seem determined to destroy everything that is 'historic' 'unique' and interesting about the city. It is all very sad. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HSR 286 Posted December 11, 2020 Report Share Posted December 11, 2020 Hmm..council land being sold off... On a more positive note, and something that has confused me and my friends for year's... When traveling by train the amount of countryside, not even growing crop's, serving no purpose.. If you fall to sleep on the Nott's, St Pancras train your chances of not greeting countryside through the window is well under 10 percent! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HSR 286 Posted December 11, 2020 Report Share Posted December 11, 2020 On 12/7/2020 at 7:53 PM, LizzieM said: just be a magnet for winos and drug addicts, but hey-ho. Big area for them to cover, think it's a really good idea personaly.. I'd like the tacky market Sq approach to be transferred here. Is there any archaeology research going on here? Broad Marsh? Does anybody know if any was done at the new ice stadium? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fogrider 179 Posted December 11, 2020 Report Share Posted December 11, 2020 HSR, re the new Ice Stadium, some research was done by a City department tied to the City Engineers. Archaeology ? A couple of years ago I was in touch with a guy at that department about the caves in that area. They had discovered all sorts of caves whilst preparing the site for the new building but very little was documented as it did not seem important at the time. The caves were all filled in. I looked at the old maps and I think there had been an old pub somewhere on the southern end of that area. Just to the north of that, there were some steps leading up into an old graveyard. I had been to a fire in a cave near where those steps had been, hence my interest. I did post something about it on here at the time, but where that is............? Regards all 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,130 Posted December 11, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2020 An old aunt witnessed the building of the previous ice stadium. She saw workmen throwing human bones about from the excavations and vowed from that day that when she died she would be cremated. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,130 Posted December 11, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2020 It’s certainly not like that round here in the Trent Valley. All the land is intensively farmed. The small fields get snapped up by the horsey types for grazing. We are unusual in having a piece of land which we keep as a traditional meadow and it supports a host of wildflowers. Even this is mown annually for hay but that’s an ancient traditional practice. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,464 Posted December 11, 2020 Report Share Posted December 11, 2020 57 minutes ago, fogrider said: I did post something about it on here at the time, but where that is............? I think this might be the relevant thread. https://nottstalgia.com/forums/topic/16312-new-cave-found/? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fogrider 179 Posted December 11, 2020 Report Share Posted December 11, 2020 Well found , Clifton. I now recall a later conversation with that City Engineer, behind the fire area in the main cave , was a small pothole off to the right, I crawled down it about 8 foot to where there was just a small hole into a cold blackness. He told me that it was probably the void under the steps up to the graveyard. I think that was most likely, that sandstone bank up to the top was about 7 foot . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HSR 286 Posted December 12, 2020 Report Share Posted December 12, 2020 On 12/11/2020 at 10:35 AM, philmayfield said: An old aunt witnessed the building of the previous ice stadium. She saw workmen throwing human bones about from the excavations and vowed from that day that when she died she would be cremated. The old ice stadium didn't overly incur on the graveyard,.it was the car park . If i remember, only allowed if they retained the trees... Seems a straight tarmac job to me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fogrider 179 Posted December 12, 2020 Report Share Posted December 12, 2020 You're right, it would have been the carpark , the graveyard was long gone. That space could'nt be seen from Lower Parliament Street as there were large advertising hoardings directly at the foot of the sandstone bank. It was a wide footpath (at that point) , with a fairly wide grass verge too between path and hoardings. The cave the fire was in must have been a peaceful little space for whoever was dossing in it, out of sight behind the hoardings. I believe the graveyard was not in use for decades, well before Lower Parliament Street was put through. Vast changes in that area now. I rather think the old pub has gone and a more recent one built slightly further up L.P. Street. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,464 Posted December 12, 2020 Report Share Posted December 12, 2020 A bit of old-style Nottstalgia. This is the area in question. Carter Gate is roughly what is now Lower Parliament Street. There are two disused graveyards, both were overspill from St Mary's in the Lace Market. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fogrider 179 Posted December 12, 2020 Report Share Posted December 12, 2020 Looking at the details on that plan, I'm amazed at how many back to back terraced houses there are and the number of streets that have since gone. Vast changes over the years. Very interesting. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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