Nottinghamshire is set to benefit from four new electric buses worth £900,000 – due to hit the roads in 2020. Buses Minister Nusrat Ghani announced today that Nottinghamshire Council County are one of only three regional organisations who have secured funding from the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) to help fund new green vehicles and infrastructure.

Nottinghamshire County Council, Trent Barton, Nottingham City Transport are all successful bidders and will receive funding to purchase new low emission buses and support infrastructure, such as charge points.
County Councillor John Cottee, Chairman of the Communities and Place Committee, said:

“This is fantastic news. This latest £900,000 funding means we can add to our electric bus fleet by introducing four new buses to serve local communities in the Rushcliffe and Mansfield areas. We hope to see these vehicles on the road in 2020. “Even more bus passengers in Nottinghamshire will therefore benefit from the quieter, sleek and pollution-free buses, thanks to zero emission bus technology which will help improve air quality and reduce CO2 emissions.

“We are match funding this Government money as its hoped that this investment will encourage further take up of electric buses by bus operators as well as encouraging more people to use the bus.
“Our current two electric buses, which were introduced last summer thanks to a previous round of Government funding, are already serving residents across Stapleford, Toton, Attenborough and Beeston.”
Gary Mason, Nottingham City Transport, Engineering Director said: “With 53 Bio-Gas double deck buses already successfully operating in Nottingham and making a significant impact on reducing emissions in the city, this announcement for funding to expand our gas refuelling station paves the way for investment by NCT in a further 67 Bio-Gas double decks to join the fleet this year.

“This fleet of 120 Bio-Gas double decks, coupled with the retrofitting of exhaust treatment systems to our diesel buses, demonstrates NCTs support for cleaning up Nottingham’s air, contributing to Nottingham City Council’s overall clean air strategy.”

This is the latest funding in a long line of investment designed to drive the uptake of zero emission vehicles, following the Government’s £1.5 billion Road to Zero strategy published last year.

In line with the Future of Mobility Grand Challenge – set out in the government’s modern Industrial Strategy – these measures chart a path for Britain to become a world leader in the zero-emission revolution, ensuring that the UK has cleaner air, a better environment and a stronger economy. But buses are not just about cleaning up the air in our region. As a key mode of transport for older and vulnerable people, buses play a vital role in facilitating social connections.

Speaking at the UK Bus Summit today, the Minister also announced a new partnership with Greener Journeys to reflect the pivotal role played by the bus industry in tackling loneliness and social isolation. The partnership will see companies across the sector pledge to do all they can to tackle loneliness, including through innovative vehicle design and initiatives to encourage bus passengers to talk to each other.

Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Cabinet approved a new five year Empty Homes Strategy, which will provide advice, assistance and guidance to property owners to bring their vacant properties back into use.
The strategy was approved following a public consultation last year that allowed residents to submit their feedback on how the authority plan to address empty homes in the Borough more effectively.

Under the strategy, the Council will provide guidance on Leasing Schemes, information about the reduced VAT rates available for improvement works to bring empty homes back into habitable use. It could also provide advice on methods to assist an owner in their ambitions to rent, sell or live in the property.

Unoccupied homes can be detrimental to the lives of those in local communities and can cause problems such as vandalism, anti-social behaviour and nuisance and reduce the value of surrounding properties.
Should homeowners be unwilling to bring their property back to use the Council could utilise its range of enforcement powers to ensure action is taken.

The Council’s Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Housing, Planning and Waste Management, Cllr Roger Upton said: “I am extremely pleased that cabinet have approved this comprehensive strategy to help reduce the number of empty homes across the Borough.

“The guidance and advice available for landlords and property owners should work to deter unnecessary numbers of empty homes and encourage homeowners to bring their properties back into use.” Got a query on an empty home? Email customerservices@rushcliffe.gov.uk or call 0115 981 9911.

Families are settling into their brand new Council homes on the former Rolls Royce site in Hucknall. Ashfield District Council has recently added 9 new properties to its housing portfolio following pro-active work with Persimmon Homes. One tenant, Mr Brannan was rehoused from a three-bedroom social housing property he was under occupying.

The property he released has since been let through the Council’s Housing Register to a family who need it. Mr Brannan, of Spitfire Way, said: “It’s beautiful, it’s the perfect home for me and my son, he is only four so the neighbourhood is great and the fact that there is a primary school round the corner just tops it off. He added: “We absolutely love it here, the house is gorgeous and will be a fantastic place for my son to grow up in. I am completely over the moon with it, it’s amazing.”

Due to the land’s former associations with Rolls-Royce, some streets on the estate have been named based on the site’s history, including Spitfire Way, Hurricane Road and Airfield Way.

Councillor John Wilmott, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “We’re delighted to be adding these properties to our housing stock as, like many housing authorities, we have a large number of families on our housing waiting list. This is just the start of our programme to grow our council housing stock and provide more good quality homes for Ashfield residents. “It was a pleasure to meet Mr Brannon and see how well he’s settling into his new home. The fact that it has also allowed for his previous property to be made available for a larger family shows the benefit of the action Ashfield District Council has taken.”

Nottingham City Council has received a National Lottery grant to engage those with an appreciation of heritage within the city. The award of £26,800 will also shape the future development of the Nottingham Heritage Partnership.

The partnership, which was launched in 2016, aims to enable people and communities to support each other and better manage, understand, enjoy and celebrate Nottingham’s heritage. Projects will be identified and developed through a community forum, and the partnership will help steer the delivery of heritage management in the city. Thanks to National Lottery Players, interested people in Nottingham will be able to shape the development of the Nottingham Heritage Partnership, supported by the City Council.

The Heritage Lottery grant of £26,800 will help to map what heritage groups there currently are in the city. Through a series of events and workshops, the council wants to engage diverse and representative groups and individuals, with an appreciation of heritage, to come together and work out how the heritage partnership can work independently of the authority in the future.

Peter Ellis, Chair of the Nottingham Heritage Panel, said: “This grant will make a real difference to the development of a Heritage Partnership, which will help to identify, celebrate and enjoy the heritage of our city. “We are very pleased with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund and its recognition of the efforts by many people and groups across the city to recognise the wonderful history of Nottingham.

“The promotion of strong links between the City Council and groups in the form of a partnership, which this grant makes possible, is an important outcome of the city’s Heritage Strategy.” The City Council is supporting the development of the Partnership. However, the activities of the Heritage Lottery-funded project will be carried out independently within the heritage community. The project also offers an opportunity for the City Council to provide advice about funding and projects, as well as enabling groups to network and provide each other with support.

Councillor Linda Woodings, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Planning at Nottingham City Council, said: “We are really proud of Nottingham’s heritage which is both bricks and mortar and the stories, tales and folklore which has passed down through a thousand years of history.

“This project will help create a shared understanding and appreciation of heritage within the city, as well as providing all communities with a way of recognising and getting involved with their local heritage, creating a sense of pride in their neighbourhood and its diverse past.” The aim of the Partnership is to create a diverse forum which represents all people in Nottingham and works with the Nottingham Heritage Panel to help deliver the Nottingham Heritage Strategy.

About Nottingham Heritage Panel
Nottingham Heritage Panel was set up following the launch of the Nottingham Heritage Strategy in March 2015. It is the steering group for the strategy and is made up of Heritage representatives to help give advice on Heritage Projects within Nottingham. Members include Historic England, the universities, Nottingham Civic Society, the Canal and River Trust and local Architects and Heritage Professionals.

About the Heritage Lottery Fund
Thanks to National Lottery players, we invest money to help people across the UK explore, enjoy and protect the heritage they care about – from the archaeology under our feet to the historic parks and buildings we love, from precious memories and collections to rare wildlife. www.hlf.org.uk. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLottery and #HLFsupported.