We’ll have an opportunity next week at Executive Board to discuss some of the significant additional pressures on council budgets this year, which suggest a provisional £26m funding gap for 2023/24.

A proportion of this is down to increased costs associated with adult social care and looking after vulnerable children, on top of the unexpected rise in inflation, a staff pay award agreed nationally, the cost of homelessness driven by the cost-of-living crisis and reduced core funding.

The council will seek to address this in the coming months and the work is heavily dependent on achieving savings through an ongoing transformation programme, which we’re working hard to ensure stays on track.

Read more here…

It was good to hear Councillor Kotsonis update us at Full Council on Monday about Nottingham Castle welcoming more than 1,800 visitors on its reopening day last month.

People are continuing to take advantage of the £12 ticket which ensures unlimited visits for a year, with free entry for up to three children per adult ticket (15 years and under). The tickets also make fantastic gifts for friends and family.

Admission now includes the new visitor centre and café at the entrance, Hood’s Hideout adventure playground in the dry moat, indoor galleries, interactive experiences, and the Robin Hood Adventures and Rebellion Galleries.

More on tickets here…

Communities around the world are concerned about the amount of plastic ending up in landfill and polluting our oceans. Nearly all plastic is made from fossil fuels, so it also has a significant carbon footprint.

Each year more than 300 million people worldwide pledge to reduce plastic waste by taking part in Plastic Free July. There are loads of ways you can reduce your personal plastic use:

☕ Bring a reusable coffee cup to your local café – in many places, you will also get a discount for ditching the disposables.

🍌 Buy plastic-free fruit and veg – look for loose fruit and veg in your supermarket or head to a market where you can avoid plastic more easily.

🛒 Shop at one of Nottingham's zero-waste stores, where you can bring your own containers.

⭐ Get involved in cleaning up our city by joining our Nottingham Clean Champions. Picking up litter can prevent plastic ending up in our waterways.

♻ Do a bin audit. Understanding the waste we’re creating can help to identify things we can easily change to make a big impact. For example, did you know that soft plastics like crisp packets can’t be put into your recycling bin but are often collected at supermarkets? Check what can be recycled in Nottingham on our website.

Nottingham is making fantastic progress to improving the environment through our work to become a carbon-neutral city by 2028, but there is lots of work to be done. Keep up to date by signing up for the monthly Carbon Neutral Nottingham newsletter.

Free cycling sessions are taking place at Harvey Hadden Leisure Centre 10am, 11am and noon on Sunday 16^th July and visitors can book on as many as they like and enjoy a whole morning's cycling.

This is great for individuals and families, where all ages and abilities can enjoy cycling in a safe and friendly space. There is also a wide range of adaptive bikes so everyone can join in. An adult must accompany under-16s. Book here…