Friday was a day to remember the end of the Second World War and thank the war generation for their sacrifices to bring about peace across Europe. Although the celebrations were not as originally envisaged it was still a day of unity and togetherness. Cllr Mellen and the Lord Mayor laid a wreath at Nottingham?s war memorial to commemorate the efforts and sacrifices of Nottingham people all those years ago. Decorated front door steps and streets across Nottingham were a visual reminder of the pride we feel for our armed forces and our gratitude for their efforts to combat fascism across Europe.

Thank you to all those who were adhering to social restrictions whilst also marking the day in a meaningful way. Remembering the sacrifices made and strengthening our resolve to fight hate and prejudice in all their manifestations is a fitting tribute to all those who sacrificed so much for the safety of future generations.

To ensure continuous collections of household waste we had to temporarily suspend our other waste services. I?m really pleased that we are now in a position to be able to restart bulky waste and garden waste collections and reopen our Household Waste and Recycling Centre. ?Everyone is urged to consider whether they can delay accessing these services so they don?t become overwhelmed.

Key details are as follows:

• The free Bulky Waste Service will resume operations next Monday May 18^th (with restrictions including only one booking per household per month). Citizens can make bookings via the Nottingham City Council website (www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/bulkywaste)
• The Household Waste and Recycling Centre in Lenton will reopen next Monday May 18^th (with restrictions). This service is for Nottingham City residents only. No business waste is accepted.
• The free Garden Waste Collection Service will re-start on Tuesday 26 May.

We have had to introduce some restrictions on how these services can be used safely during the COVID 19 pandemic to protect the public and our staff and I would ask you to please check these details before accessing the services. Find out more about the services and any access restrictions: City Council Waste Services

Some limited changes have now been introduced by the Government and we need to take the time to review these as a council to assess what they mean for local people, for our services and for the city as a whole. Our number one priority is to keep the people of this city safe ? our residents and our workforce. Over the coming days and weeks, we will carefully plan how we manage the ongoing restrictions in a measured way.?

In the meantime, for your safety, it?s vitally important that we all continue to observe the restrictions and not undo the enormous efforts everyone has made over the last few weeks to reduce the spread of this dreadful disease.