This weekend many of Nottingham?s shops, restaurants, pubs and other leisure facilities will be opening and though it is welcome the local economy can start functioning again, it is essential residents enjoy these freedoms responsibly, continue to follow guidance and respect the measures businesses have put in place to operate in these difficult times.

If you do decide to go out into the city centre or neighbourhoods this weekend please remember to:

• Keep your distance from people outside your household
• Keep your hands and face as clean as possible
• Wear face coverings when on public transport
• Do not leave home if you or someone you live with has Covid symptoms.

We have been working with the Nottingham BID and other partners, to support businesses to re-open in a way that keeps people safe and helps control the virus locally. Though we have been very successful in Nottingham in tackling the virus we cannot be complacent and risk a resurgence.

Businesses that are open from this weekend along with guidance about how they will be re-opening can be found on the Nottingham BID website - http://guides.itsinnottingham.com/guides/open-shops-and-deliveries?mc_cid=f75ec70be8&mc_eid=2d11fcf488

I am really pleased that throughout lockdown we have been able to use a ?2.5 million discretionary business support grant to help over 300 businesses across Nottingham, including BioCity and the University of Nottingham?s small business incubator spaces, as well as around 60 market traders and 70 charities, supporting over 4,000 jobs.

Over the last couple of months, grants of ?2,500, ?5,000 and ?10,000 have been paid out by the Nottingham City Council Economic Recovery Unit to eligible businesses, such as those in shared or flexible workspaces, market and street traders, charities and other businesses with a rateable value between ?15,000-?51,000 who have been forced to close or reduce trade due to COVID-19.

The crisis has been enormously difficult for local businesses which are essential to our local economy. I am pleased we have been able to support them during this time and look forward to many of them re-opening safely this weekend.

The Government has today announced some extra funding for councils to mitigate the impact of lost income on council budgets. Though this is welcome ? and we will need to assess the detail of the announcement to understand what it means for Nottingham - anything short of the full amount will be a betrayal of their promise to stand ?shoulder to shoulder? with local government.

So far the cost of COVID to the council is in excess of ?80 million as a result of additional costs and lost income.? To date, the Government has only provided around ?19million in Covid-19 support grant and the initial figures announced by the Government suggest their next lot of funding will come nowhere near covering the gap. It would be an utter betrayal of Nottingham?s key workers and communities, if after all their immense efforts, the services they deliver are not properly funded by Government. I will continue to lobby Government to keep their promise to Nottingham.