Our Executive Board met earlier this week, faced with the difficult decisions that are needed to close a ?28m funding gap to balance our budget for 2022/23. The funding gap is due largely to increasing costs in the provision of care services for older people and a growing number of children coming into the care of the council, now making up two-thirds of the entire budget. This is squeezing the funding available for other council services.

We endorsed the proposals, with amendments which flowed from our public consultation. This meant that we increased the number of Play and Youth Services staff that will be retained, withdrew the proposal to charge for toilets at Greyhound Street and reduced the children?s centre saving by retaining four centres rather than the three originally proposed. Further consultation on the children?s centre proposals will follow soon.

We also endorsed the council?s four-year budget plan, balanced in all years from 2022/23 to 2025/26, which is key to delivering the city?s Together for Nottingham improvement programme. The proposals will go forward for final approval at the Full Council meeting on 7th March. More information is available here

There is considerable concern about the awful situation in Ukraine. We have all watched the news in horror as Russian troops invade a sovereign European state ? an outrageous and despicable move which has huge ramifications around the world.

Nottingham is home to a significant Ukrainian community who will undoubtedly be extremely worried about what?s happening and may be concerned about family and friends still in Ukraine. Our thoughts go out to them and we stand in solidarity with them, offering them whatever support we can provide.

We?ll be lighting the Council House and Wollaton Hall blue and yellow in solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

For anyone who would like to help, the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain have set up a Go Fund Me webpage to support the fundraising effort for medical supplies, food and hygiene equipment. Help Ukraine Emergency Appeal

February is the month that the UK celebrates the LGBT+ History, it?s a chance to shed new light on the history of lesbian, gay, bi and trans people in the UK. In Nottingham we support and celebrate our LGBT+ community and this month is an important date in our calendar.

On Wednesday night the LGBT+ celebration & awards event took place at the Council House. The event was organised in partnership between Nottingham LGBT+ Network, Nottinghamshire Rainbow Heritage, Nottingham City Council and the Council?s LGBT+ employee network. It was proudly supported by local ward Councillors, Sam Webster and Angharad Roberts.

As well as nine LGBT+ Rainbow Heritage awards (four for 2021 and five for 2022) which recognised local people including council employees for their contributions to LGBT+ communities in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, there were information stalls, speeches and a recorded presentation. This was the first evening event to be held in the Council House since the start of the first lockdown in March 2020, and also included a Zoom element so that people could join the celebrations from home. The progress made by campaigns for LGBT+ equality has been achieved by bringing people together and I?m really pleased that this event at the Council House was able to bring people together, both in person and virtually.

Nottingham has a lot of history and it?s important that we acknowledge and honour it. It would be good to hear from you about the museums and heritage sites in Nottingham that you enjoy and what it is that you enjoy about them. Also anything about Nottingham?s past that you think is particularly significant or meaningful to you. Please get in touch via [email protected]