City councillors remain committed to proceeding with plans for a devolution deal which would boost Government funding for the area and allow more big decisions to be taken locally. The council is working with Nottinghamshire County Council, Derby City Council and Derbyshire County Council on a deal which would form a new East Midlands Combined Authority, overseen by an elected mayor. All the councils would remain as they are, but by working together across boundaries, we would be able to bring in much needed investment, give our region a bigger voice, and have more major decisions made locally, nearer to the people they affect. We are currently one of only a few urban areas that doesn?t have a devolution deal, areas such as Manchester with their Mayor Andy Burnham or the West Midlands already have this agreement with Government and are able to access more funding from them than we currently can.

We?re asking for greater autonomy and funding for key areas including public transport, investment for business growth, jobs, skills and training, education and improved environments. The East Midlands has long been overlooked in comparison to areas that already have a Combined Authority. This is our chance to address this, and make the most of this opportunity for the benefit of local people. More news will follow on this subject as discussions continue with Government and local partners.

I?m proud of the way people in Nottingham pulled together to help each other during the Covid pandemic. We?re building on that good work by creating a network of local Community Champions who will continue to support people in their neighbourhoods.

We?re looking for volunteers who can join this new network ? people who understand how their local communities work and what is important to them. Our Champions will support the City Council and local NHS to help improve health and wellbeing. This could include sharing information with family and friends, local groups, parents and carers at the school gates or people you work with, putting posters in shops, restaurants, pubs, notice boards or community spaces and sharing posts on social media.

You do not need any special skills or experience to be a Community Champion ? we?ll make sure you get all of the training and support you need.

You can read more about becoming a Community Champion here

I?m really pleased that Active Nottingham has achieved an internationally-recognised RoSPA Gold Award for the third time demonstrating their high health and safety standards. Organisations receiving this award are recognised as being world-leaders for health and safety practice.

So, next time you visit one of Active Nottingham?leisure centres, you can be assured that they are officially one of the safest around!

With fantastic memberships starting from as little as ?19.99 per month or Pay as You Go sessions from ?5.20 it?s a great time to focus on you. For membership details and to join Active Nottingham, head over to: www.activenottingham.com/BeYourBest

I?m delighted to announce that Nottingham City Council won Local Authority of the Year at the Regional Energy Efficiency Awards last night. This recognition demonstrates our commitment to improving energy efficiency in Nottingham and beyond as we work towards our goal of becoming the first carbon neutral city in the UK by 2028.

The Carbon Reduction, Energy and Sustainability (CRES) division was also highly commended in the Vulnerable Customer Support category for the work the team does to tackle fuel poverty across Nottingham.

Well done to CRES for all their hard work and innovation in this important area. ?