Final plea to stop villages becoming part of larger city

DEADLINE FOR BOUNDARY SHAKE-UP IS TODAY

- By OLIVER PRIDMORE

A LAST-ditch plea is being made to stop rural Nottinghamshire villages becoming part of a bigger city council.

Several options in the biggest shakeup to the county's boundaries for 50 years could mean villages like Burton Joyce and Stoke Bardolph becoming part of an expanded Nottingham.

The controversial plans have been under discussion for nearly a year and the government is set to make the final call on where new boundaries should be drawn next summer.

Today is the deadline for Nottinghamshire’s councils to submit their preference to the government.

Councillor Sam Smith, the Conservative leader of the opposition at Nottinghamshire County Council, has written a final message to local government minister Alison McGovern urging caution on the expansion of Nottingham.