MP Jenrick told to stop 'talking down Nottingham'

CITY COUNCIL LEADER ACCUSES HIM OF SPREADING 'DOOM AND GLOOM' ABOUT BOUNDARY SHAKE-UP PLANS

- By OLIVER PRIDMORE

ROBERT Jenrick has been accused of "peddling fear" and of "talking down" Nottingham after he criticised plans for the city to expand into rural villages.

The Conservative MP for Newark feared rural villages in his constituency would be "milked" for cash by Nottingham City Council if its expansion plans are backed by the government.

The plans are part of the biggest shakeup to boundaries for 50 years and the city council leader says Mr Jenrick should be "engaging constructively" to get the right outcome for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

Councillor Neghat Khan said on Mr Jenrick’s “disappointing” comments: “Rather than peddling fear and sowing division through misleading statements, I would suggest that he actually looks at the facts.

“The reality is that the current city boundaries set in 1997 don't reflect the 'real' Nottingham.

“While our official population is 328,000, the built-up area of our city contains over 750,000 people, many of whom call Nottingham home.