Heated debate as councillors vote in boundary shake-up

DEADLINE PASSES FOR COUNCILS TO SUBMIT PREFERRED OPTIONS TO GOVERNMENT

- By JOSEPH CONNOLLY Local democracy reporter

MANSFIELD District Council has voted for a north-south county split in the Local Government Reorganisation.

Under Mansfield’s proposal, in conjunction with Newark & Sherwood, Gedling and Bassetlaw District councils, a “Sherwood Forest” council would comprise all those areas, as well as Ashfield.

It is known as Option 1E, and would mean Nottingham city, Broxtowe and Rushcliffe banded together separately in a “Nottingham and South Nottinghamshire” council.

At a full Mansfield council meeting on Tuesday, a heated debate ended in 26 votes in favour of the proposal. But not everyone agreed, with six councillors abstaining from the vote and one voting against.

The main division among councillors centres around whether Rushcliffe, in the southeast of the county, should join a council with the more urban areas of the city, Broxtowe and Gedling, or with the more rural northern areas.

Rushcliffe itself has voted for option 1B - a new council that keeps them and the city of Nottingham apart, and puts them instead with Mansfield and the rest of Nottinghamshire.

Mansfield’s Labour-led authority, however, thinks that the north-south split, without Rushcliffe in its council, is preferable.

Mayor Andy Abrahams, who leads Mansfield District Council, told the council chamber on Tuesday: “We think option 1E is not just the best for us, but for the whole of Nottinghamshire. I think a child could have looked at Nottinghamshire and pointed out these sensible geographic boundaries.