Title

FINANCE

Senior Nottingham councillors refuse to back budget cuts

Senior members of cash-strapped Nottingham City Council have refused to recommend a report that proposed £20m in budget cuts.

Senior members of cash-strapped Nottingham City Council have refused to recommend a report that proposed £20m in budget cuts.

Council leader David Mellen said the majority Labour administration had decided there was ‘little to recommend' in a report that proposed cuts to library provision, the number of community protection officers and grants to the voluntary sector.

Officers had put forward the proposals in a bid to fill a £60m budget gap forecast for 2024-25 after being instructed by a Government-appointed improvement and assurance board to bring forward all savings they considered possible.

Cllr Mellen said this directive - a condition of receiving exceptional financial support - created what felt like a ‘no-win' situation for councillors.

However, he said the Labour group would ‘seriously consider' the council's duty to agree a balanced budget at a meeting next month.

In November, Nottingham issued a section 114 notice due to its inability to deliver a balanced budget for the 2023-24 financial year.

FINANCE

Rethinking councillor pay for stronger democracy

By Dr Jason Lowther | 07 July 2026

New evidence urges fairer councillor remuneration to strengthen participation, diversity, governance and effective local democratic leadership, says Jason Lo...

FINANCE

Steadying the LGA ship

By Heather Jameson | 07 July 2026

As the Local Government Association heads to Bournemouth for its annual conference, can it adapt to political fragmentation and sector reform while staying t...

FINANCE

Reform, Greens and the reality of local government leadership

By Dr Jason Lowther | 07 July 2026

An INLOGOV study of more than 20 councils newly led by Reform or Green administrations after the May 2025 local elections shows they adapted to governance co...

FINANCE

Oxfordshire veto devo deal

By William Eichler | 01 July 2026

Oxford City Council has voiced its disappointment after Oxfordshire CC vetoed a devolution deal which it argues could have brought billions in investment to ...

Popular articles by Ellie Ames