Agenda item

The following item of urgent business was submitted by Councillor G Bunn:

This Council notes the appalling state of roads throughout Broxtowe and the lack of on-street parking enforcement when cars park blocking the pavement or parking on double yellow lines, both of which are the responsibility of Nottinghamshire County Council and create a substantial risk to Broxtowe residents’ health and safety.

Figures show the percentage of roads managed by Nottinghamshire County Council that they classified as ‘should have been considered for maintenance’ in the latest figures, showing the scale of the issue and the significantly higher percentages of poor roads in Nottinghamshire compared to the national average

Anecdotal evidence suggests that percentages have increased significantly, with pothole complaints across Broxtowe becoming an almost daily occurrence. This is a significant health and safety issue, both for road users and pedestrians.

This Council acknowledges consistent reductions in local government funding from central government under successive governments since 2010, increasing pressure on services provided by local government and also their reliance on council tax revenue. Central government cut grant funding by 40.1% in real terms between 2009/10 and 2019/20, from £51.8bn to just £31.0bn (2025/26 prices). The proportion of local authorities’ income from council tax rose from 34.1% in 2009/10 to 45.6% in 2024/25, from a third to nearly half of their overall income. This is a regressive form of taxation that increases the difficulties faced by low income households and districts with large amounts of lower band housing, making it hardest to support services in the areas of highest need. In Broxtowe, Council tax now makes up nearly 50% of the council’s income, with the income received from central grants and business rates (NNDR) having increased by just 2.85% from 2025/26 to 2026/27, below the rate of inflation.

This Council notes, however, that Nottinghamshire County Council has just set their budget increase at 3.99%. In cash terms, this means a Band D property will see the county council tax element rise by £75.59 a year, to £1,970.13. (In contrast, Broxtowe Council has increased their rates byjust 2.94%, which for a Band D property is an additional £5.51 for the year. This is expected to lead to additional revenue of £26m for Nottinghamshire County Council in 2026/27.

In total, Nottinghamshire County Council’s funding has actually increased by over 31% in 2026/27 compared to 2025/26, due to an extra £160m from central government along with the increase in council tax.

Rather than using this significant uplift to fix the roads, however, as they promised to do if they were elected the Reform-led Nottinghamshire County Council’s budget instead proposes a significant £1.7m reduction in the amount spent on road maintenance and renewals:

This Council therefore resolves to:

·       Write to Notts County Council to demand that they acknowledge the significant deterioration and its impact and take immediate and comprehensive action to address the state of roads in Broxtowe and across the County.

·       Call on Notts County Council to update their Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report so that residents can clearly see how much money the Council has received for this work, where from, and how it is being spent.

·       Call on Notts County Council to reinstate responsive on-street parking enforcement and respond to residents when they report issues in their areas.

·       Write to Claire Ward, Mayor of East Midlands, to clarify how much additional funding has been allocated to Nottinghamshire County Council for the purpose of Highway maintenance, how this funding should be spent, and how EMCCA will ensure that these requirements are followed by all local authorities responsible for highways to ensure a rapid improvement in road infrastructure.

On being put to the meeting it was agreed that the item met the criteria for urgent business.

A recorded vote was proposed by Councillor M Radulovic MBE and seconded by at least five other Councillors.

On being put to the meeting the vote was as follows:

RESOLVED to:

1.     Write to Nottinghamshire County Council to demand that they acknowledge the significant deterioration and its impact and take immediate and comprehensive action to address the state of roads in Broxtowe and across the County.

2.     Call on Nottinghamshire County Council to update their Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report so that residents can clearly see how much money the Council has received for this work, where from, and how it is being spent.

3.     Call on Nottinghamshire County Council to reinstate responsive on-street parking enforcement and respond to residents when they report issues in their areas.

4.     Write to Claire Ward, Mayor of East Midlands, to clarify how much additional funding has been allocated to Nottinghamshire County Council for the purpose of Highway maintenance, how this funding should be spent, and how EMCCA will ensure that these requirements are followed by all local authorities responsible for highways to ensure a rapid improvement in road infrastructure.

(Councillor S J Carr left the meeting before voting thereon.)