WHAT THE CUTS WILL MEAN FOR YOU

SWEEPING cuts across Nottingham was a dark moment for the people of our city.

One councillor, former deputy council leader Adele Williams, said the cuts were effectively “grinding our services into the dust”.

But what impact will you feel?

HIGHER COUNCIL TAX AND OTHER COSTS

■ The city council will raise council tax by the maximum amount allowed, 4.99 percent.

■ Charges will be introduced for using the kerbside garden waste collection service. Free disposal will still be available at tips, but the council expects this to generate savings of nearly £300,000 next year.

■ Rents at commercial properties owned by the council will go up. It is not clear by how much, but the council expects this to generate £100,000 next year.

■ The council will hike prices at city centre car parks, which it expects will generate around £375,000.

LIBRARIES WILL CLOSE

■ Council leader David Mellen previously acknowledged that closing libraries will be inevitable. One campaigner previously told the Post that only three of the current 15 libraries would be left open.

CARE HOME CLOSURES

■ The closures or sales of the council-run Oaks and Cherry Trees homes have been proposed. This could force residents to relocate and result in 88 staff losing their jobs. Families of residents have called for the council to halt the “distressing” proposals, expected to save around £300,000 over four years.

MUSEUMS, GALLERIES AND CINEMAS

■ The council will stop its annual contribution of nearly £200,000 to the city’s cultural sector, including Nottingham Contemporary and Nottingham Playhouse, which received a £60,500 annual grant. In a statement, the theatre described the cuts as “short-sighted”, adding: “It will have minimal effect on their shortfall whilst having a negative impact on the important work we do as a charity for our community.”

The Nottingham Strategic Cultural Partnership, which also includes Motorpoint Arena, the National Justice Museum and Broadway Cinema, called the cuts a “false economy”.

OTHER CUTS TO SERVICES

■ The equivalent of 20 full-time community protection and resident development posts will be moved to legal duties relating to environmental enforcement and anti-social behaviour.

■ Roads and other maintained areas will be swept just four times a year, saving around £120,000 next year.

■ Colwick Park Activity Centre will be closed.

■ The council will try and remove all the support to community centres.

■ The benefit and welfare advice service will only be offered to council tenants.

OTHER SAVINGS

■ The council will cut 500 jobs, mostly through voluntary redundancies.

■ Water features at Old Market Square and Sneinton Square will close.