Nottingham SOS24

13/05/2026

Voucher cut ‘could mean holiday hunger’ for schoolkids

CAMPAIGNERS CALL FOR ‘LIFELINE’ FREE MEALS SCHEME TO BE REINSTATED BY CITY COUNCIL

Campaigners are calling for Nottingham City Council to reinstate free school meal vouchers, saying children could go hungry during the holidays.

The vouchers were axed last year after a cut in funding from the Government, but there have been calls for the council to bring them back following an improvement in its finances.

In the previous year the support was in place, approximately 21,570 pupils benefitted from the scheme, during each school holiday period, and an additional £50 payment provided over the summer holidays.

The council said at the time that the change “may have a considerable impact on households, who have previously relied on this support, especially during times when children are not in school and access to meals may be more limited.”

Despite campaigners petitioning the council to bring the scheme back at a (Full Council) meeting on Monday, deputy leader Councillor Ethan Radford (Lab) said they had “no choice” but to cancel it, but added there was plenty of other support available.

Campaigner Des Conway, for Nottingham Save Our Services (SOS), told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he was disappointed with the response.

He said: “The (council) provided information about some options – however, these do not cover the total amount that was being provided for each school student. Yet according to its own figures on February 24, 2026, the city council forecast its general fund balance and reserves for the financial year ending 31 March 2026 as: Available general fund reserves £42,092 million, and earmarked reserves £210,054m”

“It is known that the council can also un-earmark some reserves when it decides to. Why is the city council not supporting those school students using funds from its general reserves rather than saying let the affected households face the ‘considerable impact’?”

Councillor Shuguftah Quddoos (Green), who attended the protest outside the Council House on Monday, added: “I know the food voucher scheme was a lifeline for our most vulnerable families. I have had many parents getting in touch to ask why the vouchers are no longer being issued to them. At a time of rising food prices, the decision not to continue the food voucher scheme will lead to holiday hunger for children in our city.”

The article, by Joe Locker, concludes with Councillor Radford justifying the City Council’s harsh stance.

11/05/2026

Hope you can come along

05/05/2026

Restore the Free School Meals Holiday Voucher scheme: please sign the petition and join the protest at Old Market Square from 12.15pm on Monday 11 May!

20/04/2026

ITV Central News bulletin on the opening of Sherwood Library

Find below a 3-minute MP3 video file, courtesy of Peter Bearne, of ITVs coverage of the 'official' and 'unofficial' opening events which took place at Sherwood Library on the historic morning of Friday 17 April, 2026.

The reporter was Phil Brewster, who has shared the heavy lifting on library issues across Nottingham City Council with Peter Bearne, and the clip starts with Council Leader Neghat Khan snipping the ribbon, surrounded by excited pupils from nearby Haydn Primary School, three of whom speak eloquently to camera.

Then a short clip of a previous Nottingham SOS march along Mansfield Road, in January 2025, followed by my comments that the curtain has finally come down on 'The Never-Ending Story', with Rebecka Gilby adding a flourish, talking about the importance of having a free space, and bringing the community together.

There are then a few soundbites with enthusiastic adult users, and numerous clips of the Welcome Back Balloons, courtesy of Asif Kassam from Sherwood Stationers, who appears briefly in shot outside the library.

The piece closes with another brief interview with Neghat Khan, and the library designer, Carl Bebbington, who has delivered an amazing state-of-the-art library, albeit 30 months late, but that wasn’t his fault, obviously.

Shared with Dropbox

19/04/2026

Light at the end of the library tunnel today!

Find below a JPEG of my latest letter, which was published in yesterday’s Nottingham Post, Friday 17 April, i.e. the day on which Sherwood Library finally opened.

I have been campaigning, with Nottingham Save Our Services (SOS), and recently Friends of Sherwood Library (FOSL), these past 30 months, and finally, after a long and winding road, I will have the honour of snipping the ceremonial ribbon, this morning, as part of the unofficial opening ceremony.

Hopefully, Councillor Shuguftah Quddoos, the only councillor who voted against the budget cuts in March 2024, when she was Sheriff of Nottingham, will hold one end of the ribbon, and Rebi Gilby, from FOSL, will hold the other end.

I would like to include in the ceremony, the large hoodwinked Robin who has stood outside the library since 2019, and has passively witnessed most of our protests.

To mark the occasion, I collected four ‘Welcome Back’ balloons from the brilliant Sherwood Stationers yesterday, and 80 party poppers, which will be distributed and ready to pop when I finish my short speech, and cut the ribbon.

The library had been ‘well overdue’, but now local citizens and campaigners are ‘well overjoyed’, with the brilliant news that Sherwood Library will finally open its doors to the public today.

When Sainsbury’s Local, on the same Spondon Street site, opened its doors in November 2023, we hoped the library would follow suit shortly afterwards. In fact, I tabled the first (of my seven) citizen questions in November 2023 on this very issue at Full Council, and then Executive Member for Libraries, Pavlos Kotsonis replied that he hoped the library would open in early 2024, but that date came and went. There were many more false dawns under Councillor Sam Lux during 2025, in response to three more of my citizen questions.

The whole debacle carried on until spring 2026, so we basically experienced ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ on three occasions, and local children and families were denied The Summer Reading Challenge over that prolonged closure period.

However, the curtain will finally close on The Never-Ending Story, when Sherwood Library re-opens this morning. As a Nottingham SOS Steering Group member, we positively welcome this news and we have encouraged as many local citizens and campaigners to attend this belated milestone event, and also produced a special flier.

We will complement the official opening, not obstruct it, as the general public will welcome this development, and also the possible movement on opening hours, as suggested by Neghat Khan when speaking on the radio last week.

The wider point we are making, is that if it wasn’t for SOS, which organised SIX or SEVEN community protests, from June 2024 to January 2026, then we wouldn’t have arrived at this favourable situation.

The tug-of-war blame game between Hockley Developments and Nottingham City Council had descended into farce, but fortunately there is now a bright light at the end of this metaphorical tunnel.

And, those fortunate enough to get shown around the library early, including members of Sherwood Playgroup, were very impressed with the brilliant facilities.

Another local campaigner Colin Barratt, has suggested that Sherwood Library should be allowed to maintain its weekly opening hours of 40.

Perhaps some of the new found pots of money, or even the £233k the Council saved not having the library open, could be used to plug the funding gap.

19/04/2026

Long overdue – but our new library is fantastic!

CAMPAIGNERS CELEBRATE AFTER LONG WAIT FOR BUILDING TO OPEN

DELAY-HIT Sherwood Library has finally opened to the delight of parents, residents and campaigners.

It opened at just after 10am yesterday, after a ribbon was cut by city council leader Neghat Khan and some of the city’s schoolchildren.

An unofficial ribbon-cutting had been staged around an hour before by campaigners, who have been calling for its opening for two-and-a-half years.

Visitors to the new facility described it as “fantastic”. Mark Lowe was visiting the library for the first time with his four-month-old daughter, Juniper. He had previously taken his older daughter, Astrid, now eight, to the old library before it closed.

Mr Lowe said: “It is a really nice space. It looks much bigger than I was expecting it to be. It has a really good children’s collection. It will be a great opportunity for the community to come together with the meeting room. It is sad [it had been closed] because it is an essential hub of support. It is sad that my daughter used to come to the original library and she’s had that period of time where she hasn’t had that space in her local area.”

Mr Lowe continued: “There are other libraries we have been to, the Central Library since that opened, but there is something really special about having a library in the hub of your local area.”

Sophie Thakur went along with her two daughters, Sia and El: “It is fantastic, it is big and spacious, it seems to me there are a lot of books for the children, which I’m happy about. They are very keen readers. They are at the beginning of their reading journey so I’m really looking forward to supporting them with that and being a frequent visitor of this library.”

Zeynap Serinkaya, a PhD student in media studies, added: “It is well thought out, it is designed for everyone, there is stuff for kids, spaces for different types of users, there is also a nice balcony. It is well-lit, it is very welcoming, I am really excited about it.”

Campaigners have long condemned a “tug-of-war game” between the developer [Hockley Developments] and the council over who was responsible for the defects.

Lead (SOS) campaigner Des Conway said: “It is absolutely amazing. The facilities, the way they have used light, shelving. It has got a brilliant veranda, it is absolutely incredible and well worth the wait.”
Green Party councillor Shuguftah Quddoos said: “We will not forget that this Labour council, Hockley Developments, or whoever, have done this. We will celebrate today, but we will not forget.”

The article is by Joe Locker, Local Democracy Reporter, who has played a decisive role in unearthing the contractual debacle these past three years or so.

17/04/2026

Today's fabulous 'unofficial' opening ceremony of Sherwood Library. It was the visible definition of uplifting. Well done to the SOS Campaign for playing such a positive role in the library finally opening, more than two years after the Sainsbury's Local opened in the same building ✊✊

07/04/2026

Long overdue: The sorry saga of town’s new library as doors finally set to open

HORROR STORY OF DELAYS, SNAGS AND SETBACKS

This feature News story, by Joe Locker, takes up the entire page 10, of the Nottingham Post on Monday 06 April 2026.

“It has been delayed, delayed and delayed”, says campaigner Des Conway. “It has taken way too long … and children and families have been deprived of a library.”

Nottingham City Council has announced Sherwood Library will be opening on Friday 17 April – more than two years after the developer behind the scheme [Hockley Developments], handed the building over to the authority for its final fit-out.

While campaigners have expressed delight at the announcement, the path to this point has been quite the horror story.

Joe’s detailed in-depth article goes on to describe the whole sorry debacle, with sections headlined “A very lengthy process”, “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, and “Tug of War”, before closing with City Council Leader Neghat Khan’s quote “This is a really important moment for the community.”

The piece includes three photos, one of Sherwood Library, one of me addressing the assembled crowd at our Family Read-In from August 2024, and one of a Nottingham Save Our Services (SOS) placard on the railings outside the library, at another event, which simply states: WE WANT OUR LIBRARY OPEN!

02/04/2026

Comedy of errors can at least end happily

Find below a JPEG of my latest letter in the Nottingham Post, published across the entire LETTERS page, in response to Joe Locker’s article on page 3 of Tuesday’s Post ‘At last! Campaigners rejoice as library opening date fixed.’

First of all, this is absolutely fantastic news, and Sherwood residents, young and old, welcome this brilliant news story, with open arms and open hearts.

This news has had a longer gestation period than an Elephant, but it is welcome, nevertheless. And the facilities described by Joe sound fantastic, including “a colourful children’s area, free wi-fi, public computers, study tables, comfortable seating and a bookable meeting room.”

However, I think it’s worth pausing for a moment, to reflect on the ongoing debacle in the run-up to this grand opening, which has lasted nearly 30 months, considering ‘Sainsbury’s Local’ opened its doors to customers, on the very same Spondon Street site, in early November 2023.

It’s worth remembering as well, that fellow campaigner Alice McGregor was shown around the library site in May 2023 by a Hockley Developments (HD) Project Manager, and at that stage (albeit still work in progress), it was hoped by both parties (Nottingham City Council and HD), that the library would open, in autumn or winter 2023.

What followed over the next two years, was a complete Public Relations (PR) fiasco, with both parties blaming the other, in an unseemly tug-of-war blame game, with the only losers, being the citizens of Sherwood, especially children and young people, who were denied the Summer Reading Challenge for over five years.
Let’s be honest, if it wasn’t for the relentless campaign waged by Nottingham Save Our Services (SOS), with at least SIX protest demonstrations ending up on the Spondon Street library site, covered by the Nottingham Post, and ITV and BBC regional news channels, I don’t think this announcement would have been made so soon.

I submitted a total of seven ‘Citizen Questions’ about Sherwood Library at Full Council Meetings between November 2023 and January 2026, the first one answered by Pavlos Kotsonis, then Executive Member, followed by his successor Sam Lux, and then more recently by Council Leader, Neghat Khan.

You could literally make a soap opera out of their responses, or perhaps more a drama out of a crisis. In replying to my question in November 2023, regarding when Sherwood Library was likely to open, Pavlos replied as follows: “We are aiming to see the new library opened as early as in 2024. Hopefully, with the completion of Sainsbury’s this will now enable the developer to quickly complete outstanding jobs on the library space area and we can move on to start the fit-out process.”

Similar, false dawns and false promises were made by Sam Lux in response to questions submitted by me at Full Council meetings on 09 September 2024, 03 March 2025, and 12 May 2025. It seems Council Leader Neghat Khan provided more honest answers to my questions submitted on 08 September 2025, 10 November 2025, and 12 January 2026, although getting to where we are now, especially in relation to NCCs dealings with HD, has felt at times like pulling teeth.

In response to the final part of my question, she did announce a thorough review of the whole contractual mess, in order to learn lessons, so that fiascos like this never ever happen again. In the spirit of openness and transparency, I call on Neghat Khan to put these 360-degree review findings into the public domain, so these monumental contractual mistakes are never repeated.

And, I think many of the ongoing problems, including the loss of the Cherry Trees recently highlighted by Louis Corbett, as well as the residual library problems, stem back to the original contract signed by then Council Leader, David Mellen. The Council gave up a car park, public toilets, an old Sure Start Centre, the old library etc., in return for a state-of-the-art library with a peppercorn lease. Well, that went well, NOT. Even the living wall issue was not in control of the council, due to the tenancy arrangement, firstly with HD, and latterly with the new landlord, Bassi Properties.

As regards the opening ceremony, can I suggest David Belbin be asked to address the invited guests and dignitaries? David has attended several of our local protests, and was an early advocate for Nottingham being designated as a UNESCO City of Literature.
Rebi Gilby recently established an embryonic Friends of Sherwood Library (FOSL). Our embryonic advocacy group has the perfect acronym, as Sherwood Library has almost become a fossil, and certainly a dim and distant memory or relic for Sherwood residents these past five years or so.

I have suggested, with tongue in cheek, that campaigners should assemble on Friday 17 April from 09am, to have an unofficial opening, with a ceremonial ribbon cut by one of the FOSL crew, letting off party poppers and balloons, purchased from Sherwood Stationers.

But we will also enthusiastically support the official opening at 10am, but making the point that if it wasn’t for the perseverance of local campaigners, this moment would NOT be taking place.

And finally, I would like to go on record to thank Joe Locker and Oliver Pridmore for their relentless and forensic approach regarding Sherwood Library over the past four years, keeping the story in the spotlight throughout, submitting FOIs, and holding our elected councillors to account. Take a well-earned bow guys. And breathe…

01/03/2026

*This Monday*
Supporting the no-cuts budget amendment;
Opposing the council's cuts;

*Nottingham Save Our Services*
*Protest lobby and rally this Monday 2nd March from 4.15pm – 5.40/5.45pm*
Outside the Council House, Old Market Square.

The Council’s budget setting meeting starts at 6pm, and it is open to the public.

After the protest it would be good if we can go into the public gallery to support those councillors supporting the no-cuts budget amendment.

The budget has £33million of cuts/savings included – despite the council just emphasising investments.

This year's amendment was submitted by Councillor Kirsty L Jones from Nottingham Peoples' Alliance and developed in collaboration with us (Nottingham Save Our Services - NSOS)

The no-cuts amendment reverses the newly proposed cuts for 2026/27 and working with NSOS, also proposes the reinstatement of some services and grants that we included in our budget amendment last year, submitted by our Steering Group member, Councillor Shuguftah Quddoos.

The amendment includes restoring the Free School Meals Holiday Voucher Scheme that we are leafleting schools and petitioning on.

Our petition about this will be at the protest and can be emailed out. We aim to get it onto the council’s website as well.

*The council's strategy has been a disaster for services and jobs.*

Despite this budget and previously cuts in services and jobs, 17 years of council tax increases of 4.99% each year, new and other increased charges and selling off assets…

· The council is still predicting a £37million gap in the following three years (April 2027 – March 2030).

· And they are targeting making £50million savings in that 3-year period.

· Their strategy has failed and as they are refusing to fight for properly funded council, they should stand aside for those who will fight.

The council could use some of its General Fund Reserves that amount to well over £200million to avoid cuts and improve services, and use the time it gives to build a mass campaign with the City Council Trade Unions, local communities and other trade unions locally for the necessary funding.

This government is so weak, victories can be won as the Liverpool City Council did in the 1980s -winning £120million in today’s money from Margaret Thatcher’s Tory Government.

*Please directly message me directly if you want any more details.*

Please feel free to bring home-made placards and encourage others to come along.