11/02/2026
PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE: FEBRUARY 2026
Here's the report delivered to Misterton Parish Council at its meeting on 10 February. West Stockwith Parish Council doesn't have a meeting this month so the report will be e-mailed to the Parish Clerk for distribution to members.
CONSULTATION LAUNCHED ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT REORGANISATION The Government has launched its statutory consultation on Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. The survey is aimed at partners, other public authorities, and other stakeholders and is not a repeat of the resident engagement that took place last year but all stakeholders, including councillors and residents, can still complete this.
It’s open for seven weeks from Thursday 5 February and can also be completed at local libraries soon.
This consultation is for the Government to gather views before ministers decide on a preferred option in the summer. As part of this, Government is seeking views on the three submissions they received last November. Full versions can be viewed at www.lgrnotts.org and summary versions will also be available on the site soon.
A formal assessment against the criteria has not taken place at this stage but will be completed alongside this consultation so that all relevant evidence can be considered. In due course the Government will outline this position further, together with their planned use of AI as part of the process.
The decision has also been taken to not group Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire for the consultation. Separate consultations are now running for each invitation area.
A press release from all nine Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Councils will be going out to local media over the next day or so, so there may be some articles in the local press.
Full details of the Governments consultation process can be found by following the link below:
www.gov.uk/government/consultations/local-government-reorganisation-in-nottinghamshire-and-nottingham
COUNCIL REFRESHES ITS VISION
Bassetlaw District Council (BDC) has refreshed its Council plan and overarching Vision 2040 outlining how it will deliver bold, inclusive, and sustainable improvements for everyone in the district. It has been built around a clear mission to support people, neighbourhoods, and the economy through transformation, while laying the foundations for a clean, green, high-tech future. It also focuses on financial stability and resilience to ensure a smooth transition to a future unitary authority.
The updated Vision 2040 builds on key areas: identity, skills, business, environment, facilities for all, and a healthy district, where significant progress has been made. This includes taking the lead on supporting the STEP Fusion project as a flagship development, providing a wide variety of voluntary groups and organisations with over £400k of Government-shared prosperity grant funding, and investing £207k to improve the district's green spaces.
In addition, the Council is also embracing innovation, driving regeneration, and supporting inclusive growth through transformation while focusing on getting the basics right. To find out more about Vision 2040, visit www.bassetlaw.gov.uk/bassetlaw-vision-2040
FINAL BUDGET-SETTING COUNCIL MEETING
Bassetlaw District Council (BDC) Cabinet members have approved recommendations for its budget for 2026/27, ahead of a final budget setting meeting on 26 February.
There is a commitment to transformation and efficiency, and the Council is proposing a balanced budget for the year ahead with a total spend of £25.4mn, which will help provide vital services in the district such as Waste & Recycling collection, Planning, Environmental Health and enforcement, Parks, Cemeteries, Economic Development, and Community Safety.
The Council’s budget is funded by a combination of Government grants, income from services it charges for, and other small sources with the balance of around £22m provided through the Local Government Finance Settlement, Council Tax, local business rates, and other Government funding.
The Council is continuing to transform the way it works so it can operate more efficiently and manage its budget responsibly. This reflects the responses the Council received from its recent Budget Conversation and includes modernising systems, improving processes, and reducing back-office costs wherever possible.
It is focusing on transformation and becoming more efficient rather than reducing front line services, to protect the staff and support residents rely on, with the changes
making it leaner, more responsive, and better able to meet the needs of communities.
As part of this work Cabinet members approved an asset management plan for 2026/27, which includes decarbonisation work planned at Retford and Worksop Leisure Centres. This work is projected to generate annual efficiency savings of approx £80k, alongside measures to reduce costs of running buildings, including greater investment in climate change and energy efficiency measures.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet also approved the Council’s Treasury Management Strategy for the coming five years, in which it reflects strong governance arrangements, financial sustainability, and increased financial resilience. These reports will now be presented at the Annual Budget Council meeting on 26 February for final approval.
COUNCIL RENTS RISE BUT £94m INVESTMENT IN COUNCIL HOMES
Bassetlaw District Council (BDC) is investing more than £94m in its tenants’ homes over the next five years to make sure they are well maintained, safe, and energy efficient.
Councillors approved a five-year plan for the Housing Capital Programme for 2026/27 to 2030/31 at a Cabinet meeting (Thursday 5 February 2026). The report will now also be considered by full Council (26 February) for approval. The budget will improve the wider estate and independent living centres, purchasing new or existing family homes to increase the number of council homes available to help meet the demand for this type of accommodation.
Under the plan, £40.8m will be invested in tenant homes to provide improvements such as new kitchens, bathrooms, and windows, alongside boiler replacements and renewable heating to target damp and condensation.
£6.1m pounds is also planned for refurbishment works, including improving the Council’s independent living centres, including Swallow Court in Misterton, over the next two years.
Meanwhile there is a commitment to improve estates with £11.4m over the next five years for work to the estates, such as roads, parking, and garage sites.
To help meet a growing demand for disability adaptations, £3m has been allocated over the next five years while a further £1.12m will support the warden call upgrade.
FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE & CURIOSITY
The Nottinghamshire Festival of Science & Curiosity will be back during the February half-term. As part of the county-wide festival, Bassetlaw District Council will be hosting activities that seek to inspire young minds, spark curiosity, and encourage an interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM) through hands-on learning.
This year’s festival features a mix of drop in and bookable sessions across the district that will give young people the chance to create their own lava lamps, magnetic slime, and mini rockets, play augmented reality dodge-ball, as well as see the ever popular ‘Stories in the Stars’ show in the inflatable planetarium. Events will be taking place from Monday 16 February to Friday 20 February across locations including The Bridge Skills Hub in Worksop, Bassetlaw Museum in Retford, and Harworth and Bircotes Town Hall.
SURGERIES
The next District Council surgeries are on Friday 27 February from 9.00-9.45am in the Village Hall, West Stockwith, and from 10.00-11.00am in The Misterton Centre. Appointments must be made for each surgery via The Misterton Centre (tel: 01427 890646). Residents can also contact me in one of the following ways:
• phone (01427 891376)
• e-mail ([email protected])
• via my page (Hazel Brand BDC)
• through the Council Members’ Support Unit (01909 533 116).
