Goodbye Gedling

Residents across Gedling are set to find themselves divided between two new councils after the Government yesterday confirmed its preferred option for the biggest shake-up of local government in Nottinghamshire for more than 50 years.

Ministers have backed proposals put forward by Nottingham City Council to scrap the current nine councils across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire and replace them with two new unitary authorities from 2028.

Council leaders and chief executives were informed of the decision today, with a formal written announcement expected to follow. The Secretary of State has also confirmed the move in Parliament.

The decision means Gedling Borough will be split between the two new authorities, with communities on the Arnold side of the borough falling into a new council dominated by Nottingham City.

The second authority will cover Ashfield, Bassetlaw, Mansfield, Newark and Sherwood, alongside the remaining parts of Gedling, Broxtowe and Rushcliffe.

A postcode checker has been launched so residents can see which council area they are expected to join when the new authorities are created in April 2028.

No immediate changes

For now, residents will notice no change to council services.

Bins will still be collected, planning applications will continue to be processed and other local services provided by the existing nine councils will carry on as normal while preparations get underway.

The reorganisation proposals were submitted to Government in November 2025, followed by a public consultation earlier this year and visits from Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government officials ahead of today's decision.

What happens next?

Work will now begin on creating the two new authorities.

Elections are scheduled for May 2027, with so-called "shadow councils" established to oversee the transition before the new unitary councils officially come into existence in April 2028.

The plans must still receive final parliamentary approval before they can be implemented.

The successful City Council proposal was one of three options submitted to Government.

Gedling Borough Council joined Bassetlaw, Mansfield, and Newark and Sherwood councils in backing an alternative proposal, which has now been rejected.

Ashfield District Council did not support a specific option, while Broxtowe Borough Council declined to back any proposal and called for the process to be paused.

Councils respond

A spokesperson speaking on behalf of all nine Nottinghamshire councils said:"The government has today announced its preferred option for local government reorganisation.

"All nine councils have worked hard to meet the deadlines set by central government and to provide submissions that we believe are best for the residents we serve.

"We will continue to work together to ensure services continue and that residents and businesses remain our priority.

"We know this decision will generate significant reaction, especially in the media. We want to reassure everyone that this will not affect the day-to-day running of your local council, our services will continue and we are working closely with the thousands of staff who are coming on this LGR journey with us.

"The work has only just begun, and we can now start the work of transitioning to be ready by April 2028."

More information is available at www.lgrnotts.org.uk.

Petition launched urging Government U-turn on Nottingham council expansion

A petition has been launched calling on ministers to reverse their decision to scrap district councils in Nottinghamshire and expand Nottingham City Council’s boundaries.

The move, announced on July 16, would see the city absorb large parts of Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe, despite widespread opposition when the idea was first floated.

Tens of thousands of residents previously signed petitions against the merger.

Councillor Mike Adams, leader of the Conservative group on Gedling Borough Council, said the Government should admit it has “got this wrong”.

“The Labour Government has been forced into a series of U-turns already in the last two years and they need to do another one,” he said. “This proposal has been made to cover up poor decisions made by Nottingham City Council in the past and to provide more land for housing development. Our residents do not want this, and we will stand up for them.”

The petition — titled Reverse the decision to merge Gedling, Rushcliffe and Broxtowe into the city — is hosted on Change.org and is already attracting signatures from across the county.

You can sign the petition HERE

Arnold residents fear dilution of local voices under councils shake-up

Those in Arnold living close to Nottingham’s current boundaries say they have concerns “local voices may be drowned out” after it was confirmed the city would expand to form a new, much larger council.

Many towns on the border of Nottingham will soon merge with the city under what is the biggest shake-up of Nottinghamshire’s boundaries in five decades.

All nine current councils in Nottinghamshire will cease to exist under the Labour Government’s proposals for local government reorganisation.

As confirmed yesterday, the current two-tier system will be dropped in favour of two completely new unitary authorities.

One will cover the city and parts of Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe, and another will cover Ashfield, Bassetlaw, Mansfield, Newark and Sherwood, as well as the remaining parts of the three boroughs bordering the city.

The journey to arrive at a decision has been a contentious one, with council leaders and politicians arguing the case for different options.

The city’s leader, Cllr Neghat Khan (Lab), had been calling for a boundary review, citing that over 51 per cent of Nottingham’s workforce lives outside the city boundary – and as such relies on its services and uses its infrastructure.

Yet, she said, they have no say in how those services are run.

She had also been arguing, as have many other politicians for many years, that the city is under-bounded, meaning it struggles to bring in enough council tax to pay for all of these well-used services.

It is this boundary review option, proposed by the city council, that has been chosen by the Government.

Over in Arnold, residents have fears about the move – but said the people are typically pessimistic in any case when it comes to change.

Arnold is similarly covered by two councils: Labour-led Gedling Borough Council as well as Nottinghamshire County Council.

Jordan Roach, a teacher, who was shopping on the high street with his daughter, Anya, who is three, said: “Finances are a challenge. What does this mean for council tax and local resources?

“That I have apprehension about. There might be efficiencies internally, the council might be more efficient, but what does it mean for us?

“Sometimes we are so pessimistic about change. So you never know.

“I think overall the councils here are good. I do feel it is inevitable local representation could reduce. The voice of the local community could be drowned out a little bit. That I think is the biggest thing.”

Vanessa Astill, who has lived in the area for 45 years, worked as a secretary for an estate agent before retiring so she could volunteer in her local area.

“The council is quite good at doing things in our borough,” she said.

“So are we not going to see the money spent here? We do not want it to go down hill. You go to the city and it is so scruffy.”

Labour MP for Gedling, Michael Payne, said: “The decision to split my home community of Gedling borough in half and to force communities in Gedling into an expanded Nottingham city council area against their will is bad for my constituents and bad policymaking. This is a decision I cannot and will not support.”

Elections for the new authorities will be held in May 2027, but the councils will only operate as shadow authorities for the first year.

A gradual transfer of power from the current councils to the new ones will take place, with the new authorities becoming operational in 2028.

💬 Your opinion...

If you want to have a say on what's going on in Gedling borough or simply want to agree or disagree with a view published below, send an email to news@gedlingeye.co.uk . The views published below are from our readers and not those of Gedling Eye...

From our socials...

It's a bad day for local democracy. I don't want to be a part of Nottingham City. Gedling Borough Council have been good and we have been well and truly stitched up – Lee Towers

It is a good idea, distributing wealth through the city. Of which we are part of. Arnold needs a real leg up. Look at Beeston and the investment there caused by the tram. The Tram needs to come to Arnold. A small investment of 2 or 3 miles from the basford depot. Also linking in the city hospital into the tram network.
– Michael Coates

Keep Gedling Borough Council separate please! – Sharon Curtis

Why can't we have a vote for for the merging of 2 councils as it stands? Labour are just not visible. Gedling is not in debt but the City Council are in debt so will Gedling be paying for their debt? – Paul Brodsky

Keep Gedling as it is or go with the other just not Nottingham City Council we will end up paying way more getting a lot less and have dirty streets – Gina Bassett

This wasn't even a original option and was added after the consultation. I'm afraid this is party political and nothing to do with the residents that reside in these constituencys – Rich McDonald

Gedling residents have been ignored and let down. Many residents will see this as a political decision, with Labour seeking to retain control of a larger Nottingham-based authority. Equally disappointing is that Reform, having previously pledged to protect Gedling from being absorbed into Nottingham City, later voted in favour of the proposal. Many voters who supported that pledge may feel it has not been honoured.The result is that Gedling residents have become pawns in a political game. Whether Labour or Reform comes out on top politically, many people will ask the same question: what does Gedling gain? Our communities have their own identity, priorities and voice. The future of Gedling should be decided by the people who live here—not by political manoeuvring. – Cllr Darren Maltby

Politicians love to change the rules and systems of government. They do this to look busy. Yet, they fail to fix real-world details. Big structural changes rarely fix daily problems. – Ralph Surman

Don't be deluded, Nottm City Council are just trying to get out of the red. They cant cope now never mind looking after a bigger area, A sinking ship does not take on more passengers! Drive around the ring round or walk through the city centre: there are shoplifters selling stolen goods in the pubs, there is CCTV everywhere1 Why don't the police start making arrests, beggers at ATMs around the city, bikes being cycled on the pavements. A family tried to pickpocket me with mum dad and 2 kids working the streets. Shouldn't the city council get there own house in order first.
– Kevin Harper

Everyone saying the city council is bankrupt are not talking in facts. It’s about time the record changed on that one – Michelle Pullen