Morning Edition: Park revamp| Mileage cut | Ticket scam

Good morning! Here's your Friday update covering the latest news from across our borough.

Hope you have a great day and see you on Monday!

Work to create a new £98k play area at Jackie Bells Fields in Netherfield is due to start next week.

Construction is expected to take around six weeks to complete and the current play area will close when works begin on April 27.

The improvements will see the old equipment and flooring removed and replaced with a new play area, including a 30-metre zip line, multi-play climbing units, a wheelchair-accessible roundabout and trampoline, a table tennis table and a chess table. The park will reopen in the summer. 

The new and improved development is thanks to funding from FCC Communities Foundation, a not-for-profit business that awards grants for community, conservation and heritage projects from funds donated by waste and resource management company FCC Environment through the Landfill Communities Fund. FCC Communities Foundation will be providing a grant total of £98,000. 

he funding bid was submitted in collaboration with Gedling Borough Council and a small group of local partners. It included consultations with local children from Netherfield Junior School, young people from the Loco Centre, and local families to gather input on what they wanted to see in the park. 

Councillor Alison Hunt, Ward Councillor for Netherfield is excited that the project is starting to take shape. 

She said: “It’s great to see our vision for this vital community facility moving closer to reality. I would like to thank our small group, Cllr Russell Whiting, NCC Youth Worker Andy Foulds, and Gedling Borough Council’s Parks Development Team for the commitment and enthusiasm they have brought to this project. 

I am also seeking additional funds to support a community graffiti project on the skatepark and teen shelter, and I also hope to enhance the natural space behind the MUGA. 

We are extremely grateful for the funding from FCC Communities Foundation for the play area. We would like to thank the community for their support on this project and feel sure that it will be enjoyed by local children for many years to come.” 

Councillor Viv McCrossen, Portfolio Holder for Climate Change and Natural Habitat said: "This new play area will be a fantastic addition to the Borough, offering a wide range of facilities for children to enjoy. I am delighted that work on the site is now getting underway and that it will soon be available for the community to use. 

I would like to thank the Friends of Jackie Bells for working with us on the application, as well as FCC Communities Foundation for providing the funding that has made this project possible.”

For more information about FCC Communities Foundation funding visit www.fcccommunitiesfoundation.org.uk 

Reform spending 81 per cent less on travel expenses

Reform UK spent thousands of pounds less in travel expenses compared to its Conservative predecessors, with officials claiming it was “morally wrong to claim every penny” available.

New figures released on Wednesday (April 22) showed that Reform councillors at Nottinghamshire County Council claimed back £7,289 in travel expenses during the party’s first year in charge of the council.

That is down 81 per cent on the figure recorded by the Tories, who previously ran the council before the 2025 May local elections.

Read more HERE

Police issue gig ticket scam warning

Festival and concert goers looking to get tickets to this summer’s in-demand events are urged to keep an eye out for fraudulent sellers.

Ticket fraud involves criminals selling fake, non-existent, or overpriced tickets for events via social media, fake websites, or secondary marketplaces.

Common tactics include ‘too good to be true’ prices, pressure tactics for quick sales, and requests for bank transfers.

Nottinghamshire Police’s Fraud and Cyber Protect Officers have issued the following advice ready for the season:

• Only buy tickets from the venue’s box office, the promoter, an official agent or a well-known and reputable ticket exchange site
• Avoid paying for tickets by bank transfer, especially if buying from someone unknown. Credit card or payment services such as PayPal give you a better chance of recovering the money if you become a victim of fraud
• The password you use for your email account, as well as any other accounts you use to purchase tickets, should be different from all your other passwords. Use three random words to create a strong and memorable password, and enable 2-step verification (2SV)
• Be wary of unsolicited emails, texts or adverts offering unbelievably good deals on tickets
• Is the vendor a member of Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR)? If they are, the company has signed up to their strict governing standards. STAR also offers an approved Alternative Dispute Resolution service to help customers with outstanding complaints. For more information visit star.org.uk/buy_safe

The warning comes ahead of top summer events, such as Nottingham’s own Splendour Festival.

Detective Sergeant Sally Collins, of Nottinghamshire Police’s Fraud and Cyber Crime Unit, said: “A fake ticket costs more than money — it costs your whole night.

“Fraudsters all over the globe are trying to make money out of people’s wish to buy tickets quickly and easily online.

“So, no matter what you’re buying a ticket for – whether it be a concert, sports event or theatre performance -  make sure to remain vigilant and follow the advice above.

“Always buy tickets from an official events organiser or website and if you are tempted to buy from a secondary ticket source, make sure to research the company or the person online before making the purchase.”

If you have been a victim of fraud or cybercrime, report it at https://www.reportfraud.police.uk/ or by calling 0300 123 2040.

🌦️ Weather Update

A cold start once again, with low cloud for some soon clearing to leave another dry and bright day. Warmer than Thursday with light winds, but feeling cooler where some low cloud could linger. It will stay dry and largely clear overnight. Temperatures falling to again give a risk of some rural frost, and the likelihood of some mist and fog patches by dawn.

WEEKEND WEATHER: Another dry and fine day expected on Saturday once early low cloud clears. Sunshine through the afternoon but likely cloudier with a fresher breeze into the evening. Temperatures remaining warm. Outlook for Sunday to Tuesday:

Sunday will be dry with some hazy sunshine after any early low cloud clears, warm for most.