Dear readers, Welcome to Wednesday. We have your weekly list of roadworks planned across the borough for the days ahead, details of a new book taking a look behind the scenes at youth football academies by a Woodborough author and find out what the bill was for the East Midlands Mayor's use of 'luxury' chauffers.

Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow.

David Bratton - Editor

Roadworks planned across Gedling borough during the week ahead

Take a look at the roadworks and closures scheduled for Gedling borough’s roads for the week beginning May 18.

Make sure to plan your journey and check before your travel as these planned works could affect you. 

Burton Road, Carlton
20 May – 27 May
Delays likely – Diversion route
Responsibility for event: Nottinghamshire County Council

Orchard Rise, Lambley
21 May – 22 May
Road closure

Willow Road, Carlton
20 May – 27 May
Road closure

Kirkby Road, Ravenshead
20 May – 22 May
Roadworks, Delays likely
Responsibility for works: Virgin Media

Orchard Rise, Lambley
21 May – 22 May
Road closure
Responsibility for works: Severn Trent Water

Westdale Lane East, Gedling
19 May – 26 May
Roadworks, Delays likely
Responsibility for works: Cadent Gas

Willow Road, Carlton
20 May – 27 May
Road closure
Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council

Beck Street, Carlton
21 May
Roadworks, Delays possible
Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council

Holme Close, Woodborough
21 May
Roadworks, Delays possible
Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council

Quarry Road, Ravenshead
20 May – 22 May
Roadworks, Delays possible
Responsibility for works: Openreach

Stiles Road, Arnold
19 May – 21 May
Roadworks, Delays possible
Responsibility for works: Openreach

Woodborough author’s new book takes you behind the scenes of local grassroots and academy football

A new book from a Woodborough author shares a frank, behind-the-scenes look into the world of grassroots and academy football from a father’s perspective.

This true story, as told by former barrister Andrew Prestwich, is a warm, witty and intensely personal account of their attempt to navigate the world of grassroots and academy football with his son 'Prez'.

It tells of the characters, skillfulness, kindnesses, injustices, duplicity and, at times, downright stupidity that they meet along the way. 

Frank and utterly compelling, it provides a remarkable insight into the sport through Prez’s experience of junior football and the Nottingham Forest Academy. 

Incorporated into this memoir is a fascinating behind-the-scenes story arising from litigation between Brian Clough and Robert Maxwell. It also offers a unique insight into the purchase and sale of Notts County by Alan Hardy.

Other well-known football figures who pop up include Darren Fletcher and Gary Brazil, the Academy manager at Nottingham Forest who once said to Andrew, “You should watch everything that goes on here.”

How right he was…

Based on his diaries and rich in anecdotes, Prestwich brings a lawyer’s head and a father’s heart to the world of junior football and lays bare the tensions between sport, education, ambition and nurture. 

Andrew was a barrister for 30 years and has been proudly kicking out against injustice ever since.

The author explains: “The inspiration was two-fold. Firstly, it was the dismay that I felt in watching the way in which professional football academies behave. Secondly, of course, it was my son. 

Workers pay deal reached at supermarket chain

Morrisons, with a store in Netherfield, has announced that the proposed pay deal for supermarket and manufacturing colleagues covered by the national agreement with USDAW received a 91.87% vote in favour in the recent ballot. 

The pay deal, having secured the necessary support from staff, will now be introduced in three phases:

From Monday, March 30, 2026 - the established rate of pay for a Customer Assistant will increase to £12.81, and all other established hourly rates for roles covered by this agreement will increase by 10p. 

From Monday, July 20, 2026 - the established rate of pay for a Customer Assistant will increase from £12.81 to £13.00, and all other established hourly rates for roles covered by this agreement will increase by 19p

From Monday, October 26, 2026 - the established rate of pay for a Customer Assistant will increase from £13.00 to £13.11, and all other established hourly rates for roles covered by this agreement will increase by 11p

In addition, all eligible hourly paid colleagues will receive a one off fixed payment of between £25 and £175 based on their Contractual Hours.

Morrisons had previously increased its Customer Assistant pay rate from £12.21 to £12.71 on Monday, March 30, 2026, as the new National Living Wage took effect.

Jodie Keating, group people director of Morrisons said: “We’re pleased that we can now implement the pay proposal and increase pay for our colleagues to reward them for the contribution they make to our business. I would like to thank all our colleagues for everything they continue to do for Morrisons.”

By Eddie Bisknall (Local Democracy Reporter)

East Mids Mayor spends thousands on 'luxury' chauffers

The Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Mayor has spent more than £9,300 on “luxury, executive, premium and high-end” chauffeurs in the past year.

Newly provided data from the East Midlands Combined County Authority shows Claire Ward, the region’s mayor, who has a salary of £93,000 and extra allowances, spent £9,328 on chauffeuring services between March 2025 and February 2026.

In October, the Mayor took on duties for public transport across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, which have now been passed over from the city and county councils.

The payments were all made legally using a Government-issued corporate credit card, with new data disclosed following lobbying from the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The new data shows that between September last year and this February, the Mayor spent (£7,820.39) on chauffeurs, in addition to the £1,508 previously disclosed.

Of the £7,800, most (£7,300) was spent on the provider Pinnacle, based in Stapleford, Nottinghamshire, which describes itself as a luxury, executive, premium and high-end provider, with the rest via Blacklane in the USA.

Pinnacle details that its fleet comprises Mercedes S-class and BMW 7-series saloons, both of which are valued at more than £100,000 and include in-car Wi-Fi.

Previously, the combined authority had defended the use of chauffeurs as being a better use of the Mayor’s time than driving herself to and from visits across the extensive Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire patch – discussing issues such as public transport.

It also said that as a public politician there are safety and confidentiality considerations to be made about the Mayor’s travel while on her duties, with private chauffeuring firms insisting on DBS checks for drivers.

A spokesperson had also said Ms Ward is not allowed to drive a pool car under current legislation.

The LDRS asked for a statement from Ms Ward in response to the new chauffeur payment data, but a spokesperson for her office responded instead.

They said: “While we make every effort to arrange the Mayor’s calendar to enable multiple engagements in the same part of the region, there are some days where that is hard to achieve.

“The East Midlands is a large region, and it is important for the Mayor to visit all parts of it over the course of her term of office.

“On those days when the Mayor needs to be in multiple places over a single day, we use a local car hire company which has enough seat space so that she can make calls and catch up on email correspondence.

“This is a better use of her time than spending three or more hours driving herself.”

The new data also included a number of flights via British Airways to the USA and to France, totalling £2,685, paid for in February.

Accommodation for these trips, booked via Bnetwork in February, totalled £4,277, the combined authority details.

A spokesperson said the USA trip involved the Mayor forming part of a visit with the British Consultant General to lobby for the region and engage with investors in three different states: Chicago (Illinois), Columbus (Ohio) and Detroit (Michigan).

Meanwhile a flight to France, along with a £682 payment to a French meeting space organisation platform, were for the Mayor’s attendance and ticket for the annual international business summit MIPIM, held in Cannes, France, in March.

In response, a spokesperson said: “Regarding the expenses associated with travel overseas, Mayor Claire represents the East Midlands on investment and trade delegations, and the associated expenses are in line with those duties.” 

The authority’s allowance policy says members are expected to travel by bus or standard class rail and to share journeys where possible, with taxis to be used in “rare circumstances”.

It says overseas travel should represent “value for money” and that staff and officials ought to take advantage of offers where possible.

The combined authority previously stressed that its use of corporate cards is in line with other authorities of a similar size and was not an outlier. 

🌦️ Weather Update

⛅ It will be mostly cloudy to start, with any showers fairly isolated. Some bright or sunny spells developing during the morning, but with a risk of further isolated showers in the afternoon, these dying out later. Warm but breezy. It will be largely dry this evening with sunny spells. Remaining dry overnight with clear spells, although cloud thickening later. Wind easing.

⛅ Tomorrow will be mostly dry with sunny spells, although thicker cloud and patchy rain are likely. Becoming warm. Light winds.