Nottinghamshire Social Struggles Feature Archive

Concerned residents have begun a campaign of 'sousveillance' of Nottingham's CCTV cameras and of some of the people employed to watch over us. PCSO Watch aims "to playfully gather information, data, and stories about PCSOs and their Community Protection Officer (CPO) colleagues" in order "to open up a channel of communication upwards rather than downwards about an increasingly out-of-control area of our society." The Office of Community Sousveillance was recently out and about on the streets of Hyson Green, getting members of the public to give their testimonies about their treatment by PCSOs.

Meanwhile, a CCTV treasure hunt was held in Nottingham on Sunday in order to "help map Nottinghams insane surveillance system!!!" The aim was to encourage members of the public to anonymously photograph CCTV cameras in their area and post them, along with details of where they are located, on a national website.

Newswire: 'PCSO Watch' | The Cctv Treasure Hunt | CCTV 'Treasure Hunt' around Nottingham | PCSO Watch - Office of Community Sousveillance | Surveillance of Nottingham City Centre [Update]

Links: The Office of Community Sousveillance | CCTV Treasure Hunt

Forest Field residents appear to have defeated plans to build a major food store in the area. The day after a well-attended public meeting called by the Forest Fields Improvement Association on Monday 12th January, it was revealed that the proposal had been withdrawn.

When the proposals were originally announced, there were concerns expressed that the proposal threatened the viability of well established, community-led businesses in the neighbourhood. A similar trend has been seen across much of the country with the growth of large supermarkets often to the detriment of the local area.

Newswire: Pak Store Forest Fields Proposal Withdrawn | Protect community businesses in Forest Fields

Links: Tescopoly | Notts Indymedia Social Struggles topic page

Reading: Planning Application | What's Wrong with Supermarkets? | Every Lidl Hurts

The Neighbourhood Development Company (NDC) is part of the government's New Deal for Communities project to regenerate some of Britain's poorest inner city neighbourhoods. NDC in Nottingham has received millions of pounds of funding to bring positive change to the Radford area over the past 8 years.

The partnership has had a controversial history, culminating in the sacking of its entire Board of Directors earlier this year. In spite of, or perhaps because it is paying its Chief Executive £47k for a 3-day a week job, the organisation has come under criticism for being out of touch with the community and its lack of financial transparency. In spite of the fact that it is set to receive £12m from the government over the next 2 years, NDC is rumoured to be selling the Tennyson Hall community centre, which contradicts its mission to "improve and bring back into use" the assets under its control.

Newswire: NDC: A brief history and critical examination | Nottingham NDC Chief Executive | What is the future of NDC owned Tennyson Hall? Questions need raising.

Previous Feature: Community centres under fire

Links: NDC Nottingham | Mystery over £2.4m funding that ‘vanished’ | A corrupt cabal? | £70k for New Deal for Communities CEO

The past few months have seen a number of bad news stories for Nottingham's community centres. The Chase Neighbourhood Centre in St Anns has made 30 staff redundant and is rumoured to be on the brink of closure, whilst there are reports that Neighbourhood Development Company (NDC) are looking to sell Radford's historic Tennyson Hall youth and community centre. The Chase Centre is in need of local support.

It has been suggested that with the credit crunch hitting Nottingham, local authorities may drastically cut funding for community centres and other community projects. This underlines the need for autonomous community centres, such as the Sumac Centre in Forest Fields, which continues to develop.

Newswire: Chase Centre Latest - - Please Help | Sumac Skill share goes massive! | What is the future of NDC owned Tennyson Hall? Questions need raising. | Chase Neighbourhood Centre Project Closing

Previous Feature: End of the Road for ASBO

Links: Sumac Centre | NDC Nottingham | Nottingham City Council community centres

Staff members belonging to the University and College Union (UCU) at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) were on strike yesterday, in protest against the university's derecognition of their union and plans to cut facility time for union representatives. Derecognition is an extreme move by the university authorities and is seen by the strikers as an attack on their right to organise independently.

Over three-quarters (77%) of members voted for the strike, which is supported by the UCU nationally. The action follows a rally on 6th Oct attended by UCU members from across the country which challenged the university's vice-chancellor's address to new students.

Newswire: Workers on strike at Nottingham Trent University | Demo by University & College Union, derecognised at Nottingham Trent University | UCU members vote for industrial action at Nottingham Trent University | UCU to ballot on strike action at Nottingham Trent University

Previous Features: Local Government Workers in Notts Join National Strike | Notts Workers Join National Strike | Public service workers out to protect pensions

Links: UCU Nottingham Trent Branch | Nottingham Trent University | UCU (national) | Notts Indymedia Workers Movements topic page

It has emerged that Nottingham City Council had £42 million invested in the Icelandic banks which last week collapsed as a result of the "credit crunch," putting this money at risk. While Nottingham was not the only council to invested in these banks, Nottingham's investments are notable when the city's population is taken into account. One commentator estimated that "the possible loss in Nottingham could be £150.69 for every woman, man and child in the city." (By comparison, the per capita figure in Kent which had around £50 million invested, is £35.85.)

There are concerns that the city council may respond to the loss through job cuts, cutting services and/or increasing council tax. Nottingham and Mansfield Trades Council organised a demo in Market Square on Monday 13th October, demanding that Gordon Brown bail the council out, rather than leaving city residents to pay the cost of their rulers' poor investments.

Newswire: Lending to Icelandic Banks | £42 million missing in Iceland | Addressing the Financial Crisis is not a distraction from Peak Oil/Climate Change

Previous Features: Local Government Workers in Notts Join National Strike | Nottingham City Council: Mired in Corruption

On Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 July, local government workers in Unison and Unite took part in a 48 hour strike. The action was in response to the "final" 2.45% pay offer made by the employers (which, given the current rate of inflation, constitutes a real terms pay cut) and part of a wider struggle being waged against the public sector against what the government call "pay restraint."

In Nottinghamshire there were picket lines at various council offices and 82 schools were shut as caretakers, teaching assistants, admin staff and midday supervisors walked out. There was a march from the Forest Recreation ground to a rally in the Market Square on the first of the two days.

Newswire: Local Government Strike: Day Two | Local Government Strike: Day One | Council workers to strike over pay

Previous Feature: Notts Workers Join National Strike

National Feature: Local Government Workers Strike Over Pay

Links: Notts Unison | Unison | Unite: Amicus | T&G | Notts Indymedia Workers' Movements topic page

Just two weeks after the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) released a report by their Historical Enquiries Team (HET) on the McGurk’s Bar Bombing in 1971, Robert McClenaghan, grandson of Phillip Garry, one of the victims, visited Nottingham to speak at the ICC. He was representing An Fhirinne (The Truth), an organisation of relatives of people murdered by loyalist paramilitaries where there is evidence of collusion between the paramilitaries and British state forces. An Fhirinne and other relatives’ organisations are calling for an Independent International Truth Commission into the slaughter of their loved ones. They believe that a British government inquiry could not possibly be independent, and neither could a government of Ireland one, as they have done little to uncover the truth of killings in the twenty six counties.

Robert visited Nottingham as part of a tour of four English cities as a guest of the Troops Out Movement (TOM), the British- based organisation which campaigns for British withdrawal from Ireland. He showed a very harrowing video of relatives speaking of their lost loved ones. It showed to people in England the reality of what was done in their name.

Newswire: Grandson of Collusion Victim in England - Guest of Troops Out Movement | Truth & Justice for Collusion Victims

Links: Troops Out Movement | An Fhirinne | Notts Indymedia Repression topic page

The detention and imminent deportation of Amdani Juma, a well-known and widely liked local activist, has generated considerable anger in Nottingham. There have been two well attended demonstrations in the Market Square, one on Saturday 31 May and a second on Monday 2 June. The latter was particularly successful at generating media interest, going out live on Central News.

The anger felt by many at Amdani's detention was only compounded by police intimidation of participants in the first demonstration that they should have sought permission and would be expected to do so for the second. This suggests a worrying ignorance of the law on the part of the Sergeant 2471. He told protesters that Section 11 of the Public Order Act 1986 required that they obtain permission for any assemblies, despite the fact that that section clearly relates only to processions and marches and not to static assemblies. When it came to it, the police presence on Monday evening was minimal, although a Community Protection Officer with a CCTV camera attached to his head was prominently visible.

Urgent Action: Amdani Juma: Questions for Liam Byrne | Amdani Juma: Letter to the airline | Amdani Juma: Petition | Amdani Juma: Letter to Home Office | Online Petition

Newswire: A message from Amdani in Lindholme detention centre | Demo to support Amdani Juma, Nottingham activist, at risk of deportation - Pics | It is OUR square and it is OUR right to protest in it whenever we want | A demonstration in support of Amdani Juma Saturday 31st May @ 12.30

Photos: Demo to support Amdani Juma, Nottingham activist, at risk of deportation - Saturdays Pics | Demo to support Amdani Juma, activist, at risk of deportation - Mondays Pics | CPO's with HeadCam, at protests against deportation of Amdani Juma

Previous Features: Another Nottingham Activist Detained For Deportation | Refugees In Need Of Community Protection? | Nottingham Asylum-Seekers will be Heard

Links: Friends of Amdani | Nottingham and Notts Refugee Forum | Nottingham Refugee Campaign Group | No Borders Nottingham | Notts Indymedia Migration topic page

Over the last week, the deportation of Hicham Yezza, now stayed to allow for a judicial review, has attracted a huge amount of attention. Whilst the circumstances surrounding Hich's initial arrest were unusual, in an increasingly anti-migrant political climate, the horrific way he has been treated by immigration authorities is all too common.

Amdani Juma, a Nottingham activist and a survivor from Burundi but whose appeal for Indefinite Leave to Remain was turned down by the Home Office on 5th December, was detained whilst reporting at Loughborough reporting centre on 30th May. He remains in detention and has received notice that his removal is set for Wednesday 4th June on Kenya Airways flight KQ101 (Terminal 4, Heathrow). Amdani's case has previously been reported on the Refugee Forum website.

Tragically, Amdani is not the only asylum seeker to have been abducted by the authorities this week. Nottingham and Notts Refugee Forum volunteer Jane Mary Mutets, was detained at Bridewell Police Station on Thursday 29th May. Concerned supporters fear she will also face deportation and expect her to be moved elsewhere by immigration authorities.

Urgent Action: Amdani Juma: Questions for Liam Byrne | Amdani Juma: Letter to the airline | Amdani Juma: Petition | Amdani Juma: Letter to Home Office | Online Petition

Photos: Demo to support Amdani Juma, Nottingham activist, at risk of deportation - Saturdays Pics | Demo to support Amdani Juma, activist, at risk of deportation - Mondays Pics

Newswire: Amdani Juma: Press Release | A demonstration in support of Amdani Juma Saturday 31st May @ 12.30 | Amdani detained, Jane-Mary detained yesterday | Nottingham Celebrates Mayday with Moazzam Begg | Sponsor Amdani Juma, Walking for Leicestershire AIDS Support | Jane Mary Mutetsi and Felicia Sakwe still here! | Jane Mary Mutetsi belongs to Nottingham

Links: Friends of Amdani | Nottingham and Notts Refugee Forum | Nottingham Refugee Campaign Group | No Borders Nottingham | Notts Indymedia Migration topic page

On Tuesday May 6, anti-arms trade activists returned to the offices of small arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch, Nottingham Small Arms Facility, Unit 3, Easter Park, Lenton Lane, Nottingham NG7 2PX (map). Campaigners met at Abbey Bridge before marching to the office where they staged a protest. A similar event had been held at the same location in July last year.

Despite remaining entirely peaceful, the protest was heavily policed and campaigners were graced by the presence of a team of Evidence Gatherers from Nottinghamsire Police alongside PC Ian Skivens (CO5494) from the Metropolitan's Forward Intelligence Team (FIT) and PC Paul Mather (4551) from Staffordshire Police.

Upcoming Event: Heckler & Koch Campaign Meeting, Tuesday May 13, 8pm at the Sumac Centre. See article for more info.

Audio: as featured in #5 the June Show ~ Riseup! Radio

Newswire: Smash EDO interview | You can have your pigs back Boris | Surveillance at Demo at Heckler & Koch weapons manufacturers HQ in Nottingham | Demo at Heckler & Koch weapons manufacturers HQ in Nottingham | No arms trade - Shut Down Heckler & Koch! Demonstration Tuesday May 6th

Previous Feature: Protesters Target Nottingham Weapons Manufacturers

Links: NottsAntiMilitarism | Campaign Against the Arms Trade | FIT Watch | Heckler & Koch | Wikipedia on Heckler & Koch

On Thursday May 1, local elections took place in various parts of the country. While the far-right British National party (BNP) did not do as well as they had hoped, they were able to win one seat on the London Assembly, meaning that a fascist is now one of the twenty-five people running London.

While they made no gains in Nottinghamshire (where there were elections in Bassetlaw, in which the BNP fielded only one candidate), in Derbyshire they got their first two seats on Amber Valley Borough Council with Chris Roper taking Heanor East and Lewis Allestree winning Heanor West. In Heanor & Loscoe Paul Snell polled 512 votes, to the victorious Labour candidates 513. These results, while worrying in themselves, are of particular interest because it is within the Amber Valley area that the BNP are planning on holding their annual Red, White and Blue festival.

Newswire: Notts Stop the BNP objection to BNP licence application | Object to the BNPs "festival" | BNP take council seats in Amber Valley | Notts Indymedia Anti-Racism Topic Page

Previous features: Midlands and Yorkshire organise against the BNP | Broxtowe BNP Councillor Expelled From Party | Anti-fascists successfully blockade BNP meeting venue | BNP wins seat in Broxtowe

Resources: BNP and far-right election results: East Midlands | UK

Links: Antifa | Stop the Red White and Blue Campaign

Mayday has been celebrated in one form or another for thousands of years. Pagans marked the day as the end of the hardships of winter. Following the struggle amongst American workers for the eight hour day and the murder by the US state of four anarchists involved in that struggle in 1886, the day has come to be marked as International Workers' Day.

In Nottingham this year, there were two Mayday events, both organised by the Mayday Organising Committee, an off-shoot of the Nottingham Refugee Campaign Group. As has happened for the past few years, there was a march and rally, starting and ending at the Brewhouse Yard on the Saturday May 3. The second event was a public meeting held on May 1 itself, addressed by local asylum seeker Amdani Juma and former Guantanamo Bay detainee Moazzam Begg.

Newswire: Nottingham May Day 1 Pictures - Event | Nottingham May Day 2 Pictures - Parade | Mayday march and rally in Nottingham | Nottingham Celebrates Mayday with Moazzam Begg

Previous Features: Mayday! Mayday! Celebrations in Nottingham (2007) | Mayday in the East Midlands (2006)

Links: Nottingham Refugee Campaign Group | Wikipedia on Mayday

On April 24, teachers, further education lecturers and civil servants took coordinated national strike action against the public sector pay freeze. The decision by the National Union of Teachers (NUT) to call the first national teachers' strike in twenty-one years, attracted the most interest, but they were also joined by the University and Colleges Union (UCU) and the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS).

The strikes follow a central government directive to keep annual cost of living pay increases below 2% at a time when the Retail Price Index places inflation at over 4%, meaning in effect that public sector workers are expected to take a pay cut.

In Nottinghamshire, dozens of schools were closed by strike action, with many more partially closed. While their were few pickets of schools, there was a presence at a number of colleges and outside government offices in the city. A march from the Forest Recreation Ground to the Congregation Hall, Church Gate for a rally was well attended despite the inclement weather

Newswire: Photos of April 24 Strike in Nottingham | Strike to close one third of Nottingham schools | Interview with NUT activist | Notts Indymedia Worker's Movements Topic Page

Previous Features: Public service workers out to protect pensions | All-out unofficial strike at Cottam Power Station near Lincoln

Links: Nottingham City NUT | Nottinghamshire NUT | NUT | PCS | UCU

On March 29 Zimbabwe went to the polls. The election was widely criticised with accusations of vote rigging, state orchestrated media bias and violent intimidation of opposition activists. The outcome was generally considered a foregone conclusion, which would have little to do with the opinions of most Zimbabweans and early indications are that these concerns were well placed, although events now seem to have taken a more complicated turn.

In Nottingham the Zimbabwean community used the election to draw attention to the situation in their country and camapaign against the threat of deportation which many Zimbabwean asylum seekers face. They organised a meeting at the Sumac Centre on March 28 and held at protest at Nottingham's new speakers corner on March 28.

Audio: Interviews at demonstration | NIMC interview with Zimbabwean Activist

Photo: Zimbabwean Asylum Rights Demo @ Speakers Corner, Nottingham | Nottingham Zimbabwe demo calling for release of election results

Newswire: No result in Zimbabwe elections | Nottingham’s Zimbabwean Community stand together | Zimbabwean Asylum Rights Demo @ Speakers Corner, Nottingham | Notts Indymedia Migration Topic Page

Previous Features: Refugees In Need Of Community Protection? | Situation in the Congo is worsening as deportations continue | Nottingham Protest against Deportations to Northern Iraq (Kurdistan) :: Pictures

Links: No Borders Nottingham | Nottingham and Notts Refugee Forum | Nottingham Refugee Campaign Group | The Zimbabwean | Zimbabwe Indymedia (archive)

Nottingham City Council Chief Executive, Michael Frater, is to resign from the Council £230,000 better off after Councillors agreed the details of a pay-off earlier in the month. In spite of the Evening Post's attempts to present Frater as the hero, battling against evil Council Leader Jon Collins, some people aren't so sure.

Claims have been made that Frater engineered a series of confrontational situations in order to secure his departure. Whatever the truth of the matter, he has supported a number of highly expensive and unpopular projects during his time in Nottingham, including spending £52,000 on a beach party in Cannes to promote the city, £387,000 commissioning an instructional play for Council staff, £350,000 on turning the Market Square into an ice rink not to mention £25,000 on the dreaded library uniforms.

This is not to let Jon Collins or the rest of the council off the hook. When not trying to buy votes, Collins and co are busy closing public facilities for their corporate chums to start more profitable developments.

Newswire: The Chirpy Council Caption Competition | Michael frater..an alternative version?? | Make nottingham Real, not PR stunts, uniforms & pool closures

Previous feature articles: Library Staff Speak Out Against Uniforms and Management Bullying | Council Under Fire From Campaign To Save Leisure Centre | Nottingham City Council Silences Welfare Advice Row | Nottingham City Council Recycling .. .... Bottom of the Class again!

Links: Nottingham City Council | Telford & Wrekin Council Watch

On Thursday around 80 protesters marched around the University of Nottingham's campus to demand freedom of expression and an end to the University's repression of student activists.

The campaign was started following the arrest of a student at a Palestine solidarity protest on the campus in November last year. In spite of the University's deployment of undercover spies and a police cameraman, the mood was good and protesters recieved a warm reception from other members of the student body.

Audio: Freedom of Speech protest audio report

Photos: Pics 1 | Pics 2

Newswire: Protestors demand freedom of expression at University | Freedom of Speech demonstration at Nottingham Uni | Heavy Handed Police Condemned Over Peaceful Protest | Arrest at Nottingham Uni over Palestine Protest

Nottingham City Council were under fire this week from campaigners trying to prevent the local authority from closing one of the city's oldest and most cherished public services, the Victoria Baths leisure centre. A move to rush the closure this spring has been greeted by uproar from local residents, who gathered for a protest at the Council House.

Over a hundred people mounted a vocal and insistent protest that the recently announced intention to force the closure is unacceptable for the residents of St Anns and Sneinton. Dozens of children from William Booth infant school, one of the schools who regularly use the pool for swimming lessons, bore placards they had drawn and coloured, and chanted 'we want swimming!'. The next demonstration is planned for Saturday 1st March, 11.30am in Market Square.

Reports from the 17th February demonstration: audio | video

More audio: Featured in #2 'the March Show' on Riseup Radio | Public Meeting 1st March

Photos: Victoria Leisure Centre Public Meeting to Oppose Closure | Save Victoria Baths from closure, Demo at the Council House | Council propose to shut Victoria Baths, Sneinton

Articles: Council propose to shut Victoria Baths, Sneinton | City Council intends to Close popular leisure facility

Links: Save Victoria Baths! Campaign | Sign the online petition | 1st March poster | City Council online consultation

Demonstrations have been held this week in Carrington to save the local post office from closure. In the last fortnight, the Save Carrington Post Office Action Group has emerged and has been campaigning to keep the Carrington Post Office [CPO] open. They have urged people in the CPO's catchment area to write letters to the Post Office and Post Watch, asking for the CPO to be considered for further review after the public consultation. The action group has also delivered over 4,000 leaflets and its petition has collected 2000 signatures in just two weeks. In addition to carrying out its own branch assessment report, the group held a couple of demonstrations this week.

Futhermore, a wheelchair-using customer of the Post Office, attempted to travel to the two alternative post offices as suggested by the Post Office to see how accessible they really are. Doreen Sim, who has used CPO twice a week for the last twenty years to pay her bills and collect her pension, says the current journey takes her just 5 minutes from her home along all level terrain and wide pavements...

Articles: Save Carrington Post Office Demo Pictures (Saturday) | Save Carrington Post Office Demo Pictures (Tuesday) | Save Carrington Post Office: March to MPs Office with Petition | Save Carrington Post Office!

Links: Closure of Lenton Post Office | Post Office closure list of 180 is released | MPs raise Post Office closure doubts | Ministers accused as 2,500 Post Office closures confirmed | Post office closure response: services must be maintained for the most vulnerable

It was one of those things that the City Council wouldn't want to kick up a fuss about. After all, it was a controversial decision to merge the city's welfare rights department into the management of the housing benefit service back in September 2006. Employees were only told about the decision 2 or 3 days before it was implemented and were told in an email to 'keep quiet' about the issue. You can imagine people getting concerned over 'conflicts of interest' when you're supposed to get impartial and independent advice on welfare rights from people in the very same office as those authorizing the actual applications.

But thankfully someone decided she couldn't stay quiet over the issue. Sarah Roy, who worked for the council, posted an article on rightsnet.org.uk, a website for welfare rights workers to share information and knowledge. She posted the article in July but the City Council ordered the site to remove the posting instantly or else they would 'seek an injunction in the High Court and sue for damages'. The article was pulled. Another publication, called 'Benefits and Rights' also received legal threats from the council after it told readers it was to feature the issue in its next edition. They ran a 'shortened version' of the article. Sarah Roy was eventually fired over the issue. Read the full article for a second posting Sarah wrote on the Rightsnet forum, which has now also been removed.

Links: Benefits and Work newsletter | Evening Post coverage: (1) (2) | Nottingham City Council | Nottingham Claimants Action (NCA)