You probably won't see this in the Evening Post but Councillor David Mellen has decided to reduce payments made to low income parents to help pay for their kids' school uniforms.

As the Children's Services portfolio holder on the Executive Board, NCC's constitution does allow Cllr Mellen to make decisions alone within his portfolio area as long as they are within certain financial limits and they cannot be said

"...to be significant in terms of its effects on communities living or working in an area consisting of two or more wards in the City."

However, the Equality Impact Assessment for the decision accepts that loss of income and even an increase in bullying may occur. As the decision is city wide I can't see how making this decision alone is constitutional.

In an anonymous comment, someone who may or may not have some connection to NCC's Communications Directorate (the writing style looks familiar) claims

"David Mellen knows that there is scope for a reduction in the annual uniform grant with no disbenefit to the parents/carers involved. In fact every parent with a child attending a city school will benefit."

 http://ncclols.blogspot.com/2009/07/school-clothing-allowance-reductions.html

And in a presumably unintentionally comedic moment, the Sheriff of Nottingham decides to 'get tough' on people feeding Canada Geese, not by sentencing them to be hung, drawn and quartered but by, erm, putting up some signs.

 http://ncclols.blogspot.com/2009/07/i-am-sheriff-of-nottingham-hear-me-roar.html

Sheriffing just ain't what it used to be...

What bollocks.