New year, new cuts. After an unplanned two week break, Notts Cuts Watch is back with a rundown of the cuts and resistance in Nottinghamshire since Christmas. As ever this is probably an incomplete list and draws heavily on reporting in the local media.

Pay particular attention to the upcoming events, of which there are many, not the least of which is the Combating the Cuts event next Saturday.

Advice

Vulnerable will suffer, bureau warns as cuts loom, Nottingham Post
NOTTINGHAM and District Citizens Advice Bureau says is trying to establish how it will maintain services when council cuts come in.

Ollerton CAB facing cuts to outreach service, Mansfield Chad
BOSSES at the Ollerton Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB) say that vulnerable people living in the surrounding villages will be hit hardest if it loses vital funding from the local authorities.

Fire Service

Fire chief’s concern over cuts, Nottingham Post
THE chairman of Notts Fire Authority is to meet with the Fire Minister to discuss Government cuts to the service.

Safety fears over plan to close down fire station, Nottingham Post
A RUSHCLIFFE councillor has raised concerns about public safety following plans to close West Bridgford fire station.

Health

Support grows for fresh hospital review, Newark Advertiser
Support is growing for an independent review into changes at Newark Hospital.

Higher Education

Open letter from lecturers to university vice-chancellors on student fees, Nottingham Post
AS university lecturers we are calling on our vice-chancellors to support the campaign against cuts to higher education.

Leisure

Calls for Meden Baths to stay open, Mansfield Chad
CAMPAIGNERS have welcomed a new report which calls for Warsop’s Meden Sports Centre to stay open at least another year.

Nottingham City Council

Nottingham City Council take out £156,000 contract for new signs at leisure centres, Nottingham Post
NEW signs are to be installed at Nottingham City Council leisure centres – at a cost of up to £156,000.

City council rent bombshell for allotment holders, Nottingham Indymedia
Nottingham City Council is holding a consultation of changes to allotment tenancies, rent levels and plot allocation. They claim that the review “aims to encourage more people to get involved with growing food in Nottingham.” In fact, the changes would involve the trebling of rents for allotments in Nottingham.

Grant for vulnerable people in city to be cut by half, Nottingham Post
GROUPS which help vulnerable people in the city have been warned their funding could end this year.

Plan to cut open times at Abbey, Mansfield Chad
NEWSTEAD Abbey, the ancestral home of Lord Byron, faces reduced opening times as part of cost-cutting drive.

No cuts to CPOs despite £60m cut in government city council funding, Nottingham Post
THE number of Community Protection Officers in Nottingham will not be reduced, despite huge cuts in government funding.

Nottinghamshire County Council

Council needs to make another £15m savings, Eastwood Advertiser
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE County Council has got to make another £15m worth of savings, it has been revealed this week.

Are library opening cuts fair?, Eastwood Advertiser
Nottinghamshire County Council has denied accusations that it is favouring more affluent areas ahead of Eastwood and Kimberley over proposed cuts in library hours following a letter from one of our readers.

Cuts threaten future of country park, Hucknall Dispatch
THE future of Bestwood Country Park could be under threat after shock, cost-cutting plans to axe the jobs of all the rangers who work there.

Families left in limbo over proposal to close Gedling School, Nottingham Post
NOTTS County Council has defended its decision to offer parents of prospective Gedling School pupils the chance to change their minds in the light of talks that could lead to its closure.

Council spending revealed, Nottingham Post
TAXPAYERS can now use the internet to keep track of how Notts County Council is spending their money.

Police

Notts police criticised for spending more than £20K a month on consultants, Nottingham Post
NOTTS Police has been criticised for the amount it spends on consultants.

Private Sector

Jobs fear as pottery firm quits Huthwaite, Mansfield Chad
CONCERNS for the local economy have been raised after a firm announced it was moving 45 jobs from Huthwaite to Derby.work there.

VAT

"It takes the biscuit" – local action against VAT increase on 3rd Jan 2011, Notts SOS
On Monday 3rd January 2011 a group of activists gave out biscuits and leaflets in Nottingham and launched a website Takes the biscuit

Mixed feelings in Nottingham as VAT goes up 2.5%, Nottingham Post
BUSINESS leaders in Nottingham declared yesterday’s VAT increase as a necessary step to tackle the national deficit, but there were mixed feelings among the city’s shoppers

How the rise in fuel prices is affecting Notts motorists, Nottingham Post
Motorists have faced a double-whammy this week with an increase in fuel duty and the VAT hike sending petrol prices soaring. Sarah Firth spoke to Notts motorists and businesses about how it is affecting them…

Voluntary Sector

Cuts will lead to more women and children ’in hospital’, Nottingham Post
MORE women and children will end up in hospital because of combined funding cuts, fears the chief executive of Women’s Aid.

Redundancy risk for 200 Framework homeless support workers, Nottingham Post
ABOUT 200 staff at homelessness charity Framework have been told they are at risk of redundancy.

’Scrooge’ movie highlights cuts, Nottingham Post
HOMELESS charity Framework hopes a short film by a Nottingham graduate based on the Dickens classic A Christmas Carol will highlight the potential effects of funding cuts.

Domestic violence service for Broxtowe women is in jeopardy, Nottingham Post
VICTIMS of domestic abuse face losing a support network because of council cash cuts.

Voluntary groups must adapt to cuts, Newark Advertiser
Voluntary organisations have been warned they need to change the way they run as the public sector braces itself for funding cuts.

Upcoming

A list of the anti-cuts events happening over the next week.

• Monday 10th January, 7.30 – Notts SOS meeting. Open planning meeting at the International Community Centre, Mansfield Road.
• Tuesday 11th January – National day of action against the scrapping of EMA. Protests and walkouts are planned in Nottingham
• Tuesday 11th January, 7.30 – Anarchists Against the Cuts. Discussion about how local anarchists can engage with the wider anti-cuts movements. Fade, Mansfield Road.
• Wednesday 12th January, 7.30 – Meeting of the Nottingham 38 Degrees group at the Mechanic’s Institute, to discuss the campaign against the government’s health white paper.
• Saturday 15th January, 10.30am-4pm – Combating the Cuts: Planning for Action. An opportunity for ant-cuts activists, trade unionists, service users and others to come together to plan a strategy for defeating the cuts. If you only come to one event this week, make sure it’s this one. The Old School, Montpelier Road, Dunkirk, Nottingham, NG7 2JW.
• Saturday 15th January - Actions against scrapping of EMA. Details TBC. Keep an eye on the Nottingham Student’s Against Fees and Cuts site.
• Saturday 15th January, 10.30am–12 noon - Stall and leafletting to promote campaign to defend library services in Beeston and Chilwell. Beeston High Rd (outside Boots the Chemist)
• Sunday 16th January, 10.30am - Leafleting of Beeston West, Beeston North and Beeston Central to promote campaign to defend library services in Beeston and Chilwell.