Nottingham City Council

The council launched a Cultural Investment Fund with an overall budget of £200,000, offering grants of up to £5,000 per project for cultural activities across the 2026-27 financial year. This is a direct spending decision and creates an opportunity for small grant-supported suppliers, creatives, events operators and community organisations.

The council described its route from a C3 consumer standards judgement toward a likely C2 regrading, with the long-term aim of C1. The improvement programme has been backed by monthly regulator engagement, tenant governance changes, better evidence, and stronger internal systems.

The Board approved a £2.31 million investment to create Willowfield Academy at the former Snape Wood primary site, delivering 80 additional specialist SEMH places. The scheme is intended to meet rising demand, support the DSG recovery plan and sufficiency strategy, and reduce dependence on expensive independent and out-of-area placements.

The Board approved spending from the ring-fenced public health grant to commission a new 0-19 public health contract. The contract is intended to be outcomes-based and to focus on six priority measures covering child health, school readiness, weight, MMR uptake and self-harm admissions, with a procurement exercise to follow subject to approval.

A new alternative provision framework is due to go live on 1 September and will replace sporadic purchasing across the market with a more structured, multi-lot framework. The framework is intended to improve quality, consistency, safeguarding, value for money and outcomes for excluded pupils, with schools and children involved in shaping the specification and tender questions.

The committee heard that a rolling programme is taking one tram out of service each week for the remainder of the year to complete overspeed modifications required under Office of Rail and Road actions linked to the Sandilands recommendations. This is a compliance-driven policy and operational change affecting fleet availability and maintenance planning.

The committee focused on the 2025-26 draft accounts, showing a large underspend, reduced debt, stronger reserves and no need for exceptional financial support. Members also discussed local government reorganisation costs, governance improvements, adult social care and children’s services assurance, treasury management and risk appetite, and the internal audit plan. Several members pressed for clearer evidence, named accountability and better public-facing reporting on high-risk service areas and ongoing improvement actions.

The committee focused on two strands of the Council’s continuous service improvement plan: delivery/performance/planning/impact, and finance/sustainability/management. Officers reported progress on business planning alignment, resident and stakeholder engagement, data use, and organisational culture, alongside a strong finance recovery programme covering staffing, capital and HRA controls, savings monitoring, and work toward external audit assurance. Members also discussed LGR implications, the cost and value of external auditors, and how consultation and community engagement should shape future priorities.