Investing in Southwell
Newly elected District Councillors Peter Harris and Malcolm Brock will be investigating Newark and Sherwood plans for spending its Community Infrastructure Levy. The issue was raised many times during the recent local Council Elections.
Every major housing development must pay a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) to the District Council. The charge enables the Council to invest in local infrastructure projects to support communities as they expand.
Development in Southwell has resulted in £496,000 in CIL money since 2014 with more to follow from future new housing. The Town Council originally received 15 per cent of the levy but that increased to 25 per cent with the adoption of the Neighbourhood Plan.
A Fair Deal for Southwell
The District Council decides how and where the remaining 75 per cent will be spent. So far most of the levy seems to have been allocated to highway projects in and around Newark, along with funding for a new secondary school there.
With considerable housing development in Newark it makes sense to improve facilities to deal with the expected increase in the population but the same argument applies to Southwell, which should receive its fair share to fund schemes to help our area. Focus will report.
Local Election Results May 2023
A spectacular set of elections both nationally and locally here in Newark and Sherwood!
Overall Lib Dem gains were 405 nationally, which posed a problem for Sky News, whose swingometer apparently was not able to contemplate a set of gains of this magnitude. We exceeded 'Exceeded Expectations'!
Our local gains at the district level saw the addition of our third District Councillor with the victory of Keith Melton in Trent Ward. We also kept 2 of 3 councillors for Southwell, now Karen Roberts and Peter Harris. We were encouraged to see the increase in our share of votes in other seats where we were able to field candidtes. Congratulations to everyone.
We had a very good performance in Southwell Town Council, gaining 10 of the 14 seats for which there were candidates, with 6 of these won in elections and 4 being uncontested. Two Conservatives, one Labour candidate and one Independent were also successful. One place on the council remains to be appointed to.
The Conservatives had a terrible set of district and parish elections, losing about half of their district councillors and many PCs. The final DC result was Conservative 14, Labour 11, Independents 11 (8 for Independents for Newark and 3 for other Independents) and Lib Dems 3. Discussions will take place for some time on the composition of the new administration, which is unlikely to include Conservatives for the first time since 2007.
On behalf of the executive, we are extremely grateful to everyone who stood as candidates, as well as everyone who performed the various roles which were necessary for the campaigns. We are a small party and many of you worked very hard.
We are very grateful for their past work to councillors who have stood down at this election, including Peter Scorer and Stuart Thompstone. Malcolm Brock has stood down from the District, though continues to serve on Southwell TC.
We welcome new members to the party, who were motivated by this campaign. This phenomenon was particularly marked in Trent Ward. Upton support has to be singled out, evidenced for anyone who drove through, by the huge number of LD stakeboards and posters.
Philip Barron
Chair, Newark Liberal Democrats
7 May 2023