The former leader of Nottingham’s city council who steered the city through the height of a financial crisis and the Covid pandemic will be rejoining the senior ranks.
Several changes will be made to Nottingham City Council’s cabinet in May.
The Labour-led authority says it is now on a sounder financial footing, having increased its council tax by the lowest amount in 18 years. It will also be reinvesting in services cut in the austerity years.
The changes come after the city’s Labour Group was hit by mass defections in October last year, when several councillors quit the party to form their own opposition group called the Nottingham People’s Alliance.
Some of the key changes to the cabinet include the return of Cllr David Mellen (Dales) from the backbenches. The former leader of the council will sit as executive member for leisure, culture and tourism.
Cllr Mellen has represented the Dales ward since 2007, and spent 16 years on the executive, including his five years as leader of the authority before he stepped down in May 2024.
“As leader it was a particularly difficult time, with government cut-backs, Covid, and government intervention,” he said.
“I needed a break from that. I still feel I’ve got something to offer so I applied to the leader for a position on the executive.
“It is right things are looking on the up. We’ve had the opening of the new Sherwood Library, we are looking at free swimming for under 16s, we are increasing the number of events. It is a pleasant change from the recent past.
“I’m excited about the opportunity this gives me.”
Cllr Mellen said he hopes he can work closely with community centres, which are in a ‘difficult time’, and he will be looking to see if the council can link up the library service with the Nottingham Imagination Library.
Part of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a book-gifting scheme founded in America by the singer, Nottingham’s branch launched in 2009 and now has nearly 5,400 children registered to receive a book delivered to their door every month.
He said he welcomed plans to restart support for arts and culture, and praised organisations such as the Playhouse for surviving with cuts to financial aid.
Cllr Neghat Khan (Dales), who will be staying on as leader and executive member for strategic regeneration and communications, said: “We had eight executive members, we are going to 10 because we need the capacity to be able to focus, so we are not lightweights.
“It is a bit like football. David took a break after leader, he is coming back as an executive member. He has got a lot to offer.
“It is getting that balance between new executive members and more experienced ones and how we work together.”
Her deputy, Cllr Ethan Radford (Bulwell), will also continue in his role and as executive member for finance.
He added: “There were times when David solely carried the weight of the city on his shoulders, and showed incredible humanity and compassion for people in the city.
“Whilst there will be many critics who would unfairly blame him for a lot of the problems the authority went through while he presided over it, none of them were of his doing.
“He is a decent, hard-working man who inherited the situation, did his very best to get through a global pandemic and financial problems at the authority, and he has much more to give to the city.”
A number of new faces will join the senior ranks.
The group’s current whip, Cllr Matt Shannon (Castle), will become executive member for community protection, neighbourhoods and equalities, while Cllr Sulcan Mahmood (Berridge) will join as executive member for employment, education and skills.
Those in an executive position help to provide political leadership on key areas, including regeneration, housing, public services, the environment, transport, health, and the local economy.
The council’s new executive will be as follows:
- Councillor Patience Ifediora – Executive Member for Regional Development, Growth and Transport
- Councillor Jay Hayes – Executive Member for Housing and Planning
- Councillor Helen Kalsi – Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Health
- Councillor Sam Lux – Executive Member for Environment and Sustainability
- Councillor Sulcan Mahmood – Executive Member for Employment, Education and Skills
- Councillor David Mellen – Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Tourism
- Councillor Matt Shannon – Executive Member for Community Protection, Neighbourhoods and Equalities
- Councillor Linda Woodings – Executive Member for Children’s Social Services
