The number of neighbourhood safety officers patrolling Nottingham will be boosted after years of cuts – as the city council’s financial situation continues to improve, councillors say.
Nottingham City Council reduced the number of frontline Community Protection Officers (CPOs) from 100 full-time posts to 76 in 2020.
Their name has since changed to Neighbourhood Safety Officers, and they now number just 36.
Officers typically patrol between 8am and 10pm and are supported by an anti-social behaviour response car and new high-visibility patrol officers funded by the police and crime commissioner.
The council plans to increase the number of officers by four as part of a near £2m investment into services in the city between now and next April.
The investment comes as the council’s fortunes continue to improve, with more funding from the Labour Government and a better-than-anticipated financial situation.
Cllr Ethan Radford (Lab), deputy leader of the council and executive member for finance, said: “It’s about delivering the services Nottingham people want to see and providing value for money.
“More Neighbourhood Safety Officers on patrol will help increase community safety and support the work of the police and the Police & Crime Commissioner in providing additional visibility on our streets.”
Each year councils get a settlement from the Government, but these have been widely reduced under the former Conservative and Coalition Government’s austerity measures.
Settlements are currently being reassessed under Labour’s fairer funding review.
Under the new fairer funding formula, Nottingham, one of the most deprived cities in the country, received the eleventh-highest government grant, an additional £35m, last year.
The authority, which declared itself effectively bankrupt in November 2023 and is currently being overseen by Government-appointed commissioners, said this has been one of the most significant factors in “getting the house in order”.
On top of the additional Neighbourhood Safety Officers, the council says more than £500,000 will be invested into fly-tipping and litter collections, £250,000 on improving highways, and more than £500,000 on weed management, tree maintenance, and hedge cutting.
A further £750,000 will be invested in local parks, including £650,000 from the Government and £100,000 from the council itself.
“This does not overlook the fact we still have a structural budget deficit – meaning the council still needs to achieve financial sustainability and
run services without having to rely on one-off quick fixes,” Cllr Radford added.
“Every pound of council taxpayers’ money must be spent wisely and deliver best value across all council services. Hard-working residents of this city deserve no less.
“As the political leadership of the council, we put forward a bold vision –
to become a renewed council, that delivers for local people and leads
Nottingham forward. But that vision is nothing without action.
“And as we currently work on the council’s budget for next year in 2026/2027, we intend on demonstrating further action to deliver better value for money, renewing pride in place, delivering safe and clean neighbourhoods and empowering people to lead healthy lives.”
Cllr Shuguftah Quddoos, who represents the Berridge ward for the Green Party, said the number of officers in her ward has been reduced from three to one.
“It is good news because [the officers] are the face of the city council, and they prevent all the low-level anti-social behaviour and report things like fly-tipping,” she said. “It is a U-turn, but it is a good U-turn.
“There is more rubbish on our streets, and operationally there are not enough people to go around picking it up. I hope the wider investment into fly-tipping means more people and staff.”
Cllr Kevin Clarke, the leader of the Nottingham Independents and Independent Group added: “It is desperately needed. They should never have been cut in the first place.
“With the situation being as it was it was not as bad as forecasted. I do believe things are on the up now.”
