Councillor Neghat Khan the recently appointed leader of Nottingham City Council sends a message to the city.
Cllr Khan said:
‘I’m proud to introduce myself as Leader of the Council and I would like to be clear to you all that I am ambitious for Nottingham – the city in which I was born and raised.
‘Nottingham is a diverse city and it now has its first British-Asian leader. I hope that young women and young people of colour from Nottingham, like my son who is 12, see that there should be no barrier to their ambitions and aspirations.
‘It is no secret that Nottingham faces significant challenges, but I have never shied away from a difficult situation. I will work with senior council officers and Government Commissioners to drive forward the changes needed to continue the council’s improvement journey. The people of Nottingham deserve nothing less.
‘Money remains tight, and we know that further difficult decisions will be needed. What Nottingham needs now more than ever is politicians ready to rise to the challenge facing us, setting a renewed vision for our city.
‘I would like to pay tribute to Councillor David Mellen for his hard work and dedication as the previous Leader. He helped to lay the foundation for significant changes and improvements in Nottingham – not least his work to secure the devolution deal that will now see us working closely alongside the Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, to fight for a fairer share of funding for the city.
‘I’m clear that our council cannot work in isolation. Deputy Leader Ethan Radford (pictured above) and I want to work with partners, businesses and the voluntary sector to give Nottingham a fresh start.’
