Nottinghamshire County Council says it completed 40 of its 48 priority actions during 2025/26, with eight others experiencing challenges as the authority prepares to report quarterly on its next delivery plan.
The figures are included in the council’s Annual Report 2025-26, which sets out progress against the previous Nottinghamshire Plan and highlights work across roads, children’s services, adult social care, recycling, transport, employment and community projects.
The report says the actions which were not completed were largely affected by “reprioritisation” caused by the scale and complexity of emerging national reform initiatives which had not been fully anticipated when the 2025/26 Annual Delivery Plan was agreed.
The council says its next Annual Delivery Plan for 2026/27 will be reported against after the end of the first quarter in June 2026. Progress reports are due to be presented to Cabinet each quarter, with additional reporting to Overview Committee at the half-year and year-end stages.
One of the largest areas of spending highlighted in the report is highways. The council says £181.25 million is being invested in Nottinghamshire’s roads as part of the first phase of what it describes as a record highways programme, with £107 million allocated for maintenance across 14 highway asset types, including roads, footways, drainage and structures.
The programme also includes a £5.2 million winter resilience package, £3.25 million for pedestrian and cycling links, and investment in transport schemes such as crossings and road safety improvements. The council says the work follows £2 million of additional resurfacing for urgent repairs to roads damaged during winter.
Special educational needs and disabilities also feature prominently in the report. It says the SEND Improvement Board, set up in March 2023 after significant concerns were raised following an Ofsted and Care Quality Commission inspection, held its final meeting in March 2026. From April, a SEND Executive Leadership Group is due to meet quarterly to continue work on gaps, waiting times, quality, workforce development, transitions and inclusive practice.
The report says improvements since the board was established include better quality Education, Health and Care Plans, an increase in EHCPs completed within the statutory 20-week timescale, additional support for children and young people awaiting neurodevelopmental or speech and language assessments, and a new data dashboard.
The council also points to investment in specialist school places. Horizons Academy in Mansfield, a £30 million purpose-built school on the former Ravensdale School site, now provides places for up to 160 pupils aged seven to 19 with social, emotional and mental health needs. The report says it forms part of the council’s commitment to create up to 490 additional SEND school places by 2026.
In adult social care, the report says Nottinghamshire County Council’s services were assessed as “Good” by the Care Quality Commission following an inspection at the end of last year. Inspectors highlighted strengths including foundations across adult social care and health services, the authority’s understanding of local needs, and feedback that most people drawing on adult social care services felt safe and listened to.
The report also says households across all Nottinghamshire districts and boroughs will be able to recycle foil, food and drink cartons, plastic and metal tubes, and all pots, tubs and trays as part of kerbside recycling collections from 31 March 2026. The change is linked to the Government’s Simpler Recycling policy and the materials will be sorted at Veolia’s Mansfield Materials Recovery Facility.
Community funding is another area covered in the report. It says 42 groups have been awarded grants through the council’s Local Communities Fund, including £17,266 for maintenance and repair work at Granby and Sutton Village Hall near Bingham. Around £50,000 has also been awarded to 85 Nottinghamshire athletes and para-athletes through the Talented Athletes fund.
Several regional schemes are also included. The Foster for East Midlands Councils initiative, involving Derby City Council, Derbyshire County Council, Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire County Council, has supported more than 600 enquiries since its launch in March 2024 as councils work together to increase local fostering capacity.
The report says more than £43 million has now been approved for the A614/A6097 Major Road Network scheme. The project covers upgrades to five junctions: Ollerton Roundabout, White Post Roundabout, Warren Hill, Lowdham Roundabout and Kirk Hill at East Bridgford. The council says the improvements are expected to ease congestion, improve safety and support connectivity for residents, commuters and HGV drivers.
In employment and skills, the report refers to the East Midlands Youth Guarantee Trailblazer, launched in April 2025 to support young people aged 18 to 21 into training, apprenticeships or work. By September 2025, more than 350 young people had engaged with the programme, with 93 completing and moving into work or training. The Government has announced a further £5 million for 2026/27.
The East Midlands Combined County Authority’s Connect to Work programme is also referenced. The report says EMCCA has taken on the role of accountable body for the programme, with a £44 million grant from the Department for Work and Pensions to support around 12,243 residents over five years across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. Full rollout began on 1 January 2026, with delivery partners expected to support nearly 4,000 participants a year through to March 2030.
Environmental projects include the planting of more than 87,000 trees at Thorney Abbey near Southwell through the Defra-funded Trees for Climate programme, delivered via the Greenwood Community Forest initiative. The site covers 48 hectares of land purchased by Greenwood in 2024.
The report also refers to the former Manners Sutton primary school site near Newark, which closed as a school in 2021. The 1.2-acre site is proposed to be split, with around half intended for residential development and the remainder for community use, following feedback about a shortage of public open space and community facilities in Averham and nearby villages.
The council says its Annual Report is one of the main ways it checks and reports progress against its priorities. It says the 2026/27 plan will focus on areas including road repairs, support for foster and kinship carers, and ensuring there are sufficient high-quality local school places for Nottinghamshire children and young people.
- These 50 Nottinghamshire roads included in July road repairs programme
- Nottinghamshire County Council seeks £1.2m to market and sell Gamston Tollerton development land
- Warning over school places as South Notts and Lady Bay Primary projects put on hold
- Faith school discounted transport expected to end next year, says council
