The new leader of Nottinghamshire County Council shares achievements of the authority and his focus now he is in post.
Cllr Smith writes:
‘I am absolutely proud and honoured to be elected leader of Nottinghamshire County Council.
‘It goes without saying that I will be working tirelessly to deliver on key priorities for you and banging the drum for Nottinghamshire at every opportunity as part of our ongoing drive to make it a better place to live, work, and visit.
‘I can’t deny that we, like all local authorities, are facing challenging times, and one of my first priorities will be balancing the budget in February 2025.
‘However, we have an excellent record of delivering well-run, efficient services while keeping Council Tax low.
‘I am proud that we are one of the few local authorities that have not closed a single library, have maintained a thriving youth service, and have expanded rural bus services with our Nottsbus OnDemand.
‘We have invested more than £100 million in our capital programme and have ploughed millions of pounds into improving our roads, as well as delivering on our commitment to build schools and improve the standards of education across the county.
‘As a board member on the East Midlands Combined County Authority, I will be banging the drum for Nottinghamshire on transport, infrastructure, skills, and investment funding, and I look forward to working more closely with the Mayor in these key areas.
‘There are projects like STEP Fusion in Bassetlaw, which will provide thousands of highly skilled jobs for Nottinghamshire residents, including hundreds of apprenticeships for young people.
‘Key infrastructure projects require the backing of the Mayor and our local MPs, and I will be knocking on their doors regularly to fly the flag for funding across Nottinghamshire.
‘My predecessor, Cllr Ben Bradley, played an instrumental role in helping to unlock significant investment packages for the county, and I would like to thank him for his excellent work during his three-and-a-half years as leader.
‘I look forward to building on his legacy.
‘I am also delighted that he will continue to play a key role in helping us shape our vision for a better Nottinghamshire as my new Cabinet Member for Education and SEND.
‘He will be part of a top team which is focused on delivery, delivery, delivery for you.
‘I hope I can maintain our proud record on the building and maintenance of schools, transport improvements, maintaining our library network, and our fantastic youth service.
‘It’s a challenge I can’t wait to tackle as my cabinet and I work to deliver on your priorities for our wonderful county.’
• New way of operating Nottinghamshire libraries approved
• NottsBus On Demand launches Central Rushcliffe bus serving Ruddington, Keyworth and villages
• Nottinghamshire at the forefront of energy innovation with STEP Fusion Programme
