The Nottinghamshire County Council elections will be held on Thursday 1 May, and you will need to show valid photo ID when voting in person.

Some accepted forms of ID include:

• Passport
• Driving licence (including provisional licence)
• Blue badge
• Concessionary travel cards
• Identity card with PASS mark (Proof of Age Standards Scheme)
• Biometric Immigration document
• Ministry of Defence identity card
• Certain national insurance cards

Polling stations will be open from 7am until 10pm. You can find your polling station on the Democracy Club’s website.

We have introduced free 30 minutes car parking for our three inner town car parks in Newark to give visitors a better experience to “pop into town” to pick up lunch from one of the town centre’s fantastic take-away cafes, a prescription, or visit their favourite independent retailer or local market trader.

The car parks at Town Wharf, Appleton Gate and London Road/Balderton Gate will allow people to obtain a free 30-minute ticket at the parking machines. It is important that car users still display this car park ticket otherwise they may receive a penalty charge notice.

On 8 May, we will be marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day! To commemorate this historic occasion and celebrate VE Day, lots of events will be taking place across Newark and Sherwood.

From the Victory Nottinghamshire tour, which showcases the war effort made by those on the home front and frontlines, to the Spirit of Wartime Sherwood 1940s weekend at Thoresby Park, community parties, a 1940s best-dressed competition, a Concert of Peace and the lighting of the beacon in Newark, there is something for everyone to enjoy!

Join us on 17 May to officially open the amazing new and improved Sherwood Avenue Play Park! It’s been brilliant seeing so many families and kids enjoy the new features, and we want to celebrate this well-loved park with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony!

Pop along between 11 am – 3 pm on the day and enjoy:

🚴 Demonstrations and competitions by Extreme Wheels, supported by Canvas, on the brand new state-of-the-art skatepark

🥁 Live music from The Hot Dog Band

🚲 Free bike marking from Nottinghamshire Police

💪 Active4Today outdoor gym sessions

🎨 Children’s activities from the National Civil War Centre and Children’s Bereavement Centre

🍦 Food concessions and ice cream

🛝 Plus, we’ll be turning on the water park!

The £550,000 development was funded by Newark and Sherwood District Council, Newark Town Council, and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, who have been working hard to turn the ambitious plans for the park into reality.

The Nottinghamshire County Show is just around the corner! Mark your calendars for Saturday 10 May, and join us at Newark Showground for a fantastic day of celebrating our local agricultural community! The event will feature livestock displays, local food producers, craft stalls, countryside competitions, traders, and much more!

We’ll be there with our Community Cooking Zone, where you can enjoy live kitchen demonstrations by our talented chefs Anne Harnan Compare and Jason Parker, founder of Burnt Toast. They’ll be showcasing exciting recipes throughout the day, complete with mini tasting sessions! Plus, you can get hands-on by booking a slot to Make your own ‘no bake’ granola bar.

Active4Today will also be there with a range of exciting activities for you to participate in.

We look forward to seeing you there!

May is National Walking Month, and to celebrate all things walking and wheeling, Nottinghamshire is holding its first ever Walk Notts Festival!

The festival, which runs from 1-31 May, aims to promote walking and wheeling opportunities and activities across all areas of Nottinghamshire. It highlights the physical, mental, environmental, and social benefits of moving around on foot or by wheelchair, mobility scooter, or other mobility aids right from your doorstep.

Want to join in? There are lots of initiatives and activities organised by community groups across the area!

We are excited to invite you to explore the fascinating history of Newark through our two walking tours, starting at the National Civil War Centre, offered on alternate Saturdays for £6 per person.

Town Tour - Besieged But Never Beaten: Step back in time to the 17th century and experience the dramatic events that shaped Newark during the Civil War. Find out more and book here>

Town Tour - Newark Through Time: Journey through the ages with our knowledgeable guide as you explore the rich history of Newark from Anglo Saxon to Victorian times. Find out more and book here>

Don't miss out on these captivating tours that bring history to life! Whether you're a history buff or just curious about Newark's past, there's something for everyone.

Music fans, get ready for an unforgettable month of music, here’s some highlights of what we have on in May! 

The Magic Of the Bee Gees is coming straight from London’s West End to celebrate the timeless hits of The Bee Gees.

Enjoy iconic film songs from Star Wars, Jurassic Park, The Incredibles and Pirates of the Caribbean, with Music From The Movies, featuring the Nottingham Symphonic Wind Orchestra and the Southwell Minster School Choir. This enchanting night supports the Children's Bereavement Centre, so come enjoy the music and make a difference!

Experience the legendary Steeleye Span as they perform tracks from their new album, "The Green Man Collection," along with fan favourites.

And don't miss the Dad’s Army Radio Show! The nation’s favourite sitcom returns with two actors, two microphones, over twenty-five characters, and lots of sound effects bring the classic BBC comedy to life!

Join us on Saturday, 3 May, from 10am to 4pm for a day of music and creativity at the Palace Theatre and National Civil War Centre. Enjoy a concert by the Highly Strung string quartet, explore instrument craftsmanship, and try making music with Inspire Music. Young attendees (ages 5-25) can also earn a Trinity College London Discover Arts Award. 

Don't miss out on this free, fun-filled event!

Need to pick up laundry tokens or buggy store coupons? Want to report a repair, raise a concern, or simply ask a question? Our friendly Street Wardens are here to help!

Take a look at our website and find out when the next Street Warden Surgery is happening near you. 

We’d love to see you there!

As we explained last month, we use a digital system to manage our tenants’ rent accounts, repairs and servicing, as well as any communications they have with us around housing services. We’re always looking at providing the best value for money and it’s now time to move to a more modern system which will be live this Summer. You can find all the benefits of the new system, and how to raise online repairs or enquire about your rent account during the transition, on our website.

We’ve also temporarily closed the housing register until approximately August 2025 to allow our teams to get the new system up and running and transfer data across to the new system in a safe and secure way. We’ve already contacted those affected by email and post. We understand these temporary closures may cause concern and our teams will be working hard to get the brand-new system up and running as quickly as possible. 

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