Councils have today submitted their preferred option for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), setting out a bold vision for the future of local governance across the region.

The proposal, rooted in community and connected by place, has been developed through extensive collaboration and public engagement, and recommends the creation of two new unitary councils that will provide services for residents in the north and south of the county:

Sherwood Forest (North Nottinghamshire) – comprising Ashfield, Bassetlaw, Gedling, Mansfield, and Newark and Sherwood Council areas.

Nottingham and South Nottinghamshire (South Nottinghamshire) – comprising Broxtowe, Nottingham City, and Rushcliffe Council areas.

The proposals represent the biggest shake-up of local government in over 50 years, following the government’s announcement in February to fundamentally overhaul how local councils are run. If approved, all nine existing councils would be abolished and replaced with two brand-new unitary councils.

This final proposal was submitted to national government, jointly by Bassetlaw, Gedling, Mansfield, and Newark and Sherwood councils and proposes the creation of two new councils, one for the north and one for the south of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

🎄 Great news for Christmas shoppers! There’s FREE festive weekend car parking at District Council owned car parks in Newark!

🚗 You’ll be able to enjoy free parking on weekends from Sunday 30 November until Sunday 28 December. This includes Bank Holidays on 25 and 26 December!

🛍️ Let's support our fantastic independent retailers and the town centre by doing our Christmas shopping locally this year

📍 Participating car parks: Appleton Gate, London Road, The Town Wharf, Riverside, Riverside Arena, and Castle House.

 🅿️ Don't forget to pick up a ticket from the parking machine to display in your car - you won't be charged!

Newark and Sherwood District Council has unveiled its new Sustainable Economic Growth Strategy, a forward-looking five-year plan developed to unlock the district’s potential, tackle long-standing challenges, and create a more resilient local economy.

The strategy builds on the successes of the previous five-year plan, which delivered over £31 million in business support during the pandemic and delivered transformative projects such as the Newark Air and Space Institute and expanded Future First Careers Expo.

Newark will soon see the benefits from substantial new investment as part of the Government’s £5 billion Pride in Place (PiP) Programme.

In March 2025, Newark was awarded £19.5 million through the fund, previously known as the ‘Plan for Neighbourhoods’ initiative, and was just one of 75 initial areas chosen from across the UK. The programme has since been extended to a further 169 areas across the UK and is now part of a wider Pride in Place Strategy launched by the UK Government in September 2025.

The local programme is overseen by the Newark Town Board and funding will be instrumental in driving forward a transformational vision for Newark and its communities. The Board has already successfully delivered flagship projects such as the ASI (Air and Space Institute) and the YMCA Activity Village and is actively progressing developments at 32 Stodman Street, the Newark Castle Gatehouse project and the Market Place through funding from the Local Regeneration Fund.

Newark and Sherwood District Council is continuing to take action against those who commit Anti-social behaviour (ASB), but requires residents help in reporting incidents directly - rather than posting concerns on social media.

Over the past three months, the Council has undertaken 42 enforcement actions against young people aimed at improving their future behaviour.

To report anti-social behaviour, please use the online reporting system: www.newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk/asb/

Last month saw the advice bus visit the Newark and Sherwood district for the first time. The bus will be an essential part Citizens Advice’s service moving forward enabling them to get to harder to reach places in the district as well as providing a service when premises are not readily available. 

They will be at the following locations from 1 January 2026:

• Bilsthorpe Library: 1st Wednesday of the month 9.30am-12.30pm
• Blidworth Library: 1st Monday of the month 9.30am-12.30pm
• Boughton Community Hub: Every Thursday 9.30am - 11.00am
• Clipstone Village Hall: Every Tuesday 9.15am-12 noon
• Collingham Rural Advice Centre: Every Tuesday 9.30am-12.30pm
• Newark (Castle House): Every Tuesday and Thursday 9.30am-12.30pm drop in, limited appointments available 12.30pm - 2.30pm
• Newark and Sherwood Family Hub (formally Hawtonville children's centre): Every Wednesday 1.30pm-4.30pm
• Newark and Tuxford Trussell Trust Foodbank: Every Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays (Please call to book an appointment)
• Ollerton: Every Monday and Wednesday 9.30am-2.30pm
• Southwell Library: 4th Tuesday of the month 9am-12 noon
• Sutton on Trent Library: 2nd Tuesday of the month - 1.30pm-4.30pm.  

If you have an event coming up and would like to enquire about the bus visiting please drop them an email at admin@ca-centralnotts.org.uk or give them a call on 01623 861 769.

We are pleased to announce the launch of a brand new referral form, making it easier than ever to apply for the Careline 24/7 scheme.

Careline offers 24-hour monitoring, 365 days a year, from our local call centre. The service is not intrusive but is always available when you need it most, ensuring help is just a button press away.

Referring yourself or someone else to Careline 24/7 is now quicker and simpler. Just visit our website and fill out the online referral form at any time that suits you. The process is straightforward, and our dedicated team will respond promptly to all submissions.

If you prefer, you can still apply by calling us on 01636 650 000 and selecting the Careline option, or by emailing careline@newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk.

The National Civil War Centre has two new fantastic offers for visitors! The Bloomsberg Connect interactive tour, used by museums all over the world, gives visitors the chance to deep dive into the fascinating objects in our galleries, hearing stories about our objects never revealed before! The app can be translated into over 50 different languages, offers a screen reader, zoom function, font size adjustment, transcripts, subtitles, alt-text, and more!

We are proud to launch a brand new, beautifully illustrated, book - The Civil Wars in 100 Objects, which brings Britain’s most turbulent period to life! It includes a foreword from Denise Greany, who oversees learning and education at the National Civil War Centre and includes further fascinating insights come from the museum’s Curator Glyn Hughes.

Newark and Sherwood District Council is pleased to share that residents can now apply for social housing using a new, easy-to-use online application form through the District Council’s online platform called ‘MyHome’. 

For those without access to the internet, a paper version of the form is available by contacting the District Council on 01636 650 000 or by visiting Castle House on Great North Road, Newark, Nottinghamshire, NG24 1BY or Ollerton Advice Office on Sycamore Road, New Ollerton, Newark, Notts, NG22 9PS.

To fill out the online housing application form, applicants will need to create a MyHome account first. Once created, go to 'Applications' under the 'My hub' header on the MyHome dashboard, then click 'Create application'.

Looking for a gift that also supports your community? 🎁

The Newark and Sherwood Gift Card is the perfect way to keep festive spending local while giving friends and family the freedom to choose something they’ll love.

💝 Spend it in over 90 shops, cafes, restaurants, and attractions across Newark, Southwell, Ollerton, and Edwinstowe. Available as a physical card or e-card from just £10! ✨ Plus, don’t miss our Love Local, Gift Local campaign on social media starting in December – featuring giveaways and stories from some of the amazing businesses accepting the gift card.

👉 Get yours today at www.newarkandsherwoodgiftcard.com

We’re delighted that our Free Tree Scheme is back for its seventh year!

What’s on offer this year? Residents can apply for one of two native species:

• Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) – A hardy tree loved by birds and pollinators, with beautiful spring blossoms and fruit perfect for jams or gin.
• Field Maple (Acer campestre) – A stunning tree that brings colour to your garden and supports a wide range of wildlife.

How to apply:

Complete the online form by Sunday 14 December 2025: Free Tree scheme form

Don’t miss out!

Making space for new gifts? Here’s how to recycle three commonly discarded items before the festive period starts:

🔌 Small Electricals

✅ If they work, donate to friends, family or charities before recycling.

🚫 Never put items with a plug or battery in kerbside bins.

Broken gadgets? Take them to the ‘electricals’ container at your local Household Waste Recycling Centre.

🔋 Domestic Batteries

Place batteries in a bag on top of your bin on collection day - never inside the bin. This keeps recycling safe and prevents contamination.

👕 Clothes

Still wearable? Donate to charity shops, clothing banks or pass on to friends and family.

Worn-out textiles? Take them to the ‘mixed textiles & clothes’ container at your Household Waste Recycling Centre or a textile recycling point - not your silver bin!

✅ Find your nearest recycling point: www.recyclenow.com

Looking for magical markets, sparkling light switch-ons, festive shows, or family fun? ✨

Our What’s On website is your one-stop guide to everything happening locally this season! 🎅

Family Saturday: A Very Green Christmas on Saturday 6 December, between 10am and 4pm! Bring your family to a fantastic day out filled with festive fun and crafts including wreath making, Christmas outfit making, storytelling and more! Entry is free for Newark and Sherwood residents.

Join the Festive Hunt this December! Grab your WANTED poster and embark on our thrilling Christmas Trail! Your mission? Track down the mischievous Walter Hogbrawl, who’s daring to celebrate Christmas after Cromwell’s ban! Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am until 4pm and free for Newark and Sherwood residents.

Upcoming talk - A Merry Noyse at Christmas on Friday 12 December 2025, 7pm. Tickets: £10. Kick off your Christmas season with festive tunes, historical tales, and poetic charm in this cosy celebration of music from Christmases past.

Find out more on our website – www.nationalcivilwarcentre.com

Be our guest with this year’s pantomime, Beauty and the Beast!

Runs 5 - 31 December 2025 - full of Ooh-La-La-Laughs, live music, stunning sets and sensational costumes. Expect a magical extravaganza that’s simply… the BEAST!

Key Dates:

Press Night - 6 Dec 🌹 Relaxed Performance - 7 Dec, 1.30pm 🌹 Pre-Theatre Afternoon Tea - 13 & 14 Dec, 3pm 🌹 BSL Signed Performance - 30 Dec, 5.30pm

🎄 Let’s make this another record-breaking Christmas!

Sexual Health Services Nottingham and Nottinghamshire is the new service supporting you as Newark and Sherwood residents. They offer a wide range of free and confidential clinical, counselling, and health promotion services to support your sexual wellbeing.

Services include:

• STI testing and treatment (in clinic or by post)
• Contraception advice and provision
• HIV testing, treatment, and prevention (PrEP & PEP)
• Emergency contraception
• Pregnancy testing and options counselling
• Counselling and psychotherapy
• C-Card registration and free condoms
• Dedicated clinics for young people

📍 Location: Newark Hospital

📞 To book an appointment or find out more, call 0300 131 7010 or visit www.sexualhealthnn.co.uk

Exciting news for Newark and Sherwood District Council tenants! We’ve launched our brand new NSDC Housing Services Facebook page to keep you up-to-date with tenancy updates, ways to get involved, and news about upcoming events in your area.

Give us a follow to stay connected and be the first to know about all the latest tenant opportunities!

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