Hundreds of thousands of pounds are being spent “uplifting” the appearance of Nottingham city after years of cuts left street cleaning at its most basic level. Back in 2023, when the Labour-led authority declared itself effectively bankrupt amid serious financial problems, street sweeping was cut to just four times a year. It had been done once every 10 days before the cuts were approved. Bulky waste charges were also introduced a few years earlier, and the council has admitted it now continues to battle “persistent” fly-tipping across the city. However, its finances have now improved significantly following the appointment of new leadership, officers, and Government commissioners who had been helping to monitor critical improvements for two years up until the end of February. The council also received an additional £10 million from the Government as part of its fairer funding review, which gave areas with high deprivation and poverty levels more cash after years of cuts under austerity. In total, £7.6 million will be used to bring back services that were cut previously, and these are expected to be approved at a meeting of senior councillors on Tuesday (April 21). Currently, the council only delivers a basic level of routine sweeping, bin emptying and the upkeep of seats and other street furniture in the city, meaning embedded grime, persistent litter or the gradual deterioration of public spaces remains a problem across the city. In total, £277,000 will be used to purchase four new cleaning vehicles and employ eight new staff members to “uplift” the appearance of the city. “High‑traffic areas accumulate dirt, street furniture becomes worn, and overall standards feel inconsistent, leading to reduced civic pride and lower satisfaction among visitors and residents,” the council says. “The expected outcomes are significant: improved hygiene and reduced public health risks, a more attractive city centre that boosts satisfaction and footfall, stronger economic activity, and more inclusive public spaces – particularly for communities in areas of deprivation.” A further £763,000 will then be spent on extending street cleaning hours. They will be extended to 9.30pm on weekdays, and weekend cleaning will be extended until 3pm to create a “more responsive, flexible service that can rapidly target hotspots and high‑traffic areas.” Additionally, £347,000 will be spent on six new vehicles to clean, clear and maintain the cleanliness of footpaths, as well as £69,000 to deep-clean shopping precincts. The council says it has a “strong tradition” of providing free and low-cost cultural events, with some remaining free-to-access events including the Goose Fair, Light Night, and civic ceremonies. However, events such as the bonfire night display at the Forest Recreation Ground and Riverside Festival have both been cancelled under previous rounds of budget cuts. Just over £341,000 will now be reinvested in bringing these events back. Bonfire night will be returning, but the fireworks will be replaced by a new “landmark drone show” that will be more accessible and environmentally considerate. The family-friendly Riverside Festival will also be re-established. Funding will be provided to support “additional free and low-cost events in neighbourhoods, parks and public spaces” beyond the city centre, and an additional events coordinator will be hired to support the delivery of the events. The council says it will be increasing access to swimming for children under the age of 16, by offering free swimming during school holidays between June 2026 and June 2027, with the potential to extend this next year if it is successful. “It will deliver free, structured swimming sessions across council-run leisure centres, as a weekday provision (Monday to Friday) during the Nottingham city school holiday period only,” the council says. “The scheme will be delivered through a managed booking system, have some capacity to provide essential equipment and will also provide support for non-swimmers to develop their water skills. “If uptake is not as high as initially expected, the service area can provide a programme of alternatives that would appeal to those under 16.” The full-year costs for this are expected to be £243,000. Back in 2021, the council announced its plans to begin charging for the collection of bulky waste items, on top of cuts to children’s homes and almost 100 job roles. Collections now cost £26 for up to six items, while collections of electrical items cost £12.50 for the first item, then £7.50 for each additional item. The authority says it continues to face “persistent fly-tipping” problems, and making bulky waste collection free again has the potential to cut down on improper disposal of large items, including fridges, furniture and seating. In total, £716,000 will be used to bring this back, including around half-a-million pounds for a new refuse collection vehicle and two support vehicles. Residents will be entitled to two free collections. The council says period poverty means some residents cannot reliably access sanitary products, which can lead to missed education, work and community activity – while also impacting people’s dignity, their wellbeing and health. Therefore, £50,000 will be spent to purchase more sanitary products across the board, and they will be offered for free at various public sites. Initially, the products will be made free at 14 libraries, six leisure centres, Wollaton Hall, the castle, Newstead Abbey and parts of Loxley House and the Council House. Numerous planning applications pass through the council’s department every week, and it is a legal function. However, the authority says the sector is struggling with recruitment, particularly bringing in junior staff members with the right skills and experience. In total, £132,000 will be spent to create three apprenticeships. Furthermore, the council says the city has inadequate apprentice offers, and an additional £223,000 will be spent creating two apprenticeship development officers who will help create 175 apprenticeship opportunities over two years. They will focus on getting young people at risk of not landing employment, or not being in education, into apprenticeships. Of the spend, £90,000 will be offered to small and medium-sized businesses in the city as an incentive to create new roles and recruit unemployed 16 to 24-year-olds. Three new job posts in the economic development service will be created to help develop and put in place projects in the future. One project includes a Good Employment Hub, which aims to engage 500 people who are unemployed, and help 375 into employment. The council says 93 per cent of residents access its services digitally, which can present barriers for vulnerable residents with more complex needs who are in need of in-person assistance. More staff members at Loxley House will be employed using almost £300,000 to fill gaps in its customer services. The team will expand from four to twelve customer services advisors, for better digital, telephone and face‑to‑face support. The council says it will be investing £68,000 in funding a service that allows families to access and exchange, buy, replace or sell old school uniforms. The offer will be extended at all 113 schools, providing access for more than 43,000 children and their families.