Question from Cllr Stuart Bestwick to the Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Growth and Economy
Further to the Cabinet’s report regarding the implementation of Article 4 on HMO conversions in December 2022 which stated 'There is still currently insufficient evidence to demonstrate an Article 4 direction is necessary to protect local amenities or the wellbeing of the Netherfield ward.' And 'The situation should, however, be monitored to ensure that a proliferation of HMOs does not emerge. [This is] in any particular locality or the Netherfield ward as a whole, which might then justify further that consideration of an Article 4 direction is required.' Could the Cabinet Member advise what monitoring has been undertook and do they agree with me that, as a result of a large increase in HMOs across our Borough, now is the time to introduce Article 4 to provide this Council, its Planning Committee and our residents with greater control over decisions relating to HMO conversions?
Question from Cllr Sam Smith to the Portfolio Holder for Climate Change and Natural Habitat
Further to our Overview & Scrutiny meeting in October, could you please update council on the results of the audit and implementation of measures, such as bunds, to help mitigate vehicle and caravan access to the play parks and fields across Gedling Borough, particularly at Burton Road’s Jubilee Park and Carlton’s Richard Herrod Centre field?
Question from Cllr Darren Maltby to the Leader of the Council
Following a recent motion submitted by the Conservative Group and given that there are approximately 832 veterans residing in Gedling who could benefit from the Council’s recent update to exclude Armed Forces Disability Payments, including Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support, Discretionary Housing Payments and Disabled Facilities Grants, from income assessments for local welfare benefits, can the Leader of the Council confirm how many veterans have actually benefited from this policy change to date and outline what steps are being taken to ensure that all eligible veterans and their families are made aware of, and able to access, the additional support now available to them?
Minutes:
A question was asked of the Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Growth and Economy by Cllr Stuart Bestwick, as follows:
Further to the Cabinet’s report regarding the implementation of Article 4 on HMO conversions in December 2022 which stated, 'There is still currently insufficient evidence to demonstrate an Article 4 direction is necessary to protect local amenities or the wellbeing of the Netherfield ward.' And 'The situation should, however, be monitored to ensure that a proliferation of HMOs does not emerge. [This is] in any particular locality or the Netherfield ward as a whole, which might then justify further that consideration of an Article 4 direction is required.' Could the Cabinet Member advise what monitoring has been undertook and do they agree with me that, as a result of a large increase in HMOs across our Borough, now is the time to introduce Article 4 to provide this Council, its Planning Committee and our residents with greater control over decisions relating to HMO conversions?
Response by Cllr Hollingsworth:
Following the report to Cabinet in December 2022 a further report setting out an updated position was presented to Cabinet on 4 September 2025. The assessment of the composition of the housing stock in Netherfield undertaken at that time identified that only 0.44%, a total of 14 properties out of 3120, are HMOs. The report therefore concluded that there was insufficient evidence to demonstrate that an Article 4 direction or any other measure is necessary to protect local amenity or the well-being of the Netherfield Ward.
It was resolved that Cabinet:
(1) Agreed that there was insufficient evidence to demonstrate that an Article 4 direction or any other measure be necessary to protect local amenity or the well-being of the Netherfield Ward.
(2) Agreed that the overall number of HMOs in the Netherfield Ward should be monitored.
(3) Agreed that a new boroughwide report for HMOs be brought before the committee within the next three months.
The Boroughwide report is currently being progressed by officers and is on the Forward Plan for consideration by Cabinet in January 2026.
A question was asked of the Portfolio Holder for Climate Change and Natural Habitat by Cllr Sam Smith, as follows:
Further to our Overview & Scrutiny meeting in October, could you please update council on the results of the audit and implementation of measures, such as bunds, to help mitigate vehicle and caravan access to the play parks and fields across Gedling Borough, particularly at Burton Road’s Jubilee Park and Carlton’s Richard Herrod Centre field?
Response by Cllr Viv McCrossen:
It goes without saying that we take this very seriously in terms of our open spaces and our parks. We know that our open spaces are open for everybody, and we know how worrying and how disruptive the devastation that's often left if we do get an encampment. We are blessed in the borough because we have 52 open spaces, 32 parks, and that equates to 708 hectares of land. We are very vigilant around trying to secure them.
So, to secure private land in the UK from unauthorized traveling encampments, landlords are allowed to implement physical preventative measures. These measures can include gating, which is installing strong robust metal gates at all authorized access points using toughened steel padlocks, which are preferably boxed in to prevent them from being easily forced open with angle grinders.
We can heighten barriers, combining gates with heightened barriers to deter caravans and large vehicles from entering. We can use natural obstacles using natural resources such as trees, water features, ditches, and ponds to make access difficult. We can use bollards and heavy blocks - install bollards that are very heavy concrete blocks at vulnerable entrance points to ensure that they are heavy enough that they cannot be moved easily off or towed away.
We can use fencing, installing appropriate fencing around perimeters. While costly, it acts as an efficient visible deterrent and physical barrier. And we can use of course security cameras. Although potentially very costly, security cameras and guards can be effective.
In terms of our parks and open spaces specifically, like I say, the council has responsibility for 708 hectares of open space. The council has been highly successful in implementing traveller hardened measures in the past and these have been introduced in many of our areas. Although we have seen recently new ways to gain access, we will always sadly be found. A recent audit of these sites identified that many of these measures are already in place but that we that we will always do more, funding permitted. The audit showed a number of areas that may be worth further consideration. Please be assured that the council will continue to do all we can to ensure these resources are used to the maximum effect, using the resources that are available to us.
Regarding the specific sites of Burton Road, Jubilee Park and Richard Herrod Centre Field, the park's operation manager has visited these to reassess opportunities for further mitigation. We have swiftly actioned these and work today includes an additional post has been installed at the Richard Herod site to close off a gap. New bollards have been installed at the Carlton Forum site, and we have engaged with Severn Trent to ensure that a separate access point to Jubilee Park is secured.
Unfortunately, in the most recent case, access is being gained through existing gates and barriers which are routinely locked and secured by our parks team. This makes measures for target hardening these sites more difficult as more expensive solutions would not have prevented access on these occasions. Instead, the team remained vigilant in checking for any damage to locks and gates to ensure they remain secure and in situ to restrict any further unauthorized accessed attempts.
A question was asked of the Leader of the Council by Cllr Darren Maltby, as follows:
Following a recent motion submitted by the Conservative Group and given that there are approximately 832 veterans residing in Gedling who could benefit from the Council’s recent update to exclude Armed Forces Disability Payments, including Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support, Discretionary Housing Payments and Disabled Facilities Grants, from income assessments for local welfare benefits, can the Leader of the Council confirm how many veterans have actually benefited from this policy change to date and outline what steps are being taken to ensure that all eligible veterans and their families are made aware of, and able to access, the additional support now available to them?
Response by Cllr Clarke:
I am happy to confirm that Gedling Borough Council automatically disregards Armed Forces Disability Payments of all types when assessing entitlement to Council Tax Support, Housing Benefit and Disabled Facilities Grants.
We currently have ten veterans who are receiving Council Tax Support through a disregard of their Armed Forces Disability Payment under our local scheme. Of these ten veterans, two were also receiving Housing Benefit but have since migrated across to Universal Credit managed by the Department for Work and Pensions, ending the Council’s involvement. However, I am pleased to say that the DWP also disregard their Armed Forces Disability Payment from their Universal Credit calculations.
The Discretionary Armed Forces Personnel, Veterans and Immediate Family Disabled Facilities Grant policy was formally adopted by the Council on 24 September 2025, alongside the revised Private Sector Housing Grants and Assistance Policy 2025. So far, we are working with one ex-armed forces applicant for a Disabled Facilities Grant, and we are considering the best option for them to achieve the maximum grant assistance from us.
In terms of Discretionary Housing Payments, these are different as they are designed to sit on top of benefit and be a short term resolution for households in financial hardship. By their very nature they are a discretionary allowance assessed on both household income and expenditure. The Council allows for an individual in receipt of Armed Forces Disability Payment to receive a Discretionary Housing Payment if financial hardship is demonstrated. Unfortunately, our system does not have the facility to report on individual claims, so it has not been possible to provide statistics on the number of veterans currently in receipt of such a payment.
It is clear that out of approximately 832 veterans residing in Gedling very few are currently receiving entitlement to Council support. This does not mean they have been turned down as our policies are designed to facilitate support. However, we can always do more, and we are currently reviewing our website and processes for further promotion of support to veterans. More generally, Disabled Facilities Grants will be promoted in the Christmas edition of Contacts which will soon be circulated to all households in the Borough.