As another year draws to a close, Nottinghamshire County Council has once again unveiled its annual list of facts and figures to highlight the tireless work its services have carried out in 2022.
This year has been one where life has pretty much returned to normal for many of us as we continue the journey out of the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, it has also been one tinged with sadness with the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as well as the unspeakable horror which has unfolded in Ukraine, where the desperate struggle for freedom continues.
Here in Nottinghamshire, despite the challenges of the cost of living, the County Council has continued to provide essential services and support to the public as part of its ongoing drive to make the county a better place to live, work and visit.
It has been a landmark year for the county in terms of unlocking major investment, with the Government confirming a £1.14 billion devolution deal is on offer for the East Midlands, covering Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Derby, and Nottingham.
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In addition to this, billions of pounds worth of investment and thousands of jobs are also in the pipeline after Nottinghamshire was chosen as the home of what is hoped to be the world’s first commercial prototype fusion energy plant at West Burton A, near Retford.
The site will be the first in the world to develop a commercial power station that will use the energy produced by fusion reactions to generate electricity.
Elsewhere, the return of the world-famous AJ Bell Tour of Britain to Nottinghamshire in September generated £4.34m in net visitor expenditure for the local economy – with an impressive 225,000 fans lining the 116-mile route from West Bridgford to Mansfield.
And the first-ever Notts Day Festival in the heart of Sherwood Forest in August attracted more than 1,000 people who enjoyed the performances of 13 of the county’s most exciting young artists.
It is fair to say it has been another busy year for the county council and here are some of the highlights in numbers:
145,145 visitors flocked to Robin Hood’s legendary home, Sherwood Forest Country Park, between January and November;
50,209 tonnes of household waste was recycled or composted from our recycling centres;
Around 900 hot meals a day daily are being delivered to people across the county as part of our meals at home service.
Between April and October of this year, 2,395 residents received help from our smoking cessation provider Your Health Your Way;
3,946 births were registered in Nottinghamshire. The most popular boys’ names were Oliver, Noah and Henry, while the most popular names for girls were Olivia, Amelia and Isla;
1,283,891 people visited Nottinghamshire’s libraries up until early December, with
1,942,273 items of stock borrowed and 22,486 new members signing up to use our services;
£1,677,098 has been awarded to 148 community groups and organizations since January 2022 from the Local Communities Fund;
2,646 meals were provided to eligible children during the Easter, summer and October school holidays – with more to come at Christmas;
21,873 people visited Holme Pierrepont Country Park between January and October, while
359,167 people flocked to Rufford Country Park;
There have been more than 70 runs by the Council Council’s gritting teams in 2022;
3,941 weddings, civil partnerships and vow renewal ceremonies have been booked this year.
Councilor Ben Bradley MP, Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, said:
“Our council services play an invaluable role in supporting communities across the county and I am proud to say that the last 12 months have been no different in what has undoubtedly been another challenging year.
“Despite the pressures we have faced, it has been a year on which we can look back on with a lot of pride locally – but one which will forever be remembered for the sad passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in September.
“I attended several services during the 10-day mourning period, and I can honestly say there was a heartfelt warmth and respect for our late monarch which made you proud to be British.
“You may remember, her death was announced just hours after we’d welcomed the iconic Tour of Britain cycle race back to Nottinghamshire for the first time since 2018. It was great to see so many people come here to watch an event which once again showcased our great county to a global television audience.
“2022 also proved to be hugely significant and exciting in terms of unlocking major investment opportunities, with the signing of the devolution deal in August followed by the STEP Fusion announcement for West Burton A in October.
“Devolution would mean we could have a more local say about adult skills, transport, housing, and more, to help us improve our economy and people’s lives over the long term, as part of a 30-year offer from the Government.
“It would also mean we can look at ways to take advantage of economies of scale by using combined and devolved budgets to deliver more value for taxpayers and more cost-efficient services.
“Attracting investment opportunities into Nottinghamshire will undoubtedly bring highly skilled jobs and career openings for young and old – infrastructure opportunities like new rail investment, the Freeport near East Midlands Airport, potential investment in the Toton Link Road, millions of pounds being spent through our Towns Funds and the development of the world’s first commercial prototype fusion energy plant at West Burton to name but a few.
“It’s fair to say it’s been a busy year and, now it’s coming to an end, I’d like to wish all the residents of Nottinghamshire a very happy and relaxing Christmas with your loved ones, and I look forward to working hard on your on behalf of 2023.”
Nottinghamshire in Numbers 2022: Baby names, births, weddings and more!