Nottingham City Council
Clifton Village lies at the southern edge of the city of Nottingham.
Nottingham City Council is the unitary authority responsible for providing the full range of local government services within the city. As a unitary authority, it combines the responsibilities that elsewhere are split between district and county councils, meaning it manages services from housing and planning to social care, waste collection, and transport within the city boundaries.
The city governed by the council is a compact urban area with an estimated population of around 323,000–329,000 residents, making it one of the larger cities in the East Midlands. It has a notably young population compared with national averages, influenced by its large student communities from the universities.
Nottingham’s administrative boundary excludes many of the surrounding suburbs that are part of Greater Nottingham — in those areas, local services are provided by other district councils under Nottinghamshire County Council as the upper-tier authority.
Engaging with Nottingham City Council
Every resident is represented by elected city councillors, who serve specific wards across Nottingham. Councillors act as a link between local communities and the council, helping residents raise concerns, navigate council services and influence decisions that affect their area. Details on the councillors who represent Clifton Village - Andrew Rule and Hayley Spain - can be found on the Local Councillors page of this website.
Nottingham City Council offers several ways for residents to access services, raise issues and take part in local decision-making.
Most day-to-day services — such as reporting problems, paying council tax, applying for permits, or accessing housing and benefits support — are available through the council’s website , which acts as the main public gateway to council services.
Residents who prefer to speak to someone directly can contact the council via its customer service phone lines or attend appointments at council offices and community hubs such as the Clifton Cornerstone .
The image above shows just a small collection of the city council services that can be accessed online. Some of the most-frequently accessed are:
The bigger picture
Governance and Staff
The council is made up of 55 elected councillors, representing 20 wards across the city. Elections are held every four years, and the council is currently led by a Labour majority leader - Councillor Neghat Khan .
Councillors are responsible for setting strategic priorities, budgets and local policy, while a Chief Executive and senior officers oversee the day-to-day operations delivered by a substantial permanent workforce. Although exact current staffing figures can vary with budgetary adjustments, past published accounts show the council employed several thousand staff to deliver core services, reflecting its role as one of the city’s largest employers. The current CEO is Sajeeda Rose .
Details about the Council Leadership team and a map of the councillors and the wards they represent are on the City Council Website.
Budget and Financial Context
Finances have been a major focus and challenge for Nottingham City Council in recent years. Like many local authorities in England, the council has had to manage significant budget pressures due to rising demand for social care, homelessness services and inflationary costs.
In late 2023 the council issued a Section 114 notice, effectively acknowledging it could not legally balance its budget that year — a step that restricts non-statutory spending and reflects deep financial stress.
Since then the council has worked with government-appointed commissioners to reset its finances, cutting costs, reducing debt significantly and setting balanced budgets for 2024-25 and 2025-26. Efforts have included operational efficiencies, service reviews and a focus on long-term financial sustainability.
Relationships with Other Bodies
Although Nottingham City Council is politically and administratively independent from Nottinghamshire County Council, the two authorities collaborate on strategic issues affecting the wider urban area, such as economic development and infrastructure planning.
The council also interacts with regional bodies such as the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA), established to coordinate broader economic, transport and investment initiatives across Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Derby and Derbyshire.
In addition, the council participates in partnership arrangements with local voluntary groups, businesses and government programmes — for example managing community investment from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to support skills, business growth and neighbourhood improvements.
Who Does What?
Local government in Nottinghamshire involves several different bodies, each responsible for different services.
Nottingham City Council
Nottingham City Council is responsible for most everyday local services within the city boundary. As a unitary authority, it carries out both district- and county-level functions for the city.
Key responsibilities include:
- Council housing and homelessness services
- Adult social care and children’s services
- Waste and recycling collection
- Local planning and development control
- Local roads, parking and transport services
- Council tax and business rates
- Environmental health, licensing and trading standards
- Libraries, leisure services and community centres
Nottinghamshire County Council
Nottinghamshire County Council does not provide services inside the City of Nottingham. Instead, it is responsible for county-level services in the surrounding districts such as Broxtowe, Gedling, Rushcliffe, Ashfield and Mansfield. In areas surrounding Nottingham city, local services are split between district or borough councils (such as Broxtowe or Gedling) and Nottinghamshire County Council. These district councils handle services like local planning, housing, waste collection and council tax for their areas.
This two-tier system does not apply within Nottingham city, where the City Council provides all these services directly.
East Midlands Combined County Authority and Mayor
Nottingham City Council also works with neighbouring councils through the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA), which brings together Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Derby and Derbyshire. The Combined Authority, led by a regional Mayor - Clare Ward - focuses on strategic, long-term issues that cross council boundaries, including:
- Major transport and infrastructure projects
- Economic development and investment
- Skills, training and employment programmes
- Regional funding and devolution deals with central government
The Mayor does not run local council services but helps coordinate investment and strategy across the wider region
and the future ....?
Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire County Council are exploring plans for a new metro-style local authority that would cover both the city and the county.
This idea comes from a national push to give regions more local control over things like transport, housing, jobs and investment, often through a combined authority led by an elected mayor.
Right now, the councils are consulting on whether this would be the right move for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, what powers it should have, and how it could work in practice. No decisions have been made yet, and residents, businesses and community groups are being encouraged to take part and share their views before anything is agreed.
© Clifton Village Residents Association 2026
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