New poll says Ashfield 'too close to call' at General Election
Two candidates are neck and neck in our area, it suggests
Good morning and welcome to your Monday briefing of Ashfield News. Today, a new poll suggests Ashfield and Sherwood Forest are set to change their MP at the General Election on July 4, but Ashfield is a very close call.
Also, work starts on a major development in Sutton today and a heat alert is issued for much of the country.
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Ashfield ‘too close to call’ at election - poll
A new poll published for the Daily Telegraph newspaper predicts Labour candidate Rhea Keehn will win in Ashfield.
The MRP poll, published by Savanta, places Ashfield Independent candidate Jason Zadrozny in second and Lee Anderson, for Reform, in third.
The poll was conducted by interviews with 17,812 UK adults aged 18+ online, from June 7-18.
It shows in the Ashfield constituency, Labour is expected to gain 33% of the vote, with the independents on 27%.
However, it also states the overall expected winner is currently too close to call between Labour and the Ashfield Independents.
Nationally, the MRP poll is suggesting a ‘Tory wipeout’ when Britain goes to the polls on July 4, as it predicts Labour to achieve more than 500 seats.
In the Sherwood Forest constituency, which includes areas including Hucknall, Sir Mark Spencer is expected to be voted out.
Labour’s Michelle Welsh is currently predicted to achieve 47% of the vote, with Sir Mark in second place with just under 23% of the vote.
Reform UK is in third place with 20% predicted share of the vote in Sherwood Forest.
Elsewhere in Nottinghamshire, Rushcliffe is also expected to vote out Conservative Ruth Edwards, with Labour predicted to achieve almost 60% of the vote.
And in Mansfield, Ben Bradley, one of the first red wall Tory MPs, is predicted to lose his seat, with Labour set to achieve 48% of the vote, according to the poll.
The candidates standing in Ashfield are:
Lee Anderson – Reform UK
Alexander Coates – Green Party
Daniel Holmes – Liberal Democrats
Rhea Keehn – Labour Party
Debbie Soloman – Conservative Party
Jason Zadrozny – Ashfield Independents
The candidates standing in Sherwood Forest are:
David Dobbie – Liberal Democrats
Sheila Greatrex-White – Green Party
Helen O’Hare – Reform UK
Mark Spencer – Conservative Party
Jeremy Spry – Independent
Lee Waters – Independent
Michelle Welsh - Labour
Police warn of more drugs raids in town
Police in Sutton say they will carry out a number of raids across the town over the next month.
Officers from the Sutton Neighbourhood Policing Team executed a warrant under the Misuse of Drugs Act in the Leamington Estate on Thursday, June 20.
The raid was carried out following intelligence from the local community.
The team confirmed no “items of concern” were found at the property, but said more warrants were planned.
A spokesperson for the team said: “On this occasion, we may have not found what we were expecting to find.
“I would like to say that despite this, it will have a good impact on criminality in the area.
“This was a highly visible police operation targeting drug supply, which as residents of the Leamington Estate will vouch for, is a significant and prominent issue in the area.
“For the short time I have worked this area, numerous residents have confided in me and my colleagues, giving us information that has allowed us to get this warrant today.
“I would continue to encourage residents on the Leamington Estate to please to continue to report this to us, as this gives us the ammunition we need to get in the door and start targeting the organised criminality in the area, and get drugs out of our community.
“Drugs cause significant harm, not only to those that sadly have become addicted to the substances, but also to residents who may inadvertently get caught up in conflicts between drug dealers.
“There is also the harm that comes from the fact that those that regularly deal with drugs carry weapons to defend their product, leading to an increase in knife crime.”
Decision on made on Sutton Lawn derelict land
A derelict patch of land at Sutton Lawn will be turned into a full-sized grass football pitch.
Ashfield District Council has approved the proposal for the shale area as part of a Sports Hub plan for the lawn, which is being delivered through the Towns Fund and Future High Streets programme.
Other plans for the site include enhancing the existing sports facilities, improving the existing sports pavilion, a new 3G pitch and new parking facilities.
Concerns had been raised by residents that the new pitch would lead to an increase in anti-social behaviour, but planners said the current site is accessible to the public and had previously been used for sport and recreation.
They added: “Litter and anti-social behaviour would be controlled through the appropriate management of the site.”
The pitch will be managed by Sutton Academy in partnership with the council.
A spokesperson for the council added: “It is considered that the proposed change would help to assimilate the site back into the wider recreation ground, and result in an overall enhancement to the character of the area. The development is also considered to enhance the significance of Sutton Lawn as a non-designated heritage asset.”
New football school for girls
An Ashfield football team has launched a new soccer school for girls.
Quarrydale United, based in Sutton Road, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, has added to its current number of Saturday morning football sessions for young people.
The girls’ only sessions will take place on Saturdays from 11am-12noon and will cost £3 per session.
It is for girls aged five to 12.
Sundial to be taken down in new development
An Ashfield market will be temporarily moved from today as work takes place on a major new development.
Sutton-in-Ashfield’s iconic sundial – reportedly the largest in Europe – will be removed as part of the work on Portland Square.
The project, starting on Monday, June 24, also includes replacing paving, installing raised planters, new lighting and seating.
The redesign of Portland Square is one of 16 projects being funded by the £62.6m Towns Deal.
Near the Wetherspoon pub in Sutton, work is under way on the derelict Fox Street site, which will be the new home of the outdoor markets, events and pop-up markets.
It will be used as a car park when the markets aren’t running.
The town’s outdoor market, which has operated from Portland Square every Monday, will relocate to Low Street until the works to Portland Square and Fox Street are completed by early next year.
Health alert ahead of hot weather spell
A yellow heat-health alert has been issued for most areas of the country, including Ashfield.
The alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UHKSA), is in place from 8am on Monday, June 24 through to 5pm on Thursday, June 27.
The alert states: “There is potential for significant impacts to be observed across the health and social care sector due to the high temperatures.”
According to the Met Office, temperatures will hit highs of 24C (75.2F) today and 25C (77F) on Tuesday.
Currently, highs of 23C (73.4F) are forecast for Wednesday and Thursday this week.
Four arrested after airsoft rifle fired
Four people were arrested after an airsoft rifle was fired in a Nottinghamshire street.
The rifle was aimed at and shot towards bushes in Hucknall Lane, Bulwell, at about 5.50pm on Wednesday, June 19.
Armed police and the force helicopter were sent to the scene.
Three men aged 28, 20 and 18, were all arrested on suspicion of discharging a firearm within 50 feet of a highway.
A fourth suspect, a 32-year-old man, was arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm without a certificate.
Detective Chief Inspector Claire Gould, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “As the public should be able to expect, Nottinghamshire Police will always take immediate and robust action whenever we receive reports of a suspected firearm being seen.
“This incident should serve as a warning to any weapon-carrier – and that includes anyone with an imitation firearm – that we will treat reports of this nature extremely seriously to help keep people safe.
“While the firearm involved in this incident proved to be an airsoft rifle, we hope the swift response of our policing teams to this sighting provides the public with some reassurance that we will take action.”
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