Ashfield Council leader calls on everyone to keep up the great work they have done fighting Covid-10

This year, the Covid-19 pandemic has changed our world and I would like to place on board my thanks to every resident in Ashfield, the vast majority who have steadfastly followed the rules.

Positive cases of coronavirus continue to get lower in Ashfield and that is because of you.

During this year, I am proud that the council continued to deliver services, including being the only one in Nottinghamshire to continue to deliver a full bin collection service.

We ran the best bin collection service in the UK and I am so pleased that this has been recognised by being nominated for a national award.

After Christmas, we are again giving you the opportunity to get rid of an extra bag of rubbish.

The first time you put your red-lidded bin out after Christmas – take advantage and place an extra bag out with it.

Other highlights this year include the extra 1,000 jobs at Amazon in Ashfield and hundreds of other jobs created through the supply chain.

Kirkby Leisure Centre is progressing well with work on the site already started and we are delivering on a promise first made to locals 80 years ago with the new swimming pools.

We are also making massive improvements to our parks and open spaces and our huge regeneration plans for Kirkby and Sutton continue afoot.

Obviously, the worst news personally was the death of former chairman of the council – Tony ‘Captain’ Brewer from Covid.

Tony wasn’t just a champion for the armed forces – he was a champion for every resident in our district.

Tony was a volunteer at Kings Mill Hospital and he’d be proud of the efforts of the NHS and all our key workers during the pandemic.

I’d like to thank them all and all the volunteers who went over and above.

Please remember to think of those on their own this Christmas.

This year has been difficult enough and my team and I have already started making phone calls and dropping in cards to those we know live on their own.

Christmas is my favourite time of the year.

I’ll miss my elderly grandparents John and Stella who still live in Annesley.

So this Christmas, please stay safe and we can all make up for lost time in 2021.

Coun Jason Zadrozny is leader of Ashfield District Council.