Rail Strikes, Facial Recognition, Secondary School Applications & More.

Happy Tuesday everyone and a massive welcome to all our new subscribers. I really hope you enjoy the daily read as subscribers now receive 7 - YES SEVEN FREE newsletters every week.

Its time to grab a brew, dig out the bourbons, put the phone on silent and kick back for 10.

Todays Quote for the day - "It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt." — Abraham Lincoln

Enjoy the read, please email us if you have a story for us and have a great day wherever you are in Bassetlaw.

Justin Doddy, Editor

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EMR Issues Travel Warning Ahead of August Rail Strikes

Passengers travelling between Nottingham and London St Pancras are being urged to plan ahead as strike action by members of the RMT union is set to impact East Midlands Railway (EMR) services on 8 and 15 August.

On all three strike days, EMR will operate a significantly reduced timetable, with services running between 07:00 and before 19:00 on its Intercity and Connect routes.

For passengers using the key Nottingham to London St Pancras Intercity route, services will be reduced to one train per hour in each direction. A similar hourly service will operate between Sheffield and London St Pancras.

To maximise capacity during the disruption, First Class will be temporarily declassified on all Intercity services, allowing all passengers access to the full seating capacity of each train. Customers holding First Class tickets or Season Tickets for the affected dates can contact EMR Customer Services regarding refunds.

EMR has also warned that Action Short of Strike (ASOS) will take place between strike dates and from 16 August onwards, meaning some services could be subject to short-notice alterations or cancellations.

Regional EMR services are currently expected to operate as normal.

Philippa Cresswell, Customer Experience Director at East Midlands Railway, said:

"We're sorry to customers whose journeys will be affected by this industrial action. We know the disruption this will cause and are advising customers to only travel if their journey is essential on Saturday 1, 8 and 15 August."

Passengers are strongly encouraged to check their journey, including first and last train times, before travelling.

Full Details: https://news.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/news

Credit: East Midlands Railway (EMR)

First Deployment of Live Facial Recognition Technology Announced

Nottinghamshire Police has announced that its first deployment of Live Facial Recognition (LFR) technology will take place on Friday 21 August in Old Market Square, Nottingham and the surrounding areas.

The technology will be integrated into a marked police van equipped with a 360-degree dual camera system, enabling officers to monitor a large area effectively.

Ahead of the deployment, officers will create a watchlist of individuals suspected of serious crimes.

Nottinghamshire Police has emphasised that the technology is targeted solely at identifying those on the watchlist, stating:

"If you are not on the watchlist then you have nothing to worry about. The scans of your faces are not stored and deleted within seconds."

The system will alert officers if it identifies an individual on the watchlist, allowing them to engage with that person and determine whether any further action is required.According to Nottinghamshire Police, the technology is intended to:

Support public safety

Help locate wanted offenders

Assist in safeguarding vulnerable people

Protect the privacy of members of the public

Credit: Nottinghamshire Police

Secondary school applications are now open

If your child lives in Nottinghamshire and requires a secondary school place for September 2027, you need to apply before 31 October 2026.

Applying online is quick and easy. Parents sometimes think that selecting just one school will ensure that a place is offered but that is not the case.

It is important that you make use of all four preferences and apply on time for a better chance of being offered a preferred school. Please check carefully the admissions criteria of each school you are considering because they are not all the same.

If there are no places available at your preferred school, an alternative offer may be made but this is not automatically the catchment or nearest school.

Places will be offered at the next closest school with places available after all on-time applications have been processed.

This may mean your child could be allocated to a school some distance from where you live.

Visit the Nottinghamshire County Council website for full details and to apply :

Our three interesting facts for today ....

American tree populations are steadily moving west, and no one knows why.

The rainforest floor gets less than 3% of the light that the treetops do.

Mano a mano means 'hand to hand', not 'man to man'

East Midlands Combined County Authority granted Established Status by government

The East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) is welcoming additional powers after being named by the government as an Established Mayoral Strategic Authority (EMSA).

As an Established Authority, EMCCA now has the right to request new powers and responsibilities. It also unlocks the ability for EMCCA to apply for a more flexible, integrated funding settlement – in practical terms, this means greater local control over funding and decisions, rather than managing multiple separate funding streams.

This status reflects government confidence that EMCCA is well run, delivering effectively, and ready to take on further responsibilities. Under the leadership of Mayor Claire Ward, EMCCA has shown it can manage major projects and funding effectively. This includes taking on Adult Skills, becoming the region’s Local Transport Authority and managing our long-term investment fund: helping to deliver real benefits for the people of the East Midlands.

Mayor Claire said:

“This is a major milestone in our mission to make the East Midlands the best place to live, to work, and to learn. It demonstrates that we are already delivering across the region, and it will enable us to deliver more.

“ Established Status is also an important step towards our 2028 ambition. By then, EMCCA will have a broader and more influential role across the region. This includes taking on Police and Crime Commissioner, and Fire and Rescue Authority functions and governance and working even closer with our local councils and partners.

“With more powers and an integrated funding settlement to follow, we will be able to plan for the long-term, drive growth, and ensure opportunities are spread fairly across the region.”

Established Status means EMCCA will become an‘Established’Mayoral Strategic Authority.

As an Established Mayoral Strategic Authority, EMCCA will have more powers to make decisions locally and deliver for people and businesses across the East Midlands. This includes greater control over local transport ticketing, a stronger role in shaping affordable housing programmes, and increased responsibility for funding and support to help businesses start, grow and succeed.

Established Status also means EMCCA can ask government for additional powers and responsibilities in the future. That opens the door to even more decisions being made closer to home, giving the region greater influence over the issues that matter most to local communities, businesses and the economy.

Established Status is a critical step in EMCCA becoming the regional engine the East Midlands deserves, because it enables the authority to work towards joined-up funding from government, an‘integrated settlement’.

The move to a single funding settlement means having greater flexibility in how funding is used. This means being able to move funding between different priorities and use it in ways that better meet local needs. More decisions about transport, jobs, skills, and investment will now be made closer to home, by people who understand our region, leading to a stronger future for the East Midlands.

Amy Harhoff, EMCCA chief executive officer, said:

“EMCCA is supporting a growth, building a more connected, skilled and sustainable region. Achieving Established Status is a clear signal from government of the progress we have made as a region, a signal of our maturity and track record.

“With Established Status, we can now pursue deeper devolution for the Region including more flexibility with our funding from government and requesting new powers and responsibilities to unlock the barriers to growth.

“ We will continue to work with our partners, from improving transport and skills to supporting jobs, housing and climate resilience , to understand and work with our businesses to deliver inclusive growth, as one Team East Midlands.”

David Williams MBE, chair of EMCCA’s business advisory board said:

“Businesses across the East Midlands need the right conditions to grow, such as good transport links, access to skilled people and clear, joined-up support. Established Status gives EMCCA greater ability to focus on these priorities and make decisions that reflect what our regional economy actually needs.

“The East Midlands has huge potential. These new powers can help unlock more of it, supporting firms to invest and expand and ensuring more communities share in that success.”

Established Status can be awarded to devolved authorities which have been led by a Mayor for at least 18 months and can demonstrate a strong track record of performance and delivery.

Since its formation in 2024, EMCCA has shown it can manage major projects and funding effectively, Including: Find out more about Established Status.

ℹ️ Source: East Midlands Combined County Authority

Exciting Apprenticeship Opportunity in Digital Marketing

We're delighted to share this fantastic opportunity from Bassetlaw Community and Voluntary Service (BCVS) to kickstart a career in marketing while making a positive impact in our local community.

Through Worksop Together's Pride in Place programme, successful applicants will:

✅ Earn while they learn
✅ Gain a BA (Hons) Digital Marketing Degree with Nottingham Trent University
✅ Develop valuable professional skills and experience
✅ Help create positive change across the Worksop community

Salary: £21,020 per year (30 hours per week)
Equivalent to the Real Living Wage: £26,275 FTE (pro rata for 0.8 FTE / 30 hours per week)

📅 Closing date: 19 August 2026

For full details and to apply, visit: Apply for the Digital Marketing Degree Apprenticeship

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Have a great day and I look forward to seeing you read our next newsletter.

Justin Doddy, Editor

P.S. Your feedback about this newsletter is important to me. You can email me your feedback to news@bassettlawtoday.co.uk