Local Election 2025: Cotgrave division profile
Cotgrave, Nottinghamshire. Image credit: Google
By Lauren Monaghan, Junior Local Democracy Reporter
Cotgrave in South Nottinghamshire has had its seat held by a Conservative councillor for over two decades – but with the local election looming, that legacy could change.
The Rushcliffe borough division sits about seven miles from Nottingham City Centre, with the area praised for the nearby 200-acre Cotgrave Country Park – popular with walkers, cyclists and horse riders.
Conservative councillor and most recent council chairman, Richard Butler, has been the long-standing representative for Cotgrave at Nottinghamshire County Council since the 2001 local election.
The 2021 election saw four party candidates run – Conservative, Labour, Green and Lib Dem. This time, there are seven running in the May 1 race.
Notts TV invited all candidates to attend an interview on Thursday, April 10.
Below are what candidates have told us – and the outcome to the 2021 Cotgrave division poll for context.
Result in 2021: Conservative HOLD – Richard Langton Butler
Turnout: 38.5 per cent
Electorate: 8,880
Ballot papers issued: 3,421
Majority: 63.2 per cent of the vote and a 1,322- vote majority over Labour.
Questioning the 2025 candidates
Richard Langton Butler – Local Conservatives
Why should people vote for you?
“I’ve had the honour of being the county councillor since 2001. I enjoy doing the role but the big thing is being here for residents to help them out, advise them, and point them in the right direction when they’ve got queries and concerns. I want to just continue to see the improvement and the better services and environment around the whole area.”
What are the priorities for Cotgrave?
“The number one comment is roads and pavements. Everywhere you go we have poor roads and pavements, but we have made a start over the last few years, the council as a whole is investing more money in Nottinghamshire roads and pavements. In Cotgrave we recently had Stragglethorpe Road resurfaced, which was in truly awful condition. I’ve had confirmation we’ve managed to find funding to get [Ringleas Road] done [this financial year].
“You often hear people saying there’s not a lot for young people to do and it might lead to antisocial behaviour. In Cotgrave [there’s] an improved young people’s centre. I want to keep ensuring we get money coming along to keep that going because it’s very popular, and I want to see more young people using it. [Also] social care, which is a growing challenge.”
What has Cotgrave got going for it?
“I include the villagers around here as well- there is a good community spirit. You only have to walk through and you’ll bump into people. People will talk to each other. We’ve had superb regeneration in recent years, which I was proud to be a part of. I remember looking at plans and aspirations for what we wanted. These things take a long time- now we’ve got it.”
Keir Ronald Chewings – Rushcliffe Independents Let’s Fix Rushcliffe’s Roads
Why should people vote for you ?
“People are fed up with nationalistic politics, this [election] is about what matters to them locally. Cotgrave and surrounding areas have been let down by successive administrations, both on a national and local level. The roads are in absolutely dire state, but they’ve been in a dire state for years. Nothing has been done. This is about actually putting the people of Cotgrave first.”
What are the priorities for Cotgrave?
“[Ringleas Road] is falling to pieces. It’s going to be refurbished at some point in 2025- no date set, and no details of what that refurbishment looks like. Should I be elected, I will within the first 100 days survey the whole district and determine what roads needs to be done, with the help of the community, and I will put that to the County Council and demand an action plan.
“Tollerton Airport’s got a lot of historic presence, and it’s being dismantled and taken away for more housing- that’s a burning issue. There was an opportunity to remove that parcel of land [in Rushcliffe Borough Council] for house building and there was two councillors that voted against it – I’m one of them. The community doesn’t want that airfield destroyed.
“The local government review- I don’t want to see Cotgrave part of Nottingham City. The councils have been underfunded for circa 15 years now from austerity from the government. The way forward is to do correct funding for local councils. What the Conservative [councillors] are talking about now is they want to see [the county option]. I don’t want either [option]. I will fight that on the County Council, and continue to fight that at the district level.”
What does Cotgrave have going for it?
“[The whole Cotgrave division] is a great community. It’s a great place to live, you’ve got brilliant facilities, a great farm shop in Clipston, brilliant pubs in Tollerton and Normanton. I want to represent my own community.”
Sara Dellar – Liberal Democrats
Why should residents vote for you?
“I’m already a borough councillor. I believe people should have choice over where they vote. I think in Rushcliffe it’s two parties, but I think people need more choice than that. You get a better system of government from doing that. I’m very passionate about public services. I’ve worked for local government for many years, including parts of Cotgrave, and I’m very interested in local issues. The key thing I like to promote is recycling. I don’t live in the area, but I’m very familiar with Cotgrave through friends, working in the area, and visiting the country park.”
What are the priorities for Cotgrave?
“We need to have a very strong town and parish council. The Government wants to end the current two-tier council system. It gets rid of some of the inconsistencies, but the needs of local people get lost because fewer councillors and a much bigger area covered.
“There’s been a lot of building in and around Cotgrave. I think it’s important, looking at planning issues, to see what that brings to Cotgrave, to make sure there are some advantages, but also to look at the resources they bring in and keep pace with the increasing population. Do we have enough secondary schools? I’m very keen on supporting [social care], and we do need to sort out those potholes.”
What does Cotgrave have going for it?
“It’s got a good centre, good community spirit, an excellent Country Park, and I know there’s a good ‘friends of’ group there. There are lots of facilities here. There’s a community garden, a library, and a good leisure centre. For me, this is very much an up-and-coming area.”
Brennig Jones – Green Party
Why should residents vote for you?
“[It’s] an opportunity to vote for something different, other than the standard Conservative and Labour. I live here, work here, I care very passionately about a lot of local issues. So it’s a local election, it’s local issues, and I think I’m the person for the job.”
What are the priorities for Cotgrave?
“I have an interest in pupils who aren’t doing quite so well [and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities]. Also infrastructure. I walk 3,000 miles a year around here, and the pavements are shocking, the roads are terrible, and we are paying more and more taxes, yet we’re getting fewer and fewer services for our money. I would look at how the county council is specifically distributing money and look at the formula for distribution because it’s being spent in odd locations.”
What has Cotgrave got going for it?
“The farm shop in Clipston is absolutely brilliant. I love the people here. Out in Tollerton, I know the names of everybody’s dog, and I know the names of hardly any people. But we all speak. We all say hello. It’s the same in Cotgrave. And I love that kind of community feel.”
Michael Symonds – Labour Party
Why should residents vote for you?
“I’m passionate about democracy. Labour has got a very exciting, innovative manifesto. People can make a difference at the local level. I’ve got lots of experience managing people and challenging conditions in the NHS, in a university, and I can bring that to Cotgrave. I’ve lived in various parts of the world and within Rushcliffe, so I’ve got lots of experience of different communities, different people, and different challenges.
“The problem with the bike track from Cotgrave to Radcliffe that’s been closed off for over a year – I’ve spoken to our MP, James Naish, about that. We’ve talked to [regional mayor] Claire Ward, and we’ve been out to look at it. I’ve got clear ideas about how to try and bring about a solution. I think with determination we could hopefully enable that to open, ideally by the end of the year.”
What are the priorities for Cotgrave?
“Investing in children and families, improving security, making sure people feel safe, well and secure within the environment. There’s quite an elderly population, and we want to ensure health facilities are maintained and improved. It’s also about ensuring that older people are still able to live at home independently rather than going into a care home or being institutionalised if they don’t want to take that route.
“The states of the roads, improving transport, energy utilisation, a greener environment. And within that, investing locally in local businesses. The Notts pension fund. The Labour Government wants to try to free those funds up to be used to benefit local businesses.”
What has Cotgrave got going for it?
“The hub, Cotgrave Futures, shopping centre, leisure centre, the Country Park. It’s a very varied community. Some people have lived here for decades, people moving in. I think people do feel it’s missing out [on having] a secondary school here- it’s something we need to look at in the future.”
Teck Keong Khong for Alliance for Democracy and Freedom and Keith Walters for Reform UK were both unable to attend an interview and did not provide a statement by the time of publication.
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