Leader of struggling Nottingham City Council to step down

David Mellen has faced a number of challenges as leader of Nottingham City Council

The leader of a council that recently announced it had gone effectively bankrupt is to step down in May.

David Mellen has been in charge of Nottingham City Council since 2019 but has announced he will not seek re-election as leader.

The council issued a section 114 notice in November and the government appointed commissioners to help run the authority in February.

Mr Mellen said he had given the council leadership "everything I can".

He will continue as a councillor for the Dales ward, which he has represented since 2007.

Mr Mellen also stood as Labour's parliamentary candidate for Rushcliffe at the 2015 and 2017 general elections.

The council approved major cuts to balance the books at a meeting last week

He told the BBC he accepted he could not argue the city was in a stronger position than when he took charge.

"I'm not going to sit here thinking that I'm talking to you about five years of unrivalled success," he said.

"That hasn't been the case and there are things that have been difficult.

"Some people will say it's my fault - and they do - and others will see a bigger picture of the context in which I've been the political leader of the city council.

"Whether I've got everything right or wrong, others will judge, but I've been committed to the city that I've lived in for 40 years."

During his leadership, Mr Mellen has faced frequent criticism for the collapse of council-owned energy firm Robin Hood Energy, which cost taxpayers an estimated £38m.

He has admitted that setting up the energy firm was a mistake.

The decision pre-dated his leadership but he was a member of the executive when it was made.

The company was closed after Mr Mellen took charge of the authority.

"Perhaps we didn't look enough at the risk that this was allowing the council to be exposed to and asking enough questions," he said.

"But I think I can hold my hand in my heart that while I was the leader, we took decisions quite quickly and resolutely."

The Labour councillor would he not be drawn on who he felt should take over as leader, but said he would remain a councillor for the foreseeable future.

He also said the "ship has passed" on his attempts to become an MP.