Even before it became a formally constituted organization, members of the NAG had been involved in the initial drafting (led by the City Council) of a plan designed to produce the policies and actions needed to address the problems generated by concentrations of student-occupied HMOs. When the final draft of the plan was completed in early autumn 2005, it was decided that the Nottingham Action Group would organize a series of open consultation meetings, one in each of the areas of the city where there are studentification issues. Accordingly, meetings were arranged as follows:
3 November, 2005 International Community Centre, Central Nottingham
9 November, 2005 John Carroll Leisure Centre, Radford
29 November, 2005, Hillside Club, Lenton
12 December, 2005, Queen’s Walk Community Centre, The Meadows
19 December, 2005, St. Barnabas Church Hall, Lenton Abbey
They were widely publicized by the Nottingham Action Group and the City Council. Barry Horne, Director of City Development was the lead officer for the Council and councillors and representatives from the two universities and their student unions also attended. The discussions were robust and lively with a good deal of useful information and feedback being given by residents all participants. At the conclusion of the consultation, Barry Horne indicated that the Council would come back to residents at regular intervals to review how the plan was working.