Becketwell Performance Venue – no transparency over this High Risk project.
At the 15 July 2020 Cabinet Meeting a paper was presented on the proposed Becketwell Performance Venue. Rachel North ( Director Communities and Place) explained that it resulted from an unsolicited approach […]
Derby Canal Boat Project; Cllr Poulter asleep at the rudder.
The Derby and Sandiacre Canal Trust have been working for over 25 years to reinstate canal ways in Derby. It is a well-funded, professionally run, charitable organisation. A few years ago they […]
Council refuses to be “transparent” on poor Becketwell Performance Venue business case
On the 15th March 2022 Derby City Council proudly announced “Plans for Derby’s new performance venue hit a new milestone as contracts are signed”. Derby’s new £45.8m performance venue has reached a […]
Cllr Poulter falsely accuses Labour of “gerrymandering” on ward boundary review.
At last Monday’s Council meeting, Cllr Poulter, the Leader of the Council, accused Cllr Shanker, the Leader of the Labour group, of “gerrymandering”. He also described the behaviour of Shanker as “shocking” […]
5 Reasons why Councillors should reject this “travelling hopefully”Budget
On 28th February 2022, at the Full Council meeting, all 51 Derby City Councillors will vote on the Budget/Financial Plan for the next 3 years. Do they understand what they’re voting on? […]
Market Hall – £24m over budget with a payback of over 450 years.
A previous Derby News article “Market Hall transformation: Council needs at least another £15m to complete it” ( Nov 2020) summarised the on-going cost escalation of the Market Hall project: 2017 – […]
Council understates Children’s Services budget by £6m…again!
“The current single biggest risk that the Council faces is the cost and demands for Children’s Social Care” “…this is of significant risk to the Council’s financial sustainability.” Quotes from the Council’s […]
Allestree Hall & Golf course – bunkered by incompetence. Or vested interest?
The fate of the Allestree Golf Course was sealed 15 months before it actually closed. In September 2019 the Cabinet approved a “preferred bidder” whose proposal was to renovate Allestree Hall and […]
“Not a responsible use of public funds”: Padley rejects Council’s £1m+ re-location plan.
In a previous Derby News article “Dubrek Studios’ community facility to be demolished and made ‘homeless’ by Council’s flawed planning” (Nov 7th 2021) I referred to the fact that the Council was […]
Better planning makes a better budget. Not Buzzwords!
On Wednesday 8th December 2021 the Chief Finance Officer, Simon Riley, will present a paper to Cabinet for approval which does not withstand a basic level of scrutiny. It can be stated […]
Dubrek Studios’ community facility to be demolished and made ‘homeless’ by Council’s flawed planning.
The planned £45m Becketwell Performance Venue comes at a price for 2 community facilities in Derby – the Padley Centre, and Dubrek Studios. The neighbouring properties, situated on Becket Street, are both […]
Council needs to change from an undemocratic,unrepresentative Cabinet system
As a representative democracy, Derby City Council is broken! The democracy begins and ends with an annual vote; there is little in the way of “representation” in policy and decision making. Derby […]
Tory Cabinet staring into a £27m Budget “Black Hole”
At the Cabinet Meeting on the 6th October 2021 Cllr Shanker disclosed that Senior Officers were staring at a £27m “Black hole” in the Council’s finances – less than a year after […]
Derby City Council fails to tell Parents (of Special Needs children) about OFSTED/CQC inspection
OFSTED and the Care Quality Commission are returning to Derby this week to perform a joint inspection of how the Council carries out its statutory duties in relation to children and young […]
Cllr Roulstone (Finance) forgets borrowing £25m!
Derby City Council’s Budget Reserves have been dramatically depleted over the last few years under the Tory administration from £35.9m to £18.3m with a further significant reduction this year. This subject was […]
Council already forecasting a £12m overspend – incompetent budgeting!
In a Council Cabinet report to be presented next Wednesday, the Finance Team, headed by Simon Riley, will be reporting a forecast overspend of £12m just 3 months into the 2021/22 financial […]
Booking a slot at Raynesway tip. How difficult is it?
Just over a year ago, Derby City Council introduced a booking system for Rayneway tip ( Household Waste Recycling Centre – HWRC). This was done to avoid over crowding and maintain social […]
Council illegally promotes unapproved school for Special Needs children
Every child has the right to an appropriate education based on their needs. This can present challenges for parents when their child has Special Educational Needs; this is exacerbated when those needs […]
Holiday Hunger: £1.2m “additional” money yet the Tories continue to be vague on Derby’s response.
At the Cabinet meeting on 9th June 2021, it was announced that the Council had just been made aware (since 2nd June2021) of an additional £1.195m, from the Government, for the Holiday […]
The ony future for Derby City Council is a formal Coalition
The local elections on May 6th will result in another “hung” Council, with no party in overall control. In May 2018 the Council needed a change from the disastrous Banwait leadership. Although, […]
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