Council forecast £21m hit to finances this year (2018/19) – what happened to the ‘balanced budget’?
In January 2018, the previous Labour administration presented to Full Council a “balanced budget” for 2018/19, and 2019/20. This meant that in-year expenditure on all services, would be covered by available Government/Council […]
Senior Officers’ proposal to reduce beds in Council Children’s Homes – does not bear Scrutiny!
Council Officers are proposing a reconfiguration of the service provision for Derby City Council Children’s Homes. This will be presented to Cabinet today and was subject to a cross-Party Executive Scrutiny Board […]
Ex-Cllr Banwait withdraws complaint against Derby News – the facts speak for themselves.
On 19th June, Ranjit Banwait contacted IMPRESS ( press regulator) formally complaining about the article I’d written on 25th May – “Ranjit Banwait takes legal proceedings to over-turn election result” The article […]
Council’s new Delivery Plan more “vague and woolly” than “open and transparent”
Next week’s Cabinet meeting will receive the 2017/18 Derby City Council “Annual Performance Results” which will declare that 94% of the Council pledges were either “completed or ‘on track’” in that year. […]
Rolls-Royce war dead remembered, for the future, as OSCAR says farewell
Last year, on the 75th Anniversary of the bombing of the Rolls-Royce factory in Osmaston, a memorial was unveiled to remember the 23 people that lost their lives 75 years ago : […]
Homelessness and the disappearance of pubs explored in new Art exhibition.
Issues around Homelessness and the disappearance of pubs are the subjects of Artcore’s “Re-Imagining the City exhibition which opened last Thursday. 2 young artists, Jess Price, a recent graduate from the University […]
Deep Clean of the City starts, including the switch-on of the Market Place fountain.
One of the Conservative administration’s manifesto commitments was to do a Deep Clean of the City – today was the first day of that process. Mid-afternoon saw the turn on of the […]
Executive Scrutiny Board examines the £12m budget gap: a different way of planning, or a total surprise?
In a previous article “The £12m gap in next year’s Council budget is more concerning than the A52 overspend. The financial planning system is “out of control”.” I reported on the latest […]
The Council’s Executive Scrutiny Board should be wary of the “airbrushed” report on the Special Educational Needs statement conversion programme. “All that glitters is not gold”.
Tomorrow night, Council Officers will be presenting a report to the cross-Party Executive Scrutiny Board on “Transfers from Statements of Special Educational Needs (SEN) to Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP)” which […]
Council’s Labour Group struggling with being “in opposition” and scoring many “own goals” in the process.
At the first Full Council meeting of the new municipal year, and with a new administration in place, there was an opportunity for the conduct of the proceedings to be different – […]
The £12m gap in next year’s Council budget is more concerning than the A52 overspend. The financial planning system is “out of control”.
At the Cabinet Meeting next week the new Conservative administration will present its proposed Medium Term Financial Strategy for 2019/2020 to 2022/2023. The plan reveals a significant gap between expected spend and […]
Time to Pause the failing Library Strategy; there is a better way forward, for everyone!
The new Conservative administration seems to be supporting and continuing the Library strategy with the imminent “transfer” of Allestree library. This is despite the evidence on the ground being that it is […]
Restrictions on creative freedom at the University; is it stifling Art and real expression?
A University is a place that should promote freedom of expression and an opportunity to challenge conventional boundaries across many subject areas. But is this always the case? Pierce Starre, a performance […]
Why didn’t Council’s Labour group propose saving 46 Library staff with “underspend” from last year?
The previous Labour Council’s rhetoric was that Libraries had to be reviewed and made ‘community managed’ due to the impact of Central Government cuts. They had no choice?! In the 12 July […]
Council’s cross-party Scrutiny Board vote down recommendation for an Independent External Review of A52 Project
At a meeting, this evening, of the Council’s cross-party Executive Scrutiny Board, the Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Finance Officer were given the opportunity to provide some insight into why the A52 […]
Land needed for A52 improvement project still not bought – over 12 months late to plan.
The A52 Wyvern Improvement project is complex; it depends on substantial areas of land ( nearly 40,000 square metres) being acquired by the Council, by negotiation, or by compulsory purchase order (CPO). […]
Sinfin volunteers rally to hold Royal Summer Celebration for elderly residents
From the smallest sausage roll, to the salads, bread, trifles, cake, bunting, flags, choir, to the minibus, and many people’s time, all were all given freely and from within the community to […]
The first Community Managed Library is formally launched in Sinfin.
Today, the ribbon was cut by the Deputy Mayor, Frank Harwood, at the formal opening of the first Community Managed Library, in Sinfin. The deal was formally signed by Derby City Council, […]
Disability Direct’s ‘Do What you Want Live’ showcases local providers of age and disability related services.
Disability Direct’s annual event is always an opportunity for local organisations to present their services, make contact with other providers, meet you new clients, and for service users to find potential new […]
Council’s Library strategy in chaos due to poor Data Protection planning
If you go into Derby’s first Community Managed Library in Sinfin, you won’t be served by Direct Help and Advice’s (DHA) volunteer staff, but by paid, Derby City Council, library managers. One […]
