During the Cabinet agenda item on February 10th about the Voluntary Sector Grants cuts, Cllr Jones made the valid point that the Council had indicated that they would offer “mitigating actions” to […]
Voluntary Sector Grants : Cllr Repton promises to help every organisation mitigate the loss of funding.
JET: Nail-biting times for Sharief – can they keep paying his £60k pa rent?
“JET’s survival could only be secured by remarkable and individual actions…..This is particularly true of the Sharief family who have donated £39,600 over the last 3 years to JET” (Quote from JET’S […]
Banwait chairs Derby’s limp ‘puppet’ Council Cabinet
The Council Cabinet sounds like an auspicious public body where brave, controversial decisions are made with open, independent and vibrant debate. Where the elected representatives stand their ground, speak on behalf of […]
Banwait’s Budget Illusion and the extra £9m funding
Cllr Banwait has made it his mantra that every cut that has had to be made by the Council was driven solely by the Tory Government Cuts. I’ve commented many times that […]
Derby City Council : Clueless in the Chamber
Just who does the Derby City Council leadership think they are kidding when they speak of “consultations” with the public? Saying that you are “consulting” when in fact you are following a […]
Cutting Voluntary Sector Grants: Imagine the Council were that stupid!
Imagine this being an empty room in the Indian Community Centre! Imagine that all of the elderly ladies stayed at home! Imagine that they didn’t meet their friends, didn’t share a meal […]
SV2 : Hope and opportunity for survivors of sexual violence
Rape, sexual violence, and exploitation are some of the most traumatic events that can happen to anyone; and it happens to people of all ages, all genders, all cultures and all upbringings. […]
Voluntary Sector: 100% Council Grant cuts will be negligent and cynical
In a few weeks time, the Council will decide on whether to proceed with their plan to cut 100% of the Voluntary Sector Grants. If this is carried out, it will not […]
Teaching Assistant Crisis: Did Banwait mislead the Council over UNISON?
During the Full Council meeting on November 25th 2015, Cllr Banwait was asked a question from a member of the public and his response was punctuated by an attack on UNISON, one […]
Junior Doctors Day of Action – Derby
The day finally arrived which the Junior Doctors never expected to happen, and which they didn’t want – a day of action to express their frustration at the Government’s proposals to accommodate […]
Teaching Assistant Pay Crisis: Banwait’s sinking fast without any ideas!
Derby City Council’s Equal Pay Review should be about a focussed set of changes to assure gender equality between all employees in similar jobs. It should not be a vehicle to promote […]
Derby City Council (ILF) funding for disabled people: some good news but still risky for the most vulnerable.
At the end of June 2015, the centrally managed Disabled Persons Independent Living Fund (ILF) was closed, and this portion of the social care package finances was transferred, and became the responsibility […]
Derby City Council propose cutting 100% of all Voluntary Sector grants: Do they know the consequences?
In my earlier article, “Derby City Council has “lost the plot” on Voluntary Sector Grants” I provided a critique of the Council’s most recent consultation into the funding of the Voluntary, Community […]
The Hopelessness of Derby City Council’s Homelessness strategy
Having the safety and security of a house is one of the most basic of needs. Resolving homelessness, whether that is as extreme as sleeping rough on the streets, or the daily […]
Street Safe giving a ‘Warmer Winter’ to the homeless and vulnerable
For the homeless in Derby there is not much cheer at Christmas, and the biting cold weather of winter, means that staying warm and being fed is the only purpose in life. […]
Derby City Council Budget: Protest about damaging political cuts!
Derby City Council issued their 2016-19 Budget Consultation, yesterday. This makes proposals for how they will deliver the plan for the next 3 years and is open for public feedback by 5 […]
Child Sex abuse : Unsilencing the victims through Independent Inquiry
Derby has the dubious reputation of being on an increasingly long list of cities who have gained notoriety for being home to significant child sex abuse cases. In 2010, Operation Retriever led […]
Derby City Council’s travesty of democracy over Teaching Assistant petition
Last Wednesday I reported on the fiasco which was the “debate” in the Derby City Council meeting on the Teaching Assistant’s petition. The Mayor rudely cut short Julia Redfern’s opening speech after […]
Labour Council insults Teaching Assistants with “wishy-washy” debate
When Ranjit Banwait was asked by a fellow member of the Council Chamber whether he was planning to audition for the role of “Wishy-Washy” in this year’s pantomime – I was reassured […]
The Facts about Rough-sleeping ex-servicemen
A regular issue that is often put forward by the anti-migrant/refugee lobby is that of the great numbers of homeless ex-service personnel who are rough sleeping on the streets. Their argument is […]
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