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 (ILF) funding for disabled people: some good news but still risky for the most vulnerable.
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 […]
Special Educational Needs : Derby City Council is failing the children.
Derby City Council’s Plan for 2015-18 declares that Special Educational Needs (SEN), education and safeguarding children are all “Must Do’s”. This is an explicit commitment that resources will be prioritised to ensure […]
Multi-Faith Centre – “Faith and Spirituality” Photography Competition
As a natural lead up to Inter-Faith Week, which takes places from 15th- 21st November, the Multi-Faith Centre organised a Photography Competition which was open to the general public on the subject […]
JET’s CEO Sharief voted out of Chair of Community Action
After 8 years as the Chair of the influential Derby Voluntary sector charity, Community Action Derby, Sharief ( the controversial CEO of JET on Normanton Road), has lost his position, following an […]
Derby City Council defer Pay Cuts until 1 June 2016; short-term victory for protestors
Following the demonstrations and public outcry against the Pay cuts for the Teaching Assistants, and lack of agreement, this is the letter issued by Paul Robinson yesterday to all affected staff. Note […]
Remembrance Day : 11 hour challenge to support Red Cross and Royal British Legion
Joseph Chivayo , a young man from Zimbabwe, now living in Derby, decided to commit himself to a punishing workout on the 11th November 2015. For 11 hours, 11 minutes and 11 […]
Diwali : Festival of light at Derby Hindu Temple
The annual Diwali celebration took place on November 6th 2015 at the Hindu Temple in Normanton. The lights were switched on by the Mayor, Paul Pegg, and the event included dance, and […]
Derby City Council’s Teaching Assistant pay cuts; Is this Banwait’s “Poll tax” moment?
Cutting someone’s pay by 25% at 3 month’s notice has no legitimacy, morally, or ethically. Anyone who believes that such a policy could ever have been acceptable, really needs to question their […]
The decline of S&A Foods, and Perween Warsi’s loans
The fact that a company with one major customer is incredibly vulnerable is self-evident to any student of business – it doesn’t require much experience to realise that this is not a […]
JET: Police and Crime Commissioner waste £11000 of public money on a fruitless contract
For just over £20,000 of funding from the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Jobs, Education, Training (JET), of Normanton Road, committed to deliver a “quantifiable reduction in Pakistani Youth within the criminal […]
The straitjacket of sexual orientation; being ‘Undefined’ can be liberating.
From the moment we are born we are defined – boy or girl. There is an overwhelming expectation that our sexuality will be heterosexual – that is the default label, the norm […]
Derby City Council has “lost the plot” on Voluntary Sector Grants
Over the last few years Derby City Council has lost all direction over the grant funding for the Voluntary, Community and Faith (VCF) Sector. It is successfully achieving only one objective, and […]
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