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 […]
Deep Clean of the City starts, including the switch-on of the Market Place fountain.
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 […]
A52 project; Council approved an unfunded £9.5m overspend in January 2018…which no one knew about, until now?
Derby City Council’s Acting Chief Executive, Christine Durrant, dropped a “bombshell” on the desk of the new Council leadership at the end of last week regarding the A52 road improvement scheme. “Very […]
Ranjit Banwait takes legal proceedings to over-turn election result
Ranjit Banwait lost his Boulton Ward seat by 474 votes in the May 3rd election to UKIP candidate Paul Bettany. This was not a close-call, he received 30% less votes than Bettany, […]
Council takes its first positive steps into the post-Banwait era….but it is just Day 1!
Last night was Day 1 of the new Council administration. It formalised much of what had been discussed in the media in terms of who would run the Council, and who was […]
What are the new Council Administration’s priorities in its 1st 100 days?
On Wednesday this week, the Conservative group should take up office as the new minority administration in Derby City Council. They will be supported by the Liberal Democrats and UKIP to secure […]
Derby News Community Grants
The Derby News Community Grant initiative was launched in memory of my Mother and Father who both died in the last few years. It is a way in which their personal legacy […]
Derby City Council likely to breach new Data Protection Regulations with Library strategy.
Derby City Council operates a very strict Data Protection policy in its libraries; it stipulates that volunteers have no access to the Library Management system. They are unable to view any personal […]
