Derby News

Derby City Council has launched a 12 week consultation on the “Post 16 -19 Home to School Travel Assistance Policy” with the objective of saving £3m from a forecast spend of £8m. […]

At last weeks Cabinet Meeting, Tory Leader of the Council, Cllr Chris Poulter made the statement that the main Budget Risk Reserves were “wasted on the A52”. This wasn’t true. The Cabinet […]

Tory Derby City Council Leader, Cllr Poulter, today lied in the Cabinet Meeting to cover up the real reason for the forecasted depletion of £30m of budget risk reserves over the last […]

At the November 2021 Cabinet meeting the decision was taken to “rewild” Allestree Park; this was subject to a consultation with stakeholders and the “people of Derby”. The decision was not part […]

Derby City Council has published its financial outturn for 2021/22. It demonstrates that the Council lacks competence in forecasting and planning. In summary: The Council approved a budget for 2021/22 of £258.34m. […]

Last week the Eagle Market traders were provided with an update on their future. It was stated that declining numbers is making the Market “unsustainable” for Cale Street Investments, the owners of […]

There is a lack of clarity over the nature of the rescue of Derby County from administration. This should be a source of great concern for the fans. The involvement of Chris […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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” […]

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? […]

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 – […]

“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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]