3.5 years ago, all Councils were mandated by Government to convert all old-style Special Educational Needs (SEN) Statements into a new, more comprehensive Education Heath and Care Plan (EHCP); this document is […]
The Council has previously back-tracked significantly on its claim that Ram Energy is the cheapest tariff. It revised the position to state that, if someone has not switched before, then RAM Energy […]
Since 2010 Derby City Council has done a good job in managing its finances and protecting its reserves – in fact so good, specific usable budget reserves have increased by £46m! Many […]
Alex Dann is trying to get elected to Derby City Council an exclusive way – as an Independent candidate for Oakwood. She won’t have the support of any party machinery in her […]
In August 2016, Richard Smalley was found guilty of electoral fraud in his attempt to become Conservative Councillor for the Allestree Ward; he stated a false address on his nomination paper. The […]
Derby, like all cities, needs to spend considerable amounts of money each year on maintaining, and developing schools, roads, housing, and completing significant new infrastructure projects. These are long term programmes, which […]
In response to the last Derby News article on, “Council now misleading Department of Education on Special Needs Children Plans …”to avoid being in the headlines”, a parent from Sinfin contacted me, […]
The transfer of Statements to Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) for Special Needs Children is a programme that has to be legally completed by 31 March 2018. It started in September […]
Delivering on budget for any organisation is always a success, especially one the size of Derby City Council – this is the expectation for 2017/18 ( reported in the Cabinet meeting 14 […]
Last week, Derby News highlighted that the Council’s Monitoring Officer, Janie Berry, had instructed the censoring of the public video record of the Full Council Meeting of the 24th January 2018. This […]
There is only fact that is certain with Council finances, and that is the amount of money (revenue) available to the Council to spend each year ( exc. schools) No one knows […]
The popular belief is that the Council is closing the Central Library to save money for the Council Tax payer; a necessity driven by funding cuts from Central Government. However, it will […]
The Council’s policy, with respect to the 10 non-statutory libraries, was to encourage volunteer led community groups to run them; so-called Community Managed Libraries (CMLs- as defined by Locality). No such groups […]
The Council Cabinet meeting, which meets every month, and is chaired by the Leader of the Council, Cllr Ranjit Banwait, is the main executive forum for authorising policy and expenditure. This is […]
The Council Cabinet will be discussing its 2018/19 Budget next week following a period of consultation at the end of 2017. It found savings in the budget of £5.3m principally due to: […]
In September 2017, Cllr Martin Rawson “handed over the keys” to the 61,000 sq ft of Council buildings on St Mary’s Gate (Middleton House) to Adam Cavell, Director of City and Country […]
Just prior to Christmas, the 17 elderly residents of Council Care Home, Coleridge House, many living with dementia, were served notice that they would have to leave by Xmas….or at best, early January. […]
The Council’s many thousands of employees work throughout the year to keep the myriad of services operating, despite the shifting ground beneath them, the fluidity of leadership and the constant uncertainty of […]
The Council has recently published its Statement of Accounts for 2016/17. It is a 141 page document which details comprehensively the Councils financial status for the year to 31 March 2017. Much […]
The Council’s annual budget consultation was issued on 2 November seeking public input by 13 December 2017. The press were invited to a meeting to ask questions, and interview Cllr Shanker ( […]
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