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April
| 30 April 2004 | Schools get a windfall from sure start |
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Six schools have shared a windfall of thousands of pounds which has been given to them by a Sure Start scheme. Sure Start North East Derbyshire had £69,000 to give away to local schools for them to put towards facilities for children with additional needs or boosting the foundation stage curriculum for four to six-year-olds. The Sure Start scheme, which covers Grassmoor, Temple Normanton, North Wingfield, the Holmewood and Heath estate and Pilsley, asked schools to apply for a share of the money and the six are to use their share of the windfall to enhance outdoor play areas and buy play equipment North East Derbyshire. Sure Start programme manager Rosie Kightley said: "The schools had to apply for a share of the money outlining what they would do with it, while meeting the criteria. "It is a one-off grant and the schools have naturally welcomed the extra money. It was good to be able to hand it over to them in person." County council cabinet member for community services Councillor Bob Janes said: "All the projects are very worthwhile and will enhance the foundation stage curriculum for youngsters and facilities for children with additional needs." The six schools to receive money are:
Sure Start is a national initiative aimed at improving community services and resources for children aged under four years old and their families. |
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| 30 April 2004 | Local library events for May |
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People of all ages can enjoy a host of activities at libraries across Derbyshire during May. Story-time sessions for youngsters, book groups, computer courses and advice for pensioners are just some of the events being staged. Derbyshire County Council runs 45 libraries - and 13 mobile libraries - and it is free to join. As well as a choice of thousands of books, visitors can loan out videos, CDs and DVDs and have access to the internet free of charge. Events planned at some of the county`s libraries this month include: CHESTERFIELD AREA:
For more information on any of the libraries in the Chesterfield area call Ann Ainsworth 01246 209292 NORTH EAST DERBYSHIRE AREA:
For more information on North East Derbyshire libraries call Sue Crabb on 01246 414001. BOLSOVER AREA: Bolsover Library - Basic Skills exhibition
For More information contact Cathy Peterson on 01246 823179. HIGH PEAK AREA:
DERBYSHIRE DALES AREA:
For more information on any of the libraries in Derbyshire Dales call Trisha Hill or Mandy Waters on 01629 582480. AMBER VALLEY AREA:
For more information call Julie Potton on 01773 833199. EREWASH AREA:
Councillor Bob Janes, the county council`s cabinet member for community services, said: "Once again, Derbyshire libraries are offering a whole range of activities to interest all ages in the coming month. "Residents have an excellent resource on their doorstep and we hope to encourage even more people to use it. "If you haven`t visited your local library for a while why not pop in and you may be surprised by just how much is on offer these days". Joining your local library is free all you need to take along are two pieces of identification. Library users over 12 can take out 16 items on loan at any one time - under 12s can have eight items on loan. Books can be renewed beyond the three week loan period, provided no other library user has reserved them, by ringing Call Derbyshire on 08 456 058 058. Alternatively, readers can consult the catalogue, reserve and renew items, and check borrower records through the county council`s website www.derbyshire.gov.uk (opens in a new window). |
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| 30 April 2004 | Council takes action to reduce highways claims |
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Derbyshire County Council has a new weapon in the war on the `blame and claim` culture. The council pays out more than £1m annually in highways insurance claims and has seen a jump from 400 claims in the mid `80s to 1,075 in 2002/03. Compensation pay-outs - ranging from trip and fall claims to vehicles damaged by uneven road surfaces - are financed out of road maintenance budgets which effectively means there is less cash left for public services. In an effort to cut down on claims and so allow more cash for highways reinvestment the council is appointing a claims investigator. The new position - to start in the autumn - will run for a trial period of one year and for the first time will enable a council officer - in certain cases - to meet claimants on site to go through what happened. In the past inspectors have usually visited the site of an incident alone and reported on the condition of the road. It is hoped the new system of a face-to-face meeting with the claimant will stamp out any confusion over the exact location of an incident, speed up the claims process and deter fraudulent claims. The council will also trial engaging an external mechanic - when needed - in cases of motor vehicle claims who will meet claimants on site to assess if and how the road surface could have damaged their vehicle. The changes resulted from a review into highways third party insurance undertaken by one of the council`s improvement and scrutiny committees. Councillor Janet Hill, chair of the environment and highways panel, said: "The changes coming out of the review reflect the council`s new way of working. This includes examining issues and trying to identify improvements to services." Councillor Brian Lucas, cabinet member for environment and highways, said: "We seem to live in an age of a claims culture. "The irony of highways claims is the money paid out comes from the road maintenance budget. So if we can reduce the number of claims made then it will follow more money will be available for works on the highway. "Tightening up the claims process - along with a robust inspection and repair regime - should ensure the number of successful insurance claims is substantially reduced and we have a safer highway network." |
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| 30 April 2004 | Big welcome to new social services base |
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Contacting social services will be that much easier for people living in Staveley following the opening of a new office. People will be able to drop in to the new office in High Street, Staveley with any queries relating to social services and the services they are receiving or would like more information about. In addition to information about health and social services, the new office will also be able to handle enquiries about a whole range of Derbyshire County Council services, from roads and libraries to education and countryside centres. The new office, formerly a doctor`s surgery, was bought by the county council last autumn and has undergone extensive refurbishment to meet the needs of the new service. Community teams from the county council`s social services and health organisations will work in partnership to offer services to people with learning difficulties and there will also be services supporting older people in the area. Social services has had a base in Staveley since 1994 when it operated from Britannic House in Duke Street. Due to its location the old building was not suitable to be open to the public for drop-in services and the service worked mainly on pre-arranged home visits. With the new building all that has changed, and the public are being encouraged to drop in to the new town centre location with any queries they may have relating to county council issues. If queries cannot be answered by staff at the office, people will be put in touch with someone who can help. County council cabinet member for social care and health Councillor Anne Western said: "The new office makes the county council`s services even more accessible to the people of Staveley and the surrounding area. "We hope people will take full advantage of us being here and use the office to find out more about what is on offer." The new office is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm and people are welcome to drop in. People can also telephone the office on 01246 348000. |
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| 30 April 2004 | Become a foster carer and help make a difference |
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A recruitment drive to find more foster carers to help make a difference to the lives of children and young people is being launched in the county. Derbyshire County Council social services is issuing the appeal to coincide with national Foster Care Fortnight which starts on Monday 10 May. Fostering open days will be held countywide throughout Foster Care Fortnight, and beyond, to help people find out more and talk to experienced foster carers and family placement team staff about all aspects of caring for youngsters. Social services currently looks after about 530 children and young people, of which 400 live in foster homes. Foster carers can come from all walks of life and be any age over twenty-one, married or single, working, unemployed or retired. The authority provides training, weekly allowances to cover all expenses, and back up and personal support from a fostering social worker. Councillor Anne Western, Derbyshire County Council`s cabinet member for social care and health said: "Foster carers experience the best rewards imaginable by giving a child a loving and secure home. "There are many people in Derbyshire who may have thought about becoming foster carers and helping children thrive. "By teaming these people with the children and youngsters who would so dearly love a stable caring home we are able to enrich many lives. "We have fabulous foster carers across the county but we are always looking for more. Ideally we would like to build a surplus so children can choose the area where they stay and be close to their school or familiar environment. "I would urge anyone interested in becoming a foster parent to take action and come to one of our open events or contact us to find out more about how they can make a difference." Children looking for homes range from babies to teenagers, young people with disabilities or sibling groups. Fostering open days will take place at the following locations and dates:
Open days will also be taking place at Buxton and Chesterfield, with locations, dates and times to be confirmed. Anyone interested in finding out more about fostering can call the 24-hour Derbyshire fostering helpline on 01629 77 22 11, visit the Derbyshire County Council fostering website www.derbyshire.gov.uk/fostering (opens in a new window) or email fostering@derbyshire.gov.uk. |
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| 29 April 2004 | Local history month looks at Scotch myth |
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Why are Scotsmen always seen as being mean? And the French as great romantics? You could learn about how these and other nationalities have been portrayed in the past when Derbyshire Record Office takes part in local history month. As part of the May event the Office - based on New Street, Matlock - is holding a free archive skills workshop on Thursday May 20 from 10am until 12pm. The workshop is aimed at local historians with interests in early 19th century history and will use examples from Derbyshire-born artist George Woodward`s caricatures from 1780 to 1810 to show how visual images can influence opinions and attitudes. Woodward was a leading caricaturist of his time who specialised in social observation - especially of other nations. For those who want to go that step further and find out about searching archive sources on the internet the Record Office will also hold a free archive skills workshop on Thursday May 25 from 10am until 12pm. The workshop will be most useful to people who already use the internet for research but have not used Access to Archives - the English strand of the UK archives network - before. The Record Office`s regular Introductions to the Search Room will continue over the summer. The next sessions are from 9am on Wednesday May 5 and Thursday June 10 and are run on a drop-in basis. Councillor Bob Janes, cabinet member for community services, said: "Local and family history is a fascinating subject and the council is happy to be supporting the month long event. "I`m sure anyone attending the Record Office workshops will gain a wonderful insight into not only archives but how caricatures have played a part in satire throughout history." For further information and to book the special workshops contact the Record Office on 01629 580000 ext 35202. |
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| 28 April 2004 | Website celebrates local history month |
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A website featuring thousands of historic images of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire will celebrate Local History Month in May by offering pictures at reduced prices. The Picture the Past website aims to conserve the photographic collections of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire libraries and museums. The project has been set up by Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire county councils, Derby and Nottingham city councils and the Derby Evening Telegraph. Digital copies are being made of original photographs to make them more accessible to local people and historians from around the world. Visitors to the site www.picturethepast.org.uk (opens in a new window) can view almost 30,000 images taken from library and museum archives and loaned from members of the public. While low-resolution images can be printed directly from the site, for a small cost people can order high-quality pictures. And to celebrate Local History Month people can buy these glossy photographic prints of their favourite images at reduced prices. During May, a 6" x 4" print will cost £4 instead of £7 and a 10" x 8" print will cost £5 instead of £8. Councillor Bob Janes, Derbyshire County Council`s cabinet member for community services, said: "We hope this will encourage even more people to visit this fascinating website charting the history of our region." For more information visit the website at www.picturethepast.org.uk (opens in a new window). |
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| 28 April 2004 | Share your memories of Belper |
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People are invited to share their memories of Belper at an event organised by Derbyshire County Council. They are invited to the Masonic Hall, Campbell Street, from 9.30am and 4pm on Tuesday 4 May and 9am to noon on Wednesday 5 May to reminisce about old times in the town, including during the war. The event has been organised by staff at Belper Library and Belper Historical Society to record the information for future generations. For more information contact Ruth Sharpe on 01773 824333. |
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| 28 April 2004 | Police Museum on the move |
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Exhibits charting almost 200 years of Derbyshire Police will go on tour around the county when they transfer to the ownership of the county council. The travelling exhibitions will visit community venues, such as libraries and village halls, across Derbyshire to ensure as many people as possible can enjoy them. Derbyshire County Council is taking over responsibility for many items from Derbyshire Police Museum in St Mary`s Gate, Derby, which closed last year due to security concerns. Staff from the council-run Buxton Museum and Art Galley are currently sorting, documenting and packing items for the transfer. A part-time post of assistant collections officer is also being created by the county council to oversee the collection. Their role will include identifying venues around Derbyshire where items can be loaned and put on display, such as libraries and community centres. Some objects which relate to towns where there are registered museums will be placed on loan to them. The new officer will also set up travelling collections, based on the themes of community safety, crime prevention and citizenship, which will tour each of the districts. Councillor Bob Janes, the county council`s cabinet member for community services, said: "I believe the county council is one of the first authorities in the country to establish a touring museum. "Providing displays around the county is a great way for as many people as possible to enjoy this unique collection." The cost of transferring the collection and employing the additional member of staff is being met by Derbyshire Police Authority. Police Authority chairman Jo Thornton said: "We felt it was important to ensure the future of this important collection, which charts nearly 200 years of the police service in Derbyshire, so that people all around the county can continue to enjoy it." Among exhibits being transferred to the ownership of the county council are a Norton Commander 588cc motorbike in police livery, police uniforms dating from 1900, a collection of truncheons including one dating back to 1830, radio equipment and a device for exploding letter bombs safely. |
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| 28 April 2004 | New partners for Source Derbyshire |
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Two new partners have joined a Derbyshire County Council project designed to help local firms develop new business opportunities. Source Derbyshire was launched to make it easier for organisations from the private and public sector to bid for the authority`s contracts. The website - www.sourcederbyshire.co.uk (opens in a new window) - also gives partner companies a chance to advertise their own contracts. So far 26 companies have signed up to the initiative. The latest organisations to join are Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service and Chesterfield-based Shire Building Services. Council leader councillor John Williams said: "Source Derbyshire continues to go from strength to strength and we are delighted to welcome two new partners. "The website has proved an excellent way for local businesses to advertise and develop their own contract opportunities." The website was launched four years ago by the county council in partnership with Northcliffe Electronic Publishing. Yvonne Duchar, procurement officer at Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "Procurement in the fire service provides a strategic role in the delivery of a quality service to the people of Derbyshire. "We are happy to embrace an initiative like Source Derbyshire which provides us with a further tool for meeting our objectives." Andy McElvaney, managing director of Shire Business Services, added: "Like all businesses we are keen to ensure we develop our customer base. "Having seen how Source Derbyshire can create a network for local businesses I am pleased to become a partner in the initiative. "Through the partnerships the county council has formed we are beginning to work in areas we have not had access to in the past." Companies who would like more information on becoming a partner in Source Derbyshire can contact Dawn Moran at Derbyshire County Council on 01629 580000 ext 6875. |
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| 28 April 2004 | Businesses warned over health and safety scam |
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Businesses in Derbyshire are being warned to be on their guard against hoaxers who are charging firms to comply with health and safety rules. Derbyshire County Council`s trading standards is concerned about companies being caught out by the fake letters, which ask them to send between £125 and £249. Businesses in Chesterfield, Bakewell, Matlock and Heanor have already been sent the scam letter and it is feared companies in other areas will get them as well. In return for the money the letter says companies will get an information pack telling them how to record accidents in the workplace so they can comply with the Health and Safety Act. Managers are warned they will face criminal action unless they obtain a pack but the letter doesn`t say what will be in it. The letters claim to be from the Health and Safety Enforcement Agency or the Registration Enforcement Division and say they are working with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The HSE say this is not the case and are advising businesses not to pay anything. If a company is in any doubt they should ring the HSE on 08701 545500 to check. Councillor Walter Burrows, Derbyshire County Council`s cabinet member for public protection and transport, said: "We have already had some complaints about this scam in Derbyshire but we would not be surprised if some companies have been duped but aren`t aware of it. "Everything that is contained in these `compliance packs` is available from the Health and Safety Executive at a fraction of the price so if a local business receives one of these letters in the coming weeks we would urge them to throw it away." The new scam is similar to an on-going con, which has been targeting Derbyshire businesses for many months. Under this, firms are asked to send £95 or £125 to comply with the Data Protection Act regulations. In reality many companies do not need to register and even those that do should only pay £35. Further information about this scam, and how to avoid it, is available by visiting www.dpr.gov.uk (opens in a new window) or ringing 01625 545740. |
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| 27 April 2004 | Pick up your pension with a pint at new post office |
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Villagers will be able to have a pint after picking up their pensions following the opening of a new post office. Residents in Heage lost their post office more than a year ago after the previous sub-postmaster stepped down due to ill health. Now the landlady at The Windmill Inn, Park Road, Heage, has stepped in to open the post office in a room set aside at her pub. Derbyshire County Council has welcomed the decision by landlady Lorraine Froggatt and the post office officially opened on Monday (26 April). The new post office will have one counter and a small general store and be open from Monday to Friday - 9am to 1.15pm and 2.15pm to 5.30pm, and on Saturdays from 9am to 12.30pm. There is disabled access, a low level desk and hearing loop, and The Windmill Inn is also on a bus route. There is also ample parking in the pub car park. The county council launched a drive to safeguard the future of rural post offices four years ago. Councillors were becoming increasingly concerned about the affect the loss of the post office was having on communities and the problems older people and those without transport were having accessing the services including collecting benefits. When the old post office closed down in Heage, people were having to travel for up to two miles to either Ripley, Nether Heage or Belper. Councillor Geoff Carlile, cabinet member for regeneration, said: "The re-opening of a post office in Heage is excellent news for people living in the area who have greatly missed this important facility. "The county council is very keen to encourage people to take up the opportunity to run post offices in rural communities and we salute The Windmill Inn for doing just that." He added: "The important thing now is that people living in the area support the new post office to ensure it has a strong future." |
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| 27 April 2004 | Derbyshire libraries buck national trend |
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Derbyshire libraries are just as popular as ever - despite claims by a campaigning charity that the service is failing nationally and people are not using their local branch any more. Derbyshire Council County has revealed figures which show it is bucking the national trend in the face of claims that libraries will become a thing of the past by 2020 unless there is more investment in resources. The authority has invested heavily in its libraries over the last three years which has maintained visitor figures at an average of 3.1m. Initiatives such as free internet access, improved CD and DVD loan and video conferencing have also been successful in attracting new, younger members. County council cabinet member for community services Councillor Bob Janes said: "There`s a lot more to our libraries these days than just books. We have invested heavily in new technology enabling people to access information at the touch of a button, surf the web and even chat face-to-face with someone on the other side of the world over a video phone. "We also offer a wide range of information under our new LifeInfo brand, support 70 readers` groups, serve as a social and community venue and staff are always on hand to help." The council`s library budget is just over £12m of which £1.7m is spent on new books - equivalent to £2.30 per head of population putting Derbyshire above average of other counties for spending on books. The authority also seeks external funding and has secured £823,000 from the New Opportunities Fund to buy 400 computers to give visitors free access to the internet. All 45 branches and 13 mobiles now have computers and every branch has access to broadband. A further £120,000 was recently secured from the People`s Excellence Fund to buy video conferencing equipment and £400,000 has also been invested to keep its branches open for longer, for example later at night and on Saturdays. The council is also investing in new library buildings and refurbishing existing ones with £1.7m earmarked to build a new library at Belper, £200,000 to refurbish Chesterfield Library and £500,000 to improve the Long Eaton branch. Meanwhile, £200,000 is also being spent making the county`s libraries accessible to disabled people by providing automatic doors, ramps and specially-designed toilets. |
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| 26 April 2004 | `Don`t drive tired` message targets fans |
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Derbyshire football fans will be targeted with the motoring message `Don`t Drive Tired` at the end-of-season match in Chesterfield next month in a new road safety initiative. Derbyshire County Council has teamed up with Chesterfield Football Club (CFC) to promote the Government`s current `Think!` campaign warning drivers about the risks of falling asleep at the wheel. The council is sponsoring the last match of the season at the club`s ground in Saltergate, Chesterfield, on Saturday 8 May (3pm kick-off) where eight members of the authority`s highway safety team will be on hand to spread the message with displays and leaflets. Players will also be wearing T-shirts featuring the county council`s logo, the `Don`t Drive Tired` message, the `Think!` logo and the CFC logo in the pre-match warm up session. Novelty CFC Chester the Mouse mascot bugs and car air fresheners carrying the campaign messages `Stay alert - don`t get hurt!` and `Think! Don`t Drive Tired` will be distributed free to fans with the match day programme. The programme will also feature a campaign advert created by a student from Chesterfield`s Ashgate Croft School who won match tickets for his winning design, and the road safety messages will play over the stadium tannoy. Government figures suggest one in five road accidents on motorways and other monotonous roads are caused by someone falling asleep at the wheel - mostly running off the road or into the back of another vehicle. County council cabinet member of public protection and transport Councillor Walter Burrows said: "Sleep-related crashes are particularly dangerous and likely to result in serious injury because the driver doesn`t wake up in time to brake before impact. "As they represent such a high proportion of accidents we`re keen to back the Government`s campaign and are delighted to do so in conjunction with Chesterfield Football Club. "We hope joining forces with the club in this novel partnership will help highlight the important `Don`t Drive Tired` road safety message to the potential 5,000 people in the crowd on match day as well as in future promotions." Two CFC players will visit Ashgate Croft School with the design competition tickets in a pre-match `Don`t Drive Tired` launch on April 30 and two more will help raise the profile of the council`s annual school crossing patrol recruitment drive in May. Chesterfield Football Club`s managing director Mike Warner said the club was delighted to be helping spread road safety messages among fans. He said: "We fully support the `Don`t Drive Tired` campaign as this key message will not only enhance the safety of football supporters who travel many miles following their team, but it is also an important message to everyone in our local community who drives a vehicle." Peak 107 FM will be running a competition on its sports programme in the run up to the match with three pairs of tickets on offer. |
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| 23 April 2004 | Making local communities safer |
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Improved street lighting costing £42,550 has been installed by Derbyshire County Council to reduce the fear of crime among local communities. The schemes are part of an on-going programme to help residents feel safer by ensuring that residential areas are well lit at night, acting as a deterrent to potential criminals. Surveys have shown that many Derbyshire residents fear crime even though the number of offences actually committed is falling. The work has been carried out by Derbyshire County Council, with the assistance of Central Networks - formerly known as East Midlands Electricity. Improved lighting has been installed in recent months at:
Councillor Walter Burrows, Derbyshire County Council`s cabinet member for public protection and transport, said: "Street lighting has a big impact on how safe people feel when walking on the streets. "All the locations have been picked following discussions with the local community safety partnership and county councillor to ensure that the lighting will have the most impact. "These are only a few of the schemes that we installed in recent months. We already have plans to provide more across the county during the current financial year." Bob Taylor, managing director of Central Networks, said: "We`ve been very happy to work with Derbyshire County Council to get these new street lights built quickly and efficiently. "We obviously recognise how important it is to have street lighting available to help make communities even safer." |
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| 22 April 2004 | Free courses for popular jobs |
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Free job-related training courses are being offered in North East Derbyshire to help unemployed people get back into work. Plumbing and forklift truck driving are two of the free training packages starting this spring in Chesterfield and Shirebrook. These vocational courses are being run by Derbyshire County Council`s Mobile and Coalfields Vocational Training Project - or MaC for short. Ideal for people wanting to gain practical skills to prepare them for work, the packages are aimed at the long-term unemployed and provide candidates with a hands-on skill in a popular vocation. As part of the package trainees are taught other useful workplace skills and can gain qualifications in computing, first aid and health and safety. The eight-week plumbing course is running at Shirebrook Community Education Centre, Langwith Road, and starts on Monday 17 May with the information day on Monday 10 May. Trainees will gain a recognised qualification in plumbing. The forklift truck course is running in Chesterfield and starts on Wednesday 9 June with the initial information day on Monday 24 May for people who are interested. It is a five-week course and will equip candidates with licences for industrial reach trucks, counterbalance trucks - the most common type of forklift truck and powered pallet trucks. A seven-week youth work course is another vocational course running in Shirebrook and will equip candidates with qualifications in counselling, child protection and the Tops play and sports training. The information day for the course is on Tuesday 4 May and it starts on Monday 10 May. The training is for a maximum of 16 hours a week so trainees can still claim their benefits. Free lunch is provided and transport costs are covered. Other free courses are available in food hygiene, marketing and media and sports massage. Derbyshire County Council`s cabinet member for community services Councillor Bob Janes said: "People who come on the vocational training courses usually respond very well to it. We have been very successful in getting them back into full-time employment. "I am sure there will be a lot of interest in the plumbing course particularly after the recent national coverage of the good wage prospects associated with this trade. "All the courses are in popular vocations and anyone can gain a qualification and make the most of these exciting opportunities to prepare for a new career." MaC Project funding comes from Derbyshire County Council, the European Social Fund, the Learning and Skills Council and the Single Regeneration Budget. |
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| 22 April 2004 | Entries invited for 22nd annual art competition |
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Artists from across the county are being urged to get their entries in for the high profile Derbyshire County Council-run art competition which is entering its 22nd year. The 2004 Derbyshire Open Art Exhibition at Buxton Museum and Art Gallery offers artists the chance to compete for trophies and a share of prize money totalling £1,550. The annual competition is open to amateur and professional artists who are able to submit up to two works that portray a Derbyshire theme. These could be images of a landscape, townscape, people, local myths or still life. The artwork can be oils, acrylics, watercolours, drawings, prints, collages or three-dimensional work. Entries need to be submitted by Saturday 15 May at 5pm to Buxton Museum and Art Gallery in Terrace Road, Buxton. An independent panel of four judges will select the winners in eight different categories and decide which of the entries should form the 2004 Derbyshire Open Art Exhibition at the museum and art gallery from Saturday 29 May 2004. The main prize is the Derbyshire Trophy for the most outstanding work in any medium, which has a £750 cash purchase prize. This means it will become part of the collection at Buxton Museum and Art Gallery. There are also categories for artists under 16 and under 21. All category winners and commendation holders will receive medallions. Councillor Bob Janes, cabinet member for community services, said: "Derbyshire has a beautiful landscape and a rich culture so there is plenty for artists to draw inspiration from. "I am sure that this year will be no exception to the outstanding creativity that has been displayed by all ages in previous years. "We are grateful for the continuing sponsorship from the University of Derby, Buxton Mineral Water Company, Tarmac Central and the Friends of Buxton Museum and Art Gallery." Entry forms and a copy of the rules are available from the museum and art gallery, by ringing 01298 24658 or emailing buxton.museum@derbyshire.gov.uk. |
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| 22 April 2004 | Annual meeting of Derbyshire County Council |
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Derbyshire County Council confirmed its new Cabinet line-up at its annual meeting held at County Hall on Wednesday 21 April. New to the Cabinet is Councillor Joyce Sanders who takes over the Service Effectiveness portfolio from Councillor John Powell. Councillor John Williams remains Council Leader for the third year running and Councillor Anne Western steps in as Deputy Leader replacing Councillor John Powell. The full Cabinet was confirmed as follows:
An outline of the portfolio responsibilities of each cabinet member is available by clicking here (opens in a new window) . Councillor Charles Cutting begins his second year as Chair of the county council and Councillor Margaret Treweek stays as Vice Chair of the authority. Addressing the council Councillor Cutting set out the council`s agenda for the coming year which includes:
Councillor Cutting also acknowledged the crucial role of council staff and partners from the public, private and voluntary sectors in helping the authority deliver good quality and efficient services. The full transcript of Councillor Cutting speech to the meeting is available by clicking here (opens in a new window). |
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| 22 April 2004 | Annual Council meeting - Chair`s Speech 2004 |
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Councillor Charles Cutting began his second year as Chair of the county council at the Annual council meeting on Wednesday 21 April. Addressing the council Councillor Cutting set out the council`s agenda for the coming year. Here is the complete transcript of his speech: "Firstly, I`d like to thank my nominators for their kind words. As all of you know, it is usual to spend a short time highlighting some of our most recent achievements and to set out our agenda for the next 12 months.... We have a lot of successes to celebrate and some exciting initiatives to announce. I hope you will bear with me. It is a great source of pride to me that I represent an "excellent" council - confirmed for the second year running by the Audit Commission. Not only that, the Commission named Derbyshire County Council as one of the top ten most improved councils - the only excellent council in the country to have done so. Quite an achievement, I think you`ll agree. It`s true too, that over the last few years our reputation for high quality, cost effective and innovative services has continued to grow both locally and nationally. Our success is due largely to our successful working partnership between members and officers. Thanks to our policies which are putting people first, our Chief Executive Nick Hodgson, his very capable team of chief officers and of course our greatest asset - our employees are delivering very real benefits to local people. We, as elected members, have played a crucial part too. It is this close co-operation which has helped us deliver the lowest council tax increase of any county council this year - just 2.9% - and the joint lowest last year. At just 38p a week for the average council tax payer, I think you`ll agree that it represents good value for money especially when you consider the scale of our operation. We are responsible for:
And these are just the tip of the iceberg, as I`m sure you`re all well aware. But, as the Leader of the Council has said on many occasions - "Derbyshire County Council is in the business of improving life for local people not making it harder for them by excessive council tax increases". We have ample evidence to show that we are making a big difference to local people`s lives. It`s worth mentioning a few examples of last year`s successes:
All this and much, much more. We`ve also improved opportunities for our employees too. We`ve secured IiP status across all services for the second year running. We`ve got "positive about disabled people" accreditation from the Employment Service and we`ve set up mentoring and training schemes to support more women into senior management. As many of you will know, each year we take every opportunity to consult, listen and respond to local people. This means we are providing services - often in partnership with other agencies - when, how and where they`re needed. Our recent innovative consultations on our budget - where local people were given the equivalent of the average council tax to spend on services - confirmed our own spending priorities. Like them we put schools at the top of our list of priorities along with services for older people, children and families, roads and transport, support for disabled people and community safety. Earlier this year we agreed a prudent budget once again which had the unanimous support of this council. And, although we can`t do everything we would like, I believe we`re putting local people`s money to the best possible use. So what`s in store for the next 12 months? Without a doubt, a key priority for all of us and for every parent in the county must be to help our children do better at school. Derbyshire has had consistently good results over the last five years. But there`s no room for complacency. After meeting the cost of pay and price increases, school budgets have been boosted by an additional £10.1 million in real growth. This is great news for pupils, parents and staff and will mean even further improvements to the quality of education in the county. We`ve also earmarked more money for literacy and drugs education projects and more cash for further improvements to our youth service and early years education provision. All this is in addition to our £33 million capital investment in our school buildings. It means we can build three new schools, many new classrooms for hundreds of pupils and step up our improvement and repair programmes. Older people have told us that living independently for as long as they can is of key importance to them. That`s why we`re investing an extra £9.7 million to support vulnerable people in their own homes. This means refocusing services away from residential care to home-based provision. But we will still be providing the full range of care options. We`re upgrading our residential homes and, at the same time, setting up specialist provision for people with acute needs. We`re not delivering this agenda in isolation. Wherever possible we`re working in partnership with private, public and voluntary sector providers. Improvements to our services for families and children are also high on our agenda. We are already bucking the trend and reducing the numbers of looked after young people. At the same time we`re strengthening our support for those young people to make sure they get the best possible educational and life opportunities. We`ve also set up several programmes aimed at preventing family and foster placement breakdowns. And we`re working hard to build even more robust links with other agencies. Once again our massive £30 million-plus road improvement programme will touch all of our communities. It means that more roads, pavements and bridges will be repaired, more safety improvements will be carried out and more school safety zones will be created. We`re also committed to making public transport a serious option for local people. Our award-winning b_line - student travel and discount scheme goes from strength to strength and is more popular than ever. With over 550 businesses offering cut price deals it`s providing real savings and benefits to the county`s 54,000 young people. I`m especially pleased that after many months of detailed planning we have now launched Gold Card - our cut price travel and discount card for older people. This is an exciting project with our city and district councils and offers real benefits to over 200,000 older people. Already, over 1,000 businesses have signed up to offer discounts in shops, hairdressers, pubs and restaurants and many other outlets. Since applications for the cards opened on Monday I understand that we and our district council partners are being flooded with calls from older people who want to sign up for their card. We will continue with our work to develop specific partnerships to attract resources to the county aimed at strengthening the local economy. We`re also keen to help our rural economy by helping to attract more visitors and tourists to the county - our tourism website, food and drink fair and Source Derbyshire are all proof of this commitment. As well as lots of smaller projects, our biggest ever regeneration project is pressing ahead at the Markham Employment Growth Zone - now branded Markham Vale. It`s good news that Henry Boot is now on board as our development partner and that the planning application for the site can be determined locally. We take our role in the local community very seriously. Making sure local people get all the benefits to which they are entitled is very important to us. The recent Staveley welfare benefits campaign put more than £500,000 extra in the pockets of local residents. Over the next 12 months we will be continuing the initiative by targeting 50 of our more deprived areas across the county. Hopefully many more people will be "Quids In" by next year. We are also working closely with the police, women`s aid and other organisations in a concerted attempt to tackle the outrage of domestic abuse. The first phase of our "Stop Hurting" campaign has received widespread coverage and has been welcomed around Derbyshire. This builds on our promise to work closely with our many partners to target crime and make local people feel safer in their homes, in their cars and on our streets. Closer to home we`re determined to build on our current performance and reputation by further improving our efficiency. New systems to monitor our performance are being rolled out across all services so we can check our effectiveness and make speedy adjustments to services when necessary. In addition, we will press ahead with our major "Putting People First Programme" to make services more accessible to current and potential service users, to drive out red tape and unnecessary duplication. The quality of life in Derbyshire is important to us too. We want everyone to experience the full range of cultural, recreational and artistic opportunities available in the county. We will again be supporting and running cultural and arts events throughout the county as well as promoting the full range of services available in our libraries. To deliver this ambitious programme we must work in partnership. We need to make sure we have a well-qualified and experienced workforce and recognise the hard work and commitment of all our employees. It means we need to invest in them ensuring good quality training is available to help them do their jobs to the best of their ability. We also see the benefits of working with other agencies to make a real difference to local people`s lives - the Derbyshire Partnership Forum in which we have a leading role is proof of this. Despite achieving an "excellent" rating twice, we want to do even better. We will continue to listen and consult. And we will continue to seek advice and scrutiny from external assessors. But, there`s no doubt that we should all feel proud of our achievements. We are well placed to improve still further. We have the structures, commitment and expertise to go from strength to strength. I am confident we will do just that. Finally, I have already enjoyed an active and rewarding first year and I can honestly say I`m extremely proud to be the civic head and represent Derbyshire locally, regionally and nationally. I`m looking forward to a busy second year as Chair of Derbyshire County Council." |
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| 20 April 2004 | Cancer concerns over chilli powder |
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Consumers are being warned by Derbyshire County Council`s trading standards to be on the lookout for contaminated chilli powder that has been sold at stores in the East Midlands. A batch of MDH`s 100g Deggi Mirch Chilly (sic) Powder was sold in cash and carry and corner shops in both Derby and Nottingham. Trading standards officers are concerned that consumers from Derbyshire may have bought the product, which could potentially cause cancer. The chilli powder contains an illegally high level of aflatoxins, a group of naturally occurring toxins produced by moulds that can grow on foods including spices, nuts, dried fruits and cereals. The product has been imported from India and has a best before date of November 2004 and the batch number E37. It is packed in 100g cardboard cartons, which have a pink and red front label with a green swirl. The words `Deggi Mirch chilly powder makes dishes colourful and delicious` are printed on the front. The word chilli is spelt wrongly, due to a mistake made by the manufacturer during production. The importer has ordered retailers to withdraw the product from sale but Derbyshire County Council`s trading standards officers are concerned that some may still be on the shelves of East Midlands shops. Consumers may also have bought the product but not yet used it. Councillor Walter Burrows, Derbyshire County Council`s cabinet member for public protection and transport, said: "While aflatoxins occur naturally the European Union has set strict limits on the amount that can be in products because of evidence that it can potentially cause cancer in humans. "I would urge everyone who has bought any chilli powder produced by MDH to check the product carefully to see if they have a carton from the contaminated batch." Anyone who has some of the contaminated MDH chilli powder, or is unsure, should contact Derbyshire County Council`s trading standards on 01629 585858 for advice or the environmental health department at their local district or borough council. Further information can also be found on the Food Standards Agency website at www.food.gov.uk (opens in a new window). |
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| 19 April 2004 | New adoption support for North East Derbyshire |
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A new support network offering help to people involved in adopting a child is now available in north east Derbyshire. People will be able to share their experiences and find out about adoption issues at a support group hosted at the Labour Club in Saltergate, Chesterfield. The group, which is backed by Derbyshire County Council, will be launched on Thursday, April 22, and hosted by volunteer co-ordinator Vicki Owen. Vicki (32), from Old Whittington, has first-hand experience to share as she is currently adopting a two-year-old boy. She said: "Anyone can come along to talk to other people who are in the same situation or who have already been through the same situation and have helpful information or advice to share. "Adopting a child is a big step and one of the most rewarding things you can ever do so it is nice to have like-minded people at your side to help you along the way." The new group`s first meeting will start at 7pm with the session expected to last about two hours. Suitable times and dates for further meetings to take place will be discussed at the launch. Derbyshire County Council`s central adoption team already works alongside Adoption UK - an independent organisation that backs adopters through local support groups - to run bi-monthly support meetings in Buxton and Ripley. Further support offered by the authority includes: * Appointment-only adoption surgeries, which were launched three years ago. The once-monthly sessions at Ripley, Chesterfield and Buxton, provide support, advice and information for anyone affected by adoption. * Information evenings hosted every two months at County Hall, Matlock, for people interested in adopting to be able to speak to social workers, meet people who have already adopted and see video presentations. Anyone wishing to attend must ring and advise Hilary Crook during office hours on 01629 772205. Councillor Anne Western, cabinet member for social care and health said: "Placing children in a permanent and loving home is one of the most important jobs that Derbyshire County Council does. "I am delighted that we are offering another form of support to people who are involved in the adoption process. "This new group will offer adopters the chance to meet other adoptive parents to discuss important issues such as attachment and bonding." The number of placements across Derbyshire has steadily increased with 41 adoptions taking place in 2000/2001, 45 in 2001/2002 and 47 in 2002/2003. |
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| 19 April 2004 | Derbyshire`s finest food and drink on show |
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Derbyshire delicacies have been on show in the run-up to the county`s bumper food and drink fair which takes place next month. Exhibitors due to take part in the two-day event at Bolsover Castle on May 22 and 23 were among businesses attending the East Midlands Food and Drink Fair over the Easter weekend. Quality food and drink producers from across the county put wares including herbs, honey, and baked produce on display to about 8,500 taste enthusiasts at Conkers, the National Forest Visitor Centre, near Ashby de la Zouch. Organised by regional food marketing group East Midlands Fine Foods (EMFF) in conjunction with Conkers, the event brought together businesses from Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland. Local producers are now preparing to make their food and drink available to sample and purchase for more than 14,000 visitors anticipated to attend the third annual Derbyshire Food and Drink Fair. More than 60 stalls and exhibitions by local caterers, shops and producers are expected to feature in the weekend and celebrity chef James Martin will be there for both days to give demonstrations and judge a cooking competition for county catering students. Councillor Geoff Carlile, Derbyshire County Council`s cabinet member for regeneration said: "The food and drink fair has been growing in popularity since its launch in May 2002 and I`m sure this will continue this year with even more producers and visitors reaping the benefits of this hugely enjoyable event. "Entry is free and competitions, entertainment and celebrity demonstrations are on offer alongside an excellent array of the county`s best produce so there is something for everyone." In addition to the favourite attractions this year`s fair will include a new arts and crafts section. Producers interested in finding out more about taking part can contact tourism officer Kate Richardson on 01629 585724. |
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| 19 April 2004 | Carers invited to celebrate at County Hall |
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Family carers of people with learning disabilities will be thanked for their contribution with a celebration day hosted by Derbyshire County Council. About 1,300 carers from across the county have been invited to attend the event, which will take place in the Members` Room at the authority`s Smedley Street headquarters on Saturday, April 24. The celebration day will involve organisations such as Derbyshire Carers, Mencap and ACE (Action for Carers in Erewash) and include presentations, displays, discussion time and a range of useful information. Anne Western, Derbyshire County Council`s cabinet member for social care and health said: "We are very happy to be hosting this event to show our strong commitment to family carers and the considerable support they provide. "Hopefully this day will give the guests the chance to meet other family carers and help them to find out how services can and are developing." Respite support will be offered to the families to make it easier for carers to be able to attend the event. Councillor Western said: "One of the county council`s priorities is to help people with disabilities or additional needs to live in their own homes. "These parents, brothers, sisters, and other relatives are the county council`s essential partners who make the difference to the lives of people with learning disabilities in Derbyshire." |
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| 16 April 2004 | Lobby seeks regeneration support in Europe |
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The need for regeneration aid for former coal mining areas in North Derbyshire has been highlighted with the European Commission. Councillor Geoff Carlisle, Derbyshire County Council`s cabinet member for regeneration has spent three days in Brussels with the Alliance for Regional Aid Brussels Lobby. The Alliance is an all party group that brings together four local authority organisations; the Coalfield Communities Campaign, Steel Action, Local Authority Textile and Clothing Federation and the European Industrial Regions Association. Together these organisations cover 140 local authorities in Britain`s traditional industrial areas. Alliance delegates met with East Midlands MEP Phillip Whitehead, representatives of the European Commission regional policy and competition directorates, the UK representative to the Commission and representatives from other EU regions last month. Councillor Carlile said: "A key message of the lobby is that progress has been made in recent years, but substantial European Union aid is still needed to support further regeneration. "It is important that resources continue to be put into the former coalfield areas in Derbyshire to help us develop industry and businesses, improve the economy and generate employment." Proposals are currently being developed by the European Commission for European Union regional policy after 2006, which will have implications for future regeneration funding across Britain. Councillor Carlile said: "It is important that the Alliance takes opportunities to urge the European Commission, and the Government, to create policies that will give a high level of support for deprived areas. "I was very pleased to be able to discuss the county`s needs and encourage this backing." |
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| 08 April 2004 | Lottery funding boost to carers scheme |
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A project providing respite care for carers in their own homes has received a boost of more than £200,000. The Carers Sitting Service in Creswell has been running as a pilot scheme for 12 months providing respite care so that carers can have more time for other activities, appointments or a well-earned rest. The service is currently providing about 120 hours of care every month to about 15 carers and there are currently four sitters, although this will rise to six with the new grant. Funding for the pilot scheme so far has come from the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, which is Government money to help deprived areas develop services, and North East Derbyshire Primary Care Trust. The scheme is also being supported by Derbyshire County Council`s Community Economic Development (CED) Team workers. The CED team helped to set up the project and has continued to give support to the management committee, made up of local volunteers. The team also helped to secure the new funding which has come from the lottery`s Community Fund. A total of £202,717 will be paid to keep the service running over the next three years and the service, which initially covered Creswell, Langwith and Shirebrook will now be rolled out to other communities within the District of Bolsover. The first new area will be Bolsover town with others to follow as a high need is identified. Plans also include opening a second office base in Tibshelf later in the year which will service the south of Bolsover. Derbyshire County Council`s cabinet member for regeneration Councillor Geoff Carlile said: "The money is very good news and will secure the project for the next three years. It is providing an extremely valuable service to the local community and the extra money will help it to expand and help people further afield." Bolsover Community Economic Development Team worker Sue Robinson said: "This is a great boost to the project, the volunteers and the paid staff who have worked so hard to ensure its success and to the carers who need practical help and support on a day to day basis." Carer Arthur Plant of Creswell said: "It`s fabulous news. This means the prospect of the service continuing for another three years guaranteed." |
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| 08 April 2004 | Golden opportunity for great discounts |
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Don`t forget to get your Gold Card! From next week more than 200,000 older and disabled people across Derbyshire will be able to claim their free passport to cut price travel and great shopping discounts. From Monday April 19 anyone aged over 60 and people with disabilities can apply for the new travel and discount card, which is jointly funded by Derbyshire County Council, the city council and all borough and district councils in the county. A two-stage launch will help to ensure a smooth changeover from the existing bus pass to Gold Card with travel concessions available from April followed by shopping discounts from mid-July. As soon as they get their new card Gold Card holders will be able to claim half fare or free travel on local buses and trains. Existing bus passes will continue to be valid for travel concessions until October 31 when the old scheme expires. Discounts available with Gold Card will be unveiled on July 12 and from this date cardholders can take advantage of reductions at around 1,000 shops and services simply by showing their card. A free Gold Card Discount Directory will be published in July revealing discount outlets exclusive to cardholders as well as places that already offer a discount to older people. The handy town-by-town discount list will include pubs and restaurants, chiropodists, high street shops, hairdressers, taxi firms and veterinary surgeons. A new travel and discount scheme was one of the recommendations made by a county council review of services for older people and follows the success of the council`s award-winning b_line discount card for young people. Derbyshire County Council leader Councillor John Williams said: "We`re delighted to announce the launch of Gold Card which will offer many benefits to the 200,000 older and disabled residents of Derbyshire. "I`d advise people to apply as soon as possible after the April 19 launch date, even if they already have a bus pass, to make sure they have a Gold Card ready for the shopping discounts available from July." To get a Gold Card, applicants can pick up a form and a leaflet after April 19 from their local council office, library or any participating post office (see attached information). They are also available from Call Derbyshire on 08 456 058 058, by visiting www.derbyshire.gov.uk/goldcard (opens in a new window) or by e-mailing goldcard@derbyshire.gov.uk Getting about with Gold Card Gold Card holders can travel for half fare or free (depending which card you qualify for) on almost every bus and train service within Derbyshire, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also travel to some towns and cities just outside the county if your journey starts or finishes in Derbyshire, including on buses and trains to and from Burton, Loughborough, Macclesfield, Mansfield, Manchester, Meadowhall, Nottingham, Sheffield, Stockport and Uttoxeter. Gold Card can also be used to buy half-price season, multi-journey and saver tickets in advance. Long distance express coach services, tours and special excursions are not included in the Gold Card scheme. Check if you qualify As a general guide, you are entitled to a Gold Card for half fare and discounts if you are aged 60 or over. You can also get a half fare card if you are under 60 and you:
You are entitled to a free travel Gold Card if you are of any age (you do not have to be over 60) and you:
You must also be a Derbyshire resident The Gold Card information leaflet and application form will explain the documents you will need to prove your eligibility. Calling business owners... It`s not too late to add your business to the list of places offering a discount to Derbyshire`s over 60s and disabled people, completely free of charge. Call 01629 585721 for more information. |
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| 08 April 2004 | Final meeting of Coalfields Partnership |
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A partnership which has been responsible for managing a number of regeneration projects and overseeing millions of pounds has finished its work. The committee of the Leicestershire and South Derbyshire Coalfields Partnership met for the last time at the end of March after spearheading several successful schemes across both counties. The partnership was set up in 1999 and has been responsible for delivering the Single Regeneration Budget `Making the Links` programme worth £800,000, aimed at starting up projects to promote social inclusion and the Rural Development Programme worth £2.8 million. Membership of the partnership included Derbyshire County Council, Leicestershire County Council, Leicestershire County Council, South Derbyshire District Council, North West Leicestershire District Council, the National Forest Company and several local community groups and support agencies. Projects which have been supported in South Derbyshire include an environmental education project focused on the National Forest, the Derbyshire Rural Transport Partnership, a rural fieldworker and funding and support for the development of new community centres at Coton-in-the-Elms and the Old Post Centre in Newhall. Derbyshire County Council`s cabinet member for regeneration Councillor Geoff Carlile chaired the partnership and was at the final meeting of the committee. Councillor Carlile said: "The partnership has been very successful and some excellent projects have resulted since it was set up. "While the partnership has now ended, we are sure the work in the communities which has been started will go from strength to strength." |
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| 07 April 2004 | Get OnBoard for great days out in Derbyshire |
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Planning a day out but you don`t want to take the car? Then the latest edition of OnBoard published by Derbyshire County Council can help. The 16-page newsletter aims to encourage people to use public transport and contains information to make travelling around Derbyshire by bus and train as easy and stress-free as possible. Details of scenic routes to help travellers find their way around the Peak District by bus are featured in the second edition of the quarterly publication. The guide puts the spotlight on places to visit, includes details of the main daily bus services through the national park and ideas for journeys around the picturesque countryside. Cabinet member for public protection and transport Councillor Walter Burrows said: "Spring is in the air and with longer days I am sure people are beginning to think about organising a day out. "We hope this latest edition of OnBoard will encourage people to leave their cars behind and make use of the extensive public transport network to spend the day in Derbyshire." The newsletter also contains information on cut-price tickets and features an article on improvements to Alfreton bus station, the main dropping off point in Chesterfield and shelters around the county. The newsletter is published by the county council with support from local bus operators, including Stagecoach East Midlands, Arriva and trentbarton. It is available on board buses, from bus company offices, libraries, youth hostels, district and parish council offices and tourist information centres across the county. For more information about the county`s bus and rail network visit Derbyshire County Council`s online public transport map at www.derbysbus.net (opens in a new window) Details of local bus times are available from traveline on 0870 608 2 608 |
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| 06 April 2004 | New campaign urges abusers to `Stop Hurting!` |
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A campaign aiming to reduce the number of incidents of domestic abuse across Derbyshire is launched this week. Nationally one woman is killed every three days by a violent partner or ex-partner and around 40,000 women a year shelter from domestic violence in refuges. In Derbyshire statistics show there were 8,342 incidents of domestic abuse reported to police last year. The county also saw 1,400 criminal convictions relating to domestic abuse and in an average year a total of 1,300 women and children escape to hostels and refuges in the county. Domestic abuse can be any kind of controlling behaviour in or following the ending of all kinds of family and other intimate relationships. It can include physical violence, psychological, sexual or financial abuse or forced marriage. The county council`s campaign, called `Stop Hurting`, aims to highlight the help, support and information that is available for people, mainly women, who are the victims of domestic abuse and to encourage them to seek help. Help is available from a number of agencies across the county including Women`s Aid, the police, housing agencies and voluntary groups, and there are refuges at secret locations across the county for women fleeing violent partners. The county council will work closely with agencies across Derbyshire which provide services to victims, their children and the perpetrators of domestic violence and will be giving extra support to agencies across the county during the campaign. As well as ensuring victims know where to turn to get help, the campaign also aims to get the message across to perpetrators that their behaviour is completely unacceptable. The awareness campaign will be supported in a variety of ways over the coming months by posters, stickers and beer mats. The county council has also produced 5,000 four-page information supplements which will be distributed across the county by Women`s Aid groups, social services and police. Derbyshire County Council`s leader Councillor John Williams said: "We want victims of domestic violence to know they are not alone and there is help and support out there for them. "We are also hoping to drive home the message that domestic abuse is totally unacceptable and we hope this gets through to not only perpetrators but people who know perpetrators and stay silent. "We have to encourage people to say that enough is enough and the abuse has to stop and we are confident this campaign will go some way towards achieving that." CASE STUDY - LIZ. After another violent Christmas and New Year 49-year-old Liz decided she had had enough. She eventually escaped her second husband after years of violence which had undermined her confidence, leaving her feeling worthless and used. For Liz, she hopes that by closing this latest chapter, the beatings and abuse will be behind her for good. One of her first memories was of her father beating her mother and she admits she seems to have repeated the pattern time and again. Originally from Scotland, Liz feels her real problems started after her mother died when she was 17 years old. Liz`s first husband was insanely jealous, controlling and violent. He would come home drunk and accuse her of having had other men in the house. On a night out he accused her of fancying another man and on the way home kicked her to the ground, breaking several ribs, with Liz needing hospital treatment. That was one of hundreds of violent incidents, with Liz regularly turning up for work with black eyes. Even when he was jailed for three months for attacking her, Liz took him back when he was released. "I got married when I was 19 and became pregnant very quickly. I felt totally alone when my mother died and with a baby on the way I accepted the way my first husband treated me. I didn`t feel I had a choice. It was just like history repeating itself with my mum and dad." Eventually Liz found the courage to divorce him and after three quiet years, slowly rebuilding her life and her confidence she met another man. "It was a really big step for me. I got a flat and he helped me to decorate, slowly building up my trust." However, the violence began again. "He would say sorry and I believed it wouldn`t happen again. I was young and naïve but looking back I should have got out then. I should have known he wasn`t going to change." Liz said: "He would come round to the flat all the time, threatening to smash open the door if I didn`t let him in." Liz moved to a different part of the country but despite swearing everyone to secrecy, he found her and the violence began again. After one particularly violent attack Liz became pregnant and the man moved in, bringing his five children with him. "He was violent to his children as well and one day he made them strip so he could hit them with his belt. I stood in front of them telling him to stop, so he threw them outside and took it out on me instead, even though I was pregnant." Liz escaped to Scotland where she gave birth to a boy and promised her partner she would move back with him after he had found out where she was again from a member of Liz`s family. "He had them all fooled, they thought he was wonderful," she said. Liz contacted Women`s Aid for the first time and stayed in a refuge but found it difficult trying to look after the baby and sharing a bathroom. She moved into a council flat but shortly after this Liz`s baby died of cot death. "I blamed it all on the situation and the attack. When he turned up at the funeral I just flipped. "I stood up to him for the first time. I told him I couldn`t take any more and that he`d just have to kill me. Something just clicked and I didn`t feel scared any more. I had nothing more to lose and I wasn`t going to let him take my dignity." He went back to England after the funeral and died in a motorbike accident shortly afterwards. "I felt relieved when I knew he had died, as if God had intervened," said Liz. Four years later Liz met husband number two, who she married after having his daughter. About two years into the marriage he started drinking and became increasingly violent, moody and selfish. In 1994 Liz asked him to leave and he did, although there were frequent visits back home to plead to get back together. After recently trying again the marriage broke down after more violence and Liz contacted Women`s Aid again. "I had nowhere to go and I was desperate," she said. "The women here at the refuge have been wonderful. Things have changed dramatically since I was last in a refuge nearly 20 years ago. "We have our own rooms and bathrooms so you can be on your own if you like. "When I arrived I had no money. I couldn`t buy food or even soap powder, but they helped me out and slowly but surely I am getting my confidence back. "They have been incredibly supportive, suggesting counselling and giving me other help and advice about benefits and accommodation." Liz said the main piece of advice she could give to anyone in her situation was to get out immediately. "Don`t give them the benefit of the doubt if they say they are sorry. People like that don`t change. They will do it again and again. Men like that are insecure bullies who use control to manipulate you. "Get help like I did. There is help out there and there are people who will offer you support and advice and get you back on your feet." |
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| 06 April 2004 | Learn how to make compost at free workshops |
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Free workshops are being staged for residents throughout Derbyshire who want to turn their kitchen scraps in to compost for their gardens.
Visitors to these workshops will also be able to enter a free prize draw to win one of 40 home composting bins.
The workshops are open to anyone and will include information on how to set up a compost bin and which materials can be used to make compost. Councillor Brian Lucas, the county council`s cabinet member for environment and highways, said: "More than a third of the contents of the average rubbish bin, including garden clippings, vegetable scraps and egg boxes, can be turned in to compost. |
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| 06 April 2004 | Just the ticket! |
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New ticket machines will be installed on board buses after Derbyshire County Council gave the go-ahead. The authority has agreed to buy 28 electronic ticket machines, at a total cost of £31,200, which will be rented out to local bus operators. It is the second batch of machines bought by the county council and, with some operators buying their own, it means all buses in the county will have this equipment on board. The machines contain details of bus fares which will make it quicker and more efficient for passengers as they get on board. They can also store information on passenger numbers, where they are travelling to and from, which routes are the most popular and peak times for bus use. Councillor Walter Burrows, cabinet member for public protection and transport, said: "The council`s public transport unit can use this information to closely monitor bus use in the county. "It enables us to fine tune timetables so that we can continue to offer the best possible bus service to Derbyshire residents. "The new machines also benefit passengers as they hold details of all fares making it quicker and easier for people as they board the bus." It is expected that the new machines will be installed on buses within the next few months. The county council previously bought 58 electronic ticket machines at a cost of £64,000. |
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| 06 April 2004 | Food labels misleading the public |
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One in four food labels on products marketed at children are potentially misleading to customers Derbyshire County Council`s trading standards officers have warned. The authority`s trading standards service joined forces with their counterparts from across the East Midlands to carry out their largest ever survey into the composition and labelling of food products. Many food products are aimed specifically at children, through marketing ploys such as celebrity or cartoon character endorsement or by selling novelty shaped products. Trading standards officers analysed 203 of these food products and found 53 were "unsatisfactory". Problems detected included:
Other issues detected included products which contained more than the legal level of colouring, undeclared additives or additives not permitted for the type of product. Misleading names were also found such as "custard" to describe a product made using skimmed milk and hydrogenated vegetable oil or "turkey and pork slices" when the pork appeared to be mainly pork liver. Councillor Walter Burrows, Derbyshire County Council`s cabinet member for public protection and transport said: "Parents have a right to know what they are feeding their children but as our results show some manufacturers are misleading people about the contents of products targeted at youngsters. "Some manufacturers have adopted the term "controlled" which is effectively meaningless on a food product as all commercially produced products have controlled recipes. "There are also strict guidelines specifying when a product can be described as being "low" or "reduced" in certain nutrients but none of the products we tested satisfied these requirements. "We will continue to monitor the situation and will take legal action where necessary against companies who are misleading consumers about the quality of children`s food." The results of the survey will be reported to the Food Standards Agency. |
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| 06 April 2004 | County cash helps provide top sports facilities |
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A top class tennis facility is to be created in Derbyshire after the project netted £30,000 funding from the county council. Chesterfield Tennis Club will undergo a £830,000 transformation to make it a smash hit with users. The club, in Hawksley Avenue, Brockwell, currently has nine outdoor tennis courts - six of which are almost 50 years old. Plans for the upgrade will include a new indoor structure with three tarmac courts and men and women`s changing rooms. Externally improvements will see three of the existing tarmac courts being resurfaced and re-fenced. The county council`s £30,000 regeneration grant will be added to £20,000 funding provided by the club, and £30,000 being given by Chesterfield Borough Council. Further funding will come from the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) who will meet the outstanding balance with a £100,000 loan and a £650,000 grant. The club is one of just five national projects to have been chosen by the LTA, which has been awarded £3.1 million by Sport England from the New Opportunities Fund to improve tennis facilities throughout the country. Chesterfield has attracted the largest LTA grant. Councillor Geoff Carlile, Derbyshire County Council cabinet member for regeneration, said: "The development of the tennis club will be a major asset not just for Chesterfield but for the whole of Derbyshire. "The project will provide excellent sporting facilities and give people a healthy choice of activity. "It might even give the club the chance to help train a Derbyshire player to become a future Tim Henman or Annabel Croft." Full planning permission for the new-look club has been granted by Chesterfield Borough Council and work is expected to begin on the scheme in September. Andrew Hiron, chair of Chesterfield Tennis Club said: "We already work closely with the community, schools and youth groups and these new facilities will help us provide even better services. "Everyone at the club is grateful to Derbyshire County Council for its support." |
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| 02 April 2004 | Children`s Festival hailed a success |
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A Children`s Festival held by Derbyshire County Council to promote reading and writing has been hailed a success following a showcase event featuring Children`s laureate Michael Morpurgo. Around 250 pupils from across Derbyshire listened to children`s author Michael talk about being a writer and ask questions about his work. Since the festival was launched in October, youngsters have been working with artists on a variety of projects designed to inspire and encourage them to read and try out creative writing. Art work and other creative projects carried out in schools throughout the county as part of the festival were on display at the event over two days and pupils took part in a range of workshops and activities on the day. Councillor Alan Charles, the council`s cabinet member for education, viewed the work on display and congratulated the schools on their achievements. He said: "It was a pleasure to see such a fantastic display of work created by youngsters in our schools and to actually see them at work with some of the artists involved. "Children in Derbyshire are reading and writing better than ever before and this is partly because they are being engaged in education they can enjoy such as the Children`s Festival. "This was a chance to celebrate their achievements and congratulate them on their hard work." Work in schools will continue until July as part of the festival. |
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| 01 April 2004 | Know your food safety facts |
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A two-week roadshow run by Derbyshire County Council`s trading standards service is to give members of the public advice about how to ensure the food they eat is safe. The events, which will take place in Derbyshire libraries, are part of a co-ordinated awareness raising campaign being carried out by trading standards officers across the East Midlands. Visitors to the roadshow will be able to find out:
Leaflets will be available for visitors to take away and trading standards officers will be on hand to talk through any issues of concern about food safety. The roadshow will visit the following venues between 9.30am and 3.30pm:
Councillor Walter Burrows, Derbyshire County Council`s cabinet member for public protection and transport, said: "Hardly a day goes by when the media isn`t reporting some concern over food safety and this has led to a lot of public uncertainty. "We recognise that some consumers are not clear about who to approach if they have concerns about a food product they have purchased. "We hope that the roadshows will make people aware of the work that trading standards does and that carried out by other agencies, such as the district council environmental health teams." Anyone who is unable to attend the roadshows but has complaints about food products can report them by ringing Derbyshire County Council`s trading standards service on 01629 585858. |
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| 01 April 2004 | County helps public switch on to benefits of Broadband |
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Homes and businesses in west Derbyshire will be able to keep up-to-speed by switching on to a variety of broadband technologies thanks to a new county council partnership. The authority has teamed up with British Telecom (BT) to help deliver broadband to people in west Derbyshire. An arrangement will see BT begin work setting up telephone exchanges in Darley Dale, Baslow, Hathersage and Tideswell - which cover about 7,000 homes and businesses. Using broadband - rather than dial up access to the internet - means that the Internet connection is constantly available. Councillor Geoff Carlile, Derbyshire`s cabinet member for regeneration said: "This is great news for both business and personal Internet users. "Communities in west Derbyshire may have taken quite a while to receive broadband as many are in sparsely populated areas. "But now businesses will be able to stay competitive, get things done more quickly and be confident they have the benefits of the latest technology. "Families and home-users will no longer have to wait so long for a high speed Internet connection and they will be able to access information more easily. "I am delighted that this option will be available." In putting together the partnership proposal - which is open to all operators and Internet service providers - Derbyshire County Council collated information about how broadband and information and communication technology (ICT) is promoted in the county. Members of the Derbyshire Partnership Forum, which includes the county council, borough and district councils, NHS primary care trusts and the emergency services successfully bid for a Local Government On-Line Partnership grant of £2 million for joint projects in 2002. This has resulted in multi-agency projects to deliver electronic services by new methods such as on-line application forms, e-payments and e-procurements. Pierre Danon, executive director for BT Plc said: "BT is delighted to be working in partnership with Derbyshire County Council to extend the coverage of broadband in the county beyond the current 90 per cent. "We have already enabled 47 telephone exchanges making broadband possible for about 415,000 homes and businesses across the county. "We look forward to working together to help develop countywide advancement so Derbyshire can build a strong online economy." |
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