November

Derbyshire’s first children’s centre is to be launched in Ironville to offer a one-stop shop for education, childcare and family support and health services.

Derbyshire County Council plans to create up to 15 children’s centres between March 2005 and March 2006, which would serve 7,188 children on completion.

The first centre, in Victoria Street creates 30 additional childcare places and brings together health workers, education staff and family support workers.

It was officially announced as a designated children’s centre Margaret Hodge, Minister for Children in a speech given at the National Childminding Association of England and Wales annual conference in Scarborough on Saturday (Nov 27).

Councillor Bob Janes, cabinet member for community services, said: “Bringing together staff from different organisations helps the smooth planning and delivery of services for the community.

“This centre will help us to give people the backing and information they are looking for which they might not otherwise be able to access as easily.”

Families in the Ironville and Riddings area will benefit from the centre’s services, which include:

Day care for children all year round

Family support services, such as parenting skills and family mediation

Early learning education

Employment and training advice for parents

Health services.

The children’s centre incorporates the recently opened £500,000 Clowns neighbourhood nursery in Victoria Street which was launched in June and offers provision for children up to the age of five. Ironville and Codnor Park Primary School staff and amenities are involved in providing services through the centre, from the school’s location opposite the facility.

Amber Valley Sure Start staff are also based at the nursery, providing on-site and outreach family support and health services.

Councillor Janes said: “We want to provide families with all the support they could need and give young people the best start in life.

“These facilities will be on the doorstep for the local community and will encourage people to develop ties and relationships within their neighbourhoods.”

Want to learn something new but feeling the pinch this Christmas? Then why not put a cut-price Derbyshire County Council course on your shopping list.

The authority is offering a 20 per cent discount on all its exam courses for students old and new – but you have to enrol before Christmas to qualify.

The move is designed to encourage more Derbyshire people to try something new or refresh their skills without hitting them in the pocket. The bargain courses start in January.

Councillor Bob Janes, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for community services, said: “Many people already get good discounts on our courses, such as the over 60s and those on benefits. But this doesn’t help others who may want to get back into learning or brush up on a hobby or interest but think they can’t afford it.”

It’s not only full fee payers who benefit from the latest saving however. “The saving also applies to people who already get a discount so everybody wins,” added Coun Janes.

Typically, a 20-week course for full fee payers costs £39 while the over 60s pay £31. Those on certain benefits pay a £10 administration charge only.

But under the new pre-Christmas offer, everybody will get 20 per cent off, bringing the cost down to £31.20; £24.80 and £8 respectively.

The county council’s adult community education service runs more than 3,500 academic and vocational courses in hundreds of venues countywide, including adult and community centres, village halls and schools. Many courses are free and more than 60 per cent of students already get discounted tuition.

Its wide-range of accredited courses include: food hygiene, first aid, art, crafts, bookkeeping, modern languages, yoga, upholstery, computers and garden design. Not forgetting English, maths and English for speakers of other languages.

Coun Janes added: “If you have been thinking of getting back into learning, or adding another string to your bow, take advantage of our discounts. There couldn’t be a better time to sign up.”

For more details of courses in your area, or to enrol, contact Call Derbyshire on 08456 058 058 8am-8pm weekdays and 9.30am-4pm on Saturdays.

Get a taste for learning at an open day being held at Killamarsh adult community education centre.

Workshops on web browsing, first aid and French as well as Christmas card art and silk painting will be on offer at Derbyshire County Council’s Stanley Street centre on Saturday, December 11.

Hungry visitors can also sample Finding Food for Free – a course which shows how you can find food from the countryside.

And anyone with a problem with their computer can also visit the computer workshop where staff will be available to help.

As an added bonus, the county council is offering a 20 per cent discount to anyone signing up for an exam course before the end of December.

Councillor Bob Janes, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for community services, is hoping local people will take advantage of the open day to find out more about what is going on at the centre.

“Killamarsh is a small, friendly centre offering dozens and dozens of interesting classes and courses,” he said.

“Next week’s open day will offer local people the ideal opportunity to check out the place for themselves and find out more about what is on offer.

“Whether you want to brush up on a hobby or learn some basic computing skills, Killamarsh centre is a great place to be.”

Courses on offer at the centre include: IT, French, Spanish, aromatherapy, yoga, maths, head massage, reflexology and computers for the terrified. An Italian class is planned to start in January along with a family history course, basic snack making, basic food hygiene and first aid.

Centre manager Terena Davis is hoping for a big turnout on the open day which runs from 10am-4pm. She said: “We’ve got all sorts on offer with some of the courses, such as IT, enrolling all year round.

“Saturday will provide a great opportunity for local people to come in, have a look round and try some of the courses for themselves. People shouldn’t be nervous, this is great place to learn.”

An innovative project which has seen a ‘mini’ town created in a Derbyshire County Council-run school is being highlighted as an example of good practice by the Government.

Grange Primary School in Long Eaton has been selected by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) to feature as a case study on its teachernet website, which aims to celebrate success and share good practice with schools across the country.

The school has been chosen because it has created a scaled down version of a real town, called Grangeton, which has its own political structure and working economy.

Pupils are asked to use the skills they use in the classroom when taking part in activities around the town. Grangeton has its own mayor and elected council, a newspaper, television studio, radio station, cinema, healthy-eating tuck shop with two franchises, a museum and a language café. All the enterprises are run by pupils.

Councillor Alan Charles, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for education, said: “It is wonderful to see the Grangeton project receive national recognition.

“This innovative approach to learning has proved very successful and we are keen to encourage any opportunity to share this good practice with schools across Derbyshire and the rest of the country.”

The Grangeton project is the brainchild of headteacher Richard Gerver, who set it up two years ago as a method of helping pupils to learn in a way that is relevant to their lives. It has also enabled the school to improve its national key stage test results at level 4 from around 50 per cent in all key subjects three years ago to this year’s results of 100 per cent in science, 92 per cent in literacy and 87 per cent in maths.

Richard said: “It is a tremendous opportunity to showcase the school and let the staff and kids celebrate their achievements.

“The teachernet website fits in with Derbyshire County Council’s desire to share positive projects with other schools. It is only by networking that we can learn from each other.”

The case study about Grange Primary School can be seen by visiting http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/schoolinfocus (opens in a new window) The story will be on the website until Friday 3 December.

David Miliband, minister for school standards, said: “Creating a ‘town’ within the school is a fascinating idea that inspires pupils and enhances their learning and enjoyment of school life.

“I believe these factors have made a considerable contribution to the school’s success in raising standards.”

Older people living in Ilkeston are being encouraged to get involved in a new forum which will give them a platform for their ideas and concerns.

The first official meeting of the new Ilkeston Forum will be held on Wednesday 1 December between 10am and 12.15pm at The Arena in Rutland Street, Ilkeston.

People aged over 50 are invited to attend to help set up a steering group, elect a chair, treasurer and secretary as well as prioritise issues to be addressed over the coming year.

The new Ilkeston Forum has been set up following a successful event held earlier in November where older people were invited to an event to discuss the possibility of setting one up.

More than 60 people aged over 50 attended the initial event and a unanimous decision was made to set up an official forum.

The initial event, and the first official meeting next Wednesday, have been organised by Derbyshire County Council’s social services, Community Concern Erewash, Erewash CVS and other local agencies.

The forum will give older people living in Ilkeston the opportunity to exchange ideas with each other and with decision-making organisations at a local, regional and national level.

The forum is one of several being set up across the county and is connected to the national `Better Government for Older People’ programme.

The programme is a national initiative launched in 1998 to give older people a voice to improve public services and is a partnership between central government, local government, the voluntary sector and older people.

To attend the event on Wednesday people should contact Community Concern Erewash so refreshments can be arranged. For help with a lift to the event people should also contact Community Concern Erewash which may be able to arrange transport.

Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for social care and health Councillor Anne Western said: “There was great enthusiasm at the initial meeting in Ilkeston and I am sure the event next Wednesday will be the start of a very successful forum. 

“The forums are an excellent way for older people to communicate with each other and to get their views heard.”

People who would like to go to the event on Wednesday 1 December should contact Sheila, Jane or Elaine at Community Concern Erewash on 0115 9444146.

Primary and secondary school pupils are being trained as peer tutors by Derbyshire County Council to support younger students with their learning.

The skills taught to pupils through the peer tutor programme are then used in sessions held at lunchtimes, after-school clubs, holiday clubs or during assemblies.

Last year 80 year nine pupils were trained to act as peer tutors in schools across Derbyshire. It proved such a success that three more training sessions have been held, involving 61 primary and 34 secondary pupils from schools in the Alfreton and South Derbyshire areas.

The idea is that peer tutors build their self confidence and reinforce their existing knowledge, while younger pupils respond well because they are being supported in their learning by people of a similar age. All the learning is done under the supervision of staff.

Councillor Alan Charles, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for education, said: “The peer tutor project has already proved a big success among secondary school pupils so we have decided to introduce it in primary schools.

“This is not about replacing normal lessons with teachers in any way. It is about using extra out-of-school sessions to build the self confidence of the young people involved and inspire them to learn additional skills using different methods.”

Before they can support younger pupils all students have to undergo a training session where they are shown different learning styles, how the brain works and how to support people in their learning.

Year five and six primary school pupils, aged nine to 11, will assist younger students in years one to four. At secondary schools year nine pupils, aged 13 and 14, will support students in years seven and eight or at local primary schools.

The peer tutoring project is run by Derbyshire County Council’s schools advisory service and the Derbyshire University of the First Age, an educational charity that uses creative approaches to learning.

Peer tutors who trained last year were involved in supporting summer schools, revision sessions and out-of-hours learning clubs.

More than 40 new street lighting schemes are going ahead thanks to £250,000 funding from Derbyshire County Council.

The authority has approved the money to spend across Derbyshire in response to suggestions from community safety partnerships, local councillors and the police.

It will be supplemented with £50,000 from Derbyshire police totalling £300,000 to light up dozens of streets and footpaths across the county.

The street lighting initiative is part of the county council’s ongoing commitment to reducing crime and the fear of crime - a priority issue highlighted by residents in council commissioned surveys.

Derbyshire County Council cabinet member for public protection and transport Councillor Walter Burrows said: “We’ve listened to feedback from the community safety partnerships and our council and police colleagues to make sure we’re targeting the right areas with this funding.

“These schemes are part of the council’s ongoing commitment to working in partnership to reduce crime and the fear of crime. Surveys have shown this is a major area of concern for many of our residents so is an issue we are committed to tackling.

“Improved street lighting plays a vital part in helping people feel safer in their own communities so we’re delighted to be able to make this funding available.”

Work has already been completed on some of the 41 locations approved in the programme and will be completed on all of them by the end of March.

Help and advice on a wide range of personal or work-related issues is available for Derbyshire County Council’s foster carers through a new 24-hour support scheme.

The authority’s 400-strong foster care network will find additional support is just a phone call away thanks to a confidential employee assistance programme.

A 24-hour helpline, and telephone or face-to-face counselling services are offered through professional counselling organisation Right Corecare.

Employed by the county council to provide a free assistance scheme for all staff, their partners and close family members, the free services include unlimited access to confidential advice and information to help individuals deal with a range of problems or issues including:

Legal or financial

Work or career

Marital or family

Emotional or personal.

Right Corecare has been operating the support service on behalf of the county council since April, when it took the contract over from the Lancaster Group.

Councillor Anne Western, cabinet member for social care and health, said: “Our foster carers are very highly valued as they provide loving and stable homes for children in our care so we want them to be able to access the benefits that county council staff enjoy.”

A county council scheme which teams experienced foster parents with newly qualified carers to offer them extra support was last month adopted in national guidelines for best practice by the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE).

Information packs detailing the new services available through Right Corecare, including the helpline number, will be issued to all foster carers.

Councillor Western added: “We’re always looking to recruit more foster carers so we can replace those who may be retiring or moving out of the area and offer a wide choice of placements to best suit the needs of the different young people in our care.

“This additional support demonstrates our commitment to our foster parents and how we work with them to offer them the best possible backing.”

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 http://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/fostering (opens in a new window) or email fostering@derbyshire.gov.uk 

Rogue traders who try to con customers are being targeted in Derbyshire County Council’s new Catch a Cowboy campaign.

Trading standards officers launched the campaign to net traders who over charge residents or falsely claim to have carried out work.

Staff rented out a house at a location in Derbyshire and posed as a couple experiencing problems with their washing machine.

An electrical expert introduced simple faults to four washing machines and repair firms were called in to fix one of the following problems:

A blockage in the pipe to the pump

Failing to fill with water

Over filling with water

Internal power disconnection

None of the problems required a new part to be fitted.

Three of the four firms called in fixed the problem satisfactorily and charged accordingly.

But a fourth trader falsely claimed he had replaced a part – even though he charged in line with the other three firms. Trading standards officers will now investigate the trader further and will consider prosecution under the Trade Descriptions Act.

This is the first time trading standards has monitored Derbyshire traders in this way and following the success of the pilot scheme the campaign will be expanded to cover other parts of the county and household appliances and services.

Councillor Walter Burrows, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for public protection and transport, said: “There are many skilled and honest professionals trading in Derbyshire and these people have no reason to fear.

“But unfortunately there are some ‘cowboys’ around who will try and rip people off.

“These traders should be warned that we are hot on their trail – we will find them and if they are acting dishonestly, we will consider prosecution.”

Forced marriages, institutional abuse and changes to the Sexual Offences Act will all be on the agenda at a conference to promote positive work in protecting vulnerable adults.

The Derby and Derbyshire Adult Protection Committee is holding its third annual conference on Thursday 25 November in Ilkeston and a range of speakers will cover a variety of topics relating to the abuse of older people.

Derby and Derbyshire Adult Protection Committee is a partnership between several bodies including Derbyshire County Council, Derby City Council, Derbyshire Police, Derbyshire`s probation service, primary care trusts and the county`s Commission for Social Care Inspection.

Speakers at the conference, being held at The Arena, will include representatives from Action on Elder Abuse, as well as the Ann Craft Trust and Voice UK, which are both concerned with protecting people with learning difficulties from abuse.

Edi O`Farrell, who has been the national development officer for Action on Elder Abuse since April, is the keynote speaker, and will be talking about recent and proposed national initiatives relating to the protection of vulnerable adults.

Karma Nirvana, a women`s refuge for Asian woman in Derbyshire, will be represented by Jasvinder Sanghera who will talk about her experiences after she decided against an arranged marriage at the age of 17.

Jasvinder, who has addressed conferences nationwide telling of her experiences, has supported many Asian women since who have had similar experiences and will also describe her role and the philosophy of the refuge as well as looking at the possible difficulties people may have accessing the service.

A number of services are currently running in Derbyshire to combat abuse against vulnerable adults and so far this year more than 300 adults across the county have been helped.

The issues of abuse against vulnerable adults were highlighted in a campaign launched a year ago by the adult protection committee, backed by the county council, which saw 10,000 leaflets published and distributed countywide urging vulnerable adults who were being abused, or carers and relatives who suspected abuse, to get in touch and get help to make it stop.

Representatives from a number of organisations offering help will be at Thursday`s conference to listen to the various talks, take part in discussions and share best practice.

Derbyshire County Council cabinet member for social care and health Councillor Anne Western said: "It is vitally important that issues concerning abuse against vulnerable adults are highlighted and this conference does that.

"It also gives people the chance to hear others experiences, share best practice and meet people working in the same field, which can only be a good thing in the quest to stop abuse against vulnerable people living in Derbyshire."

Pupils and teachers at a Chesterfield school have received an early Christmas present after Government inspectors took the school out of special measures.

An inspection team from the Office for Standards in Education placed Birdholme Nursery and Infant School in special measures in October 2002 due to concerns about attainment levels and the unsatisfactory progress of pupils.

But following a further visit last month inspectors have decided that the school has been transformed and is now providing an acceptable standard of education for its pupils.

This came after the introduction of a rigorous programme of improvement, supported by education officers from Derbyshire County Council.

Councillor Alan Charles, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for education, said: “This is excellent news for pupils, parents, staff and governors.

“With the assistance of our education officers the school has worked hard to tackle the issues identified by the inspectors in 2002 and to lay the foundations for continued improvements in the coming months.”

Inspectors who visited the school in Derby Road found:

SAT test results at key stage 1 have improved significantly and are well above those of similar schools

Good or better teaching in half of the lessons

Pupils’ behaviour and their attitudes to work are good

Good leadership from the headteacher and chair of governors

Headteacher Jane Garrett said: “Going through this process has developed the strengths of the school and ensured that everyone, including teachers and governors, are working together as a team.

“I would like to thank parents, Derbyshire County Council and the local community for their support during this period.”

David Bell, the chief inspector of schools, has written to the school congratulating them on coming out of special measures and for the improvements put in place.

He said: “The progress the school has made is the result of a lot of hard work. I would particularly highlight the improvements made in the quality of teaching and the leadership and management of the school.

“You now have the foundations in place to go from strength to strength.”

To continue the progress that has been made inspectors recommend the school:

Raises standards in information and communication technology

Improves pupils’ communication and language skills

Ensures that communication, language, literacy and maths skills are taught in a way appropriate for pupils in the nursery section

Chair of governors Margery Lievesley said: “This report shows that Birdholme is a good school where children are happy and achieve their full potential, supported by a hard working team of staff and governors. “Despite this success we are determined to continue driving up standards and have an action plan in place to enable us to do this.”

Drivers are being encouraged to stay safe this winter with some seasonal driving tips from Derbyshire County Council.

The authority has published new leaflets – available from garages and libraries – showing the county’s winter gritting routes and also carrying advice on how to travel safely in snow, ice and severe weather.

When it comes to vehicles the general advice is - keep lights, windows and mirrors clean and free from ice and snow; keep the battery fully charged; add anti-freeze to the radiator and winter additive to the windscreen washer bottles; make sure wipers and lights are in good working order; check tyres have plenty of tread depth and are maintained at the correct pressure.

Driving conditions vary according to weather and the advice is:

If it’s wet, slushy, or icy - your stopping distance can be doubled and it can take up to 10 times longer to stop in icy conditions than in dry conditions.

Drive slowly, allowing extra room to slow down and stop. In snow use dipped headlights and the highest gear possible to avoid wheel spin. Manoeuvre gently, avoid harsh braking and acceleration.

To brake on ice or snow without locking your wheels, get into a low gear earlier than normal, allow your speed to fall and use the brake pedal gently. If you start to skid, ease off the accelerator but do not brake suddenly

In fog - drive very slowly using dipped headlights. Use fog-lights if visibility is seriously reduced but remember to switch them off when visibility improves.

Don`t hang on to the tail-lights of the vehicle in front as this gives you a false sense of security and means you may be driving too close. Don`t speed up suddenly, even if it seems to be clearing. You can suddenly find yourself back in thick fog.

In winter sun - Keep a pair of sunglasses handy.

Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for public protection and transport Councillor Walter Burrows: “Drivers can also do their bit at this time of year by taking some precautions if bad weather is predicted.

“They should think if their journey is necessary and if it is make sure they and their vehicle are ready for the journey. Checking the teletext or listening to local radio for the latest travel and weather information is always a good pointer before heading out on the road.”

Memories of a rural Derbyshire village are helping unite a community’s young and old.

Older people in Tintwistle have been collaborating with young men from a drug rehabilitation project as part of an oral history project run by tutors from Derbyshire County Council adult community education.

The project is proving so successful an exhibition displaying old photographs and reminiscences from the group has been created and is due to be displayed in Hadfield library. A book is also planned as a permanent record of the group’s work.

As well as creating an interesting record of the village going back many years, friendships have been forged and the residents of the Anster Young People’s Project have taken advantage of a number of courses run by the county council’s adult community education service.

Among the dozen older people who attend the project every Thursday is Tintwistle’s oldest resident Emily Smith who last week celebrated her 99th birthday.

Chair of Derbyshire County Council, Councillor Charles Cutting, helped the former mill worker celebrate the milestone at the group’s regular get-together on Thursday, November 11.

Councillor Cutting said: “This is a fascinating project which has helped the older residents form firm friendships with the young men on the project.

“The older residents have fascinating tales of the past and the lads have enjoyed hearing their stories. They have also learned some new skills along the way.”

The oral history project is organised by Read on Write Away in partnership with Derbyshire County Council with funding from the Derbyshire Learning Partnership.

The course sprang from a regular coffee morning held at the young people’s project in the village, developing into two 10-week courses run by Kay Best, a tutor with the adult community education service. The book is due out at Christmas.

Using Dictaphones, the young men recorded the residents’ stories about their lives in the village, later typing them up on computer. The group also visited landmarks in the village, taking photographs to compare to old photos.

Tutor Kay Best said: “There were stories about a typical day at home, school and work.

“Emily had many tales, including how she worked on a loom in a mill that used to be in the village. The lads were very interested although quite shocked by some of the stories, particularly about the First World War.”

A shop owner trading in Gamesley has been fined more than £900 after an unsupervised 14-year-old sales assistant sold alcohol to an underage child.

Akbar Ali Shah, who owns the Spar store in Winster Mews, Gamesley near Glossop, faced five charges at Buxton Magistrates’ Court today (Thursday 18 November) following an investigation by Derbyshire County Council’s trading standards service. He was fined £920 and ordered to pay £420 costs.

Shah (46) of Somerset Road, Bolton, admitted two charges of selling alcohol to an underage child twice on April 25 this year. He was fined £340 for each charge.

The child - a 15-year-old girl - was a volunteer helping trading standards officers carry out a routine test purchasing exercise in the area. The legal age for buying alcohol is 18. Shah admitted a further two charges because both sales were made by a 14-year-old sales assistant working unsupervised. Under 18s can only sell alcohol legally if they are supervised by an adult. Shah was fined £70 for each of these charges.

Shah also admitted failing to display his name as the licensee and other adequate licensing information above the shop door. He was fined £100 for this offence.

Derbyshire County Council cabinet member for public protection and transport Councillor Walter Burrows said: “We are committed to cracking down on the sale of alcohol to underage children across the county and we hope the substantial fine imposed today sends out a very clear message to traders that they will not get away with breaking the law.

“Our trading standards team goes to great lengths to offer support and advice to traders to help them stay on the right side of the law so ignorance is no excuse. Meanwhile, we will be continuing with our work to clamp down on offenders.”

Any trader or member of the public unsure of the law concerning the sale of alcohol to children can call Derbyshire’s trading standards team on 01629 585858.

Children can look forward to a better start in life thanks to a new resource centre to be built in north west Derbyshire.

A £585,000 Sure Start centre in Fairfield, Buxton, will provide a wide range of services for youngsters and families.

Attached to Fairfield Youth Centre in Bench Road, the centre will offer a base for family and parenting support, nutritional advice and links with health visitors.

The venue will also include facilities for a dental surgery, doctor’s consulting rooms and community rooms.

Sure Start is a national initiative aimed at improving community services and resources for children under four years and their families.

Fairfield’s local Sure Start programme began in 2002 and has provided a toy library, support group for mothers, a `dads and lads` football team, a breast-feeding support group, parent and toddler health groups and living with children courses.

The scheme will be funded with £90,000 from Derbyshire County Council, £250,000 from Sure Start, £195,000 from High Peak and Dales Primary Care Trust and £50,000 from the Government through the Children’s Centre.

Councillor Bob Janes, cabinet member for community services said: “This is a marvellous opportunity to provide even more support and facilities for children, young people and families in the north west of the county. 

“Sure Start has brought massive benefits to the community in Fairfield for the past two years and their involvement in the development of this new centre will cement the good work that has been happening and offer a one-stop shop for services.”

Planning approval has been given to the project and building work is due to begin this month, with the centre expected to be completed next May. 

A course run by Derbyshire County Council to encourage a group of young people with disabilities to improve their fitness has proved so successful that it is being expanded.

A group of 11 students, aged 16 to 19, from Ashgate Croft School in Chesterfield took part in a pilot project called Active Life, run by the authority’s adult community education and sports development teams.

The programme consists of three units that students can take at the Manor Centre in Ashgate Road, Chesterfield. The first is an introduction on how to use gym equipment safely, the second is a gym fitness programme tailored to individual needs and the third is a diet and nutrition section. Each unit involves a minimum of 20 hours work, although students can do more if they want.

The pilot project proved such a success that a second course is being planned, which will start in January and be offered to a wider range of people. More pupils from Ashgate Croft School will take part and Chesterfield Primary Care Trust is interested in enrolling a group of people with mental health needs.

Councillor Bob Janes, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for community services, said: “One of the main aims of the course is to build up the confidence of the learners.

“Many would not normally go into gym as they would feel unsure about how to use the equipment but by taking part in the programme they gain fitness and the confidence to go to their local sports facilities.

“At the same time they come away with a level 1 Open College Network certificate, which is a nationally recognised qualification.”

Anyone interested in joining the course should contact Angela Warner at the Manor Centre on 01246 272222.

Star ratings published today have again ranked Derbyshire County Council’s social services as among the best in the country for the second year running.

The ratings, awarded by the Commission for Social Care Inspection, are published following visits and independent judgements of performance across all areas of social services.

The three star excellent rating puts the county’s social services in the top three in the country, behind Bexley and Westminster, sharing third position with Bolton, Wandsworth, North Lincolnshire and Newcastle.

The release of the star ratings coincides with the publication of the Department of Health’s Performance Assessment Framework (PAF) indicators for 2003/2004.

Out of the 45 indicators where ratings were awarded, the council’s social services department was rated in the highest or second band in 33 areas (73%) with 21 (47%) being placed in the top band.

There were 10 areas where there had been an improvement and no areas which require urgent action.

The department is ranked on its performance in areas including:

Older people and those with disabilities who are helped to stay in their own homes

The health of children in social services care

The stability of placements for looked after children

Assessments of adults and older people

The adoption and fostering of children

County council leader Councillor John Williams said: “We are extremely pleased that our social services department has been acknowledged as one of the best in the country and that the hard work of the staff has been recognised.

“Not only have we again achieved three stars but we are still improving in all areas of our work which is excellent news.”

Councillor Williams added: “The star ratings and the performance indicators are a useful way of letting people know about how our services are performing and also a measure for us too.

“They help us to identify areas where there is room for improvement and we shall be working hard to maintain our three stars and provide the best service we can for the people of Derbyshire.”

An ageing classroom block at a New Mills school is to be demolished by Derbyshire County Council and replaced with a new extension.

The improvements at New Mills Primary School, in Meadow Street, will cost £365,000. Once completed, the new block will contain two classrooms, a disabled toilet and a lobby area.

A hard play area will also be constructed, while an existing footpath will be diverted and extended and an existing car parking area will be resurfaced.

Councillor John Williams, Leader of Derbyshire County Council, said: “This new extension will replace the existing Vic Hallam block, which is not of the standard that we wish to provide for children in Derbyshire.

“The building will offer pupils modern facilities that will provide a much better environment for learning. Teachers at the school have been consulted about the design to ensure that it meets their needs.”

Building work should start in early December and be completed by late July 2005.

Derbyshire County Council will contribute £335,000 towards the cost, with the school paying the remaining £30,000.

There’s good news for local history enthusiasts as Derbyshire County Council’s Record Office has added three new collections to its archives.

The papers recall characters and events of great interest and importance to Derbyshire’s past.

The first Penguin paperback guide to Derbyshire can be found among papers and personal items of its author Frederick Mutton. The papers came from Frederick’s great nephew and also include reviews of the book, Frederick’s driving licence – which was one of the first in the county – and his wife Dorothy’s identity card.

It was the Muttons who converted Willersley Castle – formerly the Arkwright family home in Cromford – into the Willersley Methodist holiday centre.The Wesley Guild bought the castle in 1928 and – as secretary of the Derby and District Wesley Guild Council – Frederick became the first administrator of the holiday centre.

The castle became home to Frederick and Dorothy until their retirement to Sidmouth, Devon to a house they called ‘Cromford’. Frederick died in 1967 and Dorothy in 1987.

The second set of archives come from Alvaston butcher Joseph Martin who was a member of the Derby Master Butchers’ Association before becoming president of the National Federation of Meat Traders’ Associations in 1973. His records include the Derby Master Butchers’ association minutes from 1948-58, agendas, committee papers, conference papers and correspondence relating to the National Federation of Meat Traders’ Associations, retail business records of Joseph as a butcher in Alvaston in the late 1940s to mid 1960s and personal papers from the 1950s until the1970s - including scrapbooks of social activities during his presidential year.

The archives are of particular interest for social historians because they cover subjects such as the effects of an outbreak in the 1960s of foot and mouth disease, the impact on the retail meat trade of Britain joining the Common Market and changing attitudes to meat consumption among the public.

The final collection records the aftermath of the Markham Colliery explosion more than 65 years ago. The Record Office has acquired the Disaster Fund’s archives - set up to administer more than £51,000 in donations which were received from all over the country after the explosion on 10 May 1938.

The appeal for funds was launched by the Mayor of Chesterfield and the Chairman of Staveley Urban District Council immediately after the disaster which killed 79 miners and left 62 widows with 83 children. The fund was wound up in January 2001 with the death of the last 1938 colliery disaster widow Mary Jane Bradford, aged 95.

Derbyshire County Council cabinet member for community services Councillor Bob Janes said: “These archives are a welcome addition to the Record Office.

“They give an interesting insight into events and people which shaped Derbyshire’s past. We feel they will prove to be of great value to local historians.”

Library goers in Chesterfield will be linking up to Africa on Thursday (18 November) as part of Derbyshire County Council’s involvement in the Africa@21 project.

The county council is one of only six library authorities in the country taking part in the project which seeks to raise awareness of work by African writers and UK writers of African heritage or with strong connections to the continent.

The project is organised by the British Council which promotes the UK and its language to countries throughout the world. Derbyshire has been partnered with Namibia – one of five African countries involved in the project.

The aim is to set up activities and opportunities for readers from both sides of the globe to share their reading experiences. And as part of this there will be a live video link up between the Namibian British Council library in Windhoek and Chesterfield Library at 4.30pm on Thursday.

The author Neshani Andreas will be in the British Council office in Namibia to talk about her novel Purple Violet of Oshaantu to readers and library staff in Windhoek and will link to a small group of readers and library staff in Chesterfield. Visitors and staff in Chesterfield hope to listen to Neshani and then discuss aspects of her writing. There will also be three representatives from the British Council as well as a photographer from the BBC World Service at the event.

Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for community services Councillor Bob Janes said: “Derbyshire County Council is pleased to be one of the few library authorities in the country involved in the Africa@21 project.

“The project gives local people the chance to experience some of the customs and culture of Namibia without straying too far from their own doorsteps. This video link will be the perfect opportunity for staff and library goers to make first hand contact with library users in another country.”

Derbyshire ex pats from Australia to the States are enjoying a taste of home - thanks to the Picture the Past website.

The site - jointly managed by Derbyshire County Council, Nottingham City Council, Derby City Council and Nottinghamshire County Council – is also attracting people from across the globe who have never set foot in the county but who want to see where their ancestors hail from.

An e-mail received via the website from Geniene Prater of Whyalla, South Australia reads: ‘I want to thank you so much for putting up so many lovely old photographs. ‘These are places of my ancestry, my great grandparents, my grandmother and my own mother were born in these places and it has given me the chance to show my own children where their family originally comes from.’

Nearer to home Ken Martin, from Valencia in Spain writes: ‘ Very very homesick but tied here in Valencia, Spain by business.

‘I’m ‘researching’ our genealogy and last evening I used your site to ‘wander’ through the Derbyshire High Peak. I haven’t done that for over 50 years!’

The site – which has been running since February 2003 – now has more than 40,000 historical images from the whole of the north east midlands with hundreds more being added every week. Visitors can browse through the catalogue of pictures and buy their own copies online.

Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for community services Councillor Bob Janes said: “The Picture the Past website has proved a great success in preserving and recording for public use some very important images from the region’s history.

“The fact it has given so much enjoyment to people with Derbyshire connections who are living overseas is an added bonus.”

With 73,000 visitors so far this year Picture the Past is proving a great success - not just with local people but with those for who a virtual visit to Derbyshire is the closest they can get to the real thing.

As Frank Shaw from New Jersey, USA writes: ‘Just spent an hour seeing all the old photographs of Killamarsh. An excellent collection, I really enjoyed seeing the old place after all the years I have lived overseas.’

You can visit the Picture the Past website at http://www.picturethepast.org.uk (opens in a new window)

PICK UP SOME BARGAIN PHOTOS FOR CHRISTMAS

Derbyshire County Council has permanently reduced the prices on its Picture the Past website  and added a new print size in response to suggestions from customers. So you can now order your piece of the past in time for Christmas. The new sizes and prices are as follows: 6in x 4in - £5; 8in x 6in - £6; 10in x 8in - £7. Larger sizes are also available. 

A document which is helping to shape Derbyshire’s landscape for decades to come has been commended by the East Midlands Branch of the Royal Town Planning Institute.

The publication – called The Landscape Character of Derbyshire – has been drawn up by Derbyshire County Council in partnership with borough and district councils and with support from the Countryside Agency.

Detailing the county’s landscape types, it acts as a reference tool for planners to help conserve, enhance and manage the environment.

Now the document, which was launched in April, has been commended at the Institute’s 2004 awards ceremony. The judges also praised the fact that a CD version of the document is also available.

Councillor Brian Lucas, the county council’s cabinet member for environment and highways, said: ”This document has already proved popular and has already been re-printed.

“A wide-ranging report which took six years to complete, it is helping to protect Derbyshire’s diverse landscape while also acting as a valuable resource to guide future planning and policy decisions.”

The Landscape Character of Derbyshire is available, priced £40, from Tracey Frost on 01629 580000 ext 7590 or e-mail tracey.frost@derbyshire.gov.uk 

The CD version is priced at £10. Copies of the document will also be available through major county libraries and it is hoped a downloadable version will be available soon.

Road safety messages drawn up by Derbyshire pupils have been turned into a calendar for next year.

Derbyshire County Council worked with seven schools to produce the Art of Road Safety calendar which will be distributed to various people including schools, councillors, all local authorities, Derbyshire police, the safety camera team and the Institute of Road Safety Officers.

Each school was given a month – or in some cases two months – a road safety message and an artist. Pupils were then asked to create artwork based on the message and in the style of the given artist.

Messages included school crossing patrols, drink driving and pedestrian crossings with artists ranging from Picasso to David Bailey. Schools then sent the best six pieces of work to the county council where the final 12 were picked.

The winning pupils will now attend a presentation ceremony at County Hall where their original artwork will be on display and where they will be presented with gift vouchers, activity packs and rucksacks.

Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for public protection and transport Councillor Walter Burrows said: “The benefits from the Art of Road Safety calendar are two-fold.

“It promotes road safety messages in a clear and understandable way for children while providing valuable work which was used as a basis for their art lessons. The results are impressive and – once distributed – the calendars will spread the county council’s road safety messages even further.”

A series of information days are being organised to let older people know about Derbyshire County Council services.

The authority’s cultural and community services department – which includes libraries, Derbyshire Record Office, Buxton Museum and Art Gallery and trading standards - is hosting eight events across the county.

The free events are designed to tell the over 60s about the work of the department and the services on offer to the public including arts projects, reading groups and learning opportunities.

Presentations will highlight library services and events, including the loan of books, videos and DVDs as well as free access to the internet and video phones in all the council’s 45 static libraries.

There will also be chance to hear about the mobile library service which visits more than 1,700 locations across the county and a home visiting service for people who are housebound.

They can also hear about exhibits on show at Buxton Museum and Art Gallery and learn how they can access data kept at Derbyshire Record Office and the Picture the Past website, which contains nearly 40,000 historical images of the north-east midlands.

Councillor Bob Janes, the county council’s cabinet member for community services, said: “We recently carried out extensive consultation to ask older people how services provided by us and other agencies could be improved.

“One of the main things the people we spoke to highlighted was the difficulty they had in getting hold of information about services they were interested in and that is why we have set up a series of events to showcase the work of the department.

“We hope as many people as possible will take advantage of the opportunity to find out about the wide range of services we offer and give us their views on how we can improve them.”

The first event will be staged at Bolsover Library on November 26 with the second at Buxton Museum and Art Gallery on December 13.

Both events, which will take place between 11am and 3pm, are free and a buffet lunch is provided. Other information days will be staged around the county in the new year.

People interested in transport, old photographs or local history are invited to a presentation about Chesterfield’s tramway history.

Barry Marsden will mark the centenary of the opening of Chesterfield Corporation Tramways in 1904 by visiting Derbyshire County Councils Chesterfield library to share his passion of electric transport in Derbyshire.

The illustrated talk is called ‘Chesterfield Horse and Electric Tramways 1882 – 1927’ and takes place on Wednesday 24 November between 7.30pm and 9pm at the library in Beetwell Street.

Using a slideshow, Barry, who was brought up in Chesterfield, will talk through the story of the town’s transport which began with the horse drawn trams in the 1800s.

Featuring photographs of bygone street scenes, early road transport vehicles and costumes from the era, there will be plenty to interest all local history fans.

With 22 books under his belt, many which focus on Derbyshire, and a lifetime fascination of the county’s prehistory and architecture, Barry has been described by Derbyshire Life and Countryside magazine as “the authority on Derbyshire trams”.

His latest book called ‘Chesterfield Tramways‘ is on sale in the library’s local studies section and will be available on the evening.

Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for community services Councillor Bob Janes said: “Barry Marsden is clearly an expert on transport in Derbyshire after writing several books on the subject and it promises to be an interesting evening.

“It may provide a trip down memory lane for older generations and reveal some interesting facts about Chesterfield’s history for younger people.”

Tickets are £3 with £2 concessions and are on sale now from the library’s help desk. For more information call Chesterfield Library on 01246 209292.

See craftsmen and women at work and stock up on gifts during a pre-Christmas craft fair taking place at the Clay Cross Adult Community Education Centre.

Floral art and doorstops, watercolours and beadwork will be among a range of crafts being demonstrated and on sale between 10am and 4pm on Saturday, November 20, at the Market Street centre.

Admission is 50p with accompanied children under 16 getting in free. Everyone is welcome.

Councillor Bob Janes, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for community services, said: “This is a working craft fair with the majority of stallholders demonstrating their crafts throughout the day.

“This is a good opportunity to see how things are made, as well as offering people the opportunity to do a bit of Christmas shopping.”

Saturday Is Craft Day In Clay Cross

Learn a new skill at one of a series of Saturday art and craft classes taking place at a Derbyshire County Council adult education centre.

Beading, step-by-step watercolours, lace making and woodwork are among the subjects being taught at the Clay Cross Adult Community Education Centre during the occasional classes which start at 9.30am and finish at 3pm.

Several subjects are already lined up for the New Year with tutors ready to sign up students now. Courses cost between £15 and £6, depending on certain benefits and your age.

Planned courses include:

Woodwork, beading and lace making - January 29 2005;

Life drawing - February 5 2005;

Woodwork, watercolours and lace making - March 12 2005;

Woodwork, watercolour and lace making - May 21 2005.

Councillor Bob Janes, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for community services, said: “These Saturday classes offer an excellent opportunity for people to learn a new skill or craft during the weekend.

“Not everyone has time during the week to take a course, so these are brilliant for somebody who works or is short of time during the week.”

Last year the Clay Cross Centre, which is run by Derbyshire County Council, underwent a massive refurbishment and now boasts extensive new computer facilities, comfortable coffee bar and basic skills resource centre.

“It’s an extremely pleasant place in which to learn,” added Coun Janes.

A variety of new classes are also starting after Christmas at the centre on Market Street, including:

Manicure and Nail Art – Mondays from 1pm-3pm or from 5.30pm-7.30pm. The 16-week course costs between £68.75 and £22.75, depending on age and benefits.

Garden design - a variety of classes throughout the week;

Basic food hygiene - time to be arranged, £12;

Basic first aid - time to be arranged, £12.

There are still spaces left on a number of courses already being run at the centre, including getting by in French, childcare, stained glass, computing, lace and woodwork. Italian classes will run if enough people are interested.

For more information or to sign up on a course, call staff on 01246 862383.

Primary pupils will soon find it easier and safer to walk to lessons thanks to Derbyshire County Council approving a new school crossing patrol site.

The authority is now appealing for would-be lollipop men or women to apply for the new post at the junction of Middlecroft Road and Church Close in Middlecroft, Staveley.

There is already a school crossing patrol operating in Inkersall Green Road directly outside Inkersall Primary School, but there is no crossing for the large number of children who have to cross Middlecroft Road.

County council cabinet member for public protection and transport Councillor Walter Burrows said: “We’re keen to encourage children to walk to school wherever possible so we’re delighted to approve the new crossing in this area to make it easier and safer for them to do so in Middlecroft.

"Our dedicated team of school crossing patrols provide an invaluable road safety service and doing the job is an excellent way of meeting people and doing your bit for the community. We are keen to get this vacancy, and the others we have, filled as soon as possible. "

The council has 313 crossing patrol locations and currently has 38 vacancies.

The new crossing patrol site will be between Church Close and the mini-roundabout at the junction of Middlecroft Road and Inkersall Green Road. Anyone can apply for SCP posts if they are aged between 18 and 70 and can be available between the broad times of 8.30am to 9am and 3pm to 4pm every school day during term-time. For the Middlecroft site the times are 8.30am to 9.10am and 3.15pm to 3.50pm.

SCPs are paid £5.31 an hour during term-time and through the school holidays. Deputies (who are called on to cover sickness and holiday leave when required) are paid £5.60 an hour for time worked. Full uniform and training is provided. For more information or to apply call the council’s SCP co-ordinator Eileen Murphy on 01629 585463.

A multi-million pound plan to build up to 400 new homes tailor-made for older people has been given the go-ahead.

Derbyshire County Council has supported plans to have the majority of the new homes completed by 2010 and has linked up with a number of housing associations across the county to make the schemes become a reality.

The council has supported applications for almost £7 million funding from the Department of Health to build the new schemes which will be the first of their kind in the county.

The new `extra care’ homes will offer an alternative to both traditional sheltered housing and residential care and will be based on self-contained flats or bungalows, rather than individual rooms. The flats or bungalows will be self-contained but 24-hour support will be available.

The extra care schemes will also see an extensive range of facilities built alongside the new homes which may include cafes, health and leisure facilities.

No extra care housing development is the same as the design depends on the needs of each community. Schemes can either be small developments or extend to large, extra care complexes.

Homes will be available to buy privately or rent through the housing association supporting the particular scheme. Some places will be taken up with people who have been referred by social services.

The four schemes the county council is supporting are:

The Trident Scheme in Church Street, Church Gresley – Trident Housing Association - cost = £6.3 million

Whitfield House in Charlestown Road, Glossop – South Yorkshire Housing Association - cost = £4.93 million

Romarantin Place, Long Eaton – Three Valleys Housing Association - cost = £1.09 million

Wirksworth Care Centre in St John’s Street, Wirksworth – Housing 21 - cost = £4.89 million

The county council will be informed next February if the bid for funding from the Department of Health has been successful.

County council cabinet member for social care and health Councillor Anne Western said: “The plan to build four extra care schemes is ambitious and exciting and we believe we have found the right partners to take the developments forward.

“The new schemes will extend the choice of accommodation available to older people across Derbyshire and we are hoping now that the bid for Department of Health money will be successful.”

Whitfield House in Glossop will be the first scheme to be developed with the others following as funding is put in place.

The wait is almost over for entrants in Derbyshire’s food and drink industry “Oscars” as judging nears completion.

Restaurants, hotels, cafés and pubs which serve and advertise top Derbyshire produce are vying for titles in the third annual Derbyshire Food and Drink awards.

These include Restaurant of the Year, Pub/Bistro of the Year, Tea Room/Coffee House of the Year, and Best Breakfast.

Independent judges, who form the panel of food specialists which assess the competitors, have been paying “mystery customer” visits to shortlisted premises to sample the goods.

Establishments were judged on criteria including the quality of food and drink, use of county produce and acknowledgement of it on menus, and customer service.

Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for regeneration Councillor Geoff Carlile said: “It can be a tense time for businesses who are striving to show they make the most of the best local produce as the standard each year is incredibly high.

”Once again, we have been impressed by the quality of food and drink on offer throughout the county’s eateries.

“I’m delighted that proprietors are supporting local traders and maintaining Derbyshire’s well deserved excellent reputation for produce such as cheeses, honey, meats and pastries.”

Judges are now going through the results from the mystery visits and a final selection will be made in the next couple of weeks.

Winners will be announced at an award ceremony and dinner hosted at The George Hotel in Main Road, Hathersage on November 30.

A plaque will be presented to the winners of each category for them to display at their business. 

Time is running out for learners to sign up for three new courses being run by Derbyshire County Council’s adult community education service.

The Ritz Centre at Steep Turnpike in Matlock is offering two pilates classes and a computing course, which leads to a European Computer Driving Licence qualification.

Both the pilates classes are ten week courses and start on Tuesday 16 November. Pilates is designed to improve your posture, calm the mind and develop greater flexibility. It is suitable for people of all ages. One course will take place on Tuesdays from 11am to noon and the other will be from 5.30pm to 6.30pm.

The European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) course includes sections on word processing, file management, spreadsheets, presentations, databases and how to browse the Internet and use email. The courses will be held every Thursday from 9.30am to 12.30pm, starting on 18 November.

Councillor Bob Janes, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for community services, said: “The ECDL course is being offered in response to enquiries we have had from the local community for courses that improve computer skills.

“Everyone who completes the course will gain a valuable qualification that is recognised by employers across Europe.

“Pilates is a course that has grown in popularity over recent years and we have put on classes at two different times to fit in around people’s work commitments.”

Anyone interested in signing up for one of the courses should contact Jonathan Kempster at the Ritz Centre in Steep Turnpike or ring him on 01629 584336.

A dancewear business beat off stiff competition to step into the limelight and win a prestigious industry award sponsored by Derbyshire County Council.

The authority backed the Start Up Business of the Year award, which was among the honours presented at The Derbyshire Learning Awards on Friday (November 5).

Hosted by Derbyshire Chamber and Business Link, the ceremony was staged at Pride Park’s Toyota Suite.

The award recognises innovation, entrepreneurial spirit and financial growth, or the potential for growth in the number of employees, for businesses with less than 10 employees that have been operating 18 months or less.

Councillor Geoff Carlile, cabinet member for regeneration, said: “We’re delighted to have sponsored this award as it is very important that our business communities are rewarded for their entrepreneurial skills and hard work.”

Danselle Ltd, which supplies dancewear to dance and stage schools from its premises in Osmaston Road, Allenton was chosen as the winner.

In second place was Arts & Crafts Direct Ltd, of Coney Green Business Centre, Clay Cross, with joint third place going to East Midlands Business Services Ltd in Duffield Road, Derby and Charisma Gallery in Crown Square, Matlock.

Danselle Ltd owner Caroline Delaney received a glass trophy, a magnum of champagne and wall plaques to display in her shop to advertise her success, with certificates awarded to the runners up.

She said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to have won this award and I think it will be a real boost for the business.

“Everyone has worked hard to make sure our existing customers are satisfied and keep coming back and that new customers get to hear about us and use our services.

“We’re aiming high and this award will help by boosting the profile of the business and spurring us on to continue to achieve great things.”

Councillor Carlile said: “Backing awards such as these is part of the work the county council does to support new and existing companies and promote the creation of jobs, services and businesses to keep Derbyshire’s economy strong.

“It was very pleasing that the standard of entries was so high as it demonstrates that the county has a thriving business community.”

The achievements of more than 50 young people from South Derbyshire will be recognised at a ceremony being organised by Derbyshire County Council.

Organisers hope the event will help raise awareness of the many successful projects being carried out as part of the county council’s Youthtrain programme.

Youthtrain is an informal learning project which rewards young people for the skills and knowledge they gain through their involvement in Derbyshire County Council-run youth service projects and clubs in the community.

One of the projects which young people have taken part in is the Ignition scheme, based at Woodville Youth Centre. The ten-week basic car maintenance and driving skills course is run by a member of staff at the youth centre, who is also a qualified car mechanic

Other young people have taken part on healthy eating and fitness courses, while some have completed the Peak Award, which is similar to the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.

Councillor Bob Janes, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for community services, said: “Young people rarely get the credit they deserve.

“This ceremony is about recognising the achievements of young people who have worked hard to obtain these Youthtrain qualifications, which are practical qualifications accredited by the Open College Network and recognised by employers.”

The awards ceremony will take place at Woodville Youth Centre in Moira Road, Woodville on Wednesday 10 November at 7pm.

Are you concerned about traffic in and around Glapwell?

If so you may be interested in attending a series of exhibitions on the matter being held by Derbyshire County Council from next week (Thursday 18 November until Monday 22 November).

The county council is investigating the possibility of a link road to improve access to Shirebrook and relieve the villages of Glapwell, Bramley Vale and Doe Lea – and would like YOUR views on the matter.

The exhibitions – staged by the county council and assisted by their consultants Scott Wilson – will be used to gauge whether residents are in favour of a new road. If so the county council will then consider securing Government funding as part of the next local transport plan for 2006-2011.

Derbyshire County Council cabinet member for environment and highways Councillor Brian Lucas said: “We are aware there is some feeling about easing the traffic situation around Glapwell.

“We also want to consider whether there are ways of improving access to Shirebrook and so we are taking these first steps towards testing public opinion on this. Any major scheme would obviously hinge on securing the appropriate funding. We will be using the exhibitions to ask local residents what they think about the possibility of a new road before we take that request to the Government.”

Staff from the county council and Scott Wilson will be on hand at the exhibitions to explain the options, answer questions and take feedback.

The exhibitions will be held at: Shirebrook Miners Welfare, Central Drive, Shirebrook – Thursday 18 November 2pm until 7pm; The Glapwell Centre Sports Hall, The Green, Glapwell – Friday 19 November 2pm until 7pm and Saturday 20 November 10am until 4pm; Doe Lea Resource Centre, Mansfield Road, Doe Lea – Monday 22 November 2pm until 7pm.

For more information on the Derbyshire Local Transport Plan or if you cannot make the exhibition but would like to comment - please contact Derbyshire County Council on 08456 058 058 or email call.centre@derbyshire.gov.uk

Residents are being asked for their views as part of a review of Derbyshire County Council’s mobile library service.

The authority has 10 standard mobile libraries and three maximum capacity vehicles – larger vehicles measuring 11.5m long – which visit a total of 1,700 locations throughout the county.

However, the council is keen to ensure that people who do not have easy access to a static library or those living in more remote locations across Derbyshire have the best possible access to the service. So it is carrying out a review of stopping-off points to make sure that the mobile service is reaching communities that really need it.

Councillor Bob Janes, the county council’s cabinet member for community services, said: “Our mobile library service is often a lifeline to people, particularly the elderly who cannot get out and about easily. “The regular programme of stops means the mobile library service is very much part of the communities they visit giving young and old alike access to books and other county council services.

“We are keen to ensure that we continue to provide the best possible service and we want to hear from people who use it to try to improve it further.”

Recent changes to some stopping-off points have already proved a success with 100 new users signing up in North Wingfield when the mobile library moved just 200 yards in to the centre of the village.

While in Kilburn the relocation of the service in to the centre of the village has led to 58 new users – including 52 children – joining the service.

In Chinley, 50 new members have signed up since the service was moved from outside the town’s railway station to a new venue in Station Road.

Councillor Janes added: “It is fantastic that while nationally the numbers of library users is declining we seem to be bucking that trend here in Derbyshire with our mobile library service.

“We want to reach as many people as possible and that is why we will be looking at all our locations across the county to see what improvements we can make.”

Standard mobile libraries visit locations on a weekly or fortnightly basis and offer access to books and books on tape.

The maximum capacity vehicle, which stays in one place all day due to its size, also provides access to computers with free internet access, DVDs and videos.

Anyone with comments is asked to contact the county council’s mobile library co-ordinators Angela Redfern or Jayne Carter on 01629 580000 ext 6589.

Saving energy and reducing the impact of global warming are the themes of a conference being organised by Derbyshire County Council.

The authority is a member of the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Local Authorities’ Energy Partnership which will stage its annual general meeting on November 15.

Set up in 1996, the partnership aims to improve energy efficiency among county and district councils and the public by promoting energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy.

Keynote speaker at the event in Derby will be Margaret Beckett, secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs.

There will also be presentations from the chair of the Local Government Association’s environment board Councillor David Sparks OBE and Andrew Warren, director of the Association for the Conservation of Energy.

Although aimed at local authorities across the East Midlands, business leaders have also been invited to the conference to learn how they can do their bit to reduce the effect of pollution on the region.

As well as workshops there will also be a series of exhibitions at the event being held in the Darwin Suite at the city’s Assembly Rooms.

The partnership’s mobile energy efficiency advice centre, which is managed by the county council, will be parked outside to provide advice to members of the public on saving energy.

Councillor Brian Lucas, the county council’s cabinet member for environment and highways, said: “As large organisations, local authorities have a responsibility to adopt energy-saving practices.

“The county council is at the forefront of this with the development of the Markham Willows site off junction 29 of the M1 where we have created a source of sustainable energy while at the same time regenerating a former colliery site.”

For further information about the conference contact Melanie Watts on 01298 72122 or e-mail melaniew@highpeak.gov.uk

Older people living in a part of Derbyshire are to get their own forum to have ideas and concerns heard following a successful event earlier this month.

The first official forum meeting will be held on Wednesday 1 December, between 10am and 12.15pm, at The Arena in Rutland Street, Ilkeston.

People aged over 50 are invited to attend to help set up a steering group, elect a chair, treasurer and secretary and prioritise issues to be addressed over the coming year.

More than 60 people aged over 50 attended the first event in October to discuss the idea of setting up an older people’s forum in the town.

Issues discussed on the day included public transport, the lack of a `drop-in’ centre for older people and the need for a more developed information network and at the end of the event there was a unanimous vote to set up an Ilkeston forum.

The event was organised by Derbyshire County Council’s social services, Community Concern Erewash, Erewash CVS and other local agencies.

The forum, when developed, will give older people living in Ilkeston the opportunity to exchange ideas with each other and with decision-making organisations at a local, regional and national level.

The forum is one of several being set up across the county and is connected to the national `Better Government for Older People’ programme.

The programme is a national initiative launched in 1998 to give older people a voice to improve public services and is a partnership between central government, local government, the voluntary sector and older people.

To attend December’s event people should contact Community Concern Erewash so refreshments can be arranged. For help with transport on the day people can also contact Community Concern Erewash which may be able to arrange a lift.

Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for social care and health Councillor Anne Western said: “The county council is supporting the setting up of forums across the county as they are an excellent way for older people to get their views heard.

“Following the enthusiasm shown at the last event in Ilkeston, I’m sure the event in December will be the start of a very successful forum.”

People who would like to go to the event on Wednesday 1 December should contact Sheila, Jane or Elaine at Community Concern Erewash on 0115 9 444146.

People aged over 50 who want to raise the profile of older people and take action to change things for the better are being encouraged to attend an event later this month.

The event is aimed at people living in the Swadlincote area and is being held at Church Gresley Methodist Church, York Road, Church Gresley on Thursday 18 November between 11am and 3pm.

Information and issues affecting older people will be discussed, with the chance for people to swap information and ideas with like-minded people.

The overall aim of the event is to try to set up a Swadlincote forum for older people.

The forum, if developed, would give older people the opportunity to exchange ideas with each other and with decision-making organisations at a local, regional and national level, to improve the quality of life for older people living in and around Swadlincote.

Members would be able to inform organisations about the needs of older people through the forum, influencing the development of services and support and anything that may impact on their lives.

The event has been organised by Derbyshire County Council’s social services and South Derbyshire CVS and it is hoped that enough people aged 50 or over will go along on the day and decide that a forum would be of benefit.

The setting up of the forum is connected to the national `Better Government for Older People’ programme.

The programme is a national initiative launched in 1998 to give older people a voice to improve public services and is a partnership between central government, local government, older people and the voluntary sector.

The Swadlincote event will start with an introduction to the day followed by a presentation outlining the benefits of older people’s forums.

There will also be a chance for a questions and answers session, a discussion about the issues facing older people in Swadlincote and a vote on whether or not there should be a forum in the town.

As well as the presentations and discussions, a free lunch is provided and free transport can be arranged through South Derbyshire CVS.

Although people can turn up on the day, organisers are encouraging people to book a free place so they can calculate the numbers beforehand and organise catering.

Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for social care and health Councillor Anne Western said: “This is the perfect opportunity for older people to strengthen the channels of communication between themselves and local, regional or national organisations whose decisions can impact on their lives.

“Forums are taking shape now in other parts of the county and I am sure that there will be plenty of enthusiasm from older people towards setting one up in Swadlincote.”

To book a free place at the event, or to organise transport on the day, people should contact South Derbyshire CVS on 01283 550163.

Trading standards officers from Derbyshire County Council have praised traders across the county for refusing to sell fireworks to underage children.

Undercover checks using child volunteers were carried out at 32 retail outlets throughout all of the county’s districts but none of those tested made an underage sale.

It is against the law for traders to sell fireworks to anyone under 18 and trading standards officers have been working with retailers to make them aware of their responsibilities and raise awareness about the law.

Councillor Walter Burrows, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for public protection and transport, said: “This is excellent news. The fact that all of our young volunteers were refused firework sales means that traders have recognised the importance of preventing sales to young people. 

“Bonfire night is an enjoyable night but fireworks are explosives and they can kill and maim. It is essential that fireworks are only bought and handled by responsible adults who follow the Firework Code.”

Derbyshire County Council licenses more than 240 premises to sell and store fireworks, from corner shops to wholesalers.

As well as testing to ensure retailers aren`t selling to people underage, routine safety checks on the storage of fireworks and visits to car boot sales are being carried out as part of the county council`s firework safety campaign.

Officers are also looking to see that illegal fireworks - such as "bangers" - are not on sale.

Trading standards has the following advice to consumers:

Always buy fireworks from registered premises - if you are in doubt, call Derbyshire County Council trading standards on 01629 585858 to check. Fireworks cannot be legally sold from car boot sales or market stalls;

Only buy fireworks that meet British Standards and are marked BS 7114;

Follow the instructions carefully and think about where you are going to let them off – some require people to stand 25 metres away.

Traders who sell fireworks are advised to:

Ensure they are registered with the county council;

Check fireworks are stored safely and legally;

Refuse to sell to anyone under 18. If unsure, ask for proof of age and if it cannot be provided, do not serve them;

Contact Derbyshire County Council if you are in any doubt about the way to store fireworks.

A free course gets underway in the coming weeks to help local parents and carers in the Swadlincote area support their children with special educational needs.

The four-week course has been organised by the Derbyshire Parent Partnership Service, an impartial service funded by Derbyshire County Council that offers advice to parents and carers of children with special needs.

The sessions cover all aspects of the special educational needs process. Useful tips will include dealing with meetings and paperwork as well as learning about individual education plans, assessment and reviews.

The course will take place at Connexions, Belmont Street, Swadlincote between 9.30am and 11.30am on four Thursdays, starting on 18 November.

Derbyshire County Council cabinet member for education Councillor Alan Charles said: “The special needs education system is geared towards meeting the individual needs of the child, but this means it has to be a very involved process.

“It is understandable for parents who are new to all of this to find it quite overwhelming – for example, they will be called on to attend quite a lot of meetings with teachers and educational workers.

“However, the courses will support them through this process and will enable them to fully participate and support their child, so that they receive the best possible education.

“The course also gives people a chance to meet others from the area who may have had similar experiences.”

Places are limited and so parents are urged to get in touch as soon as possible to register their interest. For more information they should contact Derbyshire Parent Partnership Service on 01246 273154 or 01246 273155.

Derbyshire will be in the spotlight when the National Conference of Coalfield Communities is hosted at the county council’s headquarters next week.

The three-day conference will examine ‘Twenty Years on: Progress and Problems in Regeneration’, and focus on issues including kick-starting investment, health care funding for deprived communities and future challenges.

Derbyshire County Council’s leader, Councillor John Williams, will give the official welcome at the conference’s launch on Monday (November 8) and a senior cabinet minister is also hoped to attend to give an address.

Other speakers will include MP Mick Clapham, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Coalfield Communities Group, Derek Mapp, chairman of East Midlands Development Agency and Janet Bibby, chief executive of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.

Derbyshire County Council’s chief executive Nick Hodgson will deliver the final presentation of the event on local government and regeneration, along with Mick Burrows, director of culture and community for Nottinghamshire County Council.

A civic reception will be hosted by the authority at County Hall, Matlock on Monday evening and the event will close with a conference dinner taking place at the same venue on Wednesday night.

Councillor Geoff Carlile, cabinet member for regeneration said: “It is a great honour for us to be able to host this event.

“The county council has some excellent examples of bringing new life and jobs to former coalfield areas in the county – particularly with our current development of a multi-million pound technology, training and innovation centre at Markham Vale.”

Delegates will attend workshops and visit local coalfield regeneration initiatives as part of the conference, which has been organised by the Coalfield Communities Campaign. The campaign represents local authorities in present and former mining communities in England, Scotland and Wales.

Children in Derbyshire who are in need of a loving, permanent home are being highlighted as part of National Adoption Week.

Derbyshire County Council is supporting National Adoption Week which runs from 1-7 November and is urging anyone who has thought about adoption to find out more.

An open information evening will be hosted by the authority’s central adoption team on Wednesday, November 10th at County Hall, Matlock, from 7pm.

Visitors can talk to adoption staff and get more information about what the process involves and support they can expect to receive.

They will also be able to find out about the children in the county who are looking for a family and permanent home.

Social services is currently trying to find families for 15 children and has 15 adoptive parents who have been cleared for adoption and are waiting for a child.

Although the numbers are the same, the prospective parents and children on the waiting lists have not been matched as they are not ideally suited to meet the young people’s needs so the council is hoping to hear from more people who are keen to adopt.

The authority is particularly keen to find homes for boys, sibling groups and youngsters with additional needs.

Councillor Anne Western, cabinet member for social care and health said: “An adoptive parent can come from any background or culture – the only essential qualification is that they offer unlimited love and care to the child who becomes part of their family.

“We rigorously check our potential adopters and there are challenges to face when you take on the care and upbringing of a young person but we offer a lot of support and the rewards of adopting are immeasurable.”

Once a person has expressed a serious interest in adoption a child they will receive an initial visit from a social worker to discuss what they want from adoption and what they feel they can offer a child.

The social worker will offer further information about the process and help the prospective parent fill in an application form which will include details about their personal circumstances and references. Health and police checks are carried out and if the application is successful preparation sessions are arranged and the applicant is assessed.

Once all initial stages have been passed the application goes to an adoption panel, which has an independent chairperson. If the panel decides they are suitable to adopt the “matching” process with a suitable child begins.

Now in its eighth year, National Adoption Week is co-ordinated by the British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF). The charity aims to raise awareness of adoption issues.

Councillor Western said: “All kinds of people would make suitable adoptive parents so we’re asking for people who have considered it to come forward and let us help them love a child and enjoy a family life.”

For more information contact the council’s central adoption team on 01629 772205. 

Profiles of young people looking for families

Nicholas

Nicholas is a healthy, happy and energetic ten-year-old who is naturally curious. He has taken time to trust adults but he is now able to give and receive affection and enjoys play activities with other children. Nicholas is in mainstream schooling and has the potential to achieve academically but needs support so he has a statement of special educational needs. He likes practical tasks and is particularly good with construction toys such as lego. 

Ethnic descent: White English

Family needed: A permanent home where he is the only child or with older children.

Contact: Nicholas’s relationships with his sister and brother are important to him and we would want him to maintain direct contact with them if possible.

Janine

Janine, who is eight, likes going to school, brownies, riding her bike and playing board games. She also enjoys going for walks and reading and writing stories. Janine would like to go to dancing classes, and loves feeding horses so her dream is to live on a farm with a kind family.

Ethnic descent: White English.

Family needed: A two parent family, preferably with other children.

Contact: Contact by post with birth father and grandfather. Direct contact with birth mother once a year.

Nat

 Nat is a tall athletic nine-year-old boy who loves playing, and talking about, football. The sporty youngster enjoys other kinds of activities and particularly likes riding his bike and camping. Nat is a loveable boy and thrives on positive attention. He has had a difficult start in life but he is beginning to view himself more positively since he has been in foster care. Nat is a sensitive boy and needs reassurance from his future parents to continue to build up his self-esteem.

Ethnic descent: Dual heritage.

Family needed: Ideally black African white English mix.

Contact: Contact by post with birth parents and maternal grandparents. Direct contact with a one half-sibling, and contact by post with other half-siblings.

Natasha

Natasha is a boisterous and loving little girl who likes cuddles. This energetic six-year-old has the capacity to give and receive affection and is responding to the security and boundaries she has experienced in foster care. Natasha enjoys playing in the park, stories and reading books. She is in mainstream school and makes friends easily.

Ethnic descent: White English

Family needed: An energetic, white, two parent family who could offer consistency and clear boundaries. 

Contact: Direct contact with siblings once a month.

As the nation prepares to remember soldiers who gave their lives in the First World War, High Peak residents are being invited to trace relatives who served in the local regiment.

Derbyshire County Council is hosting an event at Buxton Library to remember local men who fought for the country as part of the 1/6th Battalion the Sherwood Foresters.

People interested in World War One can attend a talk on Tuesday 16 November at 7.30pm and find out more about how it affected people in our area.

The evening talk will be centred around the launch of a new book featuring personal accounts of wartime service by men from Derbyshire.

Original letters and extracts of memories of men, some from the High Peak, who served in the First World War have been bought together in the book called ‘A history of the 1/6th Battalion the Sherwood Foresters 1914-1918’.

Tracking down relatives will be discussed by the book’s editor Cliff Housley and he will also demonstrate a database which enables people to search for ancestors who served in the war. The 1/6th Battalion drew mainly from the North and North East of Derbyshire and companies were recruited in country towns such as Chesterfield, Chapel-en-le-Frith, Matlock and Wirksworth, or in small mining villages such as Peak Dale, Dove Holes and Clay Cross.  Copies of the book will be available for purchase and there will be an exhibition of photographs of some of the local men who served in the battalion.

Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for community services Councillor Bob Janes said: “I’m sure there will be a lot of interest in this talk particularly with all the recent attention on tracing family history.

“The book will provide an insight into the lives of our ancestors who lived through and served in the First World War.”

“It is important that we don’t forget the sacrifices made by these men for our country and that the memories are preserved for future generations.”

Tickets are £3 with £2 concessions and are available from Buxton Library, Kents Bank Road. For more information on the event or to book tickets call Buxton Library on 01298 25331.

With research showing more people visit libraries in the UK than attend football matches book lending is far from being a thing of the past.

But we all know what busy lives we can lead. In fact figures show the average person has only eight minutes to spend on a trip to the library.

Derbyshire County Council is doing its bit to get busy people back into libraries by speeding up their visit with the launch of To Go in Chesterfield Library. The scheme – part funded by the East Midlands Museums, Libraries and Archives Council – has seen the creation of a ‘library within a library’.

A small section with its own returns/loans desk has been created near the entrance to the library. It contains about 150 to 200 titles taken from the library’s stock of 175,000 books. The titles - from non fiction to popular fictional works for both men and women – will be topped up and changed regularly.

The new area will allow borrowers to pop into the library and make a quick choice without having to search the whole building to find what they are looking for. It is open at the same time as the main library and there is even the chance of a free lunch for new members.

The library is offering a free sandwich and drink to anyone who wants to join. Simply pay a visit, sign up and you will be given a voucher to use in the library’s coffee shop. Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for community services Councillor Bob Janes said: “Lending from Derbyshire’s libraries is as popular as ever but often people do not have the time to work their way through a large library building.

“Derbyshire County Council has created this new facility so busy people can enjoy reading without having to give up a significant part of their day.”

Four birds have been shot dead in separate incidents along a canal near one of Derbyshire County Council’s popular wildlife tourist attractions.

Over the past two weeks a swan, a cygnet and two mallards have been killed with air rifles on the Chesterfield Canal near the council-run Tapton Lock Visitor Centre.

In the latest incident this week (November 1) a swan was discovered dying in the water by Chesterfield resident Keith Tingay and his four-year-old grandson.

Mr Tingay, of Tapton Vale, said: “The swan was drowning and its mate was by its side calling out in the most distressing way. My little grandson didn’t know what was happening and was very upset. It was awful and I feel extremely angry.”

Derbyshire County Council and Chesterfield police are investigating the incidents and appealing for anyone with information to come forward immediately.

County council cabinet member for community services Councillor Bob Janes said: “We are deeply saddened and angered by these callous and mindless attacks which caused great distress for those members of the public and countryside rangers who discovered the dead birds.

“Our staff work hard to ensure local people and visitors can enjoy the beautiful Derbyshire countryside and its wildlife and it’s beyond belief to think anyone could treat these beautiful birds in such a cruel way.

“We’re now working closely with the police to find who was responsible and urge people to be extra vigilant in the area and contact us or the police with any information immediately.”

The dead cygnet was discovered by a member of the public on October 14 and two mallards were discovered at nearby Wheeldon Mill by a ranger and member of the public the next day. All the birds died from air rifle pellet wounds.

Anyone with information about the attacks can call Tapton Lock Visitor Centre on 01246 551035, Chesterfield police on 0845 123 3333 or Crime Stoppers on 0800 555111.

A community farm and education centre which has transformed a piece of derelict land has scooped a prestigious national award.

Willow Tree Family Farm in Langwith Road, Shirebrook, has been named as a 2005 Green Pennant Award winner – the standard mark for community-managed green spaces in England and Wales.

The award, now in its third year, is run by the Civic Trust and is exclusively for green spaces managed by voluntary and community groups. It comes under the umbrella of the Green Flag Award scheme, which is the national standard for parks and green spaces.

Willow Tree Family Farm is open to the public and is one of only 27 community green spaces across the country that have been rewarded with the Green Pennant.

Sites which enter are judged on seven criteria including providing a welcoming environment that is healthy, safe and secure, being well-maintained and clean, demonstrating environmental sustainability and showing community involvement.

Willow Tree Family Farm was built on land behind Derbyshire County Council’s Shirebrook Adult Education Centre and officially opened its doors in July 2003.

It is home to a range of animals and birds including some birds of prey, ducks, chickens, pigs, sheep, horses, rabbits and guinea pigs, with the latest addition being a llama.

The farm, which is supported by the county council’s community economic development (CED) team based in Shirebrook, also has a café, shop and classrooms, and has the support of a number of local businesses.

Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for regeneration Councillor Geoff Carlile said: “Everyone involved in Willow Tree Farm is to be congratulated on this national award and it is an excellent place to visit as well as establishing itself as a valuable educational asset for the community.

“The county council’s community economic team should be recognised for all the hard work they have put in to supporting the farm and helping it to become the success it is.”

Five local people are employed to run the farm and there is a team of 10 volunteers on the management board, as well as a number of students doing NVQs in animal care and a programme for young people who have been excluded from school.

Councillor Carlile added: “The success of the farm shows how much can be achieved when communities and local groups set out to improve their environments, helping to make them cleaner, safer and greener places that everyone can enjoy using.”

Paul Todd, Green Flag Award manager at the Civic Trust, said: “The Green Pennant rewards the dedication of members of the community and everyone involved should be extremely proud of their award. It is a mark of excellence they can display with pride throughout 2005.”

The farm is open all year round for party/event bookings and its café and shop are open to the public during the winter months between 11am and 3pm, Monday to Friday.

In the spring the farm re-opens fully, from 10am to 4pm, seven days a week, along with the shop and café.

Work has started on the first of three new residential homes for older people in Derbyshire. Whitestones Home for Older People in Manchester Road, Chapel-en-le-Frith, is to be replaced with a new, purpose-built home on the same site at a cost of just over £3 million. The two other new homes are being built in Castle Gresley, near Swadlincote, to replace Oaklands and South Lodge Homes for Older People, and Chesterfield, to replace Brendon House, on a site to be agreed.

The new 40-bedroom home to replace Whitestones will replace the current building which dates back to 1912 and would have had to undergo extensive maintenance to meet today’s minimum care standards.

It is the first new residential home built in Derbyshire by the county council for seven years and it is scheduled to open its doors in autumn 2005.

All the new homes will provide residents with modern, spacious facilities including en-suite bathrooms for all the bedrooms and personal patio areas.

The schemes were all approved following an extensive consultation programme surrounding all the homes affected by the changes.

The new home in Castle Gresley is also due to open in autumn 2005 and the Chesterfield home is planned to open a few months after that.

Residents at Whitestones reacted positively to the plans for their new home and have been consulted on the design and facilities.

Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for social care and health Councillor Anne Western said: “It is really exciting that work has started on the new Whitestones Home for Older People and we are confident that the new building will benefit older people in the area for many years to come.”

Young people in Erewash are to be offered more activities in their local community thanks to Derbyshire County Council and the Erewash Community Safety Partnership. 

The county council`s cabinet today (Tuesday) put the wheels in motion to buy a £35,000 mobile youth information bus for Erewash using funding from the community safety partnership.

This will be in addition to an existing mobile youth information bus, which is shared with Amber Valley. Derbyshire County Council will fund the £10,000 running costs of the Erewash bus each year and pay for youth workers to run activities for young people on it. 

Councillor Bob Janes, cabinet member for community services, said: "The existing youth information bus has already made a big impact in Erewash.

"Once this new vehicle is bought we will be able to significantly increase the services we provide in locations across Erewash, particularly in smaller communities that have not traditionally had youth services.

"Youth workers engage with young people in locations where they gather and offer them a range of diversionary activities."

Erewash Community Safety Partnership agreed to fund the cost of buying and equipping the youth information bus as part of its work to use informal education to reduce crime, anti-social behaviour and drug misuse among 11 to 19-year-olds in the Erewash area.

The partnership will work with Derbyshire County Council`s youth service to identify communities and areas where the bus can visit to provide diversionary activities.

The bus for Erewash will be bought before Christmas but will then need to be fitted out with a range of equipment. It is hoped it can be operational by early spring.

The unit will have internal seating, displays of leaflets, space for computers, sports equipment and disabled access. It will be used for one-to-one or small group discussions and as a way of providing information from a range of organisations, including Derbyshire County Council`s b_line youth travel and discount card scheme and Connexions.

Part of a field is to be bought by Derbyshire County Council to enable a school extension to be built.

The authority is to build the extension, which will house a classroom, toilets and storage area, at Tibshelf Town End Junior School in Alfreton Road to provide more space for pupils and teachers.

Work on the project, which will cost £222,000, is expected to start in late November and should be completed by the end of May 2005.

Councillor Alan Charles, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for education, said: “Getting to this stage has been a quite complex process because of the lack of space on the existing school site.

“But after holding negotiations with a farmer we have agreed to buy part of a neighbouring field to ensure that there is enough space for the project to go ahead.

“The building is needed to cope with growing pupil numbers over recent years. It has been designed following consultation with staff at the school to ensure it meets the needs that they have.”

Derbyshire County Council will contribute £206,000 towards the overall cost of the scheme, with the school paying the remaining £16,000.

Due to lack of space the authority’s contractor, Beighton Construction, will use another part of the farmer’s field to gain access to the site during the construction period.

An ageing Heanor schoo