December

Derbyshire County Council is urging residents to have their say on plans to close a post office in Ilkeston.

Earlier this month the Post Office announced its plans to press ahead with the closure of 34 branches in Derbyshire.

At the same time it also launched a six week consultation in to the closure of another post office in Park Road, Ilkeston.

Councillor Geoff Carlile, the county council’s cabinet member for regeneration, has expressed his disappointment at the news.

He said: “We looked very closely at the Post Office’s plans in our area and wanted to ensure that in our response we had taken full account of the needs of the communities affected.

“It is a further blow to discover that as well as the 34 branches being closed, another Post Office in Ilkeston is also facing an uncertain future.

“I would urge as many people as possible to make their views known about the closure of the Park Road branch before the consultation ends on 4 February 2008.”

Councillor Geoff Carlile said he hoped the Post Office would re-consider its plans for the Ilkeston branch after two branches in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire were saved from the axe.

“I have been contacted by the county councillor for Ilkeston, councillor Kath Trueman, expressing her dismay at the news.

“Post offices are a lifeline to the communities that use them and I hope the Post Office will re-consider its position,” he added.

Led by councillor Geoff Carlile, the county council has worked hard with the Post Office in the past to maintain and reopen services and has seen many successes with some reopening after closure, new staff coming forward and new premises, including pubs, a hotel and church being used.

The Post Office has announced the closure of 34 branches in Amber Valley, Bolsover, Erewash, South Derbyshire and West Derbyshire.

The future of post offices in Chesterfield, High Peak and North East Derbyshire will be considered in 2008.

(Ref: CC.433.07)

Government watchdogs have awarded Derbyshire County Council the highest rating in an assessment of the quality of services offered by authorities across the country.

The Audit Commission’s Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA), published on Friday 21 December has revealed the authority is “improving well” and has retained the best rating of four stars.

Inspectors found the council is “focused on providing good quality services for local people and providing good value for money”. They also said it works hard to improve areas local people have said are most important to them and has “built strong partnerships to address local challenges”.

Derbyshire County Council leader councillor John Williams said: “We’re proud to have maintained our record as a top performing council with a four star rating.

“We work hard to improve life for local people and offer them high quality and value-for-money services.

“This is a great result but we’re not complacent. We plan to build on this latest success by continuing to do what we do well and making every possible effort where we can to improve how, when and where we deliver services to residents.”

The Audit Commission praised the council for many areas of good performance including:

• Achieving improvement in areas that are important to local people such as road safety, care for the elderly and recycling

• A good track record of providing good quality services

• Being a stable, effective organisation with a reputation built on trust, respect and solid partnerships

• Having clear priorities resulting from strong partnerships and effective consultation

• Effective managerial and political leadership

• Good financial management and a focus on value for money

Derbyshire County Council chief executive Nick Hodgson said: “We’re really pleased with this CPA result which means we’ve been an excellent four star council ever since the  assessments were introduced six years ago.

“It recognises the excellent range of services we provide while maintaining one of the lowest council taxes of any county council in the country. We’re also bucking the trend for public satisfaction with councils which is down nationally but high in Derbyshire. 

"This is a testament to the excellent relationship between our officers, councillors and partner
organisations which results in us being able to deliver the best possible quality services we can.

“Derbyshire’s already a fantastic place to live, work and visit and we’ll continue to put every effort into making it the best county in the country.”

He added the county council is also committed to tackling its challenges by continuing its ongoing work to support ethnic minority communities and disabled people, developing projects to help bridge the generation gap in communities, promoting regeneration across the county and working to support rural areas.

Derbyshire County Council has gained the highest status in the annual CPA reports since they were introduced by the Government in 2002. Each assessment scores councils on the quality of services being delivered and authorities’ ability to improve.

For more information visit the Audit Commission (opens in a new window) website.

(Ref: LT.432.07)

A library is to under go a £24,000 make-over as part of a new national project dreamt up by Derbyshire teenagers.

Buxton Library will become one of the first in the country to have a designated area for young people – called HeadSpace - after Derbyshire County Council was awarded cash from the Reading Agency.

A café style environment will be created to try to encourage more young people to visit the library in Kents Bank Road.

The idea to serve coffee and snacks to younger visitors as they browse for a book or surf the net was thought up by members of Book Pushers.

The group – set up by the county council in 2002 to encourage readers in their teens to promote books to their peers – was approached for ideas by the Reading Agency.

Top of the teenagers’ wish list was a place to chill out where they can meet their friends, read books and magazines or listen to CDs, which can be borrowed from the library.

And they also came up with the idea of “book waiters” – young people who serve up a recommended read as well as drinks and snacks.

The Reading Agency gave just over £9,000 to the county council to create one of 20 HeadSpace areas in four regions of the country.

The county council – which is putting in a further £15,000 - will transform an area of the library, with new resources, contemporary seating and artwork to appeal to younger people.

The work also includes re-decorating and laying new carpet in other areas of the library and installing a new counter to make it easier for other library members to use as well.

The library will be closed from 2 January to 3 March while all this work takes place.

Councillor Bob Janes, the county council’s cabinet member for cultural and community services, said the Book Pushers were a credit to Derbyshire and the county council.

He said: “We are delighted to be at the forefront of such an exciting and innovative project thanks to the work of the Derbyshire Book Pushers.

“Not only did they come up with the idea but they have spoken at national conferences and are represented on the Reading Agency’s national steering group for the HeadSpace project.

“We hope the new area will encourage more young people to use the library and dispel the myths of libraries being full of dusty old books.”

During the closure period library users will be able to borrow an additional 40 items for adults and 20 for children or can visit their nearest library in Chapel, Tideswell or Bakewell.

They can also renew library books online through our website, as well as find opening times of other libraries or information about mobile library routes.

Councillor Bob Janes added: “I hope people will bear with us during the closure and I’m sure that they will think the slight inconvenience was worth it when they see the new area which has been designed with the involvement of young people.”

(Ref: CC.431.07)

Outstanding mementoes of a Derbyshire duke’s life, including a portrait by a leading artist of the day, are coming to Buxton Museum and Art Gallery.

Derbyshire County Council is mounting the exhibition dedicated to the late Andrew Cavendish, the 11th Duke of Devonshire, and is delighted to have secured the display from Chatsworth, his family seat.

Among the items included are a portrait of the duke by Stephen Conroy, works by painters Gwen John and Duncan Grant and a family photograph by celebrated socialite photographer Norman Parkinson.

Other more unusual artefacts include items associated with the late Diana, Princess of Wales – a photograph of the duke and Diana, a silver box engraved with her name and a framed photo of her.

There’s also a large collection of his ties.

The exhibition commemorates the duke’s life, giving an insight into how he lived and recording his contribution to civic life and his love of Chatsworth and Derbyshire.

Admission to the exhibition will be free, giving people a valuable opportunity to see the works without charge.

Previously it was on display at Chatsworth from 2005 to 2007. Visitors paid an entrance fee into the house and an additional fee to see the exhibition.

Since the exhibition closed at Chatsworth, estate staff have been working with the county council-run museum and art gallery to bring the exhibition to Buxton - a town special to the duke. He was mayor of Buxton from 1952 to 1954 and loyally supported the county council’s museum and art gallery. He died in May 2004, aged 84.

Councillor Bob Janes, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for cultural services, said he was pleased to be able to bring such a unique and prestigious exhibition to the Terrace Road museum.

He said: “It’s packed with fascinating mementoes of the duke’s life, including some valuable art works.

“There are also more personal items, such as the ceremonial robes he wore as a peer and a photograph of the late Princess of Wales.

“Buxton Museum and Art Gallery is a fine venue and will allow us to give even more people the chance to see this interesting collection free of charge.

“I hope people will take the opportunity to visit us and see the display for themselves.”

The exhibition is due to go on display from Saturday 15 March to Tuesday 6 May 2008.

(AJ.430.07)

We celebrated the outstanding achievements of some of the county’s most exceptional young people at the ninth Derbyshire Young Achievers Awards on Friday.

We set up the awards to highlight some of the outstanding personal achievements of young people across the county and this year we received more nominations than ever before.

In total 113 young people, aged four to 18, received awards during the ceremony held at Highfields School in Matlock.

Each young person was nominated because they had shown:

• Bravery, such as fighting an illness or living with a disability.

• Kindness in helping others.

• A commitment to improving their school, community or local environment.

• Sporting, musical, artistic or academic success.

Winners and their guests were entertained by artists performing stilt walking, plate spinning, fire juggling and balloon modelling.

Gareth Jones, presenter of TV programmes How2 and Tomorrow’s World, handed out the awards along with chair of the council Joyce Sanders.

Guests were welcomed to the celebrations by a speech from Derbyshire County Council leader John Williams and the evening was compered by Ruth Terry and J from Ram FM.

Councillor John Williams said: “As leader of the county council I’m keen to do all I can to recognise the amazing contribution young people make in Derbyshire.

“Young people achieve many great things in our communities - and some of these achievements are made against incredible odds. These awards are about giving young people the credit they deserve. 

“We’re very proud of our Young Achievers and I’m pleased the county council has the opportunity to thank them and recognise each and every one of their achievements.”

The event would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors Henry Boot Developments Ltd, Ram Fm, Toyota, Tarmac, Faithful and Gould Ltd, Hassop Hall, Istead Business Presentations Ltd, Beighton Construction Ltd, KPMG, Scott Wilson, Miller Construction, Wildgoose Construction and GF Tomlinson Building Ltd, Rolls Royce and Whittington Moor Printing Works Ltd. 

REF:CM:429:07

Midday supervisors from across the county have scooped an award after taking part in an anti-bullying scheme.

Twenty-six midday supervisors received the first ever ABCs award for supervisors at a ceremony organised by Derbyshire County Council at County Hall, Matlock.

The ABC scheme, which was developed by the council to address the issues of bullying, recently developed a separate award within the project for individual midday supervisors – ‘The ABC Midday Supervisor Award’. 

The award was developed with staff from Aston-on-Trent Primary, St James’ Church of England Glossop, Clowne Infant and Nursery, Spire Infant and Nursery, Grassmoor Primary and Highfields School.

As with the school versions of the ABC award, the midday supervisors have met a number targets.

Examples of these are:

• The completion of an accredited first aid course.

• The completion of child protection training.

• Organising activities on the playground which are designed to encourage co-operation, sharing and team building.

Councillor Anne Western, cabinet member for children’s services, said: “Tackling bullying in schools is a team effort and midday supervisors can play a very important part.

“It’s crucial for schools to deal with bullying issues because it causes misery to victims and leads to low self-esteem and truancy.”

Pictured are the midday supervisors with Derbyshire County Council leader councillor John Williams.

For media enquires call James Coxon on 01629 585215.

Outstanding anti-bullying schemes in Derbyshire schools and children centres have been rewarded at a ceremony held in Matlock.

Derbyshire County Council organised the event at County Hall to recognise schools that have signed up and carried out initiatives through the Anti-Bullying Commitment (ABC) Quality Assurance Scheme. 

Councillor Joyce Sanders, chair of the council, presented pupils from the school with certificates to mark the schools receiving the standard.

The scheme was set up in 1996 to encourage schools to introduce strategies to prevent and deal with bullying issues.

Schools or children’s homes work to develop their own anti-bullying strategies based on ideas in the Anti-Bullying Scheme produced by Derbyshire County Council.

They qualify for either Initial, Intermediate, Excellence or Excellence + Awards according to the number of anti-bullying schemes they have introduced.

Clowne Infant School, Aston -on -Trent Primary School, Grassmoor Primary School, Highfields School, Spire Infant and Nursery School, Chesterfield, and St James' Primary School, Glossop, celebrated after they scooped the highest mark Excellence Plus.

Excellence awards were given to:

• Calow CE Primary School

• Combs Infant School

• St Georges Church Of England (CE) Voluntary Aided Primary School, New Mills

• Chapel-en-le-Frith CE Primary School

• Grassmoor Primary School

Intermediate awards were given to:

• Anthony Gell School, Wirksworth

• Bakewell Infant School

• Brampton Primary School, Chesterfield

• New Bolsover Primary School

• Newbold CE Primary School

• St John Houghton Catholic School, Kirk Hallam

• Unstone St Marys Infant School

• Whaley Bridge Primary School

• Chapel-en-le-Frith CE Primary School

Initial awards went to:

• Biggin CE Primary School

• Eckington Camms CE Voluntary Aided Primary School

• Hartington CE Primary School

• Ironville and Codnor Park

• Kilburn Infant School

• Linden House Children’s Home, Swadlincote

• Marsh Lane Primary School, near Eckington

• Shirland Primary School

• Somercotes Infant School

• Wirksworth Federation of Infants School

• Chapel-en-le-Frith CE Primary School

• Westfield Infant School

Schemes vary from school to school but examples include:

• Ensuring anti-bullying work is taught to all children 

• Buddy schemes, where older pupils take younger pupils under their wing 

• The creation of quiet areas for pupils to get away from playground hustle and bustle

• Encouraging parents to communicate better with their children about worries they may have

• Continuing professional development for all staff to recognise bullying and develop strategies to help prevent it in the future.

All schools that sign up to the scheme receive a pack, which provides them with a blueprint for developing anti-bullying initiatives.

Councillor Anne Western, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for children’s services, said: “Bullying is an issue that can have a long lasting impact on children’s lives and can lead to low self-esteem and truancy problems.

"The ABC scheme is a great way of working in partnership with schools, and pupils themselves, to make sure that bullying behaviour in any form is tackled."

Pictured from left to right are Councillor Joyce Sanders, Lauren Chapman (15) from St John Houghton Catholic School, Sam Mills (10) from Biggin CE Primary School, Jacob Chadwick, six, Westfield Infant School and Olivia Wood, six, from Somercotes Infant School.

Revellers have been issued a warning about the health consequences of drinking alcopops following a report by Derbyshire County Council’s trading standards.

Trading standards carried out an analysis of 20 alcopops and calculated the total calories content of each product including the alcohol and sugar content.

Currently companies who produce alcopops do not have to include nutritional information of the drinks on their labels.

The report showed that two alcopops, a rum tropical orange drink and a vodka based drink, had sugar contents in excess of 10 per cent per 100ml.

The rum tropical orange’s high calorific content was typical of the other drinks tested by trading standards.

Using an example of rum tropical orange, a woman who has drunk four 275ml bottles has consumed 950 calories, nearly half of her recommended calorie intake.

These drinks also contain a high amount of alcohol per bottle.  One alcopop 275ml bottle tested contained 1.7 units of alcohol.

The recommended maximum daily limit for women and men are three and four units.

Anyone drinking more than twice the recommended daily limit in one session is considered to be binge drinking.

Councillor Clive Moesby, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for community safety, said: “Many people find these drinks very enjoyable especially at this time of year, but often people do not fully understand the extent of sugar and high number of calories in these drinks.

“There is a clear link between what we eat and our health and it is important to have a balanced diet.

“With this in mind greater awareness of the amount of sugar and alcohol in these types of drinks can only be a good thing.

”Christmas is a time of year when we all like to celebrate, but people should be aware of the amount of alcohol in the drinks they are buying and make sure they drink safely and responsibly.”

(REF:JC.428.07)

The go-ahead has been given to build a £5.67 million new primary school for pupils in Clay Cross and Danesmoor.

Derbyshire County Council is planning to build a new single site school on land off Pilsley Road to replace Clay Cross Infant and Nursery School, Clay Cross Junior School and Danesmoor Infant School.

Approval for a building contract to be placed for the new school was given by the authority’s cabinet.

The new single site school will boost learning for pupils by giving them:

• Bigger classrooms and a large school hall

• Fully integrated computer workstations throughout the building

• A school library

• A spacious playing field, playground, games courts and environmental areas

Councillor Alan Charles, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for schools, said: “This is wonderful news for pupils, parents and teaching staff as this new state-of-the-art school will be purpose-built to give students the best possible opportunities.

“A lot of detailed planning has gone into creating this new school so that it will give pupils an incredible start to their education and continue to do so for generations to come.

“We are delighted to be able to make our vision a reality to improve life for our pupils and communities in Clay Cross.”

Building work is scheduled to start by the authority’s design and building partner on the project Miller Construction Ltd in January 2008. Existing school buildings will be used until the new building is completed, which is hoped to be in early 2009.

The new primary school was originally planned to open this year after Derbyshire County Council was given permission to close the three schools to create a new primary school by the Schools Organisation Committee, a group made up of representatives from Derbyshire County Council, schools, the Church of England Diocese and the Roman Catholic Diocese.

Plans were referred to the committee, which has since been abolished, as it had the power to make the final decision on these matters if an objection was made to the council’s proposals during a formal public consultation. 

The decision on when the three schools will officially be recognised as the new primary school will be discussed with the shadow governing body of the new school.

The Schools Organisation Committee also approved plans to expand the catchment area of Holmgate Primary School to include homes west of the A61 that are currently part of the Clay Cross Infant and Junior catchment areas.

But plans for the new school were halted by an application in October 2006 to register land at the proposed site as a village green.

The county council and district council landowner objected to the application, which was rejected last week by Derbyshire County Council’s regulatory, licensing and appeals committee as it did not meet the criteria required for a village green.

Now plans for the schools can go ahead which will:

• Remove the need for children to change schools between infant and junior phases

• Allow pupils to interact with a wider age range of children

• Allow staff to develop more specialist subject skills

• Prevent pupils at the three existing schools from working in old and cramped buildings

• Remove surplus places at the existing three schools.

Councillor Alan Charles added: “Getting the plans to this stage has been a lengthy and complex process as we first consulted on our proposals in September 2004.

“The additional substantial delay caused by the village green application has seen increased inflation costs add about £370,000 to this project, which will come out of taxpayers’ money and we would rather have pumped that cash into other priority school building projects to benefit other pupils in Derbyshire.

“We will now press ahead to build a superb school for Clay Cross and invest in the future of children in the area.”

(REF: FW.423.07) 

Stuck for gift ideas for aunty this yuletide? Why not make this year a ‘greener’ Christmas with our guide to having an environmentally-friendly festive season.

Congratulations - over the past five years you've helped Derbyshire County Council almost double the amount it recycles and composts across the county.

That’s great news but we all still need to do more.

And what better time to make a real effort than Christmas when we throw away more food and packaging than any other time.

The county council is continuing its war on waste with these top tips.

• Buy loose rather than pre-packed vegetables to cut down on packaging.

• Take your own re-usable shopping bags with you when you do your shopping – around 125,000 tonnes of plastic packaging are thrown away over Christmas. 

• Having a party? Avoid using disposable plates and cups. Many wine shops lend glasses if you’re buying supplies from them.

• Use your local kerbside recycling collection scheme. Most take glass bottles and jars, newspapers and magazines. Some also accept cardboard, tin foil and food and drink cans.

• Don’t over-buy food – the average family wastes a third of the food they buy.

• Buy recycled wrapping paper

• Take Tetra Pak cartons and other paperboard cartons - such as those used for soup, juice and smoothies - to be recycled.

Councillor Brian Lucas, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for environmental services, said: “It’s Christmas – a time when we eat, drink, be merry…and fill our dustbins to the brim.

“So as it’s the season of goodwill please try and spare a thought for the planet this year too and remember to reduce, reuse and recycle this Christmas.”

Environmentally-friendly gifts

Short of ideas for presents to buy this Christmas? Why not treat friends and family to an environmentally-friendly gift and do your bit for the planet at the same time.

A simple search for “sustainable gifts” on the internet will throw up lots of different ideas.

A photo frame made from a circuit board for grandma, a water-powered digital clock for dad, a boomerang made out of recycled CD cases for the kids…the list is endless. Check them out at www.recyclenow.com (opens in a new window)

You could also treat them to a special experience such as club membership or theatre tickets instead of an item. Projects like ‘Oxfam Unwrapped’ also offer gifts which benefit people in the developing world.

Buying toys and electrical items this year? Check to see whether you can use rechargeable batteries instead.

Around 600 million household batteries are sent to landfill every year in the UK weighing 22,000 tonnes – that’s as much as 110 jumbo gets.

You can now recycle worn out batteries at our household waste recycling centres in Ashbourne, Swadlincote, Ilkeston, Loscoe, Glossop and Chesterfield instead of throwing them in the bin at home. Find out more about recycling or disposing of batteries in our A-Z of recycling.

Out with the old...

If Santa’s kind to you you’ll probably need to make some space for all those new goodies.

Instead of reaching for the dustbin you could pass on your unwanted items to someone else.

Charity shops will take clean clothes, books and bric-a-brac and some may take mobile phones.

Hospitals, doctors and dentists may be interested in old magazines for their waiting areas and play groups and schools may take old books and toys.

Organisations across the county will collect reusable old furniture and sell it on. Find out more on our furniture projects page.

Bigger items such as fridges, freezers and washing machines can normally be taken to one of our six Household Waste Recycling Centres. If in doubt Call Derbyshire on 08 456 058 058.

Festive feast for your garden

Why not give your garden a gift this Christmas…and start composting.

Home composting is a great way of getting rid of vegetable peelings, fruit scraps, tea bags, shredded cardboard and paper.

It’s really easy to do and a lot cheaper than buying peat-based composts and fertilisers for your garden.

Composting bins can be purchased for £8. To order call 0845 077 0757 or log-on to www.recyclenow.com/compost (opens in a new window).

From the old leaf to the new

Turn over a new leaf this Christmas and make it your New Year’s resolution to recycle your tree.

Your local district or borough council may be running a recycling service for Christmas trees. Check with them to find out about schemes in your area.

Alternatively you can take your tree to one of Derbyshire County Council’s six Household Waste Recycling Centres for composting.

For more information Call Derbyshire on 08 456 058 058 or find your nearest recycling centre. 

Season's green greetings

You can help The Woodland Trust reach its target of recycling more than more 100 million used Christmas cards in the UK in 2008.

Used cards can be taken into branches of Tesco, TK Maxx and WH Smith in January.

Or perhaps you could send a Christmas eCard via the internet instead. You can do this for free on www.recyclenow.com (opens in a new window). It’s quick, easy and fun and there’s no postage to pay so it’s cheaper too.

Did you know?

• It is estimated up to a billion Christmas cards could end up in UK bins this year – enough to stretch from London to Sydney and back five times.

• Six million trees were bought last Christmas in the UK. Most were thrown out afterwards creating more than 9,000 tonnes of additional rubbish.

• Nationally we use 500 million drink cans over Christmas.

• We’ll eat 5.5 million jars of mincemeat, 12 million jars of pickles and 6.5 million jars of cranberry sauce throughout the festive season. If all these glass jars were recycled, it would save enough energy to boil water for 60 million cups of tea.

(REF: JM.425.07)

There’s a new man at the top in environmental services at Derbyshire County Council.

Ian Stephenson is the strategic director with overall responsibility for maintaining roads, improving accessibility across the county, promoting public transport, improving the countryside and providing cost-effective facilities for managing the county’s rubbish.

But with 32 years’ service under his belt, Ian’s no stranger to local government. Neither is he a stranger to Derbyshire having lived in the county with his family for nearly nine years. And he’s looking forward to moving the service forward over the coming years.

“This is an excellent authority and I am confident we will continue to be so,” said Ian.

"We’ve got a dedicated, hard-working workforce but we need to stay ahead of the game and look constantly at how we can improve our performance.

“Staff in environmental services have been focussing on making taxpayers’ money go further while at the same time making sure they provide high quality services and give value for money.

“Now we need to focus on getting better results for residents by focusing on outcomes – improving residents’ experience of the services we provide.”

Over the past 12 months, Derbyshire County Council’s environmental services has generated its fair share of headline news.

The authority received a double-excellent rating for local transport planning and exceeded its recycling target.

Local transport information was also highly rated and the county council had one of the highest response rates nationally for its countryside rights of way consultation.

The county council will soon be given new guidance on what it is doing well and where it needs to improve. But the focus will remain the same as Councillor Brian Lucas, cabinet member for environmental services, explains.

“Derbyshire County Council is about listening to residents and providing flexible services that meet their needs,” he said.

“We’ll continue to do this by working with partner organisations to get the best results.

“And we’ll continue our drive to provide services which offer value for money so that people in Derbyshire get the most for their cash.”

He added: “There are some tough challenges ahead. Improving the county’s roads and making sure Derbyshire people have access to good public transport is still a priority for us.

“Protecting the environment is a massive issue too. Things like dealing with the county’s rubbish and keeping traffic flowing on our roads to reduce pollution are at the top of our agenda.

“And with plans in place to deal with these issues I’m confident that we can continue to work together to meet our targets and improve life for local people.”

What lies ahead…

Key issues facing environmental services over the next few years will include:

• Continuing to manage and develop our roads network.

• Responding to the effect future transport planning in neighbouring counties has on Derbyshire’s roads

• Making sure people can get from A to B in the car, on foot, using public transport or by cycling.

• Promoting environmentally-friendly travel such as walking, cycling and public transport as an alternative to the car.

• Providing cost-effective facilities to treat household rubbish in Derbyshire instead of sending it to landfill.

• Maintaining our countryside and making sure people can access and enjoy it.

• Continue our planning work to manage issues including transport, dealing with rubbish, and mining and quarrying.

(REF:JM.427.07) 

Flat batteries are being given a new lease of life with a new service at Derbyshire County Council’s household waste recycling centre in Glossop.

Around 600 million household batteries are sent to landfill every year in the UK weighing 22,000 tonnes – the equivalent weight of 110 jumbo jets.

But local people can help reduce this amount by taking their unwanted batteries to the centres in Melandra Road.

Instead of being sent to landfill sites - which are filling up fast – they will be turned into something useful such as new batteries or re-used in the steel industry.

Car batteries have been accepted at all of the county council’s household waste recycling centres for some time.

Now common household batteries used in clocks, torches, remote controls and other appliances can be recycled at the centres too along with batteries for:

• Hearing aids, radio pagers and photographic equipment

• Electronic watches and calculators

• Power tools, cordless appliances, lap tops and mobile phones

Both rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries are accepted.

Councillor Brian Lucas, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for environmental services, said: “It’s easy to throw old batteries in the bin - they don’t take up much space after all.

But if we all do it, a couple of worn-out batteries can soon become a mountain of rubbish.

“We all need to drastically reduce the amount of rubbish we send to landfill or face fines from the Government - which will mean a rise in council tax and business rates.

“So every bit of recycling we do helps – no matter how small.”

The county council’s household waste recycling centres accept a wide range of items including large and bulky rubbish.

All rubbish taken there is separated and – where possible – reused, recycled or composted.

For more information Call Derbyshire on 08 456 058 058 or find out more about recycling or disposing of batteries in our A-Z of recycling.

(REF:JM.426.07)

Free parenting classes are again on offer throughout the county thanks to an ongoing scheme being run by Derbyshire County Council.

Earlier this year Derbyshire was chosen as one of six local authorities in the country to pilot an interactive style of parenting classes designed to meet individual family needs.

Sessions focused on helping parents who want assistance with everyday parenting skills, in addition to working with families where there are children with more challenging behaviour.

The 12-week Positive Parents courses look at issues like play, praise and rewards, effective limit setting and handling misbehaviour.

Crèche facilities and help with transport are available to enable parents to attend the classes.

Classes for parents of children aged two to eight will be held at:

• Carmel Church, Station Road, Hadfield, Tuesdays from 1pm to 3pm starting January 8

• The Grange Family Support Centre, Eckington, Thursdays from 9.30am to 11.30am starting January 17.

• Memorial Hall, Draycott Road, Sawley, Wednesdays from 1pm to 3pm starting January 9.

• Adult Education Centre, Cokayne Road, Ashbourne, Thursdays from 9.30am to 11.30am starting January 10.
  

Councillor Anne Western, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for children’s services, said: “The classes that have run so far have proved very successful.

“They help parents cope with day to day issues that crop up when dealing with children as well as meeting other parents in a supportive environment.”

Classes for children aged eight to 13 will also be available in the New Year.

To book a place on the course or to find out more contact Sarah Smith on 01629 580000 ext 5864 or contact Call Derbyshire on 08 456 058 058.        

You can also visit our Positive Parents page.

REF:CM:444:07

Plans to go ahead with the closure of post offices have been met with disappointment by Derbyshire County Council.

The Post Office held a six week consultation asking for views on its plans to close branches across the East Midlands, including 34 local offices in Derbyshire.

It has been looking at services in the following areas of the county as part of its national review which will see 2,500 post offices across the country being put forward for closure.

The areas affected in Derbyshire are:

• Amber Valley
• Bolsover
• Erewash
• South Derbyshire
• West Derbyshire

Derbyshire County Council, which has long campaigned to keep open rural and community post offices, responded to the recent consultation, commenting on each proposed closure and giving reasons why many earmarked to close down should stay open.

However, on Tuesday 11 December, the Post Office announced its plans to go ahead with the closures of all the 34 branches in Derbyshire it had originally listed to close and has also launched a new six-week consultation into the future of another branch, Park Road in Ilkeston.

Derbyshire county Council cabinet member for regeneration Councillor Geoff Carlile said of today’s announcement: “We looked very closely at the Post Office’s plans in our area and wanted to ensure in our response to its consultation that it had taken full account of the needs of the communities affected.

“Unfortunately our recommendations have not been taken on board and we are very disappointed by this announcement.

“To hear it has added a further branch to the list and is looking at its future is a further blow.”

Led by councillor Geoff Carlile, the county council has worked hard with the Post Office in the past to maintain and reopen services and has seen many successes with some reopening after closure, new staff coming forward and new premises, including pubs, a hotel and a church being used.

Councillor Geoff Carlile added: “It is difficult to know where we go from here but we shall continue to do everything we can to support the communities which will be affected by these closures.”

The future of post offices in Chesterfield, High Peak and North East Derbyshire will be considered by the Post Office in 2008.

(Ref: MC.422.07) 

A Derbyshire college believes its new course will be a great Christmas present for someone looking for something unique for their loved ones this festive season.

College of the Peak in Bakewell is running a course for people who want to learn the ancient craft of hedgelaying.

The weekend taster courses and a week long accredited course will take place in the new year at a site near Carsington.

The course will be taught by conservationist Andrew Brown-Jackson as part of Derbyshire County Council’s adult community education service.

Andrew is a qualified teacher with 35 years experience and is also an expert in dry stone walling and living willow structures.

The weekend courses will run on 12 and 13 January 2008 and 16 and 17 February 2008 and will cost £120.

The week long course begins on 25 February 2008.

If you have already completed one of the weekend sessions you will automatically qualify for a discount on the five day course.

Councillor Bob Janes, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for community services, said: “This course would make a great Christmas present for people who are interested in the traditional crafts of Derbyshire’s past.

”It offers the chance for people to have a go at something new, to find out whether they like it or not.”

College of the Peak also offers a range of one and two day courses in stone masonry, lime renders and mortars, traditional roofing, timber frame building, as well as sustainable building, renewable energy, green DIY and straw bale building.

For full details of all these courses contact Vanessa Swetman on: 01629 815749, or email to collegeofthepeak@btconnect.com or visit the College of the Peak (opens in a new window) website.

(REF:416.JC.07)

Let Derbyshire County Council help you with your new year resolutions with its programme of free adult education courses on offer from January 2008.

The council has lined up a variety of free taster sessions and courses ranging from creative textiles to local history to give people the opportunity to try something new free of charge.

The courses are located all over the county and range in length from a short two day first aid course, to a 15 week course on how to become a classroom assistant.

If new learners want to take things further, the council also runs hundreds of other paid for courses in adult community education centres throughout the year, some of which can lead to qualifications.

Derbyshire County Council cabinet member for cultural services Bob Janes said: “There is a large selection of courses on offer in the new year and they are all free.

“It is an ideal opportunity for people to try something new without spending any money.

“Whether you want to brush up on your computer skills, trace your family tree or learn to be a whiz in the kitchen, there is something for everyone.”

REF: CM:418:07

Swift action by Derbyshire County Council has helped save an important document for the nation.

Culture Minister Margaret Hodge placed a temporary export ban on a 17th century Derbyshire lead trading ledger following objections to its sale abroad.

It is now hoped the extensive lead merchant’s trade accounts will come to the Derbyshire Record Office in Matlock where they will be available for researchers.

The authority objected to the sale to Yale University Library in the USA on the grounds the ledger is of outstanding significance both locally and nationally. It is vital to the study of the lead mining trade and the history of Derbyshire.

After hearing from an expert advisor, a reviewing committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest advised the Minister to defer the export licence.

The county council, which also bid for the fascinating document when it was sold at auction at Bonham’s in London, was given until the middle of January to raise the money to buy it.

Having secured the £3,800 funding, the authority is now waiting to hear the Minister’s final ruling.

The 400 page ledger, dating back to 1668-1700, records transactions of the lead trade in the county over a 30 year period.

It mentions a number of places in Derbyshire central to the lead trade at this period, such as Cromford, and gives names of local families, particularly around Wirksworth, involved in lead mining and smelting from the mid 16th century.

Among these were the Gells of Hopton, the Wigleys of Middleton-by-Wirksworth and the Fearns/Ferrnes of Wirksworth.

The trade accounts are thought to be the earliest surviving extensive record of the lead trade in Derbyshire during a time when it played an important role in the country’s development as the first industrialised nation.

At this time, more then half the nationwide production of lead, used for everything from domestic utensils to lead shot, was mined in the Peak District.

Councillor Bob Janes, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for cultural services, said: “This is a vitally important document of national, regional and local significance.

“It provides a fascinating insight into history and we believe it is best kept in the country, specifically in Derbyshire from where it originates.

“It will be of great interest to researchers and historians and the Derbyshire Record Office will ensure it is preserved for the future and fully available to the public.”

Derbyshire County Council believes the ledger should remain in the country because:

• It is thought to be the earliest and most extensive accounts known to survive of a Derbyshire lead merchant.

• It provides detailed evidence of the lead trade in Derbyshire. By the mid 1670s, almost 10,500 tons of lead a year were being produced in the area.

• It covers the period after the civil war and restoration when the rapid expansion of the lead industry affected social and political as well as economic developments. A significant number of local families made their fortunes in the lead trade and this changed the pattern of power structures in the county.

• More material survives on lead mining than lead trading and so the volume is of particular importance in building up a more complete picture of business activities relating to lead.

• It will be an important additional resource to collections already held in the Derbyshire Record Office and be useful to a very large group of academic and local history researchers as well as those further afield.

A decision on the export licence application is deferred until 14 January 2008.

(Ref: AJ.420.07)

People living in Derbyshire are being asked to get behind two local projects in a bid to bring a slice of a £50 million cash prize to the area.

Sustrans’ Connect2 project and the Sherwood Living Landscapes project will go head-to-head competing against two other initiatives in the Big Lottery Fund’s The People’s £50 million Contest.

If Connect2 wins, £800,000 will be used to build a new off-road footpath and cycle track from Halfway Tram Terminus in Sheffield to Killamarsh.

Killamarsh would get two new footbridges – one across the River Rother and another across a nearby railway line – creating an improved route to the Supertram network as part of a national programme of new routes nationally to make it easier for people to get from A to B.

It will also pay for improvements to footpaths around Chesterfield Canal and would link into the National Cycle Network, Rother Valley Country Park.

If Sherwood Living Landscapes gets the vote, a multi-user route stretching 18 miles would be built from Chesterfield running through Bolsover, Shirebrook and into Nottinghamshire through Warsop and Meden Vale to Sherwood Forest.

At least 90 per cent of the Sherwood tracks will be off-road for walkers, cyclists and horse-riders to enjoy. The route would also link into a wider network of more than 180 miles of off-road paths across the North Midlands region. It will also connect with cycle ways though woodland, attractive countryside and Nottinghamshire’s tourist attractions.

Councillor John Williams, leader of Derbyshire County Council, said: “We’re always keen to support initiatives which help people get out and about, offer environmentally friendly alternatives to the car, and lead healthy and active lives.

“The race is on and there’s a real chance Derbyshire can get funding for one of these local projects which might not otherwise take place.

“But they need Derbyshire people’s help to make it happen. So if you would like to ‘Vote Derbyshire’ show your support by picking up the phone or voting online.”

People can vote online for both projects online at www.thepeoples50million.org.uk/vote (opens in a new window)

Telephone voting starts at 9am on 7 December until 10 December at 12pm. To sign up for a reminder and details of how to register your phone vote for Connect2, visit www.sustransconnect2.org.uk (opens in a new window) or text ‘Connect 2’ to 80010.

For Sherwood Living Landscapes visit www.robinhood.co.uk (opens in a new window) or text ‘robin’ to 81025.

People in Derbyshire can boost their recycling efforts even further now collection points for drinks and food cartons have been introduced across the county.

Derbyshire County Council, packaging firm Tetra Pak and six district and borough council’s in the area have worked together to establish 35 collection points in communities throughout Derbyshire.

Tetra Pak, which produces laminated paperboard packaging for the drinks and liquid food industry, has funded the project.

Residents can take Tetra Pak cartons and other cartons with plastic and foil coatings such as those used for fruit juice to any of the collection points.

And if space becomes available more could be added in other areas in the future.

The cartons will be collected and taken to a paper mill where they will be used to make plasterboard.

Councillor Brian Lucas, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for environmental services, said: “Most of us will use these kinds of cartons in our homes every day so these collection points are a welcome addition to the range of recycling facilities we have in Derbyshire.

“People have told us they want more opportunities to recycle so we hope people will use them as part of our county-wide drive to cut the amount of rubbish we send to landfill.”

Richard Hands, environment manager at Tetra Pak Ltd and chairman of ACE UK, added: “Cartons have been recycled in large volumes for years throughout Europe but the UK has a long way to go.

“It’s fantastic that Derbyshire is taking a lead by adding cartons to the list of materials collected for recycling.

“We and our industry partners are committed to increasing carton recycling in the UK. We aim to have a national network of carton collections by the end of 2008 and this launch takes us one step closer to achieving that.”

Please see our Tetra Pak information for a list of the collection points for drinks and food cartons and where to find them.

(REF:JM.419.07)

As the run up to Christmas begins trading standards at the council have seen a rise in emails which claim to be from the reader’s bank or from online auction sites.

The hoax emails ask the reader to follow a link to the site to confirm details but then transfers them to an often unconnected and unrelated one.

Trading standards recommend you follow these tips to help you avoid spam email scams:

• Protect your personal information - Share credit card or other personal information only when you're buying from a company you know and trust.

• Banks and building societies will never contact you asking for personal details over email.

• Know who you're dealing with - Don't do business with any company that won't provide its name, street address, and telephone number.

• Take your time - Resist any urge to 'act now' despite the offer and the terms. Once you hand over your money, you may never get it back.

• Read the small print - Get all promises in writing and review them carefully before you make a payment or sign a contract.

• Never pay for a 'free' gift - Disregard any offer that asks you to pay for a gift or prize. If it's free or a gift, you shouldn't have to pay for it - free means free.
  

Budding footballers from a Derbyshire school have been picking up tips from the professionals thanks to a coaching scheme set up by Derbyshire County Council.

Children from Ripley Infants School received coaching from stars at Alfreton Town Football Club as part of the authority’s Community Venture Scheme.

Derbyshire County Council’s chair councillor Joyce Sanders and Alfreton Town’s Football in the Community officer Craig Morgan visited the school in Kirk Close, to present the pupils with prizes after their names were drawn in a prize draw to mark the end of that round of the scheme.

These included family tickets to an Alfreton Town home match as well as a range of sporting goodies.

Councillor Sanders said: “For the past 20 years Derbyshire County Council has supported sports development in the county with a series of community venture agreements with local clubs.

”Over this period 110,000 young people in Derbyshire schools have taken part in coaching programmes.

”Sport is an integral part of school life as it encourages youngsters to work as a team and enter into the spirit of friendly competition.

"We are grateful to the clubs for investing their time and effort into passing on their skills to pupils who could turn out to be the sports stars of the future."

Primary school pupils in Derbyshire schools have once again outperformed the national average in test results for ten and 11-year-olds.

Key Stage 2 performance and attainment tables published by the Government today show Derbyshire schools achieved an average point score of 28.3 compared to a national average of 27.9.

Results in English, maths and science were better than the national average at both levels four and five.

Councillor Alan Charles, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for schools, said: “This is excellent news and I’m sure parents will be pleased to hear that every year the quality of education offered in Derbyshire is proved to be above the national average.

“Every year pupils and teaching staff in our schools, supported by our education advisors, keep doing better and better and this ongoing improvement is set to continue as we will focus on raising standards even higher.

“These results have not happened by chance, they are the reward for hard work and planning and I would like to congratulate everyone for their tremendous efforts.”

Three Derbyshire schools were ranked in the top 100 nationally in the performance table for contextual value added, which assesses how well pupils progress in relation to factors including gender, special educational needs, the level of deprivation in the area, age and the spread of abilities within a school.

Spire Junior School in Chesterfield was 38th with Hasland Junior School in Chesterfield and St Edward’s Catholic Primary in Swadlincote were ranked joint 98th.

Coton-in-the-Elms CE Primary School was in the top 100 schools for improving pupil’s learning between the ages of seven and 11 as they go from Key Stage 1 to the end of Key Stage 2.

Councillor Charles said: “I’m delighted that Spire Junior School, Hasland Junior School, St Edward’s Catholic Primary School and Coton-in-the-Elms CE Primary School has been highlighted for their outstanding work and I’m sure parents, pupils and staff will be celebrating their success.”

“Overall, Derbyshire schools are performing strongly when compared with schools on a national level.”

Full results for individual schools at Key Stage 2 can be seen by visiting the Department for Children, Schools and Families (opens in a new window).

The overall scores for Derbyshire schools are: (national figures in brackets)

Key Stage 2

Average point score - 28.3 (27.9)

English level 4 - 82 per cent (80 per cent)

English level 5 - 35 per cent (34 per cent)

Maths level 4 - 80 per cent (77 per cent)

Maths level 5 - 36 per cent (32 per cent)

Science level 4 - 89 per cent (88 per cent)

Science level 5 - 48 per cent (46 per cent)

A cabinet member and staff from Derbyshire County Council are going to sleep rough to raise awareness and funds for homeless young people.

Councillor Anne Western, cabinet member for children’s services, and employees from children’s services will take part in the Big Sleep Out event on Friday 7 December.

The night has been organised by children’s charity NCH to give professionals working with vulnerable children and young people a taste of what life is like for runaway and homeless youngsters.

Staff and representatives of statutory, voluntary and community organisations that work with children will sleep outside the Connexions office in Chesterfield. Sponsorship money from the event will go towards essential items for runaway and homeless youngsters.

Councillor Western said: “This is just one night for the people taking part but for children and young people who are sleeping rough this is their way of life.

“There are a variety of reasons and circumstances which may prompt them to runaway or sleep rough because they feel there is no other option.

“I hope that by taking part and raising money we can help highlight homelessness and help youngsters realise that there is help available to them so they can change their future for the better.”

The authority works in partnership with the children’s charity, Connexions, district and borough councils and agencies in the voluntary, community and independent sector to help support runaway and homeless young people.

(REF:FW.412.07)

A dedicated group of Derbyshire teaching assistants have had their first-class skills and support of pupils and teachers recognised. 

Staff from schools across the county attended a presentation ceremony at County Hall, Matlock, where 43 teaching assistants received certificates for attaining new higher level teaching assistant (HLTA) status.

Derbyshire now has 316 HLTAs who work with teachers to support learning and pupil achievement. A further 124 candidates are currently working towards the status or awaiting their results.

Assessment for the qualification, awarded by the Training and Development Agency for Schools, is based on work done in the classroom with pupils under the direction of the teacher.

The teaching assistant must demonstrate professional values and practice, knowledge and understanding and ability to deliver teaching and learning activities.

Assessments are based on day-to-day work with individual pupils, small groups and in whole class situations. Candidates have training needs identified and met before spending three days preparing for their visit from an assessor.

Councillor Alan Charles, cabinet member for schools, made the presentation of certificates at the ceremony. He said: “I’m delighted that Derbyshire can boast such skilled staff to help children make the most of their abilities and enjoy their school experience so they have the best start in life.

“The support which HLTAs offer to pupils is vital to their progress and allows teachers to give children extra encouragement and guidance.

“I’d like to congratulate all of the successful candidates – and their schools – for demonstrating what an excellent standard of education they are providing for pupils through a whole team approach.”

Higher level teaching assistants can be found at 143 of Derbyshire’s 355 primary schools, 23 of the secondary schools and three of the 10 special schools.

Attendees at the ceremony were:

Jane Slater - Anthony Gell
Vicky Jones - Ashbrook Infant & Nursery 
Julie Emson - Ashbrook Infant & Nursery 
Jo Wymark - Belmont Primary 
Tracey Wright - Belmont Primary 
Lynn Ault - Belmont Primary 
Deborah Quinn - Bennerley Fields 
Samantha Reid - Bolsover Infant & Nursery 
Kelly Bell - Bolsover Infant & Nursery 
Nicola Bradshaw - Brookfield Community  
Sarah de Rosenwerth - Chapel en le Frith Primary 
Debbie Newbold - Creswell CE Infant & Nursery  
Julia Weller - Creswell CE Infant & Nursery 
Lucy Haywood - Dallimore Primary 
Kay Burnett - Deincourt  
Kathleen Cox - Dinting CE Primary 
Clare Morton - Dronfield Infant  
Katy Clubb - Gamesley Community Primary 
Carol Guy - Eckington 
Linda Dalton - Highfields Secondary 
Elizabeth Pearson - Highfields Secondary 
Emma Stephens - Hodthorpe Primary 
Gerda Hopkinson - Hodthorpe Primary 
Sally Atkinson - Inkersall Primary 
Vivian Beardsley - John Flamsteed Community 
Julie Clifford - Killamarsh Infant 
Susan Keeling - Long Lane CE Primary 
Linda Rowbottom - Long Lane CE Primary 
Jayne Plummer - Peak 
Lynn Bown - Springwell Community 
Ann Foxley-Johnson - Springwell Community 
Peter Clark - Springwell Community 
Lesley Crowther - St Anne's Catholic Primary 
Gillian Corbett - St Anne's Catholic Primary  
Karen Bagshaw - St Anne's RC Primary 
Josephine Eccles - St James CE Primary 
Clare Parker - St Joseph's RC Primary 
Judith Milling - St Thomas More RC 
Sandra Hampson - St Thomas More RC 
Denise Elkington - Tupton Hall 
Dawn Walker - Waingroves Primary 
Ann Stevenson - William Gilbert Endowed Primary 
Janette Sinfield - William Howitt Junior

(REF: FW.415.07)

Broaden your horizons in the New Year by taking up a new hobby, learning a new skill or getting a qualification.

Derbyshire County Council has launched its spring term adult education programme packed full of courses ranging from belly dancing to hedge laying, tai chi to computer skills.

The new year brings a new look brochure with information rolled together to create three regional editions of the brochure – North East Derbyshire, North West Derbyshire and South Derbyshire.

2008 will feature an exciting new range of sustainability courses including heritage building skills and traditional woodland crafts.

Councillor Bob Janes, Derbyshire County Council cabinet member for cultural services, said: “The start of a new year is the ideal time to try something completely new.

“We have a wide range of courses on offer from fun classes such as pottery and belly dancing to a new range of traditional skills such as stone masonry, stone slate tiling and timber framing.

“Our adult education courses offer the ideal place to learn a new skill, gain a qualification or just meet new people and have fun."

Another new feature in 2008 is The Information Technology Qualification.

This is the new National Vocational Qualification and has been designed to create a flexible qualification which demonstrates staff competence in the use of IT in the workplace.

ITQ is based on a national framework of skills that covers the core range of everyday computer skills such as word processing, spreadsheets and security.

What makes ITQ unique is that it can be tailored to each individual’s requirements and does not involve learning skills that won’t be needed or used.

This means you can choose the modules or units you require from qualifications such as CLAIT, CLAIT Plus or ECDL to gain the knowledge required.

Our non vocational courses offer excellent value for money especially for Gold Card holders who get a 15 per cent discount and most family learning and skills for life courses are free.

Get your new brochure from Call Derbyshire on 08 456 058 058, any county library, county hall reception in Matlock or your local adult community education centre.

Alternatively visit our adult education pages.

REF:CM:413:07

Schools in Derbyshire have collected awards for helping pupils lead healthy lives.

Thirty seven schools from across the county received a Healthy School Award at a ceremony at County Hall, Matlock.

The awards ceremony is for schools to celebrate their achievement in gaining the National Healthy Schools Status and was organised by the Health Promoting Schools team, a partnership between Derbyshire County Council and Derbyshire County Primary Care Trust.

The event, which took place on Tuesday, November 27, also included individual children being awarded for their art contributions to the Healthy Schools Art Competition.

The theme for the competition was ‘What Makes My School Healthy?’

Some of the artwork will be used to decorate mouse mats, coasters and promote the Derbyshire Healthy Schools website.

Derbyshire Health Promoting Schools team aims to improve long term health, reduce health inequalities, increase social inclusion and raise achievement for all.

Councillor Anne Western, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for children’s services, said: “We are working hard to improve the health of local people and make sure our children are given the best chance to live happily and healthily.

”These schools are great examples of how to help young people lead more healthy lifestyles and thoroughly deserve this recognition.” 

Pictured are Morley Primary School pupils Jonathan Mullee and Susannah Allsop with examples of their art work.

National Healthy School Status Award recipients:

Alfreton Nursery School      
Ambergate Primary School
Bladon House School
Brockwell Nursery & Infant School
Brookfield Community School
Chaucer Junior School
Clifton C of E Primary School
Dove Holes CE (Controlled) Primary School
Duke of Norfolk C of E Primary School
Eureka Primary School
Flagg Nursery School
Gamesley Early Excellence Centre
Hadfield Infant School
Hadfield Nursery School
Hallam Fields Junior School
Heanor Langley Infants School
Horsley Woodhouse Primary School
John King Infant School
Ladywood Primary School
Marlpool Infant School
Marsh Lane Primary School
Morley Primary School
Netherthorpe School
New Mills Nursery School
Norbury CofE Primary School
Overseal Primary School
Pinxton Nursery School
Ripley Nursery School
Sawley Infant and Nursery School
Scarcliffe Primary School
South Normanton Nursery School
St Thomas Catholic Primary School
Stanley St Andrew's Primary School
The Curzon C of E (VA) Primary School
The Meadows School
Wessington Primary School
Woodville Infant School

Pupils at a Derbyshire school have dug out their spades to help mark National Tree Week.

Charlesworth School planted 14 trees in their grounds after Derbyshire County Council helped them secure a £600 grant from the Tree Council’s Trees for Schools Fund.

National Tree Week is a national festival to mark the start of the planting season and encourages people to celebrate and explore trees and woods.

More than 20,000 million trees have been planted in the UK as a result of past tree weeks.

Councillor Brian Lucas, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for environmental services and Councillor

Joyce Sanders, chair of Derbyshire County Council, joined pupils to help plant the oak, beech and ash trees at the school on Long Lane.

Friends of Charlesworth School were also very heavily involved in the project helping to organise the event.

The saplings will replace 14 trees which were vandalised last July.

Councillor Brian Lucas said: “A top priority of Derbyshire County Council is to create environmentally friendly communities.

“Planting these trees will help to brighten up the school grounds but more importantly will have a positive environmental impact on the area.

“All the students had a great time planting the trees which will no doubt be enjoyed by future pupils of the school for many years.”

Pictured left to right are Layla Brown, seven, Councillor Brian Lucas, Councillor Joyce Sanders and Samantha Bruce, six.

More than half a million pounds is being invested in road repairs and improvements across the county by Derbyshire County Council this month.

The money is part of a £12m package of Government transport funding to support a range of measures identified in the council’s local transport plan for 2006/2011.

Councillor Brian Lucas, cabinet member for environmental services, said: “Improving the road network is a priority for the council.

“We continue to work hard to improve and maintain the condition and safety of our roads and pavements for local people.”

During December, work to improve roads will be carried out by the county council in the following districts:

• Amber Valley £56,000
  Aldreds Lane, Heanor - £56,000 – Road resurfacing

• Bolsover - £138,259
  A632 Langwith Road. Bolsover - £138,259 – road resurfacing

• Chesterfield - £61,457
  A632 Hady Hill - £61,457 – road resurfacing

• High Peak - £184,699
  A624/A6015 junction, Hayfield - £70,000 – junction improvement
  Matthew Close, Tintwistle - £30,000 – pavement reconstruction and re-kerbing
  Castleton Close area, Glossop - £84,699 – Replace slabbed pavements

• North East Derbyshire - £92,495
  B6054 Main Road, Holmesfield - £53,200 – Road resurfacing
  B6052 Handley Road, New Whittington - £39,295 – Road resurfacing

• North Western Area Wide - £23,000
  A6 Matlock to Cheshire boundary - £23,000 – Speed limit review, associated gateways and lining to reduce casualties

REF:CM:000:07