About Chesterfield

Council Tax freeze on the cards for a second year

Borough councillors in Chesterfield are to be recommended to freeze Chesterfield Borough Council’s portion of Council Tax for a second year running.

Councillors will vote on the motion to be proposed by the council’s leader, Councillor John Burrows, at the council meeting on 26 February as part of the council’s commitment to help hard-working families in the borough.

This comes despite the news that Chesterfield again is one of 19 authorities in the country facing the biggest spending cut in Government grant funding – a 6.4 per cent reduction in the coming financial year.

A number of councils in the south have seen an increase to their spending power.

Councillor John Burrows, Chesterfield Borough Council’s leader and executive member for regeneration, said: “We know that hundreds of hard working families in Chesterfield are struggling to make ends meet, which is why we are proposing to freeze our part of the Council Tax for the second year running.

“This is a difficult decision because of the scale of cuts we have received in our grant funding from the Government, which will have reduced from £8.7 million in 2010/11 to £5.3 million in 2015/16.

“In the last year we have been forced to make difficult decisions about how we fund and deliver our services – such as introducing a donation charge for the annual fireworks event and reducing funding for events in the town centre.

“We will be having to make more tough decisions in the coming year but we remain committed to providing the best possible facilities and services for our residents and businesses.”

Although Chesterfield Borough Council collects Council Tax, the council keeps only 10 per cent of the money collected.

For the average band A property, this means the council keeps only £96.59 each year or £1.86 each week of the money collected to fund its services including: refuse collection, street cleaning, sports and park facilities, regeneration, housing, markets, museums, theatres and tourism.

The rest of the Council Tax is collected by the council on behalf of different authorities.

Source:Chesterfield Borough Council

Posted in About Chesterfield

Franke Sissons serves up more help for Ashgate Hospice

Ashgate Hospicecare is now benefitting from two new food delivery trolleys thanks to local manufacturer and Chesterfield Champion, Franke Sissons.

Designed to help staff deliver meals to the wards at the hospice as smoothly and efficiently as possible, the bespoke trolleys are made from local stainless steel, manufactured by Franke for the past 230 years, and also feature Perspex viewing panels, courtesy of Chatsworth Signs.

A long-term supporter of Ashgate Hospice, Franke Sissons is pleased to be able to help the charity once again, having previously donated commercial kitchen equipment as well as financial support.

Lorraine Chambers, Estates and Facilities Manager for Ashgate Hospicecare explains, “Franke Sissons has regularly stepped up to support the hospice.  These new trolleys will make life so much easier for our team delivering meals and beverages throughout the hospice.”

Ashgate Hospicecare, provides specialist palliative and end of life care to local people and their families across North Derbyshire and the High Peak and Dales. It is one of the largest hospices in the UK caring for more than 2,000 patients every year.

It costs £6.8m each year to run Ashgate Hospicecare. It receives an NHS grant of £2.5m but has to raise a further £4.3m to ensure these vital services continue to be provided. Ashgate Hospicecare nurses provide care at the hospice, in peoples own homes and at Chesterfield Royal Hospital.

Caption: Photo (right-left) Chef at Ashgate, Andrea; Estates and Facilities Manager, Lorraine Chambers; two Ashgate volunteers, Trevor Knowles, Draughtsmen; Franke Sissons, Simon Todd & Paul Gibbons; Chatsworth Signs.

Source:Franke Sissons via DRA Public Relations

Posted in About Chesterfield

Latest good news on jobs

The latest job figures announced today show significant annual falls in the number of people claiming out of work benefits and the total number of unemployed people across the region, along with a large annual increase in employment.

In Chesterfield the number of people claiming out of work benefit stood at 1,385 in December, which is 522 fewer than the same month in 2013 and 61 fewer than the figure announced in November.

In Derby and Derbyshire, there were 491 fewer Jobseekers’ Allowance (JSA) claimants in December than there were in November, representing an annual fall of 5,517, or 36%.

Across the East Midlands, the total number of people in employment increased by 11,709 in the three months to November, an increase of 49,750 on the same period in 2013.

The total number of unemployed between September and November increased by 603, but was down by 19,094 on the year.

The East Midlands Chamber, which represents businesses in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire, has welcomed the news, but says firms are still struggling to recruit skilled staff.

Chris Hobson, the Chamber’s Head of Information and Representation, said: “Today’s employment figures are once again extremely positive and show that significant progress has been made in getting more people off jobseekers’ benefits and into work.

“However, this growth in employment could be even better as many businesses are still telling the Chamber that they experience difficulties in finding suitably skilled workers.

“The results of our latest Quarterly Economic Survey (Q4 2014) showed that about two-thirds of firms – twice as many as in the same quarter of 2013 – struggled to recruit people with the skills they need. This is an area which requires urgent focus from policymakers.

“In particular, getting the link right between education and the world of work has never been more important if this country is serious about creating a new economy equipped for success in the long term.

“It’s an issue that the Chamber has long campaigned on and, unfortunately, the structural problems in this area, over the past few years in particular, are impacting upon businesses’ ability today to recruit the right staff to help them grow.

“The skills shortage is very much a current issue, so getting right policies in place to support recruitment is imperative, with priority being given to  specific policies regarding relief on business investment and supporting those furthest away from the job market into employment.”

Source:East Midlands Chamber

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield

£400m Peak Resort development announced by Prime Minister David Cameron

Prime Minister David Cameron announced Peak Resort, a £400m leisure development near Chesterfield, which will create 1,300 jobs.

The all-weather leisure, health, sport and education destination will be located on the edge of the Peak District National Park.

The tourism development, which will bring more than 1,300 jobs to Chesterfield has been welcomed as a further sign of the borough’s economic strength.

Chesterfield Borough Council and Destination Chesterfield, the town’s marketing campaign, both say the news that the Peak Resort project will soon get underway shows the private sector’s confidence about investing in the borough.

News about the start of work on the integrated all-weather, year round leisure, health, sport and education destination will be formally announced by the Prime Minister David Cameron during a visit to America.

Plans for the project – which is in the Chesterfield borough on the reclaimed opencast mining site, close to the Birchall Estate at Unstone, have been years in the making. It brings together leading hospitality, university, sport and medical expertise and will have 600 holiday apartments, hotel and hostel units with 250 woodland lodges.

Councillor John Burrows, Leader and Executive Member for Regeneration at Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “This is a fantastic boost to Chesterfield and its economy and another sign of the confidence the business community has about investing in our borough.

“I congratulate the developer Rupert Carr for his determination and hard work to make this happen. I also thank the council’s planning and economic development teams who have worked closely with him and his company over many years to make this project a reality.

“The development will provide 1,300 jobs when it opens, and hundreds more during the construction phase, so the opportunities for local people to get new jobs will be tremendous.

“And once completed the venue will bring thousands of extra visitors to our borough, improving Chesterfield’s tourism offer, with the knock-on benefits that this gives to our local shops and facilities.”

The move has also received the backing of Destination Chesterfield, the town’s marketing campaign.

Chair, Peter Swallow said: “The benefits of Chesterfield’s proximity to the Peak District National Park will be fully realised with the announcement of Peak Resort.

“The investment by the US firm Grand Heritage Hotel Group will put the town on the international map and I am confident Chesterfield will reap the domino effect of this investment far beyond the construction phase.

“Residents, retailers and developers in the area have an excellent opportunity now to capitalise on Peak Resort ahead of its opening and make Chesterfield the best it can be to ensure a positive lasting impression for all visitors.”

George Cowcher, Chief Executive of the East Midlands Chamber, which represents businesses in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire, said: “This is fantastic news and will totally transform both the economy and the tourism offer of Chesterfield and the Peak District.

“This scheme has been in development for many years, so it’s great to see it has finally secured the funding to bring it to fruition, along with the green light to make it happen.”

“The visitor economy, particularly in this part of the region, is a key driver of economic growth and this new development will further enhance the offering, draw more visitors to the area and make Chesterfield and the Peak District an even stronger proposition for potential investors.”

A new regeneration investment organisation, bringing together the two investors – Birchall Properties, led by Rupert Carr, and the US owned Grand Heritage Hotel Group – will be created to lead the project.

Work will start on site between March and April.

Read more about the Peak Resort development

The Peak Resort Masterplan by Stanton Williams (Retina Images)

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Development, Leisure, Visiting

Anna Cattee qualifies as Notary Public

Commercial solicitor, Anna Cattee, has become Chesterfield’s newest Notary Public.

Based at BRM Solicitors on Saltergate, Anna has undertaken two years of study for the role and is now one of only two people practising in the town.

The role of Notary Public is the oldest within the legal profession, focusing on authentication and certification of signatures and documents for use abroad. There are only around 1,000 Notaries Public in the whole of the UK.

Each Notary Public uses a unique seal to authenticate documents. With the role having international reach, Anna decided to represent Chesterfield by integrating Chesterfield’s famous Crooked Spire into the design of her notarial seal and has utilised the logo produced for the town by marketing campaign, Destination Chesterfield.

Commenting on her new role, Anna said:-

“BRM has always had clients who trade, live and work overseas. When Rod Shiers (former Notary Public and partner at BRM) retired from the firm in 2012, it was essential that we continued to offer in-house Notarial services.

“I have always considered the role of a Notary to be a very interesting one, and was delighted to be offered the chance to become the firm’s first female Notary. I am very much looking forward to my new role.”

Source:BRM Solicitors

Posted in About Chesterfield

Support on offer for local jobseekers

Free assistance is now available at Chesterfield Library to aid residents currently seeking employment.

As well as one-to-one computer sessions to help people find jobs and benefits information online, job hunters will also be able to access regular employability sessions each week.

Run by Derbyshire County Council’s Careers Service, the employability sessions will take place between 9.30am and 12.30pm each Friday and will advise anyone who is looking for work or a change in career, those at risk of redundancy, or those who want to create or update a CV.

Deputy Cabinet Member for Health and Communities Councillor Ellie Wilcox said:

“I am delighted to see our libraries providing such a useful scheme in their local communities.

“Our librarians will work with people to give all the help they can and they can then refer them to other organisations for further support if necessary.”

“Those who are job hunting can often be at a disadvantage if they can’t apply online and we want to help with this.

“We also want to help people with money worries to find out information about the benefits and support that they may be eligible for.”

Staff providing the sessions are working with organisations such as the Department for Work and Pensions, Citizens Advice Bureau, Derbyshire Unemployed Workers Centre, Derbyshire Law Centre, the Volunteer Centre and our own Welfare Rights Service.

Participants will be also be able to take away information sheets on a variety of subjects including job searching, volunteering opportunities, money matters, legal information and advice, a beginners guide to the internet, setting up an email account and using Netloan machines in Derbyshire libraries.

Further information about the work and benefits sessions and the employability workshops is available by contacting Derbyshire County Council’s Library Information Service on 01629 533444 or by emailing asklibrary@derbyshire.gov.uk.  To book an employability workshop please call 01629 533400.  Residents can also invited to drop in without reserving a place.

Source:Derbyshire County Council

Posted in About Chesterfield

Chatsworth at forefront of accessible tourism campaign following funding boost

Chatsworth is among eight Peak District and Derbyshire businesses chosen to promote England as a leading destination for accessible tourism – now worth £3 billion to the national economy.

Official tourist board, Visit Peak District & Derbyshire is one of just seven destinations to secure a share in national tourist board, VisitEngland’s ‘Access for All’ project, funded by a 125,000 Euros (almost £98,000) grant from the European Commission.

All the businesses taking part along with Chatsworth – Crich Tramway Village; East Lodge Hotel and Restaurant, Rowsley; Hoe Grange Holidays, Brassington; the Peak District National Park Authority’s Parsley Hay Cycle Centre; Peak Shopping Village, Rowsley and Rivendale Caravan and Leisure Park, near Ashbourne – will have the opportunity to promote and improve their accessibility as part of the project.

Their employees will have access to the very latest training to boost their skills, while an informative guide will showcase the warm welcome and wide variety of experiences all visitors – including those with access needs – can expect in the Peak District and Derbyshire.

VisitEngland will also launch a national marketing campaign in the late summer and early autumn to promote experiences available for visitors with access needs and encourage more people to take a short break in England.

“We’re delighted to have the chance to take part in this VisitEngland initiative, which will put the Peak District and Derbyshire firmly on the map as one of the country’s leading destinations offering accessibility to all,” said Lindsay Rae, Industry Engagement Manager at Visit Peak District & Derbyshire.

“We already work with our Patrons, members and organisations such as Accessible Derbyshire to make people aware that much progress has already been made to improve accessibility to accommodation, attractions and activities in the area.

“‘Access for All’ involves some of the flagship businesses that have already made great strides in catering for this growing market, and will build on what has already been achieved.”

James Berresford, Chief Executive of VisitEngland, added: “We are committed to ensuring England is a destination that offers a warm welcome for all visitors. The Access for All project is a fantastic opportunity to continue to build England’s reputation as a leader in accessible tourism, and help grow this important and valuable market.”

New research by VisitEngland reveals that the overnight accessible tourism market is now worth £3 billion to England’s economy, with day visits boosting the figure to £12.4 billion. Over the past four years, overnight trips by disabled tourists and their companions have increased by 19 per cent, with spending up by 33 per cent.

Source:Visit Peak District & Derbyshire

Posted in About Chesterfield, Visiting

Recognition for Chamber’s efforts to close employability gap

The work East Midlands Chamber does to help create closer links between business and education has been praised by Government.

 

 

The Chamber’s Schools Forum, established to promote better engagement between education sector and the private sector, has been highlighted in a report from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills which looks at the relationship between employers, schools and the National Careers Service (NCS).

 

The research paper, written by former National Careers Council Chair Dr Deidre Hughes, examines the role of the service in helping employers to work with schools, to the benefit of individuals and businesses.

 

It holds the Schools Forum up as an example of best practice of schools and businesses working together, stating: “An important element of the forum is to provide information on labour market intelligence relating to area of economic growth and employment opportunities in the region.

 

“This has been provided by the Local Enterprise Partnership, local authorities, employment and Skills Boards and from research undertaken at local universities.

 

“The aim of this is to ensure that curriculum development and careers advice is not disjointed and removed from the realities of the needs of local employers.”

 

East Midlands Chamber, which represents businesses across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire, has worked closely with the Department for Education, Ofsted and the Local Enterprise Partnerships for the three counties on a host of skills-related initiatives over the past two years.

 

And in its recently launched 2015 election business manifesto, it has called for measures to incorporate employment outcomes in secondary school assessments, ensure work experience is embedded into education, champion vocational options in education and ensure there is a clear link between the curriculum and the demands of the local labour market.

 

Chris Hobson, the Chamber’s Head of Information and Representation, said: “Members frequently tell us that skills shortages are among the biggest problems they face when it comes to recruitment, which is why the Chamber has been working hard to improve the employability skills of school-leavers and young people.

 

“The work that has been done is an important part of correcting the skills shortages both in the short and longer term. In the short term, it’s vital the Chamber works with others to ensure people in work and those looking for jobs are equipped with the skills to succeed.

 

 

“It is gratifying that the hard work has been recognised but while progress has been made there is still more to do on this agenda to help ensure that all young people have the skills, attributes and attitudes employers demand.”

Source:East Midlands Chamber

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business

Chesterfield Borough Council branding changed for first time in 40 years

New branding is being introduced to help Chesterfield Borough Council improve customer service, generate more income and save on future design costs.

The council’s branding was originally created 40 years ago and so was not designed with modern publishing needs in mind, particularly for websites or social media.

The new visual identity, produced by Chesterfield-based company Crush Design, continues to feature the town’s famous Crooked Spire and is designed to help attract more people to use services that generate income, such as the council’s leisure centres.

To help the council save money in the future templates are also being produced to enable council staff to create posters or leaflets for events they are running without having the cost of designing each one individually.

Implementation of the branding will be phased in so that items are only replaced when they reach the end of their working life to prevent additional costs. Many uses of the branding can be changed without any cost, such as social media or when producing future leaflets or posters.

Councillor John Burrows, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and Vice Chair of Destination Chesterfield, said: “At the moment we provide around 60 services. Different teams in the council tell the public about them in different ways and using different visual styles.

“So while they might know we are responsible for rubbish collection they might not know we run the Pomegranate Theatre and Winding Wheel or the parks. Instead they often mistakenly think we are responsible for roads, schools or social care when those are services run by Derbyshire County Council.

“By simplifying the messages we give out and presenting them in a more modern and consistent way people will be able to easily identify what services are run by Chesterfield Borough Council and how to contact us about them.”

A separate organisation, Destination Chesterfield, which is a partnership between private businesses and the public sector, is responsible for marketing Chesterfield as a place to invest in and visit.

In recent years Destination Chesterfield has created an identity to promote Chesterfield which has been used at key gateways to the town, on tourism promotional materials and to promote economic development and regeneration projects.

The council branding has not been changed for 40 years and only applies to services provided by Chesterfield Borough Council. The new branding will not replace any of the work done by Destination Chesterfield to promote Chesterfield.

The council has approved the use of the new branding from late January.

Source:Chesterfield Borough Council

Posted in About Chesterfield, Made in Chesterfield

New era beckons for Peak District and Derbyshire Tourism

Tourism in the Peak District and Derbyshire is poised on the brink of a brand new era as the newly-restructured tourist board looks forward to fresh challenges and opportunities in 2015 and beyond.

 

Changes at the top at Visit Peak District & Derbyshire are designed to take the organisation forward into an even brighter future as a world class tourism destination.

DMO Director Jo Dilley – who has been involved in the strategic development of the tourist board since its inception – is now at the helm of a leaner, reshaped team.

The announcement comes at the end of a review of the tourist board, instigated by its key public funders to assess its performance and achievements since it was set up nine years ago.

The review panel – consisting of representatives from both the public and private sectors – was also charged with recommending ways in which the tourist board’s structure and operations could be modified to ensure its continued success.

A new, revised structure has now been approved by both the review panel and Visit Peak District & Derbyshire’s Board.

“I am delighted to welcome Jo Dilley as DMO Director,” said Paul Roden, Chairman of Visit Peak District & Derbyshire. “After nine years as a pivotal member of the tourist board’s senior management team, she is the ideal choice to steer the organisation through its current period of transition.

“I would like to assure visitors, stakeholders, Patrons and members that they can continue to count on the high standard and wide range of services they have come to expect from the tourist board as we embark on an exciting array of marketing activities in 2015 and beyond.

“Much has already been achieved, and with our revised and responsive new structure, we can look forward to an even more promising future – building on the strong relationships we have forged with all our public and private sector partners.”

David James, former Chief Executive at the tourist board, who will join Bath Tourism Plus as Chief Executive in the New Year, added: “It has been a great honour to lead the team at Visit Peak District & Derbyshire for the past nine years.

“It has been particularly rewarding to see the difference our destination has achieved over that time. Our national Tourist Board, VisitEngland, now recognises it as one of the leading destinations in the country – a massive result achieved by working together with all our public and private sector partners for the greater good.

“I can only wish the team, the stakeholders and the industry the very best of luck for the future. The Peak District and Derbyshire is a magnificent part of the country, and it has been my privilege to serve and represent it in the tourism sector.”

Source:Visit Peak District and Derbyshire

Posted in About Chesterfield, Visiting

Council approves study into new Chesterfield market layout

Plans to improve the layout of the historic Chesterfield Market market are to be drawn up.

Councillors have approved plans for experts to carry out a feasibility study to improve the popular attraction, which is owned and run by Chesterfield Borough Council.

Currently, of 151 stalls in Market Place, only 46 of them face outwards or are at the end of a row.

The study will look into changing the layout of the current market to increase the number of stalls which are in a prominent position looking outwards which can be easily seen by shoppers.

Other issues which will be investigated include:

  • Increasing the power supply to stalls to allow for more refrigerators and tills, allowing modern payment methods to be used
  • Increasing aisle space to make it easier for shoppers with pushchairs and wheelchairs to use the market.

The council has carried out consultation with traders and their views will be taken into account when the report is prepared and considered.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Chesterfield Borough Council’s executive member for leisure, culture and tourism, said: “Although our traditional open-air market continues to be popular with residents and visitors alike, we currently have a problem for traders where the majority of traders do not have a prominent position facing outwards or at the end of a row, meaning they cannot be seen easily by shoppers and attract less trade.

“We have listened to concerns raised by traders and we will be inviting experts to come and look at a new layout for the market which will increase the footfall to the area.”

Source:Chesterfield Borough Council

Posted in About Chesterfield, Visiting