chesterfield borough council

New initiative to boost skills in Chesterfield’s manufacturing sector

A new programme aims to help businesses in the manufacturing and engineering sector upskill their staff and bring new people into the sector.

Manufacturing Futures is a new STEM skills programme that will help increase capacity to support more work-based learning programmes including T-levels, apprenticeships, work experience and internships to ensure there is a future pipeline of talent to work in the sector.

Funded by Chesterfield Borough Council through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund the programme will lead to the creation of new classroom facilities at local business United Cast Bar and will provide mentoring to around 30 people already employed in the sector.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and cabinet member for economic development, said: “Chesterfield has a proud tradition of engineering and manufacturing, but we need to ensure this sector can continue to grow and provide new opportunities for our residents. I’m pleased that we have been able to fund this programme as it will help people advance their careers and support our residents to take up roles in this sector in the future.

“Working in partnership with businesses and education providers is key to ensuring this programme is effective and provides the support the sector needs.”

Chesterfield College has been appointed to deliver the training elements included within the programme.

James Lund, Head of Stakeholder Engagement and Business Growth at Chesterfield College Group, said: “Chesterfield College are really excited to be involved in the delivery of this project in partnership with Chesterfield Borough Council, Chesterfield Manufacturing Forum and United Cast Bar UK Limited. This will be a real catalyst to increasing the engagement with young people in the local area, to support the future staffing needs of the manufacturing sector. It will create a positive legacy that can be built on for many years to come.”

The programme has been introduced following discussions with the Chesterfield Manufacturing Forum which is co-ordinated by Destination Chesterfield and as well as technical training it will include practical sessions with local employers.

James Brand, Managing Director (Foundries) at United Cast Bar and Chair of the Chesterfield Manufacturing Forum, said: “We are really excited to be able to put this facility in place. It will give us the perfect location to provide upskilling to both our workforce and other businesses in the Manufacturing community.

“The space will also provide a place of learning for T Level and apprenticeship qualifications, allowing UCB to work even more closely with the College and local schools is fantastic.”

The programme is funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and is one of several skills programmes to receive funding which will help ensure local residents can advance their career and that the local economy can grow.

This is just one of a range of projects and initiatives which is being funded through the UKSPF, after the council was successful in securing £2.6 million from the Government. It will fund initiatives, until 2025, which are designed to improve life for local people and support local businesses.

Weightron weighbridge manufacturing - sparks flying as employee welds metal

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£255,000 in grant funding awarded to community groups and local voluntary organisations

More than 60 community groups and local voluntary organisations in Chesterfield are benefiting from a share of £255,000 in grant funding – with further funding now available to even more eligible groups.

A total of 64 local groups from across the borough have been awarded funding through Chesterfield Borough Council’s Community Grants Fund – helping them to deliver grassroots projects that will improve life for local people.

Applications for the fifth and final round of funding from the scheme are now open – with a total of £60,000 available to groups who apply by the deadline on 25 October.

More information on eligibility criteria and how to apply can be found at: https://chesterfield.gov.uk/business-and-economic-growth/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-ukspf/community-grants-fund/

The grants, which were launched last year, are already being used to support local groups deliver projects that support resilient, healthy, and safe neighbourhoods, as well as initiatives which will help to tackle food poverty and social isolation, or support people to get in to work.

It is also supporting projects that will reduce the borough’s impact on the climate and wider environment by promoting greener choices.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “We’re lucky to have so many community groups and voluntary organisations here in Chesterfield that support our communities.

“I’m pleased that, through external funding schemes, we are able to support so many of these groups that work tirelessly to deliver projects and initiatives that make a real difference to the lives of local people, and we’re looking forward to watching these projects progress.”

The latest round of funding, tranche four, has seen the following groups awarded funding:

  • Community Development Chesterfield
  • Poolsbrook Club Community Committee
  • Duckmanton Miners Welfare Centre
  • The Volunteer Centre
  • Middlecroft Community Network
  • The Edge Ministries
  • Friends of Holmebrook Valley Park
  • United Response
  • Friends of Badger Park
  • GH Futures Ltd

One of the groups benefiting from funding is Middlecroft Community Network – a local group established by residents, for residents, with the aim of enhancing the local community and improving the health and well-being of local people.

The funding awarded has helped to support a community engagement event called Picnic on the Pitch – an opportunity for residents to connect with local authorities and outreach services.

Tom Oxley, Middlecroft Community Network’s Chair and Founder, said: “As lifelong residents, we’ve noticed that Middlecroft lacked meeting venues and facilities on the estate. The funding from the Community Grants Fund will play a huge part in helping us to change this and allows us more opportunities to improving the estate and enhancing the physical and mental health of its residents.

“Picnic on the Pitch 2024 took place on Saturday 14 September and was our inaugural event, which we hope to make an annual tradition. During the event, we provided free food and entertainment for residents, and encouraged them to interact and socialise with each other while also engaging with local services they may not have otherwise accessed.

“I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Vicki Holmes, Secretary of the Network, who has worked tirelessly to ensure the success of this event. Her devotion, not only to this event but also to the well-being of the Middlecroft Estate and its residents, is truly admirable. She is always active, whether it’s on our community allotment, litter picking with her family, or organising competitions for the residents.”

Alongside the Community Grants Fund, the council is running a community development project which will provide support to organisations wanting to apply for the grant. If you would like any help or guidance with submitting a bid, please contact the team on:

Email: communitygrants@chesterfield.gov.uk

Phone: 01246 959657 or 07790 977317

Post: Community Grants Fund, c/o Wendy Blunt,
Health and Wellbeing Officer,
Chesterfield Borough Council,
Town Hall,
Chesterfield,
S40 1LP

Funding for the Community Grants Fund has been successfully secured from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), together with money raised through the Community Infrastructure Levy Neighbourhood Portion (CIL).

The community grants are just one initiative which is benefiting from funding through the UKSPF, after the council was successful in securing £2.6m from the Government. It will fund initiatives up to April 2025, which are designed to improve life for local people and support local businesses.

Child having face painted at local community event

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Accessibility and inclusion to be highlighted in Chesterfield

Local organisations are shining a light on accessibility and inclusion in Chesterfield, showcasing the support available for people with disabilities.

Local disability support and community groups, supported by the Chesterfield Equality and Diversity Forum, are to hold a free event during National Inclusion Week and Chesterfield residents are invited to come along.

Hosted alongside various disability organisations, the aim of the day is to spread awareness and show support around accessibility and inclusion in the Chesterfield area.

The inclusion day will take place Tuesday 24 September between 10am and 3pm at New Square, and Grace Chapel in Chesterfield town centre.

Partners including the NHS, RNIB, Accessible UK, Deaf-intely Women, Derbyshire All Age Carer Support Service, Scope, Peaky Blindies sight support group, Building Bridges support group, Scope, Grace Chapel, Feeling Connected DVA, Mindscapes support group, Chesterfield Shop Mobility and Pain Inspired (chronic pain support group) and many more will be on hand throughout the event to offer advice and support information.

A key aim of the initiative to is to create a better understanding of the experiences of people who have a disability, including the challenges that they may face in everyday life. To help highlight some of these issues, attendees will take part in an initiative called ‘a moment in our shoes’ – supported by local social enterprise, Kakou.

Those taking part in the event will use vision glasses supplied by RNIB and headphones supplied by Deaf-intely Women to enable them to ‘walk’ in the shoes of individuals with various disabilities, including visual and hearing impairment, limited mobility, wheelchair use, and hidden disabilities or learning disabilities, to truly understand the challenges they face.

They will be interviewed and filmed to capture their thoughts and reflections, and this will be used to create a short film after the event –  further spreading the message of inclusivity.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of the Council, said: “Having the opportunity to experience real life situations and understand the issues people are facing will help to inform our decision making and have a positive impact in our town.”

Karen Lawson, a social prescriber who works together with local GP practices to support people in managing their disabilities, has helped to organise the event.

She said: “I’m inspired by the people in our community who face daily challenges of accessibility and inclusion. Their voice is often not heard.

“They are asking decision-makers and the community to spend ‘a moment in our shoes’ so they know what it feels like.

“Through art, performance, hands-on experiences, talks and sharing the passion of our community we can use this event to help make our town a positive, shining, example of inclusion.”

National Inclusion Week is an annual week of activities and events that aim to highlight the importance of inclusion across the UK. It runs from 23rd to 29th September 2024.

 

 

 

 

new square Chesterfield

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New Chesterfield artist in residence set to inspire with exciting public art projects

From printmaking to photography, local people are being invited to get involved in a new art project which will help bring Chesterfield town centre to life during the ongoing regeneration work.

Local artist, Lucie Maycock, has been appointed as the ‘artist in residence’ the first project for the new public art programme, Animate Chesterfield. It aims to encourage people to visit the town, engage in creative activity and experience new artworks that will help leave a lasting legacy.

A series of workshops – aimed at both children and adults – will be running in the project’s base in New Square, from September to December 2024. There will be a range of activities on offer including printmaking, storytelling, photography and much more.

Lucie is a Chesterfield-based socially engaged multi-disciplined freelance artist who specialises in community arts. Her career spans over 15 years working in a number of disciplines and creative mediums.

Initially she specialised in youth arts, working in a creative arts centre delivering visual arts, media, theatre projects and more. Lucie says she is immensely passionate about all of her community projects and strives to make the world a better place using the arts as her tool.

Lucie added: “There are many ways you can get involved with the artists residency programme in Chesterfield from September to December 2024. Dream and imagine a future for your town through creative arts, crafts, photography, printmaking and much more.

“It’s a chance to discover and tell hidden stories about Chesterfield and all its rich heritage and help to co-create and feed into ideas for creative artwork that will animate the town.”

Animate Chesterfield is led by Chesterfield Borough Council and delivered by Beam, a leading cultural development organisation working across the North of England. It will run for the next two years and as well as the artist in residence the programme includes the creation of new trails and other artworks.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “I’m really pleased to welcome Lucie into this role, and I know she has planned some fantastic workshops that will spark creativity and create memories for our residents. I look forward to seeing what is created and I’d encourage you to take a look at the upcoming events and take part in this great project.”

Funding for the public art project was secured through planning agreements as part of the council’s percent for art scheme, which was part of the previous Local Plan (and now continues on a voluntary basis), and the funding must be used for the delivery of public art.

You can find out more about Animate Chesterfield and see all the upcoming events by visiting: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/animate

Artist puts paintbrush to canvas

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Chesterfield Menagerie exhibition to celebrate our relationship with animals

A new museum exhibition coming to Chesterfield will celebrate the extraordinary relationship between humans and animals.

Chesterfield Menagerie includes a wide range of items from the Chesterfield Museum collection which show humans connections with animals. It includes a beautiful Brampton salt glaze fish flask, ‘The Plough’ a stunning painting by Joseph Syddall, a wonderful figurine of a Chicken by William Gordon and much more.

painting by local artist depicts an old ploughing method using horses

There will be fun activities and interactive elements for the whole family to enjoy including handling items, feely boxes, a sound board of animal calls, a magnetic board matching activity and animal related crafts.

The exhibition will be hosted in the Grade 2 listed Assembly Rooms above the Market Hall from Friday 13 September until Tuesday 12 October, and open from 10am to 2.30pm weekdays, and from 10am to 4pm on Saturdays. It is free to enter.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for our residents and visitors to learn more about our borough’s history and see some incredible things that have been created right here. We want lots of people to come along and support this exhibition and we’ve made sure that there is something for everyone to enjoy.”

Museum fish exhibit

In addition, there will also be a selection of free special events hosted during the exhibition.

Chester the Field Mouse will be visiting the exhibition, meeting fans and posing for pictures on Saturday 14 September from 1pm to 2.15pm.

On Saturday 21 September, Kakou will be hosting a workshop where visitors can create their own art bot. This simple robot will wobble across paper and create a unique drawing. Sessions are being held at 11am, 12pm and 1pm.

As we approach the autumn months visitors will be able to learn more about birds and bees, including how to identify bees, how birds build nests, and they will be able to build their own bird feeder to take away and hang up in their garden. Visitors will be able to take part in this activity on Saturday 28 September from 1pm to 3pm.

The exhibition is hosted in the town centre making it easily accessible by public transport and the venue also includes a lift to ensure that visitors of all abilities can access the exhibition. Further work is being undertaken to provide the exhibition materials in different formats.

The Chesterfield Menagerie exhibition is part of a programme of events and exhibitions that are being funded by Arts Council England.

It aims to ensure that whilst Chesterfield Museum and the Pomegranate Theatre are closed for refurbishment residents and visitors can still connect with our borough’s history and culture.

Over the next year the programme will include a series of museum exhibitions at venues across the borough and range of theatre productions at the Winding Wheel Theatre. To find out more about the programme visit: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/explore-chesterfield/museum/arts-council-england-programme

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Gym facilities to be revamped at Chesterfield and Staveley leisure centres

Gym users in Chesterfield are set to benefit from new state-of-the-art fitness equipment as local leisure centres are refurbished.

The Healthy Living Centre at Staveley and Queen’s Park Sports Centre, which are both owned and operated by Chesterfield Borough Council, will see new equipment installed that will help to enhance the gym experience.

The new look gyms will also benefit from new contemporary flooring, lighting and decor to give a fresh and vibrant feel throughout to improve user experience.

Exterior of Staveley Healthy Living Centre

During the refurbishment, each gym will be temporarily closed, but works have been programmed to ensure members always have access to gym facilities at one of the centres.

The gym at the Healthy Living Centre in Staveley will be closed from Monday 9 September and is set to reopen on Monday 23 September. During this time, gym users will be able to use the gym at Queen’s Park Sports Centre.

The gym at Queen’s Park Sports Centre will then close from Monday 23 September and is set to reopen on Monday 7 October. Gym users will be able to use the gym at the Healthy Living Centre in Staveley during this time.

Exterior of Queens Park Sports Centre

All other facilities at the centres, including the swimming pools, will remain open throughout the refurbishment period.

Following the refurbishment, gym goers will be able to benefit from an enhanced fitness experience as the council is set to launch a new app which will help with the overall gym experience and assist with individual training plans, in addition to some advanced features on a selection of the new cardiovascular equipment.

Councillor Steve Lismore, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing said: “We are committed to improving our fitness facilities for our residents to help them be healthier, both physically and mentally.

“Encouraging people to take up fitness is a key priority for the council therefore keeping the equipment at both our fitness suites as up-to-date and accessible as possible is key. We’re really looking forward to launching this new state-of-the-art equipment and welcoming everyone back to an enhanced gym experience.”

Queen Park Sport Centre gym exercise wellbeing class

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Project provides career inspiration for Chesterfield young people

A new project has provided career insights and work experience for young people in Chesterfield.

The Careers Made in Chesterfield (CMiC) programme has had a successful first year, hosting eight workshops for 275 young people and providing work experience placements for almost 30 students.

It provides students with insights about local career opportunities and aims to create a pipeline of talent to support local businesses. In its first year, the programme has focussed on the property and construction sector but will expand to include the health and wellbeing sector and manufacturing sector over the next three years.

Industry experts have hosted interactive workshops at Ashgate Croft School, Parkside School, Springwell Community College, Netherthorpe School and the Chesterfield YES Youth Hub. As a result of these workshops, students have reported an increased interest in pursuing careers in the construction industry.

The project has been funded by Chesterfield Borough Council as part of its Skills Action Plan and delivered in schools by Direct Education Business Partnership (DEBP).

On Tuesday 2 June Gateway 1 students from Ashgate Croft School were visited by G F Tomlinson where they played ‘guess my job’ with three volunteers – Gemma Thorpe, Senior Bid and Marketing Coordinator; Dave Miller, Site Manager; and Olivia Brindley, Assistant Quantity Surveyor – to learn about the varied roles within the construction sector.

In preparation for a site visit, students were also shown the refurbishment plans for Stephenson Memorial Hall, home to Chesterfield Museum and the Pomegranate Theatre, which is currently being refurbished by G F Tomlinson on behalf of Chesterfield Borough Council.

The students then took on the challenge to come up with their own designs for a cafe, shop, or entire museum using K’Nex construction kits.

Stuart Rooker, Careers Lead at DEBP said: “Collaboration between businesses and schools is crucial to CMiC. It is a fantastic way for employers to engage directly with students and inform them about their business and industry. It also provides the young people involved with the opportunity to learn about the skills they need, which employers value, and the options available to them.”

On Thursday 18 June, the students were given a tour of the construction site. After a health and safety talk from Jack Harvey, Technical Apprentice and putting on the appropriate PPE, Jason Tromans, Site Manager for G F Tomlinson, led a fantastic tour of the building. This included how key parts of the building are being restored and the interesting things that have been found on-site such as old newspapers and messages on the walls. Students were able to see a variety of construction trades at work, including roofers, joiners, ground workers, and scaffolders.

Vicky Bridge, Gateway 1 Teacher from Ashgate Croft School said: “The students thought both the workshop and visit were really interesting. It was a great experience for them to learn all about the company and the trade, and then see it in person and in action. This fits well with our employability lesson where we look at different jobs and types of employment.”

In total 14 employers have supported the CMiC programme including, Stepnell, Fortem, Devonshire Group, Henry Boot, Elliot Mather LLP, Whittam Cox Architects, Turner and Townsend, Castle Owen, Clee Hill, Shelby Group, Frank Shaw Associates and Chesterfield College.

CMiC is a key part of Chesterfield Borough Council’s Skills Action Plan which aims to ensure that local people have the right skills to support career progression and benefit from future employment opportunities.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and cabinet member for economic growth, said: “CMiC has made a great impact in its first year, it’s helped provide young people with the information they need to make informed decisions about their future and by working with employers we can ensure that skills provision in the borough meets their future needs. I look forward to seeing how this programme progresses in future years and hearing from young people about how it has helped them.

If you’re a local business, I would encourage you to get involved in the scheme because it will help guide young people to work in industry and even your business.”

As well as construction and property, the programme will expand over the next four years to include health and social care, and engineering and manufacturing and businesses in these sectors are encouraged to get in touch to volunteer for the scheme.

If you are an employer and would like to get involved in CMiC please email enquiries@debp.org.

Looking for support to improve skills and recruitment in your business? Head over to our business support page to find out more.

DEBP and Chesterfield Borough Council support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Students wearing high viz clothing

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Chesterfield celebrates skills partnership

An innovative partnership which is helping local people access workplace skills and training has marked its one-year milestone.

The Chesterfield Skills and Employment Partnership brings together representatives from the business community, education providers and public sector, to develop programmes and initiatives that aim to help local residents improve their skills to access new opportunities, which will help the local economy to grow.

The partnership has had a busy first year – launching five new skills programmes, established a skills brokerage service, hosted almost 20 events, and created a new initiative that has helped more than 200 young people to make more informed decisions about their future.

Michael Timmins, a director at AECOM and chair of the Skills and Employment Partnership, said: “It has been an incredibly busy first year and we’ve launched lots of new initiatives and programmes that will help ensure everyone can develop the skills that local businesses need to grow. By working in partnership with the public sector, it has helped ensure that support can be provided to solve the challenges faced by businesses and I look forward to seeing how this partnership develops, and to launching more programmes that will help local people access skills training.”

The Chesterfield Skills and Employment Partnership is a key element of Chesterfield Borough Council’s Skills Action Plan. Launched in 2023, it sets out a variety of partnership initiatives – working with local agencies and businesses – to help bridge the skills gap.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and vice chair of the Skills and Employment Partnership, said: “We want to ensure that everyone can benefit from a growing local economy and through working in partnership with businesses and the community sector we can help local people develop the skills to progress in their careers or access new opportunities as they become available.

“Over the last year we have launched lots of new programmes with the business, education, and voluntary sector, I would like to encourage local residents to look into these opportunities and take full advantage of them because they can help progress their career and build a better life in our borough.”

The Skills Action Plan runs until 2027. It is just one of a range of projects and initiatives which is being funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), after the council was successful in securing £2.6m from the Government. It will fund initiatives, until 2025, which are designed to improve life for local people and support local businesses.

More information about the Skills Action Plan and how people can access the support available can be found by visiting: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/jobs-training-skills-and-apprenticeships/

Chesterfield skills partnership

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Town centre regeneration work starts on site

Work on the next phase of the multi-million pound regeneration of Chesterfield town centre has officially started on site.

Councillors Tricia Gilby and Kate Sarvent met with Louise Bruynseels a regular market trader and John Allen the Construction Director at contractor Thomas Bow, to see how works had been progressing to the upper section of Market Place during the first week of construction.

The works will see the creation of a new market layout with new stalls and enhancements to paving, seating and lighting. Work will then move on to New Square – to create an attractive and flexible space that will complement the main market and speciality markets, but can also be used to host festivals, events, cultural celebrations, and community gatherings.

New layout for Chesterfield Market with contemporary stalls, heritage colours, Market Hall in the background, town pump a feature

Market Square Chesterfield – artist’s impression

The town’s historic cobbles will be lifted, and re-laid and some new paving will also be installed – together this will maintain the historic look but will provide a more level surface throughout the Market Place, making it easier for people with accessibility issues such as wheelchair and mobility scooter users or parents with pushchairs to navigate the market.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “We’re all immensely proud of our town centre and historic market, and we’re investing in its future to help it thrive for generations to come.

“It’s fantastic to see work begin on site, and we all look forward to seeing the improvements take shape over the summer. The town centre is very much open for business, although inevitably there will be some short-term disruption and we thank people for their patience.

“We’re working closely to support our market traders and town centre businesses and will keep people up to date as the project progresses – please sign up to our regular monthly email newsletter and also keep an eye on the council’s social media channels.”

View 01 - New Square (Ground) copy

Artists impression of New Square development in Chesterfield

All town centre businesses and market stalls will be open as usual during the regeneration work. Some market traders have temporarily re-located to either the lower half of Market Place, New Square, or other areas of the town centre nearby – but the market will run as usual on Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (and speciality markets as usual on Sundays).

Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield is an 18-month scheme to improve the look, feel and flow of key public spaces, and revitalise the historic market.

Further phases of works include Rykneld Square which will be transformed to create a green and welcoming space from which to enjoy our much-loved Crooked Spire.

Separately, G F Tomlinson will carry out improvements to Corporation Street to create a new gateway to the refurbished Stephenson Memorial Hall, which houses the Pomegranate Theatre and Chesterfield Museum.

Questions about Revitalisng the Heart of Chesterfield can be submitted to the project team by emailing: RHOCEnquiries@chesterfield.gov.uk

For more information or to sign up for project updates by email, please visit: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/revitalise

Group of people stood beside construction site at Chesterfield Market

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Council continues to make progress on climate targets

Chesterfield Borough Council is continuing to make progress to its target of becoming a carbon neutral organisation by 2030 and carbon neutral borough by 2050 as its Climate Change Annual Report is published.

The annual report sets out the work the council has undertaken over 2023/24 to make progress towards its targets. In the last year the council has planted more than 5000 trees, invested almost £4 million of energy efficiency improvements in its properties, funded community projects, developed a plan to reduce emissions in operational buildings, established a new community-based Climate Forum and much more.

Councillor Martin Stone, cabinet member for climate change, planning and the environment, said: “In just the last year we have seen record breaking temperatures and severe flooding, both of which have deeply affected our communities and demonstrates why we must take action to reduce our emissions, and why we must do it now.

“Becoming carbon neutral is an ambitious task and the ongoing financial challenges the council faces make this even more difficult, but we are continuing to make the changes we need to and by setting out detailed objectives on an annual basis we are delivering real progress. In February we approved our next Climate Change Delivery Plan which is even more ambitious and will a further reduction in our emissions.

“I am proud of what we have achieved over the last year but there is still lots to do to reach our target of becoming a carbon neutral organisation by 2030.”
The annual delivery plans are built around the six themes set out in the council’s climate change strategy, including buildings and energy use, travel, green space and land use, communications and engagement, data and monitoring, and council influence.

Within each theme there are specific actions, in 2024/25 these include, strengthening measures which require contractors and suppliers to demonstrate their green credentials when being considered for work, starting work on the major decarbonisation of our operational buildings, continuing to provide support to the Chesterfield Climate Forum and taking steps to move to a low carbon vehicle fleet.
The council has just taken delivery of new electric cars that will be used to deliver the Chesterfield Careline service.

Councillor Martin Stone said: “Decarbonising our fleet is a difficult task, but it is important because transport is one of the largest sources of emissions. I’m looking forward to seeing how these new vehicles perform in our fleet, expanding the number of electric vehicles and looking at alternative fuels for some of our maintenance equipment.”

The council will be introducing more electric vehicles into the fleet over the summer and these will be used to deliver building cleaning, environmental protection, and housing services.
In the autumn the council will be trialling the use of hydrotreated vegetable oil to power vehicles like a road sweeper where electric alternatives are currently unavailable.

To read the full annual report and find out more about what the council is doing to meet its commitment to tackling climate change visit: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/climate-change

Looking for support to make your business more sustainable? Go to our business support page to find out about the latest initiatives available to you.

 

anzacs chesterfield

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Seven Chesterfield parks and green spaces receive Green Flags

Chesterfield has once again been recognised for its excellent parks and green spaces with a magnificent seven green flag awards.

Monkey Park (Chester Street Recreation Ground), Brampton has been awarded the flag for the first-time following improvements carried out over the last few years.

A further six spaces including Queen’s Park, Holmebrook Valley Park, Poolsbrook Country Park, King George V Park (Staveley), Eastwood Park (Hasland) and the gardens of Chesterfield and District Crematorium have all retained Green Flag status. The award is an internationally recognised mark of quality for parks and green spaces.

In addition, Chesterfield Canal Trust’s Hollingwood Hub was recently awarded an impressive eighth Green Flag.

Councillor Steve Lismore, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “It’s magnificent that we have held our Green Flag Awards once again in these parks as well as gaining another for the work undertaken at the Monkey Park. Our teams do a fantastic job to maintain these spaces for all to enjoy.

“To achieve these awards during the second year of our Parks and Play Strategy demonstrates our commitment to the health and well-being of our residents. It is one of our key aims is to continue this valuable work for the good of our communities.”

Over the last couple of years, Monkey Park has received a new footpath network, rustic furniture and a table tennis table, and with help from Brampton Primary School and local children’s charity, Fairplay, a new orchard has been planted as well as daffodil bulbs. This year also sees the colourful addition of a wildflower explosion planted at the main entrance to the park to welcome visitors in.

The Parks, Open Spaces and Play Delivery Plan (2023 to 2028), which was approved by Cabinet in February 2023, sets out Chesterfield Borough Council’s commitment to making sure local communities continue to have access to modern and well-maintained spaces for leisure and play, and to support people’s health and wellbeing.

It will lead to more than one million pounds being invested in parks and green spaces over the course of the five-year programme. Communities will benefit from 18 enhanced youth and play spaces, and also aims to double the number of its sites that are acknowledged by the Green Flag Award.

The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for their management across the United Kingdom and around the world.

With plenty of access to green space and a good mix of picturesque urban and rural landscapes, Chesterfield can offer a fantastic quality of life for you and your family. Find out more about living in Chesterfield.

Man, woman and girl watching a boy go down a slide

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