derbyshire county council

Derbyshire residents to benefit from discounted bus travel across the county

A new ticket scheme is set to offer unlimited bus travel across Derbyshire from £6 a day.

Available from 24 April 2023, the new ‘Derbyshire Wayfarer’ tickets are part of a range of improvements for bus travel in the county, funded by the Government. All bus operators in Derbyshire are offering the new tickets.

Derbyshire County council has been awarded £47 million from the Government to improve bus services in Derbyshire, after submitting a Bus Service Improvement Plan. This amount was one of the largest awarded in the country. The new Wayfarer tickets are being funded from this money.

Day tickets can be bought on all buses, or can be bought online and loaded onto special Wayfarer smartcards. Several options are available, including weekly and group tickets. Wayfarer cards will also be available in libraries and tourist information centres.Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Assets and Transport, Councillor Kewal Singh Athwal, said: “These new tickets are great news for everyone who currently uses the bus. We hope they will tempt more people to give the bus a go.

“For a small sum of money you can travel all across the county, making it cheaper and easier to get to work, to visit some of our wonderful tourist attractions or perhaps pop to see friends and family.”

“This new discounted travel scheme is one of a large number of improvements that we will be making to bus travel in Derbyshire and we are grateful for the financial support from the Government.”

Roads minister Richard Holden said: “People up and down the country deserve a modern, reliable, and affordable public transport system. That is why we have provided Derbyshire County Council with £47 million to boost its bus services.

“Supporting all bus operators in Derbyshire with providing unlimited bus travel for as little as £6 is great for local residents, who will now benefit and be able to make the most of the fantastic work, business and leisure opportunities Derbyshire has to offer.”

The Wayfarer tickets available are:

  • one day for an adult – £8
  • one day for a young person aged up to 16 – £6
  • one day for a group of up to 2 adults and 3 children – £15.50
  • seven days for an adult – £33
  • seven days for a young person aged up to 16 – £24.60

Wayfarer smartcards can be bought online at sytravelmaster.com. These prices are set for the next 6 months as an introductory offer.

The current Derbyshire Wayfarer ticket will become the Derbyshire Wayfarer Bus and Train ticket.

 

bus chesterfield

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Chesterfield to benefit from extra bus services

Two bus services that operate in and around Chesterfield now have more services and extended routes from 27 March 2023 thanks to government funding.

Service 55 (which currently goes from Alfreton to Chesterfield via Tibshelf) has been extended to Chesterfield Royal Hospital and the train station every day. It has also been extended to Wimsey Way industrial estate in Somercotes morning and evenings, Monday to Saturdays, so that workers can use the bus to get to and from their jobs.

Later evening services have also been added, with the last bus leaving Chesterfield at 11:15pm (previously 6.15pm) and Alfreton at 10:15pm (previously 6:30pm). On Sundays there are three later services with the last bus being 11:15pm.

Service 170 (which previously went from Chesterfield to Bakewell) has been extended from New Beetwell Street, Chesterfield, to the train station and there are extra evening journeys at 7pm, 9pm and 11pm from Chesterfield (previous last bus 6:15pm) and 8pm, 10pm and midnight in the other direction (previously last bus 6:15pm).

These three late buses have also been extended from Bakewell to Matlock to fill a gap between these two towns Monday to Saturday.

Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Assets and Transport, Councillor Kewal Singh Athwal, said: “I’m delighted that the extra money we have had from the government has enabled us to make these improvements.

“I’m sure that they will be welcomed by those who currently use these 2 services, and that more people will be encouraged to try the bus instead of using their cars.

“We were awarded £47 million by the government to improve bus services in Derbyshire over the next few years, and these are the first 2 services to gain extra money.”

Both services are operated by Hulleys of Baslow. The total cost of the extra services to the council is £558,445 over the 3 years of the Bus Service Improvement Plan programme.

bus coach station chesterfield

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‘Substantial’ public support for regional devolution plans

There is substantial support for regional devolution plans in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, according to the results of a recent consultation on the proposals.

Local leaders are backing devolution to promote economic growth, secure more investment in our area, for more and better jobs, and for better transport, skills training, housing, and an enhanced greener environment. It would also mean more power in local hands.

Thousands of people took part in the consultation, which took place from November 2022 to January 2023. It was open to residents, businesses, community and voluntary groups, and other employers in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Derby, and Nottingham.

There were 4,869 responses to the consultation overall, from members of the public and people answering on behalf of an organisation. The number of responses was higher than similar consultations on devolution in other areas.

The majority backed the proposals:

  • 53% agreed with the proposals for transport, compared to 35% disagreeing.
  • 52% agreed with the proposals for skills, compared to 32% disagreeing.
  • 51% agreed with the proposals for reducing carbon and improving the environment, compared to 33% disagreeing.
  • 51% agreed with the proposals for public health, compared to 33% disagreeing
  • 46% agreed with the proposals for homes, compared to 39% disagreeing

The only area which was more balanced was in terms of the proposals for governance, with 42% agreeing and 45% disagreeing. Comments tended to centre around the need for a regional mayor. Having a regional mayor is a condition set by the government for a level 3 deal, which offers the most powers and highest funding.

The government has offered new powers to Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Derby, and Nottingham, along with at least £1.14 billion of funding, through the proposed creation of an East Midlands Combined County Authority. A formal proposal was developed, outlining how devolution would work in the area, which was the focus of the consultation.

Historically, the East Midlands has often been an area of low government funding, compared to many other areas of the UK. If the proposals for devolution go ahead, a guaranteed funding stream of £38 million a year for 30 years could help to reverse this trend.

Barry Lewis, Leader of Derbyshire County Council, said: “It’s very encouraging to see the broad support for these plans to bring in £38 million a year and move major decision-making to the people who best know our communities, rather than Westminster.

“I’m pleased that so many residents and organisations came forward to give their views about the East Midlands devolution proposal, and I’d like to thank everyone who took part.

“Clearly there was less support for an elected mayor which I fully acknowledge. The reality is, to obtain the greatest powers and highest levels of funding from the government to benefit local people, an elected mayor is a condition of that deal.

“I firmly believe that by working together across traditional boundaries – and an elected mayor would play a key part in that – this devolution deal will help us attract more investment to our region, better support businesses, upskill our workforce, develop our infrastructure and improve public health.

“The councils involved are now working together on a final devolution proposal. I can assure everyone who took the time to take part in the consultation that their views will be central to shaping our thoughts to the government.

“At the heart of this devolution deal is a desire to seize every opportunity to improve people’s lives across our region by making sure we get a fair share of government funding.”

The leaders of Derbyshire County Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, Derby City Council, and Nottingham City Council all signed up to work on a devolution deal in August 2022 at Rolls-Royce in Derby, following an announcement from the Government that a package of new powers and funding, worth £1.14 billion, were available for the 2 counties and 2 cities.

The 4 councils then worked on a more detailed proposal, including more information about how devolution would work in our area, which was the focus of the consultation.

Many local organisations support devolution for the area. Scott Knowles, Chief Executive of East Midlands Chamber, said: “Our region is home to a wide range of fantastic businesses, from industrial powerhouses with household names to university spin-outs that boast vast potential, and everything in between.

“What they now need is the political apparatus that removes any obstacles to national and local decision-making, enhances our ability to attract investment and ultimately creates a more business-friendly environment.

“This would help them to take strides forward in productivity and innovation, enabling firms to drive the economic growth that creates jobs and wealth locally.”

Professor Kathryn Mitchell CBE DL, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Derby, said: “We are delighted that the authorities within the East Midlands are working to secure a deal for a combined authority. This should provide an opportunity to present a compelling case to central government for more levelling up funding that can be spent strategically to improve productivity and the number of highly skilled jobs across the region.

”It will also enable universities, and other providers of skills, innovation, and business support, to work collaboratively with a single group ensuring spend on regional development delivers the best value for money.”

If all 4 councils vote to accept the results of the consultation, and move forward with the process, a final version of the devolution proposal could then be sent to the government.

Legislation to make the new form of Combined County Authority legal could go through Parliament later this year, which would then need to be approved and receive Royal Assent. This could happen in early 2024.

A new East Midlands Combined County Authority could then officially come into existence in spring 2024, with the first ever election for a regional mayor,  covering Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Derby, and Nottingham, taking place in May 2024.

A future mayor would be held to account by elected representatives from county and city councils in the East Midlands, as well as a scrutiny committee. The mayor would be directly elected by residents in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Derby, and Nottingham.

 

Chesterfield town centre views outdoors

 

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Chesterfield Football Club kicks off mental health partnership

Chesterfield Football Club is working closely with Derbyshire County Council to promote mental health and wellbeing.

The club is working with the council’s mental health team to share a wide variety of support to fans and visitors.

This includes information across the stadium around suicide prevention, mental health and a wide variety of other health and wellbeing support.

Staff from Derbyshire County Council’s public health team have also been on hand to provide healthy lifestyles advice and support to fans.

Mike Goodwin, Chairman of Chesterfield Football Club, said: “It is vital that people in the community who need help with their mental health are provided with the necessary support.

“We are proud of our excellent relationship with Derbyshire County Council, and we will do everything we can to support their efforts to help those in the community who are struggling with their mental health.”

Cabinet Member for Health and Communities, Councillor Carol Hart said: “Mental health is vital to us all and getting the right support and help early can make a big difference.

“Sadly, long term statistics show that men are more likely to take their own lives, and it is most common between the ages of 30 and 59. That’s why we are taking mental health support out to the places that they are likely to be.

“As well as working with Chesterfield Football Club we also offer free mental health training to barbers and other personal care professionals, offering support in environments where people feel safe and comfortable enough to share their thoughts.”

The council’s Live Life Better Derbyshire team is also offering support to fans during match days.

They’re carrying out body MOTs and talking about the free healthy lifestyles service that the council offers, including help around stop smoking, weight management and how to get more active.

Find mental health and wellbeing support.

cfc technique stadium

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Proposals submitted for new Staveley Waterside Development

Proposals for the first phase of a new waterside development in Staveley have been submitted for planning approval by Derbyshire County Council.

Plans for the Staveley Waterside Development at Staveley Basin have been drawn-up as part of the Staveley Town Deal – a £25m Government-funded regeneration programme for the area.

Planning permission is being sought from Chesterfield Borough Council to construct a two-storey building, offering flexible space for new and existing small businesses, some retail use, and a food and beverage opportunity, with indoor and outdoor dining space, along with an access road, and mooring space.

£2.664m has been earmarked from the Staveley Town Deal fund, subject to planning approval, for the first phase of the development on the Staveley Basin site, which forms part of the Markham Vale estate – the county council’s flagship regeneration site with HBD (formerly Henry Boot Developments) off M1 junction 29a.

Ivan Fomin, Chair of the Staveley Town Deal Board, spoke about the development taking place across Staveley as part of a panel discussion at the Celebrate Chesterfield 2023 business conference.

The event encouraged organisations across the area to support Destination Chesterfield to market the town as a destination to invest, work, live and visit. Read more about the conference here.

Ivan said: “Staveley Waterside represents a fantastic opportunity to breathe new life into the area around the canal basin by creating facilities for businesses, residents and visitors.

“Enhancing the visitor experience around the canal with make it even more attractive to walkers and cyclists. The regeneration of this area will leave a lasting legacy for future generations and ensure that Staveley is a place where people can start, stay and grow.”

Ivan Fomin speaking at Celebrate Chesterfield 2023

Ivan Fomin speaking at Celebrate Chesterfield 2023

Councillor Tony King, Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Clean Growth and Regeneration, said: “We’ve put together proposals for an exciting new development which will help to bring jobs to the area and boost the visitor economy.

“Derbyshire County Council has been working alongside partners over a number of years to improve the Staveley Basin area and the Staveley Town Deal has given us a great opportunity to turn our ideas into reality, using our expertise from Markham Vale to create high-quality business accommodation as well as a visitor destination that people from near and far can enjoy.”

Staveley Waterside is one of three projects the county council is leading as part of the Staveley Town Deal which includes 11 projects in total.

Wheels to Work is a project the county council is leading to help people in Staveley access job and training opportunities by providing bicycles and e-scooters for those with limited transport options. And the county council is also heading up a project to reinstate a railway station in Barrow Hill and create better public transport connections between Staveley, Chesterfield and Sheffield for jobs and training opportunities.

For more information about the Staveley Town Deal projects visit www.chesterfield.gov.uk/staveley-town-deal

Staveley waterside 2023

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Work to take place on two sections of new Chesterfield cycling route

Work is beginning on a new cycling route which will run from the west to the east of Chesterfield.

Crow Lane in Chesterfield will close permanently to vehicles on 17 February 2023 to allow a dedicated cycle and walking route to the Royal Hospital.

The decision to close the lane was taken by Derbyshire County Council last November, following a public consultation.

Crow Lane is the eastern end of the new cycle and walking route, which will take people past the train station, through Queen’s Park and along Chatsworth Road to the A619 junction with Holymoor Road.

The lane was used by many hospital staff who walked or cycled to and from work at the height of the pandemic, and from 17 February they will once again be able to do this safely.

Work also starts on a further section of the route on 13 February. The Hipper Valley Trail through Somersall Park is being upgraded, which will create a new wider asphalt surface for pedestrians and cyclists to use.

This work will take around 12 weeks during which time the park will remain open to the public. Traffic marshals will ensure safe passage of construction vehicles. As sections of the pathway are upgraded they will temporarily be out of use to the public.

The new walking and cycling route, once completed, will give a real alternative to taking the car for short journeys across Chesterfield, which is for the benefit of everyone who lives, works or visits the town. Fewer car journeys will bring health benefits to the whole town including cleaner air.

The County Council has been awarded £1.68 million by the Government to create the new route and work will take place later this year on further sections.

Cycling in Queens Park - Get on your bike in Chesterfield

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New £750,000 walking and cycling route announced for Staveley and Markham Vale

A new walking and cycling route is set to be developed in Staveley, which will connect Markham Vale to the existing cycle route in the town.

The £750,000 investment is part of a wider £7 million fund announced by the government, which will improve a number of areas across the East Midlands region.

The funding which has been given the green light is part of an early investment offered to our area as part of devolution negotiations. It is not dependent on devolution proposals going ahead.

It is part of £18 million on offer from the government to the region for investment in different projects supporting local priorities, which relate to housing, the environment, infrastructure, skills, and transport in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Derby, and Nottingham

The programmes which are being funded are:

  • £750,000 for a new cycling and walking route in Derbyshire, a 1¼ mile link connecting Markham Vale to the existing cycle route in Staveley.
  • £1.5 million for the new roundabout on the A6 at Fairfield in Buxton, Derbyshire, allowing access to housing development land. The roundabout provides access to sites for 461 new homes, including 30% classified as affordable. It also brings work to an area of social deprivation. This work has been completed, with the funding which has just been approved going towards the cost.
  • £1.5 million for a new growth through green skills. The investment will enable the creation of a new £5.4 million flagship skills centre and low carbon demonstrator in our region, to be operated by West Nottinghamshire College, as well as two electric minibuses for getting students to and from the site, to support the growth of a future low carbon economy as we work towards net zero.
  • £2 million for a new long-term private rental scheme to address homelessness in Nottingham City and Derby City and reduce the use of bed and breakfast accommodation for housing.
  • £1.22 million for more affordable housing in Derby city, where there is currently a shortage, to provide 15 extra social houses to be let at an affordable rent. It will mean less reliance on temporary bed and breakfast placements and shorter waiting times for longer-term accommodation.

Other regeneration and net zero projects are also in the pipeline, with decisions on these expected soon.

Derbyshire County Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, Derby City Council and Nottingham City Council have been working with the Government on devolution plans including a package of local powers and funding worth £1.14 billion, from 2024. If the plans go ahead, it would also mean a new regional mayor.

The leaders of the 4 councils signed up to work on a devolution deal on 30 August this year at Rolls Royce in Derby. Since August, the councils have developed a more detailed proposal, which includes more information about how devolution would work in our area. The proposal was the subject of a public consultation, which took place from 14 November 2022 to 9 January 2023.

Barry Lewis, Leader of Derbyshire County Council, said: “The approval of these projects is a solid example of the benefits that devolution are bringing to our region.

“These schemes will make a measurable difference to people’s quality of life through opportunities to gain new skills, environmental and health benefits from walking and cycling, better housing and new infrastructure.

“This is the East Midlands levelling up, and finally getting the benefits that we have missed in the past.”

Devolution would mean a new guaranteed funding stream for our region of £38 million a year over a 30-year period. Covering Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Derby, and Nottingham, the devolved area would cover around 2.2 million people, making it one of the biggest in the country.

The devolution deal includes an extra £16 million for new homes on brownfield land and control over a range of budgets like the Adult Education Budget, which could be better tailored to the needs of people in our communities.

The regional mayor would lead a new combined authority, which would include representatives from existing local councils, with decision making powers and resources moving from London to the East Midlands. Local businesses would also have a voice, as well as other organisations.

Devolution would not mean scrapping or merging local councils, which would all continue to exist as they do now and would still be responsible for most public services in the area. The mayor and combined authority would instead focus on wider issues like transport, regeneration, and employment across both cities and counties.

The public consultation on devolution, open to residents, businesses, community groups and other organisations, took place from 14 November to the 9 January.

 

Markham Vale Staveley

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Support for more Derbyshire businesses and organisations to reduce energy use and cut carbon

More Derbyshire businesses and organisations will be eligible for help to reduce their energy costs and cut carbon emissions as part of the Green Entrepreneurs Fund programme

More than £715,000 has already been awarded to businesses and organisations through the grants programme which Derbyshire County Council is running in collaboration with the University of Derby, as part of the drive to help the county reach net zero by 2050 or sooner.

But now changes made to the eligibility criteria for the programme’s Small Grants Fund mean even more businesses and organisations will be able to access funding to help implement green energy plans to reduce their energy costs.

Small grants from £6,000 up to a maximum of £20,000 can be applied for towards projects such as, but not limited to:

  • installing solar panels
  • replacing old heating systems with air/ground source heat pumps
  • retrofitting old boilers to make them more energy efficient
  • fitting electric vehicle charging points at their premises
  • installing energy efficient LED lighting
  • improving the insulation in their premises to help prevent heat escaping
  • funding to replace equipment and machinery with energy-saving alternatives
  • battery storage for solar generated energy.

Applicants will be required to show how their proposals would cut carbon emissions and how they are planning to reduce their emissions to net zero – which means reducing carbon emissions right down to the lowest possible level and off-setting those that cannot be cut through measures such as planting more trees and other forms of habitat creation to absorb excess carbon from the atmosphere, making the overall net emissions zero.

They will also be asked to highlight how the grant funding will support them to improve their management of resources and staff to increase sustainability and show how the project would or could include wider community benefits such as protecting jobs or encouraging greener behaviour among staff.

Councillor Tony King, Cabinet member for Clean Growth and Regeneration, said: “We know that small businesses are feeling the pinch with rising energy bills and costs of materials and goods generally.

“This change to the Small Grants Fund criteria means that we can help more small businesses to invest in energy efficiency measures to help cut their costs as well as their carbon footprint.”

As well as the Small Grants Fund, the programme is also accepting applications to the Green Entrepreneurs Scholarship Fund to support individuals to retrain with skills to enable them to enter the field of low carbon, green energy.

And the Green Entrepreneurs Demonstrator Fund is also open for applications from high quality, larger scale carbon-cutting projects in Derbyshire. This fund is open to projects that are designed to encourage solutions beyond the mainstream of current thinking and the minimum grant available through this fund is £200,000.

Professor Kathryn Mitchell CBE DL, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Derby, said: “The University has an ambition to make Derbyshire synonymous with sustainable business. This extra funding capacity to support businesses on the journey to zero carbon is invaluable, particularly at a time when energy costs are rising. We look forward to seeing the innovative projects that can be supported as a result.”

Find more information on the Green Entrepreneurs Fund programme here.

Wind Turbine in Chesterfield

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Consultation begins on £1.14 billion devolution plans for our region

A public consultation about devolution for Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Derby, and Nottingham has begun.

The consultation is taking place from Monday 14 November until Monday 9 January 2023 and is an opportunity for everyone in the area to have their say about devolution proposals. It is open to residents, businesses, community and voluntary groups, and other organisations in the region.

Derbyshire County Council leaders, and those of Nottinghamshire County Council, Derby City Council, and Nottingham City Council all signed up to work on a devolution deal on 30 August this year at Rolls Royce in Derby, following an announcement from the Government that a package of new powers and funding, worth £1.14 billion, were available for the area.

Since August the councils have been working on agreeing a more detailed proposal for consultation, which includes more information about how devolution would work in our area.

The 4 councils agreed to go ahead with a public consultation as the next step in the process, so everyone has the chance to give their views on the proposal.

Barry Lewis, Leader of Derbyshire County Council, said: “Devolution is about getting a better deal for Derbyshire and the East Midlands and achieving a fair share for our region. It will bring us more money and mean we can make more meaningful decisions here, rather than in London.

“This deal will bring more and better jobs and opportunities for training, improve the local economy, result in better transport and housing, and accelerate our route to Net Zero. I encourage everyone to take part in the consultation and give us their views on devolution.

“A devolution deal, should it be agreed, would be the beginning, not the end. We’re determined to build on this deal over time, as other areas have done.”

Devolution would provide the region with a guaranteed income stream of £38 million per year over a 30-year period, and would cover around 2.2 million people, making it one of the biggest in the country.

If the plans go ahead, it would mean a new regional mayor and it would create the first of a new type of combined authority for the 2 counties and cities, which requires new legislation from central government.

The new elected regional mayor, like those who are already in place in other areas, would represent the whole area. The role of the mayor would be to look at major issues affecting the whole region, give the area a bigger voice, and take advantage of local knowledge and expertise.

As well as the £1.14 billion, devolution plans include an extra £16 million for new homes on brownfield land, and control over a range of budgets like the Adult Education Budget, which could be better tailored to the needs of people in our communities.

Devolution would mean that a future mayor and combined authority could:

  • work towards Net Zero and cleaner air with new low carbon homes, retrofit existing houses with external wall insulation, promote the use of renewable energy, and protect and enhance green spaces, like areas for wildlife and green verges.
  • build on the region’s existing knowledge and expertise in green technology and promote the growth of a future low carbon economy by investing in related skills training at colleges and other training facilities.
  • set up and coordinate smart integrated ticketing and enhanced concessionary fares schemes.
  • work with Homes England to build more affordable homes, by using new powers to buy land and housing (With district and borough council consent).
  • enhance the region’s economy by developing new commercial space to maximise opportunities.
  • work with national government on initiatives to address homelessness, domestic abuse, community safety, social mobility, and support for young people.
  • take advantage of economies of scale by using combined and devolved budgets to deliver more value for taxpayers and more cost-efficient services

The 4 councils sent initial proposals to negotiate a combined devolution deal back in March 2022, after being named as pathfinder areas by the Government in February and then being invited to apply for a devolution deal.

The councils have been working with the government to develop details of the deal, alongside discussions with district and borough councils, businesses, and other stakeholders.

If the devolution deal is formally approved, the government will pass legislation bringing a new combined authority for the East Midlands into existence. The first election for a regional mayor for Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, and Nottinghamshire, would be in May 2024.

The regional mayor would lead the new combined authority, which would also include representatives from local councils, with decision making powers and resources moving from London to the East Midlands. Local businesses would also have a voice, as well as other organisations.

The devolution deal would not mean scrapping or merging local councils, which would all continue to exist as they do now and would still be responsible for most public services in the area. The mayor and combined authority would instead focus on wider issues like transport, regeneration, and employment across both cities and counties.

Find out more about the consultation at: http://www.eastmidlandsdevolution.co.uk/have-your-say/

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£27 million investment to improve county’s travel and transport in 2023/24

Plans to invest £27 million in 2023/24 to repair roads and pavements, reduce flooding and improve local bus and cycle networks will be considered by Derbyshire County Councillors at this week’s Cabinet meeting (17 November 2022).

Funded by the Department for Transport, the investment marks the final part of the county’s major 3-year, £120 million programme to resurface roads and pavements damaged by bad weather, improve bus travel and develop more rural cycling and walking routes to boost tourism.

This year, the Council has already delivered over £20 million of travel and transport improvements across Derbyshire.

Councillor Kewal Singh Athwal, Cabinet Member for Highways Assets and Transport, said:“This significant investment underlines our commitment to improve travel and transport across Derbyshire, to deliver safer and better journeys with less congestion for everyone.

“By careful planning and despite the challenges of the world economy, we are on course to deliver £120 million pounds of investment across our local roads, cycle routes, pavements and bus network by March 2024.

“Next year, our ambitious plans will target over £12 million to resurface roads and repair potholes across our network.

“Our major investment programme will also help to tackle flooding problems, improve road safety and tackle congestion at some of our busiest junctions.

“This approach is all part of our work to provide resident focussed services to deliver a prosperous and green Derbyshire for everyone.

“We recognise that these improvements will cause some delays as we will need to safeguard the travelling public and our workforce, and I would like to thank everyone for their patience.”

Projects included in next year’s (2023/24) programme have been carefully selected to reflect feedback from local people, councillors, and government funding available.

To find out the breakdown on how Derbyshire County Council will spend the money, click here.

Well served by the M1 and the Midland Mainline Chesterfield is within one hour’s drive of four major airports and London is under two hours by rail. Find out more about the town’s excellent location here. 

 

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Councils update on proposed devolution deal for East Midlands

Four councils across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire are due to decide whether to formally agree that a public consultation about the devolution deal proposal for the East Midlands should go ahead.

Nottingham City Council is the first to discuss the deal at its Full Council meeting on Monday 31 October 2022, followed by Derbyshire County Council and Derby City Council on 2 November 2022 and Nottinghamshire County Council on 4 November 2022.

The leaders of each of the 4 councils signed up to work on a devolution deal on 30 August 2022, after the government offered the region a package of new powers and funding worth £1.14 billion. Since August, the councils have been working on agreeing a more detailed proposal, which includes more information about how devolution would work in our area.

These proposals will be discussed for formal agreement at key council meetings and if approved, a full consultation would follow – giving residents, businesses and other organisations the chance to have their say on the plans for a devolution deal, which would see a new regional mayor and new type of combined authority created for the area from 2024.

The deal would provide the region with a guaranteed income stream of £38 million per year over a 30-year period, and would cover around 2.2 million people, making it one of the biggest in the country.

The 4 leaders, Barry Lewis, Leader of Derbyshire County Council, Ben Bradley MP, Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, Chris Poulter, Leader of Derby City Council, and David Mellen, Leader of Nottingham City Council, said in a joint statement:

“Formal agreement by each council to go ahead with a consultation is the next step towards securing a devolution deal. It is about us getting a better deal for our area and getting a fairer share for both counties and cities. It would mean more funding for our region, and the opportunity to have more meaningful decisions made here, near the people they affect, rather than in London, so they can be better tailored to local needs.

“We don’t want to miss out on the advantages that devolution would bring, which other parts of the country have already benefited from. We’ve seen how devolution has given other areas more influence, a bigger presence, and helped them make the most of their strengths.

“We want to make the most of every opportunity, and of every penny, that this deal would bring in. It could make a real difference to people’s lives. More and better jobs, more investment, economic growth, better transport, housing, skills training, an improved greener and more sustainable environment. These are the things we all want to see, as we work together for a better future for the East Midlands.

“We often haven’t had the same level of funding or influence as other areas, and this is a big chance to turn that around and help us live up to our potential as a region.”

 

If the devolution deal goes ahead, it would create the first of a new type of combined authority, which requires new legislation from central government. As well as the £1.14 billion, it would include an extra £16 million for new homes on brownfield land and control over a range of budgets, like the adult education budget, which could be better tailored to the needs of people in our communities.

The devolution deal on the table is a level 3 deal, which offers the most local powers and funding. It would mean a new elected regional mayor, like those which already exist in other areas, who would represent both cities and counties. The role of the mayor would be to look at major issues affecting the whole region, give the area a bigger voice, and take advantage of local knowledge and expertise.

The deal means that a future mayor and combined authority could:

  • work towards Net Zero and cleaner air with new low carbon homes, retrofit existing houses with external wall insulation, promote the use of renewable energy, and protect and enhance green spaces, like areas for wildlife and green verges
  • build on the region’s existing knowledge and expertise in green technology and promote the growth of a future low carbon economy by investing in related skills training at colleges and other training facilities
  • set up and co-ordinate smart integrated ticketing and enhanced concessionary fares schemes
  • work with Homes England to build more affordable homes, by using new powers to buy land and housing (with district and borough council consent)
  • enhance the region’s economy by developing new commercial space to maximise opportunities
  • work with national government on initiatives to address homelessness, domestic abuse, community safety, social mobility and support for young people
  • take advantage of economies of scale by using combined and devolved budgets to deliver more value for taxpayers and more cost-efficient services

The 4 councils sent initial proposals to negotiate a combined devolution deal in March, after being named as pathfinder areas by the government in February and then being invited to apply for a devolution deal.

The councils have been working with the government to develop details of the deal, alongside discussions with district and borough councils, businesses and other stakeholders.

If the devolution deal is formally approved, the government would pass legislation bringing a new mayoral county combined authority for the east midlands into existence. The first election for a regional mayor for Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Derby and Nottingham would be in May 2024.

The regional mayor would lead the new combined authority, which would also include representatives from local councils, with decision making powers and resources moving from London to the East Midlands. Local businesses would also have a voice, as well as other organisations.

The devolution deal would not mean scrapping or merging local councils, which would all continue to exist as they do now and would still be responsible for most public services in the area. The mayor and combined authority would instead focus on wider issues like transport, regeneration, and employment across both cities and counties.

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