At a meeting of the Derbyshire County Council Cabinet, members approved a new Corporate Complaints Policy, continued a joint funding agreement to support children with complex needs, approved annual reports for the Chesterfield Schools Foundation, and allocated funding for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) projects.

SEND High Needs Provision Capital Allocations

The Cabinet approved allocations from the Children's Services SEND High Needs Capital budget for projects at the Holbrook School for Autism (The Whitemoor Centre), Alfreton Park Special School and The Hunloke Education Centre. They also approved allocations to support the Derbyshire Education Partnership in expanding mainstream specialist provision.

The decisions made were:

1. To note receipt of funding from the Department for Education (DfE) as detailed in paragraph 4.1 of the report.
2. To note all previously approved allocations within Appendix 1 to the report.
3. To approve the further allocations as detailed at Appendix 2 to the report.
4. To agree to delegate the allocation of the £7 million for mainstream provision to specific projects to a panel of senior officers and members of the Education Partnership Board, in consultation with Councillor Alex Dale, Cabinet Member for Education.
5. To approve the transfer of approved funds directly to the Esteem Multi Academy Trust for the Holbrook School for Autism (The Whitemoor Centre) and the Hunloke Education Centre by way of a Legal Agreement.

Councillor Alex Dale introduced the report, noting that the aim was to ensure that the council meets its duty to ensure there are sufficient places and improve existing provision in the County for children and young people with SEND, particularly those with more complex needs, and for those pupils that require specialist alternative provision.

The specific allocations include:

• Holbrook School for Autism (The Whitemoor Centre): £5,712,224 for three phases of expansion to accommodate 55 additional pupils.
• Alfreton Park Special School: £500,000 for three additional classrooms and a vocational learning space.
• The Hunloke Centre: £400,000 for internal remodelling and external adaptations to facilitate a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) for high-needs pupils.
• Derbyshire Education Partnership Board: £7,000,000 to support specialist alternative provision within mainstream schools across Derbyshire.

Section 75 Pooled Budget Renewal

The Cabinet agreed to continue a formal partnership and pooled budget arrangement between the council and the Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board (DDICB) to provide and fund support packages for children and young people with complex needs. The decisions made were:

1. To approve the entering into of an agreement between the Council and the Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board confirming that the parties will continue to cooperate upon the terms of the most recent Section 75 Agreement¹; and
2. To delegate to the Strategic Director for Children’s Services the authority to agree any further extensions to the agreement for periods up to a maximum of a further two years to March 2028.

Councillor Julie Patten, Cabinet Member for Children and Families, introduced the report, noting that the aim was to further ensure effective partnership working and improve joint funding and commissioning opportunities.

Corporate Complaints Policy and Unreasonable Behaviour Procedure

The Cabinet approved the publication and implementation of the Corporate Compliments and Complaints Policy and accompanying Unreasonably Persistent Contact and Unreasonable Behaviour Procedure, to be fully implemented by 1 April 2025.

Councillor Simon Spencer, Deputy Council Leader, Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and Budget, introduced the report, explaining that the updated policy and procedure align with the new Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) complaints handling code² and address recommendations from an audit of customer complaints.

Chesterfield Schools Foundation

The Cabinet, acting as trustee for the Chesterfield Schools Foundation, approved the draft Trustee’s Annual Reports and accounts for 2023/2024.

Councillor Simon Spencer introduced the report, noting that approval was required to comply with the provisions of The Charities Act 2011.

Other Business

The Cabinet also:

• Approved the non-exempt minutes of the meeting held on 13 March 2025.
• Approved the allocation of additional funding to meet pay uplift costs for public health services commissioned from NHS providers, as detailed in a report that was not for publication.
• Approved the extension of supported local bus service contracts, a contract extension for vehicle maintenance with Derbyshire Constabulary, and an extension to the value of a contract for intelligent transport systems; all as detailed in reports that were not for publication.
• Agreed to continue to deliver the Bus Service Improvement Plan Programme, delegating decisions to the Executive Director – Place, in consultation with Councillor Charlotte Cupit, Cabinet Member for Highways Assets and Transport.
• Approved several steps related to the South Derbyshire Growth Zone regeneration project, including entering into delegation agreements with Derby City Council and National Highways, and approving the making of a Side Roads Order and Compulsory Purchase Order.
• Approved the proposed Derbyshire regeneration pipeline and delegated authority to the Executive Director – Place to make funding applications to the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA).
• Agreed to undertake initial work to establish a site for Biodiversity Net Gain at Glapwell Countryside Site.
• Approved the exempt minutes of the meeting held on 13 March 2025.
• Received an update on the centralisation of digital budgets across the council, approving budget virements³ to Corporate Services and Transformation.
• Agreed to increases in care home, home care and day care fees for 2025-26.
• Agreed to accept additional government funding for stop smoking services for 2025/26.
• Approved acceptance of Supplemental Substance Misuse Treatment and Recovery Grant Funding for 2025/26, delegating authority to the Director of Public Health to award the funding.
• Approved the distribution of Childcare Expansion Capital Grant Funding to increase the number of early entitlement places in Derbyshire.
• Noted the Central School Services Block Funding Settlement and budget decisions approved by the Schools Forum.
• Approved changes to the Early Years Single Funding Formula allocations for 2025-26 and noted the central early years budgets approved by the Schools Forum.
• Noted the high needs settlement for 2025-26, approved places commissioned, rates for special schools and central high needs budgets, and agreed to accept the Schools Forum’s request to de-delegate funds for certain functions.
• Noted the findings of due diligence work on the outline business case for the Smedley’s Hydro Development, approved delivery of the project via a master developer, and authorised procurement of specialist consultants and legal advisors.
• Noted the update of Council Plan performance and the Revenue Budget position, the position on reserves, and significant actions to reduce the revenue overspend.
• Noted the current position on the monitoring of Capital schemes.
• Approved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Khmelnytskyi region in Ukraine to deepen understanding and explore cooperation.