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Council - Wednesday, 21 May 2025 2.00 pm

May 21, 2025 View on council website
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Summary

At the annual general meeting of Derbyshire County Council, Councillor Nick Adams was elected as Chairman and Civic Chairman of the council for 2025-26, and Councillor Jodie Brown was elected as Vice Civic Chairman. Councillor Alan Graves was appointed Leader of the Council for the next four years. Councillors also approved committee memberships, the schedule of meetings, and appointments to outside bodies for the upcoming year.

Committee Membership and Structure

Councillors approved several changes to the committee structure and membership. These included:

  • Appointing the chairs, vice-chairs, and members of the council's standing committees, sub-committees, and scrutiny committees.
  • Approving the schedule of meetings for the 2025/26 municipal year.
  • Appointing representatives to outside bodies.
  • Removing the Improvement and Scrutiny Committee – Climate Change, Biodiversity and Carbon Reduction, and incorporating its functions into the Improvement and Scrutiny Committee – Places.
  • Retitling Improvement and Scrutiny Committees to Scrutiny Committees.
  • Increasing the number of seats on the Appointments and Conditions of Service, Audit, and Governance Ethics and Standards Committees to nine.

The list of appointments to outside bodies includes a wide range of organisations, from the Active Partners Trust to the Derbyshire Police and Crime Panel.

Cabinet Appointments and Delegations

Councillor Alan Graves, Leader of the Council, presented a report detailing the cabinet members, cabinet support members, and their respective portfolios. Councillors approved amendments to the constitution to incorporate cabinet delegations.

Elected Member Questions

Elected members raised a number of questions to the cabinet, covering topics such as potholes, flag policy, SEND1 services, suicide prevention, highways repairs, libraries, British values in schools, the Members Community Leadership Scheme, investment in SEND provision, road safety, and school places.

Highways and Transport

Several questions focused on highways and transport issues. Councillor Nigel Gourlay asked about the council's plan to fix potholes, and Councillor Charlotte Hill, Cabinet Member for Potholes, Highways and Transport, responded that detailed plans would be set out after an assessment of the roads, current plans, and available funding. She added that she would begin working immediately with the Highways Service to accelerate the quantity and improve the quality of current works.

Councillor Ed Fordham raised concerns about suicide prevention measures on footbridges in Chesterfield, and Councillor Hill said she would work with the Cabinet Member for Health and Communities to look at the situation and potential for further action.

Councillor Fordham also asked about improving the quality of highways repairs. Councillor Hill acknowledged the need for improvement and said the council would engage with residents and councillors to understand how to make improvements and work with the Highways Service to implement them.

Councillor Ruth George asked about resurfacing work on Station Road and the A6 in Furness Vale, and Chapel Road in Whaley Bridge. Councillor Hill responded that the dates for these works would be fixed once the current tendering process is complete.

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Councillor Ed Fordham asked about the involvement of parents and guardians in SEND services, and Councillor Jack Bradley, Cabinet Member for SEND and Education, responded that their voice is vital and that communication has not been what it should have been. He noted that officers are actively working in partnership with Derbyshire Parent Carer Voice, and that a SEND Assurance Board has been established with representatives from Parent Carer Voice.

Councillor Andrew Dale asked about the new administration's approach to investing in SEND provision, and Councillor Bradley confirmed that the council has received £21 million from central government as part of the High Needs Capital Grant to increase the number of specialist places and improve existing provision. He also said that improving communication is a key aspect of Derbyshire's SEND Strategy.

Councillor Ruth George asked about the assessment of needs for additional places in primary and secondary schools for special school places and enhanced resource places. Councillor Bradley responded that the council is currently developing a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) as part of its SEND Priority Impact plan to plan future provision.

Councillor George also asked about the proportion of applications for needs assessments for children with additional needs that were accepted in 2024. Councillor Bradley stated that 66% of requests were agreed.

Other Questions

  • Councillor Wayne Major asked about the council's new flag policy, and Councillor Alan Graves responded that the council does not have a new flag policy.
  • Councillor Wayne Major asked how the cabinet member plans to promote British values in schools. Councillor Bradley responded that schools are required to actively promote fundamental British values as part of a broad and balanced curriculum.
  • Councillor Andrew Dale asked about the new administration's approach to the Members Community Leadership Scheme, and Councillor Stephen Reed, Cabinet Member for Business Services, responded that a formal decision would need to be made in due course once the cabinet is formed.
  • Councillor Angelique Foster asked about the new administration's plans to continue the work of the Derby and Derbyshire Road Safety Partnership. Councillor Hill responded that the partnership is a valuable collaboration, but that efforts need to be redoubled to meet targets to reduce KSI2 collisions.
  • Councillor Nigel Gourlay asked about the new administration's plans for Derbyshire County Council's libraries. Councillor Dawn Abbott, Cabinet Member for Health and Communities, responded that libraries are a valuable resource and that she would be looking at all ways in which the service and buildings can be made more efficient and economic.

  1. Special Educational Needs and Disability 

  2. Killed or Seriously Injured 

Attendees

Profile image for Councillor Dawn Abbott
Councillor Dawn Abbott  Cabinet Member for Health and Communities •  Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor Nick Adams
Councillor Nick Adams  Chairman of the Council •  Reform UK
Emma Alexander
Profile image for Councillor Joss Barnes
Councillor Joss Barnes  Cabinet Member for Adult Care •  Reform UK
Helen Barrington
Profile image for Councillor Matthew Benfield
Councillor Matthew Benfield  Chairman of Pensions and Investments Committee •  Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor Jack Bradley
Councillor Jack Bradley  Cabinet Member for SEND and Education •  Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor Martin Bromley
Councillor Martin Bromley  Chairman of Regulatory - Planning Committee •  Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor Jodie Brown
Councillor Jodie Brown  Vice Chair of the Council •  Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor Sue Burfoot
Councillor Sue Burfoot  Liberal Democrat
Profile image for Councillor Mark Chambers
Councillor Mark Chambers  Chairman of Place Scrutiny Committee •  Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor Anne Clarke
Councillor Anne Clarke  Leader of the Labour and Co-operative Group •  Labour
Profile image for Councillor Alex Dale
Councillor Alex Dale  Leader of the Conservative Group •  Conservative
Alec Dubberley
Profile image for Councillor Ed Fordham
Councillor Ed Fordham  Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group •  Liberal Democrat
Profile image for Councillor Ruth George
Councillor Ruth George  Leader of the Derbyshire Independent Group •  Independent
Profile image for Councillor Alan Graves
Councillor Alan Graves  Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Strategic Leadership •  Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor David Harvey
Councillor David Harvey  Chairman of Health Scrutiny Committee •  Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor Charlotte Hill
Councillor Charlotte Hill  Cabinet Member for Potholes, Highways and Transport •  Reform UK
Ellie Houlston
Profile image for Councillor Jason Isherwood
Councillor Jason Isherwood  Chairman of Standing Advisory Committee for Religious Education •  Reform UK
Mark Kenyon
Profile image for Councillor Gez Kinsella
Councillor Gez Kinsella  Leader of the Green Group •  Green Party
Profile image for Councillor John Lawson
Councillor John Lawson  Cabinet Member for Council Efficiency (DOGE) •  Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor Simon Mabbott
Councillor Simon Mabbott  Chairman of Audit Committee •  Reform UK
Joe O'Sullivan
Profile image for Councillor Robert Reaney
Councillor Robert Reaney  Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration •  Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor Sarah Reaney
Councillor Sarah Reaney  Chairman of Resources Scrutiny Committee •  Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor Sam Redfern
Councillor Sam Redfern  Cabinet Member for Children and Families •  Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor Stephen Reed
Councillor Stephen Reed  Cabinet Member for Business Services •  Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor Melandra Smith
Councillor Melandra Smith  Chairman of People Scrutiny Committee •  Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor Tom Snowdon
Councillor Tom Snowdon  Liberal Democrat
Profile image for Councillor Lewis Whitbread
Councillor Lewis Whitbread  Chairman of Governance, Ethics and Standards Committee •  Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor Carol Wood
Councillor Carol Wood  Cabinet Member for Net Zero and Environment •  Reform UK
Claire Brailsford
Alison Noble
Simon Stevens
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