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.