Belper Street Surgery There will be a street surgery on 11th January 2020
on Belper streets.
The areas that will be covered are, Blenheim Court, Harewood Close, Morley Close, Salisbury Drive, Sherbourne Drive, Warwick Gardens, Far Laund, Jacksons Lane, Marston Close and Norbury Way.
on Belper streets.
The areas that will be covered are, Blenheim Court, Harewood Close, Morley Close, Salisbury Drive, Sherbourne Drive, Warwick Gardens, Far Laund, Jacksons Lane, Marston Close and Norbury Way.
Calling all Belper and Duffield members to support Emma, like her Facebook Page and comment and share posts !!! the more comments the better
EMMA Monkman for Mid Derbyshire
EMMA Monkman for Mid Derbyshire
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Yesterday morning EMMA was in Belper, talking to people at the Monthly Market.
"Small business is the backbone of our economy- be it shops, SME manufacturers or importers, or market traders - they need and deserve our support.
We will put small businesses at the centre of our economic strategy.
We will protect small businesses by reintroducing the lower small profits rate of corporation tax. We will also exclude small businesses from costly plans to introduce quarterly reporting and take action on late payments."
"Small business is the backbone of our economy- be it shops, SME manufacturers or importers, or market traders - they need and deserve our support.
We will put small businesses at the centre of our economic strategy.
We will protect small businesses by reintroducing the lower small profits rate of corporation tax. We will also exclude small businesses from costly plans to introduce quarterly reporting and take action on late payments."
Delighted to have a tour with cllrs Maurice Neville and Chris Emmas-Williams, and holding our first meeting with Vaillant this week, to discuss how we can work together to help address climate change.
Very greatful that Vaillant have donated a state of the art air source heat pump for the new tea rooms in the river gardens. This will make the facility more environmentally friendly, cheaper to heat, and will serve as a showcase for Vaillants technology.
Cllr Ben Bellamy
Very greatful that Vaillant have donated a state of the art air source heat pump for the new tea rooms in the river gardens. This will make the facility more environmentally friendly, cheaper to heat, and will serve as a showcase for Vaillants technology.
Cllr Ben Bellamy
Derbyshire County Cllr David Taylor , (Con), questioned at September Town Council by Cllr Ben Bellamy (Lab),about his involvement in allowing a footpath in front of a girls changing rooms at Belper Rugby Club. This is incredible.
Going, going.....
TEA ROOMS REPLACEMENT STARTED
Well over a decade ago, I promised that if i wqs elected into a position of power in our Borough, then I would ensure the Tea Rooms were replaced. Well today, after a great deal of work, i was able to get in a bulldozer and start clearing the site to prepare for the replacement building. As soon as the site is clear, the replacement building will start. We inherited plans that were initially for a kiosk, and then were expanded to a schene that was not acceptable to Heritage Consultees, and looked likely to fail again. We changed the design to one that was accepted by World Heritage and Historic England, and now we are on the way to our first pot of tea in the spring! Cllr Ben Bellamy |
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Delighted that the new River Gardens Tea Rooms has passed planning board. The plans we inherited were not acceptable to Heritage Consultants, so work had to be done to get a design that was acceptable to them. Work should be able to start very soon.
Cllr Ben Bellamy
Belper Town Council declared a Climate Emergency in Belper on 14th May 2019, now for some action.
On 4th July in Strutts at 7pm Councillors from Belper Town Council are hosting a Recycling Ideas Exchange. If you are part of a group who are organising the collection of waste for recycling or an individual who cares passionately about saving our planet from mountains of waste or someone who is doing their bit to reduce the waste packaging in their own home then please come along and let’s share our ideas. The aim is to get all of Belper and Milford recycling everything we can and working with our shops and supermarkets to reduce the packaging we take home.
On 4th July in Strutts at 7pm Councillors from Belper Town Council are hosting a Recycling Ideas Exchange. If you are part of a group who are organising the collection of waste for recycling or an individual who cares passionately about saving our planet from mountains of waste or someone who is doing their bit to reduce the waste packaging in their own home then please come along and let’s share our ideas. The aim is to get all of Belper and Milford recycling everything we can and working with our shops and supermarkets to reduce the packaging we take home.
There is a new planning application in for 80 new homes at the bottom of Derwent Street. Better than snatching bits of Green Belt, even if we have to find another site for parking.
''Countryside Properties (UK) Limited (CPUK) are working with Nottingham Community Housing Association (NCHA) and Amber Valley Borough Council to deliver an affordable housing scheme at the
above address.
Our housing proposal provides the mix of house types and tenures as set out at Appendix 1 of this statement.
The housing mix provides 80 new homes. Our proposal is to deliver the scheme as an all affordable housing tenure scheme comprising of 41 Affordable Rental Units, 30 Shared Ownership Units and 9 Rent to Buy Units. CPUK proposal has responded directly to the affordable housing needs identified
by Amber Valley Borough Council in terms of house types, tenures and having regard to financial viability. In terms of our processing the planning application and grant of planning approval, the s106 agreement can refer to the tenures above but as usual should exempt any mortgagee in possession to ensure the scheme can be funded. The terms and provisions of the s106 agreement will be agreed with NCHA to ensure funding viability. CPUK will build the affordable homes by both parties entering into the standard form of composite/clearance agreement in the form to be issued by CPPLC on terms that have been agreed
with NCHA. All the rented affordable homes will be let to local people in housing need identified through anominations and lettings process agreed with Amber Valley Borough Council’s Housing Department. The rented properties will be let on an assured tenancy which is not time limitedIn terms of rent charges and sales values, the affordable rented homes will be let at rents set in
accordance with the Homes England (HE) affordable rent setting policy. The shared ownership properties will be sold at equity share levels determined by the HomeBuy Agent with rents on the unsold equity charged at 2.75%. The shared ownership properties will be targeted to local people and through the HomeBuy Agents website currently operated by Orbit Housing Association (OHA).With regard to development standards, the affordable homes will be developed to Design & Quality Standards and a specification agreed with Amber Valley Borough Council. It is intended that the preferred proposal will be funded through an NCHA Grant Funded developmentprogramme, using funding from their Homes England (HE) 2016 / 2021 SOAHP programme, together with finance from NCHAs own resource. All the funding is secured and has been set aside to fund this project.''
''Countryside Properties (UK) Limited (CPUK) are working with Nottingham Community Housing Association (NCHA) and Amber Valley Borough Council to deliver an affordable housing scheme at the
above address.
Our housing proposal provides the mix of house types and tenures as set out at Appendix 1 of this statement.
The housing mix provides 80 new homes. Our proposal is to deliver the scheme as an all affordable housing tenure scheme comprising of 41 Affordable Rental Units, 30 Shared Ownership Units and 9 Rent to Buy Units. CPUK proposal has responded directly to the affordable housing needs identified
by Amber Valley Borough Council in terms of house types, tenures and having regard to financial viability. In terms of our processing the planning application and grant of planning approval, the s106 agreement can refer to the tenures above but as usual should exempt any mortgagee in possession to ensure the scheme can be funded. The terms and provisions of the s106 agreement will be agreed with NCHA to ensure funding viability. CPUK will build the affordable homes by both parties entering into the standard form of composite/clearance agreement in the form to be issued by CPPLC on terms that have been agreed
with NCHA. All the rented affordable homes will be let to local people in housing need identified through anominations and lettings process agreed with Amber Valley Borough Council’s Housing Department. The rented properties will be let on an assured tenancy which is not time limitedIn terms of rent charges and sales values, the affordable rented homes will be let at rents set in
accordance with the Homes England (HE) affordable rent setting policy. The shared ownership properties will be sold at equity share levels determined by the HomeBuy Agent with rents on the unsold equity charged at 2.75%. The shared ownership properties will be targeted to local people and through the HomeBuy Agents website currently operated by Orbit Housing Association (OHA).With regard to development standards, the affordable homes will be developed to Design & Quality Standards and a specification agreed with Amber Valley Borough Council. It is intended that the preferred proposal will be funded through an NCHA Grant Funded developmentprogramme, using funding from their Homes England (HE) 2016 / 2021 SOAHP programme, together with finance from NCHAs own resource. All the funding is secured and has been set aside to fund this project.''
Next Move on Belper Tea Rooms
Belper’s historic tea rooms, derelict for nearly four decades, are finally set to be demolished and replaced.
After 38 years, Amber Valley Borough Council is on the verge of approving its plans to demolish the Swiss Tea Rooms and replacing them with a new building capable of seating 44 customers inside and another 40 on an outdoor veranda.
A meeting of the authority’s planning committee will make a decision on Monday, June 17, with council officers recommending that the scheme is approved.
The project is already fully-funded at a final cost of £420,000, with £320,000 from the borough council and a further £100,000 from Belper Town Council.
The town’s Swiss tea rooms, in the River Gardens, were built in 1906 after being commissioned by George Herbert Strutt, the only son of esteemed cotton manufacturing magnate George Henry Strutt.
However, the tea rooms shut up shop in 1981, partly due to vandalism.
Since then, it has sat vacant, fenced-off, and has become increasingly more and more dilapidated. The roof has fallen in on itself.
Historic England had said that while the building is not listed itself, it represents a key building in the Grade II* park and gardens.
It had initially objected to the plans, saying: “The loss of the tea rooms would harm the significance of the registered park and garden.
“However, it is accepted and that the creation of a replacement tea room is highly desirable.
“A new tea room will provide a valuable public facility within the gardens and will also fill the ‘hole’ left in the original historic design which would be caused by the loss of the original structure.
“It is essential that any replacement structure responds not only to the architectural spirit of the original, but also to its context.”
Modern new designs for the tea rooms were revealed in January, with the planning application being filed in March.
However, the design of the roof has now been altered to gain the approval of Historic England, a government department, which has now withdrawn its objection to the plans.
The new look has been referred to as a simpler “hipped” roof instead of a Dutch gable design.
In essence, the two ends of the building had small windows at the tips of the eaves, these have now been removed.
The new roof design now slopes directly from the crest to the lip, with columns around the side to mark the veranda area.
Meanwhile, the Environment Agency has said that the new building would be more flood resilient due to its smaller footprint. It encourages more design improvements to boost its chances of standing up to extreme flooding.
The Friends of Belper River Gardens group said: “This application will go a long way towards meeting the expressed needs of Belper residents and businesses to have a high-quality and appropriate replacement Swiss tea rooms.”
The Gardens Trust, a UK charity which oversees the conservation of landscape heritage, said: “The current Swiss tea rooms have been shut since 1981 and their current state of dereliction detracts considerably from the Grade II registered park and garden.
“It is noted that local people, including the Friends of Belper River Gardens, have been consulted and welcome this proposal.
“The new design respects the character of the old tea room and sits on the footprint of the original building.
“The proposal recognises and responds to the need for improvement in the visitor experience and restores the tradition of having a tea room overlooking the river at this location, provided ever since the gardens opened in 1906.”
Council planning officers, recommending approval, wrote: “The proposal will result in an appropriate form of development beneficial to the wider community which will enhance the Registered Park and Garden, the World Heritage Site and the Conservation Area.”
Statement from Councillor Ben Bellamy (elected May 2nd):
“As feared when the last administration refused to engage at an early stage with Heritage partners, the scheme was nearly scuppered when Historic England raised concerns in April about the proposed design on Heritage Grounds.
It has taken a lot of work to get the design changed to one deemed acceptable to Heritage Consultants, Historic England and the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Partnership.
However, I’m delighted to say that we are now in a position where there are no objections to the amended design.
The Budget is in place and fully ringfenced for the project and assuming planning permission is granted, construction should begin this summer and this time next year should be open.
As anyone who knows me will understand – I see the Tearooms as vital to begin the regeneration of our Heritage tourism that will become increasingly important to our local economy. If a council can’t build a tea rooms, we may as well all give up and go home!
Id like to place on record my admiration for the wonderful people of Belper Community Enterprise who kept the pressure on and kept the project alive over the last few years, when scheme after scheme failed. People like you make Belper the wonderful place it is.”
After 38 years, Amber Valley Borough Council is on the verge of approving its plans to demolish the Swiss Tea Rooms and replacing them with a new building capable of seating 44 customers inside and another 40 on an outdoor veranda.
A meeting of the authority’s planning committee will make a decision on Monday, June 17, with council officers recommending that the scheme is approved.
The project is already fully-funded at a final cost of £420,000, with £320,000 from the borough council and a further £100,000 from Belper Town Council.
The town’s Swiss tea rooms, in the River Gardens, were built in 1906 after being commissioned by George Herbert Strutt, the only son of esteemed cotton manufacturing magnate George Henry Strutt.
However, the tea rooms shut up shop in 1981, partly due to vandalism.
Since then, it has sat vacant, fenced-off, and has become increasingly more and more dilapidated. The roof has fallen in on itself.
Historic England had said that while the building is not listed itself, it represents a key building in the Grade II* park and gardens.
It had initially objected to the plans, saying: “The loss of the tea rooms would harm the significance of the registered park and garden.
“However, it is accepted and that the creation of a replacement tea room is highly desirable.
“A new tea room will provide a valuable public facility within the gardens and will also fill the ‘hole’ left in the original historic design which would be caused by the loss of the original structure.
“It is essential that any replacement structure responds not only to the architectural spirit of the original, but also to its context.”
Modern new designs for the tea rooms were revealed in January, with the planning application being filed in March.
However, the design of the roof has now been altered to gain the approval of Historic England, a government department, which has now withdrawn its objection to the plans.
The new look has been referred to as a simpler “hipped” roof instead of a Dutch gable design.
In essence, the two ends of the building had small windows at the tips of the eaves, these have now been removed.
The new roof design now slopes directly from the crest to the lip, with columns around the side to mark the veranda area.
Meanwhile, the Environment Agency has said that the new building would be more flood resilient due to its smaller footprint. It encourages more design improvements to boost its chances of standing up to extreme flooding.
The Friends of Belper River Gardens group said: “This application will go a long way towards meeting the expressed needs of Belper residents and businesses to have a high-quality and appropriate replacement Swiss tea rooms.”
The Gardens Trust, a UK charity which oversees the conservation of landscape heritage, said: “The current Swiss tea rooms have been shut since 1981 and their current state of dereliction detracts considerably from the Grade II registered park and garden.
“It is noted that local people, including the Friends of Belper River Gardens, have been consulted and welcome this proposal.
“The new design respects the character of the old tea room and sits on the footprint of the original building.
“The proposal recognises and responds to the need for improvement in the visitor experience and restores the tradition of having a tea room overlooking the river at this location, provided ever since the gardens opened in 1906.”
Council planning officers, recommending approval, wrote: “The proposal will result in an appropriate form of development beneficial to the wider community which will enhance the Registered Park and Garden, the World Heritage Site and the Conservation Area.”
Statement from Councillor Ben Bellamy (elected May 2nd):
“As feared when the last administration refused to engage at an early stage with Heritage partners, the scheme was nearly scuppered when Historic England raised concerns in April about the proposed design on Heritage Grounds.
It has taken a lot of work to get the design changed to one deemed acceptable to Heritage Consultants, Historic England and the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Partnership.
However, I’m delighted to say that we are now in a position where there are no objections to the amended design.
The Budget is in place and fully ringfenced for the project and assuming planning permission is granted, construction should begin this summer and this time next year should be open.
As anyone who knows me will understand – I see the Tearooms as vital to begin the regeneration of our Heritage tourism that will become increasingly important to our local economy. If a council can’t build a tea rooms, we may as well all give up and go home!
Id like to place on record my admiration for the wonderful people of Belper Community Enterprise who kept the pressure on and kept the project alive over the last few years, when scheme after scheme failed. People like you make Belper the wonderful place it is.”
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Belper Councillors Ben Bellamy, Fay Atkinson and Mark Oldfield met with senior Police Officer in charge of policing in Amber Valley, Inspector Dave Parker, at Whitemoor this morning. The meeting was to discuss a response to recent vandalism, arson drugs and antisocial behaviour in Belper and Duffield.
You may now see an increased police presence, as part of measures to combat this crime. We are also considering the use of CCTV in the area.
If you witness any such crime, please contact the police –
Dial 999 if
• a serious offence is in progress or has just been committed
• someone is in immediate danger or harm
• property is in danger of being damaged
• a serious disruption to the public is likely
Dial 101 for non-emergencies or report on https://www.derbyshire.police.uk/ – it is important to have these incidents logged
Call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 to give any anonymous information. You can also speak in complete confidence with any of your local councillors.
Councillor Bellamy said "Members of the public have already come forward with some names – we will not tolerate this behaviour continuing – It has been dealt with in Alfreton and Heanor, and we will deal with it in Belper and Duffield or wherever else it rears its head
You may now see an increased police presence, as part of measures to combat this crime. We are also considering the use of CCTV in the area.
If you witness any such crime, please contact the police –
Dial 999 if
• a serious offence is in progress or has just been committed
• someone is in immediate danger or harm
• property is in danger of being damaged
• a serious disruption to the public is likely
Dial 101 for non-emergencies or report on https://www.derbyshire.police.uk/ – it is important to have these incidents logged
Call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 to give any anonymous information. You can also speak in complete confidence with any of your local councillors.
Councillor Bellamy said "Members of the public have already come forward with some names – we will not tolerate this behaviour continuing – It has been dealt with in Alfreton and Heanor, and we will deal with it in Belper and Duffield or wherever else it rears its head
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Labour Council doing what it said it would.
Its about time the tiny handful of irresponsible dog owners behaved like the majority. The proposal is that anyone walking a dog must be able to demonstrate that they have the means to pick up after it. |
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This night, new Labour leader of Amber Valley Borough Council, Chris Emmas-Williams, moved a motion, seconded by new deputy leader Ben Bellamy to completely withdraw the local plan. This vote was won. Greenbelt will no longer be reserved for development.
Belper's new Mayor, Simon Mallett, and new councillors at the first meeting of the new Town Council on Tuesday night.
The meeting was marked by pledging to remove the recently installed barrier to public parking at St John's Chapel. They also voted to declare a Climate Emergency, with practical actions to follow in working with partners to reduce carbon emissions.
A Labour council is already fulfilling its promises. Much more to come.
The meeting was marked by pledging to remove the recently installed barrier to public parking at St John's Chapel. They also voted to declare a Climate Emergency, with practical actions to follow in working with partners to reduce carbon emissions.
A Labour council is already fulfilling its promises. Much more to come.
A message from all the newly elected Labour town and borough councillors. Tonight we are celebrating winning control of both Belper Town Council and, with our comrades from around the borough, Amber Valley Borough Council as well. A huge thank you to all the party members and supporters in Belper and from other branches, whose tireless work has laid the foundation for this. But, above all, we would like to thank all those in Belper whose vote means they have put their trust in us. We are determined to justify that trust and to serve the whole community.
Belper Labour Party are not just around at election time, we are around all year round, holding meetings on planning and the NHS; visiting residents with local problems; supporting litter picks and river cleans and your councillors standing up for the town in Ripley - such as voting and speaking up against world heritage buffer and greenbelt development. — with Jyoti Wilkinson and Alison Martin.
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Labour Party Manifesto 2019 For Belper and Milford Town Council
The Best for Belper
Introduction
A Labour controlled Town Council will be committed to being very active and open in making Belper an even more brilliant place to live, work and visit.
In this manifesto you can read about our plans.
Environment
We will work on this priority with local groups like the Belper Neighbourhood Plan team, Transition Belper, Belper Against Plastics and Accessible Belper. Initially we are focusing on three key issues that affect Belper and the surrounding areas; Air Pollution, Recycling and Health and Well Being.
Air Pollution
Reduce, Re-use, Recycle
Health and Well Being
Improving access to the health benefits of our open spaces
Children and Young People
Labour Councillors have initiated a new community group to implement improvement projects which are fully accessible, environmental and inclusive for the parks and open play spaces in Belper and Milford. A Labour Town Council will work with this group to secure grant funding.
A Labour Town Council will also:
Town Centre, Local Business and the Local Economy
Belper is great town with huge potential: independent shops, strong arts and crafts, great places to eat and a range of commercial businesses give the town a unique character. Our historic industrial heritage, our location in Derbyshire and strong community feel make the town a great place to enjoy, live and do business.
A thriving town centre and the adjoining streets are vital to our economy and Belper must be a welcoming destination. We need to appeal to both residents and visitors. A Labour Town Council will ensure our Town Centre is accessible to all and the diversity of our events, visitor attractions, shops, cafes, restaurants and bars are known near and far.
A Labour Town Council will:
Heritage and Tourism
Our North and East Mills and River Gardens are the core of historic Belper. Strengthening our tourist offer will also help local business.
A Labour Town Council will:
The Arts
Belper has a thriving, very active and highly talented arts community, which contributes a great deal to the success of the town
A Labour Town Council will:
Introduction
A Labour controlled Town Council will be committed to being very active and open in making Belper an even more brilliant place to live, work and visit.
- We will concentrate on themes we know Belper cares about: Environment; Children and Young People; Town Centre, Business and the Local Economy; Heritage and Tourism, and The Arts - which will impact on all parts of our community.
- More effective partnership working with councils and other partners will be an essential way of achieving our aims – including, where appropriate, grants to community groups, to assist in the vital services and opportunities they offer residents, young or old.
- The Town Council takes the lead in supporting the Belper Neighbourhood Plan – we will aim to hold a resident’s referendum on this in 2019, to strengthen protection of our environment and World Heritage Site against unsuitable planning proposals
- Improving support and accessibility for all ages and vulnerable groups is a key principle underpinning everything we plan to do
- Simple practical actions, like building a new toilet in the town centre would be of great benefit – we will do this
In this manifesto you can read about our plans.
- Environment Page 3
- Children and Young People Page 4
- Town Centre and Business Page 5
- Heritage and Tourism Page 6
- The Arts Page 7
Environment
We will work on this priority with local groups like the Belper Neighbourhood Plan team, Transition Belper, Belper Against Plastics and Accessible Belper. Initially we are focusing on three key issues that affect Belper and the surrounding areas; Air Pollution, Recycling and Health and Well Being.
Air Pollution
- Air pollution hotspots have been identified in a recent traffic survey in our area.
- We will raise awareness of the health impacts of poor air quality and identify ’no idling’ zones using signage around schools, care homes, parks and recreation grounds
- Belper will have a ‘Clean Air Day’ as part of the national clean air day on Thursday 20th June 2019
- Leave your car at home days
- Reduce the times that LGVs and HGVs visit the busiest areas of Belper e.g. no stopping between 9 – 5 p.m. reducing pollution and congestion
- Investigate the installation of charging stations in car parks
Reduce, Re-use, Recycle
- Establish extra recycling bins in Belper
- Work with Belper shops and business to promote ideas like ‘Reverse Vending’, which rewards recycling of containers
- Support plastic free initiatives by business or community groups – such as the successful River Gardens Weir Clean Up
- Create much clearer information, including online, about responsible waste disposal options
- Look for innovative alternate technologies for local energy saving and generation, such as small-scale anaerobic digesters to use dog waste to create electricity
- Support the aims of the Belper Goes Green Festival
Health and Well Being
Improving access to the health benefits of our open spaces
- Provide more dog waste bins
- Work with Amber Valley Council to reinstate dog wardens.
- Work with the County Council and landowners to support the registration and protection of rights of way
- Create walking maps for Belper, Milford and the surrounding area
- Create an ‘e-bikes’ dock in Belper and link up with cycle networks
- Create a variety of accessible routes for wheelchairs and mobile scooters
Children and Young People
Labour Councillors have initiated a new community group to implement improvement projects which are fully accessible, environmental and inclusive for the parks and open play spaces in Belper and Milford. A Labour Town Council will work with this group to secure grant funding.
A Labour Town Council will also:
- Form a Youth Committee to advise the Council on the needs of young residents
- Work closely with The Drop Inn, Fleet Arts and the Blue Box Youth Club, and sports organisations
- Support the Belper Children’s Centre on Alder Road, now run by parents and volunteers
- Work with Amber Valley Council to ensure Play areas are improved
- Encourage children’s participation with arts organisations and holiday play schemes.
- Work with Belper Leisure Centre Trust to help them develop our local facilities
- Offer as much support as possible to the Belper Games
- Support organisations which provide assistance for young people with alcohol, drug or other issues
Town Centre, Local Business and the Local Economy
Belper is great town with huge potential: independent shops, strong arts and crafts, great places to eat and a range of commercial businesses give the town a unique character. Our historic industrial heritage, our location in Derbyshire and strong community feel make the town a great place to enjoy, live and do business.
A thriving town centre and the adjoining streets are vital to our economy and Belper must be a welcoming destination. We need to appeal to both residents and visitors. A Labour Town Council will ensure our Town Centre is accessible to all and the diversity of our events, visitor attractions, shops, cafes, restaurants and bars are known near and far.
A Labour Town Council will:
- Create a Town Centre and Heritage post to market the Best of Belper and work with the retailers and others to ensure Belper and Milford benefit from tourism and inward investment.
- Build modern, fully accessible toilets, which include baby changing facilities, in the town centre
- Ensure our pavements are wheelchair and buggy friendly.
- Increase the seating in King Street with support from Amber Valley.
- Develop the idea of a monthly Belper Day, building on the initiatives of our Independent Retailers to ensure everyone across the East Midlands knows about the Best of Belper and Milford
- Work to create more visitor parking near the Town Centre and the Mills with sufficient disabled spaces
- Improve support for the Farmers’ Market, Belper Goes Green ,Milford May Day and the Food Festivals - and also promote new events
- Increase support for the ‘Love Belper’ local traders’ group and other local business
Heritage and Tourism
Our North and East Mills and River Gardens are the core of historic Belper. Strengthening our tourist offer will also help local business.
A Labour Town Council will:
- Strongly support and protect the integrity of the World Heritage Site and its buffer zone – in partnership with the Belper Neighbourhood Plan Team, Derwent Valley Mills and the Borough and County Councils
- Create a Town Centre and Heritage post to market the Best of Belper and work with the retailers and others to ensure Belper and Milford benefit from tourism and inward investment
- Promote more heritage and historic guided walks in and around the town, in partnership with the North Mill Trust
- Continue to help fund the costs of Belper North Mill Museum and Visitors Centre.
- Build on our longstanding twinning relationship with Pawtucket, Rhode Island USA to promote American tourism
- In partnership with the Amber Valley Council and the Tea Rooms Volunteer group, ensure that a new Tea Rooms is built
- Create wider awareness of the town’s many unique attractions, to help local business
- Work with ‘Accessible Belper’ to ensure that the town’s attractions and retail offers are open to all
The Arts
Belper has a thriving, very active and highly talented arts community, which contributes a great deal to the success of the town
A Labour Town Council will:
- Work closely with arts groups in Belper and Milford, offering grants to strengthen and expand arts events
- Support arts information hubs, like Derwent Valley on Demand, which promote local arts and artists
- Support the development of performance spaces for theatre, music and other community activity
- Support the further development of the very successful Belper Arts Festival each year
- Support further Public Art installation where there is a clear benefit in commemoration or celebration, such as those for the WW1 Centenary
- Support inclusive arts organisations which work with vulnerable groups
Labour’s 7 women candidates for the Town Council, all have had lead roles in forming our Town Manifesto. Experts in their own right from the Environment & Climate Change, Belper’s Neighbourhood Plan, promoting play space for children & young people, supporting the Arts in Belper & focusing on a thriving Town Centre with modern facilities. Labour women leading the way.
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Belper Town Council Elections - Belper North Ward - Two of Labour's Candidates, Emma Monkman and Ruth Bellamy:
- EMMA holds a Masters Degree in Environmental Politics and Climate Change, led the Labour Cleanup Campaign at the Weir, litter picking along the A6 and went out with canoeists cleaning up the Derwent. Emma has lots of ideas to reduce waste at source & improve recycling methods.
- RUTH works for the National Trust and has a particular interest in Belper’s rich history and supporting the North Mill Museum. Ruth believes Belper’s history should benefit local businesses, tourists and residents and is proud of the many cultural events organised by the Belper community. Ben Bellamy out walking in the Dales.
- EMMA holds a Masters Degree in Environmental Politics and Climate Change, led the Labour Cleanup Campaign at the Weir, litter picking along the A6 and went out with canoeists cleaning up the Derwent. Emma has lots of ideas to reduce waste at source & improve recycling methods.
- RUTH works for the National Trust and has a particular interest in Belper’s rich history and supporting the North Mill Museum. Ruth believes Belper’s history should benefit local businesses, tourists and residents and is proud of the many cultural events organised by the Belper community. Ben Bellamy out walking in the Dales.
Belper Town Council Elections - Belper South Ward
Labour Candidate - Carol Angharad
CAROL has lived in Belper for 20 years and was proud to be elected to the Borough Council last year. Carol has been an active Councillor dealing with a range of problems from Planning queries to unwelcome pigeons and all manner of other issues that voters have raised. Carol’s particular interests include ensuring Belper’s Town Centre thrives, offering employment opportunities to local people.
Labour Candidate - Carol Angharad
CAROL has lived in Belper for 20 years and was proud to be elected to the Borough Council last year. Carol has been an active Councillor dealing with a range of problems from Planning queries to unwelcome pigeons and all manner of other issues that voters have raised. Carol’s particular interests include ensuring Belper’s Town Centre thrives, offering employment opportunities to local people.
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Belper Town Council Elections - Belper East Ward
Labour Women Candidates - Fay Atkinson & Rosie Hale
Councillor Fay Atkinson grew up in Belper and was proud to be elected as Borough Councillor last year. Fay has been an active councillor on behalf of Belper East, holding regular surgeries and meeting voters and liaising with community groups. Fay has been working with a group of residents to campaign for better play facilities for young people, particularly for older children.
Rosie, a retired teacher has been working with Fay on the Play Space Project and organised a survey with children in Belper to collect their views and ideas. Rosie wants Belper to be the Accessible Capital of Derbyshire, a Town open to all.
Labour Women Candidates - Fay Atkinson & Rosie Hale
Councillor Fay Atkinson grew up in Belper and was proud to be elected as Borough Councillor last year. Fay has been an active councillor on behalf of Belper East, holding regular surgeries and meeting voters and liaising with community groups. Fay has been working with a group of residents to campaign for better play facilities for young people, particularly for older children.
Rosie, a retired teacher has been working with Fay on the Play Space Project and organised a survey with children in Belper to collect their views and ideas. Rosie wants Belper to be the Accessible Capital of Derbyshire, a Town open to all.
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Belper Town Council Elections. Labour Candidates for Belper Central Ward
Mary Dwyer and Katie Harris.
Mary, retired Primary School teacher passionate about the environment and campaigning to enhance Belper’s recycling facilities and improving air quality, particularly around schools.
Katie, retired Senior Local Authority Social Care Manager. Spent the last 4 years working with local people on the Belper Neighbourhood Plan and wants to continue liaising with the many community groups in Belper.
Mary Dwyer and Katie Harris.
Mary, retired Primary School teacher passionate about the environment and campaigning to enhance Belper’s recycling facilities and improving air quality, particularly around schools.
Katie, retired Senior Local Authority Social Care Manager. Spent the last 4 years working with local people on the Belper Neighbourhood Plan and wants to continue liaising with the many community groups in Belper.
Belper Town Council Elections - Belper South Ward
Jyoti Wilkinson, brought up in Belper and now living in Milford. Jyoti believes in community politics and is keen to establish a Youth Council which can ensure the views of Belper’s young people are heard. Jyoti has much to offer Belper. A recent report stated only 10% of councillors are under 40 years old, Labour proud of our young candidate.
Jyoti Wilkinson, brought up in Belper and now living in Milford. Jyoti believes in community politics and is keen to establish a Youth Council which can ensure the views of Belper’s young people are heard. Jyoti has much to offer Belper. A recent report stated only 10% of councillors are under 40 years old, Labour proud of our young candidate.
Borough and Belper Town Council Elections - Candidates for Belper East Ward
Mark Oldfield a keen climber and walker out in the Peaks
Mark Oldfield a keen climber and walker out in the Peaks
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Rosie Hale another Rambler and Simon Mallett dancing in Cumbria.
Belper Labour Campaigners were out in force this morning in King Street for our regular street stall. Our local candidates and sitting councillors spoke to many members of the public about the threat caused by the Conservative Borough Council decision to remove part of Far Laund and 13 other sites from the Green Belt - hundreds of leaflets about this were taken by concerned residents.
Vote Labour on 2nd May - for councillors who will fight for our Green Belt.
Vote Labour on 2nd May - for councillors who will fight for our Green Belt.
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Candidates and supporters gathered in the Belper River Gardens on Sunday to celebrate Labour's campaign to win the Town and Borough Elections on May 2nd. Labour is contesting all 16 Town and 4 Borough Council seats in the town.
Vote Labour to protect our Heritage and our Green Belt
Vote Labour to protect our Heritage and our Green Belt
Protecting the Green Belt in Belper
Green Belt Policy was established in 1955 primarily to stop urban sprawl and to permanently protect belts of open land.
It serves 5 purposes:
Two thirds of all green belt land is in agricultural use, and this is a vital economic resource for food security and soil protection. This has to be of high environmental value when global population growth and climate change are putting increasing pressure on land, at a time when we grow less than two thirds of our own food.
Now more than ever we need to avoid unnecessarily losing our countryside.
The solution is the redevelopment of brownfield sites, which should have greater focus in decision making. The Campaign to Protect Rural England reports that there are enough brownfield sites to accommodate at least 1 million homes. Amber Valley Borough Council has not completed a brownfield survey which should have been the first step. A core planning principle is to ‘encourage the effective use of land by reusing land that has previously been developed. Most of this land is in urban areas close to jobs, roads and amenities.
The revised National Planning Policy Framework states that the exceptional circumstances needed to change Green Belt boundaries can only arise once Councils have considered all other options, including using brownfield sites, these considerations have not happened.
I specifically want to talk about the recommendation to delete land from the Green Belt on Far Laund in Belper, which is in my ward, Belper East.
The proposal would result in unrestricted development in the open countryside and would undoubtedly narrow the gap between Belper and Heage which both have individual and special characters. This site is currently in agricultural use.
The suggestion that the site is readily accessible to local services is farcical. It is half a mile to the nearest shop, a mile to the nearest secondary school and one and a half miles to medical centres, dentists etc. 345 houses on this site where it is so far from services would have a considerable impact on traffic issues.
The site includes Coppice Brook, which rises in Ripley, flowing under the A38 highway into the Far Laund area of Belper, and then to the Parks. The brook originates from spring water and surface rain water, the underlying rock being millstone grit. The water flows out of the Parks and follows a course along the back of Brookside before entering culverts under the main Derby to Sheffield railway line and the A6 roadway, before emptying into the River Derwent.
This brook should be protected and enhanced through active management rather than built around. It is an amazing natural brook where water voles have been recorded recently, and there are also records of sticklebacks further upstream.
The site also has numerous footpaths crossing through, which are regularly used, and connects Far Laund with Whitemoor.
The Green Belt is our countryside next door, its fresh air and open spaces make it fundamental to our physical health and mental well being. Swallowing up farm land and wildlife habitats increases pollution, flood risk and car dependency.
I voted in Full Council on 4th March, against the proposed amendments to the existing Green Belt boundary to delete any land from the Green Belt, as did all my Labour colleagues.
We are now in a six week consultation period regarding the Local Plan. It is crucial that everyone who wants to protect our Green Belt, uses this opportunity to object.
The proposed changes to the Submission Local Plan have been published for public consultation until 4:30pm on Tuesday 30 April 2019. You can find all of the documents on the AVBC website.
You can lodge objections through the consultation form HERE
By Fay Atkinson
Belper East Labour Councillor
Amber Valley Borough Council
See Comments at Nailed Belper
It serves 5 purposes:
- to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built up areas
- to prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another
- to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment
- to preserve the setting and special character of historic towns
- to assist in urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land The Green Belt is positive planning, and protects countryside which is nearby for 30 million people. The protection gives us 29,000 kilometres of public rights of way, woodlands and nature reserves.
Two thirds of all green belt land is in agricultural use, and this is a vital economic resource for food security and soil protection. This has to be of high environmental value when global population growth and climate change are putting increasing pressure on land, at a time when we grow less than two thirds of our own food.
Now more than ever we need to avoid unnecessarily losing our countryside.
The solution is the redevelopment of brownfield sites, which should have greater focus in decision making. The Campaign to Protect Rural England reports that there are enough brownfield sites to accommodate at least 1 million homes. Amber Valley Borough Council has not completed a brownfield survey which should have been the first step. A core planning principle is to ‘encourage the effective use of land by reusing land that has previously been developed. Most of this land is in urban areas close to jobs, roads and amenities.
The revised National Planning Policy Framework states that the exceptional circumstances needed to change Green Belt boundaries can only arise once Councils have considered all other options, including using brownfield sites, these considerations have not happened.
I specifically want to talk about the recommendation to delete land from the Green Belt on Far Laund in Belper, which is in my ward, Belper East.
The proposal would result in unrestricted development in the open countryside and would undoubtedly narrow the gap between Belper and Heage which both have individual and special characters. This site is currently in agricultural use.
The suggestion that the site is readily accessible to local services is farcical. It is half a mile to the nearest shop, a mile to the nearest secondary school and one and a half miles to medical centres, dentists etc. 345 houses on this site where it is so far from services would have a considerable impact on traffic issues.
The site includes Coppice Brook, which rises in Ripley, flowing under the A38 highway into the Far Laund area of Belper, and then to the Parks. The brook originates from spring water and surface rain water, the underlying rock being millstone grit. The water flows out of the Parks and follows a course along the back of Brookside before entering culverts under the main Derby to Sheffield railway line and the A6 roadway, before emptying into the River Derwent.
This brook should be protected and enhanced through active management rather than built around. It is an amazing natural brook where water voles have been recorded recently, and there are also records of sticklebacks further upstream.
The site also has numerous footpaths crossing through, which are regularly used, and connects Far Laund with Whitemoor.
The Green Belt is our countryside next door, its fresh air and open spaces make it fundamental to our physical health and mental well being. Swallowing up farm land and wildlife habitats increases pollution, flood risk and car dependency.
I voted in Full Council on 4th March, against the proposed amendments to the existing Green Belt boundary to delete any land from the Green Belt, as did all my Labour colleagues.
We are now in a six week consultation period regarding the Local Plan. It is crucial that everyone who wants to protect our Green Belt, uses this opportunity to object.
The proposed changes to the Submission Local Plan have been published for public consultation until 4:30pm on Tuesday 30 April 2019. You can find all of the documents on the AVBC website.
You can lodge objections through the consultation form HERE
By Fay Atkinson
Belper East Labour Councillor
Amber Valley Borough Council
See Comments at Nailed Belper
So I have just returned from the open greenbelt drop in, in Belper, to look at the consultation documents.
I was there for the whole event from 4pm to 7pm - talking to residents about how to object and discussing the other options.
Not one single Conservative councillor or candidate turned up to explain why they have put these vandalistic plans forward, and instead they left it to officers to explain their decisions. Shameful.
Cllr Bellamy
I was there for the whole event from 4pm to 7pm - talking to residents about how to object and discussing the other options.
Not one single Conservative councillor or candidate turned up to explain why they have put these vandalistic plans forward, and instead they left it to officers to explain their decisions. Shameful.
Cllr Bellamy
EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY (of continued failure...)
We get lovely photos of a new tea room before every election - but no tea rooms.
The bumbling conservatives haven't yet even put planning application for this latest one.
But the new photo is useful, as is shows three of the Belper Tories who have voted to destroy our Greenbelt.
We get lovely photos of a new tea room before every election - but no tea rooms.
The bumbling conservatives haven't yet even put planning application for this latest one.
But the new photo is useful, as is shows three of the Belper Tories who have voted to destroy our Greenbelt.
Promises, promises.
Protect the Greenbelt???? Not only is the promise to do so on the local Conservative website, but is also on Cllr Taylors leaflets for the NEXT election! Yet they just voted to do EXACTLY the OPPOSITE, and delete Greenbelt for housing. Appalling. It is this sort of duplicity that gives all politicians a bad name. When I was elected I vowed to call out hypocrisy, and I will continue to do so, even from my hospital bed, however much they lie or shout me down. Cllr Ben Bellamy |
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UNBELIEVABLE and EMBARRASSING
The local Tories have announced that their candidate for the upcoming elections for Belper East is....
Cllr Valerie Taylor - from IDRIDGEHEY!!!
AND IT'S WORSE!
Deselected by the Tories from her current Heage ward, Cllr Taylor along with her borough and county Cllr Husband, David Taylor - BOTH VOTED FOR GREENBELT HOUSING ON FAR LAUND, IN EAST Ward, and 13 other sites!!
The local Tories have announced that their candidate for the upcoming elections for Belper East is....
Cllr Valerie Taylor - from IDRIDGEHEY!!!
AND IT'S WORSE!
Deselected by the Tories from her current Heage ward, Cllr Taylor along with her borough and county Cllr Husband, David Taylor - BOTH VOTED FOR GREENBELT HOUSING ON FAR LAUND, IN EAST Ward, and 13 other sites!!
Green Belt Disaster for Amber Valley
22 Tory Amber Valley Cllrs, including all four Tory councillors from Belper, just voted in favour of deleting part of the Green Belt at Far Laund and 13 other sites from around the Borough, including Duffield. They won the motion by just one vote. All the Labour councillors, including all four Labour cllrs from Belper, and two Tories voted against and one Tory abstained. Now we are in a battle to stop this going any further.
22 Tory Amber Valley Cllrs, including all four Tory councillors from Belper, just voted in favour of deleting part of the Green Belt at Far Laund and 13 other sites from around the Borough, including Duffield. They won the motion by just one vote. All the Labour councillors, including all four Labour cllrs from Belper, and two Tories voted against and one Tory abstained. Now we are in a battle to stop this going any further.
Nigel Mills MP for Amber Valley in Parliament today:
''Amber Valley Borough Council is holding a planning meeting tonight on building 2,000 houses on the green belt across a number of sites. Can the Minister confirm that that should be a last resort and that the council has to show exceptional circumstances for each site before it does that?''
Kit Malthouse -the minster for housing
''My hon. Friend is exactly right. The green belt should only be used in exceptional circumstances, after local authorities have demonstrated that they have exhausted all other options, including the use of brownfield, co-operating with their neighbours and looking at further density in their developments. We strengthened protections for the green belt in the national planning policy framework published in July 2018, and that should be a last resort.''
What a pity the 22 Tory councillors who voted for Green Belt deletions, including all four Tory Cllrs in Belper ( Dan Booth, Jo Booth, Jackie Cox and Paul Hillier) weren't listening.
''Amber Valley Borough Council is holding a planning meeting tonight on building 2,000 houses on the green belt across a number of sites. Can the Minister confirm that that should be a last resort and that the council has to show exceptional circumstances for each site before it does that?''
Kit Malthouse -the minster for housing
''My hon. Friend is exactly right. The green belt should only be used in exceptional circumstances, after local authorities have demonstrated that they have exhausted all other options, including the use of brownfield, co-operating with their neighbours and looking at further density in their developments. We strengthened protections for the green belt in the national planning policy framework published in July 2018, and that should be a last resort.''
What a pity the 22 Tory councillors who voted for Green Belt deletions, including all four Tory Cllrs in Belper ( Dan Booth, Jo Booth, Jackie Cox and Paul Hillier) weren't listening.
Belper and Duffield Labour Party have been out in the beautiful village of Makeney today with candidates John Porter and Jyoti Wilkinson
listening to residents concerns ahead of this year's Town and Borough Council elections
listening to residents concerns ahead of this year's Town and Borough Council elections
Our Labour Team out in King Street earlier this month talking to people about the cuts in the police budgets.
Greenbelt under attack
The Tory controlled Amber Valley Borough council are consulting Derbyshire County Council on deleting huge swathes of Greenbelt around Belper for development! You will not believe the size of some of the sites under consideration.
Disgraceful to even consider carving up our Greenbelt for ever, for developers easy profit.
Watch for a list of sites in and around Belper
Disgraceful to even consider carving up our Greenbelt for ever, for developers easy profit.
Watch for a list of sites in and around Belper
A big thank you to these lovely people for joining us for our weir clean this morning.
Only took us 1 hour and we collected 4 bags full which is now at the tip
Only took us 1 hour and we collected 4 bags full which is now at the tip
The government has just lost a vote in the House of Commons again - for the third day in a row - this time a vote on betting, in Committee rather than in the Commons chamber. Not a single Tory voted to support the government.
How long will this 'zombie government' drag itself on?
How long will this 'zombie government' drag itself on?
Further Council Cuts Near £100 Million
15th November 2018
The required future savings that Derbyshire councils say they need to make total nearly £100 million.
This is despite the UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer stating that the “era of austerity is finally coming to an end”.
The reductions in public funding aimed at reducing the nation’s budget deficit have been dubbed “austerity” by opponents.
They were started in 2010 by the coalition government and Prime Minister David Cameron.
At the start of the year, Derbyshire County Council had put forward plans to cut £53 million from its budget by 2022.
In September, this had shot up to £70 million, taking the total the authority says it will have saved between the start of austerity and 2022 to £327 million.
Its total budget for the current year was £503.2 million.
Earlier this month, High Peak MP Ruth George queried Government claims that there had been “real-term” increases in council budgets.
In response, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, James Brokenshire, said: “I recognise the challenges that local government has faced over the past few years and how councils have played their part in dealing with the public finance challenges brought about by the Labour Party.”
He said that investment was being made to “create a sustainable position for local government”.
A spokesperson for the department said it was working with local authorities to “develop a funding system for the future based on the needs of different areas”.
The county council is proposing funding cuts of £18.5 million next year in its steps towards the £70 million savings.
The authority’s director of finance, Peter Handford, stated that the council “continues to face significant cost pressures”.
In July, he emphasised the need for the authority to keep on top its savings targets, to avoid worsening its financial situation.
He said: “We face a tough balance as an authority of resources versus our revenue budget.
“We have had to use £18 million from our reserves to ameliorate some of the pressures, but the difficulty will be ongoing – I can’t under-emphasise that at all.”
Meanwhile, in Derby, the city council is aiming to make £12 million in savings next year with £22.84 million to find up to 2022.
Deputy leader, Conservative Cllr Matthew Holmes said that “many of the decisions that we are going to make will not be easy” and called it an “extremely challenging situation”.
Derby’s budget this year is £217.8 million.
Both authorities have pledged to lobby central government for more funding for adult and children’s social care – with the two authorities proposing further council tax increases next year to ease budget pressures.
Meanwhile, at Derbyshire Dales District Council, a spokesperson says that the authority’s spending power has been reduced by £287,000 since last year.
It is predicting a further reduction of £350,000 next year, and savings have been allocated to cover that.
Going forward, until 2020, the authority must find a further £800,000 in savings.
Its total budget this year is £35.8 million.
At Amber Valley Borough Council, a spokesperson says that the authority has been affected by the removal of the Revenue Support Grant from central government.
This will see £3.6 million cut over the course of 2017 to 2020.
The authority has already achieved half of this saving, £1.8 million, and must now find an additional £1.8 million.
Its total budget this year is £52.1 million.
At Erewash Borough Council, the authority made £700,000 of savings this year, and is looking to make £2.7 million over the years 2019 to 2021.
At least £1.2 million of these cuts are likely to be made next year, with the remaining funding reductions yet to be determined.
Its total budget this year is £50.8 million.
Over at South Derbyshire District Council, the authority is looking to cater for its future funding deficits by pulling from its reserves – which are at “healthy” level.
It is forecasting a deficit of £723,481 for next year, with a total cumulative shortfall of £1.3 million predicted up to 2023.
This will have dramatic impact on the level of its general reserve, which would fall from £9 million this year, to £7.5 million next year, and to £2.2 million in 2023.
However, this remains above the minimum level of £1.5 million.
This strategy has been judged to be “high risk” by the council’s director of finance and corporate services, Kevin Stackhouse, who wrote: “The deficits in future years were projected to be significant.
“If no action were taken to reduce future deficits, it could quickly de-stabilise the financial position given that any action to achieve budget savings may take time to fully implement.”
The authority had a surplus of £778,399 this year.
Mr Stackhouse says that the current forecast is a “worst case scenario” and will be subject to many changes over the next few years, due to the Brexit fallout and general changes in government funding policy.
He says that the funding position is updated throughout the year and the authority is always looking to plan at least two full years ahead, removing the need for any quick money-saving decisions.
Mr Stackhouse says that the council’s revenue is set to grow as a result of new housing in the district.
The council’s total budget this year is £45 million.
A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: “Councils in Derbyshire will have access to over £1.4 billion this year and next which they should use to meet the needs of their residents.
“We are investing in Britain’s future, and at budget we announced more than £1 billion in extra funding for local government to address pressures on services.
“On top of this, we’re giving councils the power to retain the growth in business rates income.”
15th November 2018
The required future savings that Derbyshire councils say they need to make total nearly £100 million.
This is despite the UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer stating that the “era of austerity is finally coming to an end”.
The reductions in public funding aimed at reducing the nation’s budget deficit have been dubbed “austerity” by opponents.
They were started in 2010 by the coalition government and Prime Minister David Cameron.
At the start of the year, Derbyshire County Council had put forward plans to cut £53 million from its budget by 2022.
In September, this had shot up to £70 million, taking the total the authority says it will have saved between the start of austerity and 2022 to £327 million.
Its total budget for the current year was £503.2 million.
Earlier this month, High Peak MP Ruth George queried Government claims that there had been “real-term” increases in council budgets.
In response, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, James Brokenshire, said: “I recognise the challenges that local government has faced over the past few years and how councils have played their part in dealing with the public finance challenges brought about by the Labour Party.”
He said that investment was being made to “create a sustainable position for local government”.
A spokesperson for the department said it was working with local authorities to “develop a funding system for the future based on the needs of different areas”.
The county council is proposing funding cuts of £18.5 million next year in its steps towards the £70 million savings.
The authority’s director of finance, Peter Handford, stated that the council “continues to face significant cost pressures”.
In July, he emphasised the need for the authority to keep on top its savings targets, to avoid worsening its financial situation.
He said: “We face a tough balance as an authority of resources versus our revenue budget.
“We have had to use £18 million from our reserves to ameliorate some of the pressures, but the difficulty will be ongoing – I can’t under-emphasise that at all.”
Meanwhile, in Derby, the city council is aiming to make £12 million in savings next year with £22.84 million to find up to 2022.
Deputy leader, Conservative Cllr Matthew Holmes said that “many of the decisions that we are going to make will not be easy” and called it an “extremely challenging situation”.
Derby’s budget this year is £217.8 million.
Both authorities have pledged to lobby central government for more funding for adult and children’s social care – with the two authorities proposing further council tax increases next year to ease budget pressures.
Meanwhile, at Derbyshire Dales District Council, a spokesperson says that the authority’s spending power has been reduced by £287,000 since last year.
It is predicting a further reduction of £350,000 next year, and savings have been allocated to cover that.
Going forward, until 2020, the authority must find a further £800,000 in savings.
Its total budget this year is £35.8 million.
At Amber Valley Borough Council, a spokesperson says that the authority has been affected by the removal of the Revenue Support Grant from central government.
This will see £3.6 million cut over the course of 2017 to 2020.
The authority has already achieved half of this saving, £1.8 million, and must now find an additional £1.8 million.
Its total budget this year is £52.1 million.
At Erewash Borough Council, the authority made £700,000 of savings this year, and is looking to make £2.7 million over the years 2019 to 2021.
At least £1.2 million of these cuts are likely to be made next year, with the remaining funding reductions yet to be determined.
Its total budget this year is £50.8 million.
Over at South Derbyshire District Council, the authority is looking to cater for its future funding deficits by pulling from its reserves – which are at “healthy” level.
It is forecasting a deficit of £723,481 for next year, with a total cumulative shortfall of £1.3 million predicted up to 2023.
This will have dramatic impact on the level of its general reserve, which would fall from £9 million this year, to £7.5 million next year, and to £2.2 million in 2023.
However, this remains above the minimum level of £1.5 million.
This strategy has been judged to be “high risk” by the council’s director of finance and corporate services, Kevin Stackhouse, who wrote: “The deficits in future years were projected to be significant.
“If no action were taken to reduce future deficits, it could quickly de-stabilise the financial position given that any action to achieve budget savings may take time to fully implement.”
The authority had a surplus of £778,399 this year.
Mr Stackhouse says that the current forecast is a “worst case scenario” and will be subject to many changes over the next few years, due to the Brexit fallout and general changes in government funding policy.
He says that the funding position is updated throughout the year and the authority is always looking to plan at least two full years ahead, removing the need for any quick money-saving decisions.
Mr Stackhouse says that the council’s revenue is set to grow as a result of new housing in the district.
The council’s total budget this year is £45 million.
A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: “Councils in Derbyshire will have access to over £1.4 billion this year and next which they should use to meet the needs of their residents.
“We are investing in Britain’s future, and at budget we announced more than £1 billion in extra funding for local government to address pressures on services.
“On top of this, we’re giving councils the power to retain the growth in business rates income.”
Amber Valley Council is currently run on a cabinet system where five leading Tory councillors meet to review and agree important 'key decisions' The most recent one, in October, involved discussions of an agenda which started at 10.30 am and finished at 10.44am. That's 14 minutes. Nice work if you can get it
How all the Tory Cllrs in Amber Valley Voted in Full Council This Week:
They voted AGAINST a Committee recommendation for all parts of the council to do Health Impact Assessments on policies. This is at a time when the life expectancy gap between wards in our borough is huge and also AGAINST working much more closely with the County Council and local NHS to improve health and life expectancy.
Cllr Atkinson proposed writing to the Secretary of State for education to reverse cuts to our schools since 2008. The Conservatives didn't want to be seen to vote against - so they moved an amendment to refer the matter to the county council instead. But seven of them are county councillors - so they all know that the county has already voted NOT to write to the secretary of state for education.
They voted AGAINST a Committee recommendation for all parts of the council to do Health Impact Assessments on policies. This is at a time when the life expectancy gap between wards in our borough is huge and also AGAINST working much more closely with the County Council and local NHS to improve health and life expectancy.
Cllr Atkinson proposed writing to the Secretary of State for education to reverse cuts to our schools since 2008. The Conservatives didn't want to be seen to vote against - so they moved an amendment to refer the matter to the county council instead. But seven of them are county councillors - so they all know that the county has already voted NOT to write to the secretary of state for education.
Today Pauline Latham MP posted this on Facebook: 3rd September 2018
''This year marks the 70th year anniversary of the NHS, which officially launched in 1948. We should all be grateful for the wonderful service provided and the hard working staff who are the back bone of our health care system. I support this Conservative Government in their work to improve and invest in our National Health Service.'' £91 million of cuts to find in Derbyshire NHS, crisis meetings with council committees and this is all she has to say - pathetic
''This year marks the 70th year anniversary of the NHS, which officially launched in 1948. We should all be grateful for the wonderful service provided and the hard working staff who are the back bone of our health care system. I support this Conservative Government in their work to improve and invest in our National Health Service.'' £91 million of cuts to find in Derbyshire NHS, crisis meetings with council committees and this is all she has to say - pathetic
Democracy needs to be respected - Council Meetings are scheduled months in advance and should happen as planned, not cancelled at the whim of the Council Leadership.
Sign this petition to help those suffering under Universal Credit and all the vicious cuts to benefits.
Click the image to sign
Our Babington Hospital site is now seen as a plot of land to be sold off to developers - this one minute video shows how the NHS is being sold off bit by bit
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The Tory Leader of Derbyshire County Council Barry Lewis has been having a cosy meeting behind closed doors with the Tory leaders of Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire to discuss abolishing district and borough councils across the region - “We’ve written to the new Secretary of State asking to meet and talk to him about our East Midlands plans.” boasted the Leicestershire CC leader. What do our Tory cllrs in Amber Valley, Belper and Duffield think about this cunning plan? Will they tell us ?
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Some photos from today’s visit from Jeremy Corbyns visit to Amber Valley. Walk about in Belper with the Police & Crime Commissioner and officers.
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All,
I have today written to Julian Townsend, Executive Director of Amber Valley, requesting that due to errors and misrepresentations in the Planning officers report, that the Belper Lane application should be refered back to the planning board for reconsideration, before the decision letter is issued. I don't need to go through the issues with the report here - suffice to say that members of this group and myself have been uncomfortable with a considerable number of aspects. Please bear with me - I am doing all I can to try and stop this dreadful vandalism of our world Heritage site. Cllr Ben Bellamy |
BABINGTON HOSPITAL CLOSURE. Last night at Strutts Centre the Belper NHS/SOS campaign hosted a meeting about the proposed closure of Babington Hospital, loss of all overnight beds and transfer of other services to a new site in Derwent Street. The site will be sold off, removing yet more public land from our Belper heritage. The NHS management in Derbyshire told us that there is going to be NO formal public consultation about this because they have already decided the issue. This will be challenged. Go to this link to make your feelings known and watch out for details of more public meetings.
http://www.southernderbyshireccg.nhs.uk/…/belper-health-se…/
http://www.southernderbyshireccg.nhs.uk/…/belper-health-se…/
A DATE FOR YOUR DIARY 3rd FEB - LONDON DEMO FOR THE NHS. PEOPLE FROM BELPER WILL BE GOING. MORE INFO TO COME.
NEW REPORT REVEALS DERBYSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL INVESTING £257 MILLION IN CLIMATE-WRECKING COMPANIES WHEN IT SHOULD BE INVESTED IN RENEWABLE ENERGY OR OTHER SUSTAINABLE ACTIVITY.
National data released today has revealed that Derbyshire County Council is investing £257 million in the fossil fuel industry through their management of the council pension fund [1]. “Divest Derbyshire” campaigners [2] say the controversial investments threaten the climate and also represent an unacceptable financial risk to pension-holders. The amount directly invested in the fossil fuel industry includes £143 million (55%) in companies with major fracking operations [3].
The release of the ‘Fuelling the Fire’ report and data coincides with UN international climate talks taking place in Bonn, Germany, which the UK government is attending. It highlights the incompatibility of the UK’s climate action promises with continued investment in the fossil fuel industry.
Michelle Cadet-Rose, a member of the Derbyshire Pension Fund, commented:
“" I think it's high time the Pension Fund explain to their members why they are continuing to invest in an industry that is financially risky and morally bankrupt when we want our pension fund invested in more forward thinking and sustainable industries"
Hilary Hebron of Transition Wirksworth Activists said:
"Scientific opinion suggests that we have probably already lost the chance of limiting the global temperature rise to the 1.5 C. agreed at the Paris Climate summit. It is now extremely urgent that we stop using fossil fuels NOW".
Dave Kesteven, Chair of Eckington Against Fracking [4], added:
“It adds insult to injury that our own council is supporting fracking through its investments, while many Derbyshire residents are actively campaigning to stop fracking blighting large areas of the county.”
Ellen Gibson, Divestment Campaigner with 350.org added:
“With hurricanes devastating the Caribbean, wildfires ravaging southern Europe and flooding and drought destroying lives across the world - the impacts of climate change are hitting hard.
“Despite this, UK councils are still ploughing billions into companies like Exxon, Shell and BP who have spent decades fuelling the crisis, and profiting on its back.
“Climate change isn’t just a problem for future generations - it’s happening now, and action has never been more urgent. Our councils, and all public institutions, must cut their ties with the fossil fuel companies responsible and divest.”
The data and online map released by 350.org, Platform and Friends of the Earth ranks councils by their fossil fuel investments, and allows residents to see every company or fund their local council has invested in. The figures show that UK councils invest a total £16.1 billion of their workers’ pensions into companies that extract coal, oil and gas, fuelling dangerous climate change. This is out of a total of £289.9 billion.
Full divestment commitments have so far been made by two UK council pension funds, with a further four making partial commitments [5]. The campaign to divest local council pensions has this year received backing from Unison and the Trades Union Congress (TUC) [6].
James Eaden, President, Chesterfield & District Trades Union Council said:
“Chesterfield & District Trades Union Council fully supports the call to divest the Derbyshire pension fund from companies that are engaged in fracking and in fossil fuel extraction. We need investment in a sustainable economy which promotes green jobs and technology. Local councils should take the lead in this by making sure that the huge funds that they hold in pension funds on behalf of present and past employees are used in an environmentally responsible way.”
CONTACT: Lisa Hopkinson, [email protected] tel: 07908-649648
National data released today has revealed that Derbyshire County Council is investing £257 million in the fossil fuel industry through their management of the council pension fund [1]. “Divest Derbyshire” campaigners [2] say the controversial investments threaten the climate and also represent an unacceptable financial risk to pension-holders. The amount directly invested in the fossil fuel industry includes £143 million (55%) in companies with major fracking operations [3].
The release of the ‘Fuelling the Fire’ report and data coincides with UN international climate talks taking place in Bonn, Germany, which the UK government is attending. It highlights the incompatibility of the UK’s climate action promises with continued investment in the fossil fuel industry.
Michelle Cadet-Rose, a member of the Derbyshire Pension Fund, commented:
“" I think it's high time the Pension Fund explain to their members why they are continuing to invest in an industry that is financially risky and morally bankrupt when we want our pension fund invested in more forward thinking and sustainable industries"
Hilary Hebron of Transition Wirksworth Activists said:
"Scientific opinion suggests that we have probably already lost the chance of limiting the global temperature rise to the 1.5 C. agreed at the Paris Climate summit. It is now extremely urgent that we stop using fossil fuels NOW".
Dave Kesteven, Chair of Eckington Against Fracking [4], added:
“It adds insult to injury that our own council is supporting fracking through its investments, while many Derbyshire residents are actively campaigning to stop fracking blighting large areas of the county.”
Ellen Gibson, Divestment Campaigner with 350.org added:
“With hurricanes devastating the Caribbean, wildfires ravaging southern Europe and flooding and drought destroying lives across the world - the impacts of climate change are hitting hard.
“Despite this, UK councils are still ploughing billions into companies like Exxon, Shell and BP who have spent decades fuelling the crisis, and profiting on its back.
“Climate change isn’t just a problem for future generations - it’s happening now, and action has never been more urgent. Our councils, and all public institutions, must cut their ties with the fossil fuel companies responsible and divest.”
The data and online map released by 350.org, Platform and Friends of the Earth ranks councils by their fossil fuel investments, and allows residents to see every company or fund their local council has invested in. The figures show that UK councils invest a total £16.1 billion of their workers’ pensions into companies that extract coal, oil and gas, fuelling dangerous climate change. This is out of a total of £289.9 billion.
Full divestment commitments have so far been made by two UK council pension funds, with a further four making partial commitments [5]. The campaign to divest local council pensions has this year received backing from Unison and the Trades Union Congress (TUC) [6].
James Eaden, President, Chesterfield & District Trades Union Council said:
“Chesterfield & District Trades Union Council fully supports the call to divest the Derbyshire pension fund from companies that are engaged in fracking and in fossil fuel extraction. We need investment in a sustainable economy which promotes green jobs and technology. Local councils should take the lead in this by making sure that the huge funds that they hold in pension funds on behalf of present and past employees are used in an environmentally responsible way.”
CONTACT: Lisa Hopkinson, [email protected] tel: 07908-649648
Belper Lane turned down. Massive thanks to the 153 people who turned up to support us.
Sad that Cllr Hillier voted for the plan. Belper did us proud! Cllr Ben Bellamy
Sad that Cllr Hillier voted for the plan. Belper did us proud! Cllr Ben Bellamy
Belper Lane site is being recommended for approval, and the application will be heard on the 18th September at Ripley at 7pm.My request to have the meeting moved to Belper has been refused.
PLEASE ATTEND THE MEETING and HAVE YOUR SAY, or join a protest against the plan outside of the building from 6pm.
It was insanely wreckless of the Conservatives, including Belper cllrs J Booth, D Booth, J Cox, P Hillier and M Tomlinson to vote to have Belper Lane in the local plan. The developer can point to the fact that the site is in the draft plan, to support his application. If this application does go ahead, then our world heritage status and the economic prosperity of our town will be in jeopardy. Losing our world heritage status would open all sites around Belper up to developers, including Bullsmore again, and Bessalone hill. It would decimate our emerging tourist industry, that we so badly need to thrive following the factory closures of recent years.
The Planning Board will commence at 7.00 pm in the Council Chamber of the Town Hall, Market Place, Ripley. There will be an opportunity for you to address the Planning Board for up to 5 minutes if you wish to do so. You need to register your interest to speak beforehand either by email to planningboardspeakers@ambervalley.gov.uk or telephone on 01773 841631, by 12 noon on 14th September 2017.
Many thanks
Cllr Ben Bellamy
Labour - Belper North
PLEASE ATTEND THE MEETING and HAVE YOUR SAY, or join a protest against the plan outside of the building from 6pm.
It was insanely wreckless of the Conservatives, including Belper cllrs J Booth, D Booth, J Cox, P Hillier and M Tomlinson to vote to have Belper Lane in the local plan. The developer can point to the fact that the site is in the draft plan, to support his application. If this application does go ahead, then our world heritage status and the economic prosperity of our town will be in jeopardy. Losing our world heritage status would open all sites around Belper up to developers, including Bullsmore again, and Bessalone hill. It would decimate our emerging tourist industry, that we so badly need to thrive following the factory closures of recent years.
The Planning Board will commence at 7.00 pm in the Council Chamber of the Town Hall, Market Place, Ripley. There will be an opportunity for you to address the Planning Board for up to 5 minutes if you wish to do so. You need to register your interest to speak beforehand either by email to planningboardspeakers@ambervalley.gov.uk or telephone on 01773 841631, by 12 noon on 14th September 2017.
Many thanks
Cllr Ben Bellamy
Labour - Belper North
ALL IS NOT WELL AT AMBER VALLEY BOROUGH COUNCIL TORIES AMBER VALLEY LOCAL PLAN IN ABSOLUTE TATTERS
CALLS FOR LEADER CLLR BUTTERY TO RESIGN
Amber Valley Borough Council has been criticised by a government housing inspector as making an ‘unreasonable’ decision - and he has awarded costs against the council in favour of a local campaign group. The Council refused to back their own planning board and did not defend an appeal against the decision to not allow 200 homes on contaminated land at Somercotes.
The inspector said “It is not clear as to why the Council decided not to defend its decision. Having regard to this lack of explanation I find that the Council’s decision not to contest the appeal was unreasonable…….. I find that unreasonable behaviour resulting in unnecessary or wasted expense, as described in the Planning Practice Guidance has been demonstrated. I conclude that a partial award of costs against Amber Valley Borough Council is justified.”
The 200 homes formed a significant element of the number of houses required by the Local Plan, and together with the judgement preventing homes being built at Kedleston Rd, there now appears to be an unsustainable shortfall. Other sites earmarked in the Local Plan include the World Heritage Buffer site at Belper Lane, but bizarrely not the former ABRU site in Belper which has just had planning agreed.
The public consultation is set to be examined by the councils Scrutiny committee after Labour Councillors complained that the results were withheld from councillors until after the decision on the draft local plan was made.
Belper North’s Labour Councillor Ben Bellamy has called on the council leader to resign, saying:
“Amber Valley is in crisis. The decision not to defend the democratic conclusion of the planning board was unacceptable. The decision to earmark contaminated land that could be of danger to residents into the Draft Local plan for housing was unacceptable. Elsewhere putting World Heritage Buffer Zone land into the plan, Green belt land into the plan and yet ignoring and refusing to put viable sites, like the Abru factory, call into question the competence of the current council. Any chance of having a Local Plan decided by local people is disintegrating – over a million spent – and for what? Amongst this crisis the August meeting of the council was cancelled. Leader Councillor Buttery should consider his position and resign– it looks not like leadership , but more like crisis management.”
Meanwhile sites such as the field lane car park extension – that the council spent £1.6 million on for a leisure centre that was never built lies empty, and the abandoned river gardens tea rooms deteriorates and looks in danger of collapse. Cllr Bellamy said:
“Council tax payers are paying the cost of a borough council that has closed our local offices; turned off the majority of the CCTV cameras that kept us safe; wasted millions on the Local Plan and failed projects; run out of ideas and is running out of money.”
“Meanwhile in Belper we have a World Heritage Status that they have put under threat by encouraging inappropriate housing developments; our jewel in the crown River Gardens Tearoom project still not funded; playgrounds rusting; and thanks to the Conservative government our hospital is set to close and Belpers schools are facing horrendous budget cuts that will affect our childrens education.”
CALLS FOR LEADER CLLR BUTTERY TO RESIGN
Amber Valley Borough Council has been criticised by a government housing inspector as making an ‘unreasonable’ decision - and he has awarded costs against the council in favour of a local campaign group. The Council refused to back their own planning board and did not defend an appeal against the decision to not allow 200 homes on contaminated land at Somercotes.
The inspector said “It is not clear as to why the Council decided not to defend its decision. Having regard to this lack of explanation I find that the Council’s decision not to contest the appeal was unreasonable…….. I find that unreasonable behaviour resulting in unnecessary or wasted expense, as described in the Planning Practice Guidance has been demonstrated. I conclude that a partial award of costs against Amber Valley Borough Council is justified.”
The 200 homes formed a significant element of the number of houses required by the Local Plan, and together with the judgement preventing homes being built at Kedleston Rd, there now appears to be an unsustainable shortfall. Other sites earmarked in the Local Plan include the World Heritage Buffer site at Belper Lane, but bizarrely not the former ABRU site in Belper which has just had planning agreed.
The public consultation is set to be examined by the councils Scrutiny committee after Labour Councillors complained that the results were withheld from councillors until after the decision on the draft local plan was made.
Belper North’s Labour Councillor Ben Bellamy has called on the council leader to resign, saying:
“Amber Valley is in crisis. The decision not to defend the democratic conclusion of the planning board was unacceptable. The decision to earmark contaminated land that could be of danger to residents into the Draft Local plan for housing was unacceptable. Elsewhere putting World Heritage Buffer Zone land into the plan, Green belt land into the plan and yet ignoring and refusing to put viable sites, like the Abru factory, call into question the competence of the current council. Any chance of having a Local Plan decided by local people is disintegrating – over a million spent – and for what? Amongst this crisis the August meeting of the council was cancelled. Leader Councillor Buttery should consider his position and resign– it looks not like leadership , but more like crisis management.”
Meanwhile sites such as the field lane car park extension – that the council spent £1.6 million on for a leisure centre that was never built lies empty, and the abandoned river gardens tea rooms deteriorates and looks in danger of collapse. Cllr Bellamy said:
“Council tax payers are paying the cost of a borough council that has closed our local offices; turned off the majority of the CCTV cameras that kept us safe; wasted millions on the Local Plan and failed projects; run out of ideas and is running out of money.”
“Meanwhile in Belper we have a World Heritage Status that they have put under threat by encouraging inappropriate housing developments; our jewel in the crown River Gardens Tearoom project still not funded; playgrounds rusting; and thanks to the Conservative government our hospital is set to close and Belpers schools are facing horrendous budget cuts that will affect our childrens education.”
Opinion: What I Learned In My First Year In Office At AVBC
(Minus The Four Months Without A Full Council Meeting).
Author: Cllr Ben Bellamy
After the dreadful fire in London, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea recently came in for much criticism, including from the government, for avoiding public scrutiny and cancelling a meeting.
What then of Amber Valley Borough Council? – Surely our local council, of which I am a member of the opposition group, would not want to avoid scrutiny? No? Well actually I am afraid it is a yes.
A few days ago, Councillors received a short email saying:
“Dear Councillor,
Please note that the Full Council meeting scheduled for 12 July 2017 has been cancelled.
The next Full Council meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, 20 September 2017.
Best Regards,” etc etc
So with the last meeting being held in May, there will now be a period of 4 months – a 3rd of the year, with no Full Council meeting – and hence no chance for councillors to ask questions of the leader, pose motions to the council or indeed for members of the public to address the council. And they are still continuing to hold Cabinet meetings at 10.30 am rather than evenings, with very little public attending. Last week’s cabinet had only 4 people the previous only 1 member of the public.
So the question to ask here, of course, is why? Why would the council, led by Conservative Cllr Kevin Buttery, not want to hold any meetings between May and September?
I am informed by the leader of the Labour group that (he was told) the decision was taken not to hold a meeting, as they considered that there was not enough business to discuss. Let’s think about what members of the public, or indeed Councillors may have wanted to raise.
Well I am sure the local plan would have featured heavily.
Firstly, there is the fact that the public consultation on the local plan was not published nor made available to councillors until AFTER the decision on the local plan was made. I may have moved a motion to revisit the decision on the allocations to the local plan, in view of the now available public consultation.
Secondly, the high court decision to block the building of housing on Kedleston Road should also have been discussed. I would have expected the leader of the council to have made at the very least a statement on how this may or may not affect the local plan, and what other implications the decision may have for the Borough – and to have been open to questions on this from Councillors.
Belper residents may have wanted to know what is happening with the land off Field Lane in Belper, on which £1.6 million was spent (for the leisure centre that never was..) – Cllr Dan Booth famously announced that everything that the Borough owns is for sale – and the councils own papers confirm that the officers of the council are charged with the disposal of the land. We may have expected a progress report from the council leader – how is it being marketed, what use would the council expect of desire to be made of the land?
Perhaps the public may have wanted to raise in public speaking grass cutting; the state of some playgrounds; housing issues; the state of our cemeteries; or the little matter of the risk to the World Heritage Site being put into ‘at risk status’ bought about by the local plan allocations.
Regardless – I find it amazing that despite council tax payers paying between c£1100 and c£3300 a year in council tax, this particular part of local government can’t currently think of anything positive to do. Last week’s cabinet meeting only had only three items – ‘performance figures and targets’, a ‘dementia planting scheme with Alfreton TC’ and ‘Civil penalties and rents’. If some questions had not been asked it would have been over in 15 mins
It may well be because the finances are in a complete mess (they are). After wasting the money on Field Lane and £1million plus on local plan, and the implications of accepting the council tax freeze grant, it is not a surprise – but the public wants to hear what is going to be done about it. Currently the council seem to be relying on the new homes bonus to keep going – this is a sum equal to council tax on all new homes granted planning permission, for a period of 6 years. The incentive is to approve planning permission for big housing estates. Is this sustainable?
In May I completed my first year as a Councillor. It has been gratifying to be able to help dozens of individuals with their issues, from planning problems to anti-social behaviour, and it has been great to work with the community to oppose local inappropriate developments. However, watching the business of the council has been depressing. We have seen CCTV camera switched off (swiftly followed by a horrendous bladed weapon incident in the town); we have witnessed the closure of our town centre offices against overwhelming public opinion; we have seen a Local Plan bought forward at huge expense with no public consultation being taken notice off – with green belt, contaminated land and World Heritage Site Buffer allocations against all expert opinion – a Local Plan that seems again doomed to failure.
I have raised questions and placed motions to try and save the CCTV, World Heritage site and Town centre offices, and also to get the funding for the Tea Rooms in the River Gardens (by selling the aforementioned Field Lane Land). But the reality of being in opposition is that the Conservative group invariably voted on block to prevent any of these motions succeeding. I am also proud to have publicly raised the issue of the three local Conservative associations taking £5000 donations from local developers – not illegal, but something the public should be aware of.
Outside of Amber Valley control we now have the Babington Hospital set to close, with many services looking like they will be sent to Ripley and Ashbourne. That is another fight we will have locally.
It does seem, that in my first year as Councillor, that all the ruling group in Amber Valley have overseen is things being turned off, closed down or broken.
What then of Amber Valley Borough Council? – Surely our local council, of which I am a member of the opposition group, would not want to avoid scrutiny? No? Well actually I am afraid it is a yes.
A few days ago, Councillors received a short email saying:
“Dear Councillor,
Please note that the Full Council meeting scheduled for 12 July 2017 has been cancelled.
The next Full Council meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, 20 September 2017.
Best Regards,” etc etc
So with the last meeting being held in May, there will now be a period of 4 months – a 3rd of the year, with no Full Council meeting – and hence no chance for councillors to ask questions of the leader, pose motions to the council or indeed for members of the public to address the council. And they are still continuing to hold Cabinet meetings at 10.30 am rather than evenings, with very little public attending. Last week’s cabinet had only 4 people the previous only 1 member of the public.
So the question to ask here, of course, is why? Why would the council, led by Conservative Cllr Kevin Buttery, not want to hold any meetings between May and September?
I am informed by the leader of the Labour group that (he was told) the decision was taken not to hold a meeting, as they considered that there was not enough business to discuss. Let’s think about what members of the public, or indeed Councillors may have wanted to raise.
Well I am sure the local plan would have featured heavily.
Firstly, there is the fact that the public consultation on the local plan was not published nor made available to councillors until AFTER the decision on the local plan was made. I may have moved a motion to revisit the decision on the allocations to the local plan, in view of the now available public consultation.
Secondly, the high court decision to block the building of housing on Kedleston Road should also have been discussed. I would have expected the leader of the council to have made at the very least a statement on how this may or may not affect the local plan, and what other implications the decision may have for the Borough – and to have been open to questions on this from Councillors.
Belper residents may have wanted to know what is happening with the land off Field Lane in Belper, on which £1.6 million was spent (for the leisure centre that never was..) – Cllr Dan Booth famously announced that everything that the Borough owns is for sale – and the councils own papers confirm that the officers of the council are charged with the disposal of the land. We may have expected a progress report from the council leader – how is it being marketed, what use would the council expect of desire to be made of the land?
Perhaps the public may have wanted to raise in public speaking grass cutting; the state of some playgrounds; housing issues; the state of our cemeteries; or the little matter of the risk to the World Heritage Site being put into ‘at risk status’ bought about by the local plan allocations.
Regardless – I find it amazing that despite council tax payers paying between c£1100 and c£3300 a year in council tax, this particular part of local government can’t currently think of anything positive to do. Last week’s cabinet meeting only had only three items – ‘performance figures and targets’, a ‘dementia planting scheme with Alfreton TC’ and ‘Civil penalties and rents’. If some questions had not been asked it would have been over in 15 mins
It may well be because the finances are in a complete mess (they are). After wasting the money on Field Lane and £1million plus on local plan, and the implications of accepting the council tax freeze grant, it is not a surprise – but the public wants to hear what is going to be done about it. Currently the council seem to be relying on the new homes bonus to keep going – this is a sum equal to council tax on all new homes granted planning permission, for a period of 6 years. The incentive is to approve planning permission for big housing estates. Is this sustainable?
In May I completed my first year as a Councillor. It has been gratifying to be able to help dozens of individuals with their issues, from planning problems to anti-social behaviour, and it has been great to work with the community to oppose local inappropriate developments. However, watching the business of the council has been depressing. We have seen CCTV camera switched off (swiftly followed by a horrendous bladed weapon incident in the town); we have witnessed the closure of our town centre offices against overwhelming public opinion; we have seen a Local Plan bought forward at huge expense with no public consultation being taken notice off – with green belt, contaminated land and World Heritage Site Buffer allocations against all expert opinion – a Local Plan that seems again doomed to failure.
I have raised questions and placed motions to try and save the CCTV, World Heritage site and Town centre offices, and also to get the funding for the Tea Rooms in the River Gardens (by selling the aforementioned Field Lane Land). But the reality of being in opposition is that the Conservative group invariably voted on block to prevent any of these motions succeeding. I am also proud to have publicly raised the issue of the three local Conservative associations taking £5000 donations from local developers – not illegal, but something the public should be aware of.
Outside of Amber Valley control we now have the Babington Hospital set to close, with many services looking like they will be sent to Ripley and Ashbourne. That is another fight we will have locally.
It does seem, that in my first year as Councillor, that all the ruling group in Amber Valley have overseen is things being turned off, closed down or broken.
The National Patients Association says:
“The Queen’s Speech appears to show a government in denial about the major risks facing patients, their families and carers. While the media is awash with reports of plans to withdraw services and treatments to cope with funding shortfalls, there is no commitment by the Government to address the funding crisis.
“The Queen’s Speech appears to show a government in denial about the major risks facing patients, their families and carers. While the media is awash with reports of plans to withdraw services and treatments to cope with funding shortfalls, there is no commitment by the Government to address the funding crisis.
BELPER VOTES LABOUR
Do not forget to register for the up and coming County Council elections
After three years of hard work we have finally been able to start on the new exciting care home and library for Belper.
It's what a Labour Council does and what voting Labour achieves
It's what a Labour Council does and what voting Labour achieves
Plans to build a new care home, library and other facilities on the site of the former Thorntons factory in Belper have been given the go-ahead.
Derbyshire County Council has been given permission to knock down factory buildings in Derwent Street and build the integrated care centre with 40 private rooms, as well as a public library and cafe/restaurant which will serve both residents and the wider community.
Read more at http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/care-home-plan-for-former-thorntons-factory-site-given-go-ahead/story-30263280-detail/story.html#rKvH67EAVEYqYgzX.99
Derbyshire County Council has been given permission to knock down factory buildings in Derwent Street and build the integrated care centre with 40 private rooms, as well as a public library and cafe/restaurant which will serve both residents and the wider community.
Read more at http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/care-home-plan-for-former-thorntons-factory-site-given-go-ahead/story-30263280-detail/story.html#rKvH67EAVEYqYgzX.99
Belper and Duffield Labour Party meet the People's Chancellor John McDonnell
In the UK 158,000 families own 41 million acres of land, while 24 million families live on the four million acres of the urban plot. No other country in Europe, apart from Spain, has such an unequal concentration of land ownership. All the freehold property in Hong Kong is owned by the state except for the cathedral. The government sells relatively short leaseholds with high ground rent. Hong Kong is a shining example of the superiority of Land Value Tax. It used to be Labour Party policy to nationalise land ownership.
The Labour manifesto of 1945 stipulated that the party believed "in Land Nationalisation and will work towards it, but as a first step the State and the local authorities must have wider and speedier powers to acquire land for public purposes wherever the public interest so requires". How else can we protect Belper from the greed and irresponsibility of the Tories, the developers and the land owners?
The Labour manifesto of 1945 stipulated that the party believed "in Land Nationalisation and will work towards it, but as a first step the State and the local authorities must have wider and speedier powers to acquire land for public purposes wherever the public interest so requires". How else can we protect Belper from the greed and irresponsibility of the Tories, the developers and the land owners?
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DEVELOPERS COME BACK TO BESSALONE HILL
A planning application will appear later tonight, again for Bessalone Hill. That they should have the temerity to put in plans that abut to a world heritage site asset, Strutts covered reservoir, is amazing. Much of the site is WHS buffer zone. It is all green belt. The planning application number is AVA/2017/0322 It is vital that people object - even if they have done so before. As your Labour councillor for Belper North I will do all I can to fight this further attack on our town. I plan to host a public meeting to discuss again how to best object and to plan how we fight this scheme. We do need housing in Belper - and we need it to regenerate our Brownfield sites and our mills. HANDS OFF OUR GREEN BELT AND OUR HERITAGE Cllr Ben Bellamy, Belper North It comes just nine months after a similar fiercely contested planning application for 201 houses on Bessalone Hill was withdrawn due to an error with the submission and it leaves residents and campaigners again facing more turmoil.
Cllr Ben Bellamy said: “As your Labour councillor for Belper North I will do all I can to fight this further attack on our town. I plan to host a public meeting to discuss again how to best object and to plan how we fight this scheme.” In June 2016, a cross-party group of councillors united to oppose the previous application. They held a joint meeting with concerned parties and over 60 people attended to discuss the application. Information on the new application, entitled AVA/2017/0322, has been sent out today to the surrounding area and local publications. More details can be found by typing the planning reference here. As with the previous application AVBC note that objections based on any of the following are not relevant or material planning considerations and will not be taken into consideration.
More to follow. |
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Preserve and protect Bullsmoor,
Belper lane and the WHS buffer zone
Belper's Labour councillors are fighting to get Bullsmoor and Belper Lane sites out of the local plan. Last night we tried to move a Labour amendment to remove these sites from the consultation. Here is what happened.
Should the local Conservative party be taking donations from Directors of local developers?
I asked the question at the full Council meeting - and they didn't like it and tried to stop me.
I asked the question at the full Council meeting - and they didn't like it and tried to stop me.
At a special meeting of the Amber Valley Council on 6th March Belper's Hollie Webb MBE, hockey international and winner of an Olympic gold medal, will deservedly be awarded the title of Honorary Free Woman of the Borough. (As a member of the men's team which was slaughtered by a women's team some years ago I can testify to the skills of Belper Hockey Club's women players! ) This decision we are told supports the council priority of 'promoting health and leisure facilities to residents of the Borough'. It is a pity that the Tories have just decided to cut the funding of Belper Leisure Centre by £50,000 a year. Like most of their financial decisions, it doesn't add up.
Belper High School is set to have its funding cut by 9%. Thats equivelent to 11 fewer teachers. Primary schools in Belper and the local area are to lose upto 13% funding. Our children deserve better. Click the link to see how your school is affected - and sign the petition!
ANNUAL Fish and Chip Dinner and Quiz Night.
ELECTION FUNDRAISER
This is a very popular event, where you can mop up a plate of fine food* from George’s Tradition and pool your knowledge (or complete lack of) with friendly team members.
Date: Friday March 31st 7 pm (7.30 quiz starts, 8.30 food)
Venue: Number 28 Community Hall, Market Place, BELPER
Cost including quiz entry: £7.50 fish and chips, £5 chip butty. Free mushy peas.
Bring your own alcohol
*for other vegetarian options, see menu:
https://www.georgestradition.co.uk/…/Belper-Takeaway-Restau…
Booking essential so we can organise food. Contact:
Joyce Sanders 01773 599058 [email protected]
And our usual RAFFLE: Donations welcome.
Proceeds to Campaign Fund for 2017 County Council elections
ELECTION FUNDRAISER
This is a very popular event, where you can mop up a plate of fine food* from George’s Tradition and pool your knowledge (or complete lack of) with friendly team members.
Date: Friday March 31st 7 pm (7.30 quiz starts, 8.30 food)
Venue: Number 28 Community Hall, Market Place, BELPER
Cost including quiz entry: £7.50 fish and chips, £5 chip butty. Free mushy peas.
Bring your own alcohol
*for other vegetarian options, see menu:
https://www.georgestradition.co.uk/…/Belper-Takeaway-Restau…
Booking essential so we can organise food. Contact:
Joyce Sanders 01773 599058 [email protected]
And our usual RAFFLE: Donations welcome.
Proceeds to Campaign Fund for 2017 County Council elections
BULLSMOOR AND BELPER LANE TO BE INCLUDED IN THE LOCAL PLAN
CONSERVATIVES PROPOSE WORLD HERITAGE SITES FOR BUILDING.
Labour councillors call for show of feelings at 1st March Meeting.
At the Amber Valley March 1st Meeting at Ripley Town Hall, the Conservatives are set to propose a new local plan, and shockingly, in a huge betrayal against the people of Belper, are proposing that World Heritage Buffer sites Bullsmoor and Belper Lane are included.
Papers released today in preparation for the 1st March meeting reveal the appalling proposals, with maps of the planned sites being released. There are even proposals to delete green Belt and build on land between Kilburn lane in Belper, and the A38.
This is a massive and unbelievable U-Turn, as during the last election former Tory Leader, veteran Alan Cox proudly proclaimed on his election address ‘the proposed development at Bullsmoor has been taken out of the local plan’
County Councillor John Owen said “Labour believes that we should be developing our brown field sites and bringing our heritage buildings into use before we even think of green fields. That is why the Labour controlled county council is developing the old Thorntons factory into a state of the art Care home to replace the Ada Belfield and a brand new Library and community space.”
"Last year, Labour candidates Ben Bellamy and Maurice Neville stood for the Borough elections on a policy of protecting our green field sites and the World Heritage Site, and not only have they stuck by that, they have organised several large public meetings and made sure that concerns over Bullsmoor, Bessalone and Mount Pleasant are featured in the Belper Neighbourhood plan. They shared these meetings with local conservative councillors who at the time agreed with our opposition to these developments."
Cllr Maurice Neville said “I fully support all the hard work over the years which the Protect Belper campaign has done to demolish the case for building on Bullsmoor. People will rightly be asking why sites such as the ABRU factory not in the plan instead?
"Tory Councillors Joe Booth and Dan Booth both spoke at our public meetings, and led the public to believe that they were opposed to developments in the World Heritage Buffer Zone – how they vote on March the 1st will be crucial as to whether or not this plan goes forwards to consultation. Cllr Jackie Cox and Martin Tomlinson have been noticeable by their absence at any of these public meetings."
Cllr Ben Bellamy said “If Belper Conservatives vote for this plan then they are betraying the people of Belper. No one will trust them again. Our very World Heritage Status is at risk by the foolhardy inclusion of these Buffer Zone Sites. Appalling. I would encourage the whole of Belper to decamp to Ripley Town hall for the meeting on the 1st March at 7pm – and let your feelings be know.”
The proposal will be discussed under 17 Item 11(a) Appendix 2 Part 2 Agenda Item No 11(a) - Appendix 2: Part 2 - Plans of Proposed Additional Sites for Housing Development
Papers for the meeting, including the maps, can be seen here http://www.ambervalley.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/councillors,-democracy-and-elections/council-meetings/committee-documents.aspx?CommitteeRef=CNL&MeetingRef=1941
CONSERVATIVES PROPOSE WORLD HERITAGE SITES FOR BUILDING.
Labour councillors call for show of feelings at 1st March Meeting.
At the Amber Valley March 1st Meeting at Ripley Town Hall, the Conservatives are set to propose a new local plan, and shockingly, in a huge betrayal against the people of Belper, are proposing that World Heritage Buffer sites Bullsmoor and Belper Lane are included.
Papers released today in preparation for the 1st March meeting reveal the appalling proposals, with maps of the planned sites being released. There are even proposals to delete green Belt and build on land between Kilburn lane in Belper, and the A38.
This is a massive and unbelievable U-Turn, as during the last election former Tory Leader, veteran Alan Cox proudly proclaimed on his election address ‘the proposed development at Bullsmoor has been taken out of the local plan’
County Councillor John Owen said “Labour believes that we should be developing our brown field sites and bringing our heritage buildings into use before we even think of green fields. That is why the Labour controlled county council is developing the old Thorntons factory into a state of the art Care home to replace the Ada Belfield and a brand new Library and community space.”
"Last year, Labour candidates Ben Bellamy and Maurice Neville stood for the Borough elections on a policy of protecting our green field sites and the World Heritage Site, and not only have they stuck by that, they have organised several large public meetings and made sure that concerns over Bullsmoor, Bessalone and Mount Pleasant are featured in the Belper Neighbourhood plan. They shared these meetings with local conservative councillors who at the time agreed with our opposition to these developments."
Cllr Maurice Neville said “I fully support all the hard work over the years which the Protect Belper campaign has done to demolish the case for building on Bullsmoor. People will rightly be asking why sites such as the ABRU factory not in the plan instead?
"Tory Councillors Joe Booth and Dan Booth both spoke at our public meetings, and led the public to believe that they were opposed to developments in the World Heritage Buffer Zone – how they vote on March the 1st will be crucial as to whether or not this plan goes forwards to consultation. Cllr Jackie Cox and Martin Tomlinson have been noticeable by their absence at any of these public meetings."
Cllr Ben Bellamy said “If Belper Conservatives vote for this plan then they are betraying the people of Belper. No one will trust them again. Our very World Heritage Status is at risk by the foolhardy inclusion of these Buffer Zone Sites. Appalling. I would encourage the whole of Belper to decamp to Ripley Town hall for the meeting on the 1st March at 7pm – and let your feelings be know.”
The proposal will be discussed under 17 Item 11(a) Appendix 2 Part 2 Agenda Item No 11(a) - Appendix 2: Part 2 - Plans of Proposed Additional Sites for Housing Development
Papers for the meeting, including the maps, can be seen here http://www.ambervalley.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/councillors,-democracy-and-elections/council-meetings/committee-documents.aspx?CommitteeRef=CNL&MeetingRef=1941
AMBER VALLEY CONSERVATIVES CLOSE OUR BELPER SERVICES BUT REFUSE TO PRESS THE GOVERNMENT FOR MORE SUPPORT FOR LOCAL HOSPITALS AND DOCTORS, BELPER SOCIAL CARE FOR CHILDREN THE ELDERLY AND INFIRM - OR EVEN THEIR OWN BUDGET. WHAT A USELESS SHOWER OF DO NOTHINGS !
Planning application AVA/2017/0041 is fantastic news for Belper and shows what a the fantastic Labour Derbyshire county council does - We are building car homes and libraries, when across the country others are closing them down.
THE INCOMPETENCE OF THE TORIES AT NATIONAL AND LOCAL LEVEL IS WORSE THAN EVER.
THE 'NEW HOMES BONUS' WHICH SHOULD BE USED TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOMES HAS BEEN USED BY AMBER VALLEY COUNCIL TO PLUG ITS BUDGET GAP INSTEAD.
Now central government has filched £240 MILLION of this funding as a sticking plaster for the £1.9 Billion Social Services funding crisis. For the whole country, including Amber Valley, this means even more pressure on borough council budgets. Its called robbing Peter to pay Paul - the economics of idiocy.
THE 'NEW HOMES BONUS' WHICH SHOULD BE USED TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOMES HAS BEEN USED BY AMBER VALLEY COUNCIL TO PLUG ITS BUDGET GAP INSTEAD.
Now central government has filched £240 MILLION of this funding as a sticking plaster for the £1.9 Billion Social Services funding crisis. For the whole country, including Amber Valley, this means even more pressure on borough council budgets. Its called robbing Peter to pay Paul - the economics of idiocy.
Come to the Derbyshire Health Scrutiny Committee which meets on 23rd January at 10am at County Hall Matlock. It is open to the public. Gary Thompson, who is in charge of the cuts plan for Derbyshire which aims to remove over 500 hospital beds, will be answering questions from Councillors and the public. NHS cuts put lives at risk
After years of lobbying, the town council has finally committed some funds to the Tea rooms -
I am delighted that our lobbying has finally seen the Town Council do the right thing. A couple of years ago we had to raise a petition to prevent them giving this money away as an election tax reduction sweetener.
Belper people will also be aware that the five conservative borough Councillors, some who also sit on Town council voted against Labours pre Xmas motion to fully fund the project. We proposed that this was achieved by selling the field lane land, purchased for £1.6 million for a leisure center that never was and using just some of the money to see the project realised. Clearly there is still a huge shortfall, and Belper's Conservative Borough Councillors have questions to answer from the electorate as to why they refused a sensible solution which would have seen spades hitting the ground,and where they think the rest of the money is coming from.
Ben Bellamy Labour Belper North
I am delighted that our lobbying has finally seen the Town Council do the right thing. A couple of years ago we had to raise a petition to prevent them giving this money away as an election tax reduction sweetener.
Belper people will also be aware that the five conservative borough Councillors, some who also sit on Town council voted against Labours pre Xmas motion to fully fund the project. We proposed that this was achieved by selling the field lane land, purchased for £1.6 million for a leisure center that never was and using just some of the money to see the project realised. Clearly there is still a huge shortfall, and Belper's Conservative Borough Councillors have questions to answer from the electorate as to why they refused a sensible solution which would have seen spades hitting the ground,and where they think the rest of the money is coming from.
Ben Bellamy Labour Belper North
Read more or download here
Letter in Belper News This Week from Councillor Neville
CUTS WILL AFFECT FAMILIES
'Many people in Belper will have seen the award winning film by Ken Loach 'I Daniel Blake' - it is on in Belper from 3rd to 10th November. This is a harrowing story about how the punitive and heartless UK benefit system, deliberately distorted by the Conservatives, is wrecking lives. The film is set in Newcastle but much closer to home the wrecking took a turn for the worse this month. The new lower Benefit Cap, which imposes a much lower limit on household benefits, came into effect on 7th November. This will make large cuts in benefits for 116,000 families and 330,000 children in the UK. In Amber Valley alone at least 500 children will be worse off. Theresa May abandoned George Osborne's austerity targets as soon as she entered Number 10. She also said 'the government I lead will not be driven by the interests of the privileged few.' When will she abandon her party's vicious attacks on the poor and increase funding to the near crippled NHS?'
CUTS WILL AFFECT FAMILIES
'Many people in Belper will have seen the award winning film by Ken Loach 'I Daniel Blake' - it is on in Belper from 3rd to 10th November. This is a harrowing story about how the punitive and heartless UK benefit system, deliberately distorted by the Conservatives, is wrecking lives. The film is set in Newcastle but much closer to home the wrecking took a turn for the worse this month. The new lower Benefit Cap, which imposes a much lower limit on household benefits, came into effect on 7th November. This will make large cuts in benefits for 116,000 families and 330,000 children in the UK. In Amber Valley alone at least 500 children will be worse off. Theresa May abandoned George Osborne's austerity targets as soon as she entered Number 10. She also said 'the government I lead will not be driven by the interests of the privileged few.' When will she abandon her party's vicious attacks on the poor and increase funding to the near crippled NHS?'
Mark Spilsbury -
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BELPER CONSERVATIVES VOTE TO REMOVE 90% of BELPER SECURITY CAMERAS
Belper News Today: Quite sad to see poor Councillor Hillier desperately pretending to be happy about the 'achievement' of Belper's Conservative Borough Councillors in 'preserving' 2 security cameras. All the Town Councillors voted against the cut in cameras last month - except the ones like Hillier and the Booths who are also Borough Councillors. The decision about which two cameras would remain was made by officers and had nothing to do with councillor Hillier and his friends. Councillor Hillier is so embarrassed he has been forced to spout utter nonsense. Not content with this Councillor Hillier also felt moved to write a long letter in support of serial liar and racist, misogynist bigot Donald Trump ! This includes hoping that Trump's policies work for the US. Some elements of the Conservative Party were fans of Hitler in the 1930s. Cllr Maurice Neville with a bold answer to
Mp Pauline Latham on the NHS https://www.facebook.com/BelperLabourParty/info/?tab=page_info
The Conservatives may have held onto the borough by sixteen votes in Ironville, but Cllr Neville and myself will still be pushing them to properly fund the tea rooms.
Come on Belper - if you haven't done so yet, buy a brick for the Tearooms - the more bricks we buy as a community, the more it shows how much we need this. Another 160 bricks to hit the 10k target!
Click here to buy a brick
The estimated cost is c£450000 . The building has been deemed uneconomic to repair, and so must be rebuilt anew. There are certain constraints, from a heritage point of view from English Heritage and the World Heritage Site, and also the Enviroment Agency (it patently needs to be flood prooof etc). It also needs to be large enough to be able to run as a viable business, so that it does not fail. Of course - the big plus point is that it will bring valuable rental income into the borough council - turning capital investment money into income; and will begin to rejuvinate heritage aspect of the town, bringing tourists in who will bring more vital income into the local economy.
Belper planning applications
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2015
At last nights (25th March) Full Council meeting the following Tories announced they will not be standing for re election,some through choice some because they were pushed .We will let you make up your own mind which it is which,
Belper Central - Peter Makin
Belper North-Mark Robertson
Belper South -Peter Arnold
Duffield -Stuart Bradford -Tory Group Leader
Ripley-Stuart Joynes
Belper Central - Peter Makin
Belper North-Mark Robertson
Belper South -Peter Arnold
Duffield -Stuart Bradford -Tory Group Leader
Ripley-Stuart Joynes
We’ve done it! Last night, at Belper Town Council meeting, we presented the petition against setting a zero precept.
Tory controlled Belper Town council voted AGAINST Conservative veterans Councillors Alan and Jackie Cox and their own finance committee’s recommendation to set a zero precept – and enough of them voted WITH the Labour group’s proposal to keep the precept as it was.
The conservatives in the Town are clearly not of one voice – but several of them are to be commended for crumpling under the pressure of our petition, and of several eloquent members of the public who spoke against the proposal at the start of the meeting.
In defending his proposal for a zero precept, Councillor Alan Cox made various statements including :
• Ruling out spending money on the River Gardens, saying they belonged to the borough council –
[This is disingenuous – clearly an arrangement could be reached with the Borough on taking over the Tea room area of the river gardens.]
• “when we have asked people for grant applications, we have never had the grant applications come in”
Clearly a bizarre statement, especially as grant applications later on in the meeting were not all fulfilled to the levels requested. And, to their credit, the council give some funding to several important community projects in the Town.
• “if someone with £100,000 in the bank comes and asks for a £10,000 grant, they won’t get it”
Why not – what if, say, a scout group had £100k and needed a further £10k to build a community centre and scout hut? Would THAT not be a good use of money?
• “There is nothing illegal in what we are doing”
Oh- that’s alright then :-)
• We can’t give money to the leisure centre – it’s a private business
So that’s why whilst the borough council was Tory controlled, it spent £1,634,691 buying what ended up as a car park extension for field lane. And actually, there is a Business Grants committee – so they could help fund improvements if they chose to.
What we need is a proper consultation with the people of Belper on how to spend the reserves, and they need to be spent wisely for the community. And if you vote in a Labour Town Council in May then that is exactly what you will get.
Tory controlled Belper Town council voted AGAINST Conservative veterans Councillors Alan and Jackie Cox and their own finance committee’s recommendation to set a zero precept – and enough of them voted WITH the Labour group’s proposal to keep the precept as it was.
The conservatives in the Town are clearly not of one voice – but several of them are to be commended for crumpling under the pressure of our petition, and of several eloquent members of the public who spoke against the proposal at the start of the meeting.
In defending his proposal for a zero precept, Councillor Alan Cox made various statements including :
• Ruling out spending money on the River Gardens, saying they belonged to the borough council –
[This is disingenuous – clearly an arrangement could be reached with the Borough on taking over the Tea room area of the river gardens.]
• “when we have asked people for grant applications, we have never had the grant applications come in”
Clearly a bizarre statement, especially as grant applications later on in the meeting were not all fulfilled to the levels requested. And, to their credit, the council give some funding to several important community projects in the Town.
• “if someone with £100,000 in the bank comes and asks for a £10,000 grant, they won’t get it”
Why not – what if, say, a scout group had £100k and needed a further £10k to build a community centre and scout hut? Would THAT not be a good use of money?
• “There is nothing illegal in what we are doing”
Oh- that’s alright then :-)
• We can’t give money to the leisure centre – it’s a private business
So that’s why whilst the borough council was Tory controlled, it spent £1,634,691 buying what ended up as a car park extension for field lane. And actually, there is a Business Grants committee – so they could help fund improvements if they chose to.
What we need is a proper consultation with the people of Belper on how to spend the reserves, and they need to be spent wisely for the community. And if you vote in a Labour Town Council in May then that is exactly what you will get.
Don't cancel the 2015 precept worth average 50p per week - the £350000 reserves need spending on things for the benefit of the people of Belper, such as community centers, the river gardens, keeping toilets open, young peoples groups etc.
On the 20th January, Belper Town council proposes to cut the local council tax by the price of a bag of crisps a week, for just one year, thus using up nearly a quarter of million pounds that could be go so far to building permanent and lasting facilities for the town.
Since 2005 Conservative controlled Belper Town Council has accumulated an unusually large financial reserve of well over £350,000. Decisions about how to use the reserve and also about setting next year’s Town Council Charge, or Precept, must be made on 20th January. In the past the council has talked of using the reserve to fund a council office but nothing has been decided and the Conservative Councillors don’t seem to have noticed the continuing need for resources for the River Gardens, channels, public toilets, dog fouling, young people and community organisations. There are some questions which badly need answers:
· Why is there no plan, investment strategy, annual review, risk assessment, or any other organised information about this reserve readily accessible on the council website, as is clearly available on many other small town council websites? Do such essential documents even exist and were these matters ever addressed by the Conservative Councillors?
· Minutes of a Belper Town Council meeting in February 2014 state that ‘the Committee agreed to spend the council reserves by the end of March 2015.’ Firstly, no responsible council ever tries to manage on zero reserves. Secondly, hardly any reserves have actually been spent by the Council this financial year. Meanwhile hard working local groups and charities are left in need of support and the Town’s public facilities badly need investment.
There has never been a proper public consultation or adequate discussion about how this money should be managed. Only two Conservative members on the financial subcommittee of the council (which has six members ) ,husband and wife team Councillors Alan Cox and Jackie Cox , met on December 18th and the results of their deliberations on the budget and reserves will be discussed at full council – open to the public – at St Johns Chapel at 7pm on 20th January.
After nine years of salting away tens of thousands every year, in a last minute move that smacks of panic, Conservatives are proposing to reduce the Belper Town Council Precept, an average of less than fifty pence a week to Belper residents, to zero for the next financial year. In other words, instead of using the money constructively, fritter away about £240,000, two thirds of the reserve, to pay for normal council expenses next year. As cuts are reducing all public services and central government support for councils is also cut it is even more important that Belper Town Council uses its resources wisely. The Council supports a number of facilities, groups and activities, which is to its credit. But why abandon the chance to do much more to make Belper a better place? Why propose an irresponsible election year give away, which has not been discussed with residents and is not even part of a proper financial strategy?
We need a careful process of consultation with Belper residents about how best to use next year’s town council charge and the considerable asset to the town of such a substantial reserve, which is much more than a full year Council budget. The current Conservative led Council has not addressed its responsibilities in the management of its reserve responsibly, openly or in a timely manner. The meeting on 20th January must not be allowed to rush through irresponsible decisions about such substantial public funding.
On the 20th January, Belper Town council proposes to cut the local council tax by the price of a bag of crisps a week, for just one year, thus using up nearly a quarter of million pounds that could be go so far to building permanent and lasting facilities for the town.
Since 2005 Conservative controlled Belper Town Council has accumulated an unusually large financial reserve of well over £350,000. Decisions about how to use the reserve and also about setting next year’s Town Council Charge, or Precept, must be made on 20th January. In the past the council has talked of using the reserve to fund a council office but nothing has been decided and the Conservative Councillors don’t seem to have noticed the continuing need for resources for the River Gardens, channels, public toilets, dog fouling, young people and community organisations. There are some questions which badly need answers:
· Why is there no plan, investment strategy, annual review, risk assessment, or any other organised information about this reserve readily accessible on the council website, as is clearly available on many other small town council websites? Do such essential documents even exist and were these matters ever addressed by the Conservative Councillors?
· Minutes of a Belper Town Council meeting in February 2014 state that ‘the Committee agreed to spend the council reserves by the end of March 2015.’ Firstly, no responsible council ever tries to manage on zero reserves. Secondly, hardly any reserves have actually been spent by the Council this financial year. Meanwhile hard working local groups and charities are left in need of support and the Town’s public facilities badly need investment.
There has never been a proper public consultation or adequate discussion about how this money should be managed. Only two Conservative members on the financial subcommittee of the council (which has six members ) ,husband and wife team Councillors Alan Cox and Jackie Cox , met on December 18th and the results of their deliberations on the budget and reserves will be discussed at full council – open to the public – at St Johns Chapel at 7pm on 20th January.
After nine years of salting away tens of thousands every year, in a last minute move that smacks of panic, Conservatives are proposing to reduce the Belper Town Council Precept, an average of less than fifty pence a week to Belper residents, to zero for the next financial year. In other words, instead of using the money constructively, fritter away about £240,000, two thirds of the reserve, to pay for normal council expenses next year. As cuts are reducing all public services and central government support for councils is also cut it is even more important that Belper Town Council uses its resources wisely. The Council supports a number of facilities, groups and activities, which is to its credit. But why abandon the chance to do much more to make Belper a better place? Why propose an irresponsible election year give away, which has not been discussed with residents and is not even part of a proper financial strategy?
We need a careful process of consultation with Belper residents about how best to use next year’s town council charge and the considerable asset to the town of such a substantial reserve, which is much more than a full year Council budget. The current Conservative led Council has not addressed its responsibilities in the management of its reserve responsibly, openly or in a timely manner. The meeting on 20th January must not be allowed to rush through irresponsible decisions about such substantial public funding.
High Street Minister visits Belper
The national spotlight was again turned on The Great British High Street winner, Belper, on Thursday 15 January, when High Street Minister, Penny Mordaunt came to town.
The Minister’s visit followed a recent ceremony at Westminster, when representatives from Belper were officially presented with the prestigious awards as both Best Market Town and Best High Street in the UK.
During Thursday’s visit Penny Mourdant was guided around some of the Town’s winning projects by members of the Belper Vision Group. She was introduced to local retailers, many of whom participate in the Totally Local scheme and Belper Ambassadors project. She also took the opportunity to see the Belper Mosaic Railway Project – due to be installed at the town’s railway station in the spring.
Amber Valley Borough Council Leader, Councillor Paul Jones, who also attended the visit, commented: “It’s fantastic for Belper to receive such attention and be recognised for the creative and committed efforts it has made to improving the shopping experience for its residents and visitors. This will almost certainly lead to important economic benefits for the town. We are hoping elements of Belper Vision’s work can be replicated in our other town centres across the Borough.”
The national spotlight was again turned on The Great British High Street winner, Belper, on Thursday 15 January, when High Street Minister, Penny Mordaunt came to town.
The Minister’s visit followed a recent ceremony at Westminster, when representatives from Belper were officially presented with the prestigious awards as both Best Market Town and Best High Street in the UK.
During Thursday’s visit Penny Mourdant was guided around some of the Town’s winning projects by members of the Belper Vision Group. She was introduced to local retailers, many of whom participate in the Totally Local scheme and Belper Ambassadors project. She also took the opportunity to see the Belper Mosaic Railway Project – due to be installed at the town’s railway station in the spring.
Amber Valley Borough Council Leader, Councillor Paul Jones, who also attended the visit, commented: “It’s fantastic for Belper to receive such attention and be recognised for the creative and committed efforts it has made to improving the shopping experience for its residents and visitors. This will almost certainly lead to important economic benefits for the town. We are hoping elements of Belper Vision’s work can be replicated in our other town centres across the Borough.”
November 2014
Labour controlled Derbyshire County Council held a public consultation on proposals to develop the former Thornton's site in Belper. The proposals is for an extra care facility for the elderly and a brand new library.The reaction from residents who attended was very positive. An outline planning application will be submitted to the Borough Council next month.
Following last nights Cabinet meeting the Council's agreed to continue to support the Belper North Mill Trust for another year.This was something the previous Tory administration was not prepared to do. Voting Labour does make a difference even in Belper
DUFFIELD CANDIDATE
Labour stalwart Patrick Mountain is one again the party’s candidate for this seat.
Whose ,knows, with UKIP standing this could be Patrick’s year.
DATE APRIL 18, 2014
Labour stalwart Patrick Mountain is one again the party’s candidate for this seat.
Whose ,knows, with UKIP standing this could be Patrick’s year.
DATE APRIL 18, 2014
BELPER EAST
Belper Town Council Labour Group Leader Alan Broughton is our candidate for this
seat. Alan ,who is very experienced in local government having previously been a
Borough Councillor and Committee chair is looking forward to the challenge
DATE APRIL 18, 2014
Belper Town Council Labour Group Leader Alan Broughton is our candidate for this
seat. Alan ,who is very experienced in local government having previously been a
Borough Councillor and Committee chair is looking forward to the challenge
DATE APRIL 18, 2014
BELPER SOUTH
ErikErik Johnsen of Milers Way Milford is the local Labour candidate for this seat.
Erik ,a Town Councillor, has previously been a Labour candidate in this seat.
DATEAPRIL 18, 2014
ErikErik Johnsen of Milers Way Milford is the local Labour candidate for this seat.
Erik ,a Town Councillor, has previously been a Labour candidate in this seat.
DATEAPRIL 18, 2014
TORIES LACK TRANSPARENCY OVER BELPER LAND SALE
Tory Leader Stuart Bradford admitted at the latest Council meeting that the details of the purchase of the Field lane was only reported in the public section of the Council papers because of a Freedom of Information request .
Apparently the full cost to the public purse of this redundant land was £1,634,691
They now want to sell the land but have refused a Labour request fora report to comeback to Full Council for approval of the conditions of any sale.
Obviously transparency, public accountability, and openness does not exist in a Tory run Council
Group leader Paul Jones said ‘ This plot of land is one of only 3 significant assets the Council owns. Why will they not report back to Full Council. What have they got to be afraid of .?’
Details of the report are shown below
1. Purpose of Report
1.1 To seek approval to dispose of land at Field Lane, Belper, as illustrated at Appendix 1.
2. Recommendations
2.1 That the Executive Director (Operations), in consultation with the Leader of the Council, be authorised to dispose of the land at Field Lane, Belper on such terms as he considers appropriate.
3. Reason for Recommendations
3.1 The Council has insufficient capital or revenue resources to finance new leisure facilities on land at Field Lane, Belper.
3.2 Sport England has recently completed a high level review of sports facility requirements across Derbyshire utilising its Facility Planning Model. This does not support the design and facility mix of the proposed new leisure centre on Field Lane.
3.3 The disposal of the land will generate a significant capital receipt for the Council.
3.4 Development of the site for retail purposes, particularly with high street names, would be a benefit to the current town centre retail offer.
Background Information and Options
6.1 At the meeting of Full Council on 2 November 2011, consideration was given to reports on a feasibility study for new leisure facilities on land at Field Lane, Belper. It was resolved that the Chief Executive, in consultation with Belper members, be authorised to proceed as set out in a confidential appendix (Minute 3402 refers).Consequently, the Council purchased land at Field Lane directly from the landowners and entered into an election agreement with a developer allowing the Council to elect to activate a development agreement to develop new leisure facilities on the site for a three-year period. The three-year period expires 28 November 2014.
6.2 The purchase price for the property, including stamp duty and legal fees, was £1,194,720. In accordance with the election agreement, the Council also paid the developer’s ‘finders fee’ of £56,800, professional fees in respect of proposed leisure facilities of £166,010 and 25% of the gross development profit on the guaranteed maximum construction price of the proposed leisure facilities, which equated to £217,160. These elements were paid in installments by 30 January 2012. The total cost to the Council has been £1,634,691.
6.3 Since the decision in November 2011, the Council has been unable to generate sufficient capital receipts from the sale of surplus assets to fund the proposed development. Officers would also be unable to recommend the use of the Council’s prudential borrowing powers for that purpose because of the resultant unsustainable demand of the repayments on already restricted revenue budgets.
6.4 Sport England has recently completed a detailed ‘spatial review’ of sports facility requirements across Derbyshire utilising its Facility Planning Model. This compares current facility provision and usage with projected changes in demand as a result of population growth up to 2028 (to align with and evidence the Core Strategy planning documents).
6.5 Sport England’s modelling has clearly identified that, given recent developments on school sites, there is no strategic justification for any further sports hall provision in the Belper area. There is a forecasted shortfall of available swimming pool ‘water space’ by 2028 but this will be fully satisfied if the proposed new facility (which has planning approval) is realised at Ecclesbourne School, Duffield.
6.6 Given Sport England’s Facility Planning Model evidence base, it is very unlikely that significant external grants will be available to support a new leisure centre in Belper as currently proposed.
6.7 The developer has maintained contact and confirmed its continued interest in working with the Council. It understands that in the current circumstances, the development of the site for a wholly leisure use is unlikely to take place and has therefore been investigating other development options, primarily for retail uses. The investigations have confirmed interest from high street retailers that would be a benefit to the current town centre retail offer.
6.8 The developer would like to agree terms with the Council for a Subject to Planning deal covering the site and appropriate rights over the adjacent car parking at a price to be finally determined once Heads of Terms with any tenant are agreed. Authority is therefore sought for the Executive Director (Operations), in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to dispose of the land on such terms as he considers appropriate.
6.9 An independent valuation of the land will be obtained in advance of the negotiations.
DATE MARCH 4, 2014
Tory Leader Stuart Bradford admitted at the latest Council meeting that the details of the purchase of the Field lane was only reported in the public section of the Council papers because of a Freedom of Information request .
Apparently the full cost to the public purse of this redundant land was £1,634,691
They now want to sell the land but have refused a Labour request fora report to comeback to Full Council for approval of the conditions of any sale.
Obviously transparency, public accountability, and openness does not exist in a Tory run Council
Group leader Paul Jones said ‘ This plot of land is one of only 3 significant assets the Council owns. Why will they not report back to Full Council. What have they got to be afraid of .?’
Details of the report are shown below
1. Purpose of Report
1.1 To seek approval to dispose of land at Field Lane, Belper, as illustrated at Appendix 1.
2. Recommendations
2.1 That the Executive Director (Operations), in consultation with the Leader of the Council, be authorised to dispose of the land at Field Lane, Belper on such terms as he considers appropriate.
3. Reason for Recommendations
3.1 The Council has insufficient capital or revenue resources to finance new leisure facilities on land at Field Lane, Belper.
3.2 Sport England has recently completed a high level review of sports facility requirements across Derbyshire utilising its Facility Planning Model. This does not support the design and facility mix of the proposed new leisure centre on Field Lane.
3.3 The disposal of the land will generate a significant capital receipt for the Council.
3.4 Development of the site for retail purposes, particularly with high street names, would be a benefit to the current town centre retail offer.
Background Information and Options
6.1 At the meeting of Full Council on 2 November 2011, consideration was given to reports on a feasibility study for new leisure facilities on land at Field Lane, Belper. It was resolved that the Chief Executive, in consultation with Belper members, be authorised to proceed as set out in a confidential appendix (Minute 3402 refers).Consequently, the Council purchased land at Field Lane directly from the landowners and entered into an election agreement with a developer allowing the Council to elect to activate a development agreement to develop new leisure facilities on the site for a three-year period. The three-year period expires 28 November 2014.
6.2 The purchase price for the property, including stamp duty and legal fees, was £1,194,720. In accordance with the election agreement, the Council also paid the developer’s ‘finders fee’ of £56,800, professional fees in respect of proposed leisure facilities of £166,010 and 25% of the gross development profit on the guaranteed maximum construction price of the proposed leisure facilities, which equated to £217,160. These elements were paid in installments by 30 January 2012. The total cost to the Council has been £1,634,691.
6.3 Since the decision in November 2011, the Council has been unable to generate sufficient capital receipts from the sale of surplus assets to fund the proposed development. Officers would also be unable to recommend the use of the Council’s prudential borrowing powers for that purpose because of the resultant unsustainable demand of the repayments on already restricted revenue budgets.
6.4 Sport England has recently completed a detailed ‘spatial review’ of sports facility requirements across Derbyshire utilising its Facility Planning Model. This compares current facility provision and usage with projected changes in demand as a result of population growth up to 2028 (to align with and evidence the Core Strategy planning documents).
6.5 Sport England’s modelling has clearly identified that, given recent developments on school sites, there is no strategic justification for any further sports hall provision in the Belper area. There is a forecasted shortfall of available swimming pool ‘water space’ by 2028 but this will be fully satisfied if the proposed new facility (which has planning approval) is realised at Ecclesbourne School, Duffield.
6.6 Given Sport England’s Facility Planning Model evidence base, it is very unlikely that significant external grants will be available to support a new leisure centre in Belper as currently proposed.
6.7 The developer has maintained contact and confirmed its continued interest in working with the Council. It understands that in the current circumstances, the development of the site for a wholly leisure use is unlikely to take place and has therefore been investigating other development options, primarily for retail uses. The investigations have confirmed interest from high street retailers that would be a benefit to the current town centre retail offer.
6.8 The developer would like to agree terms with the Council for a Subject to Planning deal covering the site and appropriate rights over the adjacent car parking at a price to be finally determined once Heads of Terms with any tenant are agreed. Authority is therefore sought for the Executive Director (Operations), in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to dispose of the land on such terms as he considers appropriate.
6.9 An independent valuation of the land will be obtained in advance of the negotiations.
DATE MARCH 4, 2014
BELPER LABOUR RESPOND TO TOWN COUNCIL FARCE
The labour Group on Belper Town Council have issued the following open letter in response to the event at Tory controlled Belper Town Council
OPEN LETTER FROM THE BELPER TOWN COUNCIL LABOUR GROUP
During the last few months the Belper Town Council has been effectively paralysed due to an on going dispute between the majority of the Council and the Town Mayor. It is the opinion of the Labour group that the people of Belper deserve to know how and why this has happened and what steps the council has taken to resolve this situation:
The sequence of events which has led to the current situation is as follows: For the last several months there has been a dispute between certain Conservative councillors and members of the Council’s staff. This bad feeling led to a member of the Council making what were considered by other councillors to be unprofessional and inappropriate remarks to one of the Council’s employees.
Although the councillor in question did later apologize for the remarks it was still felt by the majority of the Council that the situation should be referred to the Staff Working party, (the committee of the Council responsible for dealing with human resources related issues), to decide the most appropriate course of action.
Unfortunately the Mayor, in her capacity as a member of the Staff working party, refused to allow the matter to be discussed. In the opinion of the Mayor the apology was the end of the matter and thus the staff member was left without a right of reply.
The Situation came to a head when the Mayor, reading from a pre prepared statement, criticised a member of the Council’s staff in an open meeting. The Mayor appeared to imply that the staff member was biased against certain community groups and had behaved inappropriately when dealing with complaints from members of the public.
Whatever the circumstances, and irrespective of whether the criticisms had or have any basis in fact, the remarks were inappropriate. As with any other employer the Council has a duty of care to treat its staff fairly; making unproven accusations in public against an employee is unacceptable.
After reading from her statement the Mayor adjourned the meeting stating that the meeting had become unruly, leaving her fellow councillors with no chance to respond to her actions. It was this incident, and the Mayor’s subsequent refusal to apologize for her actions, which finally convinced the Council that the Mayor’s position had become untenable. The Mayor has now lost the confidence in the vast majority of Belper Town Council.
Despite losing a vote of no confidence the Mayor has refused to resign her position and the majority of the Council refuses to attend meetings while she is in the chair. This deadlock has led to the unprecedented formation of a ‘general purpose committee’ which is able to perform most of the duties of the Council without the direct input of the Mayor.
Although currently the Labour group on the Council supports the majority of the Conservative group in its attempts to keep the Council running, we do feel it is important to stress that the current crisis is essentially a matter of internal discipline in the Conservative group. The actions of a Conservative Mayor, who was proposed for her position by the leader of the Conservative Group, have put the Council in a very difficult position. As the Labour councillors are presently a minority group we are dependent on the Conservative councillors to conduct themselves which in a manner which allows Council business to continue, as well as selecting suitable candidates for the positions of Mayor and deputy Mayor
The Belper Town Council Labour Group
Councillors Alan Broughton, Erik Johnsen, Peter Shepherd and Stephen Holden
DATE FEBRUARY 17, 2014
The labour Group on Belper Town Council have issued the following open letter in response to the event at Tory controlled Belper Town Council
OPEN LETTER FROM THE BELPER TOWN COUNCIL LABOUR GROUP
During the last few months the Belper Town Council has been effectively paralysed due to an on going dispute between the majority of the Council and the Town Mayor. It is the opinion of the Labour group that the people of Belper deserve to know how and why this has happened and what steps the council has taken to resolve this situation:
The sequence of events which has led to the current situation is as follows: For the last several months there has been a dispute between certain Conservative councillors and members of the Council’s staff. This bad feeling led to a member of the Council making what were considered by other councillors to be unprofessional and inappropriate remarks to one of the Council’s employees.
Although the councillor in question did later apologize for the remarks it was still felt by the majority of the Council that the situation should be referred to the Staff Working party, (the committee of the Council responsible for dealing with human resources related issues), to decide the most appropriate course of action.
Unfortunately the Mayor, in her capacity as a member of the Staff working party, refused to allow the matter to be discussed. In the opinion of the Mayor the apology was the end of the matter and thus the staff member was left without a right of reply.
The Situation came to a head when the Mayor, reading from a pre prepared statement, criticised a member of the Council’s staff in an open meeting. The Mayor appeared to imply that the staff member was biased against certain community groups and had behaved inappropriately when dealing with complaints from members of the public.
Whatever the circumstances, and irrespective of whether the criticisms had or have any basis in fact, the remarks were inappropriate. As with any other employer the Council has a duty of care to treat its staff fairly; making unproven accusations in public against an employee is unacceptable.
After reading from her statement the Mayor adjourned the meeting stating that the meeting had become unruly, leaving her fellow councillors with no chance to respond to her actions. It was this incident, and the Mayor’s subsequent refusal to apologize for her actions, which finally convinced the Council that the Mayor’s position had become untenable. The Mayor has now lost the confidence in the vast majority of Belper Town Council.
Despite losing a vote of no confidence the Mayor has refused to resign her position and the majority of the Council refuses to attend meetings while she is in the chair. This deadlock has led to the unprecedented formation of a ‘general purpose committee’ which is able to perform most of the duties of the Council without the direct input of the Mayor.
Although currently the Labour group on the Council supports the majority of the Conservative group in its attempts to keep the Council running, we do feel it is important to stress that the current crisis is essentially a matter of internal discipline in the Conservative group. The actions of a Conservative Mayor, who was proposed for her position by the leader of the Conservative Group, have put the Council in a very difficult position. As the Labour councillors are presently a minority group we are dependent on the Conservative councillors to conduct themselves which in a manner which allows Council business to continue, as well as selecting suitable candidates for the positions of Mayor and deputy Mayor
The Belper Town Council Labour Group
Councillors Alan Broughton, Erik Johnsen, Peter Shepherd and Stephen Holden
DATE FEBRUARY 17, 2014
PLANNING CHAIR STANDS DOWN
Belper Councillor Jim Anderson, surprisingly stepped down at last nights planning meeting. Cllr Anderson who has been planning chair for over 7 years made the shock announcement just before the meeting started There are rumors that he will be joining the growing lst of Tories not standing for election in May . Are the wheels coming of the Bradford’s bandwagon or are the rats leaving a sinking ship
DATE JANUARY 21, 2014
Belper Councillor Jim Anderson, surprisingly stepped down at last nights planning meeting. Cllr Anderson who has been planning chair for over 7 years made the shock announcement just before the meeting started There are rumors that he will be joining the growing lst of Tories not standing for election in May . Are the wheels coming of the Bradford’s bandwagon or are the rats leaving a sinking ship
DATE JANUARY 21, 2014