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Pictured Is Derbyshire County Cllr Stephen Reed, Taken By BBC LDR Jon Cooper.

Derbyshire County Council refutes u-turn claims over plan for three-year council tax rise

By Jon Cooper - Local Democracy Reporting Service A Derbyshire County Councillor says no final decision has yet been made on plans for the authority to increase its council tax precept to 4.99 per cent for the next financial year and onwards until 2030 as part of efforts to set a balanced budget and to keep services well-funded. Cllr Stephen Reed, Cabinet Member of Business Services, has responded to a budget report due to be considered at a Cabinet meeting […]

8 January 2026 17

Borough Wide

New local powers to keep pavements clear for those who rely on them most

Disabled people will benefit from new local powers being made available to local leaders across England to introduce pavement parking restrictions across their area, helping keep them clear and accessible for everyone who uses them, while allowing exemptions where needed. Blocked pavements can create serious barriers for parents with pushchairs, wheelchair users, blind and partially sighted people, and older people, limiting independence and making everyday journeys harder and less safe. Following a public consultation, the Department for Transport has confirmed […]

8 January 2026 13

Borough Wide

Storm Goretti: National Grid urges East Midlands customers to prepare

National Grid Electricity Distribution is reminding customers of what to do in the event of a power cut, as weather forecasts predict heavy rain and snow across the East Midlands. The electricity network is built to be resilient, but extreme weather can impact power supplies. High winds may damage equipment, and in colder weather, ice can form on overhead lines, adding weight that could lead to faults. While extreme weather can never be fully predicted, National Grid Electricity Distribution has extra teams on standby to respond quickly to any impacts from the storm. […]

8 January 2026 22

Borough Wide

Consultation event to help people have their say on adult education

Consultation events have been arranged in Erewash to help people have their say on proposals to change the way adult education is delivered. The county council wants a range of views on options to ensure Derbyshire Adult Education Service is fit for the future and has the greatest impact on the lives of people who need the most support. Changes to the way the service is funded provides an opportunity to look at how it could be more flexible and […]

7 January 2026 14

The proposed plans for the former children's home in Albany Street, Ilkeston. Image from Guy Taylor Associates.

Borough Wide

Derelict former children’s centre set to be extended and converted into flats but work starts without permission

By Eddie Bisknell - Local Democracy Reporting Service A derelict former Derbyshire children’s centre is set to be extended and converted into flats but work has already started without permission. The plans, from G Redfern Properties, if approved, would see Evergreen House, formerly known as Albany House in Albany Street, Ilkeston renovated, extended and converted into 28 apartments. Borough council officers recommend that plans, submitted in February 2024, be approved at a meeting next week. However, they explain that the […]

7 January 2026 27

Cllr Alex Stevenson. Image from Derbyshire County Council.

Borough Wide

Local leadership declares move ‘pathetic’ after seven county councillors join new political party

By Eddie Bisknell - Local Democracy Reporting Service A total of seven Derbyshire councillors have joined a new political party created by Reform UK’s former deputy leader, in a move dubbed “pathetic” by local leadership. Both Cllr Alex Stevenson and Cllr Phillip Rose were elected as Conservative members on Derbyshire County Council in 2021 before each being separately suspended. They joined Reform UK before resigning from the party to sit as independents before then failing to retain their seats in […]

7 January 2026 64

Borough Wide

Police and Trading Standards officers carry out raid on South Street shop

Ilkeston Police officers have joined forces with Trading Standards officers to carry out a raid in the town. The operation between the local Safer Neighbourhood Policing Team from Derbyshire Constabulary along with County Council officials, targeted a shop on South Street on Wednesday 7th January. Thousands of illicit cigarettes and tobacco products were found behind the counter and within a false wall. Further products were also found in the shopkeeper's car, which was subsequently seized, and the shop has been […]

7 January 2026 14

Plans to build homes bordering a widely contaminated historic former Derbyshire industrial site are set for approval. At an Erewash Borough Council meeting next week, councillors are being recommended to approve plans for 82 homes next to the former Oakwell Brickworks, between Ilkeston, Kirk Hallam and Stanton, stemming off Derby Road. If approved, part of the heavily contaminated former brickworks would be built on, but just for a flood water collection pond, not for homes. The Grade-II listed and heavily dilapidated former Hoffman kiln at the centre of the former brickworks site would not be affected. Residents remain concerned about what potential impact the proposed development could have on the hazardous waste deposited on the brickworks site. Meanwhile, experts, including the Mining Remediation Authority, while not objecting, say “intrusive” site investigation works followed by any required remediation, must take place before work starts. Further officials say investigations to date have been “limited in scope” and need to be re-explored in depth. Documents submitted by the developers, Waterville Land Ltd, found “there was a low risk to future residents from any potential on-site and off-site sources of contaminants”. The area which forms part of the former brickworks, which is to be used for a floodwater drainage pond, “was not investigated due to the presence of a sewer and dense vegetation”. It details: “However, no signs of raised ground were observed, and as this area is proposed for public open space this is unlikely to present a significant risk. It is recommended that additional investigation is undertaken once the area has been cleared.” Comments from the borough council’s housing and policy teams list their support for the scheme, utilising land in the Ilkeston urban area and inclusion of 15 per cent affordable housing – 12 two-bed houses. A total of 11 objection letters have been submitted by residents, opposing the potential harm to widespread wildlife and the landscape, road safety issues, increased congestion, lack of infrastructure such as health and school facilities, and concern over contamination and associated health risks. Council officers, recommending approval, said: “Inevitably, the development of this site will result in many changes for those residents who live nearby. The site is currently undeveloped and the development of 82 dwellings will result in physical and visual changes to the area and will result in more noise than has been previously experienced from the site. “However, it is considered that the development has been designed such that the impact arising would not result in unacceptable harm to the residential amenity of surrounding properties. “The applicant has supplemented their initial eight boreholes with a further five along the boundary with the former brick pit. “These found no evidence that the brick pit extended onto this land, no evidence that there is made ground on this land from the brick pit, and no evidence that any contamination associated with the brick pit is leaching onto this development site. “The applicants therefore conclude that they consider the development site to fall in the lowest risk category for contamination.” The developers have committed to providing £162,000 for improvements at Field House Infant School, £153,000 for improvements at Ormiston Ilkeston Enterprise Academy, £82,000 for improvements at nearby healthcare facilities and £5,700 for Ilkeston Library stock. If approved, the breakdown of house sizes would be: 35 two-bed houses, 45 three-bed houses and two four-bed houses. The site’s history stretches back more than 100 years, during which it has been mined for coal, become a dumping site of harmful and toxic materials, seen widespread fly-tipping of asbestos, been a storage space and tip for World War Two bombs – as well as a renowned brickworks. Contamination fears have consistently stalled housing plans on the overall former brickworks, with the borough council having earmarked the site for 519 houses and a further 138 on adjoining plots in 2012. Much of the land was used for the dumping of offshoots from the Stanton Ironworks nearby – the firm had bought the brickworks in 1919 and later merged it fully with its own operations. Ground investigation expert RSK was commissioned to look into the site by owners Tata Steel. It noted that Stanton had filled clay pits on the site with blast furnace and concrete slurry, oil residue, coke grit, ammonia and sulphur building waste including foundry sand, spent lime and asbestos-containing materials. RSK found that the “main contaminant of concern” was lead while there were also “elevated concentrations” of arsenic, cyanide and benzo(a)pyrene (a material found in coal tar and tobacco which causes cancer). It said that asbestos material has also been found in samples and seen on the site from historic and current fly-tipping issues.

Borough Wide

Plans for homes bordering widely contaminated historic former Erewash industrial site set for approval

By Eddie Bisknell - Local Democracy Reporting Service Plans to build homes bordering a widely contaminated historic former Derbyshire industrial site are set for approval. At an Erewash Borough Council meeting next week, councillors are being recommended to approve plans for 82 homes next to the former Oakwell Brickworks, between Ilkeston, Kirk Hallam and Stanton, stemming off Derby Road. If approved, part of the heavily contaminated former brickworks would be built on, but just for a flood water collection pond, […]

7 January 2026 33

Borough Wide

Derbyshire councillor blames former administration and Government for collapse of care homes sale

By Jon Cooper - Local Democracy Reporting Service Derbyshire County Council’s business services chief has blamed the authority’s former Conservative administration and the Labour Government for the collapse of plans to sell eight of its care homes which has left them in danger of being closed down. The former Conservative-controlled council originally agreed to sell nine care homes while managing a multi-million pound budget deficit after it argued a need to refocus adult care services by supporting more dementia patients […]

6 January 2026 32

Borough Wide

Derbyshire County Council refutes u-turn claims over plan for three-year council tax rise

New local powers to keep pavements clear for those who rely on them most

Storm Goretti: National Grid urges East Midlands customers to prepare

Consultation event to help people have their say on adult education

Derelict former children’s centre set to be extended and converted into flats but work starts without permission

Local leadership declares move ‘pathetic’ after seven county councillors join new political party

Police and Trading Standards officers carry out raid on South Street shop

Plans for homes bordering widely contaminated historic former Erewash industrial site set for approval

Derbyshire councillor blames former administration and Government for collapse of care homes sale

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