News

The Best Western hotel in Bostocks Lane, Sandiacre. Image from Google.

Erewash hotel used to house asylum seekers has returned to the centre of debate

A Derbyshire hotel which has been used as asylum seeker accommodation has become centre of heated debate with officials. At an Erewash Borough Council meeting last week (Thursday, July 23) councillors debated the continued use of the Best Western Hotel in Sandiacre for asylum seeker accommodation. The most recent Home Office data, as of March, shows 87 people seeking asylum are being housed in Erewash, with 79 in the hotel, down from 179 in September, with the facility not used […]

29 July 2026 57

The A38 in Derby could be set for major improvements - but a fresh legal challenge maybe submitted. Image by Google Maps.

Borough Wide

Government ‘on Derby’s side’ but A38 works still in doubt

The Work and Pensions secretary has insisted the new Prime Minister and Government “is on Derby’s side” – but major improvements to the A38 remain in doubt. It was recently announced that an estimated £600m project to improve one of Derby’s busiest roads was up for cancellation so further funding could be put into the UK’s defence. East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward furiously hit out after funding guarantees for both the A38 and the A46 in Nottinghamshire were left in […]

29 July 2026 23

Borough Wide

New Police Inspector for Erewash provides his first quarterly update

The new Police Inspector for Erewash has provided his first quarterly update for the area. Inspector Fowkes detailed that a busy start to the year had continued into the second quarter with work to tackle the problems raised by members of the public through neighbourhood meetings, online reporting and local engagement events. In the fight to tackle drug related crime, a policing operation was carried out in the Ilkeston area; utilising stop search powers. 16 person searches led to positive […]

29 July 2026 14

Scott Knowles (Credit: East Midlands Chamber)

Derby

Locally focused technical education in schools is ‘step forward’ in addressing skills gap

The East Midlands Chamber has welcomed a policy outlined by the Prime Minister during a visit to Derby, for mayors, local leaders and businesses to help shape education in schools to align with the needs of firms in their region. Launched during a visit to the Alstom train factory on 28th July, the Prime Minister’s plan for 14-16s is set to take effect from September 2028. From Year 10, students will be able to combine traditional academic subjects like English, […]

29 July 2026 23

Derby

Alstom-built trains unveiled in new Great British Railways identity

The first Alstom-built trains to carry the new Great British Railways identity for a train operator have been unveiled. At a recent ceremony held at London Liverpool Street railway station, two Class 357 Electrostar units and two Class 720 Aventra units, all built at the firm’s Litchurch Lane Works in Derby, were displayed in the distinctive red, white and blue GBR livery. The trains are operated by GBR Anglia, which brings c2c, Greater Anglia and Network Rail Anglia together under […]

29 July 2026 67

Flowerbeds on White Lion Square in Ilkeston in 2018. Image from Google.

Borough Wide

Erewash flower displays pruned

Calls to “go out with a bang” and spend all of a Derbyshire council’s money reinstating £190,000 flower displays before it is abolished have been pruned. At an Erewash Borough Council meeting last week (Thursday, July 23rd), Reform UK had urged the Labour authority to reinstate flowerbeds to pre-Covid conditions. The meeting heard that councillors are regularly lobbied about the condition of local parks and verges due to rewilding and wildflower cultivation versus historic award-winning flower arrangements. There are said […]

28 July 2026 23

Borough Wide

Borough Council rejects wholesale free parking, increasing from the current chargeless Saturdays

A Derbyshire council has rejected calls for wholesale free parking across the borough, increasing from the current chargeless Saturdays. At an Erewash Borough Council meeting last week (Thursday, July 23rd), the Labour-run authority rejected calls from the opposition Reform UK and Conservative groups for widened free parking. The meeting heard that while parking is free on Saturdays, a quarter of motorists are still paying to park, with Labour saying “we don’t want your money”. Councillor Dan Price (Ref) had brought […]

28 July 2026 37

The proposed new A50 junction and link road at Sinfin. Image from Pegasus Planning Group

Derby

Cost of new Derby A50 junction surges to over £89 million with work yet to start

The cost of a new Derby A50 junction has soared to more than £89 million with work on the major project yet to start. Seven years since public consultation on the scheme took place and five years since planning approval, work on the A50 junction at Deepdale Lane, just south of Stenson Fields, has not begun. During this time, the cost of the project continues to surge without a spade even entering the ground. The initial cost of the scheme […]

28 July 2026 49

Derby

East Midlands takes centre stage as Prime Minister visits the region for Education and Skills Launch

The Mayor of the East Midlands joined Prime Minister Andy Burnham in Derby today for the national launch of new technical education routes which put mayors at the heart of shaping skills. The changes are expected to help more young people aged 14 to 16 access high-quality technical education by creating clearer routes into careers, apprenticeships and further study, tailored to develop practical skills for industries that local employers need. The announcement came as Prime Minister Andy Burnham and the […]

28 July 2026 52

Erewash hotel used to house asylum seekers has returned to the centre of debate

Government ‘on Derby’s side’ but A38 works still in doubt

New Police Inspector for Erewash provides his first quarterly update

Locally focused technical education in schools is ‘step forward’ in addressing skills gap

Alstom-built trains unveiled in new Great British Railways identity

Erewash flower displays pruned

Borough Council rejects wholesale free parking, increasing from the current chargeless Saturdays

Cost of new Derby A50 junction surges to over £89 million with work yet to start

East Midlands takes centre stage as Prime Minister visits the region for Education and Skills Launch

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