Nottinghamshire

Green Doctor Mike with Suzan and the electric blanket. (Credit: Groundwork Five Counties)

Saving on heating bills through free electric blankets

Many households worry about the high cost of energy bills, with another 4% Energy Price Cap increase from 1st October. East Midlands-based charity Groundwork Five Counties is giving out free energy-saving items such as electric blankets to help people stay warm at home and save money on their heating. Suzan and Bryan were recently supported by Groundwork’s Green Doctor service, which provides fully funded energy advice to households across the East Midlands. The couple have numerous health conditions, making it […]

11 September 2026 18

Derby

Making sustainability and CSR pay – East Midlands firms balance challenges and opportunities at conference

With high business costs and increased regulatory pressure adding to a tough trading climate, the region’s firms joined academic experts to address carbon footprint reduction and Corporate and Social Responsibility approaches at the East Midlands Sustainability and CSR Conference 2026. Held by East Midlands Chamber on 10th September, in partnership with and hosted by the University of Derby, sponsored by Auditel and Geo Green Power, business leaders and academics shared best practice and analysis of recent research in a series […]

10 September 2026 7

Derby

Mayor of the East Midlands responds to Government consultation on visitor levy powers

The Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, has welcomed the Government’s consultation response published today, 10 September, on new powers that could allow mayors in England to introduce a small levy on overnight stays, by working with the sector. The proposed Overnight Visitor Levy would support a range of activities to help attract more visitors to the region and encourage them to stay longer. The levy would be paid by visitors staying in commercial accommodation such as hotels, guest […]

10 September 2026 10

Nottingham

Balaclava wearers in Nottingham will now face consequences

Young people who wear balaclavas to intimidate members of the public and cause anti-social behaviour in the city centre will face the consequences from September 15th 2026.Nottingham is set to become one of the first cities in the UK to introduce restrictions on the wearing of face coverings such as balaclavas.The order, which has been backed by the public, will provide us and council officers the power to require a person to remove their face covering where their identity is […]

8 September 2026 4

Borough Wide

Only half of East Midlands primary school children had flu vaccine last year – leaving thousands unprotected

East Midlands parents are being urged to protect their children against flu and keep more vulnerable family members healthy this winter by getting their children vaccinated. Last winter (2025-26), only 52.8% of primary school children in the East Midlands received a flu vaccine – slightly down on the previous winter (2024-25), when uptake was 52.9%. Nationally, just 55.5% of primary school children - around 2.5 million out of a total of the 4.5 million eligible - were protected from flu […]

7 September 2026 21

The Derbyshire LGR decision map. Image from One Derbyshire Two Councils.

Borough Wide

Plans to replace 10 Derbyshire councils with 2 new larger ones, to be paused for a “rapid review”

A major Government decision to scrap Derbyshire’s 10 councils and replace them with two new, larger councils from 2028 is to be paused for a “rapid review”. Sources have confirmed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the decision to pause follows judicial reviews brought over the four council reshuffles agreed by the Government earlier this year. The 14 decisions made in July, including the reshuffle for Derby and Derbyshire’s 10 councils, will now be paused for a review, the […]

7 September 2026 18

Borough Wide

A decade of monitoring shows Farmer Clusters are key to national nature restoration

Recently published reports on two farmer-led conservation groups, supported by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT), are a rare, evidence-based success story for nature recovery. The results of 10 years of wildlife monitoring clearly demonstrate how coordinated action across whole landscapes can reverse the long-term decline of some of England’s most threatened farmland birds. Reports from two neighbouring self-funded Farmer Clusters in Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire, show that by working together and with expert advice, farmers can reverse dramatic […]

4 September 2026 16

Derbyshire

Futures secures over £80m funding to deliver 645 new affordable homes

East Midlands housing association Futures Housing Group has secured £80.6 million in grant funding through Homes England’s new Social and Affordable Homes Programme. The funding will help the social housing landlord to deliver 645 new affordable homes across the East Midlands over the next six years. Futures has secured the funding through its partnership with emh group, which has been selected by Homes England as one of only 33 strategic partners. Futures will act as emh’s delivery partner for the […]

28 August 2026 40

Scott Knowles (Credit: East Midlands Chamber)

Derby

Government scheme good step in getting young people into employment

The East Midlands Chamber has welcomed progress from the government's Jobs Guarantee scheme, with the first young people having begun paid placements, but has renewed its call for greater skills support as outlined in its publication The Framework for Growth, to get more young people into skilled roles. The Jobs Guarantee scheme offers a direct route into work for 18 to 24-year-olds who have been claiming Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months, with the government funding up […]

27 August 2026 12

Saving on heating bills through free electric blankets

Making sustainability and CSR pay – East Midlands firms balance challenges and opportunities at conference

Mayor of the East Midlands responds to Government consultation on visitor levy powers

Balaclava wearers in Nottingham will now face consequences

Only half of East Midlands primary school children had flu vaccine last year – leaving thousands unprotected

Plans to replace 10 Derbyshire councils with 2 new larger ones, to be paused for a “rapid review”

A decade of monitoring shows Farmer Clusters are key to national nature restoration

Futures secures over £80m funding to deliver 645 new affordable homes

Government scheme good step in getting young people into employment

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