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• Votes cast for new Mayor
• Events for unpaid carers
• Tackling underage sales
• Travel survey
• Bump in the road
• Celebrating entrepreneurs

Votes cast for new Mayor

Residents across Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Derby, and Derbyshire turned out to vote for the very first East Midlands Mayor last Thursday.

Labour's Claire Ward was elected. Turnout for the election was 27.6%. The government’s given powers over jobs, homes, transport and the environment back to the East Midlands through a new East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA), and residents from all four areas voted to decide who will take on the role of Mayor. The new Mayor will have access to more than £4 billion in funding, bringing investment to the region for homes, skills, transport and the environment. Results from the election were announced on Friday afternoon on the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) website.

Events for unpaid carers

If you’re an unpaid carer, did you know there are lots of activities, training and events which are free for you to take part in this month?

From chair-based yoga and arts and crafts to reading groups and a session on benefits advice, there’s lots on offer hosted by Derbyshire Carers Association (DCA). To access the events and activities, you’ll need to be registered with the Derbyshire All Age Carers Support Service.  Take a look at what’s available and book yourself a place. The Derbyshire All Age Carers Support Service – which is delivered by DCA on our behalf – includes: information and advice helpline face-to-face, home visits and telephone support planning for emergencies support groups carer’s assessments skills for caring financial advice and grants social activities and events volunteering and more. Follow DCA on Facebook and X for news, updates, and events.

Tackling underage sales

Our Trading Standards team has secured another successful prosecution in their work to tackle underage sales across the county.

An Ilkeston shopkeeper and business have been fined £400 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge after admitting to selling cider to an underage person. Manmohan Singh Heer, 55, who runs Heer’s News in Station Road, Ilkeston, appeared before Southern Derbyshire Magistrates on Monday (29 April 2024), to face a charge of selling alcohol to an underage person, contrary to the Licensing Act 2003. Magistrates imposed a fine of £400, with an order to pay £2,000 costs and a £160 victim surcharge.

Travel survey

How do you get around town if you live in Belper, Glossop or Ilkeston? And what improvements do you think should be made to make walking, cycling and other forms of ‘active travel’ an easier option?

We've launched a survey to get people's views about active travel – which includes walking, cycling or using a scooter, mobility scooter or wheelchair.

You can also comment on draft ‘Active Travel Masterplans’ which have been drawn-up for each of the three towns to suggest a range of measures which would make active travel safer, more convenient and more appealing to a wider range of people.

These plans, together with the support of views gathered in the survey, will be instrumental when we make bids to the government for funding to carry out ‘active travel’ improvements in the future.

As well as the online survey, there are some drop-in sessions being held. 

Bump in the road

Are you, or anyone you know, pregnant or a new mum? It can be a challenging time for your emotional wellbeing, but support is available.

To coincide with Maternal Mental Health Week, Derbyshire Community Health Services have launched a perinatal mental health campaign – Bump in The Road. It aims to offer emotional wellbeing support and advice to mums and new parents when their baby arrives. Perinatal means the time from pregnancy until your baby is one year old. There are podcasts and videos from parents and professionals about common worries you might have during pregnancy and after your baby is born, plus online advice and support.

Celebrating entrepreneurs

Come along to a Spring Business Fair and show your support for a range of exciting new businesses taking off in Derbyshire.

The fair will be held in the Members’ Room at County Hall, Matlock on Friday 17 May from 12noon to 2pm. There is parking in the County Hall car park.

The entrepreneurs who are exhibiting have all received business support and/or grant funding from the Vision Derbyshire Business Start-Up Support Scheme. They are itching to get established, eager to talk to you about their new businesses and proud to showcase their products.

Some will be selling their home-baked cakes and artisan chocolates, others will have their hand-made furniture on show or be offering services such as photography, marketing, life or wellbeing coaching – and more.

And if you’re a budding entrepreneur yourself, why not come along to find out more.

The Vision Derbyshire Business Start-Up Support Scheme is a partnership between Derbyshire County Council and six district councils (Amber Valley, Chesterfield, Derbyshire Dales, High Peak, North East Derbyshire and South Derbyshire) and is funded by central government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Find out more about Vision Derbyshire or to enquire specifically about this event contact business@derbyshire.gov.uk.