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If you're a disabled Gold Card holder, you may now be able to apply for a companion pass allowing another person to travel free with you.
Our Gold Card currently allows the card holder to travel free on local buses throughout England from 9.30am up to 11pm weekdays, and at any time during weekends and on bank holidays. With a Gold Card companion pass another person can also travel for free with the disabled person at those times.
To qualify for a Gold Card companion pass, Gold Card holders need to provide the following information:
- Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI) stating that the Gold Card holder is blind
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP) award letter confirming that you receive 12 points for the 'moving around' activity
- letter from a medical professional confirming the details and severity of your walking or learning disability
- an education health and care plan (EHCP) – must confirm type and severity of learning or walking disability.
Eligible disabled Gold Card holders who want to add a companion pass have to contact their borough or district council.
Pictured above, from left, Council Leader Councillor Barry Lewis, and Luke Layton, who campaigned for the Derbyshire Gold Card companion pass.
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A big shout out to all those who’ve been planting trees in support of our Million Trees campaign. We’re over halfway to our target of 1,000,000 trees by 2030 – 534,062 to be precise.
From single trees in back gardens to school yard orchards to community projects and large-scale plantings, it’s all adding up and helping to boost the environment and tackle the effects of climate change.
Please add your trees, which can include any planted since June 2021, to our online map where you’ll find shared stories of what the trees mean to people. We’ll give you support and advice if needed.
And helping towards the million target is our exciting Heartwood Community Forest on the eastern and southern fringes of Derbyshire where landowners can get financial support from Government for tree and hedgerow planting.Â
Additional tree planting also supports Derbyshire’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy  This project, which we are leading, will identify and describe biodiversity across the county and identify opportunities and priorities to support nature recovery.
Pictured above are Councillor Carolyn Renwick, Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Environment, planting a tree assisted by, from left, Mark Hudson, senior project officer in our countryside service, and Richard Bonner, head of countryside.
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If your child needs a modified school meals menu, you'll now find it easier thanks to a new medical diet portal our school catering service has introduced.
The digital application system replaces paper forms we used to use to provide alternative meals for pupils with specific needs.
If your child needs a medical diet due to food allergies, intolerances or auto-immune conditions, you can now complete the online application form and upload the required medical evidence from your GP or hospital consultant.
You'll get email notifications that the application's being processed and when it’s finalised, you and the school will receive a copy of the modified menu and the date it'll be available from.
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We’ve opened a consultation into a proposal for us to start charging parents a contribution towards the cost of looking after their children.
In a small number of cases local authorities may agree, under national legislation in the Children Act 1989 and following thorough assessments, to look after children for families who are significantly struggling and need support.
This is a temporary arrangement and parents retain their full parental responsibility while the legal arrangement is in place.
Although the legislation means local authorities can legally ask eligible parents for a contribution to their children’s care in such cases up to their 16th birthday, we have never made a charge.
But as we face budgetary pressures far greater than experienced before, including higher than anticipated inflation, higher prices for fuel, energy and materials plus the increasing costs of care provision, we’re considering starting to charge for this form of care.
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 noon to 2pm. There's 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're 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.
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