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You may have seen in the news this week that the Government has announced a review of the national Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) programme. As part of this, plans to create two new unitary councils in Derbyshire have been paused.
This is part of a national review and is not specific to Derbyshire. We're waiting for further details on what this means for future timescales and next steps.
For now, there’s no change to the day-to-day services we provide and you can continue to access our services as usual.
Read the Government’s announcement.
With care leavers facing additional barriers to finding work, we’ve stepped up our action to help them succeed.
We’ve teamed up with employers – including Severn Trent – to offer young care leavers work experience.
Fifteen young people were recently enrolled onto the company's Work Preparation Programme which offers two weeks of work experience followed by 12 months of career mentoring.
Watch this video to find out how Kai, O’Shea and Bekal got on – and the positive impact it’s had on them.
You can also hear more about the scheme from Hannah at Severn Trent and Tom, a senior practitioner in our leaving care team.
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A new era is beginning to unfold at Elvaston Castle Country Park with the signing of a new agreement between three organisations in support of the estate’s future.
 We’ve signed an agreement with Elvaston Castle and Gardens Trust and Elvaston Parish Council to work together in partnership to manage and develop the estate.
This week, our Cabinet also agreed to increase the funding we provide to the Trust from around £28,000 a year to £50,000 a year for five years.
This will support the Trust’s work in securing external funding to help maintain and improve the much-loved landmark for visitors and local communities.
If you’re a community group or charity looking to fund your environmental or sustainability project, you could be in the running for a new £500 grant.
We’ve teamed up with our waste contractor Associated Waste Management (AWM) to support projects that encourage waste reduction, recycling and sustainability.
The grant could be used for a wide variety of things, such as buying gardening equipment, creating or enhancing community gardens for people and wildlife, adding a recycled bench, putting up bird boxes or setting up an event to encourage upcycling and reuse.
Funding is available to 14 Derbyshire and Derby groups, including volunteering groups, Community Interest Companies (CICs), not for profits and registered charities. Applications can be made online until 30 September.
We’re investing £1million to help schools across Derbyshire create more inclusive learning environments for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
It will be used to fund essential adaptations to mainstream schools to ensure they meet the needs of current and new pupils who need additional support to thrive.
The cash can be to used make improvements to support children with a wide range of learning, communication, sensory, emotional and behavioural needs, reflecting our commitment to ensure children can go to their local school and learn alongside their peers in welcoming and accessible environments.
An experienced care provider is to take over the running of Ada Belfield care centre in Belper following negotiations.
We’ve exchanged contracts to transfer the operation of the care home to Welford Healthcare with the takeover expected to be complete by 30 September 2026, subject to CQC (Care Quality Commission) registration.
All current residents will be able to remain at the home along with current care colleagues.
The library is unaffected by the change as it will be leased back to the council at no cost and will continue to be run by the council.
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From experiencing the childhood milestones all over again to witnessing a child’s growing confidence – these are just some of the memorable moments in the lives of our amazing foster carers.
We spoke to two of them to find out about why they do what they do and to learn more about how fostering enriches their lives – and that of the local children they care for.
Discover how Nikki, who has been fostering for Derbyshire for more than a year, supports young children in her home, even though she doesn’t have a spare room.
And find out from Debbie, who does short-break care, about the thrill of seeing a child she looks after grow in confidence.
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If you're a carer for family or friends, you might want to listen to the new Caring Out Loud podcast which had been made for unpaid carers, by carers.
Launched by Derbyshire Carers Association and Get Wise – the podcast brings together real stories, practical advice and honest conversations from carers across Derbyshire.
Over the coming months, new episodes will explore the realities of caring and provide information and support to help carers feel more connected and informed.
Listen now to the episodes available so far:
Derbyshire Carers Association supports carers on our behalf.
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