Derby city council

Six debtors have absconded, leaving Derby City Council unable to track them down to make them pay the business rates they owe, according to authority finance documents As a result, the council will have to write off £289,750 which it cannot collect - money that could have been used to shore up other services that have been axed or reduced. Tidying up the accounts is all part of setting the new council budget for 2019-20, which will happen at a meeting of the city council on Wednesday evening. Some of the business rates, which are owed, date back to 2015/15 and the highest individual debt is £50,313. This is owed from 2016/17 and 2018/19  and the company involved is in liquidation. No names are given in the main budget report but are included in a separate report given to councillors and only used verbally when the press and public have been excluded from the meeting. The information is deemed confidential. In six instances, the person owing the money is unable to be … [Read more...] about Find out why Derby City Council has had to write off almost £300,000

Derby City Council is planning to employ more public protection officers and increase their powers so they can issue fines for bad parking. The Conservative-run authority is set to budget for an income of about £500,000 a year through parking fines and tickets but says it hopes it raises nothing because drivers are parking correctly. The Labour opposition has said this - coupled with a hike in parking charges - amounts to a  stealth tax on the motorist. Currently, public protection officers work with local communities on issues such as fly tipping, dog fouling, bins on streets and littering. But their powers are set to be extended to include nuisance parking, such as near schools, for which they will be able to issue fixed penalty fines. There are currently 10 public protection officers but it is understood there could be 17 in the future - one for each electoral ward in the city. Councillor Jonathan Smale, Tory cabinet member for neighbourhoods and Streetpride, said: … [Read more...] about Plan for citywide parking crackdown sparks row at Derby City Council

Another seven former council homes are being bought back by Derby City Council at a cost of just over £1.1 million. They will be used by Derby Homes to reduce the number of people on the housing waiting list in the city and will join seven other former council houses purchased by the council last November for a similar sum. Council cabinet member Councillor Roy Webb will be asked to approve the purchases at a meeting on Thursday, which also include an eighth property. This is a privately-owned four bedroom townhouse in Arboretum, which can be converted into a five-bedroom home for a total extra cost of £199,222 with alterations, other renovations and fees. The seven former council houses were originally sold to people under the Right to Buy scheme, which means 50% of the refurbishment costs can be subsidised by Right to Buy funding that the authority has from homes that have already been sold. The other 50% will come from the council's housing revenue funding, which comes … [Read more...] about Ex-council houses to be bought back by Derby City Council

Derby City Council has won the Love Parks Award at the Keep Britain Tidy Network awards. The award was received in recognition of the Superhero Picnic in the Park events held last summer at Markeaton Park, Darley Park and Chaddesden Park. The Love Parks Award recognises an outstanding event or campaign during Love Parks week. The aim of the Love Parks initiative is to ensure that residents and visitors use local parks and protect these important green spaces, and this award is given in recognition of a local authority’s ability to increase footfall in their parks. As part of the twelfth annual Love Parks week in 2018, Derby Parks celebrated the wonderful green spaces in the city with three Superhero Picnic in the Park events in Markeaton Park, Chaddesden Park and Darley Park. These free events gave families the chance to take part in a whole host of activities, with many local businesses and charities in attendance. Read More Your Good News Councillor Alan Grimadell, cabinet … [Read more...] about Derby City Council wins award for its parks

A man who assaulted two security guards and smashed up a telephone at Derby City Council's office has been jailed. Aaron Hall, of Becket Street, pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage and two charges of assault, after he entered the council house on December 12, last year. Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court heard how he suffered a "big beating", and suffered a psychosis episode, before he entered the council offices, where he tried to use a telephone at the site. When it wouldn't work, he smashed it up before assaulting security staff. In separate incidents, the 30-year-old also pleaded guilty to stealing deodorant from Boots at Intu Derby, on January 12 and 15, which totalled £20. The court heard how Hall was "not responding well" with the probation service and magistrates decided to jail him. He also had to pay compensation to the security guards. Assault and criminal damage Peter Bettany, prosecuting, outlined the case. He said: On December 12, at 2pm, the defendant … [Read more...] about Man who went on rampage at Derby City Council is jailed