ANIMALS AND REMEMBRANCE

LAUNCHING CHESTERFIELD’s ARMISTICE AND REMEMBRANCE OF THE SERVICE OF ANIMALS IN WAR and ARMED CONFLICT

Two dates:

Friday 1st November 11am at Shentall Gardebs, at the front of Chesterfield Town Hall (set up will be from 10am).

Sunday 3rd November 5pm at Dog Lead-Free Area, Holmebrook Valley Park (set up from 4pm).

All welcome, including dogs, horses etc… dress up warm.

Autum Report

 AUTUMN 2024 REPORT 

From the Liberal Democrat Group on Derbyshire County Council.  This report is circulated for the four Liberal Democrat Derbyshire County Councillors.

WELCOME TO AUTUMN AND FINANCIAL CRISIS

Last year, at almost exactly this time I wrote:

”The County Council managed to achieve a £26million over-spend in the first four months of the year. This level of budget variance places the Council on course for bankruptcy and so emergency measures have been put in place to seek to avoid these.”

Now, a year later, the Council is reporting a budget overspend in the first quarter of £20million.

If repeated through the year this would multiply to £80million. That won’t happen, but it does mean that the Council is making deep and savage cuts to try and balance its books.

Perhaps the most worrying feature of the reporting we are getting is that the anticipated savings are coming in under-budget. In other words, it is unlikely that in- year savings will meet the short fall, but services will be ceased, closed or cut instead. The other factor is the raiding of reserves. In the last two years the County Council has burned through £100million of reserves already and there is a pro-active selling of property and assets to try and find the cash.

The grim reality is that the Council does not have the money to deliver the services it would like, and that successive Governments of all political persuasions have underfunded local government to the point of crisis.

Will this new Labour Government reverse the under-funding and give local government more money – it might – but I fear not to the extent that is actually needed.

As a Liberal Democrat Group we have constantly and consistently pushed for better scrutiny of the Council’s finances by councillors – this has been partially successful and for the first time, this years budget went before one of the Council’s scrutiny committee. Secondly, we have objected to the way the Council spends its money and are the only party that has voted AGAINST the Conservative budget each year (labour always abstain), and third we have warned that the selling of asset and the raiding of reserves is foolish and ultimately in the long term – self harming.

WRITTEN QUESTIONSTO THE COUNCIL

As you will be aware, councillors can table and ask written questions, the relevant Conservative Portfolio reads out an answer and we then get a follow-up question. Since I have been asking more questions of the Conservative Administration, they have moved questions to being virtually the last item on the agenda in an attempt to silence us.

Here are the four questions I tabled at the meeting this week – 9 October 2024

1. Question from Councillor E Fordham to Councillor C Cupit, Cabinet Member for Highways Assets and Transport “What dialogue has taken place regarding the Chesterfield footbridges over the A61 between the Highways department and Chesterfield Borough Council regarding making the bridges less accessible for attempted suicide?”

2. Question from Councillor E Fordham to Councillor A Dale, Cabinet Member for Education “What measures are in place in schools in Derbyshire to aid, support and assist staff and pupils in the face of attempted suicide by young people?”

3. Question from Councillor E Fordham to Councillor C Hart, Cabinet Member for Health and Communities “What measures have been taken since the last council meeting by social services regarding the further attempts at suicide in Chesterfield amongst both adults and children?

4. Question from Councillor E Fordham to Councillor J Patten, Cabinet Member for Children and Families “What is the policy for the timing of responses to parents for children services, upon receipt of a concern about child protection, and how many days should the parent wait before getting a call back from Children Services?” 

The debate around the issues I have raised about suicide were quite constructive and I felt I made some progress on this difficult topic, in persuading councillors to take the matter more seriously. Rather than try and summate the discussion I will circulate the verbatim account when it come out from the Minutes Officer and Democratic Services. As a group we have taken the view that it is the role of a Liberal Democrat to tackle difficult subjects and have the courage to take a stand when others won’t. I hope you agree.

 

WINTER FUEL ALLOWANCE

With the change of Government the Conservative Group have decided to go onto the attack against the Labour Group and accordingly there was a motion criticising the cut in Winter Fuel Allowance.

The motion was unduly partisan, and the Labour Group sought to amend it to no-avail. The truth of the matter is that both were playing party politics.

As Leader, I’m able to say that we voted for the Labour amendment (which was defeated) and for the Conservative motion unamended.

If asked we can report that, when given the opportunity, the Liberal Democrats on Derbyshire County Council voted to condemn the Labour Government on cutting the Winter Fuel Allowance. 

As ever, if there are issues you wish to be raised by me or any of the Liberal Democrat Group, please do get in touch ed.fordham@gmail.com

 

With all best wishes,

 

County Councillor Ed Fordham

(representing Loundsley Green and Newbold)

For and on behalf the Liberal Democrat Councillors

on Derbyshire County Council.

Rise in attempted suicide

I have tabled the following questions to Full Council:

To ask what dialogue have taken place regarding the Chesterfield footbridges over the A61 between highways and Chesterfield Borough Council regarding making the bridges less accessible for attempted suicide?

To ask what measures are in place in schools in Derbyshire to aid, support and assist staff and pupils in the face of attempted suicide by young people?

To ask what measures have been taken since the last council meeting by social services regarding the further attempts at suicide in Chesterfield amongst both adults and children?

Mental health intervention needed in town

Local County Councillor Ed Fordham, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Derbyshire County Council, will raise the death of Chesterfield character Danny Parkes and also the spate of recent public suicides in the town at the next meeting of the Council.

Ed says “I have consistently raised issues around suicide, attempted suicide, mental health and public risk and sought to get both the Borough Council and the County Council to do more. Prevention is the real game here and I believe that the County Council is often too reactive and fails to intervene early enough in situations that require expert mental health care. Any family or individual who has been touched by a death in their family or friends through failed mental health strain knows that early intervention is crucial.

“Danny Parkes was a difficult but loveable rogue, but in truth he was also a deeply troubled guy who needed and deserved our help. The truth is, we as a society were unable to help him early enough and the collapse of his life become inevitable and visible for many of us. I strongly believe the Councils could and should have done much much more.

“Further, the recent spate of attempted and sadly successful suicides has highlighted that Chesterfield has a problem. I have constantly called for all footbridges to be made suicide proof - and this has been turned down. Indeed, in the proposed multimillion revamp of the Railway Station and Town Centre the footbridge over the A61 will remained unchanged and a constant and ongoing risk for people. 

“My solution to all of this, is that the County Council take the initiative and set up a highly visible mental health support shop in of the empty units in the Town Centre. This should be a partnership with the Borough Council, the Police, but also with the Hospital and staff from the specialist Hartington Unit. This ‘shop’ would enable the intentions to be supportive, much earlier in the life cycle of trouble and also would seek to tackle the problems rather than just arrest or move individuals out of the Town Centre. I strongly believe that we can and should do better to help those who are vulnerable for whom life has become unduly complex and burdensome. 

“I am desperately keen that we do everything possible to end the tragedy of early death through life collapse and attempted suicide from bridges around the town. Danny Parkes and others deserve that at least.”

The questions I have tabled:

1. 27th March 2024.  The issues relating to anti-social behaviour in Chesterfield have yet again bounced up the agenda of the Borough Council and the Police, and the Crime Commissioner - with more exclusion orders and actions underway to move people out of the immediate town centre. The ramifications for nearby residential areas is increasingly acute and negative. Is the County Council assured that the mental health and adult well-being teams are being included early enough in these decisions and actions to enable that meaningful life changing and positive interventions are made, rather than just moving problems out of immediate sight and into residential areas of the town?
2. To ask the Council if it would consider developing a partnership front-line service of DCC staff in adult care and trained with an understanding of mental health to work in Chesterfield in connection with the Hospital, CBC and Police to enable an earlier intervention and a more nuanced constructive engagement with what are often difficult situations in the Market Squares? Can consideration be given to a highly visible 1-stop shop open at the hours needed to secure effective engagement for those people who find themselves in need of help and advice, so we can provide pro-active assistance before someone’s life enters a downward spiral.

 PROPOSED CLOSURE OF CARE HOMES

This next round of Care Home closures is a betrayal and a disgrace and flies in the face of all the words and speeches and guarantees given previously. The Conservative administration at County Hall is literally putting the Council on a course that is entirely negative, closes homes, puts pressure on the NHS and will harm residents and patients.

The people who have put their trust in the Council in old age and at their hour of greatest need are being betrayed, sold off and literally evicted. I could not be more angry, more upset and more worried. This literally places the lives of those who live in care homes on the line. The stress and the worry will, as it did before, lead to people dying early. It is sickening. 

This is a brutal approach, it is the approach of a Council that has failed and it is wrong.

The Council can blame who they like - but the raw truth is this is the direct result of the policies of the Conservative Party locally and nationally and the guilt lies firmly at their door.

The moment of truth will come when councillors vote in the Chamber and we will see who is voting to harm residents of Derbyshire. It will isolate those who live in our homes in trust, and we will see who is voting to evict them.

The Liberal Democrat Group stands firmly

In favour of the residents, retaining the care homes and against closure.

Cllr Ed Fordham, Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Derbyshire County Council.

The 5th Edward Carpenter Equality Walk

 

Open letter: WILL YOU WALK WITH US?

As you may be aware there is a growing appreciation and revival of the work of Edward Carpenter (1844-1929). Edward was a radical, an author, poet, philosopher and an advocate and activist for lgbt+ equality.

For 40 years of his life, he lived and worked in Chesterfield and Milthorpe in North Derbyshire. Indeed, he lived here openly as a gay man with his life partner George Merrill (1891-1928).

For the last four years a group of us in Chesterfield have organised The Edward Carpenter Equality Walk from Chesterfield town centre to the village of Millthorpe. It is some 6 miles or there abouts (pub to pub!) and raises money for the charity Derbyshire LGBT+ which support the lgbt+ community, young and old and campaigns for the equality.

The first year of our walk we were joined by Peter Tatchell which made the event very special indeed. Next year will be the fifth walk and this letter is to ask if you would consider joining us.

The walk will take place on Sunday 1st September 2024 – we start at 11am in Chesterfield and arrive at Millthorpe at about 1/1.30pm. it is a lovely event and a stunning cross country walk and if you could join us it would be our pleasure.

Please do let me know if this is possible.

Best wishes.

Ed Fordham amd Sparky the Husky 

Recalling the animals

I placed this in the Facebook page Dog Friendly Chesterfield last week, and we successfully have the display at Chesterfield Town Hall, a wreath at the Holmebrook Valley Park lead free area, at Newbold Parish War Memorial and in a growing number of chapels and churches. 

REMEMBRANCE WEEKEND - recalling animal gallantry.

This morning, before dawn, myself a few other animal and dog lovers set up the animal Armistice Tribute on Shentall Gardens in front of the Town Hall at Chesterfield.

The purple poppies have become the symbol of service animals. The ribbons represent the colours of the Dickin Medal for animals which was instituted during WW2.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dickin_Medal

It is too little known that many of the military animals have service ranks, service numbers, bravery medals and yes pensions. They should be recognised alongside everyone else.

Yesterday I, as a Group Leader on Derbyshire County Council, laid both a red and a purple poppy wreath at Matlock County Hall for the third year running.  The reception there from staff, fellow councillors and dignitaries has been overwhelmingly supportive.

Please do take time to go and see the memorial in front of Chesterfield Town Hall. Each of the stakes has a hand knitted poppy and the respresent each of the animal recipients of The Dickin Medal for Gallantry. 

https://www.pdsa.org.uk/what-we-do/animal-awards-programme/pdsa-dickin-medal

This is the third year we have done this - the first year was at Holmebrook Valley Park (2021), subsequently at the RSPCA (2022) and this year 2023 at Shentall Gardens. We would welcome offers to host the memorial next year for the duration of November.

If anyone wishes to obtain a purple poppy stake to add to the display at the Town Hall or to have at home, in their garden perhaps, can come to my book stall on Chesterfield Market or TwelfthCraft in the Shambles in exchange for a donation to animal charities. There are purple poppies also for sale at the RSPCA shop on the side of the Chesterfield Markets and Market Hall.

Best wishes, Ed, Convenor, Dog Friendly Chesterfield

Footnote: there is still some resistance and reluctance to this from some sections of the Royal British Legion. I urge anyone who objects to speak to any of the dog handler veterans. Those Dog Handlers are strong and active and passionate advocates of the purple poppy - they know of the loyalty and service of animals that has, for too long, been overlooked.