News and updates from Ed Fordham, County Councillor for Loundsley Green and Newbold division on Derbyshire County Council, and the Brockwell ward on Chesterfield Borough Council.
Over the last few weeks I have been going shop to shop asking people, friends and allies to show their support for Pride by flying the Progress Flag.
I’m delighted by how many have been out flying the flag - thank you
Today I handed in the petition of 3,919 signatures against the proposed closure of the Derbyshire County Council Care Homes & I took a photo of the box of the signatures before hand.
Lucky I did as the Portfolio Holder Cllr Natalie Hoy refused to have a photograph with me as the recipient of the petition.
Declining to have a photograph might be fine, but there was no real dialogue in the meeting with Cllr Hoy, no sitting down to discuss the petition, when I asked a question about the process the answer was pretty blank & the engagement nil. There is a part of democracy where people are held to account.
Sadly it seems that Derbyshire County Council and Cllr Natalie Hoy has forgotten this basic principle and have retreated within the confines of County Hall to sit behind a desk and make decisions that are at risk of damaging the lives of local residents in Care Homes.
A local councillor has forced Derbyshire County Council to widen it’s consultation on its Minerals extraction plan that will lead to worsening Climate Change.
Councillor Ed Fordham who represents Loundsley Green and Newbold on the County Council, was very critical of the proposed consultation on the new Minerals Local Plan. His objection has forced Derbyshire to arrange an additional consultation in Chesterfield itself.
HIS RETIREMENT AND YOUR CHANCE TO SAY THANK YOU
As many of you know (and you may follow him on twitter @MidsDog) we have a Derbyshire Fire Dog, Dexter - who serves the whole of the East Midlands in times of crisis and fire risk.
Dexter, along with his handler Dave, is due to retire and a small reception
This will take place in the Town Hall on Wednesday 30th March at 11am.
I have had had the pleasure of meeting Dave and Dexter when they came to unveiling of our Animal Memorial in Holmebrook Valley Park.
Accordingly, on Wednesday I will be taking Sparky down to the Town Hall so she can hand over her very own doggy card of thanks to Dexter on his 10 years service and his much deserved retirement.
Can you each and all think about whether you bring your dog to the steps of the town hall on Wednesday for 11am where Sparky will be handing over her woofy card.
(If your dog can’t come down to the Town Hall perhaps you might drop a retirement card down from your doggo addressed to Dexter The Fire Dog, c/o The Mayor of Chesterfield, Town Hall, Rose Hill, Chesterfield. S40 1LP).
Many thanks, Ed
(Walker One for Sparky the Husky)
Tonight (Wednesday 26th January), a group of residents, along with the Mayor of Chesterfield gathered to mark Holocaust Memorial Day.
The event, where a large number of candles were lit, and reading and poems were shared, was coordinated by Cllr Ed Fordham.
Ed said “I believe it is really important that we never forget and that we learn the lessons of the Holocaust and past genocides. My grandfather served in WWII and saw the camp of Bergen Belsen. I myself have worked in The Balkans and been to Srebrenica where there was modern day genocide as recent as 1995.
“Each year I have lit candles on my own drive in the form of a triangle of lights but decided that this could be a more public commitment. Accordingly working with fellow councillors, The Mayor, Derbyshire LGBT+ and Chesterfield’s Stand up to Racism. Tonight we gathered in New Square and made the commitment to never forget.
“In the aftermath of the Holocaust of WWII gay men were kept imprisoned after camp liberations as being gay was still a crime under the penal code of most countries. Upon learning this I pledged for myself - NEVER AGAIN. NEVER FORGET.”
Thanks also to Cllr Shirley Niblock and Cllr Jill Mannion-Brunt for their support.
Consultation on care homes to go ahead but there will be no repairs.
A controversial decision to consult on whether 7 of Derbyshire County Council’s care homes should be closed had a bizarre twist when the Tory members of the Improvement and Scrutiny Committee passed the following motion
‘ to advise Cabinet that as to carry out all of the necessary repairs and refurbishments would not make the seven homes fit for purpose in order to provide good and appropriate care for the residents of Derbyshire, it would seem inappropriate to undertake that work’.
We think that means they intend to “consult” current residents and their families but one of the options cannot be continuing in their existing care home that would have been re-furbished.
“Pie in the sky before you die?”
The Tory position seems to be to dismiss all that is currently being achieved in the existing care homes (which may well have maintenance issues) because they are not shiny new cutting edge buildings. This is disappointing for both residents and care home staff.
If the Conservative controlling group were prepared to stand by their pre-election commitment to build new state of the art care homes to replace those they describe as less than ideal, then shouldn’t there be one taking shape in eg Bakewell before they start considering moving residents out of Gernon Manor, the DCC care hpme in the town?
