DERBY CITY COUNCIL

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Derby is bidding to become only the third city in the UK to have a World Trade Center. The centre would be a private development, supported by the city council and Marketing Derby. Chris Williamson, leader of the city council, said it was hoped that the development would bring tens of millions of pounds into the city. He said that Derby was the ideal place for a World Trade Center, which could be housed in one of the new office developments already planned for the city, such as Riverlights.

Mr Williamson said, "Derby is a hub. The rail, road and air links to the city are excellent. It is right in the centre of the country and it couldn't be better connected. This will create opportunities for businesses in the city, by providing opportunities for local businesses to enter world markets more easily than they can at the moment. It would be used for business meetings and would bring people into the city. Ultimately, it's about creating more wealth for Derby."

The centre would provide office space for overseas businesses wanting to set up in the UK and also local companies wanting to expand their markets. It would also provide a venue for international and local business conferences, training events, and a place for other companies in the region to get information and advice about making global contacts. John Forkin, director of Marketing Derby, said the city already had a global market, with companies such as Bombardier, Toyota and Rolls-Royce trading with clients around the world every day. And they wanted to attract more international trade. (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, Mar/08)

Derby Gymnastics Club has taken over the old Lancaster Sports Centre, on the top of the multi-storey car park in Chapel Street. The group pooled personal and club funds, after the city council decided to close the centre last year. It will be re-named Derby City Gymnastic and Sports Centre and is due to open at the end of August. It is hoped the old customers of the centre will start visiting the centre again and using the facilities. The cost of upgrading has been a fraction of the price estimated by the council.

Duty manager and partner Mark Dolman said, "The main cost of the council's £750,000 quote was £300,000 for the windows but we have just had a quote for £70,000." He said the windows would be the next major investment for the centre but that it would have to start attracting more customers before paying for the work. Derby Gymnastics Club originally wanted to open the centre in January but there were setbacks in agreeing the lease.

The council wanted the club to take responsibility for the roof of the multi-storey car park and leisure centre. It refused and the council agreed to the lease, meaning work could start on redecorating the building. The gym has already been completed and its layout changed to make it more appealing to female users. Other rooms have been created for dance, judo and martial arts. Work is still to be carried out to the main hall, which will have specialist gymnastic flooring and equipment installed.

The club has not yet worked out how much it will charge, but said it was aiming to be one of the cheapest gyms in the city. So far, £80,000 has been spent on redecorating, a new fire alarm system and buying equipment. Council cabinet member for leisure services Alan Graves said, "The council was open about the fact it was not viable to keep the centre open as a council facility but we said we would talk to people and help those who wanted to put together proposals to take it on." (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, Jun/07)

Both Derbyshire County and Derby City Council, who have no-smoking policies on their premises and in company vehicles, actively help employees to give up smoking. Yet the £1.9bn pension fund that the two councils manage, holds £10m worth of shares in British American Tobacco and £6.5m in Gallaher Group, which makes numerous cigarette brands, including Benson and Hedges and Silk Cut.

Councillor Chris Williamson, leader of the city council, said, "Clearly, there is an inconsistency, and I'm not going to deny that. But there remains the duty of the trustees of the pension fund to maximise the return for its members, and that's where the inconsistency arises." It would seem that a no-smoking policy is fine, but when there's money to be made.... (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, Dec/06)

Derby is to share £4m of Government money to pay for a 'supernanny' to help parents who struggle to control their children. The Home Office has announced that 77 local authorities across the country, including nine in the East Midlands, will be given funding for the parenting experts. It is not known how much cash each authority will get, but a spokeswoman for the Home Office confirmed it was likely that Derby City Council would be given enough to pay for a single 'supernanny'.

The scheme will allow families with children who have anti-social behaviour to get help and the courts may order compulsory lessons for parents with anti-social children. Councillor Sara Bolton, the council cabinet member for children, said, "It's something we will be very keen to get involved in. Anything that can help the future of young people in Derby has to be welcomed." (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, Nov/06)

Taxpayers in Derbyshire have been stung for more than £1.6m since 2003 to pay for compensation cases involving council staff injured at work. Derbyshire County Council alone has splashed out more than £1.2m in payments and legal costs since the start of the 2003/4 financial year. Payments made by Derby City Council were far lower, at £195,546.

The cost of the cases dealt with ranged from £350, when an employee burnt a hand while filling a teapot, to £60,334, after a member of staff suffered back problems because of an uncomfortable seat. One employee's allergy to a latex glove cost the council £4,550. The council also had to pay £5,853 after a claimant tore a ligament kicking a door that would not open and £7,000 after an employee sprained an ankle slipping on some spilt peas.

A county council spokeswoman said, "The payments made don't necessarily relate to the years in which the claims were made. We have employed two people specifically to investigate claims against the council. They have been in post for the last 18 months and that has helped to reduce costs. The council's record in terms of health and safety and accidents is significantly improved over the last five to 10 years, and we do see it as a priority." (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, Nov/06)

Thousands of council workers are to share millions of pounds in compensation because they have been underpaid for years. Cleaners, care workers and catering staff are among those who will benefit as a result of the Single Status Agreement, drawn up in 1997. It is designed to bring the pay of manual workers in predominantly female-held jobs into line with those mainly filled by men, such as refuse collectors and road sweepers.

Nine years ago, councils were given until March 2007 to carry out job evaluations and compensate workers deemed to have been underpaid. Derbyshire County Council says it is expecting to pay about £13m, which will be met from its reserves. Derby City Council has not put a figure on the amount it is likely to pay out but says it will run into millions. It has not ruled out a council tax increase to meet the bill.

The city council said it has not ruled out a council tax increase to pay the bill. But this agreement goes back to 1997 and councils were given until March of 2007 to implement it. So there is no reason for projects to be shelved as they have had 10 years to plan for this. Staffing levels have been known throughout this time and they've had computers and accountants to work out all the implications of past, present and future employment levels. (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, Nov/06)