DCC Community News 27th October 2025

Apply for a secondary school place
If you're a parent of a year 6 pupil living in Derbyshire time is running out to apply for your child's secondary school place for September 2026.

If your child was born between 1 September 2014 and 31 August 2015 and is in their last year of primary school you should apply now.

Applying online is the most efficient method and also allows our school admissions team to most effectively receive and gather the information it requires to allocate places.

The deadline for applications is Friday 31 October.

Pumpkin advice
This Halloween don't let your carved pumpkins become a scary mistake. You may not realise but it's illegal to feed kitchen scraps, including carved pumpkins, to farm animals. And don't leave pumpkins out for wild animals – it can make them ill and spread disease.

Once a pumpkin has been in your kitchen and carved with utensils used for food prep, it's considered catering waste. Feeding it to animals can spread devastating diseases like African Swine Fever and Foot and Mouth Disease.

Please don't donate your carved pumpkins to farms or put them out for wild animals, but DO:

✅ Dispose of your pumpkins responsibly – compost them or use a food waste bin.

Let's keep our animals safe and our farms disease-free.

Become a flood warden
Could you be a flood warden and help your community?

Together with the Environment Agency we are looking for dedicated, reliable people to become volunteer flood wardens in Derbyshire.

You will receive training that will enable you to:

* Engage with the community and raise awareness of flood risk by encouraging residents and businesses to sign up to the Flood Warning Service
* Create a community incident response plan
* Monitor local water courses and understand who to report blockages/damages to
*Liaise with the emergency services during a flooding incident.

You don't need specialist skills, just local knowledge, enthusiasm and a desire to help others. Full training and support are provided.

For further information or to apply please contact the Flood Resilience Team at The Environment Agency at floodresilience.eastmidlands@environment-agency.gov.uk

Save the date for Carers' Rights Day
Do you care for someone who couldn't cope without your help?

Find out what your rights are as an unpaid carer and get support and advice at a range of events taking place across the county in the run up to Carers' Rights Day on Thursday 20 November.

Sessions being held by our Derbyshire All Age Carers Support Service, which is delivered by Derbyshire Carers Association on our behalf, include:

* Monday 17 November: cuppa & chat, 11am-12.30pm, Chesterfield Royal Hospital, NGS Macmillan Unit; community drop-in, 9am-1pm, Baslow Health Centre.
* Tuesday 18 November: community engagement drop-ins, the Arc leisure centre, Matlock, 9am-12.30pm and Ripley Leisure Centre, 1pm-3.30pm
* Thursday 20 November: carers information stand, Florence Nightingale Hospital, Derby, 10am-2pm.
* Friday 21 November: community engagement drop-in, Ashbourne leisure centre, 10.30am-12.30pm.

Stay #ScamAware
It's Scams Awareness Fortnight and our Trading Standards team has advice for you about taking steps to protect yourself against scammers.

An estimated 11% of people across the East Midlands were caught out by a scam in the past year, according to new research by Citizens Advice.

Be suspicious if:

* Someone you don't know contacts you unexpectedly, or you're asked to transfer money quickly
* You're being asked to share personal or security information like passwords, PINs or codes
* You've been asked to pay in an unusual way – paying by debit or credit card gives you extra protection if things go wrong.
* The golden rule is if something seems too good to be true or doesn't feel right it might be a scam, so take a moment and get advice.

If you've been scammed:

* Talk to your bank or card company immediately if you've handed over any financial and sensitive information or made a payment
* Report the scam to Action Fraud on 0300 123 204
* You can also contact Citizens Advice Consumer Service for help with what to do next.

Work to remove diseased trees
Work is continuing to remove trees with ash dieback disease from land we own.

This fungal disease affecting ash trees can lead to branches, and in some cases entire trees, becoming unstable.

You may notice trees being removed along the roadside in coming weeks, particularly in the Derbyshire Dales and High Peak areas.

We may need to close the road for a short time in order to carry out the work safely. Advanced warning signs will be put in place to alert motorists to upcoming closures but the rolling nature of this programme of work will mean this will often be a few days' notice.

Please bear with us while we carry out this vital work and we apologise in advance for any inconvenience which may be caused.

SEND and Education announcements
Councillor Simon Mabbott has been announced as our new cabinet member for SEND and Education.

Council Leader Councillor Alan Graves made the appointment last Monday (20 October).

Councillor Mabbott is the councillor for Ilkeston South and Kirk Hallam and had held the position of cabinet support member for SEND and Education before accepting the role as Cabinet Member.

His appointment follows Jack Bradley's resignation as councillor for the Long Eaton North Division and cabinet member for SEND and Education for personal reasons.

There is now a vacancy on the county council for the Long Eaton North Division and a notice of vacancy will be published shortly. A by-election will be held.

And Councillor Paul Maginnis, councillor for the Sawley Division, has been announced as our new cabinet support member for SEND and Education.