South Derbyshire

South Derbyshire is a local government district in Derbyshire, England. The district covers the towns of Melbourne and Swadlincote as well as numerous villages and hamlets such as Hilton, Hatton, Etwall, Aston-on-Trent, Repton, Weston-on-Trent and Willington. About a third of the National Forest lies within the district.

The neighbouring districts are Derbyshire Dales, Amber Valley, Derby, Erewash, North West Leicestershire, Lichfield and East Staffordshire.

History

The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering the whole area of two former districts and part of a third, which were all abolished at the same time:<ref>Template:Cite legislation UK</ref>

• Repton Rural District
• South East Derbyshire Rural District (part south of the River Derwent, rest went to Erewash)
• Swadlincote Urban District

The new district was named South Derbyshire, reflecting its position within the wider county.<ref>Template:Cite legislation UK</ref>

Governance

Template:Infobox legislature South Derbyshire District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Derbyshire County Council.<ref>Template:Cite legislation UK</ref> Much of the borough is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Political control

The council has been under Labour majority control since the 2023 election.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements came into effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:<ref name=compositions>Template:Cite web (Put "South Derbyshire" in search box to see specific results.)</ref>

Party in control		Years
Template:Party name with colour	1974–1976
Template:Party name with colour	1976–1983
Template:Party name with colour	1983–2007
Template:Party name with colour	2007–2020
Template:Party name with colour	2020–2023
Template:Party name with colour	2023–present

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 1999 have been:

Councillor	Party		From	To
Jane Carroll<ref name=water/>	Template:Party name with colour		May 1999
Bill Dunn<ref name=water>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Party name with colour	20 May 1999	2001
Barrie Whyman<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	Template:Party name with colour	2001	May 2007
Heather Wheeler<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=20May2010/>	Template:Party name with colour	24 May 2007	May 2010
Bob Wheeler<ref name=20May2010>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=18Jan2018/>	Template:Party name with colour	20 May 2010	18 Jan 2018
Hilary Coyle<ref name=18Jan2018>Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Party name with colour	18 Jan 2018	May 2018
Martyn Ford<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	Template:Party name with colour	17 May 2018	3 Jan 2021
Kevin Richards<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	Template:Party name with colour	14 Jan 2021	May 2023
Robert Pearson<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Party name with colour	18 May 2023

Composition

Following the 2023 election,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and a subsequent by-election in July 2024, the composition of the council was:<ref name=Thorncliffe>Template:Cite web</ref>

Party		Councillors
Template:Party name with colour	22
Template:Party name with colour	11
Template:Party name with colour	2
Template:Party name with colour	1
Total		36

The next election is due in 2027.<ref name=Thorncliffe/>

Elections

Template:Also Since the last boundary changes in 2011 the council has comprised 36 councillors, representing 15 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.<ref>Template:Cite legislation UK</ref>

Premises

The council is based at the Civic Offices on Civic Way in Swadlincote. The building was purpose-built for the council and was formally opened on 18 February 1977 by Jack Longland.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The council's annual meeting each May, when new the new chair is appointed, is held at Swadlincote Town Hall on The Delph, which had been built as a market hall in 1861.<ref>Template:NHLE</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Parishes and settlements

Map of South Derbyshire

The former Swadlincote Urban District is an unparished area. The rest of the district is covered by civil parishes. None of the parishes is styled as a "town council". Some of the smaller parishes have a parish meeting instead of a parish council.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Settlements in the district include:

• Aston-on-Trent
• Barrow upon Trent, Boulton Moor, Bretby
• Calke, Castle Gresley, Cauldwell, Church Gresley, Church Broughton, Coton in the Elms
• Chellaston Fields (excludes rest of Chellaston which falls under Derby.)
• Egginton, Elvaston, Etwall
• Hartshorne, Hatton, Hilton, Hollington
• Ingleby
• Kings Newton
• Linton, Lullington
• Melbourne (Town), Milton
• Netherseal, Newton Solney, Newhall
• Overseal
• Repton, Rosliston
• Shardlow, Smisby, Stanton by Bridge, Stenson Fields, Swadlincote (Town), Swarkestone
• Ticknall
• Walton-on-Trent, Weston-on-Trent, Willington, Woodville

Media

South Derbyshire is served by BBC East Midlands and ITV Central (East) with television signals received from the Waltham transmitter.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Southern parts of the district such as Swadlincote receives better television signals from the Sutton Coldfield transmitter which broadcast BBC West Midlands and ITV Central (West).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Radio stations for the area are BBC Radio Derby, Capital Mid-Counties, Smooth East Midlands, Hits Radio East Midlands and Greatest Hits Radio Midlands.

The area is served by the local newspaper, Burton Mail.

External links

• South Derbyshire District Council Official site
• South Derbyshire Badgers Official set