Derbyshire Dales
Derbyshire Dales (/ˈdɑːrbiʃɪər, -ʃər/ DAR-bee-sheer, -shər) is a local government district in Derbyshire, England. The district was created in 1974 as West Derbyshire; the name was changed to Derbyshire Dales in 1987. The council is based in the town of Matlock, and the district also includes the towns of Ashbourne, Bakewell, Darley Dale and Wirksworth, as well as numerous villages and extensive rural areas. Much of the district is within the Peak District National Park.
Derbyshire Dales District | |
|---|---|
Non-metropolitan district | |
Skyline of Matlock, both the administrative centre of Derbyshire Dales and the official county town of Derbyshire | |
Shown within Derbyshire | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Constituent country | England |
| Region | East Midlands |
| Administrative county | Derbyshire |
| Admin. HQ | Matlock |
| Government | |
| • Type | Derbyshire Dales District Council |
| • MP: | Sarah Dines |
| Area | |
| • Total | 306 sq mi (792 km2) |
| • Rank | 41st |
| Population (2022) | |
| • Total | 71,752 |
| • Rank | Ranked 283rd |
| • Density | 230/sq mi (91/km2) |
| Ethnicity (2021) | |
| • Ethnic groups | |
| Religion (2021) | |
| • Religion | List
|
| Time zone | UTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (British Summer Time) |
| ONS code | 17UF (ONS) E07000035 (GSS) |
| Ethnicity | 97.8% White 0.8% .Asian[2] |
The neighbouring districts are High Peak, Sheffield, North East Derbyshire, Amber Valley, South Derbyshire, East Staffordshire and Staffordshire Moorlands.
History edit
The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 as one of nine districts within Derbyshire. The new district covered the area of six former districts, which were all abolished at the same time:[3]
- Ashbourne Rural District
- Ashbourne Urban District
- Bakewell Rural District
- Bakewell Urban District
- Matlock Urban District
- Wirksworth Urban District
The new district was initially named "West Derbyshire", reflecting its position within the wider county.[4] The council changed the name to "Derbyshire Dales" with effect from 1 January 1987.[5][6]
Governance edit
Derbyshire Dales District Council | |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Paul Wilson since 1 June 2018[8] | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 34 councillors |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
Last election | 4 May 2023 |
Next election | 6 May 2027 |
| Meeting place | |
| Town Hall, Bank Road, Matlock, DE4 3NN | |
| Website | |
| www | |
Derbyshire Dales District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Derbyshire County Council. The district is also entirely covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.[9] In the parts of the district within the Peak District National Park town planning is the responsibility of the Peak District National Park Authority.[10] The district council appoints two of its councillors to serve on the 30-person National Park Authority.[11]
Since 2014 the district has been a non-constituent member of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (formerly known as the Sheffield City Region); the council sends representatives to meetings of the combined authority, but the electorate of Derbyshire Dales do not vote in elections for the Mayor of South Yorkshire.[12]
Political control edit
The council has been under no overall control since 2023. Following the 2023 election an alliance of the Liberal Democrats, Labour and the Greens formed to lead the council as a joint administration.[13]
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:[14][15]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| No overall control | 1974–1976 | |
| Conservative | 1976–1995 | |
| No overall control | 1995–1999 | |
| Conservative | 1999–2023 | |
| No overall control | 2023–present | |
Leadership edit
The leaders of the council since 1995 have been:[16]
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis Rose | Conservative | May 1995 | ||
| David Fearn[17] | Liberal Democrats | May 1995 | May 1998 | |
| Steve Flitter[18] | Liberal Democrats | May 1998 | May 1999 | |
| Lewis Rose[19] | Conservative | May 1999 | 22 May 2019 | |
| Garry Purdy[20] | Conservative | 22 May 2019 | 8 Mar 2023 | |
| Steve Flitter | Liberal Democrats | 25 May 2023 | ||
Composition edit
Following the 2023 election and two by-elections in February 2024, the composition of the council was:[21][22]
| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal Democrats | 12 | |
| Conservative | 10 | |
| Labour | 7 | |
| Green | 4 | |
| Independent | 1 | |
| Total | 34 | |
The next election is due in 2027.
Elections edit
Since the last boundary changes in 2023 the council has comprised 34 councillors representing 21 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.[23]
The district is entirely within the Derbyshire Dales parliamentary constituency, created in 2010. The constituency is slightly larger than the district, also including parts of Amber Valley.[24]
Premises edit
The council is based at Matlock Town Hall on Bank Road in Matlock. The oldest part of the building was built c. 1850 as a house called Bridge House. It was bought by the local council in 1894 and a large Italianate extension facing Bank Road was completed in 1898. The building served as the headquarters of Matlock Urban District Council between 1894 and 1974. Following local government reorganisation further large extensions were added in 1979.[25]
Places and parishes edit
The district is entirely divided into civil parishes. The parish councils for Ashbourne, Bakewell, Darley Dale, Matlock and Wirksworth take the style "town council". Some of the smaller parishes have a parish meeting rather than a parish council.[26]
Places in the district include:
- Alsop-en-le-Dale, Ashford-in-the-Water, Ashbourne
- Bakewell, Baslow, Beeley, Biggin, Birchover, Bonsall, Bradbourne, Bradwell, Brailsford, Brassington, Bretton
- Calver, Carsington, Chatsworth, Chelmorton, Cromford, Curbar
- Darley Dale, Doveridge
- Earl Sterndale, Edensor, Elton, Eyam
- Fenny Bentley, Foolow, Froggatt
- Great Hucklow, Great Longstone, Grindleford
- Hassop, Hathersage, Hognaston, Hartington
- Kirk Ireton, Kniveton
- Little Hucklow, Litton, Longford
- Matlock, Matlock Bath, Middleton-by-Wirksworth, Middleton-by-Youlgreave, Monyash
- Over Haddon
- Parwich
- Rowsley
- South Darley, Stanton-in-Peak, Stoney Middleton, Sudbury
- Taddington, Tansley, Thorpe, Tideswell, Tissington
- Wardlow, Wensley, Winster, Wirksworth
- Youlgreave
Media edit
In terms of television, the district is served by BBC East Midlands and ITV Central however northern parts of the Derbyshire Dales such as Hope Valley are served by BBC Yorkshire and ITV Yorkshire.
Radio stations for the area area:
- BBC Radio Derby on 95.3 FM
- Capital Midlands on 102.8 FM
- Peak FM on 102.0 FM and 107.4 FM
- High Peak Radio on 96.7 FM and 101.8 FM
Matlock Mercury is the local newspaper that covers the area.[27]
References edit
- ^ a b UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Derbyshire Dales Local Authority (E07000035)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ "Resident Population Estimates by Ethnic Group (Percentages) Area: Derbyshire Dales (Local Authority)". Neighbourhood Statistics. National Office for Statistics. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
- ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 31 May 2023
- ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 31 May 2023
- ^ Counties and Districts Changes 1 April 1985 to 31 March 1987 (PDF). London: Department of the Environment. 1987. p. 1. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
- ^ "Derbyshire Dales: It's official for the New Year". Ashbourne News Telegraph. 25 December 1986. p. 1. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
- ^ "Council minutes, 25 May 2023". Derbyshire Dales District Council. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
- ^ "Council minutes, 24 May 2018" (PDF). Derbyshire Dales District Council. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
- ^ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
- ^ "Planning". Peak District National Park Authority. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
- ^ "Our members by appointing authority". Peak District National Park Authority. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
- ^ "The Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield Combined Authority Order 2014", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2014/863
- ^ "Progressive Alliance to run Dales council". Derbyshire Dales District Council. 22 May 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
- ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
- ^ "Derbyshire Dales". BBC News Online. Retrieved 29 September 2009.
- ^ "Council minutes". Derbyshire Dales District Council. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
- ^ "All change on council". Ashbourne News Telegraph. 1 June 1995. p. 1. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
- ^ "Councillors to decide on a new leader". Ashbourne News Telegraph. 12 February 1998. p. 7. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
- ^ "Community forums to make comeback". Ashbourne News Telegraph. 26 May 1999. p. 12. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
- ^ Bisknell, Eddie (10 March 2023). "Derbyshire Dales Tory council leader resigns after private Gypsy promise". Derbyshire Live. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
- ^ "Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
- ^ Boothroyd, David (23 February 2024). "Butler chosen for Bakewell delicacy". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
- ^ "The Derbyshire Dales (Electoral Changes) Order 2022", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2022/776, retrieved 23 July 2023
- ^ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
- ^ Roberts, Alan (2012). Matlock and Matlock Bath Through Time. ISBN 978-1445609140.
- ^ "Parish council contact details". Derbyshire Dales District Council. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
- ^ "Matlock Mercury". British Newspapers Online. 9 August 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2024.