WikiMini

South Derbyshire

This article is about the district. For the parliamentary constituency, see South Derbyshire (UK Parliament constituency).

South Derbyshire District
Non-metropolitan district
Swadlincote, the administrative centre of the South Derbyshire district
Swadlincote, the administrative centre of the South Derbyshire district
Shown within Derbyshire
Shown within Derbyshire
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Constituent countryEngland
RegionEast Midlands
Administrative countyDerbyshire
Admin. HQSwadlincote
Government
 • TypeNon-metropolitan district
 • BodySouth Derbyshire District Council
 • MP:Samantha Niblett
Area
 • Total
131 sq mi (338 km2)
 • Rank109th
Population
 (2022)
 • Total
111,133
 • RankRanked 218th
 • Density850/sq mi (330/km2)
Ethnicity (2021)
[1]
 • Ethnic groups
List
Religion (2021)
[1]
 • Religion
List
Time zoneUTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (British Summer Time)
Postcode
DE
ONS code17UK (ONS)
E07000039 (GSS)

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

[edit]

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:[2]

The new district was named South Derbyshire, reflecting its position within the wider county.[3]

Governance

[edit]
South Derbyshire District Council
Logo
Type
Type
Leadership
Angela Archer,
Labour
since 22 May 2025[4][5]
Robert Pearson,
Labour
since 18 May 2023
Justin Ives
since 2 May 2023[6]
Structure
Seats36 councillors
Political groups
Administration (22)
  Labour (22)
Other parties (14)
  Conservative (11)
  Liberal Democrats (2)
  Independent (1)
Elections
Last election
4 May 2023
Next election
6 May 2027
Meeting place
Civic Offices, Civic Way, Swadlincote, DE11 0AH
Website
www.southderbyshire.gov.uk

South Derbyshire District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Derbyshire County Council.[7] Much of the borough is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.[8]

Political control

[edit]

The council has been under Labour majority control since the 2023 election.[9]

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:[10]

Party in control Years
Labour 1974–1976
No overall control 1976–1983
Labour 1983–2007
Conservative 2007–2020
No overall control 2020–2023
Labour 2023–present

Leadership

[edit]

The leaders of the council since 1999 have been:

Councillor Party From To
Jane Carroll[11] Labour May 1999
Bill Dunn[11][12] Labour 20 May 1999 2001
Barrie Whyman[13] Labour 2001 May 2007
Heather Wheeler[14][15] Conservative 24 May 2007 May 2010
Bob Wheeler[15][16][17] Conservative 20 May 2010 18 Jan 2018
Hilary Coyle[17] Conservative 18 Jan 2018 May 2018
Martyn Ford[18][19] Conservative 17 May 2018 3 Jan 2021
Kevin Richards[20][21] Labour 14 Jan 2021 May 2023
Robert Pearson[22] Labour 18 May 2023

Composition

[edit]

Following the 2023 election,[23] and a subsequent by-election in July 2024, the composition of the council was:[24]

Party Councillors
Labour 22
Conservative 11
Liberal Democrats 2
Independent 1
Total 36

The next election is due in 2027.[24]

Elections

[edit]
See also: South Derbyshire District Council elections

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.[25]

Premises

[edit]

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.[26] 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.[27][28]

Parishes and settlements

[edit]
See also: List of civil parishes in Derbyshire
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.[29]

Settlements in the district include:

Media

[edit]

South Derbyshire is served by BBC East Midlands and ITV Central (East) with television signals received from the Waltham transmitter.[30] 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).[31]

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.

Arms

[edit]
Coat of arms of South Derbyshire
Crest
On a wreath of the colours upon a mount Sable inflamed a tower Argent rising therefrom clouds of steam Proper.
Escutcheon
Vert on a chevron Or masoned Sable between three garbs Or a like number of annulets also Sable a chief vairy Ermine and Gules.
Supporters
On the dexter side a lion Ermine gorged with a collar vairy Ermine and Gules and on the sinister side a wolf Erminois gorged with a collar quarterly Ermine and Gules each charged on the shoulder with a Rose Gules barbed Proper thereon another Argent barbed and seeded also Proper.
Motto
The Earth Our Wealth[32]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – South Derbyshire Local Authority (E07000039)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  2. ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 31 May 2023
  3. ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 31 May 2023
  4. ^ "First female Chair of Council in over 11 years starts her role". South Derbyshire District Council. 13 June 2025. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  5. ^ "Council meeting". South Derbyshire District Council. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  6. ^ "New Chief Executive appointed for South Derbyshire District Council". South Derbyshire District Council. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  7. ^ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
  8. ^ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  9. ^ Torr, George; Roberts, Georgia (5 May 2023). "Local elections 2023: Labour big winners across Derbyshire". BBC News. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  10. ^ "Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 21 May 2025. (Put "South Derbyshire" in search box to see specific results.)
  11. ^ a b "'Water under the bridge'". Burton Mail. 20 May 1999. p. 8. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  12. ^ "Council minutes, 21 June 2001". South Derbyshire District Council. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  13. ^ "Scheme completed to stop flooding". BBC News. 19 September 2005. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  14. ^ "Council minutes, 24 May 2007". South Derbyshire District Council. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  15. ^ a b "Council minutes, 20 May 2010". South Derbyshire District Council. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  16. ^ Bisknell, Eddie (19 January 2018). "Leader of South Derbyshire District Council Bob Wheeler steps down after seven years at the reins". Staffordshire Live. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  17. ^ a b "Council minutes, 18 January 2018". South Derbyshire District Council. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  18. ^ "Council minutes, 17 May 2018". South Derbyshire District Council. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  19. ^ Kreft, Helen (7 January 2021). "Council leader resigns amid major falling out in South Derbyshire". Staffordshire Live. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  20. ^ "Council minutes, 14 January 2021". South Derbyshire District Council. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  21. ^ Kreft, Helen (17 January 2023). "Leader of South Derbyshire council to step down after 25 years as a councillor". Staffordshire Live. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  22. ^ "Council minutes, 18 May 2023". South Derbyshire District Council. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  23. ^ "Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
  24. ^ a b "South Derbyshire". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  25. ^ "The South Derbyshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2011", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2011/165, retrieved 27 July 2023
  26. ^ "Official opening of new council offices". Burton Daily Mail. 17 February 1977. p. 8. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  27. ^ Historic England. "Town Hall (Grade 2) (1334526)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  28. ^ "Committees". South Derbyshire District Council. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  29. ^ "Parish Councils". South Derbyshire District Council. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  30. ^ "Full Freeview on the Waltham (Leicestershire, England) transmitter". UK Free TV. 1 May 2004. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  31. ^ "Full Freeview on the Sutton Coldfield (Birmingham, England) transmitter". UK Free TV. 1 May 2004. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  32. ^ "East Midlands Region". Civic Heraldry of England. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
[edit]
Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article "Swadlincote".
Wikimedia Commons has media related to South Derbyshire.

52°48′N 1°32′W / 52.800°N 1.533°W / 52.800; -1.533