| South Derbyshire District | |
| Type: | Non-metropolitan district |
| Mapsize: | 160px |
| Subdivision Type: | Sovereign state |
| Subdivision Name: | United Kingdom |
| Subdivision Type1: | Constituent country |
| Subdivision Name1: | England |
| Subdivision Type2: | Region |
| Subdivision Name2: | East Midlands |
| Subdivision Type3: | Administrative county |
| Subdivision Name3: | Derbyshire |
| Seat Type: | Admin. HQ |
| Seat: | Swadlincote |
| Government Type: | Non-metropolitan district |
| Governing Body: | South Derbyshire District Council |
| Demographics Type1: | Ethnicity (2021) |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Ethnic groups |
| Demographics Type2: | Religion (2021) |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Religion |
| Leader Title2: | MP |
| Leader Name2: | Samantha Niblett |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Area Rank: | |
| Population Rank: | Ranked |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone: | Greenwich Mean Time |
| Utc Offset: | +0 |
| Timezone Dst: | British Summer Time |
| Utc Offset Dst: | +1 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postcode |
| Postal Code: | DE |
| Blank Name: | ISO 3166-2 |
| Blank1 Name: | ONS code |
| Blank1 Info: | 17UK (ONS) E07000039 (GSS) |
| Blank2 Name: | OS grid reference |
| Blank3 Name: | NUTS 3 |
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.
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:[1]
The new district was named South Derbyshire, reflecting its position within the wider county.[2]
| South Derbyshire District Council | |
| Logo Pic: | South Derbyshire District Council logo.svg |
| Logo Res: | 200px |
| House Type: | Non-metropolitan district |
| Leader1 Type: | Chair |
| Leader1: | Sean Bambrick |
| Party1: | Labour |
| Election1: | 25 May 2023[3] |
| Leader2 Type: | Leader |
| Leader2: | Robert Pearson |
| Party2: | Labour |
| Election2: | 18 May 2023 |
| Leader3 Type: | Chief Executive |
| Leader3: | Justin Ives |
| Election3: | 2 May 2023[4] |
| Members: | 36 councillors |
| Structure1 Res: | 280 |
| Political Groups1: |
|
| Last Election1: | 4 May 2023 |
| Next Election1: | 6 May 2027 |
| Session Room: | South Derbyshire Civic Offices.jpg |
| Meeting Place: | Civic Offices, Civic Way, Swadlincote, DE110AH |
South Derbyshire District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Derbyshire County Council.[5] Much of the borough is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.[6]
The council has been under Labour majority control since the 2023 election.[7]
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:[8]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| 1974–1976 | ||
| 1976–1983 | ||
| 1983–2007 | ||
| 2007–2020 | ||
| 2020–2023 | ||
| 2023–present | ||
The leaders of the council since 2001 have been:[9]
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Dunn | 1 Jul 2001 | |||
| Barry Whyman | 2 Jul 2001 | 6 May 2007 | ||
| 24 May 2007 | 20 May 2010 | |||
| Bob Wheeler[10] | 20 May 2010 | 8 Jan 2018 | ||
| Hilary Coyle | 18 Jan 2018 | 17 May 2018 | ||
| Martyn Ford[11] | 17 May 2018 | 3 Jan 2021 | ||
| Kevin Richards | 14 Jan 2021 | 7 May 2023 | ||
| Robert Pearson | 18 May 2023 | |||
Following the 2023 election and a subsequent by-election in July 2024, the composition of the council was:[12] [13]
| Party | Councillors | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | |||
| 11 | |||
| 2 | |||
| 1 | |||
| Total | 36 | ||
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.[14]
The council is based at the Civic Offices on Civic Way in Swadlincote. The building was purpose-built for the council and was completed in 1977, being formally opened on 18 February 1977 by Jack Longland.[15] 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.[16]
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.[17]
Settlements in the district include:
South Derbyshire is served by BBC East Midlands and ITV Central (East) with television signals received from the Waltham transmitter.[18] 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).[19]
Radio stations for the area are BBC Radio Derby, Capital Mid-Counties (formerly Touch FM), Smooth East Midlands, Gem and Greatest Hits Radio Midlands.
The area is served by the local newspaper, Burton Mail.
| 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. |
| Crest: | On a wreath of the colours upon a mount Sable inflamed a tower Argent rising therefrom clouds of steam Proper. |
| 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[20] |