South Derbyshire

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

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.

South Derbyshire District
Non-metropolitan district
Swadlincote, the administrative centre of the South Derbyshire district
Shown within Derbyshire
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Constituent country	England
Region	East Midlands
Administrative county	Derbyshire
Admin. HQ	Swadlincote
Government
• Type	Non-metropolitan district
• Body	South Derbyshire District Council
• MP:	Samantha Niblett
Area
• Total	131 sq mi (338 km2)
• Rank	109th
Population  (2022)
• Total	111,133
• Rank	Ranked 218th
• Density	850/sq mi (330/km2)
Ethnicity (2021) [1]
• Ethnic groups	List 93.1% White 3.6% Asian 1.8% Mixed 0.8% Black 0.7% other
Religion (2021) [1]
• Religion	List 50.1% Christianity 45.5% no religion 3.6% other 0.8% Islam
Time zone	UTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+1 (British Summer Time)
Postcode	DE
ONS code	17UK (ONS) E07000039 (GSS)

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:^[2]

• 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.^[3]

Governance

South Derbyshire District Council
Type
Type	Non-metropolitan district
Leadership
Chair	Sean Bambrick, Labour since 25 May 2023[4]
Leader	Robert Pearson, Labour since 18 May 2023
Chief Executive	Justin Ives since 2 May 2023[5]
Structure
Seats	36 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.^[6] Much of the borough is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.^[7]

Political control

The council has been under Labour majority control since the 2023 election.^[8]

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:^[9]

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

The leaders of the council since 2001 have been:^[10]

Councillor	Party		From	To
Bill Dunn		Labour		1 Jul 2001
Barry Whyman		Labour	2 Jul 2001	6 May 2007
Heather Wheeler		Conservative	24 May 2007	20 May 2010
Bob Wheeler[11]		Conservative	20 May 2010	8 Jan 2018
Hilary Coyle		Conservative	18 Jan 2018	17 May 2018
Martyn Ford[12]		Conservative	17 May 2018	3 Jan 2021
Kevin Richards		Labour	14 Jan 2021	7 May 2023
Robert Pearson		Labour	18 May 2023

Composition

Following the 2023 election and a subsequent by-election in July 2024, the composition of the council was:^[13][14]

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

The next election is due in 2027.

Elections

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.^[15]

Premises

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.^[16] 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.^[17][18]

Parishes and settlements

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.^[19]

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.^[20] 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).^[21]

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

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[22]

References

1. 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. "Chair now in office". South Derbyshire District Council. 28 May 2024. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
5. "New Chief Executive appointed for South Derbyshire District Council". South Derbyshire District Council. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
6. "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
7. "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
8. Torr, George; Roberts, Georgia (5 May 2023). "Local elections 2023: Labour big winners across Derbyshire". BBC News. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
9. "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
10. "Council minutes". South Derbyshire District Council. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
11. 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.
12. Kreft, Helen (7 January 2021). "Council leader resigns amid major falling out in South Derbyshire". Staffordshire Live. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
13. "Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
14. "South Derbyshire". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
15. "The South Derbyshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2011", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2011/165, retrieved 27 July 2023
16. "Official opening of new council offices". Burton Daily Mail. 17 February 1977. p. 8. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
17. Historic England. "Town Hall (Grade 2) (1334526)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
18. "Committees". South Derbyshire District Council. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
19. "Parish Councils". South Derbyshire District Council. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
20. "Full Freeview on the Waltham (Leicestershire, England) transmitter". UK Free TV. 1 May 2004. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
21. "Full Freeview on the Sutton Coldfield (Birmingham, England) transmitter". UK Free TV. 1 May 2004. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
22. "East Midlands Region". Civic Heraldry of England. Retrieved 8 March 2021.

External links

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

52°48′N 1°32′W