Councillor Sarah Chambers, Cabinet Member for Communities, Equalities and Public Safety, reflects on a year that has seen action to improve safety in the city centre, and to safeguard our community libraries:
It has been a privilege to serve Derby as Cabinet Member for Communities, Equalities and Public Safety over the past year. Despite ongoing challenges such as the cost-of-living crisis, listening to residents and working alongside them has remained at the heart of everything we do. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank our teams in all the service areas I represent for their unwavering commitment and hard work.
Libraries are at the heart of our communities and throughout my role, I have been committed to securing their long-term future, working closely with officers to deliver on our pledge to protect these vital community services. Earlier this year, we made the decision that outsourcing wasn’t the right approach to safeguarding our community libraries.
Looking ahead to 2026, we will continue to make responsible decisions to ensure their long-term sustainability and effectiveness.
A real highlight for me this year was reopening Spondon Library in the summer following its refurbishment. The building has been transformed into a modern, welcoming and energy-efficient community hub.
Our Pension Credit campaign delivered vital financial support to pensioners across the city, securing more than £583,000 for 140 Derby residents, helping them stay warm and financially secure during the winter months.
Community safety remains a key priority. In response to residents’ concerns, we renewed two Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs), covering the city centre and surrounding areas (Abbey, Arboretum, Darley and Normanton wards) to tackle anti-social behaviour, begging and substance misuse. We also introduced a new high-visibility van, which will provide reassurance, promote safety and make council teams easily identifiable in neighbourhoods.
We have increased our Public Protection Officers patrols in the city centre. In addition, we have upgraded uniforms for our Public Protection Officers (PPOs) to further enhance their visibility in the city centre, providing reassurance to the public. We have also strengthened our teams by recruiting additional PPOs alongside a new Community Safety Officer.
It has been a strong year for our Neighbourhoods team, with the reinstatement of the City Centre Manager role and the introduction of a Local Area Coordinator which has strengthened connections between partners and city centre residents. Our Local Area Coordinators have also prevented, reduced, or delayed 151 residents from needing access to social care interventions. While this has diverted £2.5m, the real benefit is in helping people live the independent life they want to, for longer.
I’m also proud that Derby has been awarded the Purple Flag for the twelfth year in a row. This prestigious award recognises the city’s excellence in managing the evening and night-time economy.
We ended the year by launching the No Place for Hate campaign. This city-wide initiative sends a clear and united message that abuse, harassment, bullying and hate will not be tolerated in Derby. The official launch event brought together dozens of partners from across the city, showcasing a shared commitment to standing together against hate.
As we move into 2026, I remain committed in my role to listening to residents, addressing their concerns and working with partners to ensure that Derby remains a thriving city that we can all be proud of.