A new Independent Chair has been appointed to drive forward community-led improvements in Chaddesden West. 

As part of the £20 million Pride in Place funding from the Government’s Pride in Place Strategy, Ryan Duckett, Chief Executive of Derbyshire County Cricket Club, has been selected as Independent Chair of the Pride in Place, Chaddesden West Board. The selection follows an interview held on Friday 20 March by a panel of residents, local partners, councillors, and the Member of Parliament for Derby North, Catherine Atkinson. 

The Board will be made up of local residents, community organisations, businesses, public sector partners, and Catherine Atkinson MP. The Board will set out local priorities, oversee delivery, and develop a shared 10-year vision for Chaddesden West based on what matters most to the community. 

Residents and partners described Ryan as “professional and engaging” with “good connections with the local and wider community”, as well as “confident, articulate and able to communicate with a wide audience.” Others noted his “considered approach”, describing him as “friendly but still business-minded” and “very capable and diplomatic.”

The £20 million in funding from the Pride in Place programme will support long-term regeneration in Chaddesden West, running from April 2026 to March 2036. It will bring significant investment into the area, aiming to improve everyday life for residents by investing in local priorities such as community facilities, public spaces, opportunities for young people and initiatives that strengthen pride and connection.

Councillor Sarah Chambers, Cabinet Member for Communities, Equalities and Public Safety said:

I’m thrilled that Ryan has been selected for the role of Independent Chair to lead the Pride in Place Board. The £20 million funding will help to build stronger communities and create thriving places for residents. I’m excited to see the work that the Board will do implement a 10-year investment programme where residents’ voices will be at the centre of change.

Ryan Duckett, Chief Executive of Derbyshire County Cricket Club, said:

I’m delighted to have been appointed to this role; this is a great opportunity to deliver significant improvements and facilities for residents in Chaddesden West. 

I look forward to working with residents to implement meaningful change, as well as key stakeholders in the community, to set out key priorities and a shared vision for the future.

Catherine Atkinson, Member of Parliament for Derby North, said: 

Ryan Duckett’s appointment as Independent Chair is a really positive step for Chaddesden West. He knows Derby, he knows how to lead, and he will bring people together around a shared plan for the area.

This £20 million of Government funding is a real chance to restore pride in Chaddesden West and deliver the kind of changes local people want to see in the place they call home, whether that is stronger community facilities, better opportunities for young people, or neighbourhoods that feel cleaner, safer and more looked after.

What matters most is that it will be local people will help shape the priorities and decide how this money is spent. Chaddesden West has so much going for it, and this funding should help give residents the backing they need to build on that in the years ahead.

The Chaddesden West Board will now begin the next phase of its work, engaging with residents and stakeholders to develop priorities and ensure the Pride in Place funding delivers real, lasting benefits for the community.