As a result of the current unprecedented medical emergency situation, many people in the community are rightly wanting to help other people who are in need of support in practical ways.

A group of organisations have come together to form the new Derby Covid Community Support group. The group is encouraging people to focus on supporting people who live close to them.

Some statistics for England and Wales:

• Knife crime is up 80 % in 5 years, a record
• Robberies are up 65 % since 2015
• 999 call response times are the worst they've ever been
• Children as young as 12 are being exploited by hard drugs gangs including County Lines
• Fewer than one in 10 of crimes results in a charge - that's halved in 5 years
  
  Is this a surprise when we have 7,500 fewer frontline police on our streets and many police stations closed?
  Derbyshire Constabulary has been doing slightly better than this on some counts, but is starved of funding just like any other, and was criticised in the January 2020 report by HM Inspector of Constabulary on several points including less good protection for the most vulnerable.

  Kate Smith Lib Dem candidate for Police and Crime Commissioner says:
  "We will bring back proper community policing, ensuring officers are visible, trusted and known personally to local people. Police and PCSOs must have protected time to gather intelligence, forge relationships and expand partnership working with schools, youth services and other community organisations. Some of this collaborative work is already good, but it needs imaginative expansion and a lot more funding".
  "We recognise the increasing trend towards cybercrime and online-enabled crime such as dealing, fraud and harassment. Whilst 'boots on the beat' are crucial, it's also important we increase the numbers of officers who can work at speed to gather, evaluate and channel online evidence, whilst keeping up their face-to-face communication skills and community relationships".
  "We must take a fresh and effective, public-health approach to youth violence. We will work to reverse the up to 70 % cuts to youth services over the last decade".
  "And we must value and protect our officers. Solo-crewed patrols must be minimised, and we will argue that all police staff should have an immediate 2% pay rise to help with recruitment and retention. All frontline officers should have training in response to mental ill-health, and mental health practitioners should be stationed in police control rooms 24/7. We will work to ensure that officers themselves receive occupational mental health assessments twice a year to help identify and mitigate work-related trauma".

Lib Dem Cllr Danielle Lind proposed an amendment to the Conservative-led council's budget. The amendment, to put more funding into Special Educational Needs and Disability to improve the processes and systems to improve the outcomes for young people, was passed by the Full Council at the latest meeting.

As we draw closer to the election, more and more politicians are calling for extra spending. And I agree that many of our essential services need more money.

Our NHS is overstretched, with waiting times exploding and people suffering while they wait for treatment. That's why as Lib Dems we'll invest extra in the NHS funded by a 1p rise in income tax.

Senior Conservative councillor Stephen Willoughby has quit the Conservative party and joined the Lib Dems. Steven said "It's more a case that the Conservative Party has left me rather than me leaving the Conservative Party. Over the last 3 years, I have seen the party become unrecognisable from the one I first supported over 20 years ago. I can no longer be part of and campaign for a party where Pro-European and compassionate Conservatives such as Dominic Grieve are no longer welcome.

The House of Commons Education Select Committee have today published a report into Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND). It makes for damning reading on the government' handling of SEND.

The report was compiled following an 18 month enquiry and takes a rigorous look at all aspects of SEND provision. It concludes that the sector as a whole is fundamentally underfunded, but that this isn't the only problem.

Education secretary Gavin Williamson MP visited Derby today, where he said that 'every child should be in school' and criticised climate strike protesters.

Liberal Democrat MP Candidate for Derby North Greg Webb said "Many parents across Derby will be rightly upset by Mr. Williamson's comments today.

A recent report from the Care Quality Commission and OFSTED has revealed that Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) provision in Derby is failing families and hurting our children.

We call on the government to fully fund SEND services for Derby so that no child needs to suffer or be excluded because of government underfunding.

Derby has about 270 licensed Hackney taxis (currently yellow) which can be flagged down or found on taxi ranks. They can also do pre-booked work. Derby also has about 1000 Private Hire vehicles which can only do pre-booked work. There are also quite a number of hackney taxis licensed by other councils that do pre-booked work in the city. Derby City Council has no control over those "outside" vehicles. They are allowed to work outside of their licensed area due to a legal loophole.