New council leader vows to help north Derbyshire recover from virus impact

Councillor Alex Dale was elected as the new leader of North Derbyshire District Council, while councillor Charlotte Cupit was appointed deputy leader at the full council meeting on July 13.

The new leader has set out his commitment to continue to build on the council’s achievements over the past year with a new “relentless focus on recovery” to get the district back on its feet.

Councillor Dale said: “It is a tremendous privilege and honour to be elected as the leader of North East Derbyshire District Council.

"We have a fantastic district, which has shown its incredible resilience during the Covid-19 pandemic and I am looking forward to working with our residents and businesses to get back on our feet.”

The new leader has set his sights on ensuring the district is equipped to come through the pandemic stronger, as well as ensuring local businesses and local economy are supported.

He said: “We are fully focused on meeting the challenges ahead and using these unprecedented times to change the way we work and operate to create a greener and more sustainable future for the council, our residents and our businesses.

“I’m determined that we will also be a ‘listening council’, engaging with our communities in a meaningful way at every opportunity to ensure that the decisions we take represent the needs of those we have been elected to serve.”

Tributes were also paid to the departing leader, councillor Martin Thacker, for his contribution during his time as leader and for steering the authority through the coronavirus pandemic with integrity and dedication.

Councillor Dale added: “I would like to thank outgoing leader Martin for his commitment and dedication to serving our district over the last 13 months.

"It has been an incredibly challenging yet rewarding time and I wish him all the best in the future.”