The Parish Council

Duffield Parish Council has been in existence since 4th January 1895.  The village is within the Borough of Amber Valley and the Local Authority is Derbyshire County Council.

The Council has an office in the Weston Centre in Tamworth St, which is open to the public on a Monday and Wednesday morning 10-12am. We are available to assist you with your queries on Council and Local Government matter.

The 12 members of the Parish Council are currently elected to serve for a term of four years with the current Council's term of office ending in May 2011. A Councillors role and responsibilities are quite different to those of the Officers of the Council. To find out who does what we have put together a short summary of our roles and responsibilities.

The full council meets on the second Tuesday of each month, (apart from August), at 7.00pm in the Meeting Room in the Cemetery Grounds on Hazelwood Rd.
Members of the public are invited to attend and can speak if they so wish. To help you make the most of your time when you speak, we have drawn up guidelines which will ensure everyone gets a chance to have their say. To view these guidelines please click on the link: HAVE YOUR SAY.

Notices of meetings are placed in the Parish Council Notice board and outside the Parish Office at the Weston Centre.  The noticeboards are situated in the car park at The White Hart Pub on Town Street; by the side of Meadow Vale Stores and at the Cemetery entrance in Hazelwood Rd. You can also find the schedule of meetings by clicking here.

Meetings follow recommended set patterns as laid down by our Standing Orders. These are rules which govern how we function in meetings and why we make decisions in certain ways. You can read our Standing Orders and Financial Regulations. Meetings will generally cover the following:

  • Public Participation
  • Declarations of Interests - to find our why Councillors declare and interest click here
  • Confirmation of the previous Parish Council meeting minutes
  • Ratification of any resolutions taken by the Council committees (see below)
  • Discussion of Planning Applications received and representations made to Amber Valley Borough Council (the planning body) where appropriate
  • All items of correspondence received
  • Reports from Councillors who sit on outside village committees (see below)
  • Authorisation and payment of monthly accounts
  • Special items

Items which are identified as "items for exclusion" will be notified to members and the public at the start of the meeting. When these are discussed the public and press will be asked to leave the meeting as they cannot be discussed in open meeting. If you would like know how these items are identified, please read our guidance notes "items for exclusion"

The Council has three committees

  • The Finance, Strategy and General Purposes Committee is responsible for council policy, its expenditure of grants, awards and precept monies: the preparation of the annual budget and all personnel matters.
  • The Cemetery Committee is responsible for all matters relating to the Parish Cemetery and allotments on Hazelwood Rd, Duffield.
  • The Recreational Committee discusses matters relating to the management and maintenance of:
    • The open spaces of Eyes Meadow (including the Millennium Meadow) and Gray’s Recreational Ground
    • The Parish Footpaths

The Council is represented on the following outside committees:

  • R.J.Weston Centre Charity
  • The Parish Hall Management Committee
  • The Millennium Meadow Committee
  • Belper Road Safety Committee
  • The Governing Body of Ecclesbourne School (Associate status)
  • The Governing Body of Meadow Primary School

How the Council develops its policies

The Parish Council has a number of ways in which it consults with the public on the development of its policies. One important piece of work in this area was the completion of a Parish Plan. The Plan was put together by a number of volunteers and was Completed in September 2005. It looked at all aspects of village life. One result of this consultation was the design and installation of a new playground at Grays Recreational Ground. This was completed in May 2008. Other areas identified in the plan continue to influence Parish Council policy and form part of their ongoing work.

To read the Parish Plan please click here

Importantly however communication is a key aspect of our consultation and decision making process, and we are always keen to hear your views on all aspects of village life. If you would like to send you views please press the Contact button at the top of the page. Alternatively you can come to one of our open surgeries (click here for dates) or contact the Clerk at the Parish Office.

Our Policies

As part of our governance the Parish Council operates under a number of policies.
You can view our policies here.