Leadership of the Council

Leader of the council, Councillor Nadine Peatfield has been a Labour and Co-operative councillor for Sinfin and Osmaston since 2018. She is also Deputy Mayor of the East Midlands.

As a drama and English graduate, Nadine has a life-long love of theatre, literature and music, running her own community choir since 2008. Having run her own Derby-based family magazine and events business, Nadine has a unique understanding of communities, business, culture and events.

Councillor Peatfield was appointed to serve as the Leader of the Council at an Extraordinary meeting of Full Council on 18 June 2024. She is also the Cabinet Member for City Centre, Regeneration, Strategy and Policy.

Portfolio Themes and Priorities

• Investment, Economic Development and Strategic Growth (Smartparc, SDGZ, GBR)
• City Centre Ambition (Market Place, Becketwell, Market Hall, Castleward, Station Gateway)
• Local Government Reorganisation
• City Partnership  
• EMCCA
• Sinfin Waste Plant

This includes overall strategic responsibility for the following Council services:

City Growth and Vibrancy

• Regeneration and Economic Growth

Corporate Management

• Communications and Marketing
• Strategy, Performance and Partnerships
• Projects and Change
• Policy, Insight and Performance

Shiraz Khan has been a councillor for Arboretum Ward since 2004. He was the Cabinet Member for Housing, Property and Regulatory Services from May 2023 until July 2024.

Shiraz served as Shadow Cabinet Member for Housing for three years and more recently served as the Chair of the Planning Control Committee and Chair of the Standards Committee. He has also been the Chair of the General Licensing and Personnel Committees.

He was the Mayor of the City of Derby during the Municipal Year 2014-15.

Councillor Shiraz Khan was appointed as the Cabinet Member for Housing, Strategic Planning and Regulatory Services at Full Council on 17 July 2024. He was appointed as Deputy Leader of the Council on 20 May 2026.

Portfolio Themes and Priorities

• Temporary accommodation
• Local Plan
• Landlord Charter
• HRA Capital Programme

This includes overall strategic responsibility for the following Council services:

City Growth and Vibrancy

• Planning, including HMOs

Communities

• Strategic Housing
• Licensing
• Regulatory Services

Derby Homes

• Derby Advice
• Housing Options and Homelessness

Corporate Governance, Procurement and Property

• Property and Consultancy Services
• Estates and Property Review

Sarah has a wealth of experience, holding various roles of responsibility in the public and private sector. Sarah has witnessed first hand how poverty, modern day slavery, the cost of living crisis and inequality affects many people in our society. Sarah will draw on these experiences, as well as work with partners and agencies to positively influence change for the people of Derby.

Sarah has volunteered for many community groups over the years and recognises the benefits and how valuable these groups are, especially over recent years. This prompted Sarah to stand to be a Councillor in Sinfin and Osmaston, the ward she and her family grew up in, spanning 70+ years. The richest thing Sarah had growing up, was community and always strives for more UNITY in the commUNITY.

Since being elected in May 2023, Sarah has been a member of the Licensing Committee, Communities, Public Protection and Housing Scrutiny Review Board, Regeneration, Vibrancy and Climate Change Scrutiny Review Board and is the chair of Sinfin and Osmaston Neighbourhood Ward Board Committee.

Family is the most important thing to Sarah, along with her other passion, her beloved Derby County FC!

Councillor Chambers was appointed as the Cabinet Member for Cost of Living, Equalities and Communities at Full Council on 17 July 2024. She has since been appointed as the Cabinet Member for Communities, Equalities and Public Safety on 20 May 2026.

Portfolio Themes and Priorities

• Cost of Living, Resilient Board and Poverty Commission
• VCS Engagement, including Food4Thought, Community Action Derby, YMCA
• Partnership engagement
• Neighbourhood working
• Community recovery

This includes overall strategic responsibility for the following Council services:

Corporate Management

• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Communities

• Neighbourhood's and Localities
• Cohesion and Community Safety (including PPOs and city centre)
• Libraries

Hardyal Dhindsa has been a councillor for 30 years and is currently the Labour and Cooperative councillor for Blagreaves Ward. Hardyal previously served as a councillor for Normanton Ward for 19 years; and Boulton Ward for 9 years. He was the Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner from 2016-2021.

Hardyal was appointed Cabinet Member for Communities and Streetpride in May 2023, as Cabinet Member for Digital and Organisational Transformation in July 2024, and most recently as Cabinet Member for Finance, Governance and Digital in May 2026. He was previously Shadow Cabinet Member for Communities and Streetpride and was also the Chair of the Communities Scrutiny Board. He has also served as a member of the Executive Scrutiny Board and is a Derbyshire Police and Crime Panel member. He has been the Council’s Ethnic Minorities Champion, Chair of the Race Equality Forum, and is a Trustee of the Restorative Justice Council.

Professionally, Hardyal is a qualified Probation Officer, with 30 years’ experience, including 22 as a strategic manager. He has extensive experience of the Criminal Justice System and victim support services, gained during his 5 years as Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner.

In the past Hardyal has held other Cabinet posts including, Adult Health and Wellbeing, Education and Lifelong Learning, Highways and Environment and Leisure and Culture.

Councillor Dhindsa was appointed as the Cabinet Member for Finance, Governance and Digital at Full Council on 20 May 2026.

Portfolio Themes and Priorities

• Demand, Insight and Prevention
• Asset Rationalisation
• Digital, Efficiency and Innovation
• MTFP and Budget
• Fair funding review and implementation
• Artificial Intelligence
• People and Culture

This includes overall strategic responsibility for the following Council services:

Corporate Governance, Procurement and Property

• Legal, Insurance and Information Governance
• Democracy
• Procurement

Finance

• Corporate Finance
• Business Partnering
• Major Projects
• Business Support and Debt Management
• Internal Audit

Digital Infrastructure and Customer Engagement

• Digital Enablement and Automation
• ICT Infrastructure and Cyber Security
• Customer Engagement and Registration Services
• Accommodation, Facilities and Health and Safety

Corporate Management

Human Resources and Workforce Development, including Trade Union liaison

Labour and Cooperative Councillor for Abbey Ward since 2014, Paul is a retired secondary school teacher.

Councillor Hezelgrave was appointed as the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Skills at Full Council on 17 July 2024.

He served as Cabinet Member for Cost of Living, Equalities and Customer Inclusion from May 2023 before being appointed Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Skills in July 2024. He held the position of Deputy Leader until May 2026, at which point he retained his Cabinet Member responsibilities.

In opposition, Paul served as Shadow Cabinet Member for Cost of Living, Adults and Health and Children and Young People. Paul was formerly the Chair of the Audit and Accounts Committee and is a long-standing member of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Board and the Corporate Parenting Committee. Paul is also a longstanding member of the Poverty Commission and a Trustee of Bramblebrook Community Centre.

Portfolio Themes and Priorities

• High Needs Block / Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
• Families First (Contextual Safeguarding, SEND, links to demand management)
• Integrated Care Partnership (in liaison with Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Care)
• Education Investment Area
• Jobs and Skills
• Derby Promise

This includes overall strategic responsibility for the following Council services:

Early Help and Children’s Social Care

• Children’s Quality Assurance
• Specialist Services
• Early Help
• Social Care Fieldwork
• Children’s Residential Care
• Fostering and Permanence

Learning, Inclusion and Skills

• Inclusion
• SEND Sufficiency Partnerships and Compliance
• Employment, Skills and Adult Education
• Transition 2
• Education and Education specialist services
• Local Authority Maintained Schools

Commissioning and Delivery

• Children’s Commissioning, Brokerage and Market Management
• School Organisation and Provision

Councillor Gurkiran Kaur has represented Normanton Ward as a Labour councillor since 2023, standing for election in the community where she grew up. As the youngest councillor elected to Derby City Council, she is passionate about ensuring that the voices and perspectives of young people shape decision-making in local government.

Alongside her council work, Gurkiran has volunteered for over eleven years teaching a free class in Sikh Devotional Music, giving young people the opportunity to build confidence, develop their talents, and find meaningful ways to express themselves. This experience has shaped her deep commitment to the arts and to making cultural opportunities accessible to everyone, regardless of background.

Councillor Kaur was appointed Cabinet Member for City Centre, Culture and Tourism at Full Council on 20 May 2026.

Portfolio Themes and Priorities

• City Centre Vibrancy (including public realm, PiPIF and business engagement)
• Local business investment (Vacant to Vibrant, social enterprise)

This includes overall strategic responsibility for the following Council services:

City Growth and Vibrancy

• Culture and Tourism

Communities

• Night-time economy and city centre management

Alison Martin has been a Councillor for Darley Ward since 2021, and was previously a Councillor for Boulton Ward, when she was a Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture. She has been the Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Care since May 2023.

She was formerly: Chair of the Adults and Health Scrutiny Board; Chair of the Resources and Governance Scrutiny Board; Shadow Cabinet Member for Adults and Health, and Shadow Cabinet Member for Children and Young People.

Alison is currently Chair of the Derby Health and Wellbeing Board and Co-Chair of the Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Partnership. She is a Council representative on SACRE. Formerly, she was a Board member of Derby Homes, Quad and Sinfonia Viva. She was, for many years, a governor, and Chair of Governors at Woodlands School.

Councillor Martin was re-appointed as the Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Care at Full Council on 17 July 2024.

Portfolio Themes and Priorities

• Health and Wellbeing Board
• Integrated Care (including links to demand management)
• ICB transition

This includes overall strategic responsibility for the following Council services:

Public Health

• Health Inequality

Adult Social Care Services

• Community Support and Frailty
• Learning, Disabilities, Autism and Mental Health
• Safeguarding and Professional Standards

Commissioning and Delivery

• Adults Commissioning, Integration and Market Development

Councillor Ndukwe Onuoha was elected to represent Mackworth and New Zealand ward in 2023. He is the first African to be elected in the city of Derby.

He is a Creative Director with over 16 years of experience creating marketing communications for global brands such as Uber, Guinness, Johnnie Walker, Ciroc, British Council, ABInBev, E.On Next, Total Energy, WorldRemit, Fidelity Bank, and others. He is also a storyteller and an Arts Council England-endorsed spoken word poet.

He has previously served as a juror on international advertising festivals such as the New York Festivals Advertising Award, AD Stars, South Korea, Pitchers Awards, and Lagos Advertising and Ideas Festival.

Councillor Onuoha was born and raised in Aba, Abia State, Nigeria. He moved to Derby in 2021 with his wife and two children. Councillor Onuoha has served on various committees and is a member of the Neighbourhood Board for Mackworth and New Zealand.

Councillor Onuoha was first appointed to the Cabinet at Full Council on 17 July 2024. He was appointed as the Cabinet Member for Streetpride, Parks and Leisure on 20 May 2026.

Portfolio Themes and Priorities

• Rough Sleeping
• Highways Hub transition
• Food waste introduction
• Crematorium Project
• Sinfin Waste Treatment Plant

This includes overall strategic responsibility for the following Council services:

Communities

• Streetpride Services
• Waste Disposal (including fly-tipping)
• Leisure
• Parks and Open Spaces
• Bereavement Services

As a dedicated Councillor for Darley Ward, Carmel understands the complex relationship between environmental sustainability, transportation systems, and public well-being. With her experience working in health and social care and human rights, and her current position as a CEO championing financial inclusion she has witnessed the struggles of marginalised communities affected by environmental issues.

Carmel is a passionate advocate for initiatives that address social determinants of health. Carmel believes in collaboration and actively seeks input from specialists, activists, and community leaders to develop holistic strategies, prioritising the environment, transportation, and public health of Derby.

Councillor Swan was first appointed as the Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Transport and Sustainability on 24 May 2023. She was most recently reappointed at Full Council on 20 May 2026.

Portfolio Themes and Priorities

• Mobility - Transforming Cities
• Our City, Our River
• Climate Change and Sustainability
• Energy (Hydrogen Fuels, NO2)
• Rewilding
• Bus partnership and routes
• Derby Energy plan

This includes overall strategic responsibility for the following Council services:

City Sustainability

• Climate and Active Environments
• Network and Asset Management
• Mobility and Major Projects