Derbyshire Times news bulletin 7th December
Derbyshire Times news bulletin with editor Phil Bramley
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NewsTranscript
00:00 Here's today's Derbyshire Times video bulletin.
00:03 Thousands of worried parents have lost their fight to stop Derbyshire County Council from increasing the cost of school meals by 41% from £2.30 to £3.25 a day.
00:14 The council introduced a 95p increase in September, aimed at supporting the authority's struggling finances and to ensure its school meals provision remains sustainable.
00:25 But almost 9,000 residents signed a petition, launched by County Council Labour Group leader Joan Dixon, asking for school meals to be temporarily set at £2.65 each, which forced a debate at a full council meeting.
00:38 They argued the 95p increase is unaffordable for many families who are already facing a cost of living crisis, and fear the price increase will mean fewer Derbyshire children will benefit from a hot mealtime at lunchtime, which helps with their health and learning.
00:53 However, Conservative County Councillor Julian Siddle said,
00:56 "Everyone has talked about the state of the council's finances. I cannot see the opposition coming up with a credible alternative. If there had not been an increase, the council's finances would have been in jeopardy."
01:07 Derbyshire County Council has blamed exceptionally high interest rates, the impact of COVID-19 and the cost of living crisis for its current financial situation.
01:18 A Derbyshire grandad has smashed a Guinness World Record by balancing 350 wine glasses on his head.
01:25 John Evans, who is 76, achieved his feat at a garden centre, walking 10 feet as he balanced the fragile items on his head. He said, "This was easy, and I did it in 35 seconds."
01:35 He was spurred on in his attempt after learning that the record was previously held by 67-year-old Aristotelitis Ferulitis of Cyprus, who balanced 319 wine glasses on his head for 6 seconds.
01:47 John now has 104 world records for his head-balancing achievements, of which half are Guinness World Records and the others Record Holders Republic Human Achievement Awards.