Residents will be aware that Durham County Council charge for garden waste collections. If you subscribe to the scheme you will get 17 fortnightly collections between April and November 2020.

The annual subscription fee is £35. This is for one garden waste bin to be collected. If you want extra bins, you also need to pay for them and the collection of them.

If you do not want to subscribe and pay for garden waste collections, or your property is no longer eligible for the service, you can get a garden waste bin removed.

For more information on the scheme and details of how to register telephone 03000 251 000 or go to www.durham.gov.uk/gardenwaste

Potholes can occur at any time of the year, however they tend to be more of a problem during the winter months. Severe prolonged winters can lead to more potholes in the roads. Durham County Council have an inspection and maintenance system, however if you want to report any road damage please call the County Council on 03000 261 000 or visit the Durham County Council website.

A new fund aimed at tackling food poverty in East Durham has launched.

The Access to Food in the Community Fund, launched by The East Durham Area Action Partnership, supports groups providing vital healthy eating services.

Lunch clubs, breakfast clubs and community cafes can apply for funding to set up new clubs or improve existing ones by replacing kitchen equipment.

For more information call 03000 262 054 or email eastdurhamaap@durham.gov.uk.

Neighbourhood Wardens in the East Durham area can be contacted on 03000 261 000 up to 5pm after that ring 101.

The Meals on Wheels service, provided by Wheatley Hill Community Association was established in 2011 and is a lifeline to those, who for various reasons may not otherwise have access to a daily hot meal. It also provides a vital service to isolated individuals who look forward to the social interaction or the sight of a “friendly face”. The service coupled with the Luncheon Club at the Centre ensures that the elderly and less mobile in our community can receive a hot meal seven days a week.

Meals are freshly prepared each day at the Greenhills Centre. The service operates Monday to Friday delivering hot meals from a choice of menu, with fresh chilled meals available for weekends and Bank Holidays.

If you are interested in receiving a meal, would like more information about the service or would like to become a volunteer driver please contact Hilary Jamieson on 01429 820 0214.

To vote at an election you must be on the electoral register and electoral registration is changing. In the past the “head of the household” registered everyone who lived at that address. Now individuals must register themselves.

Over the summer Durham County Council wrote to people to tell them of this change. If you received a letter saying you were not automatically transferred; or you have not registered before; or have just turned 18, visit Gov.uk to register to vote online.

If you didn’t receive a letter, contact 03000 261 212 or email electoralservices@durham.gov.uk.

Are you confused by benefit changes? Unsure about Universal Credit? Baffled by Bedroom Tax? Do not despair!

Welfare Champions are now available in local communities to help answer some of your questions and point you in the direction of further support and guidance. Welfare Champions are volunteers who have been trained to help local people who may have questions about changes to the Welfare system.

If you need help and guidance contact your local Welfare Champion; Evelyn Robson at the Greenhills Centre, Wheatley Hill on a Wednesday between 10.00am – 12 noon.

Between 1 October and 31 March, household waste recycling centres will operate winter opening times. Residents are advised to check site opening times before they visit.

Household waste recycling centres are for household waste only and businesses and landlords are not permitted to take rubbish to these sites. Residents who own a van, minibus, trailer or pick up will also need to apply for a waste permit to access the site or if they need to dispose of hazardous household waste.

If you need any further information please telephone 03000 261 000 or visit the Household Waste Recycling Centre section of the Durham County Council website.

Wheatley Hill Parish Council approved its budget for 2020-2021 in the sum of £127,507 at the meeting of the Parish Council held on 13 January 2020.

The introduction by Central Government of a Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme grant which replaced the Council Tax Benefit Scheme significantly changed the calculation of the tax-base upon which Council Tax is calculated. Town and parish councils are not financially independent and are reliant upon Central Government grant support to compensate for the loss of tax-base. The grant support is paid to Durham County Council who then redistribute the grant to parishes but the County Council is under no obligation to do this. Durham County Council as our billing authority has agreed to redistribute the relevant part of the Central Government grant for 2020-2021.

The Parish Council requires a budget of £127,507 for the 2020/2021 financial year. To off-set the budget the Parish Council will use £4,489 of reserves and receive a Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme grant of £14,766. After deducting the £4,489 reserves and the £14,766 grant from the Council’s budget this will produce a precept requirement of £108,252. The total amount requested from Durham County Council for 2020/2021 is therefore £123,018.

This budget represents a standstill Band D charge and means that as a result of increase in the council tax base residents will pay exactly the same amount as last year. By keeping a standstill Band D charge the Parish Councils precept will increase by 6.79%.