Index

1. East Durham AAP Board Meeting
2. County Durham Community Engagement Review
3. Fun and Food Funding – May Half Term 2023
4. Have your say on home to school transport proposals
5. Fun and Food – Easter Holidays 2023 Activities
6. Wellbeing for Life Training Calendar – April – June 2023
7. Multiply Programme
8. Community Resilience Partnership Information & Sessions
9. School Crossing Patrol Vacancies
10. Adventure Access Watersports Funding Survey              

1. East Durham AAP Board Meeting

The next East Durham AAP Board Meeting will take place on Wednesday 19th April at 6pm at Horden Social Welfare Centre.

If you would like to attend this meeting, please email eastdurhamaap@durham.gov.uk to be added to the list.

2. County Durham Community Engagement Review

An independent review of our current engagement practices has made a number of proposals to change the way we do things and better meet the needs of our residents, communities, councillors and main partners. In particular, the review looked at how communities can be more involved in affecting local decisions based on their needs, strengths, and ambitions.

Since 2009, our 14 Area Action Partnerships (AAPs) have been one of the main ways for us to engage with the public on a local level. They have helped to fund over 10,000 community-based projects. Since AAPs were established, there have been a lot of changes to local and national policies, so it was the right time to carry out an independent review to see if our AAPs were still fit for the purpose they were created.

Independent consultants, appointed in June 2022, have now completed their review and have come up with a series of proposed changes covering:

• model
• boundaries
• funding
• community development

Have your say

You can read about the consultation in full, including the full report detailing their review and recommendations, and access the online feedback form to have your say on the consultant’s proposals regarding the future of community engagement here:

https://www.durham.gov.uk/article/29179/County-Durham-community-engagement-consultation

The deadline for comments is 5pm on Sunday 23 April 2023.

The feedback from this consultation will be used to finalise proposals for our community engagement function. Cabinet will review these proposals in June 2023.

3. Fun and Food Funding – May Half Term 2023

Funding is available for activities for children, young people and families during the May Half Term Holiday 2023. The scheme aims to support local community groups and organisations based in the East Durham AAP area to deliver enriching holiday activities during May Half Term 2023, including healthy food. Please note that we cannot fund individuals or profit-making organisations.

Applicants can apply for amounts over £500. Applicants must provide a healthy meal; breakfast, lunch or tea, as part of the activity that aims to meet Food Safety Requirements.

Please find attached the application form and the application guidance notes.

3 – EDAAP -May Half Term App

3 – AAP – 2023 Guidance

If you would like any further information, please contact East Durham AAP by calling 03000 262 054 or emailing: eastdurhamaap@durham.gov.uk

All fully completed applications and supporting documents must be received by noon on Wednesday 12 April 2023.

4. Have your say on home to school transport proposals

Let us know what you think about proposed changes to our home to school transport service.

We are looking at potential changes we can make to our home to school transport service to meet the challenges of increasing demands and operating costs, whilst also exploring opportunities which provide greater flexibility for parents, support the independence of our young people and deliver an environmentally friendly service.

We want your views to help shape and refine these proposals for change. As each child, young person and family’s circumstances are different, we want to understand what you think about each proposal and how they may affect you. We are also aware that our schools and transport providers will have views too.

Further information can be found via the link below:

Have your say on the review of home to school transport – Durham County Council

The closing date for comments is 5pm on Wednesday 12 April 2023.

5. Fun and Food – Easter Holidays 2023 Activities

Fun and Food provides free holiday activities with healthy snacks and meals for children and young people. Activities are provided by schools, voluntary and community sector groups, sport and leisure services and our Family Centres.

Activities will be added to webpage below up to two weeks before each school holiday. If there are no activities listed, please check back closer to the holiday.

https://www.durham.gov.uk/funandfood

You can also join the Facebook page Fun and Food County Durham on Facebook to keep up to date with what is going on.

6. Wellbeing for Life Training Calendar – April to June 2023

 The Spring training calendar is here!

All of our training is fully subsidised for anyone living or working in County Durham.on offer and book your trainin

Take a look at what’s on offer and book your training today via our website:

https://www.wellbeingforlife.net/training-courses/

7. Multiply Programme

Please see the attached flyer providing information on the Multiply programme.

The aim of this programme is to increase individuals’ confidence in using numeracy skills with the aim of making sustainable improvements to their lives.

8. Community Resilience Partnership Information & Sessions

Information on the Financial Wellbeing Support sessions can be found below:

Venue	Day	Time
Easington Health Works	Every other Monday	1pm – 3pm
Blackhall Community Centre	Third Wednesday in month	10am – 12 noon
Horden & Peterlee Rugby Club	Every Thursday	9:30am – 11:30am
Greenhills Centre, Wheatley Hill	Second Friday in month	10am – 12 noon

A new drop-in will be coming to the Seaham area soon.

For more information on the sessions, please contact: kylie.austin@eastdurhamtrust.org.uk or 0191 569 3511

Information on the upcoming Emotional Wellbeing Support sessions available can be found below:

Session	Date	Venue	Time
Stress & Anger Management Workshop	23rd March 2023	Seaham Youth & Community Centre	10am – 1pm
Stress & Anger Management Workshop	24th March 2023	Blackhall Community Centre	10am – 1pm
Self Esteem & Building Confidence	20th April 2023	Seaham Youth & Community Centre	10am – 1pm
Self Esteem & Building Confidence	21st April 2023	Blackhall Community Centre	10am – 1pm

Please contact 0191 569 3511 for further information.

9. School Crossing Patrol Vacancies

Durham County Council Road Safety Team are keen to appoint a School Crossing Patrol to the following vacancies:

1. Essington Way, Peterlee (Junction Off Acre Rigg Road)

The hours of duty to be worked each week [term-time only] are:

8.10 – 9.05am
3.00 – 3.45 pm Monday to Friday
[1hr 40 mins daily/8hrs 20 min weekly].

Grade 1 £4,044 (approx.) £10.79 per hour.

Closing date for applications is 2 April 2023.

Further details of the role and application form are available from the following link: https://www.northeastjobs.org.uk/job/School_Crossing_Patrol/240754

1. Church Street, Wingate (outside Infants School)

The hours of duty to be worked each week [term-time only] are:-
8.30 – 9.05am
2.40 – 3.15 pm Monday to Friday
[1hr 10 mins daily/5hrs 50 min weekly].

Grade 1 £2,830 (approx.) £10.79 per hour.

Closing date for applications is 2 April 2023.

Further details of the role and application form are available from the following link: https://www.northeastjobs.org.uk/job/School_Crossing_Patrol/240970

1. Thorpe Road, Easington

The hours of duty to be worked each week [term-time only] are:-
8.00 – 8.45am
2.55 – 3.15 pm Monday to Friday
[1hr 5 mins daily/5hrs 25 min weekly].

Grade 1 £2,669 (approx.) £10.79 per hour.

Closing date for applications is 10 April 2023.

Further details of the role and application form are available from the following link https://www.northeastjobs.org.uk/job/School_Crossing_Patrol/241000

1. Traffic Island, Stockton Road, Seaham.

The hours of duty to be worked each week [term-time only] are:-
8.05 – 8.50 am
2.55 – 3.40 pm Monday to Friday
[1hr 30 mins daily/7hrs 30 min weekly].

Grade 1 £3,640 (approx.) £10.79 per hour.

Closing date for applications is 10 April 2023.

Further details of the role and application form are available from the following link:  https://www.northeastjobs.org.uk/job/School_Crossing_Patrol/241011

Paper application forms are also available by contacting the Payroll and Employee Services Team on telephone no. 03000 264469/266838 or email PESREG@durham.gov.uk

Interested applicants can contact the Road Safety Team for an informal discussion on 03000 268171.

10. Adventure Access Watersports Funding Survey

Adventure Access is a paddle sports Community Interest Company, operating primarily at Seaham Harbour and also on the River Wear in Durham City. They are currently in the process of applying for funding to allow community groups to access them more easily. By completing this short survey, you can help Adventure Access assess which funding support is best needed to break down the barriers to participation in paddle sports.

A question is included to gather group name and email if you wish to leave it – otherwise, the form is anonymous. If you do leave your contact details, this will mean that Adventure Access can contact you if they receive funding suitable to your group. If you know of any other groups in the local area who may be interested, please feel free to pass on the survey link below:

Link to survey

The website link is also below if you wish to find out a little more about Adventure Access:

www.adventureaccess.co.uk

The next PACT Meeting will be held on Thursday 16 March 2023 at 5pm in Wheatley House.

Everyone is welcome to attend.

 

A programme of events is set to take place across the county to celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III this spring. Durham County Council have updated their Street Parties policy (see below) to make it easier for residents to join in.

Street Party Policy

Organising a street party is a great way for residents to join their neighbours in celebrating the Coronation, alongside the rest of the nation. The County Council has made the task of organising the event easy for residents by providing guidance and best practise to ensure they are safe for everyone attending.

The policy means that it is now quick and easy to apply for a temporary road closure licence, and to help more people enjoy the occasion, they have also made it free to apply. Residents are advised to apply for their licence no later than 7 April, which is four weeks before the Coronation weekend.

To apply for a temporary road closure, or to find out about insurance, licensing, noise control and clean up after for your street party, residents should visit:https://www.durham.gov.uk/article/22025/Apply-for-a-temporary-road-path-or-public-right-of-way-closure-for-an-event

To apply for a licence to install bunting over the public highway residents should complete the attached ‘S178 Licence Bunting Application’ and return it by email toStrategicHighways@durham.gov.uk

S178 Licence Bunting Application Form

For information about national events and celebrations taking place over the Coronation Weekend between Saturday 6th and Monday 8th May 2023, residents can visit:https://www.royal.uk/coronation-weekend-plans-announced 

Rural Services Network has recently featured the following article in their weekly rural newsletter:

https://rsnonline.org.uk/suffering-from-the-rural-cost-of-living-make-your-thoughts-known-in-household-survey

The survey is being held in partnership with the Citizens Advice Rural Issues Group.

Research commissioned by the RSN last year shows rural areas are suffering more acutely from the rise in the cost of living compared to urban areas.

The purpose of the survey is to understand more about rural household budgets at, what is, a very difficult time for many.

Results from the survey will help us to engage more effectively with Government Departments, MPs and other policy makers.

 The survey can be found at the following link:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Rural_Households_Cost-of-Living

Facebook

Rural Services Network& Citizens… – Rural Services Network | Facebook

Twitter

RSN Online on Twitter: “@RSNonline & @CitizensAdvice Rural Issues Group have launched a rural cost of living household survey. Research has shown that those living in rural areas face extra costs & we now want to explore the impacts for households #ruralcostoflivingcrisis https://t.co/JmZNfIVnlb https://t.co/Zadlro6ORs” / Twitter

LinkedIn

Rural Services Network on LinkedIn: #ruralcostoflivingcrisis #ruralfairfunding

Please share the survey with all your contacts, networks, family and friends – the greater the response the better.

The survey closes on 31 March 2023.

Many thanks for your help

Rural Services Network can be contacted on Tel: 01822 851370

@rsnonline

www.rsnonline.org.uk

With Spring on its way we start to think about getting out to walk in the beautiful English countryside again, but where to find new and interesting walks?

Walking in Durham https://www.walkinginengland.co.uk/durham has loads of walks to download and print, free, it also has books of walks, details of all the walking groups in the county and much more. Whether you want to walk on your own or with a group all the information is there in one place.

The site is maintained by John Harris who said ‘There is so much walking information on the web but it is difficult to find. Walking in Durham (part of the Walking in England website) has brought it together in one place so whether you are walking from home, or away on holiday, you will be able to find a walk suitable for you’.

With walks from half a mile to twelve miles plus long, and a note of suitability for pushchairs and wheelchairs, everyone can find a walk to enjoy.

So home or away, check out the websites and get walking!

www.walkinginengland.co.uk
john@walkinginengland.co.uk

Dog fouling spoils the environment, upsets residents and can cause serious health risks, particularly to children. Please pick up your dog’s waste using a bag and put the waste in a rubbish bin. Please encourage your family and friends to do the same. It will help us keep Wheatley Hill clean.

Reporting Dog Fouling

If you are aware of a problem with dog fouling or you see someone failing to clean up after their dog, you can report it or let us know and we will report it on your behalf. Please provide as much information as possible, such as:

• Date and time
• Location
• Description of the dog
• Dog owner and if possible their address

Once this information is passed to the Neighbourhood Wardens they will make enquiries and take the necessary action against the offender. All reports are dealt with in confidence.

If a pavement or verge is badly fouled Durham County Council can arrange for the mess to be cleaned up and/or arrange for an officer to patrol the area in an effort to catch the offenders.

You can report dog fouling to Durham County Council on 03000 260 000 or email help@durham.gov.uk Alternatively you can Contact Us.

The Law

People are often unaware that it is an offence if you do not clean up your dog’s waste. If you’re caught not picking up after your dog, you could be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) of £100. If you are taken to court, you could be fined a maximum of £1,000.

FREE Dog Bags

It takes very little effort to clean up after your dog and it is no defence to claim ignorance of your dog’s actions. Owners should always carry a supply of dog bags when walking their dog to pick up the waste.

Free Poop Scoop bags are provide by the Parish Council to all residents living in Wheatley Hill. Bags are available to collect from the Heritage Centre, located in the Cemetery. They are also available from the Community Centre and Wheatley House.

Disposing of Dog Waste

Dog waste bins are located throughout Wheatley Hill. Bins are inspected and emptied on a regular basis. You can use any litter bin to dispose of dog waste, provided it is properly bagged.

If you are aware of a bin that is not being emptied on a regular basis or have noticed problems with a bin please Contact Us.

You can also dispose of dog waste in your household rubbish bin, provided it is properly bagged. Please do not place dog waste in your household recycling bin as this will contaminate your recycling.

Believe Housing’s next open call for funding is coming soon.  Grants will be available between £10,000 and £30,000 for capital projects. The grant will open Monday 30 January 2023 and closes Friday 24 February 2023.

Full details can be found at £10,000 – £30,000 capital community grant | believe housing

Any organisations who are thinking of applying should contact the team to discuss project ideas.  They are happy to be contacted via email or phone.

Please also be aware that our Keep Warm, Keep Well small grant programme is still open for applications and again groups are welcome to contact us if they need further information or clarification on eligibility.  More information on the grant can be found here:

£500 small community grant | believe housing

Please feel free to circulate this information.

For any enquiries contact the Community Investment Team by emailing CommunityGrant@believehousing.co.uk

The Local Government Boundary Commission is undertaking a 10-week public consultation inviting proposals for new council divisions and division boundaries for Durham County Council.

The consultation will close on 30 January 2023.

Once they have considered all representations made to them during this consultation, they will publish draft recommendations in April 2023.

They will then hold a further period of consultation on the draft recommendations. Final recommendations are expected to be published in September 2023.

The new electoral arrangements will come into effect at the local elections in May 2025.

If you represent a local organisation or community group in Durham, please pass this message on to your members or anyone who you think might be interested in the review.

What is an electoral review?

The electoral review will recommend new electoral arrangements for Durham County Council. It will propose:

• the total number of councillors elected to the council in the future;
• the number of divisions;
• the number of councillors representing each division;
• division boundaries; and
• the names of divisions.

How to get involved

This is a public consultation seeking views from individuals and organisations across Durham on where they think new division boundaries should be drawn.

They are minded to recommend that 98 councillors should be elected to Durham County Council in the future. This is 28 fewer than the current number of councillors.

They are now inviting proposals to help us draw up a pattern of divisions to accommodate 98 councillors.

In drawing up new electoral divisions, they must balance three legal criteria, namely:

• to deliver electoral equality: where each councillor represents roughly the same number of electors as others across the county;
• that the pattern of divisionsshould, as far as possible, reflect the interests and identities of local communities;
• that the electoral arrangements should provide for effective and convenient local government.

They will treat all submissions equally, and judge each case on its merits and against the legal criteria.

If you wish to put forward a view, we would also urge you to ensure that evidence supports your submission.

For example, if you wish to argue that two areas should be included in the same electoral divisions, make sure you tell us why they should be together, providing evidence about community facilities, ties, organisations, and amenities, rather than simply asserting that they belong together.

There is more advice on our website about how you can get involved in the consultation.

Their website features technical guidance that explains the process and policies, as well as guidance on how to take part in each part of the process.

We have also set up a webpage dedicated to the review of Durham, where you can find all the relevant information.

You can also access interactive maps of the current ward boundaries across Durham on our specialist consultation portal. The portal also allows you to comment and upload documents directly to the site.

Get in touch

We welcome comments on division arrangements by 30 January 2023. Representations should be made:

– Through their interactive consultation portal, where you can explore the maps of the recommendations and make comments;

– By email to reviews@lgbce.org.uk;

– Or in writing to Review Officer (Durham), LGBCE, PO Box 133, Blyth, NE24 9FE

The Community Action Team ‘action’ weeks are continuing to progress well in Wheatley Hill.  They are continuing to work through the casework and have seen some good compliance so far.

The ASB walkabouts held have been very useful. The team patrolled the areas of concern and offered reassurance to local residents and businesses. A further walkabout, to be held on an evening, is planned for the coming weeks. The CAT are planning to send an ‘action’ letter to residents highlighting their priorities and encouraging residents to report ASB.

Please see the latest social media post:  https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0318FPxQMWXu8yeZNFPXFZXHduKTLc1Ma225XiUYqf4v6SjuFd9U7z9UcgNDJ1fykLl&id=100064848724123

There is also a post from groundwork offering bin marking in Wheatley Hill:  https://m.facebook.com/groups/885386295594836/permalink/1300883670711761/

A partner walkabout was scheduled to be held on Wednesday, 9th November and would focus on Empty Properties in the area.

For more information contact Jennifer Jones on 03000 261 006 or email:  jennifer.jones@durham.gov.uk

The James Etherington Award was set up in 1980 to support young people who wish to further their training in singing or the playing of musical instruments. The Award is presented annually following a competition between selected entrants. Young musicians who reside, or attend an educational establishment within the DH postcode area, are invited to apply for the Award which is set at £500. The Runner-up receives £250 and all other selected entrants receive £75.

The competition for the award will be held on Saturday the 11th February 2023 at the Methodist Church (Cornerstones), Chester-le-Street.

Please see the attached poster which gives details of how young people can apply together with the closing date for applications.