1. East Durham AAP Board Meeting
2. Mental Health First Aid Training – New Sessions Available
3. CDD Fire & Rescue – Community Risk Management Plan Consultation
4. Wellbeing for Life Vacancies
5. Durham Healthy Minds
6. Community Resilience Partnership – Financial & Emotional Wellbeing Sessions
7. Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Points – site suggestions
8. Durham County Council Apprenticeships
9. Corporate Financial Appointee Consultation

                        

1. East Durham AAP Board Meeting

The next East Durham AAP Board Meeting will take place on Wednesday 10 May at 6pm at The Greenhills Centre, Wheatley Hill.

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

2. Mental Health First Aid Training – New Sessions Available

 The following sessions are available for Adult Mental Health First Aid training courses over the next quarter:

• Thursday 18 to Friday 19 May 2023

Four Clocks Centre, 154A Newgate Street, Bishop Auckland, DL14 7EH

2 day session, from 9am to 5pm on both days

• Thursday 1 to Friday 2 June 2023

Chester-Le-Street Community Association, 5 Newcastle Road, Chester-Le-Street, DH3 3TS

2 day session, from 9am to 5pm on both days

You must be able to attend both days of training in full to complete this course.

If you are interested in attending one of the sessions, please can you complete and return the attached application form.

MHFA – Learner Application Form

3. CDD Fire and Rescue Authority – Community Risk Management Plan Consultation

You can read the full Plan and the Community Risk Profile at: https://www.ddfire.gov.uk/service-plans

The link to the online survey is below:

https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/CRMP23-24/

The survey closes on Thursday 11th May 2023 at 5pm.

4. Wellbeing for Life Vacancies

Please see the vacancies via the link below for a Wellbeing for Life Project Lead and a Wellbeing Practitioner for the East Hub:

Vacancies – Charity Newton Aycliffe | Pioneering Care Centre (pcp.uk.net)

5. Durham Healthy Minds

Durham Healthy Minds is funded to support teenagers with mental health issues. Counselling, one-to-one support and support groups are available.

Support is available for young people aged 13 – 16 living in County Durham.

6. Community Resilience Partnership Financial & Emotional Wellbeing 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

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 and via the attached posters:

Session	Date	Venue	Time
Understanding Wellbeing Workshop	4th May 2023	Seaham Youth & Community Centre	10am – 1pm
Understanding Wellbeing Workshop	5th May 2023	Blackhall Community Centre	10am – 1pm
Walk, Talk, Coffee	18th May 2023	Seaham Youth & Community Centre	10am – 1pm
Walk, Talk, Coffee	19th May 2023	Blackhall Community Centre	10am – 1pm

Please contact 0191 569 3511 for further information.

7.Electric Vehicle (EV) Charge Points – Site Suggestions

Durham County Council is building EV infrastructure to enable all residents and visitors to make the switch with reliable and accessible charging.

Please see the attached poster.

If you have a site suggestion in your local area which is local authority-owned and which could house an EV charge point, please email:

evcharging@durham.gov.uk

8.Durham County Council Apprenticeships

Kickstart your career with us! New apprenticeship opportunities are now available.

Apprenticeships are a great way to earn and learn! Through on the job training you will develop the right skills, experience, and knowledge for your chosen career pathway and study towards a recognised qualification.

We are committed to providing you with a path to success!

Take a look at our apprenticeship stories via the link below:

www.durham.gov.uk/apprenticeships

9.Corporate Financial Appointee Consultation

DCC are considering introducing charges for our Corporate Financial Appointee services.

Background

As a local council, we manage the financial affairs of some residents who, following a mental capacity assessment, have been found to be unable to manage their own finances and have no suitable family and friends to act on their behalf. We therefore act as their financial appointee. While we are only legally required to look after social security benefits, we often have a far wider role in dealing with their finances.

Unlike many other councils, we currently do not charge for this service. However, we are considering introducing a charge from October 2023.

Further information on the consultation can be found via the link below:

Corporate financial appointee consultation – Durham County Council

The consultation closes at 5pm on Friday 19 May 2023. 

We hope you find the above information useful and please be aware that all of the officers from the East Durham AAP Team are, along with all AAP staff countywide, other DCC colleagues and partners, continuing to work as hard as possible for the residents and communities that we serve.

1. East Durham AAP Public Representative Board Vacancies

Members of the public are invited to become a public representative on the Board of the East Durham Area Action Partnership. The closing date to return applications is noon on Wednesday 12th April 2023.

If you would like an application pack or for further information, please contact: eastdurhamaap@durham.gov.uk

2. Fun and Food Easter 2023

The Easter holidays are almost here and we are super excited about all of the wonderful Fun and Food activities with healthy food that are on offer across County Durham.  Activities are now being loaded onto our Fun and Food landing page at www.durham.gov.uk/funandfood we will be uploading more activities daily so keep visiting to see what’s new.

3. Free Guided Tours of Seaham as part of the Seaham Townscape Heritage Project

Join us for a leisurely stroll through the town and hear the fascinating history of Seaham whilst enjoying the stunning coastline in the beautiful County of Durham.

Tours are approximately 2 hours long and are buggy and dog friendly. Tours will be conducted by Ken Bradshaw, a blue badge guide and member of the Guild of British Tourist Guides.

Dates of these free walks can be found on the poster below and places must be booked in advance of the walk.

To book a place or for further information please contact us on: 07795 304980 or 07818 510314

Email : SeahamTownscapeHeritage@durham.gov.uk

4. British Sign Language Course – Shotton Colliery

Are you interested in learning British Sign Language?

Durham Deafened Support are running a 12-week course for beginners at Alcote House, Shotton Colliery, from Wednesday 22nd March – 5:30pm – 7:30pm.

For more information, contact 0191 518 3358 or email:  admin@dds.org.uk

A community litter pick was held on Wednesday 23 March and 7 bags of litter was collected from the west end of Quetlaw Road.

The next planned litter picking event is from the Heritage Centre on Thursday 6th April at 9.30am. This is during the school holidays so an opportunity for people to bring youngsters too.

For further information please see the poster below and feel free to share.

Litter Pick – 6th April

Please text 07790772699 or email gary.lane@groundwork.org.uk if you would like to attend.

 

Best wishes,

 

Jennifer

 

 

Jennifer Jones

Team Leader – Community Action Team

Community Protection Service

Neighbourhoods and Climate Change

Durham County Council

Annand House

Meadowfield

Durham

DH7 8RS

 

Durham County Council would like to know what you think about proposals to improve how they work with communities and residents to better support your future needs. A number of changes have been proposed in an independent review of the current community engagement practises.

Background

An independent review of their current engagement practices has made a number of proposals to change the way they do things to better meet the needs of residents, communities, councillors and main partners. By community engagement they mean the ways in which they work together on a local level to improve community life. In particular, the review looked at how community engagement can involve more people in affecting local decisions based on their needs, strengths, and ambitions.

Why community engagement is important

They know that communities working together to identify solutions and take action is a good thing. Community engagement projects work to improve community life, social connections and supportive relationships, and to build strong communities. Doing community engagement in the right way can help them to recognise, value and build on positive factors that support the wellbeing of communities and will help us overcome some of the key issues we face.

What we do now

Since 2009, 14 Area Action Partnerships (AAPs) have been one of the main ways to connect and engage on a local level. Since their start, they have helped to fund over 10,000 community based projects. AAPs are made up of members of the public, staff (including AAP staff, senior managers and councillors), town and parish councils, police, fire, health, housing, business, and voluntary organisations. Together they work with communities and organisations to agree local priorities and the actions required to deal with them, give funding to local organisations and check what difference that funding and support is making to communities. They also provide a means to consult communities on service changes, provide a way of connecting local communities, ourselves and partners.

Why a review is needed

Since AAPs were established, there has been a lot of changes to local and national policies, so it was the right time to request an independent review to see if the AAPs were still fit for the purpose they were created. The proposals have been developed by independent consultants, working with AAPs and partners, over the past six months, having been appointed to carry out a review in June 2022.

The review

The consultants have come up with a series of proposed changes covering:

• model
• boundaries
• funding
• community development

If these proposals are to be adopted, the consultant believes that it will have the following benefits:

• increase the effectiveness and consistency of community engagement across the county
• provide opportunities for more people to affect policy and include the opinions of all our communities
• make it clearer how local needs are identified and considered in the development of wider policies and allow for more meaningful discussion around community issues instead of being often just about funding
• community staff will be able to spend more time in communities and be more responsive to local needs

For more information please click on the link below;

County Durham community engagement consultation – Durham County Council

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.