Notice is hereby given that, due to the death of Cllr Judith Atkinson, a vacancy has arisen in the Office of Councillor for the Parish Council. The Notice of Vacancy can be found here:
Notice of Vacancy – City of Durham (Elvet and Gilesgate) – dated 18 February 2020
The City of Durham Parish Council is sad to announce the death of popular Elvet and Gilesgate Parish Councillor Judith Atkinson.
Coun. Atkison sadly passed away at home on 31st January following a short illness. Condolences were expressed across the Council at the sudden passing of our beloved colleague Judith.
Chair of the City of Durham Parish Council Elizabeth Scott led the tributes: “Since her successful election in May 2018, Judith volunteered much of her time to make Durham a better place for everyone and she distinguished herself as an exceptionally caring, warm-hearted and hardworking member of our Council. Judith will be especially remembered for her brilliant contribution to our Council’s Environment Committee and the work she did to launch our very popular business frontage awards for Christmas; a first in the City and something we are keen to continue”.
Coun. Scott added: “Councillors and staff at the Parish Council have expressed to me their real shock and sadness at Judith’s passing in the last few days. We have extremely fond memories of working with Judith and she will be extremely missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with Judith’s family and friends at this extremely difficult time”.
At the funeral on 15th February, a poem written by Coun. Atkinson herself, titled “the Eternal Optimist” was read by her son and attendees made donations to Blind Life in Durham – an organisation dear to Judith’s heart – at the family’s request.
Please see the key decisions taken at the Full Council meeting in January 2020 here: City of Durham Parish Council updates – January 2020
The Parish Council has responded to the proposed Traffic Regulation Orders as set out below.
Please find details of the Parish Council’s response here: Response to Framwelgate Waterside TRO
If you wish to make any comments on the plans, please do so by 31st January 2020 to Steven.Muse@durham.gov.uk
Details of the proposed Traffic Regulation Orders
To introduce:
‘no waiting and no loading at any time’ (double yellows with kerb ticks) – to reduce obstructive parking and improve accessibility along the section of highway. (shown with Dark Blue Hatching)
‘Coach Drop off/ Pick up’ bays (white dashes with BUSES lettering) – to allow for coaches to drop off tourists to allow them easy walking access to the City.
‘Blue Badge Holder Only’ Bays (white dashes with DISABLED lettering) – to allow blue badge holders parking availability in this location. (shown with Light Blue Hatching)
‘Pay and Display and Permit Holders Only (Zone G) 8am-6pm – to give parking availability to road users to use the amenities. (shown with Black Hatching)
Non-Traffic Regulation Order Restrictions – Does not need a consultation process as statutory right to introduce, however your feedback would be gratefully received.
To introduce:
‘Bus Stop’ (yellow box and lettering) – For the Cathederal Bus service use only.
Engineering Construction Work (Coach Parking General Arrangement Plan)
To introduce:
Carriageway realignment and associated footway provision to accommodate a roundabout where Framwelgate Waterside meets Frankland Lane and Sidegate to improve general traffic manoeuvres and allow coaches to turn and access the proposed coach parking bay.
Footway provision in the area of the proposed Cathedral bus stop and coach parking bay to ensure safe and accessible pedestrian boarding and alighting areas.
Carriageway widenings to improve carriageway suitability for passing vehicles.
Notice of publication of Durham City Neighbourhood Plan proposal under Regulation 16 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 and the Localism Act 2011
You will recall being consulted on the draft Durham City Neighbourhood Plan in the Spring of 2019.
The Neighbourhood Plan sets down guidance for development within the City of Durham Parish over the next 15 years. The Plan has been developed by the Parish Council incorporating feedback from residents, businesses and interested parties and from the review of a range of supporting documents. It is a comprehensive plan including policies on Sustainable Development, Historic Environment, Green Infrastructure, Employment and Town Centres, Housing, Transport, and Community Facilities.
The Durham City Neighbourhood Plan has now reached the submission draft stage, the final consultation before it undergoes an examination by an independent examiner. If approved by the examiner, a referendum will then be held in the Parish to decide if it should be adopted as part of the statutory Development Plan for the area.
The submission consultation is run by Durham County Council, who will publicise the Plan and its supporting documents for comment from Monday 6 January 2020 to Monday 17 February 2020. The plan and supporting documents can be seen online at http://www.durham.gov.uk/article/18184/Neighbourhood-planning-what-s-happening-and on the Parish Council website Neighbourhood Plan page: http://npf.durhamcity.org.uk/the-plan/
Hard copies are available for inspection at:
The County Council Offices, Durham County Council, County Hall, DH1 5UZ (Monday to Friday 8:30am – 5:00pm)
Clayport Library, 8 Millennium Pl, Durham, DH1 1WA
(Monday to Friday 9:30 am – 7pm; Saturdays 9 am – 5pm)
Town Hall, Market Place, Durham, DH1 3NJ
(Monday to Friday 9am – 5:00pm)
If you are unable to view the plan at either venue please contact the Spatial Policy Team (details below) and we will arrange for a copy to be posted out to you free of charge.
Having your say
Representations may be made by a number of methods:
Email: spatialpolicy@durham.gov.uk
Telephone: 03000 261908
Post: Spatial Policy (Rm 4/24-35), Durham County Council, County Hall, Durham DH1 5UQ
Comments must be received by 5pm 17 February 2020
Notification
Any representations may include a request to be notified regarding Durham County Council’s decision under Regulation 19 to “make” the submitted Durham City Neighbourhood Plan part of the development plan for County Durham.
The Durham City Neighbourhood Plan is set for the next stage of public consultation after Councillors on the City of Durham Parish Council unanimously approved the latest version at a Full Council meeting in October.
The Neighbourhood Plan recently underwent a Regulation 14 (public) consultation and the vast number of responses were positive and there were also a number of amends requested to the Plan. The latest version of the Plan represents the culmination of amends to that feedback and, following the Parish Council’s approval, this Plan is now set to go out to another (Regulation 16) public consultation.
Councillor Roger Cornwell, Chair of the City of Durham Parish Council Planning Committee and also of the Neighbourhood Plan Working Party said, “the City of Durham Neighbourhood Plan has reached a major milestone with the submission of the Plan to the County Council for a final consultation, an independent Examination, and a Referendum. At the end of the process Durham City will have a plan shaped by local residents, meeting their hopes and aspirations for the next fifteen years. All planning applications in our City will need to take this Plan into account. The theme of sustainability runs like a golden thread through the Plan. All new development will contribute to a long-term sustainable future for Durham City by ensuring a balanced relationship among environmental, social and economic outcomes”.
Councillor Elizabeth Scott, Chair of the City of Durham Parish Council said, “The City of Durham Parish Council was set up to be a voice for the City. Like our residents, we recognise the need to promote development which is affordable, sustainable and in accordance with the local needs of our Parish. The Neighbourhood Plan is going to allow us to develop a shared vision for our community; creating a strategy for future development in our area and influencing where new homes, shops, offices and other developments are built. This will also allow us to identify and protect important local green spaces as well as ensuring the conservation of our precious World Heritage Site”.
“The Neighbourhood Plan is the work of a team of dedicated volunteers first in the Neighbourhood Planning Forum and latterly in the Parish Working Party. We owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude for all of their hard work”.
The City of Durham Parish Council is hosting a licensing training event for local residents. All are welcome at this event where the Parish Council will have a fantastic training provider – Barrister Mr Nigel Booth of St. John’s Buildings Barrister’s Chambers, Manchester – who specialises in licensing law and who has also authored a number of books on the subject, including the License Review Handbook – www.LicenceReviewHandbook.com.
The event will be taking place from 6pm in Durham Town Hall on 30th September.
The event is designed to provide training free of charge to residents on responding to new licensing applications in our area and more.
At our annual Parish meeting, a number of residents said they’d like to find out more about licensing and the Parish Council has decided to host this event as a result.
Anyone wishing to attend need only sign up to the event via the below Eventbrite link or else write to the Parish Clerk via e-mail at parishclerk@cityofdurham-pc.gov.uk
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/city-of-durham-licensing-training-event-tickets-70899439131
The Parish Council is looking forward to welcoming you to what promises to be a most informative event
A message from the Chair of the City of Durham Parish Council, Councillor Elizabeth Scott on the closure of the Sands carpark.
The City of Durham Parish Council has contacted Durham County Council and is looking into all issues raised within this video. The Parish Council is clear in their position that this is the wrong scheme for Durham City.
The Parish Council has raised concerns about the felling of the much-loved trees in this carpark. The County Council earlier this year declared a climate emergency and has now felled a large number of trees at a time when we need more trees not less for the City centre.
The Parish Council is also pushing for alternative temporary car parking provision to be made available to ensure that the impact on local businesses as a result of the closure of this carpark is mitigated against. The fact that the a very well-used open air car park in the city centre has been closed at the height of the Summer tourist season is unacceptable.
The Parish Council has also requested that the fencing around the common land be removed immediately. No works are taking place on this land and members of the public do have a right to roam on this land.
On 29th July, the City of Durham Parish Council were notified that the Sands carpark is due to close from the 11th August to enable the construction of the new County Council Headquarters building.
The move to close the Sands car park will result in the loss of one hundred and thirty car parking spaces. In addition to this, the County Council is also taking away the longer stay spaces at the Sidegate carpark and changing the tariffs to this carpark in order to create more short stay spaces. The coach park currently in operation at the Sands will also be moved to Belmont from 11th August. The County Council is also currently consulting on a scheme to introduce 10 parking bays specifically for the use of the Market Traders on a Saturday at Providence Row, over 100m away from the Sands car park, which a number of the traders using high sided vehicles currently use. These changes to the car parking provision in the City are entirely to support the construction of the new County Council Headquarters at the Sands; a scheme the City of Durham Parish Council has long objected to.
Chair of the City of Durham Parish Council Cllr Elizabeth Scott said, “this is really unbelievable from this County Council. They are closing the most central, well used open air carpark in the City at the height of the Summer tourist season. At the same time, they are doing away with the long stay spaces at Sidegate at a time when much of the Prince Bishop’s multi-storey carpark is closed for refurbishment. Where exactly do they expect visitors of the City to park? To add to this, the alternative provision of the replacement coach park at Belmont is totally unsuitable and something we as a Parish Council have never been consulted on. This is all being done to enable the construction of their new County HQ which will have a devastating impact on our City.”
Chair of the City of Durham Parish Council Planning Committee Cllr Roger Cornwell added, “aside from anything else, I know this news will come as a real blow to the many businesses we have in our City centre who rely on visitors to our City for their livelihoods. The County Council say this is “very much business as usual” but it won’t be for the many market traders who are now faced with no parking provision at all ahead of these plans being put in place, nor will it be for the many retailers we have in our City. To add further insult to injury, the Parish Council are only given two weeks’ notice of this.”
The City of Durham Parish Council was invited by Durham County Council to comment to an informal consultation for the proposed application for deregistration, Section 16 Commons Act 2006, of part of the Common Land at the Sands, Durham City.
A copy of the Parish Council’s response to DCC to this initial invitation for comments can be found here: