City of Durham Parish Council

City of Durham Parish Council

Parish Council continues work to support community during Covid-19

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The City of Durham Parish Council is continuing its work to support the local community during Covid-19. Here are just a few of the actions that we have taken:

Signposting vulnerable residents to the most appropriate support services during the pandemic.

Providing the public with the latest Government advice, i.e. regulations around social distancing, the job retention scheme, etc.

Encouraging volunteers to sign up to the NHS and County Council volunteer schemes to support those who are vulnerable and shielding.

Providing emergency grant funding to local Food Bank services in Durham City.

Providing emergency grant funding to local domestic abuse charity Harbour in light of increased demand on their services.

Contracting the services of retail consultant Graham Soult to provide businesses with free and independent advice on how to change and improve their operations to be more resilient to the pandemic.

Provided an unprecedented level of grant funding from any Parish Council to its local businesses in the form of a £30,000 Covid-19 business resilience grant fund to support the purchase of PPE, protective screening, hand sanitisers, etc.

Funded the provision of hand sanitisers, social distancing ambassadors and signage to support the re-opening of the popular indoor and outdoor market.

Increased grant funding to local community and voluntary organisations in light of the increased pressure on their services – services like Sanctuary 21, the WI, Blind Life in Durham, Durham Hospital Radio, St Cuthbert’s Hospice, etc. have been given much needed support.

Working with key stakeholders in the City lobbying for free parking and the provision of toilet facilities as the City re-opens from lockdown.

Currently working with the County Council to ensure that the £469,000 given to DCC from the Government to support the safe re-opening of High Streets is spent as effectively as possible.

Lobbying the County Council to suspend the closure of New Elvet Bridge.

Working with Durham University to support Green Move Out day.

Continuing Council services as usual through the use of virtual meetings – new planning and licensing applications being considered as normal, projects being progressed with the Environment Committee, a successful annual audit carried out, Council Strategy 2020-21 agreed, etc.

Poppy knitting project launched with community groups supporting from home to mark 2020 as an important year of Remembrance.

Launched a community planting project whereby the Parish Council has purchased bedding plants from local nurseries which may have otherwise been binned due to Covid-19 and the lockdown and working with local residents’ groups to provide these across the Parish area. Colourful plants planted across the parish to cheer everyone up in a time of gloom and over £200 raised from our honesty boxes which went towards a local hospice and a charity which supports the homeless.

Set of principles agreed as a Council to support the re-opening of City businesses such as supporting temporary license applications for use of outdoor space where appropriate to allow for social distancing.

Representing the Parish in responding to important consultations such as the Main Modifications consultation on the County Durham Plan and new Traffic Regulations Orders.

Progressing the Neighbourhood Plan.

Parish Council commends County Council for its Covid-19 response

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The City of Durham Parish Council has written to the Chief Executive of Durham County Council to thank officers at the County Council who are on the frontline in responding to the Covid-19 pandemic. Along with our wonderful NHS staff, other emergency services personnel, key workers and an incredible team of volunteers, officers at the County Council are putting themselves at risk to support the local residents, businesses etc under immense pressure. Find our letter here:

CoDPC Letter to Terry Collins re Covid-19

PARISH COUNCIL GRANT FUNDING WINDOW NOW OPEN

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For the financial year 2020-21, the Parish Council has agreed a total fund of £20,000 to go towards supporting local community and voluntary organisations who do such excellent work in our parish.

For further details
A copy of the application form can be found here: Grant application form 2020-21

The Parish Council’s policy on grant awards can be found here: Grant-Awarding-Policy

This window is open until June and a decision on all applications is expected to be taken at the Parish Council’s June Full Council meeting. Please note that due to the coronavirus situation, this may change depending on the latest Government advice.

Please return all application forms to the Parish Clerk at parishclerk@cityofdurham-pc.gov.uk

Parish Council Working Group responds to County Council consultation on selective licensing scheme

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Durham County Council is currently consulting on introducing a selective licensing scheme on privately rented homes in some areas of the County.

In order to respond to this consultation, the Parish Council established a Working Group which consisted of Members of the Parish Council, a representative of Durham Students Union and a local student landlord. The final response of the Working Group can be found here: CoDPC response – Selective Licensing Scheme

It is unlikely that such a scheme will be introduced in Durham City despite the number of HMOs in our parish. To that end, the Working Group is calling on a separate scheme to be introduced to run alongside the County-wide Selective Licensing Scheme to address the issues we are all aware of with HMOs in our parish.

Anyone wishing to find out more about this consultation can find more details here: https://www.durham.gov.uk/article/22640/Consultation-on-licensing-of-privately-rented-homes-in-some-areas-of-the-county

Please let your views be known on this important consultation by writing to selectivelicensing@durham.gov.uk by 5pm on 24th May 2020.

Farewell to our beloved colleague Councillor Judith Atkinson

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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.