A Statement from the Chair of the Parish Council Councillor Alan Doig on the death of Her Majesty the Queen:

The City of Durham Parish Council is deeply saddened at the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II during this historic year which marks the Queen’s 70th Anniversary as our Monarch.

Her Majesty was known throughout the world for her tireless and steadfast service and devotion to her people. The 70 years of Her Majesty’s reign have seen some of the most profound changes in human history and throughout all of this Her Majesty has been a constant symbol of hope for people around the world but most particularly here in Britain.

Most of us alive today will not know life without Her Majesty as our Head of State and it is right that we come together as a nation to pay tribute and remember this beloved Monarch.

On behalf of the City of Durham Parish Council, I express our heartfelt condolences and prayers to the Royal family at this very sad time. We take comfort in the knowledge that Her Majesty is once more with her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh and family now passed.

The City of Durham Parish Council has agreed to provide funding of £10,000 towards the continuation of the City’s recently established Safety of Women at Night (SWaN) hub.

The SWaN hub was established earlier this year and has proven itself to be a life-saving operation for the City, with its ever expanding night-time economy.

With increasing applications for late night venues in the City – most notably at major developments like Riverwalk and Milburngate – the Parish Council’s Licensing Committee has been lobbying for a cumulative impact policy and a late-night levy on the City’s late-night bars and clubs.

The funding request was raised by Durham County Council at the Parish Council’s March Full Council meeting on Thursday 24th March. At the meeting, Parish Councillors expressed their desire to see the service continue, highlighting the need to keep residents safe at night and thanked the officers involved in its creation.

Chair of the Parish Council Coun. Alan Doig said: “The Parish Council is absolutely delighted to be able to support the continuation of this invaluable safety hub in the City. This is a significant investment from the Parish Council and highlights our commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of our residents and visitors in the City as they enjoy our night-time economy.”

“Durham County Council and others have done a phenomenal job in establishing this hub this year following a successful funding bid to Central Government last year. Whilst the Government may have afforded itself an attractive headline in providing funding for these services, the reality on the ground is that this central funding comes to an end at the end of March and these services are under threat. Further funding is therefore clearly an issue and the Parish Council is lobbying partners such as Durham University to provide the funding to keep this service going.”

He added: “thinking ahead strategically, I am pleased that the Parish Council has re-confirmed its commitment to lobby further for a late-night levy on licensed premises which remain open late at night. Our message as a Council couldn’t be clearer: if you wish to remain open late, make a lot of money from the thriving night life in Durham, you need to provide funding to police that night life. Neighbouring authorities like Newcastle City Council have already taken a lead on this and Durham County Council need to act now too.”

The City of Durham has a number of community and residents’ associations. Several have a presence on the Parish Council through elected Members who are association officeholders or members.

Given the role of the Parish Council in representing residents of the City and the value in both establishing agendas reflecting residents’ issues, as well as having an early insight into residents’ views, whether it is student noise or the Parish Council strategy, the Parish Council has established a Forum of all of the local Residents Associations in the parish area.

The Forum’s intention is to open up communications with residents. Further, and notwithstanding the continuing engagement with both DURF (Durham University Residents Forum) and the CETF (Community Engagement Task Force), the Forum is intended to facilitate dialogue and common approaches to shared areas of interest where the Parish Council has a role in representing or leading on such areas.

The Forum is also intended to allow the associations in our parish to develop a collective voice to areas of interest that affect them all.

A copy of the Forum’s Terms of Reference can be found here: CRAF Terms of Reference

A copy of the latest Agendas and minutes of these meetings can be found here:

CRAF Agenda_2022_07_28

CRAF Agenda_2022_04_29

CRAF Minutes_2022_04_29

CRAF Minutes_2022_02_16

CRAF Agenda_2022_02_16

CRAF Agenda_2021_07_21

CRAF Minutes_2021_07_21

CRAF Agenda_2021_06_23

CRAF Minutes_2021-03-10

In support of the City of Durham Parish Council’s aims for the future of the parish, our logo celebrates the forces that have helped shape the Durham we see today.

its nationwide contacts via north- south road and railway routes
its unique townscape shaped by the river banks
its past associations with the black diamond of coal
its reputation as the ‘jewel in the crown’ forged by religion, university and commerce
its protection by the encircling green belt of open countryside.