Startforth Parish Council

Correspondence List for meeting dated 20 January 2021

Ref Date received From Subject

Note: CDALC = Association of Local Councils NALC = National Association of Local Councils SLCC = Society of Local Council Clerks

1 10/12/2020 DCC Press Office Press release - encouraging residents to sign up for Garden Waste Collection scheme for 2021. Collections are March/April to November, fortnightly, for £35 annual fee. In Teesdale, the service is operated by Rotters in partnership with the County Council. 2 10/12/2020 DCC Press Office Press release - work of Durham County Record Office’s 4-year online project ‘Durham at War’ has been recognised as a case study by the Imperial War Museum. Durham at War is an interactive mapping website telling the story of the county and its people in the 1914-18 conflict. 3 11/12/2020 Teesdale Action 6-page bulletin: stories of the projects helped with the Covid-19 Emergency Response funding (Teesdale Day Clubs, YMCA, Music at the Heart of Teesdale, Partnership UTASS), support available for those looking for work and Fire & Rescue service’s Christmas safety campaign. 4 11/12/2020 Durham County Council 3-page Update on Covid-19 and DCC’s response: Public Health (coronavirus rates in County Durham continue to fall, helping alleviate pressure on local Leader hospitals, continue to promote ‘hands, face, space’ message, 13 vaccination sites will be opening from next week in GP practices, concentrating on over 80s, subject to supplies); Outbreak control (Durham University students have used travel window to return home, improvements seen at Franklin Prison outbreak, decline in cases in last few days, following a three-week plateau, new spike detector tool as an early warning system to highlight area that see more cases than expected (eg. in and Low Newton, and ); Adult Social Care (continue to work closely with care providers, strengthening contingency arrangements for Christmas period, working on care home visitor testing support); Economic resilience (contributing more than ten times as much funding to road improvement schemes than 10 years ago (£8.86m in 2019/20 plus £12.2m from Department for Transport), continuing to contact hospitality businesses who have previously claimed support payments, £8.8m paid to county businesses to help them deal with local and national restrictions); and Finally, preparations are being made for next year’s elections on the basis that they will be taking place in May. 5 12/12/2010 NALC Launch of ‘Good Councillors’ Guide to Community Business’ 72-pp publication. PDF of the Guide sent to all cllrs 13/12/20.

6 14/12/2020 DCC Planning Weekly list of new applications w/e 13 December. Email sent to all cllrs 14/12/20.

7 15/12/2020 DCC Press Office Press release - DCC has allocated >£1.3m to businesses impacted by Tier 3 coronavirus restrictions, in 2,007 grants paid fortnightly in arrears. Eligibility can be checked out at www.durham.gov.uk/covid19businessgrants 8 15/12/2020 CDALC Request to share information about frequency and supplier used for assessment/inspection of stability of war memorials — for Middleton St George Parish Council. 9 15/12/2020 CDALC Details of North East Transport Plan consultation, open until 14 January. As the consultation deadline is before the next scheduled PC meeting, full email forwarded to councillors inviting them to respond individually or through Clerk by 31 December with comments to form a collective PC response.

10 15/12/2020 CDALC Request for help/information with a ‘blue plaques’ audit for DCC for a website resource. Parish Councils are asked to identify any plaques in the parish (blue or Does a councillor wish to volunteers to otherwise) being used to mark points of local history — they want to know what the plaque commemorates, its precise location, the scheme it was awarded collate this information? under, information about the story behind its awards and a photograph. 11 16/12/2020 Teesdale Action Promotion of ‘Wear Your Winter Woollies for UTASS’ day, 17 December, raising money to be matched by Barclays Bank. Partnership on behalf of UTASS 12 16/12/2020 DCC Press Office Press release - funding through 3 Towns Area Action Partnership has allowed Jack Drum Arts (£2,061) and St Catherine’s Dementia Café (£5,486) in Crook to deliver their services digitally. 13 16/12/2020 DCC Chief Executive’s Announcement that DCC full council has approved John Hewitt as Interim Chief Executive, with contact details for him. Office 14 16/12/2020 Durham County Council Christmas Greetings. Leader

15 17/12/2020 Highways Request from the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine Project team for the Parish Council to nominate a member to sit on a Community Liaison Group (CLG) to ensure For discussion at January meeting. that ‘conversations and presentations focus on the local issues which impact most on the community’. The CLGs will run throughout the planning process and on towards the construction period. A full project update, with project update brochures and videos, is at www.highwaysengland.co.uk/A66-NTP.

Page 1 of 4 200121-4 Correspondence list Startforth Parish Council

Ref Date received From Subject

Note: CDALC = County Durham Association of Local Councils NALC = National Association of Local Councils SLCC = Society of Local Council Clerks

16 18/12/2020 Durham County Council 4-page Update on Covid-19 and DCC’s response: Public Health (fall in rates has now stopped and small rises are seen in some areas, joint campaign with other Leader north east authorities thanking people for everything they are doing to limit the spread, including TV ads, vaccination roll-out continues, with high take-up and 6 further sites due to open next week); Outbreak control (self-isolation period for anyone who has tested positive is now 10 days, not 14 days, rates decreasing in schools, number of Covid inpatients in all hospitals in Durham and has flatlined, spike detection tool highlighted three areas with higher cases - Brasside and Newton Hall, Thornley, Deaf Hill and Wheatley Hill, and Fishburn and Trimdon, 59 people being trained to become Covid Champions across the county); Adult Social Care (care home infection rates and staffing resources remain stable, working with providers on visitor testing, assisting with roll-out of vaccinations); Children’s Services (praise for school staff for a term’s hard work, attendance at 87%); Service updates (Christmas and New Year holiday opening details, bin collection changes only apply to Friday collections, real Christmas trees can be collected free of charge (need to book); Economic Resilience (£1.3m in 2,007 grants allocated this week to businesses impacted by Tier 3 restrictions, new scheme offering extra grants of £1k to pubs and bars that do not serve meals or where turnover from meals is less than 50% of income, with process for application being prepared, www.durham.gov.uk/covid19businessgrants); virtual winter fayre created by Visit County Durham www.thisisdurhan.com/winterfayre). 17 18/12/2020 DCC Press Office Press release - DCC pledged £21k towards the Feeding Families-run scheme which has delivered 700 hampers to County Durham families in need.

18 18/12/2020 DCC Press Office Press release - Customer Access Points and most other DCC buildings will be closed over Christmas and New Year. For emergency, still run 03000 260000. For any coronavirus-related support, contact County Durham Together on 03000 260260. 19 21/12/2020 CDALC Christmas Greetings from Steve and Audrey, and thanks for huge endeavours during 2020.

20 21/12/2020 DCC Planning Weekly list of new applications w/e 20 December. No new applications to consider.

21 21/12/2020 CDALC News that parish council are eligible to apply to the new National Recovery Leisure Fund. Scope is limited to outsourced provision and councils must apply via their principal authority, and deadline is noon 21 December (20 minutes after this email arrived!). DCC have regifted their interest and need details from parish councils before 8 January. Good job we don’t have an outsourced leisure facility! 22 21/12/2020 Citizens Advice County Raising awareness of the Priority Service Register for vulnerable individuals in the county. PDF leaflet provides details of who is eligible and how to apply. Also Durham Energy Redress Scheme for social housing tenants and a national Energy Advice Project for energy-related support — 0808 278 7821. 23 21/12/2010 CDALC NALC Chief Executive's bulletin: Local Government Finance Settlement 2021/22 issued (including confirmation of no referendum for parish councils), response to the Redmond Review has been published, new National Recovery Leisure Fund launched (see item 21), update from Communities Partnership Board and new research published by Demos ‘The Future of Towns’. 23 22/12/2020 DCC Press Office Press release - re-opening of Witton Park Bridge following £2.5m replacement scheme.

24 22/12/2020 DCC Press Office Press release - workers at Hawthorn House respite centre in Newton Hall have turned the garden into an activities area for Christmas.

25 23/12/2020 DCC Press Office Press release -DCC’s Managing Money Better service has helped a disabled Co. Durham woman recover more than £3k in overpayments following her gas supply being transferred to an energy company without her permission five years ago. 26 23/12/2020 DCC Press Office Press release - Two volunteers with DurhamWorks Plan 4 Life programme are helping spread festive cheer in Stanley.

27 24/12/2020 DCC Planning Weekly list of new applications w/e 23 December. No new applications to consider.

28 24/12/2020 DCC Press Office Press release - members of public invited to have their say on which projects should receive major investment for regeneration in Bishop Auckland.

29 30/12/2020 Resident A Letter suggesting the creation of a group to liaise with/ lobby DCC/Highways over possible repercussions due to changes to be caused by A66 dualling (eg. For discussion at January meeting. Gather and present photographic and other evidence).

30 03/01/2021 Resident B Request for top-up supplies of salt/grit to bin near 3 Ullathorne Rise. Issue addressed by Parish Maintenance Officer, and this explained to resident in email 13/1.

31 04/01/2021 CDALC Roadworks report w/c 2/1. Nothing new to report.

32 04/01/2020 CDALC Notice of vacancy for Clerk, South Hetton PC.

33 04/01/2020 Teesdale Action Notice of Board meeting to be held 20 January, 3pm via MS Teams. Neighbourhood issues can be raised by any local resident, submitted in writing Partnership ([email protected]) before 13 January.

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Ref Date received From Subject

Note: CDALC = County Durham Association of Local Councils NALC = National Association of Local Councils SLCC = Society of Local Council Clerks

34 04/01/2020 DCC Licences Notice of temporary road closures - A67 County Bridge (Sundays 17, 24 and 31 January. Email forwarded to all cllrs 4/1.

35 04/01/2020 CDALC Invitation to comment on Police Crime and Victim Commissioner’s proposed 2021/22 precept increase. Link to consultation. Deadline 31 January. Email forwarded to all cllrs 4/1 for individual comment, with collective response considered at January PC meeting. 36 04/01/2020 CDALC Notice of vacancy for maternity cover Pojrects and Media Coordinator position at Sedgefield Town Council.

37 05/01/2020 CDALC Confirmation that The Parish and Community Meetings (Coronavirus)(Polls)(Amendment)(England) Rules 2020, were updated on 31 December with the effect that no parish polls will be able to be held until 6 May 2021. 38 05/01/2020 Rural Services Network Bulletin: barriers to take-up of gigabit-capable broadband; confusing picture over school closures; Covid vaccine; digital connectivity funding (to seven councils, including Durham County Council); walking challenge for farming charities; and 10-point plan for Green Industrial Revolution. [Gigabit barriers report sent to all cllrs 5/1]. 39 05/01/2021 Teesdale Action Funding available to support community groups and organisations in Teesdale to deliver enriching holiday activities during the February Half Term holidays, Partnership including healthy food. Grants of £250 to £999, closing date 20 January.

40 05/01/2021 CDALC Invitation to attend a two-part course on Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Design, delivered by Adrian Lord from Phil Jones Associates. Free, online course Any councillor interested? delivered via MS Team, on Tuesday 2 and Tuesday 9 February, 10-11.30am. More details available and booking needed. 41 05/01/2021 DCC Press Office Press release - DCC cabinet will soon be updated on plans to bid for Government funding which could help provide tens of millions of pounds of improvements to Bishop Auckland through the Stronger Towns Programme. 42 05/01/2021 DCC Press Office Press release - DCC will roll out a grant scheme which would provide up to £40k assistance to companies to help them implement recovery plans to overcome pandemic impacts. Durham Business Recovery Grant Scheme (to help >880 firms, potentially safeguarding 1,760 jobs) will be presented to Cabinet next week. 43 06/01/2021 DCC Press Office Press release - DCC Cabinet to hear how partnership working is helping support residents through the pandemic, eg through dedicated £1.4m coronavirus support fund given to the 14 Area Action Partnerships, Community Champions scheme, holiday activities/healthy food. 44 06/01/2021 DCC Press Office Press release - DCC Cabinet to receive report on progress and next steps for Social Value and Local Wealth Building (The County Durham Pound) project.

45 06/01/2021 CDALC Details of Elections 2021 training - Tuesday 9 February - online, 6-8pm, £10. Suitable for Clerks and interested councillors. Clerk has booked (quarter share of cost). Any councillor interested?

46 06/01/2021 Durham County Council 5-page Update on Covid-19 and DCC’s response: reinforcement of national lockdown rules (www.gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home); Infection Leader rates and outbreak control (over last 14 days 3,747 confirmed cases in Co. Durham, an increase of 88.8% on previous fortnight, equates to 7-day rate of 423.7/100k population); Children and Young People (all primary and secondary schools and colleges and universities are closed except to the pupils who are vulnerable or children of key workers, although early-years settings remain open, DCC working with government to ensure necessary equipment is available for home learning and for free school meal arrangements); Vaccinations (DCC working with NHS on vaccine roll-out, hubs in Bowburn, Crook, Pelton and Peterlee, others being considered, Clean & Green team helping keep paths and car parks at GP surgeries cleared and gritted); County Durham Together Community Hub (exists to help mental and physical challenges of lockdown - from support for self-isolating to friendly chat support - 03000 260 260); Council services (in addition to leisure centre, libraries and other cultural venues being closed, now funeral services at Durham and Mountsett Crematorium are limited to 15 people, while weddings and civil ceremonies can only take place in exceptional circumstances and limited to 6 attendees); Adult Social Care (DCC continue to work with care providers, promoting government guidance on visiting, vaccination and staff support); Businesses (new business grants announced - details are www.gov.uk/government/news/46-billion-in-new-lockdown-grants-to-support-businesses-and-protect-jobs. Further scheme of £5m Business Durham Recovery Grant scheme to go to Cabinet next week); and Visit County Durham (marketing activity reverting to Virtual Visit campaign to provide ways to explore and enjoy the county from home). 47 08/01/2021 London Hearts Offer of £200 discount on defibrillator.

48 09/01/2021 Resident C In response to news that the Parish Council has received funding for the playground, resident asks whether the Parish Council has considered pollarding the For discussion at January meeting. trees in the playground, as many branches really sway in the wind and could potentially cause an injury if they fell. 49 11/01/2021 DCC Press Office Press release - new online sessions being offered by Durham County Record Office on family history/tracing ancestors. Three talks, 12/19/26 January, 10-11am and 6-7pm, £5 per session. 50 11/01/2021 DCC Planning Weekly list of new applications w/e 10 January. No new applications to consider.

51 11/01/2021 CDALC Offer of approx 80 seats in good condition surplus to requirements in a Morpeth community centre.

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Ref Date received From Subject

Note: CDALC = County Durham Association of Local Councils NALC = National Association of Local Councils SLCC = Society of Local Council Clerks

52 11/01/2021 CDALC Copy of NALC Chief Executive’s bulletin: remote meetings may be considered after May, but this will require primary legislation; no Royal Garden parties this year; new model Code of Conduct has been released (further guidance and support to be sent from NALC); open letter from NALC Chairman - circulated to all cllrs 9/1/21); and currently, plans for elections in May 2021 seem unchanged. 53 12/01/2021 DCC Press Office Press release - new First World War memorial bench installed as part of Find & Fix project at Gilesgate, Durham.

54 13/01/2021 DCC Press Office Press release - more funding grants of up to £10k available for economic and social regeneration in Spennymoor, Coundon, Leeholme, Bishop Auckland, St Helen Auckland, West Auckland and Shildon.

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