ONGOING Cotherstone Correspondence.Numbers-4
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Cotherstone Parish Council Correspondence List for meeting dated 13 January 2020 Date Ref From Subject Note/comment received Note: CDALC = County Durham Associa8on of Local Councils NALC = Na8onal Associa8on of Local Councils SLCC = Society of Local Council Clerks 1 05/11/2020 CDALC Copies of CDALC and NALC responses to ‘Planning for the Future’ consulta@on (the former a colla@on of viewpoints submiFed by local councils). Key issue from CDALC is concern about top-down nature of proposals, which reduces public scru@ny and democra@c accountability while broadly favouring developers. Clerk can forward the two documents on request. 2 05/11/2020 CDALC Further update on new Covid-19 restrictions from government and new guidance issued on the use of council buildings and managing playgrounds and outdoor gyms (Outdoor gyms must close whereas outdoor playgrounds can stay open and public toilets should be kept open). Also copy of a presentation given to CDALC on HR matters specific to good employment practice during Covid. 3 06/11/2020 Durham County 4-page Update on Covid-19 and DCC’s response: Public Health (new national restrictions); Outbreak control (at 4 November, 12,594 positive Council Leader cases in County Durham, 1,371 new cases in last 7 days, 7-day rate is now 265.9/100k - data at www.durhaminsight.info/covid-19); Adult social care (assisting with contingency for care home staff pressures, training to providers); Service updates (temporary closure of some venues including all libraries and leisure centres (memberships have been frozen), Bowlees Visitor Centre closed, household waste recycling centres, playgrounds, parks are open); Town centre resilience (support for non-essential businesses forced to close - either through grants or advice, #LoveDurham from your sofa marketing campaign, Visit County Durham promoting gift vouchers, delivery services and online ordering); Support for businesses (DCC will administer Local Restrictions Support Grant (closed businesses) and that for open businesses impacted from 18 September to 4 November -full details awaited, but hopefully up and running next week, with DCC writing to eligible businesses); Test and Trace support payments - applications continue (www.durham.gov.uk/testandtracepayment). 4 06/11/2020 DCC Press Office Press release - reiteration of support available to people and businesses during current lockdown period - www.durhamlocate.org.uk, www;durham.gov.uk/covid19help and https://durham.gov.uk/testandtracepayment 5 09/11/2020 DCC Press Office Press release - reintroduction of a collection service to allow residents to access library books during lockdown. 6 09/11/2020 DCC Press Office Press release - DCC is writing to those who are clinically extremely vulnerable to remind them of government guidance and the support that is available locally during lockdown. 7 09/11/2020 CDALC Request to advise whether the Council’s cemetery is currently open to the public or closed. Clerk replied that Cemetery is open. 8 09/11/2020 CDALC NALC Chief Executive’s bulletin: still strong discouragement of councils meeting face to face; launch of materials for ‘Make a Change’ campaign in run up to next May’s elections; and Tree Charter Festival Day 2020 - 28 November. 9 10/11/2020 CDALC Following survey yesterday, CDALC report that all cemeteries of respondents remain open. Officer presumes that this is following risk assessment earlier in the year and suggesting that many are placing notices reminding visitors that they still need to adhere to the Covid restrictions prevailing at the time. 10 10/11/2020 CDALC New guidance (updated since Remembrance Sunday) from NALC on local authority preparations for Armistice Day. 11 10/11/2020 DCC Press Office Press release -DCC Cabinet poised to extend its top up scheme of Council Tax support through the Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme for another year (open to residents on a low income, whether in work, unemployed or retired, who have less than £16k savings. Currently has 58,250 claimants, of whom 80% receive a full 100% reduction, costing in total £61.9m this year. 12 10/11/2020 CDALC Details of Groundsperson vacancy at Wheatley Hill Parish Council. 13 11/11/2020 DCC Press Office Press release - DCC Cabinet will be updated on work to alleviate poverty and tackle social inequality through the Poverty Action Plan. 14 11/11/2020 Durham Community Update: Covid Guide for Community Buildings; Volunteering update; and survey to understanding ongoing impact of Covid. Action 15 11/11/2020 DCC Press Office Press release - Annual Report of DCC Director of Public Health reports on work to improve health and wellbeing in response to the pandemic. 16 11/11/2020 DCC Housing Information about DCC’s Managing Money Better service which can help households with their energy bills by finding a more competitive tariff and switching supplier and/or offering fuel debt advice. Energy Adviser makes home visit to do energy assessment - all free and impartial. To make appointment or referral, [email protected] or tel. 03000 268000. 17 12/11/2020 CDALC Invitation to join ‘Clerking in Co. Durham and Cleveland’ webinar on 9 December. As it’s designed for new Clerks, not relevant to attend. Page 1 of 7 130121-4 Correspondence list Cotherstone Parish Council Date Ref From Subject Note/comment received Note: CDALC = County Durham Associa8on of Local Councils NALC = Na8onal Associa8on of Local Councils SLCC = Society of Local Council Clerks 18 12/11/2020 Durham Community Special bulletin on Safeguarding Week 16-20 November (Safeguarding policy, scams, modern slavery, rough sleeping, domestic abuse, Action Prevent, safeguarding in sport, safe and wellbeing during Covid. 19 12/11/2020 CDALC Agenda and papers for next Smaller Councils Forum meeting, 19 November, 2pm via Zoom. Key topics are Double Taxation and Covid-19 Any councillor would be recovery procedures and deficits. welcome to aend . 20 12/11/2020 DCC Press Office Press release - Man failed for possessing a fake driving licence and over £5k of illicit tobacco, following alert from an eagle-eyed member of public reporting a broken down vehicle and suspicious activity. 21 12/11/2020 Teesdale Action Key messages from recent board meeting: update on DCC budget and Medium Term Financial Plan consultation; update on DCC Leisure Partnership Centre Transformation consultation; Neighbourhood Policing update; A66 improvements update by CCllr Bell; and TAP funding update. 22 12/11/2020 Greener Miles Introduction from organiser of ultra and marathon running events, asking for views on ambition to establish a running event held on the Running Ltd Pennine Journey trail. Background to company at www.greenermilesrunning.co.uk/ Parish Council invited to comment / give a view. 23 13/11/2020 DCC Planning Weekly list of new applica@ons w/e 8 November. No new applica@ons to consider. 24 13/11/2029 DCC Press Office Press release - DCC paid out >£150k as part of its school meals support during October’s half-term holiday, helping 10k youngsters. 25 13/11/2020 DCC Press Office Press release - Stainton Grove Household Waste Recycling Centre has won national excellence award. 26 13/11/2020 DCC Press Office Press release - a second coronavirus testing centre to open in Durham City (car park of County Hall), to work 7 days a week, 8am to 8pm, on appointment basis, for at least three months. 27 13/11/2020 DCC Press Office Press release - new grants for businesses affected by coronavirus restrictions - Local Restrictions Support Grant (Open but affected 18/9 to 4/11), Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed 5/11 to 2/12) and Local Restriction Support Grant (Sector - for those not reopened since March, eg nightclubs). www.durham.gov.uk/covid19businessgrants 28 13/11/2020 DCC Planning Weekly list of new applica@ons w/e 12 November. No new applica@ons to consider. 29 13/11/2020 Durham County 4-page Update on Covid-19 and DCC’s response: Public Health (public health team working on strategy for exit from national lockdown on 2 Council Leader December, letter sent out to those clinically extremely vulnerable); Outbreak control (at 10 November, total 14,260 positive tests in Co. Durham, 1,692 new cases over last 7 days, 7-day rate now 335.6/100k statistics available at www.durhaminsight.info/covid-19); Adult social care (continue to work on designated setting work, on government instruction for local authorities to prioritise safe discharge from hospital, assisted with Health Call Digital Care Home system to monitor residents remotely); Children’s services (£156k used to provide >10k meals during half-term school holiday, forming a Regional Adoption Agency, Coast to Coast, with Cumbria CC and Sunderland City Council, to go live on 1/4/21, offering improved, high quality adoption service); Service updates (libraries offering pick and collect service, consultation on plans to modernise leisure facilities); Town centre resilience (planning for December re-opening, and Employment and Skills support brochure, VisitCountyDurham planning future tourism work); and new business grants (see item 27). 30 16/11/2020 CDALC Roadworks report w/c 14/11. Nothing new to report. 31 16/11/2020 DCC Press Office Press release - Schoolchildren in the county have been learning about how the religious celebration Diwali is marked in the North East. 32 16/11/2020 DCC Press Office Press release - invitation to join a free online session on how to research family trees - led by Durham County Record Office. 33 16/11/2020 CDALC Copy of DCC Cabinet report on Council Tax Base 2021/22 and Forecast Deficit on the Council Tax Collection Fund as at 31 March 2021 (including details of impact on parish councils’ tax raising capacity - tax base). Report can be forwarded on request to Clerk. 34 16/11/2020 DCC Development Advice that existing database for Spatial Policy Consultation (this PC is on that) will be archived on 2 December but the information and and Housing comments on it which relate to the adopted County Durham Plan will be kept for 3 years.