By 2035, County Durham will have more and better jobs, people will live long and independent lives and communities will be well connected and supportive of each other.
That is the vision proposed by the County Durham Partnership which Durham County Council’s Cabinet is being asked to agree when it meets this week.
The vision for the area has been built on an extensive public consultation, where residents, businesses and visitors were asked what they would like to see in the future for the county.
Cllr Simon Henig, Leader of Durham County Council and chair of the County Durham Partnership, said: “The aim of the vision is to provide a shared outlook for what everyone wishes our county to look like in 15 years’ time.
“From creating more and better-quality jobs to ensuring that health is improved, ourselves and the other organisations on the County Durham Partnership will work together to implement the new strategy and improve the quality of life for our residents.”
Building on the success of the last ten years the new vision will replace the current Sustainable Community Strategy which was published in 2009.
Some of these successes include:
• An increase in employment from 64.6 per cent in 2010 to 74.6 per cent in 2018
• A reduction in smoking from 22 per cent in 2012 to 14 per cent in 2018
• A reduction in carbon emissions of 45 per cent in the past 10 years
• A reduction of 55 percentage points in 10 years in the amount of household waste sent to landfill
Once agreed by Cabinet, the vision will go to full council before it’s official launch at the County Durham Partnership event in October.
More information, including a video and copy of the vision, is available at www.durham.gov.uk/vision.
Durham County Council’s Cabinet will meet on Wednesday, September 11, in County Hall.