The amount of Council Tax the public pay for the police service, known as the police precept, will increase for 2021-22 by 7% in County Durham and Darlington. This equates to an increase of £15 per year, or 29p a week for a Band D property. Acting Durham Police, Crime and Victims’ Commissioner, Steve White presented his proposal, along with...

People looking to keep fit while staying safe indoors during the coronavirus pandemic can now take part in free online exercise classes. Durham County Council has launched a series of virtual classes which will be free of charge during their initial period. From gentle yoga classes to active HITT, the varied timetable of sessions is now...

Businesses are being warned to keep following government guidance to protect their customers after a County Durham barber was fined for being open during lockdown. Durham County Council’s compliance officers issued a fine to the owner of a barber shop after it was found operating last week. Working in partnership with officers from Durham...

Local charity the Pioneering Care Partnership (PCP) began when a few local people had the foresight to recognise the need for health and social to come together in a ‘one stop shop’ environment, the charity was born and these local people became trustees. The founding trustees oversaw the development of the Pioneering Care Centre and their...

A £25m investment in the regeneration of communities across County Durham is to be presented to councillors for approval. Durham County Council’s Towns and Villages Investment Plan commits £20m to the county’s most disadvantaged communities and, following the significant support and opportunities identified through consultation, a...

Companies are being invited to find out more about a new programme that has been launched to support innovation in the construction, health and electech sectors across County Durham. Set up by Business Durham, the economic development arm of Durham County Council, the Durham Future Innovation Building (DFIB) programme is open to SMEs who are...

Durham Constabulary trauma trained officers are among the first in the country to carry a life-saving drug which will temporarily overcome the effects of a drug overdose. More than 40 roads policing officers and other frontline officers, together with officers working in custody suites, have been trained in administering Naloxone – a drug...

Durham County Council’s commitment to tackling climate change will be strengthened by its senior Cabinet members this month with a pledge to address all its environmental impacts alongside its low carbon activities. The local authority has set out a statement of ambitions outlining how it will continue to work towards positive environmental...

A Newton Aycliffe logistics company is on a recruitment drive in response to an increase in demand after seeing its turnover grow in 2020. Stiller Warehousing and Distribution, based on Aycliffe Business Park, is creating 25 new positions which it aims to fill by the end of March. Positions include HGV drivers, fork lift drivers,...

Wide-ranging plans to invest more than £112m in frontline services and major development projects in County Durham will be considered next week. The investments are outlined in Durham County Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP), which sets out the authority’s spending plans and priorities for 2021-22 to 2024-25. Despite the...