Areas of Darlington and County Durham are set to receive specialist interventions to help cut crime and improve community safety after securing funding from the Home Office Safer Streets Fund. Earlier this year, the Office of the Durham Police and Crime Commissioner, submitted two bids to the £25m Home Office Safer Streets Fund, in partnership...

Construction companies across County Durham are being offered professional support to help them grow and secure new business. The Durham Business Opportunities Programme (DBOP) is offering business support to SMEs around the County Durham region. Since it was established four years ago DBOP, which is a European Development Fund (EDRF)...

Lee Weldon's weekly round-up from the wicket... Saturday 25th July – NYSD Division 2 Newton Aycliffe 1st XI v Thornaby 2nd XI – weather was cloudy and mild. Thornaby won the toss and chose to bowl first. Newton Aycliffe 1st XI 187 for 8 after 50 overs Adam Gittins 71, Adam Randall 36 and Luke Telford 21 Thornaby 2nd XI 112 all out...

Households in County Durham are being asked to check if the voter information for their home is correct. Elections will be taking place in May next year, therefore it is important that residents make sure they are able to take part. As part of Durham County Council’s annual canvass, households will soon receive a pack asking them to check...

By Colin Young Sparta Security have secured another major contract to increase their Task Force patrols on Aycliffe Business Park. Stiller are the latest company on the park to sign up for the Aycliffe-based firm’s modernday security expertise and former forces-led patrols. Chairman Francis-Charles Jones is convinced Sparta’s impact...

Bishop Line Community Rail Partnership is making face coverings available free of charge to rail passengers who need them. The UK made masks have been produced to distribute to Bishop Line passengers to help them travel safely. They aim to help increase passenger confidence since the government has advised that people may use public transport...

Tekmar Energy has won a contract to supply its patented technology to Japanese wind farms. The Aycliffe Business Park firm, which is part of the Tekmar Group, has been award the new deal from Sumitomo Electric Industries to supply its mechanical cable protection system (CPS) for the Akita and Noshiro offshore wind farms. The wind farms,...

The deadline for tenants and landlords to share their views on plans to improve the standard of privately rented properties in County Durham has been extended. People now have until Sunday 2 August to provide feedback on Durham County Council’s proposals to introduce selective licensing into the county. The scheme would require landlords...

Proposals to create a business park in Durham generating an initial 4,000 jobs worth up to £400m have taken a step forward with the submission of plans. Durham County Council has submitted a ‘hybrid’ planning application for the redevelopment of a site at Aykley Heads, which includes land currently occupied by the local authority’s...

A very special resident at HC-One’s St Clare's Court care home in Newton Aycliffe celebrated his 101st birthday this month. Ex-Navy officer Douglas Saylas celebrated the big milestone on July 17, starting with a visit from his family. Douglas’ family visited the home at a distance and brought some gifts for him, they had not seen Doug in...