Tag: durham county council

Durham Exhibition To Tell Untold Story Of Gypsy Holocaust

By on 18th January 2016in In & Around

The harrowing – and often unheard – story of the gypsy holocaust during the Second World War will be told at an upcoming exhibition…

Durham County Council is hosting the Gypsy, Roma Traveller Service’s display entitled Porrajmos: Through the Eyes of Children.

It tells the widely unknown story of the deaths of hundreds of thousands of gypsies at the hands of the Nazis during the Second World War.

The Porrajmos, translated as ‘the devouring’, is the term used to describe the genocide of Europe’s Roma and Sinti (gypsy) population between 1934 and 1945.

Up to 500,000 Roma and Sinti were killed or died as a result of starvation or disease, and many more were imprisoned in forced labour camps and subjected to forced sterilisation and medical experimentation.

Despite the atrocities, however, the story remains largely unknown.

The free exhibition, which will be held weekdays between 19th and 29th January from 9am until 4pm in the Durham Room at County Hall in Durham City, and will coincide with Holocaust Memorial Day on 27th January, aims to change that.

It will include a short educational documentary produced by the Plymouth and Devon Racial Equality Council/Devon Learning and Development Partnership, as well as additional information about the genocide.

 

The aim is to play a part in helping to ensure that lessons are learned from the past in terms of exclusion, discrimination, racism and hatred of other religions, beliefs or ways of life.

The Porrajmos exhibition is part of the Safer Communities Awareness event, and staff from the Safer Communities team will be on hand to provide information about wider community safety issues and support to those who need advice or assistance.

Cllr Joy Allen, Cabinet member for safer communities, Durham County Council, said: “This important exhibition will tell the story of the Romany victims of Nazi persecution.

“We hope the event goes some way towards promoting community cohesion and encouraging visitors to reflect on the impact of unchecked discrimination and racial hatred.

“There will also be an opportunity to find out more about wider community safety initiatives and access advice and support from partners.”

A separate exhibition organised by the Gypsy, Roma, Traveller Education Service is being held at Durham Cathedral from 25-29th January during opening times, and will be staffed on 27th January.

It is being hosted by pupils from The Hermitage School in the Chapel of Nine Altars, and will explain the genocide to other secondary school students from the area. There will also be a speech by holocaust survivor Zdenka Fantlova.

Scrap Man Fined £800 For Operating Without Licence

By on 17th January 2016in In & Around

A scrap man has been landed with a bill of more than £800 for operating without the proper licence…

 

Officers from Durham County Council were carrying out stop and checks as part of Operation Stop It last June when they spotted a white Ford Transit van, magistrates in Peterlee heard on Friday 8th January.

The two occupants appeared to be looking in gardens and yards for scrap.

One of the occupants, Ben Mitchell, told officers that he had been collecting scrap items around Chester-le-Street and that he did have documents to prove this, but he didn’t have them with him.

He also admitted that he did not have a scrap metal licence, the court heard.

He was handed a producer requiring copies of waste transfer notes between April and June 2015.

Meanwhile, checks revealed that Mitchell was not licensed by Durham County Council as a scrap collector.

He was unable to produce the appropriate waste transfer notes and he was handed a £300 fixed penalty notice, which remains unpaid.

Mitchell, 28, of Don Dixon Drive, Jarrow, pleaded guilty to failing to produce waste transfer notes and was found guilty, following a trial of carrying on business as a scrap metal dealer without a licence.

The Scrap Metal Dealers Act was introduced in 2013, following a surge in crimes linked to scrap metal theft, and means anyone carrying scrap metal as part of their business must hold a licence.

Mitchell, who represented himself, told the court that he had an Environment Agency permit for waste collection, and mistakenly believed that this would cover him.

Magistrates took into account his apparent lack of understanding that he would need a scrap metal licence to cover him in each individual local authority.

He was fined a total of £295 for the two offences, and ordered to pay £500 costs and a £25 victim surcharge.

Ian Hoult, Durham County Council’s neighbourhood protection manager, said: “Anyone who buys, sells or collects scrap metal in County Durham is required by law to hold a licence issued by us.

“We carry out regular stop and check operations throughout the county to make sure anybody carrying waste holds the appropriate licence, and we will take action against those who don’t. We are pleased that magistrates have viewed this matter seriously.”

For more information, and to apply for a scrap metal dealers licence, visit www.durham.gov.uk/article/2173/scrap-metal-dealers-licence or call 03000 260 016.

Find out more about Operation Stop It at www.durham.gov.uk/flytipping.

Council To Close 12 Adult Day Care Centres Across County Durham

By on 14th January 2016in In & Around

Changes to council-run adult day services in County Durham have now been agreed…

 

Members of Durham County Council’s Cabinet agreed a reorganisation of services that will result in the closure of 12 centres by September 2016.

People using the 12 centres which will close will be supported in finding alternative provision to meet their needs in the independent and/or voluntary sector.

All people who are assessed as needing a service will continue to receive one, and any changes will be carefully planned.

The decision was made in response to significant changes to the way in which people choose day services, which has led to drop in demand for traditional council-run centres, as well as the need to make £1.59m savings during 2016/17.

The council will continue to run five centres from across the county in order to continue to offer specialist services to people with complex needs. Around 101 people currently fall into this category.

Cllr Lucy Hovvels, cabinet member for adult and health services at Durham County Council, said: “This was not an easy decision to make, and we recognise that it will be disappointing for many of those affected.

“However, we must respond to the changing demand for these services, as well as the financial pressures we face, and therefore we must make these changes.

“Many people are already choosing alternative care services in the community and voluntary sector – particularly as a result of national changes such as the introduction of Direct Payments, which enables people to make their own choices about where and how to get support.

“Our staff are very experienced in helping people to make the right choices for their needs and in supporting people through the move to a new service.

“We will continue to work with people to understand their needs, and any concerns they have so that we can support them through any changes.”

The five centres which will provide specialist day services are Durham Pathways, Pity Me; Spennymoor Pathways, Spennymoor Leisure Centre; Newton Aycliffe Pathways, Aycliffe Leisure Centre; Peterlee Pathways; and Stanley Pathways, Louisa Leisure Centre.

The 12 day services which will close are Ebony Woodwork Unit, Consett; Chester-le-Street Pathways; Crook Pathways; Proudfoot Centre, Bishop Auckland; Annfield Plain Pathways; Silver Street, Spennymoor; Consett Pathways; Harmire Unit, Barnard Castle; Bishop Auckland Pathways, Tindale Crescent; Bracken Hill Centre, Peterlee; Bede Day Centre, Barnard Castle; and Stanhope Pathways.

All people who use the existing 17 centres, their carers and staff at the centres have been consulted on the proposals, and their feedback was included in the report to Cabinet.

Blue Peter’s Valerie Singleton Hosts ‘An Evening With…’ In Durham

By on 14th January 2016in Entertainment

A Blue Peter legend is sailing into Durham for an evening looking back at her life and career…

 

Fans of papier mâché and sticky backed plastic will come face to face with presenter, actress and voice-over star Valerie Singleton as she hosts “An Audience With…” on Thursday 26th January.

Originally an RADA trained actress, Valerie was a successful voice-over artist when, in 1962, the BBC came looking for the perfect presenter to join existing frontman Christopher Trace on their children’s show Blue Peter.

Glamourous, yet never afraid to muck-in, Valerie took viewers ‘behind the rope’, to places and events they wouldn’t ordinarily see.

During a decade on the iconic show, she also took a lion for a walk, accompanied Princess Anne to Kenya for the Save the Children Fund, and met the misbehaving elephant Lulu, who caused chaos on the set of the show.

After leaving the show as a full-time member of the team, Valerie went on to present Nationwide from 1972 to 1976, and became Blue Peter’s roving reporter, popping up in the studio and on film reports, and fronting Blue Peter Special Assignments.

Her last report for the show was in 1981 – nearly two decades after she made her debut.

Stints on the Money Programme for BBC2 and PM on Radio 4 followed, as well as presenting duties on programmes covering such diverse topics as travel, history, alcohol abuse, violence in present day society, and a game show.

Tickets for An Audience With Valerie Singleton – on Tuesday 26th January at 7.30pm – cost £18 full price, £16 for concessions and £15 for Gala Friends.

And as part of the evening, a question and answer session will be held with audience members having a chance to put their own questions to the star.

To buy tickets, visit www.galadurham.co.uk, or call the box office on 03000 266 600.

North East Youngsters Represent UK In Euro Photography Exhibit

By on 13th January 2016in Have Your Say

A free photography exhibition featuring young people from across Europe revealing their hopes and wishes for the future is now on display at Gala Durham…

The Portrait of a Continent exhibition features pictures of youngsters from 23 countries across Europe along with their inspirational messages. The UK is represented by two pupils from St Mary’s Primary School in South Moor, Jack and Katie, both 10. They call on the other youngsters to inspire and shape the world around them, and many of the children are hoping for a more peaceful future for the next generation.

Funded by the European Union, Durham County Council hosts the Europe Direct Information Centre and the council’s International Relations Team invited the youngsters to take part. As well as the pictures and messages, a selection of free publications are also available to browse as part of the exhibition for people who would like to learn more about the work of the European Union.

The photographs are also available online here to allow the participating countries to see the exhibit. There’s also a quiz aimed at young people that can be downloaded from the site.

 

Durham County Council’s Brian Stobie, Europe Direct Information Centre Manager, said: “The exhibition provides a fascinating insight into the hopes and dreams of the next generation across the continent. The European Union was initially created as a means to prevent further war, so it’s both fitting and inspiring that peace, understanding and working together are recurring themes in the wishes of young people across Europe.”

North East Campaign Searches For Over 450 Foster Carers

By on 12th January 2016in Lifestyle

Durham County Council’s fostering service has launched a campaign to encourage more people to become foster carers…

 

More than 450 foster carers are needed across the North East, and as part of the campaign ‘Make a Difference in 2016 – Become a Foster Carer’, which runs from January 4th to 18th, information sessions are being held to help people find out more about fostering.

The sessions take place at County Hall in Durham on Saturday 16th January between 10.30am and 2pm, and Monday 18th January between 11am and 6.30pm.

The council’s fostering team and foster carers will be available to answer any questions and help people find out how they can get started.

People will also be able to learn about the wide range of professional support and extensive training that is available to foster carers in County Durham.

Florence Coulter, fostering team manager, said: “We know that foster carers make a real difference to the lives of the children and young people that they care for and we would like to encourage more people to find out about how rewarding a career in fostering is.

“Lots of people have the skills to become a foster carer, but aren’t quite sure what’s involved. Our information sessions are a great way for you to meet our foster carers and hear what it’s like to foster.”

To find out more about becoming a foster carer or the information sessions, visit www.durham.gov.uk/fostering, email fostering@durham.gov.uk or phone 03000 269 400.

Members of the public can also find out first-hand what it is like to foster with Durham County Council by watching this video.

Heart Of Teesdale’s ‘Donate A Gate’ Scheme A Great Success

By on 11th January 2016in In & Around

A walking group, which donated two gates at Gainford as part of a ‘Donate a Gate’ scheme, used its annual Christmas walk to visit them…

 

Members of the Darlington Countrywide Holidays Association and Holiday Fellowship Rambling Group decided to see the work for themselves, festively dressed and singing carols along the way.

Chairman of the Darlington club, Ian Bagshaw, said: “It makes everything much more accessible. If you don’t walk so well, you don’t want to be going over wobbly styles, so it just makes things safer and easier for everybody.”

The Heart of Teesdale Landscape Partnership and the Friends of the North Pennines have been working together to roll out the ‘Donate a Gate’ scheme across Teesdale and the wider North Pennines area. The idea behind the scheme is to make the area’s popular footpaths more accessible by replacing awkward stiles with gates, and members of the public are being encouraged to sponsor a gate to make this possible.

Thanks to the scheme, 45 new gates have now been installed by Jay Marrison of 4Nature.

The ‘Donate a Gate’ scheme invites members of the public to pay for a stile to be replaced, and the new gate fitted with an engraved plaque. This could be in remembrance of a loved one, to commemorate a special occasion, or as a gift to someone who loves walking in Teesdale and the North Pennines. Everyone who ‘Donates a Gate’ will be given a choice of the location of the gate (subject to conditions), choose their engraving, and receive a personalised map of the area around their gate.

This scheme forms part of the Heart of Teesdale’s Paths for All People project, which aims to improve the footpaths and bridleways around the project area to make them more suitable and accessible. This includes work on the Teesdale Way and the Greta Walk.

For more information on the scheme, contact Emma Ashton-Wickett on 03000 260645 or emma.ashton@durham.gov.uk, or Friends of the North Pennines on fotnp@hotmail.co.uk.

Durham Police Request Residents’ Views Over Funding

By on 11th January 2016in Have Your Say

Residents have the opportunity to give their views on the police budget for 2016-17, thanks to a public consultation launched this week…

Between 11th and 27th January, members of the public can have their say in the annual consultation, either online or at a number of public events across County Durham and Darlington.

The Police and Crime Commissioner for County Durham and Darlington, Ron Hogg, proposes an increase of 1.98% to the amount of Council Tax which goes to the police service. This increase equates to just £3.22 over the year, or 6p a week for the average house in Band D.

Ron said: “As PCC I am responsible for setting the police budget. In the recent Comprehensive Spending Review, the Government indicated that it expects PCCs to increase the precept by up to 2 per cent when setting their budget for 2016-17.

“They also stated, as a result, the overall national policing budget will be protected in line with inflation. However, the amount of funding coming to local policing from Government is still reducing year on year.

“The total provisional grant received by Durham in 2016-17 will be £457,127 less than in 2015-16. The small increase I am proposing will raise approximately £520,000 and help to keep the equivalent of eleven Police Officers on the street.

“I am committed to ensuring that the police have the resources they need to continue to provide an excellent service to the public. The survey is short and will only take a minute or two to complete. I encourage residents to get involved and let me know their views.”

The survey and details of the public events are available on Ron’s website, www.durham-pcc.gov.uk, and are available on Facebook or Twitter. You can also give your views by telephone at 03000 264 631.

Responsible Dog Ownership Campaign Launches In Bowburn

By on 11th January 2016in In & Around

A campaign encouraging people to pick up their dog mess is to be launched in Bowburn…

 

Durham County Council, working in partnership with Durham Constabulary, Durham City Homes and local county councillor Cllr Jan Blakey, is behind the campaign which will see people encouraged to clean up after their pet and fined if they do not, and take advantage of free microchipping.

The campaign, which runs next week, will see patrols of dog fouling hotspot areas and a microchipping event.

The microchipping event takes place on Friday 15th January between 10am and 12pm at Bowburn Community Centre, Durham Road, Bowburn, DH6 5AT.

It offers people the chance to have their pet chipped before a change of law on April 6th, after which all dogs aged eight weeks old and over must be microchipped.

All dogs must be aged 12 weeks and over and have their up-to-date vaccinations to be microchipped at the event.

Proof of address showing residency in County Durham will be required.

Dog owners attending the microchipping event can join the Green Dog Walkers scheme.

Once signed up, dog owners take a pledge to carry extra dog poop bags to share to others who do not have one.

Throughout the week, the council’s neighbourhood wardens will be carrying out patrols in dog fouling hotspot areas.

Those observed failing to pick up after their pet will be handed an £80 fixed penalty notice.

If the fixed penalty notice is not paid, the offender will be taken to court and could face a maximum fine of £1,000.

Council officers, Durham City Homes and police will be talking to residents about responsible dog ownership, carrying out an estate walkabout and encouraging people to join the Green Dog Walkers scheme.

The campaign comes after local councillors raised concerns over the level of dog fouling in the area, having been approached about it by residents.

Cllrs Blakey, Mac Williams and Maria Plews have funded and helped organise the campaign.

Cllr Blakey said: “Dog fouling is a blight on communities, and we have listened to the concerns of the local people who have told us they have had enough.

“Through this campaign we are striving to reduce the amount of dog fouling in the community and in doing so enhance the local environment.”

Dog owners who cannot attend the microchipping event can sign up to the Green Dog Walkers scheme by downloading a form at www.durham.gov.uk/greendogwalkers, calling 03000 261 000 or emailing civicpride@durham.gov.uk.

Dog fouling can be reported online, in confidence, at www.durham.gov.uk/dogfouling or by calling 03000 261 000.

Willy Wonka Leads Kids To A Healthier Future

By on 10th January 2016in In & Around

Pupils from Peases West Primary School in Crook have enjoyed a Willy Wonka walk of pure imagination…

 

Caitlin Holiday, 10, won a MEGA Motion competition to decide the theme of a special walk by writing about having a lie-in while Roald Dahl’s Big Friendly Giant carried her to school in his pocket.

As her prize, however, she asked for her very own golden ticket and chose another Roald Dahl favourite, Willy Wonka, to join her and her classmates as they walked, cycled and scooted to school. Once there, the pupil’s enjoyed a tasty treat with a special assembly from Willy Wonka highlighting the benefits of healthy and environmentally friendly ways of getting to school.

The special day was the latest Durham County Council supported MEGA Motion event, which comes under the wider Local Motion campaign promoting sustainable transport throughout south Durham. The campaign aims to encourage children to walk, scoot or ride to school, and to make them aware of the health and environmental benefits from an early age.

As well as the fun walks, pupils earn points every time they use sustainable travel to get to school, aiming to collect enough points to become MEGA heroes by the end of the year.

Cllr Neil Foster, Cabinet member for economic regeneration, said: “MEGA Motion is a brilliant scheme that encourages our children, in a fun way, to be healthier and more environmentally friendly every day. It’s great to see the kids enjoy such a memorable day, and we’d like to wish them all good luck in their quest to become MEGA Heroes!”

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