FOREWORD FROM THE CHAIR OF THE PARISH COUNCIL
The City of Durham Parish Council’s activities are funded by a precept which forms part of your council tax. Each year since 2018, the Parish Council has opted to freeze the annual Parish Council precept charge at £34.87 (Band D) – one of the lowest in the entire County. This budget was originally allocated to us by the County Council upon our formation
following a referendum of residents.
The City of Durham Parish Council represents a wide geographical area from Akyley Heads
down to Burn Hall which includes the electoral wards of Elvet and Gilesgate,
Neville’s Cross and Durham South.
To help deliver services for local residents, the Parish Council has established a number of Committees; each with a specific area of focus. These include: a Planning Committee (representing the parish on all planning matters and delivering a Neighbourhood Plan for our community), an Environment Committee (delivering a cleaner and greener community), a Licensing Committee (representing the parish on all licensing matters), a Finance Committee (ensuring the delivery of cost-effective services and advising the Parish
Council on grant allocations to local voluntary and community organisations)
and a Business Committee (supporting businesses and promoting Durham city as a
place to visit and shop).
Our 15 volunteer Councillors have worked on: securing more neighbourhood wardens, making our area cleaner and greener, producing a neighbourhood plan, resisting more family homes becoming yet more student housing, more family events in the city. Providing solutions on these (and other) local issues is our primary focus as a Council.
We would like to hear your views on what the Parish Council has already achieved, what you would like us to do more of and what we can do differently, for example, an enhanced late-night neighbourhood policing and safeguarding service for our area. We would like to know your views as to whether you would be willing to pay a slightly increased precept to
deliver these additional services.
Although the City of Durham Parish Council area has a high population, its tax income is lower than areas of similar size due to the significant number of properties exempt from Council’s tax because of their use as student accommodation.
Local residents know that the Parish Council will always act wherever it can to address their issues and concerns. Please take a moment to complete the survey overleaf and let us hear your views on this proposal. Together, we want to preserve and improve our community for years to come.
Councillor Alan Doig
Chair of the City of Durham Parish Council
THE DEADLINE FOR RESPONDING TO THIS CONSULTATION IS 17TH NOVEMBER 2022
Please refer to our
privacy statement to find out how we manage and safeguard your data: https://cityofdurham-pc.gov.uk/legal-information/privacy-statement/