This week in County Durham:

Corporate Parenting Panel Discusses Support for Vulnerable Children

The Corporate Parenting Panel met to discuss several key issues affecting children in care and care leavers in County Durham. The panel reviewed the annual report, the pre-birth intervention service, the Future Hope programme, and performance data. You can read the full agenda and reports here.

• Outstanding Rating: The panel noted that Ofsted gave Durham Local Authority Children’s Services an overall grading of ‘outstanding’ following an inspection in March 2025.
• Children in Care: As of March 2025, there were 1,184 children in care in County Durham, including 49 Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children.
• Health Assessments: 69% of children in care received an Initial Health Assessment within 20 working days of coming into care.
• Education and Employment: 60% of care leavers aged 17-18 were in education, employment, or training, and 90% were in suitable accommodation.
• Pre-birth Intervention Service (PBIS): The PBIS aims to enable babies to remain with their parents or birth family where it is safe. The service focuses on teenage mothers under 16, care leavers up to age 25, and parents who have had a previous child removed through care proceedings.
  • The report highlighted that the development of a specific pre-birth pathway for parents with learning disabilities has been quoted within recent national good practice guidance by the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory as a first in the country and a beacon of good practice.
  • The report also mentioned the use of 'Hope Boxes', which are provided to mothers when the plan is removal at birth to start early life story work and to provide the mothers with some comfort/hope during the early stages of separation.
• Future Hope: This program supports women who have had one or more children permanently removed from their care. Participants agree to take effective contraception and receive intensive support to tackle destructive patterns and develop new skills.
  • Over the past 12 months, Future Hope has reached out to 58 women who have had 162 children removed from their care. The program is currently working with 26 women who have had 85 children removed from their care, with 26 women on the waiting list.
  • The report included a graduate story of 'L', who before Future Hope attended accident and emergency frequently, was a victim survivor of domestic abuse, and was at a huge risk of exploitation. During/after Future Hope, L now uses her GP and pharmacy appropriately for health concerns, has moved home and likes where she now lives, and has been able to save small amounts of money.

These programs aim to provide vulnerable children and their families with the support they need to thrive, and the panel's discussions highlight the ongoing efforts to improve outcomes for these individuals.

Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) Discusses Curriculum and Support for Schools

The Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) met to discuss various aspects of religious education in County Durham schools. The meeting included feedback from the NASACRE AGM, the Education Durham Report, and a personal perspective on faith and community.

• Education Durham Report: The report provided details on courses and networks offered to teachers and leaders, in-house Continuing Professional Development (CPD) support requested by schools, Ofsted deep dive updates, and workforce data.
  • Courses and networks included New to leading primary RE, primary networks, and RE courses covering disciplinary literacy, curriculum progression, Hinduism, and curriculum impact.
  • Secondary networks continue to have low attendance due to increased academisation across County Durham.
  • Evaluations of courses and networks have been very positive, with 100% of respondents saying that the sessions met their needs.
  • The report included examples of feedback from a cross-section of respondents, including this comment from a participant in the New to leading primary RE course:

“A real co-ordinator sharing good practice in an authentic and helpful way. She was passionate about her subject, focussed on the key messages and had a breadth of knowledge. The course was well-paced, motivating and comprehensive. I think it will help me prepare for upcoming SIAMs inspection and improve the quality of RE delivery in the school particularly the progression of skills in RE.”

• Ofsted Deep Dives: Two deep dives into Religious Education since the last SACRE meeting: one in a primary school and the other in a secondary school.
  • The primary school received feedback that, “in many subjects, teachers routinely revisit prior learning to ensure pupils remember things over the long term. However, this is not consistently the case. For example, in religious education, pupils learn about other faiths, but this learning is not deepened as these topics are revisited too infrequently.”
  • The secondary school’s RE feedback was intertwined with feedback around Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PHSE): “Pupils benefit from an exceptionally well-constructed taught personal, social, health and economic education (PHSE) programme. The programme skilfully combines provision from subjects, including religious studies, extended form time and assemblies. This supports pupils to develop a rich understanding of the world around them. Pupils are able to speak confidently about issues such as democracy, protected characteristics and the role that faith plays in people’s lives in the context of their own community and beyond.”
• Workforce Data: The report noted that there are some errors in the data that schools report. On reviewing Durham’s data, there are a couple of cases where schools have KS4 cohorts but have reported teaching hours as 0, so this data needs to be treated with caution. The report suggested that SACRE offer to support schools with their data returns in November 2025.

SACRE's work ensures that religious education in County Durham schools is high-quality and meets the needs of students and teachers.

Other Matters

• The Spennymoor Town Board meeting scheduled for June 6th was postponed. The agenda and list of attendees can be found here.

Upcoming Meetings

Here's a list of upcoming meetings, including their main topics:

• Standards Committee - Monday 09 June 2025: Code of conduct update, annual report, recruitment of Independent Persons, committee work programme, and national standards issues.
• Statutory Licensing Sub-Committee - Monday 09 June 2025: CANCELLED
• Charter Trustees for the City of Durham - Wednesday 11 June 2025: Election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor, appointment of officers, and future meeting dates.
• County Planning Committee - Wednesday 11 June 2025
• Pension Fund Committee - Thursday 12 June 2025: Pension fund performance, regulatory updates, service plan, and audit reports.
• Highways Committee - Friday 13 June 2025: CANCELLED
• Area Planning Committee (Central and East) - Monday 16 June 2025
• General Licensing and Registration Sub-Committee (1) - Tuesday 17 June 2025
• Police and Crime Panel - Tuesday 17 June 2025
• Cabinet - Wednesday 18 June 2025
• Area Planning Committee (South and West) - Thursday 19 June 2025
• Combined Fire Authority for County Durham and Darlington - Friday 20 June 2025

This week in County Durham:

• At the County Council meeting, Councillor Robbie Rodiss was elected as Chair and Councillor Jackie Teasdale as Vice Chair.
• The County Council also saw Councillor Andrew Husband elected as Leader, who then announced his Deputy Leader and Cabinet members.
• The Combined Fire Authority for County Durham and Darlington Human Resources Committee meeting was cancelled.

County Council - Wednesday 21 May 2025

At the annual meeting of the County Council, Councillor Robbie Rodiss was elected as Chair and Councillor Jackie Teasdale as Vice Chair. Councillor Andrew Husband was elected as Leader of the Council, who then announced his Deputy Leader and Cabinet members. The council also approved the scheme of delegation as set out in the Council's Constitution.

Election of Chair and Vice Chair

Councillor Robbie Rodiss was elected as Chair of the council, succeeding Councillor Joan Nicholson. Councillor Richard Bell had also been nominated for the position. After the vote, Councillor Rodiss quoted:

Life's most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?

He also thanked everyone who voted for him, and acknowledged that others didn't, but that's democracy.

Councillor Jackie Teasdale was elected as Vice Chair of the council.

Leader's Announcements

Councillor Andrew Husband was elected as Leader of the Council. He subsequently announced the appointment of Councillor Darren Rhymes as Deputy Leader, and named the cabinet members. Councillor Joe Quinn was appointed to the resources, investment and assets portfolio.

Appointments to Joint Bodies and Other Bodies

The council agreed to appointments to various joint bodies and other bodies. These included:

• The Combined Fire Authority for County Durham and Darlington, which comprises 21 members from Durham County Council and four from Darlington.
• The Business Durham Advisory Board, with membership including the Leader, Deputy Leader, and cabinet portfolio holders for economy and partnerships, housing and assets, and neighbourhoods and climate change.
• The Charter Trust for the City of Durham, with appointments made based on representation from electoral divisions within the original charter trust area. The council agreed to appoint three additional trustees: Councillor Rodiss as chair, Councillor Nicola Lyons as a member of the cabinet, and Councillor Mary-Lynn Franklin.
• The Durham Police and Crime Panel, a joint committee with Darlington Borough Council, comprising seven representatives from Durham, three from Darlington, and two independent co-opted members.
• The Joint Audit Committee for the Police and Crime Commissioner and Police, with a member appointed from Durham and Darlington councils.
• The North East Combined Authority (NECA), with the Leader of the Council appointed, and the Deputy Leader and portfolio holder for finance, plus the cabinet portfolio holder for economy and partnerships, appointed as substitutes.

Appointment of Council Bodies and Allocation of Seats

The council appointed members to various committees and the Corporate Parenting Panel, allocating seats to political groups and unaligned councillors. The allocation of seats was determined based on legislative requirements, ensuring that the political group with a majority of seats had a majority on each committee, and that seats were allocated proportionally to the membership of the full council. Councillor Amanda Hopgood congratulated Councillor Husband on becoming Leader of the Council and wished him and his cabinet well.

An amendment was proposed to change the chair of the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Management Board to Councillor Mark Wilkes, and move the vice chair of the Environment and Sustainable Community Scrutiny Committee to Councillor John Cook. Councillor David Freeman seconded the amendment. The amendment was put to a vote, but it failed with 30 votes for, 63 against, and zero abstentions.

Annual Review of the Constitution

The council approved the scheme of delegation as set out in Part 3C of the Constitution. The Director of Legal and Democratic Services has delegated authority, in consultation with the Constitution Working Group, to make future changes to reflect decisions of the council, other council bodies, changes in legislation, and to correct inaccuracies. The Local Government Act 2000 requires the council to prepare and keep up to date a document that contains a copy of the authority’s standing orders, a copy of the authority’s code of conduct for its members and co-opted members, such information as the Secretary of State may direct, and such other information as the authority considers appropriate.

Other Business

The council confirmed the minutes of the meeting held on 19 March 2025¹ and agreed to the suggested dates for council meetings in 2025-26.

Combined Fire Authority for County Durham and Darlington Human Resources Committee - Tuesday 20 May 2025

The Combined Fire Authority for County Durham and Darlington Human Resources Committee meeting was cancelled.

This week in County Durham:

• The Statutory Licensing Sub-Committee convened, but no transcript or summary is available.
• The Mountsett Crematorium Joint Committee discussed financial performance, operational reports, risk management, and internal audits.
• The Central Durham Crematorium Joint Committee reviewed finances, audit reports, performance, and risk management.
• The Area Planning Committee (North) considered a planning application for Cemetery House in Pelton¹.
• The Spennymoor Town Board discussed updates to the Plan for Neighbourhoods programme and community engagement.

Mountsett Crematorium Joint Committee - Wednesday 23 April 2025

The Mountsett Crematorium Joint Committee convened to discuss the crematorium's performance, finances, and risk management. The committee was scheduled to review the annual internal audit report.

The committee was scheduled to review the financial monitoring report for the period of April 2024 to March 2025, which projected a revenue surplus of £370,589, less than the budgeted surplus due to increased staff overtime, increased rates following the 2024 revaluation of non-domestic properties by the Valuation Office Agency, and a decrease in income from unattended direct cremations.

The committee was also scheduled to discuss the performance and operational report, which provided a quarterly update on the crematorium's activities. Between 1 January 2025 and 31 March 2025, 404 cremations were undertaken, compared to 347 in the same period last year, an increase of 57. The number of direct cremations also increased, with 82 unattended direct cremations in 2024/25 compared to 62 in 2023/24. The committee was scheduled to note that Willowburn Hospice and Northeast Air Ambulance each received £6,250 from the recycling of metals scheme.

The committee was scheduled to be informed of the outcome of the half-yearly risk review in March 2025. According to the risk register, there were no significant changes to report, but the number of Relief Cremation Attendants / Standby Cremator Operators has been reduced from 4 to 3.

The committee was scheduled to review the Annual Internal Audit Report for 2024/25, which provided a Substantial overall assurance opinion on the adequacy and effectiveness of the governance, risk management and internal control arrangements operating across the Joint Committee in 2024/25.

Central Durham Crematorium Joint Committee - Wednesday 23 April 2025

The Central Durham Crematorium Joint Committee met to discuss the crematorium's performance, finances, and risk management, as well as to review the annual internal audit report. The committee was also scheduled to discuss the quarterly performance and operational report.

The committee was scheduled to review the Financial Monitoring Report for the period of April 2024 to March 2025. The report indicated a provisional revenue surplus of £1,151,779, which is £91,038 more than budgeted.

The committee was scheduled to consider the Annual Internal Audit Report 2024/25, which provided a Substantial overall assurance opinion on the adequacy and effectiveness of the governance, risk management, and internal control arrangements. The audit identified two medium priority findings: a £228 cash payment for a Book of Remembrance entry could not be reconciled to the bank account, and manual timesheets had been miscalculated due to illegible handwriting and mathematical error, resulting in 1.75 hours of overtime being overclaimed by four employees.

The committee was scheduled to discuss the Quarterly Performance and Operational Report, which provided an update on the crematorium's performance and operational matters. The report noted that there were 644 cremations undertaken between January and March 2025, compared to 677 in the same period last year. The total number of cremations in 2024/25 was 2,282, compared with 2,433 in 2023/24, a decrease of 151 cremations.

The committee was scheduled to be informed of the outcome of the half-yearly risk review in March 2025, as detailed in the Risk Register Update 2024/25 Review 2. The report stated that there were no significant changes to report since the previous review, but there was one minor update: the number of Relief Cremation Attendants / Standby Cremator Operators had been reduced from 4 to 3.

Area Planning Committee (North) - Thursday 24 April 2025

The Area Planning Committee (North) met to consider planning application DM/25/00146/FPA concerning Cemetery House, Pelton. The committee was scheduled to discuss planning application DM/25/00146/FPA for Cemetery House, Pelton, Chester-le-Street, DH2 1NQ. Mr & Mrs Ian & Emma Collinson, the applicants, were seeking permission for demolition of existing rear additions and erection of a two-storey extension, including raising the roof height.

The planning application was brought to the committee at the request of Councillor Danny Wood, who felt that the visual amenity impacts of the proposals should be fully considered by elected members. Pelton Parish Council also requested that the application be reported to the committee, as local councillors were in support of the proposal.

The report pack outlined several planning policies relevant to the application, including the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), County Durham Plan (CDP) Policies 6, 21, 29, 31, 41, 43, and 44, and Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD).

Despite acknowledging that the proposal adequately preserved residential amenity, highway safety, and ecological issues, the planning officer recommended refusal of the application. The report pack stated that this was because the proposed scheme, by virtue of its scale, mass and design, would have an overbearing and visually intrusive impact upon the character and appearance of the host property and its setting within the street scene.

Spennymoor Town Board - Friday 25 April 2025

The All Together for Spennymoor Town Board was scheduled to meet to discuss updates to the Plan for Neighbourhoods programme, including changes to the scope and funding, goals and focus, and community involvement. They were also scheduled to discuss governance structures and future community engagement events.

The board was scheduled to receive an update on the All Together for Spennymoor neighbourhood board following updated guidance from central government on the Plan for Neighbourhoods (PfN) programme. The report pack outlined that the PfN had expanded the scope from 55 towns in the Long-Term Plan for Towns to 75 areas. It also noted that the PfN focuses on creating thriving places, building stronger communities, and empowering local areas to take back control.

The report pack stated that further community engagement would take place, with the delivery of projects within the programme to begin in 2026/27. It listed the following events: Spennymoor Town Vibrancy event at Spennymoor Market Place on 24 May 2025, Spennymoor Gala at Jubilee Park on 5 July 2025, and Spennymoor Brass Festival at Spennymoor Market Place on 10 July 2025.

The board was scheduled to receive an update on the Spennymoor Youth working group, which had been established to work with young people.

This week in County Durham:

• The County Durham Local Access Forum discussed the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine project and Environmental Land Management Schemes.
• The Highways Committee endorsed traffic regulation changes in Durham City and Langley Park, and a one-way system in Seaham.
• The Chief Officer Appointments Committee met to interview candidates for the Corporate Director of Neighbourhoods and Climate Change.
• The Appeals and Complaints Sub-Committee convened to consider an appeal, excluding the public due to exempt information.
• The General Licensing and Registration Sub-Committee (2) deferred a private hire operator license application and issued a warning to a driver.
• The Area Planning Committee (South and West) approved supported housing in Spennymoor and were minded to approve bungalows in Trimdon Village.

County Durham Local Access Forum - Monday 14 April 2025

The County Durham Local Access Forum convened to discuss access and rights of way issues. The forum received updates on the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine project, Environmental Land Management Schemes, the Durham City Green Corridor, and the Stockton and Darlington Railway walking and cycling routes. The forum also received an Active Travel Team update, and agreed to update their work programme.

Of particular interest was the discussion of Agricultural Property Relief, where concerns were raised about proposed government reforms and their potential impact on farmers. The Active Travel Team update highlighted the council's obligations under the Equality Act 2010 to ensure accessibility for disabled people, including the removal of physical barriers.

Highways Committee - Tuesday 15 April 2025

The Highways Committee endorsed changes to traffic regulations in Durham City and Langley Park, and a one-way system in Seaham.

In Durham City, the committee endorsed increasing the road user charge from £2 to £5 and extending the hours of operation. The committee heard objections from parents of children at Choristers School, who argued that the increased charge was unreasonable. Councillor Angela Sterling stated that school drop off and pick up issues were not a matter for the Highways Committee, as road safety was the priority. Councillor Douglas Oliver supported the application, stating that the road user charge should be increased in line with other authorities such as London.

In Langley Park, the committee endorsed the introduction of traffic calming features in the form of speed cushions on C62 Low Moor Road. The committee heard objections from residents who raised concerns about noise and vibration, vehicle emissions, and increased danger to cyclists and motorcyclists. Councillor Arnie Simpson spoke in support of the application, stating that similar schemes in areas such as Framlington Moor had improved road safety and slowed traffic.

In Seaham, the committee endorsed the introduction of a one-way system and traffic calming measures on Ash Crescent. The committee heard an objection from a resident who raised concerns about the necessity of the one-way system, the potential increase in danger, noise, and pollution from the speed cushions, and the waste of money.

Chief Officer Appointments Committee - Tuesday 15 April 2025

The Chief Officer Appointments Committee met to conduct formal interviews for the position of Corporate Director of Neighbourhoods and Climate Change. The role is responsible for overseeing strategies and initiatives related to local communities and environmental sustainability.

Appeals and Complaints Sub-Committee - Wednesday 16 April 2025

The Appeals and Complaints Sub-Committee convened to consider an appeal. The agenda included a resolution to exclude the public during the discussion of items containing exempt information, suggesting that sensitive or confidential details were involved.

General Licensing and Registration Sub-Committee (2) - Wednesday 16 April 2025

The General Licensing and Registration Sub-Committee (2) addressed licensing matters, focusing on private hire services. The sub-committee deferred consideration of an application for a private hire operator license and granted a private hire driver licence, but issued a written warning.

Area Planning Committee (South and West) - Thursday 17 April 2025

The Area Planning Committee (South and West) approved the building of supported housing in Spennymoor, despite local objections, and were minded to approve the construction of 42 bungalows in Trimdon Village, subject to legal agreements being completed.

The committee approved an application for the erection of 7 one-bedroom dwellings and one one-bedroom dwelling to be occupied by an on-site manager, with associated access, landscaping, and ancillary works on land to the east of 1 Ladysmock Close, Spennymoor. Councillor Jim Rowlandson, Portfolio Holder for Resources, Investment and Assets, supported the application, stating that it would help those who had found themselves either homeless or at risk of homelessness, and coincided with new government initiatives on homelessness. Councillor Brian McAloon, local member, objected to the location of the dwellings, as it was opposite 20 bungalows occupied by elderly vulnerable residents.

The committee were minded to approve a report for the construction of 42 bungalows (as amended) at land west of petrol filling station, Bank Top Terrace, Trimdon Village. Councillor Carol Varty, local member, supported the application, but was concerned regarding traffic and the lack of a new doctor's surgery to cater for the additional residents. The application was minded to be approved subject to the completion of the legal agreements contained in the report.

The committee also considered a report for the erection of a 3,600-seated arena, a small lake, landscaped hillside performance area, performance bridge, and associated works for a 'Lost Feather' bird show at Kynren, Flatts Farm, Toronto, Bishop Auckland, DL14 7SF. The application was recommended for approval subject to conditions.