Get Involved... Have Your Say On The New Unitary Council
A lot of work has taken place to make sure that council services are ready for the switch over to one local council that will run all local authority services in County Durham from April next year.
But now we need your help!
We are holding a series of stakeholder events throughout the summer to give local people the chance to have their say on an important part of the new unitary council.
As part of the plan for the single council, we want to create partnerships that will make decisions and consult with people in their local areas.
The information gained by the partnerships – originally called ‘Area Action Partnerships’ – will be used by the unitary council to help it provide services for local areas.
In the original plans that the county council submitted to the Government for the unitary council, we said that between 12 and 14 Area Action Partnerships (AAPs) would be needed. These would be based around the County's main towns and their surrounding rural areas.
But we also said that once the new council was elected, we would need the help of local people and organisations to help us with a number of questions, such as:
- What would be the most important activities for Area Action Partnerships to be involved with?
- How many partnerships do we need? Is 12 to 14 the right number?
- Which areas should the partnerships serve?
- How should the partnerships keep in touch with local people?
- How can the partnerships best involve local people and groups?
To help us answer questions like these and others, we are organising a range of stakeholder events to give you the chance to find out more, and have your say. We will be attending community meetings, running exhibitions in community venues and holding special workshop events at locations across County Durham.
You can help us by coming along to the events and giving us your views on how the AAPs should be organised. You will need to book your place at the workshop events, but you can visit the community exhibitions at any time.
If you can't make it along to any of the consultation events, please read the 
Consultation Document.pdf (8 pages, 313kb) that will give you some background information of the AAP proposals. There is a response sheet at the end of the document where you can answer our questions and send your responses back to us.
If you need any more information on the consultation, please call Craig Morgan on 0191 3708748.
For more information and to book your place at the workshop events, please contact the relevant name next to each event.
County Durham Unitary Council Consultation Events
Workshop Events
There are workshop events happening in each district area of County Durham, but you must book a place at the event you want to attend. To book, please contact the relevant name next to each event:
29 July, 6:00pm
Durham City Stakeholder Event
Town Hall
Durham City
Book by 24 July. Contact Lee Kirby, City of Durham Council, 0191 301 8898, lkirby@durhamcity.gov.uk
6 August, 6:00pm
Bowburn Stakeholder Event
Bowburn Community Centre
Book by 1 August. Contact Lee Kirby, City of Durham Council, 0191 301 8898, lkirby@durhamcity.gov.uk
6 August, 6:00pm
Peterlee Stakeholder Event
Shotton Hall
Peterlee
Book by 1 August. Contact Jane Bellis, District of Easington Council, 0191 5270501 ext 4571, jane.bellis@easington.gov.uk
11 August , 6:00pm
Seaham Stakeholder Event
New Drive
Seaham
County Durham
SR7 7BX
Book by 6 August. Contact Jane Bellis, Easington District Council, 0191 5270501 ext 4571, jane.bellis@easington.gov.uk
13 August, 6:00pm
Lanchester Stakeholder Event
Lanchester Community Centre
Newbiggin Lane
Lanchester
DH7 0JQ
Book by 8 August. Contact Janie Pollard, Derwentside District Council, 01207 218271, j.pollard@derwentside.gov.uk
14 August 6:00pm
Bishop Auckland Stakeholder Event
King James School
South Church Road
Bishop Auckland
DL14 7JZ
Book by 11 August. Contact Corrine Gardner, Wear Valley District Council, 01388 761989, c.gardner@wearvalley.gov.uk or Christine Davison 01388 761952, c.davison@wearvalley.gov.uk
18 August 6:00pm
Middleton-in-Teesdale Stakeholder Event
Middleton-in-Teesdale Village Hall
Gas Lane
Middleton-in-Teesdale
DL12 OTN
Book by 13 August. Contact Maggie Wilson, Teesdale District Council, 01833 696231, m.wilson@teesdale.gov.uk or Emma Martin 01833 696211, e.martin@teesdale.gov.uk
19 August 6:00pm
Barnard Castle Stakeholder Event
Witham Hall
3Horsemarket
Barnard Castle
DL12 8LY
Book by 14 August. Contact Maggie Wilson, Teesdale District Council, 01833 696231, m.wilson@teesdale.gov.uk or Emma Martin 01833 696211, e.martin@teesdale.gov.uk
20 August 6:00pm:
Evenwood Stakeholder Event
Randolph Centre
(Evenwood Village Hall)
Evenwood
DL14 9RE
Book by 15 August. Contact Maggie Wilson, Teesdale District Council, 01833 696231, m.wilson@teesdale.gov.uk or Emma Martin 01833 696211, e.martin@teesdale.gov.uk
20 August 6:00pm
Murton Stakeholder Event
Glebe Centre
Murton
Book by 15 August. Contact Jane Bellis, District of Easington Council, 0191 5270501 ext 4571, jane.bellis@easington.gov.uk
21 August 6:00pm
Crook/Willington Stakeholder Event
St Catherine’s Community Centre
Market Place
Crook
Book by 18 August. Contact Corrine Gardner, Wear Valley District Council 01388 761989, c.gardner@wearvalley.gov.uk or Christine Davison, 01388 761952, c.davison@wearvalley.gov.uk
26 August 6:00pm
Spennymoor Stakeholder Event
Spennymoor Town Hall
Book by 21 August. Contact Angela Mulholland, Sedgefield Borough Council, 01388 816166, amulholland@sedgefield.gov.uk
27 August 6:00pm
Newton Aycliffe Stakeholder Event
Greenfield Community Hall
Newton Aycliffe
Book by 22 August. Contact Angela Mulholland, Sedgefield Borough Council, 01388 816166, amulholland@sedgefield.gov.uk
27 August 5:00pm
Stanley Stakeholder Event
Lamplight Theatre
Front Street
Stanley
DH9 0NA
Book by 22 August. Contact Janie Pollard. Derwentside District Council, 01207 218271, j.pollard@derwentside.gov.uk
28 August 6:00pm
Weardale Stakeholder Event
St Anne's Community Centre
Wolsingham
Book by 25 August. Contact Corrine Gardner, Wear Valley District Council, 01388 761989, c.gardner@wearvalley.gov.uk or Christine Davison, 01388 761952, c.davison@wearvalley.gov.uk
28 August 6:00pm
Consett Stakeholder Event
St Patrick’s Church Hall
Victoria Road
Consett.
Book by 25 August. Contact Janie Pollard, Derwentside District Council, 01207 218271, j.pollard@derwentside.gov.uk
4 September 6:00pm
Chester-le-Street Stakeholder Event
Chester-le-Street Civic Centre
Newcastle Road
Chester-le-Street
Book by 1 September. Contact Lesley Lines, Chester-le-Street District Council, 0191 387 2252, lesleylines@chester-le-street.gov.uk
There are events happening across the county and you can drop into the exhibitions at any time. There will be council and voluntary community organisation officers on hand to answer your questions and listen to your views.
Derwentside Area Events
In Derwentside, we are organising information displays at Asda, Morrisons and Tesco during August, where you can see the proposals and ask any questions.
There will also be special events for young people using the Ellie Youth Bus and we will publicise these events as soon as possible.
Durham City Area Events
8 August 9:00am-12:30pm:
Thornley Library
High Street
Thornley
DH6 3EL
9 August 9:00am-1:00pm; and 11 August 2:00pm - 7:00pm: Bowburn Library
Durham Road
Bowburn
Durham
DH6 5AB
16 August 9:00am-1:00pm; and 18 August 2:00pm-7:00pm:
Esh Winning Library
College View
Cemetery Road
Esh Winning
Durham
DH7 9AD
26 August 9:30am-2:00pm; and 27 August 3:00pm-7:00pm: Clayport Library
Millennium Place
Durham
DH1 1WA
31 July 10:30am-1:00pm; and 1 August 2:00pm-5:00pm:
Newton Hall Library
Alnwick Road
Newton Hall
Durham
DH1 5NL
7 August 9:30am-1:00pm; and 2:00pm-7:00pm:
Belmont Library
Cheveley Park Shopping Centre
Belmont
Durham
DH1 2AA
13 August 9:00am-12:30pm; and 14 August 2:00pm-7:00pm: Brandon Library
Lowland Road
Brandon
Durham
DH7 8NN
Easington Area Events
31 July 9:30am-7:00pm:
Peterlee Library
SR8 1NT
Sedgefield Area Events
7 August 4:00pm-7:00pm:
Trimdon Library
Church Road
Trimdon
Co.Durham
TS29 6PY
19 August 3:00pm-6:00pm:
Newton Aycliffe Library
Dalton Way
Newton Aycliffe
Co.Durham
DL5 4PD
21 August 4:00pm-7:00pm:
Spennymoor Library
24 Cheapside
Spennymoor
Co.Durham
DL16 6DJ
Teesdale Area Events
31 July 9:00am-12:00 noon:
ASDA
Bishop Auckland
4 August 10:00am-1:00pm:
Bishop Auckland Library
Market Place
Bishop Auckland
Co.Durham
DL14 7NP
7 August 9:00am-4:00pm:
Bishop Auckland Market
Wear Valley Area Events
28 July 9:30am-12:30pm:
Woodhouse Close Library
Bishop Auckland
29 July 8:30am-4:00pm:
Crook Market
31 July 9:00am-12:00 noon:
ASDA
Bishop Auckland
1 August 10:00am-12:00 noon:
Wolsingham Library
4 August 10:00am-1:00pm:
Bishop Auckland Library
5 August 9:00am-12:00 noon:
Co-op Store
Crook
6 August 9:15am-12:30pm:
Crook Library
7 August 9:00am-4:00pm:
Bishop Auckland Market
8 August; Weardale Co-op stores:
9:00am-10:30am St.John's Chapel
11:00am-12:30pm Westgate
1:00pm-2:30pm Stanhope
3:00pm-4:30pm Frosterley