DCC are providing free central heating grants, for low income households who do not currently have any central heating installed. See leaflet (link below) for more information.
Free School Meals for Half Term
Durham County Council have launched a new scheme to support families who rely on free school meals.
Click http://www.durham.gov.uk/article/24482/Free-school-meals-scheme-launched-for-half-term for further information.
Scams awareness info from DCC Trading Standards
!! Cold Caller Warning !!
Durham Trading Standards have become aware of cold callers trying to sell goods on the doorstep in various areas of the County. In some cases, their approach has been persistent, causing both upset and annoyance.
While it is not an offence to simply cold call, we would always urge residents to be extremely cautious when dealing with unsolicited visitors.
Some top tips to keep yourself and others safe:
- DON’T accept uninvited callers
- DON’T be afraid to say ‘No’
- DON’T be rushed or feel pressured. Genuine traders will always be happy to return when a friend or family member is present
- DO keep an eye on your area and especially vulnerable neighbours. Has work started unexpectedly on their homes? Is the work visibly poor or been left unfinished? Is the person anxious about what has happened? Has a trader accompanied them to the bank?
- DO report suspicious cold callers to the Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 11 33 or to the police on 101
Learn more about how to protect yourself and others from scams by becoming a Friend Against Scams at: http://www.FriendsAgainstScams.org.uk/elearning/durham
http://www.durham.gov.uk/scams
Follow Durham Trading Standards on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/durhamts for updates on local scams affecting your community, consumer awareness campaigns and top tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of a scammer.
Open Letter to Residents
As we collectively emerge from the COVID 19 lockdown, Witton Gilbert Parish Council would like to place on record our thanks to the members of our community, and service providers, who have kept the village functioning through lockdown.
We would like to direct particular thanks to: the volunteers at the Fulforth Centre for cooking and delivering meals, an initiative that we continue to support financially, the staff at McColls, who as well as remaining open during lockdown, have also supported the home delivery scheme, also the Working Men’s Club for their community based activities.
We can also not fail to thank the other retailers, delivery drivers, posties, who serve the village, and we would ask you all to extend your personal thanks for their efforts during the last 3-4 months.
Looking forward, WGPC would ask you all to continue to support the local business that have remained open through lock-down, and those that will reopen in the near future.
Finally, we would emphasise that the pandemic is a long way from being over, so would ask you all to continue conducting yourselves as you have done to date, and hopefully we’ll all get through this in one piece.
Wishing you continued good health
Witton Gilbert Parish Council
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Useful links to information on the Covid-19 outbreak. To access click page link
Witton Gilbert Neighbourhood Planning Referendum
A referendum was held on Thursday 7 November 2019 to decide on the question below:
Do you want Durham County Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Witton Gilbert to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?
The result was:
Yes 409 votes 88% of the total vote
No 56 votes 12% of the total vote
The turnout was 23%
Wallnook Bridge Closure
Wallnook Bridge, over the River Browney near Langley Park, closed to vehicular traffic in March 2013 but remained open for use by pedestrians and horse riders.
However the structure’s condition has now deteriorated further and we are to close it to all traffic in the interests of public safety.
Signs will advise pedestrians and horse riders of alternative routes where possible. Short diversion routes are already in place for vehicles.
Letters advising of the full closure have been sent to residents living close to the bridge.
Committed to new crossing
We are committed to providing a new crossing over the River Browney at Wallnook subject to funding being obtained. Options for a new crossing are being considered. Brian Buckley, our strategic highways manager, said:
“The bridge is being closed in the interests of public safety and people will not be able to cross it on foot, by bicycle or on horseback. We are working to provide a crossing at this point in the long term and thank people for their patience in the meantime.”
Witton Gilbert Neighbourhood Plan
The Parish Council has been given the opportunity to try and help shape the future of the local area by producing a Neighbourhood Plan. When all stages are complete it will form part of the Development Plan for Durham County Council. Any planning application for new development must be considered according to this plan.
In April 2012 the Government gave powers to local communities via a Neighbourhood Plan to say what they want to see within their own local area. It is an opportunity to influence and guide not only future development and growth, but also to protect important community landmarks and landscapes.
This is a community plan, and every resident has the opportunity to contribute to its development; to put forward views on what they want to see happen and just as important, what they don’t want to see. It is a unique opportunity to produce guidelines about what we want to see develop and maintain over the next 15 years.
This is your village and we need you to help us all shape the future of our community together with policies that emerged from the Parish Plan consultation in 2012.
If you would like to be involved please contact us at 7 Hillside Witton Gilbert, or by calling George Thompson on 0191 3711808 or drop us an email at wittongilbertparishcouncil@gmail.com and lookout for further community engagement events