Durham County Council is inviting residents across the region to attend a series of drop-in information sessions throughout June 2026. These events provide an opportunity for community members to meet their local area teams, share priorities for their neighbourhoods, and learn about available community funding opportunities.
The council is hosting these sessions across all 12 Local Networks, which were established in April 2025 to replace the previous 14 Area Action Partnerships. This transition is expected to save the council £500,000 for the 2025/26 to 2026/27 period. While the previous partnerships helped fund over 10,000 projects since 2009, the new network structure aims to streamline local engagement by bringing together residents, councillors, businesses, and partner organisations.
Councillor Dawn Bellingham, Cabinet member for communities and civic resilience, noted that these networks play a key part in enhancing local communities. The sessions are designed to help residents shape their local areas by contributing to Local Network Action Plans, which guide local work and determine how funding is spent.
Residents can attend sessions at various venues across the county, including the Crook Civic Centre on June 2, Consett Library on June 2, Barnard Castle Library on June 2, and Clayport Library in Durham City on June 18. Attendees will also have the chance to learn more about the council’s online consultation platform, Let’s Talk County Durham, and other ways to participate in community forums.
For more information on the full schedule of events, residents are encouraged to visit the Durham County Council website.
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