New Parish Councillors
The Annual Meeting will take place Tuesday 25th May at 7pm
The Acceptance of Office will need to be signed before the meeting and proposed this takes place 6:45pm before the Annual Meeting.
Please check the Meetings Diary for the venue details which also lists all the Parish Meetings for the year ahead. As The Council of the Parish of Esh is warded meetings will move around the villages monthly and not all take place on a Tuesday. All dates are already booked or in the process of confirmation by the venues. The schedule may change if the dates are not available. The agenda for the Annual Meeting will be available 4 clear days before the meeting.
Following the Acceptance of Office all Councillors must complete a Register of Interest Form within 28 days of taking up office.
Play Parks – Update
The ROSPA Inspections of all pay parks was carried out and concerns reported.
Sir Bobby Robson Play Park Report identified the skate park was in need of some attention and pleased to say this work has now been carried out. To also keep this maintained we have agreed a Service Level Agreement to continue the twice yearly maintenance. Durham Spray Paints will be adding to this with art work as part of a Youth Project, Parish Council agreed and further information will be provided by Durham Spray Paints in the next few weeks.
The soft surfaces have already previously seen repairs and so an alternative solution has been suggested, costed and agreed by the Parish Council. Work will commence soon as possible.
We have been in contact with Wicksteed and we are hoping for the repairs in relation to the soft surfaces be completed by the end of June 2021 and we will update residents accordingly, once work is underway.
Quebec Play Park has a similar issue with the soft surfaces and work will be taking place soon as possible.
Anti-social Behaviour concerns have been passed to the County Wardens and the Police and further support over the next few weeks and high visibility patrols are currently carried out.
Esh Play Park reopened in early March 2021 and is popular and well used by children and parents after school and on the weekends.
Esh Parish Notice of Uncontested Elections
Vacancy, Election and Referendum Notices
This does not come in to effect until 10th May 2021 when the current members retire and after new members sign the Acceptance of Office. This is usually done so at the first meeting.
The councillors will also need to complete their register of pecuniary interests within 28 days.
Anti-social Behaviour Concerns – The Old Recreation Ground
Work will commence later this month to address the central area of the site due to ongoing anti-social behaviour. This is following on from works that have already taken place in September 2020 and January 2021. Once the work has been carried out the remaining litter will be collected as it is impossible to get to the stuff deeper in the undergrowth. All work will be carried out by a professional company and will work around and leave in place any nests found during the works. There will also be signage going up regarding off road vehicles which are not permitted to be used.
Election Notices – Esh Parish Wards
Elections Thursday 6th May 2021
County Council, Parish Council and Police and Crime Commissioner Elections are due to take place Thursday 6th May 2021
The Council of the Parish of Esh (Esh Parish Council) is made up of the wards of Esh (2 Seats), Langley Park (10 Seats), Quebec (2 Seats) and Ushaw (2 Seats). Elections are open to all residents and within a specified distance from the parish boundary also. As a Parish Councillor you will be expected to represent all wards covered by Esh Parish Council and not just the ward elected. Parish Councillors are unable to make individual decisions and it is the Parish Council collectively responsible and discussed in Parish Meetings as agenda items.
Nomination Packs can be downloaded directly from https://www.durham.gov.uk/nominationpacks
This also includes information on the deadlines to submit the nomination papers and other important details.