Minutes:
The Chair congratulated everyone from County Durham who had been acknowledged in the Queens New Year Honours.
The Chair was also pleased to announce that Durham County Council had been awarded the status of Level 3 Disability Confident Leader.
Awarded by the Department for Work and Pensions, it acknowledged the inclusive approach the County Council had with its recruitment approaches and support for employees who had a disability or health condition.
The Council’s Equalities Team, working with the Disability Partnership the validating body, People and Talent Management and Durham Works, voluntarily submitted an assessment for the award and were successful.
The award was for three years and during this time the Council would champion Disability Confident with the local business community by encouraging and supporting them to become disability confident.
Representatives from Durham Constabulary’s Digital Investigations and Intelligence Team were present in the Foyer. The team was on hand to provide cyber security advice and awareness and the Chair encouraged Members to visit them afterwards in the Council Chamber Foyer.
This was the last Council meeting for the Corporate Director of Regeneration and Local Services before he left the Council. The Corporate Director was leaving Durham County Council after eleven years to take up a new Corporate Director post at Buckinghamshire County Council.
Councillor S Henig (Leader of the Council), Councillor A Hopgood (Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group), Councillor J Shuttleworth (Leader of the Durham County Council Independent Group), Councillor R Bell (Leader of the Conservative Group), Councillor A Shield (Leader of the Durham Independent Group), Councillor L Maddison (Leader of the Spennymoor Independent Group) and Councillor S McDonnell (on behalf of the North East Party) thanked the Corporate Director of Regeneration and Local Sercvices for his service to the Council and wished him the best for his future.
Councillor C Marshall, Portfolio Holder for Economic Regeneration paid tribute to the work of the Corporate Director of Regeneration and Local Services and thanked him for his enthusiasm and commitment. His leaving would be a big loss to the Council.