Durham County Council (DCC) have produced a draft of the Financially Resilient Communities Strategy (formerly called the Poverty Strategy). Your feedback from the consultation earlier this year has helped to produce the strategy.
We would like to thank everyone who took part in the earlier round of consultation sharing their views, experiences, and ideas. A total of 708 responses were received across two surveys, including detailed feedback from residents with lived experience of financial hardship, community organisations, partners, and council staff.
Visit the Lets Talk County Durham page for more information on this public consultation.
Lets Talk county Durham Link: www.letstalkcountydurham.co.uk/en-GB/projects/financially-resilient-communities-draft-strategy
The closing date for responses was Monday 15th June 2026.
09/06/2026 – Town Council’s comments on this Consultation:
Bishop Auckland Town Council welcomes the development of the Financially Resilient Communities Strategy and supports its focus on prevention, partnership working and building long-term financial resilience across County Durham.
The Council strongly endorses the emphasis on early intervention and reducing barriers to accessing support, particularly the move towards more inclusive language and improved communication with residents. We also support the recognition of lived experience as a key factor in shaping effective and responsive services.
As a large parish council representing a significant community, Bishop Auckland Town Council plays an important role in supporting local residents through community activity, events, and local grant funding. We would welcome further opportunities to work in partnership with Durham County Council and the voluntary and community sector to ensure that place-based support is accessible, visible and joined-up at a local level.
The Council would particularly encourage:
- Stronger engagement with town and parish councils as delivery partners.
- Improved coordination of local funding streams and community initiatives.
- Clear signposting so residents can easily access the right support at the right time.
We look forward to continuing to work collaboratively to ensure that Bishop Auckland residents are supported not only in times of need, but also to thrive in the longer term.