• County Councillors refused to increase their allowance, despite the Independent Remuneration Panel’s recommendation that they do so.
• During the year ending August 2014: 96% of municipal waste was diverted from landfill, against a target of 86%. – 96% of category 1 highways defects (e.g. potholes) were repaired within 24 hours – Only 42% of household waste was recycled (against a target of 45%). Fly-tipping incidents rose 37% to 9,922, prompting the campaign ‘Operation Stop It’: bit.ly/DCCFlytipping
• Report of the Director of Public Health on social isolation and loneliness in County Durham: bit.ly/DCCDPH
• County Durham Fire & Police Safer Homes Project – for a safety checklist and more information see: bit.ly/DFPSafe
• Stay safe this winter, and check on vulnerable neighbours: bit.ly/DCCwarmandwell
• Complete the Police Council Tax consultation online at: bit.ly/DPCCTax
• Comment on the Police and Crime Plan: bit.ly/DPCCconsultation
• Durham Constabulary’s ‘Safe Places’ Scheme: bit.ly/DCSafePlaces
• Choose your favourite GANP vision statement at: bit.ly/GANPvision
• The County Council is consulting on withdrawing the Community Buildings Grant and instead helping centres become self-sufficient: bit.ly/DCCCommBuildGrant
• Access Prioritisation Project: over the next few months, DCC will be consulting about ways to improve the access network in the Aycliffe-Shildon-Bishop Auckland area. bit.ly/DCCAccessProject
• Time is running out to book your DCC £20 green waste collections next year: bit.ly/DCCGreenWaste
• Lumière Light festival is set to return http://bbc.in/1yDrZJV
• Guided walks in Teesdale: bit.ly/TeesdaleWalks
• Get the updated Help4Teens ‘Start Today’ booklet – job, apprenticeship and training opportunities for 16-19yr-olds: http://ow.ly/H3MDf
• Hitachi Rail Europe Recruitment Event – Thursday 5th February from 14:00 to 19:30, Xcel Centre, Aycliffe Business Park, DL5 6AP, Newton Aycliffe: bit.ly/HitachiJobs215
• Level 2 Food Safety in Catering: 1-day course, 28 January at the PCP – phone 01325 329936
• One million electors lost their place on the electoral register with the new arrangements – RU one of them? https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
• Sunday 25 January, 4pm tip-off in the Leisure Centre: Durham Wildcats play Glasgow Rocks