An updated council strategy will support residents by targeting poverty prevention and long-term resilience, writes Local Democracy Reporter, Bill Edgar.
Durham County Council has revealed how it plans to alter its current poverty strategy by working with local communities to ensure residents receive the appropriate support.
The local authority also proposes changing the title of the former Poverty Strategy to the “Financially Resilient Communities Strategy”, subject to a public consultation.
Councillor Nicola Lyons, cabinet member for communities and civic resilience, told a cabinet meeting: “Whilst maintaining a safety net for residents will always remain a key priority, the new strategy needs to focus more on prevention and long-term resilience, away from crisis support.
“We need to combine urgent interventions, such as emergency financial assistance, food and fuel support, and access to social tariffs with longer-term initiatives that promote sustainable change, empowering residents, building skills, and supporting pathways out of poverty.”
More than 112,000 County Durham residents currently live in absolute poverty after housing costs, around one in five people. Fuel poverty remains a persistent issue, affecting an estimated 26,600 households, with many struggling to afford adequate heating and energy.
The refreshed strategy is set to be structured around five strategic pillars: Prevention, Protection, Pathways, Participation, and Partnerships.
Cllr Lyons added: “The current poverty strategy has served us well. Covering the period from 2022 to 2026, it was developed during a time of supporting residents and businesses with the fallout from the pandemic. Since then, we have seen inflationary pressures and welfare benefits system changes, which have compounded the daily pressures felt by our residents.
“The new strategy will provide not only crisis support, but also the opportunity to prevent the crisis in the first place.
“We need to work with our communities to adapt the right support to the right people at the right time. The voice of our residents and partners in shaping this approach is vital.”
County Durham is currently ranked as the 40th most deprived upper-tier local authority in England out of 153. The number of in-work Universal Credit claimants has more than doubled, rising from 9,500 in March 2020 to 19,900 by September 2023.
Councillor Howard Brown, cabinet member for adult and health services, said: “This strategy will support our wider council plans and aims to create real opportunities for everyone in our communities to thrive.”
Following the public consultation and further review activity, a new strategy and action plan will be developed and presented to full council in 2026.
Bill Edgar
Reporter for the Local Democracy Reporter Service.
South West Durham News covering news across County Durham.
Do they actually know what poverty really looks like and how one lives in it?