A Community Partnership is a group of likeminded people who live or work in Darlington’s priority wards.

The main aim of a Community Partnership is to improve the quality of life for the residents of the area it represents.

Members meet regularly, consider all aspects of community life and seek ways, in partnership with others, to identify what needs to be improved.

They then consider how this can be done and work towards getting it done.

Making a Difference

Community Partnership have been established in each of Darlington’s 11 Priority wards.
These are; Central, Cockerton West, Bank Top, Eastbourne, Lascelles, Park East, Northgate, Haughton East, North Road, Lingfield and Cockerton East.

The Northgate and Central wards were awarded £800,000 Fair Share Lottery money over a ten year period in 2003. Groups in these areas can bid for funding to deliver projects which meet the aims of the Fair Share Strategy Document.

Community Partnerships are resident led and are supported by Community Development Workers. They work with partners such as the local authority, the Police, Primary Care Trust, local Businesses and schools and take a lead in regenerating their local neighbourhoods by identifying issues, developing projects to address these issues and securing external funding to deliver projects.

Local Action Plans have been developed by each of the Partnerships to outline what projects they will develop and deliver over the next five years.

So far this year working with partners the Community partnerships have brought in over £450,000 to deliver projects. Regular updates on Community Partnership activities can be viewed here in our Community Partnership newsletters.

What type of things do the Community Partnerships do?

The 11 Darlington Community Partnerships are at different stages in their development but are already making a difference in developing projects that address the needs of the community they represent.

A Multi-use Games Area at Firth Moor
A successful Big Draw event at Cockerton Library
An International Day at the Borough Road Forum with 400 people attending
Widdowfield Street Environmental Improvements
A proposed community garden and allotment project at Skerne Park
A new play area at Pensbury Street
An Intergenerational Project which promotes relationship building between the older and younger generations
A multi-cultural & ethnic football tournament
Lots of Summer Fun Days and Summer Playschemes in many of the partnership areas

Community Partnerships linking in with Neighbourhood Renewal

The development of the 11 Community Partnerships is integral to the success of the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy for Darlington. The key aim of this Strategy is to: ‘reduce deprivation in the eleven most disadvantaged wards within the Borough and improve the life chances of residents living within these areas’

Neighbourhood Renewal involves reversing the spiral of decline in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. It is about working from the grassroots to deliver economic prosperity and jobs, safer communities, good education, decent housing and better health, as well as fostering a new sense of community among residents.

Neighbourhood Renewal is a central feature of the Government’s political and social agenda for the UK. The Government’s National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal was launched by the Prime Minister in January 2001. Its aim is to ensure 'that within 20 years, no-one will be disadvantaged by where they live’

If you would like a more information about the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy for Darlington, please go to the Neighbourhood Renewal page.

Contact Us

If you want to get involved in a Community Partnership or would like more information please contact the Connecting with Communities Team at:

Darlington Borough Council, 13 Horsemarket, Darlington, DL1 5PW

Tel: 01325 388527
Fax: 01325 388699

Email:
connectingwithcommunities@darlington.gov.uk

Feedback Form: If you have any questions, comments, or complaints you would like us to deal with please let us know. If you provide your contact details someone from our section will contact you.

There are 11 Community Partnerships set up in Darlington

They are:

So far in 2007-2008:

60 new people have been involved in volunteering with Community Partnerships

£410,135 external funding has been brought into the priority wards

1971 people have benefited from Communtiy Partnership projects

48 volunteers have received training