Bishop Middleham & Mainsforth Parish Council

Bishop Middleham & Mainsforth

Parish Council

Parish Council Services

Who are we & what we do
for Bishop Middleham & Mainsforth

About the Parish Council

Your Parish Council team is made up of volunteers from the community and we all care passionately about our community and each do what we can to help maintain and develop such a wonderful place to live, work and raise families.

Chairmans Report
What is a Parish Council?

Parish councils were formed in England under the Local Government Act 1894 to take over local oversight of civic duties in rural towns and villages.


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What we do

The parish council has the power to raise a local tax known as the “precept”. This gives our council an income of just under £50,000 per year which the team allocate to support our statutory duties, other responsibilities and community initiatives.


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How to get involved

Meetings take place on the 2nd Wednesday each month in the village hall at Bishop Middleham. Agendas and minutes of meetings are published on the website and displayed on the village notice boards.

There is a standing agenda item for public participation and Parishioners are welcome and encouraged to attend.

View Latest Agenda

Items to help you...

Take a look at our meeting agendas and minutes, our forms and our policies.

Meetings Forms Policies
NOTICE OF VACANCY IN THE OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that due to the resignation of Paula Maddison Green, a vacancy has arisen in the Office of Councillor for the Parish Council. If by Thursday, 14 December, 2023 (14 days after the date of this notice) a request for an election to fill said vacancy is made to:
The Returning Officer
Electoral Services
PO Box 721
DURHAM
DH1 9RG
Tel: 03000 261212
Email: electoralservices@durham.gov.uk
by TEN electors for the said Parish (Ward), an election will be held to fill the said vacancy, otherwise the vacancy will be filled by co-option. If an election is called, a poll will take place not later than Tuesday, 20 February 2024.
Dated Friday, 24 November, 2023

King Charles III Coronation Plaque

A new plaque commemorating the coronation of King Charles III has been installed in Bishop Middleham. The plaque was fixed on the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation sign, which was erected in 1953 to mark the accession of the previous monarch.

We would like to thank Aycliffe Fabrications, a local company that specialises in metalwork and engineering, for creating and fixing the plaque. We would also like to thank The National Lottery for funding all of our Coronation projects.

Watch this space for more information and photographs.

An introduction to

Your Parish Councillors


Your Parish Council team is made up of nine volunteers from the community and we all bring different skills and experience to the team and are a non-politicised group.

We all care passionately about our community and each do what we can to help maintain and develop such a wonderful place to live, work and raise families.

We are ably supported by our very experienced Parish Clerk.



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Harvey Neve

Harvey Neve [Chair]

I joined the Parish Council in 2012 to help out with the Parish Plan and now find myself privileged to be Chair of our wonderful and talented team of volunteers who all commit spare time and energy to help maintain and develop our community.

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Learn more about living in...

Bishop Middleham & Mainsforth Community

We all care passionately about our community and each do what we can to help maintain and develop such a wonderful place to live, work and raise families.

Bishop Middleham Village Hall

Village Hall

A very important asset to the Parish, the Hall is used by a range of community groups, and is regularly hired for parties, meetings, presentations, and a variety of classes.


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Bishop Middleham Castle Lake

Castle Lake

Known locally as Castle Lake, this water body covers an area of 13 ha (33acres) and is a highly significant inland wetland supporting a wide range of flora and fauna, not only regionally, but also in the case of select species, nationally important numbers of birds.


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Around the Bishop Middleham village

Around the Village

The villages of Bishop Middleham & Mainsforth lie in a valley 9 miles South West of Durham and have a rich history dating back millennia. The area is dominated by beautiful open countryside and rich biodiversity with areas of outstanding beauty and historic sites of national importance.


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