3 Jun 2021
DOWN TO BUSINESS: Startforth Parish Council chairman Pat Estall, centre, presides over the annual meeting, with, from left, Cllr Liz Franklin, clerk Judith Mashiter, Cllr Peter Worley, Cllr Johnny Cooke-Hurle and Cllr Chris Carr
After pitching up at Cotherstone village green for an al fresco parish council meeting, reporter Stuart Laundy this week finds himself back out on assignment and under cover. but all is not what it seems. TIMES have definitely changed,” says Johnny Cooke-Hurle with a wry smile.
We are standing in what, back in the day, would have been the winter home of his young stock cattle at Westwood Farm, on the A67 Bowes Road.
FASTER broadband could be on the cards for hundreds of people in two dale villages.
Almost 650 households could benefit from a proposed Startforth and Boldron Community Fibre project.
The scheme would be led by Liverpool-based Factco, a company which specialises in fibre and communication technology for residents and businesses.
It would be funded via the Government s Gigabit Broadband Voucher scheme, which is worth £1,500 per household and £3,000 for each business which signs up to the scheme.
To cover any shortfall, the Digital Durham programme will increase the value of the vouches to £3,000 for residents and £7,000 for businesses if required.
Discussions involving Startforth Parish Council, Boldron Parish Meeting, county councillors Richard Bell and Ted Henderson, representatives from Digital Durham and officials from Factco have taken place. Members of Startforth Parish Council were told the project offered the best solution to slow broadband speeds for the majority of