Our vision, values and behaviours

County Durham is a great place to live, visit and work in. We are a great council; we are ambitious with our plans for the county and are continually reviewing what we do and how we do it to improve the services we provide to our residents and customers. We have a clear vision and ambitions as set out in our Council Plan which outlines how we will transform and modernise the council, our services and our people.

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Working for us video transcript (PDF, 93 KB)

Our vision

A place where there are more and better jobs, people live long, healthy, and independent lives and our communities are well connected and supportive.

Visit Our vision and priorities for further information.

Our OPEN values

Everyone who uses council services can expect the highest standards of conduct from our staff. We have developed a clear set of values and behaviours around what is important to us as a council, and they apply to all staff. Our OPEN values are at the heart of everything we do and ensure that we do the right things in the right ways.

Outcome

We are Outcome focused. We work together to achieve the best for people. Outcome focused means we will:

• work with partners to seek solutions to problems
• optimise use of resources and uphold security of information
• be open and transparent
• work smartly and use our skills effectively

People

We are People focused. We put communities at the heart of everything we do and value our staff. People focused means we will:

• deliver accessible and customer-focussed services
• embrace and value diversity
• listen actively and communicate effectively
• prioritise health, safety, and well-being

Empowering

We are Empowering. We value, trust, and support each other. Empowering means we will:

• own our actions and performance
• share our skills and knowledge
• give praise and recognition
• inspire through positive behaviour and challenge when necessary

Innovative

We are Innovative. We embrace change and look for better ways to deliver services. Innovative means we will:

• work creatively to make improvements
• be brave and to do the right thing
• welcome change and new challenges
• be curious, constantly learn and evolve