Startforth Parish Council

Parish Councillors

Your Parish Council is made up of members of your local community who want to help.


There are seven councillors to do the work of the Parish Council and there is currently one vacancy.

Cllr Craig Baker

Craig is a semi-retired engineer who has lived in the parish since 2018 and joined the Parish Council in 2023. He is an experienced parish councillor, having served for six years in the parish of Gilcrux in Cumbria.

 

Craig is keen to keep the village looking at its best by taking an interest in the green spaces and footpaths. He also volunteers at Startforth Community Centre as part of the maintenance team.

 

  • Member of Parish Council Personnel Committee
  • Member of Community Emergency Plan Working Group
  • Member of the Startforth Traffic Advisory Group
  • Representative to the South West Durham Residents’, Businesses' and Travellers' Forum


Email: cllrcraigbaker@startforthparishcouncil.gov.uk



Cllr Jackie Bradley

Jackie’s family have been a part of Startforth for the last 150 years, with extended family attending the school in the 1920s and 1930s, whilst her daughter attended in the 1990s. With such history in the village, Jackie cares deeply about what happens here. She joined the Parish Council in November 2025 with a desire to help maintain the village identity and community. 

 

Jackie is retired, having previously worked at HMYOI/ HMP Deerbolt in various roles, latterly as a Careers Advisor. This required impartiality and empathy whilst still setting realistic and achievable goals. Throughout her working life, Jackie has developed good clerical, organisation and planning skills, liaising with all levels of personnel in a professional and calm manner, even when working in pressurised situations. Jackie also helps out in the wider Dales community as a volunteer at Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Services.


Email: cllrjackiebradley@startforthparishcouncil.gov.uk



Councillor Chris Carr

Cllr Chris Carr

Chris has lived in Startforth for over 30 years and has been a Parish Councillor since 2003. A community-minded person, Chris’s motivation to be a Parish Councillor is to assist as and when he is able.


A retired engineer, Chris brings financial and practical skills to the parish council and often takes the lead in writing risk assessments and interpreting the play park inspection reports.


  • Chair of the Parish Council Personnel Committee
  • Representative to the County Durham Association of Local Councils' Smaller Councils Forum
  • Representative to the Startforth Neighbourhood Plan Group


Email: cllrchriscarr@startforthparishcouncil.gov.uk



Councillor Johnny Cooke-Hurle

Cllr Johnny Cooke-Hurle

Johnny is a farmer and has lived in Startforth all his life.  He followed his father onto the Parish Council some decades ago. 


Bringing a wealth of local knowledge to his role as Parish Councillor, Johnny is keen to be involved in community matters.

Email: cllrjohnnycooke-hurle@startforthparishcouncil.gov.uk

Tel. 01833 631200

Councillor Jayne Cox

Cllr Jayne Cox


Chairman of the Council, 2025-2026

Jayne and her family moved to Startforth from Darlington in 2022 and, keen to become involved in her new community, she soon joined the management committee of the Community Centre. Jayne helped to establish a charity at the centre, becoming a Trustee, in order to secure the future of the building for community use. This involvement with the Community Centre led to an interest in becoming more involved in Startforth village matters and she became a Parish Councillor in early 2023, taking up the role of Chairman in May 2024.

 

Jayne has a background in business administration working iin local councils, the NHS, and education, and brings  organisational and analytical skills as well as an enjoyment in meeting and helping others in the role of Parish Councillor.  Jayne also volunteers at a number of other organisations in the wider Barnard Castle community.

 

  • Chairman of the Parish Council 2025-2026
  • Member of the Parish Council Personnel Committee
  • Member of the Emergency Plan Working Group
  • Point of liaison between Parish Council and Startforth Community Centre
  • Representative to the Startforth Neighbourhood Plan Group
  • Member of the Startforth Enhancement Group


Email: cllrjaynecox@startforthparishcouncil.gov.uk

Tel. 07914 002792


Councillor Peter Worley

Cllr Peter Worley


Vice-Chairman of the Council, 2025-2026

Community spirited, Peter has lived in Startforth for 44 years and joined the Parish Council approx 10 years ago.  As an approachable and supportive person, Peter found that, over the years, his fellow residents kept approaching him to assist with local issues, so he thought perhaps the best way to help was to become a Parish Councillor.


Still working as a local school bus driver, Peter has a great knowledge of the wider community.  With his practical skills, he is a ‘hands-on’ fixer - community benches being a speciality.  Peter is also involved in the wider Barnard Castle community as a volunteer at a local charity.


  • Vice-Chairman of the Council, 2024-2025
  • Member of Community Emergency Plan Working Group
  • Chairman of the Startforth Traffic Advisory Group 


Email: cllrpeterworley@startforthparishcouncil.gov.uk

Tel. 07789 807216