Work has started on two new paths I requested last year as part of work to upgrade the area near Bridgemere Drive. At the time there wasn’t enough money to complete all the work, but fortunately much perseverence has paid off. The unofficial grass/mud path at the bottom of Alexandra Close and one running from Bridgemere Drive to the New college path will be built over the next few weeks, improving access to the College for students and for residents in the area cycling and walking.

This comes after getting the path from New College to Hudspeth Crescent upgraded last year which has made a huge difference.

FURTHER TO WEDS BLOG, Dates for Drop-in events are as follows:

· Monday 17th October – 4pm – 8pm – Framwellgate Moor Community Centre

· Tuesday 18th October – 4pm – 8pm – Durham Town Hall & St. John’s Church Nevilles Cross

· Thursday 20th October – 4pm – 8pm – Belmont Community Centre

The council is currently consulting on the future of allotments in County Durham. this is looking in particular at the way they are run. Anyone who has an allotment, is on a waiting list or lives near to an allotment site is asked to complete the form and return it to the Council. I have uploaded the document. Just click on this link: Allotment Survey 6 (55632 – Activated Traditional)

FURTHER TO WEDS BLOG, Dates for Drop-in events are as follows:

·         Monday 17th October – 4pm – 8pm – Framwellgate Moor Community Centre

·         Tuesday 18th October – 4pm – 8pm – Durham Town Hall  &  St. John’s Church Nevilles Cross

·         Thursday 20th October – 4pm – 8pm – Belmont Community Centre

Councillors in the Durham City area recevied the following email today.

I will update further when I have more info:

The County Durham Plan and its potential implications for Durham City

Given the issues raised through the development of the County Durham Plan in regards to Durham City, the Planning Policy Team will be providing an update with drop-in events for the week commencing 17th October 2011.

Purpose

-We will be providing more detail in regards to:
o Aykley Heads;
o the three preferred possible Green Belt deletions (Sniperley, North of Arnison, Sherburn Road); and,
o the possible routes of the Relief Roads.

Events

-We will be holding 4 drop-in sessions ( 4 til 8 ) in the week commencing 17th October (exact dates & venues to be confirmed) at:
• Framwellgate
• Belmont
• Durham Town Hall
• Nevilles Cross
These will be for members of the public and other interested parties

Document

-We will also produce an accompanying Briefing Paper for information.

Having regards to the above we are seeking to hold a Briefing on Monday 11.30am, 26th September 2011 in the Council Chamber at Durham County Hall for those County Council Members whose wards are located within Durham City and those who have wards adjoining Durham City.
The aim of this briefing will be to raise awareness that the above public events are to take place and bring Members up to date in regards to possible implications of the County Durham Plan for the City.

The Lead Officer for these events will be Stuart Timmiss: Head of Planning and Assets.
We anticipate that the Briefing should not last more than an hour and a half.

C12a Cocken Road, East of Plawsworth, Durham
Temporary Road Closure Notice

Owing to an unsafe tree it has been necessary to temporarily close to vehicular traffic a 2370 metre length of C12a Cocken Road between its junctions with C12 Howlhill Lane and Cocken Lane, east of Plawsworth.

The closure, which is being effected by means of Notice under Section 14(2) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 is necessary by reason of likelihood of danger to the public and to permit works to be carried out to remove the tree.

The alternative route for vehicular traffic is from the western side of the closure north along C12 Howlhill Lane to the junction with A167 turning left to and around A167 Chester Moor Roundabout and north eastwards along A167 to Ropery Lane roundabout then eastwards along B1284 Rotary Way and continuing on Lumley New Road and turning southerly along Scorers Lane to Great Lumley then easterly and southerly along C8a Pit House Lane, Leamisde to the junction with C12a Cocken Road leading westerly to the eastern side of the closure and vice versa.

The maximum duration of the closure under this Notice is 21 days. However, it is anticipated that the closure will be effective from 10.00am on Wednesday 14 September 2011 for an anticipated period of two hours.

For months we have been in negotiations with the Council over the future of the Leisure centre.

I can now confirm the way forwards.

The current opening hours will continue past the previous deadline of 1st October to allow time for improvement works to take place.

New opening hours will come into force on 1st November as follows:

Mon-Thur 8.30am-10.30am, 2pm-8pm

Fri 8.30am-10.30am, 2pm-7pm

Sat 9.30am-2.30pm

Sun – closed

This is an increase on the Councils original plans of at least 7 hours per week.

Investment in the Centre:

The Council say they have no money for investment but will be carrying out a full deep clean of the Centre.

Local Lib Dem Councillors from Newton Hall, Mamie Simmons and Amanda Hopgood along with myself have agreed that Neighbourhood budget money can be used to improve the centre. The current conference rooms upstairs will be improved and a new fitness suite with airconditioning, new flooring and extra equipment will be installed, with an aim of this being done before the changes to opening hours.

All along I have believed that we could have continued with the centre being open right through the day, however the Council disagreed. That said, this is far far better than we had originally expected.

I have insisted that an improved youth service is made available in the Newton Hall, Fram Moor, Pity Me and Brasside area as part of the Centre improvements and will commit funding to this once full consultation had happened with local youngsters. We will be making sure that we are part of these discussions too.

Finally, to make sure that everything runs properly and the centre is maintained and improved I have joined the gym/centre – will also help to get me fit.

I would urge local residents to call into the centre to see what is on or visit the Council website at www.durham.gov.uk/sports

I am confident that if we keep a steel eye on this we can make sure the Council sticks to its commitments and that the Centre is improved.

Will update when have anything more.

Meeting today was positive.  Waiting for staff to be notified before publishing anything – will update over the weekend on hours, investment etc.

I joined the centre as a member on Sunday and have been down twice to use gym. Intend to keep a steel eye on what is going on down there for the near future.

UPDATE: NO CHANGE – COUNCIL WILL NOT LET MONEY BE SPENT TO IMPROVE CENTRE

The county council is still refusing councillors and community associations permission to invest in community buildings. The report which is going to cabinet on Wednesday is recommending transfering all community buildings to the groups running them, or closing them.

Yet for a year now I have been refused permission by the Labour run Council  to invest to make the centre in Framwellgate Moor more efficient and better for users, despite matched funding being available from the Community Association running the centre.

The Council’s figures for the cost of repairs after decades of failure to invest properly by the Labour run County Council do not add up and I am challenging both the figures and the fact that the Council is refusing to let me invest your council tax money in your local facilities. I have a meeting this week to start negotiations on the future for Framwellgate Moor Community Centre. Further discussions will be needed for Bearpark Communty Centre, Beaurepaire, Woodbine Rd, Flambard Rd and Fyndoune Way centres in Bearpark, Fram, Pity Me and Witton Gilbert respectively.

The Community Centre Association at Fram is looking for new members to join the committee, if you are interested please get in touch.

It is absurd to be stating a desire to transfer ownership to centres and then to refuse them permission to invest. Hopefully this weeks meeting and next weeks Cabinet will have a positive response.

Over the last few months I have been working with the council, school, college and police to prepare for the new school term.

The lowest year at Fram school are being kept on site this year to help to reduce problems at lunchtimes. I was insistant that Council neighbourhood wardens patrol at the start of the new school and college terms and the police have also been carrying out patrols as well from today and will do so on a regular basis.

It appears that we have made major impact on littering with the improved bins I arranged earlier in the year and the patrols. Clearly this is an on going issue but the improvements in littering are significant compared to a couple of years ago. The school and college have been very proactive in assisting in tackling the anti-social behaviour issues.

Any problems please let me know.

The new parking scheme on Fram Front street appears to be a success, with far fewer cars parking on pavements and spaces available for passing trade. This took me quite some time to get arranged, but the wait is clearly worth the result.

If anyone sees any knock on effects anywhere please let me know.

The carpark at the rear of the community centre I arranged to be resurfaced last year is available for anyone needing to park for more than 3 hours and has lighting in the evening and spaces for over 30 cars.

It appears that the recycling bins haven’t turned up on Front St as promised by the County Council and I will be chasing up as to why.

I have been asked to look at replacing two seats on Fram Front St which are damaged and am looking for possible funding sources to keep the cost down. I asked the Parish Council to consider contributing which will be discussed at the next meeting

I am still conversing with the council and steering group in relation to Abbey Leisure Centre and am particularly annoyed at the failure of the council to announce the new opening hours we have been negotiating with them. They wanted to cut hours to only 37 a week and we are hopeful of this being increased but still have nothing to tell users officially. We are meeting again shortly but I have spoken to Directors demanding that we get answers now.

Having seen that Shildon Leisure Centre is getting a 250,000 pounds investment in new facilities this week, I expect to see some positive answers immediately from the Council! When you consider they are subsidising other centres to the tune of millions around the county its the least we can expect for Abbey, from this Labour Council.

A planning application has been passed to re build Unit A at the Arnison Centre to provide three new units (Currently Halfords). Hopefully this will provide new jobs in the area.