On the 4th February my fellow Lib Dem councillors across County Durham put the following motions to full council:

• The reinstatement of salting on some roads in Esh Winning and Waterhouses
• The need for decisions to take the needs of all the county into account, not favoured areas, and that this would best be achieved by a Cabinet made up of councillors from all current districts within the county
• Protecting services at Bishop Auckland Hospital
• Continuing  support for town and parish councils on the new Unitary Council
• Applying 30 mph speed limits to all villages in the county
• Reintroducing a staff suggestion scheme at County Hall to take advantage of employees’ good ideas

I have become accustomed to Labour simply voting against everything – I honestly believe they will vote against everything which any opposition member puts forward – full stop. We will of course continue to push for imporvements in County Durham. I was most surprised at the Labour member for Deerness abstaining in the vote to get a 30mph zone for Broompark and Brancepeth.