DATE:

I can now confirm that I have arranged a new consultation on the County Durham Plan for November 30th at Framwellgate Moor Community Centre.

PROCESS:

This will run from 2pm to 8pm and consist of three REPEAT presentations at 2pm, 4pm and 6pm, with the chance to ask questions afterwards, as well as a separate room where displays will be available and residents will be able to talk to council officers about specific issues.

I am hoping that anyone who can will come along at 2pm and 4pm to avoid a rush at 6pm when others finish work.

Closer to the date I will add further information onto the blog when I have it.

PARKING/TRAVEL:

If you can walk or use public transport to get to the event please do so. The Working Men’s Club carpark is available during the day for anyone needing parking, and the newly resurfaced carpark at the rear of the community centre now has more than 30 parking spaces too with lighting having just been installed.

The details for the Consultation event on 30th November are being finalised wit the event running from 2pm to 8pm with presentations at 2pm, 4pm and 6pm.

in additional I have arranged for highways officers to attend both to allow residents to discuss the bypasses, but of more immediate concerns to discuss concerns of the Bus Gate proposals at Durham Moor and the Dryburn Road bus lane. they will be available from 4pm to 6pm.

Event is at Framwellgate Moor Community Centre. Please use public transport or walk if at all possible. There is parking in the Working Men’s Club and at the rear of the community centre in the newly resurfaced carpark.

As part of the building of new council homes in Bearpark, myself and Councillor Rev Crooks have been working hard to make sure that as much money as possible was secured for new play in Bearpark.

Originally it appeared that only upto £25,000 would be made available towards new equipment, however pressure to ensure that the planning obligations were kept has meant that we now expect to have £50,000 towards this and we expect to have more good news soon as well. Bearpark is finally seeing the investment it needs after so long.

The AAP has already granted £5000 towards outdoor gym equipment too.

Last year when it was announced that there would be funding for a small number of new council homes, I immediately entered discussions with Council officers to ensure as many of these homes as possible were built in the Framwelglate Moor Division, and yesterday the first of these was handed over to a new tenant in Bearpark. The vast majoprity of the homes are being made avaialbe for Bearpark residents after I pushed to ensure there would be a local lettings policy for these homes, helping ensure that families from Bearpark get to stay in their village.

I am now pushing for the council to do far more to get empty homes owned by private landlords back into use as we have over 4000 homes in the councty which with a little work could be providing homes for some of the 10,000+ people on housing waiting lists in the County.

There are a great many ways in which private landlords can be helped, persuaded or made legally obliged to bring homes back into use. Given the current housing crisis after 30 years of inaction, this is the quickest way to get houses available, whilst pushing for investment in new homes through the government and local council.

Clearly much more needs to be done, but this is a start and much more can be achieved.

When I was informed in August that the council was looking at disposing of land at Smithfield, Pity Me, I reminded the council of the serious parking issues in this area, and consulted local residents as to their views, which I forwarded on to the council. I now find it disgraceful to see that last week a for sale sign went up with no further response to me or residents about what was to happen to the land. Quite frankly, why did the council bother to ask my views if it then chose to put the land up for sale without even letting me know about it.

Typical of this council.

I have today been in touch with officers asking when the trees which were cleared by Yuills at the entrance to Pity Me are to be replanted as per council promises. This is the best period for planting trees and i would have expected this work to have started by now. Hopefully we will see some action soon.

Changes to road infrastructure in the Durham Moor/Framwellgate Moor area for buses are continuing to frustrate both me and local residents.

BUS GATE/SALUTATION:

So far I have managed to ensure that a crossing is included in the plans at St Cuthbert’s Av to cater for residents and the large number of New college students who need and will need to cross the main road.

There have also been some alterations to the bus gate which will change from one directional to two way if the proposals are passed. There is a central island and the road in each direction has been narrowed to 3.25m. However this does not address the concerns of residents and the parish Council as well as myself that there is nothing there to stop other vehicles using this as a cut through, increasing pedestrian risks. I have asked for a camera to be installed but there are issues over the maintenance/running costs of this.

The issue of there being no crossing from High Carr Road across Dryburn View/Finchale Rd has not been addressed either, despite much discussion with officers who tell me that there is no space to put in place a pedestrian island. I believe this could be accomodated and am still pushing for this to be dealt with as i see it as a serious safety issue, which has been ongoing for many years, and can only be made worse by having two directional traffic through the bus gate.

The proposed plan can be seen here: Please bear in mind this is a draft plan and subject to change: 1086410-pc-01-consultation-plan.pdf

CONSULTATION ON DRYBURN ROAD BUS LANE

The council proposals for a bus lane along Dryburn Road to reduce bus times on this busy stretch of road appear to be universally UNacceptable at the moment to the residents I have spoken to.

Clearly there will always be the possibility that despite most people in this area being against this, it could still go ahead due to what is perceived as a wider benefit to bus travellers.

With this in mind, I am raising the concerns of residents to the loss of grass verges, loss of trees on hospital land, change to the appearance of the area as well as concerns about noise. In addition, if this scheme is eventually agreed, I am insisting that the footpaths along this road are replaced, and consideration is given to re-landscaping the area so we don’t have small slivers of grass which will not be kept in decent condition.

IN LIGHT OF THE ONGOING CONCERNS I HAVE ARRANGED FOR HIGHWAYS OFFICERS TO BE ON HAND FROM 4PM TO 6PM AT FRAMWELLGATE MOOR COMMUNITY CENTRE DURING THE COUNTY DURHAM PLAN CONSULTATION ON TUE 30TH NOVEMBER. This will allow residents to discuss either of the schemes with officers should they wish.

Durham’s AAP or Area Action Partnership needs more local residents to get involved in the forum event. This forum in effect decides what the priorities for the Durham area and many of the surrounding villages will be for the next year or so.

The meeting will be held at Durham University’s Collingwood College, on South Road, Durham, on Wednesday, November 10, at 5.30pm.

Members of the public must be registered as a forum member to vote for a priority. For further details, visit www.durham.gov.uk/durhamaap

I would urge you to register by emailing dcaap@durham.gov.uk or calling 0191 3018871.

Big congratulations to everyone involved in the work we have been doing over the last 18 months on regenerating King George’s Field in Framwellgate Moor.

We now have all of the funding secured for the site. The Parish Council, Groundworks who have been bringing together the fundraising, the Church Girls and Boys brigade who have been involved in the planning of the equipment and much more, and everyone else who has been involved.

When I introduced Groundworks to the Parish Council early last year I knew that this would take time, but knew we could achieve this. Since then, the parish council committed funding, followed by my contribution from the County Councillors neighbourhood budget of £10,000, then a commitment I secured of £25,000 by way of Urban Renaissance grant, I have also helped in making sure that s106 money from building works in the area was committed to this fund, as well as pushing to get £5000 towards an outdoor gym with Cllr Croooks which we have just recently had confirmed from Durham AAP.

The final lump of cash of £49,999 from Community Spaces (Lottery) was confirmed yesterday and means that we are now in a position to start tendering and ordering the work which will include:

Outdoor Gym equipment for teenagers and adults
A new tennis court
A full multigames area for playing football, basketball and other sports
Toddlers play equipment including equipment for special needs children
Play equipment for older children
An upgraded carpark, as well as landscaping, paths bins and other works.

All in all to get so far and secure over £100,000 of funding for this major scheme in such a short time and in difficult economic times is fantastic and goes to show what can be achieved when everyone comes together.

I am almost at the point of being able to provide dates for the next consultation event in our area on the County Durham Plan.

I am currently working with officers to make sure we have a good location and should be able to announce this in the next few days.