Be aware – possible opportunistic burglar in area

A number of people are reporting that someone tried their door in our area. I would suggest that all residents in Newton Hall, Framwellgate Moor, Pity and Brasside make sure their doors are on a catch or better still locked when they are in.

We have notified the police and they are looking at carrying out patrols where this has been reported. We have also asked the press to do something on this and asked some residents to spread this around Facebook and other sites as well as notifying Durham City Homes.

If this happens to you or any neighbour make sure it is reported immediately to the police. If you have any elderly neighbours who perhaps are not on the internet, a friendly remainder to them to be careful would be appreciated.

Update on Broadband issues at Finchale Abbey and Rosemount

Last week I had a meeting with the Director of Openreach operations for the North East, and the Head of ICT on Durham County Council to try and sort out the continuing problems at these two sites.I have been working regularly on these for a ling time now and it has been a really hard slog. Across the Country thousands of communities are still missing out. Thankfully an end is in sight at least in our patch after all this chasing and pressure.

ROSEMOUNT

Early last year BT promised a new broadband box would be put in and be active for the summer. It didn’t happen. BT have apologised to me and said this promise should never had been made.

Issues of land access have now been sorted out. Issues of cost to provide electricity have been sorted out. Although BT confirmed that the Council’s contract is one of the reasons for the delay – i.e. they have put all resources into the Digital Durham contract which is separate to the Rosemount work, I have now been promised that this will not hold up the work. Our pressure in really pushing this has taken it up the agenda.

BT have confirmed that the final work required is now guaranteed to be funded in the coming financial year (April), and that their aim is to get this work done as a matter of urgency. I will be updating residents in the coming months on timescales when BT let me know but they are fully aware now that this is a PR problem for them and I am certain they will work hard to get a quick result. Certain because we will be chasing them if it doesn’t happen!

Clearly our public and private pressure has finally paid off.

FINCHALE ABBEY VILLAGE

This is part of the Digital Durham contract, but is not an easy one to fix. The location means that getting access is more difficult as potentially BT will need to provide a cross-river supply. However, I have been given a guarantee that this will be part of this year’s work program which is due to commence in June/July and run for unto 18 months. The Council, with BT will be working hard to get the program up and running and are aware of the importance that is placed on action by Finchale Abbey residents and us as local Lib Dem councillors. I have been given assurances that updates will be passed to me in the coming months so that residents can get a better indication of timescales. In the meantime we are checking to see if anything can done to improve speeds in the meantime. What is guaranteed is that at every opportunity we will be chasing this one as much as Rosemount!

Regular reporting of littering

It might not get noticed but barely a week goes by without one of us reporting areas which need litter clearance. Some gets done by local residents or ourselves, but more often than not, it is the Council’s clean and green team we have to call upon. BY being proactive we are making sure the area stays as clean and tidy as possible.

This week we have asked for action on Dryburn Way, Along the A167 from Pity Me to Sniperley, and around the Arnison Centre, where I have also contacted the site owners and Sainsbury’s about the inside of the site which is looking pretty rough around the edges with rubbish.

That’s the easy bit – checking and chasing up when it isn’t done is the time consuming part. So we rely on residents to let us know where there are hot spots which need sorting. Please do let us know of any parts of our area which are littered. The quicker we get on top of it the less litter materialises.

BT Broadband box still empty after 8 months

After finally running out of patience with BT Openreach and the Council we are now trying the press route to try and get some action to bring proper broadband to the area. Parts of Rosemount in Pity Me and Finchale Abbey Village have less than 1mb broadband.

A box I managed to get BT Openreach to install for Rosemount remains empty after 8 months of being installed and BT have failed in their promise that residents would have broadband by last summer. The story is on the front of today’s Durham Times, as well as in the Northern Echo.

A very senior BT Openreach manager told me last week that the reason the broadband was not installed was because they had to use all their resources to complete the Digital Durham program for the Council and that as a result their commercial program was further delayed.

A less senior employee told the Council and press that it was because of the cost of getting an electricity supply to the site, despite it being on the main road where there must be some supply available. I strongly believe that the Council could do more and also think that the government should intervene to make sure that all areas which have poor broadband should be treated equally.

We are trying to arrange a meeting with the Council head of service and the BT regional manager to try and get this concluded.

In addition we continue to fight to get improvements for Finchael Abbey Village where broadband speeds are even slower and residents ahve been told they should get Satellite broadband – which costs an arm and a leg.

Hopefully we can get both of these issues sooner rather than later for residents, despite the fact that actually it is not an issue for which councillors are responsible.

Northern Echo Story:

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/14272227.Super_fast__Eight_months_after_broadband_unit_is_installed__all_Durham_residents_have_is_an_empty_box/

 

 

Help us tackle flytipping – Do you recognise this kitchen?

The council has to deal with a lot of flytipping incidents. It costs a fortune and is completely unacceptable. Some time in December all this was dumped down near Finchale Abbey Village on Cocken Lane, when the road was closed off. Thankfully the road is back fully open. Unfortunately the flytipping is still there.

Residents reported this but it fell into the Council’s black hole. Thankfully after I was asked yesterday to report it again, our neighbourhood wardens team has sprung into action and is arranging for a full clean up, in what is a difficult location to clear. Our wardens service does an excellent job, so if there is anything like this anywhere please let me know so I can arrange a clean up and hopefully we can catch the culprits.

If you recognise this kitchen or think you might know who dumped it please let the Council know.

WP_20160201_14_18_43_Pro

Reporting wind blown rubbish

Following requests from residents we have asked for various sites to be cleaned up including Kira Drive and Rylands Way. I am also speaking with Sainsburys about items blowing off their petrol station forecourt and repeating calls for action on Porterhouse Lane. We have also asked for Framwellgate School Durham to the action to tidy up their boundary fencing where a lot of litter has blown. If there is an area with a build up of litter please let us know so we can arrange either a community or a council litter pick

Brasside finally has a path out of the village

For some time I have pushed to get a short stretch of path installed on the way to Brasside. Council officers repeatedly said it wasn’t necessary or couldn’t be funded, however I felt that forcing residents to push prams/ walk across across mud was unacceptable. Someone in a wheelchair would ended up covered in muck. After numerous attempts to get this improvement I am pleased to say that the pressure has finally paid off and the footpath has now been linked up. Before and after below.

Screen Shot 2016-01-25 at 17.18.15

WP_20160118_09_13_21_Pro

A step closer to cutting the flood risk in Brasside

We are a step closer to getting a major improvement for residents on Beech Close in Brasside. The Ministry of Justice has now agreed to council proposals to procure the works which involve lining the drain running through the estate. They only agreed after we agreed to commit funding to the project towards the area they don’t own and the Council offered to manage the project. This has been a very long battle with years of lack of action from various sources, but its great to be able to say that our perseverance as local Lib Dem councillors is finally set to pay off.

Forms are being worked on and I hope we will see the work carried out by the summer.

Flood and drainage issues

I have been out for several hours today checking out various flood/drainage issues in the area.

Blue Coat School

The new field drainage at Blue Coat School has helped to ensure huge amounts of water did not get into properties. Some issues do remain and I have been out talking to residents today to work out what they and the council need to do and we will continue to work to ensure everything possible is done to keep properties free of flooding.

The work done in Brasside to cut the flood risk on Beech Close is working well at the moment. A full lining of the old drain is planned to be done to make sure the old drain doesn’t collapse and continued checks for maintenance will be required.

There was a lot of water coming off the surrounding land this afternoon and flowing into the drain. If work had not been done it is likely there would have been flooding.

Various roads around the area have minor flooding and a fair few street drains are likely to be blocked. If your spot one report it to help@durham.gov.uk. The Council has been inundated with requests for help today, so don’t expect an immediate response unless it is an emergency/urgent.