Lund Av and Newton Drive Bins

Unfortunately I have had to ask again that litter bins on these streets are emptied everyday. Whilst we still have a littering problem at lunchtimes here, school pupils frequently find bins overflowing. I have been told that the council is working hard to make sure that the bins are emptied every day during the week, but there have been lapses. If anyone notices overflowing bins here or anywhere else, please let me know by text to 07500125325 or email mark.wilkes@durham.gov.uk

Litter pick with primary school students

I visited Framwellgate Moor Primary School today with officers from the County Council pride team and neighbourhood services for an education session on litter and other associated issues.

This included a litter pick around the school grounds where pupils enthusiastically collected three large bags of litter using litter picking devises. it was certainly impressive how much pupils are aware of issues surrounding litter, flytipping, recycling and other environmental concerns.

Pavement Resurfacing Work – Some needs redoing

Areas which I  requested to be resurfaced last year using part of the local budget we are given have now been cmpleted however I after checking the quality of the work I have had to ask for some of the work to be revisited as in places weeds are already coming through, so clearly the quality is not good enough as such work should last for around 7 years.

Some of the areas recently completed include: Finchael View and Front St in Pity Me, Front St in Framwellgate Moor, Part of Newton Drive in Framwellgate Moor and part of Old Pit on Finchale Road.

I am now waiting to see what work the council will be carrying out across the area in the coming financial year after putting in around 30 requests for surveys of particular streets across all areas.

Neighbourhood Wardens Report

The neighbourhood warden team covering our area has been hard at work dealing with problems raised by residents and local councillors, including a number of reports I passed across in the last month. Their report is below for the villages in the Framwellgate Moor Division. This is just part of the work they undertake on a daily basis.

If there are any issues similar to the ones below which you feel need addressing please call me on 01913725866 or email me at mark.wilkes@durham.gov.uk.

FRAMWELLGATE MOOR /PITY ME

  • Fly tipping has been removed from the Ghyll field road field area. A resident in the area has been issued with a warning letter as we found evidence in the fly tip relating to there address they have also been advised as to their duty of care for disposing of there waste in the correct manner.
  • Patrols have been increased around the Arnison Centre and Abbey Sports Centre due to complaints of dog fouling. These patrols will continue.
  • Litter patrols carried out around County Hall and the DLI museum for people not disposing of their cigarette butts correctly. Pocket ash trays have been handed out to members of the public and to Durham county council employees.
  • Visit made to a commercial property in the Framwellgate Moor area to advise them on the appropriate way to dispose of commercial waste due to a skip in the area causing issues with litter and fly tipping.
  • Foot patrols of Lund Avenue, Front Street and surrounding area around the school/college have been carried out over the lunch time period.

BRASSIDE

  • Several litter picks have been made on the road that leads from Frankland prison to Finchale Abbey. Litter patrols in this area are ongoing including the occasional evening patrol to try and target cars parked up in the lay by’s.

WITTON GILBERT

  • Due to regular complaints of overflowing bins In the Witton area wardens are checking the bins whenever possible. If bins are full requests are made for them to be emptied ASAP on top of the weekly rounds the cleansing team make.
  • A request has been made for bushes in the Green Lea garage site to be cut back. Due to birds nesting this is not possible at the minute but will be done as soon as the nesting seasons over.
  • Dog fouling/litter patrols carried out throughout the village particularly the Oak Lea area.

Litter clearing procedure has been started on a property in the Oak Lea area.

BEAR PARK

  • Regular dog fouling and litter patrols in area.
  • Graffiti arranged to be removed from Bo dinners shop.
  • ASB issues being addressed by Wardens, Police and ASB officers on Auton Style and surrounding areas.
  • One fly tip on Colliery Road of builders waste, cleared by Warden.
  • Dog foul complaint received from Taylor Road.
  • Verbal warning given to a resident  in regard to household waste stored in back garden of the property. Housing officer informed that the resident may be subject to a litter clearing notice.
  • Rubbish removed from the wooded area next to the allotments on Colliery Road.
  • Regular proactive patrols in the area.

FINDON AVENUE PARKING BAY

A new parking bay on Findon Avenue was recently completed. Councillor Mark Wilkes prioritised funding reduce parking problems.
He commented “Across the five villages in this area, there are serious issues with parking. Many residential areas were built without parking
provision and this is another step towards fixing this problem.”
Mark arranged for a similar scheme to be carried out in Framwellgate Moor last year and wants to see further improvements in the coming years. The funding for the scheme came from the neighbourhood budget and highways budgets local councillors are provided with to fix local problems. It is clear there are other areas in Witton Gilbert with parking issues. If there are any other problems you think need addressing let us know.

TRAFFIC ISLAND CONSULTATION FOR WITTON GILBERT

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Your local Lib Dem County Councillor Mark Wilkes wants residents to consider a proposal for a pedestrian refuge on Sacriston Lane.
Mark comments “There has, for a long time been a problem getting across the road outside the newsagents opposite the White Tun.”
“The provision of a pedestrian island would  make it far easier to cross the road and have the added benefit of helping to slow down traffic.”
Local Parish Councillor Brenda Gilmore says “We need to see action to make it easier to cross the road at this point. The sharp bend at Louisa Terrace makes it difficult to see traffic coming. An island would make crossing safer.”
Safety issues on Sacriston Lane have long been an issue. Last year Councillor Wilkes was successful in getting a new crossing patrol agent at Witton Gilbert Primary School and has carried out community speed watch with local Parish Councillor Arnie Simpson.
Mark was also successful in getting a speed visor installed on the road and arranging the resurfacing of the dangerous corner at Louisa Terrace, and the work to resurface part of Sacriston Lane at the bottom of the village.
Parish Councillor Fraser Reynolds is fully supportive of measures to improve safety near McColls Newsagent and fellow local parish councillor Arnie Simpson commented “It is good to see that our local Lib Dem County Councillor is taking action to sort out safety issues.”
If anyone has any comments, please let Mark or the Parish Council know. Mark, parish councillors and local residents are currently delivering the latest Lib Dem Focus leaflet around the village to make sure that all residents who want to get the opportunity to comment.
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Mark Wilkes and Brenda Gilmore discussing possible traffic island

Pedestrian refuges come in a variety of forms, an example is shown above. Some may require electrics to provide lighting in the evening,  added footpath work, advertising or legal costs. Such schemes vary in cost from £5000 to £12,000. Mark says “I think it is important residents know how much it can cost for work to be done by the County Council.”

Update on County Durham Plan

Councillors are to be updated on the progress of the County Durham Plan on the 4th May. A new consultation with residents and other interested parties will commence on the 23rd May, running for six weeks. According to the council:

This is a key stage in the development of the County Durham Plan.  Following previous consultations we are now setting out the strategic options for where new housing, new jobs and new shopping will be located across the County and asking for the community’s views on whether we have made the right choices.

It is essential that you are aware of this as once adopted the County Durham Plan will be the main driver in ensuring that the right development is guided to the right location in order to meet community needs and deliver the future prosperity of County Durham up to and beyond 2030.

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Urgent – Please complete the Abbey Leisure Centre Survey

An independent group of local resident and leisure centre users have set up a steering group aimed at putting forward a bid to take over the Centre. Your local councillors from Newton Hall and Pity Me are assisting the group.

As part of this bid they want to know what local residents and users of the centre want to see there and how they would like it to be run. Please complete the survey. If the survey reappears, there will be some answers you need to check.

Click here to take survey

I also enclose a pdf version of the survey if you would rather print it out. Please return to the community centre around the back of Abbey or post it. Details on the survey: Abbey Survey-FINAL

The petition to keep the centre open can still be signed at www.durham.gov.uk/petitions