Someone commented to me that the post office mobile service in Framwellgate Moor had stopped. I have checked and had it confirmed that it is still running.
The times are now 13.45-15.15 on Tuesdays and Thursdays outside the front of the Community Centre. There is parking at the rear of the community centre.
Please do use it. The Post Office and ourselves continue to try and find a permanent solution but so far no one has taken up the mantle.
It turns out the street lighting department removed it not highways or traffic. I am asking for a speedy replacement.
Houses in part of Pity Me which have been waiting a long time for better broadband are celebrating today after the BT cabinet we have fought so hard for finally went active!
Over the last two years as your Lib Dem councillors we have been battling to secure better broadband for residents on parts of Rosemount and Hag House.
We have had repeated meetings with BT Openreach and various County Council departments as well as conversations with Northern Powergrid. We even had to go the press over the issue.
We secured agreement for access to land at the Arnison Centre to install the electricity to the broadband box, negotiating, telephoning and repeatedly intervening with the owners of the Arnison Centre, their lawyers and site management.
We are convinced that without all of this intervention we would not have achieved this successful conclusion.
Residents can now contact their suppliers to upgrade/
The next part of Dryburn Hill footpath rebuild works has started. We have been working on getting the area done for many years and last year the first section was completed. This year after being told only part of what was left was being done we decided to provide some funding to get a bit more done.
After initially being given prices which were way over the top by the Labour-run council, we challenged the quotes and got the price halved, and now another stretch is to have the flagstones removed and get a full rebuild.
This leaves one more part which we will be pushing for action on in the coming year.
We have been on our regular walkabouts and reported issues across the area, including trip hazards on pavements, potholes, build up of leaves and other rubbish on paths, flytipping to name a few.
Please do let us know if there are any areas which are not up to scratch so we can get action.
More shameful behaviour from Labour-run Durham County Council over the last week.
Not satisfied with their attempts to cut TAs pay by upto 23%, they have blocked a motion by my fellow Lib Dem councillor Owen Temple, which would have seen TAs reinstated until their new contracts are redetermined.
The council has used some ridiculous excuses in the past to stop democratic debate over this and other issues but this one really took the biscuit!
Firstly they wouldn’t allow the issue debated at full council next week because it was too political! Yes – a political meeting, where motions are put and debated can’t debate – the argument that its coming up to an election. Yet election restrictions don’t start until days after the full council meeting. A disgraceful attempt to stunt democracy by Labour. It’s getting like North Korea down there – except perhaps I’m not allowed to say that either……
The second reason put by the councils legal team on why they won’t allow the motion to be debated is that it might put Labour councillors at risk following the totally unacceptable death threat against them sent to Durham Police.
Hold on a minute – so someone sends a letter to the police and democracy is immediately shut down – No chance – we live in a democracy and we will not allow threats to stop proper democratic debate. And we will not go down without a fight. This is just an excuse so Labour councillors don’t have be forced to vote again in the appalling manner they have become used to – against teaching assistants, against the people of County Durham.
The final reason we can’t have a debate on this issue – which we are still trying to get our heads round is that we can’t reinstate teaching assistants because we might make an unlawful decision.
Owen’s response to this is worth repeating here in quotes:
“If that is the case, how could we have been given a vote in the first place, because that carried exactly the same risk? And if the termination of contracts cannot be withdrawn, what exactly is the goal of the negotiations which council, unions and Teaching Assistants are currently engaged in? Is it any wonder that Teaching Assistants think their dispute has just been kicked into the long grass beyond the election, and that once the election is out of the way the Labour run council will just return to business as usual?”
Never a truer word spoken Owen – this is another attempt to shut this issue down, but I do not believe the public will accept it. Labour’s disrespect for these public sector workers begs the question: What is the point of Labour? **
** There isn’t one!
Teaching assistants are set to march on the 25th through Durham to Redhills. Support them by joining them if you can. If you can’t make it, please help make sure you spread the word that regardless your political beliefs, in this May’s elections, a big message is sent by kicking Labour out of County Hall once and for all.
Following on from getting the raised crossing near Frankie and Bennies sorted, we have managed to get signs and crossing markings for the crossing point which runs to the Underpass and on to Rosemount estate and Lidl.
It took a few weeks to find out who was responsible and the helping hand of an example of how dangerous it was from a resident to get this sorted but we are grateful to Sainsbury’s for once again taking action to improve the area.
The other crossing point at KFC has also been remarked after our requests.
We ask motorists to take care at these crossings as they are very well used.
No doubt soon to blow over the Front St. I have yet again had to ask for enforcement action. It’s really taking the mickey that these businesses continue to get away with this.
A few times in recent months we have raised concerns about the break up of various main roads in the area. Today some repair works have taken place on Pity Me Front Street as a result. We also asked for work on Car House Drive and will be checking if this has been done too. Let us know about any potholes or where roads are starting to break up and we will try to get the Council to take action.
Work underway in Pity Me this week:
The one property which hasn’t been renovated on Garden Avenue after the fire last year is an utter disgrace.
We have asked the Council to take urgent action against the owner to ensure the site is safe and cleaned up and will be chasing this up very regularly. It is simply not acceptable to have sites like this anywhere in the County.
