Council reserves head towards £100 million

Durham Council has over £90m in reserves which could hit £100m in the next two years if Labour gets its way. It is outrageous that the Labour Party in County Durham refuses to invest more of YOUR money into boosting the economy, getting people into work, protecting services and repairing more of our roads and paths. Every year since the general election the government has given councils extra money to freeze council tax. So since Labour lost power in 2010, the Lib Dems have helped to make sure your council tax bill doesn’t rise. Under
Labour council tax doubled. Now it is time for Labour locally to get some money spent on what matters to people to improve our area and boost the economy.

Crackdown on illegal parking

Following requests from residents we have asked for a crackdown on illegal parking on Fram Front St. Cllr Wilkes comments “There are plenty of carparks and parking bays on Front Street and no need to park on the pavement, even at busy times. With so many pedestrians, including
school children around it really is dangerous to do this.”

There is free parking behind the community centre and behind the shops. The parking bays have a fast turnover since your Lib Dem councillors got limited waiting so there really isn’t any excuse. Anyone parking illegally on the pavement faces a £70 fine. Any other parking problems in the area plase let us know.

UPDATE:  When the council replaced streetlights on Front St over the last six months they failed to replace some of the parking restriction signs. I have raised this with officers and they will be replaced.

VODAFONE CONNECTION ISSUES IN DH AREA

For the last few days I have been struggling to contact and receive calls, both personal and council, using mobile phones.

I have just contacted Vodafone who have confirmed that there is a problem in the DH area with 3G. Whether this is just DH I don’t know, but they say they are working to correct the problem but couldn’t tell me when it will be dealt with.

So if you are trying to get in touch with me, or anyone else on Vodafone for that matter, please keep trying or alternatively send me a text and I will call you back. 07500125325. Vodafone told me to turn off 3G as the 2G service is working fine. Not sure that everyone knows how to do that, me included, but I will try.

VOLUNTEER COUNTRYSIDE EVENTS

Council Press Release:

Two drop-in events are being offered by Durham County Council’s Countryside Service as part of National Volunteer Week (June 1-7).

If you are interested in butterflies come along and join us for a ‘Butterfly Transect’ at Littlewood Local Nature Reserve in Cassop on Sunday, June 2 between 11am and 1pm.

A Butterfly Transect is a way of measuring numbers and species of butterflies along a set route which is divided into sections.

Discover what butterflies are found on this site and find out what work our volunteers do to protect them and their habitat. Join a walk with our experts, take part in a transect or just come along and colour-in a butterfly headband.

If you fancy something more energetic, why not come along and join in with our regular volunteers to do some fencing and other maintenance work on the Deerness Valley Railway Path?

The group is meeting on Wednesday, June 5 at 9.45am at the car park by Railway Terrace in Stanley Crook.

Andy Niven, countryside strategic manager at Durham County Council, said: “Volunteers are at the heart of the council’s Countryside Service and we want to use Volunteer Week to show the amazing range of activities that they get involved with as well as encouraging others to join in.

“People are welcome to just come along to these events for a chat and find out about what the Countryside Service do and what other opportunities are available.

“We have hundreds of volunteers of all ages, abilities and backgrounds and no previous experience is necessary.”

If you would like further information contact Simon Heney, Countryside Development Manager on 03000 264 589 or go to www.durham.gov.uk/countryside or Facebook/Durham-Countryside-Volunteers.

 

Countryside Volunteer Events

 Community Conservation, Butterfly Transects:

Sunday 2 June 11am-1pm

Littlewood Local Nature Reserve. Grid ref NZ34 1378, Near Cassop School, on B6291, Cassop DH6 4RA

 

Fencing/maintenance work on a railway path:

Wednesday 5 June 9.45am

Meet at the car park on the Deerness Valley Railway Path. Grid ref NZ17 0374, Railway Terrace, off B6299, StanleyCrook, DL15 9RY

LABOUR DOWNGRADES MAYOR, THROWS ALDERMAN AND PRESS OUT OF MEETING

Welcome to Democratic Durham……….Post election, things go from bad to worse.

At a meeting today of Charter trustees who oversee the 400 year tradition of Mayor of Durham City, the Labour party downgraded the Mayor.

In addition they threw a well respected ex-Mayor and alderman of our City out of the meeting and barred the press against the wishes of the Acting Mayor, and current Deputy Mayor Councillor Hopgood.

Labour will now effectively merge the Mayor and Chairman of the Council positions if they carry through with this at the formal Mayor Making meeting in June.

We suggested that in line with 400 years of history, the deputy Mayor become Mayor, with her year of experience in the role as Deputy, but instead Labour chose to politicise the position and unceremoniously ditch the Deputy Mayor, replacing them with Councillor Pauline Charlton from Evenwood in Teesdale.

One Labour member said their actions would save £100,000 but completely failed to explain how, and did this in front of the employee who is paid from this money – about as disrespectful and out of order as you can get.

Labour will now effectively merge the Mayor and Chairman of the Council positions. Not one of the charter trustees present who are also labour councillors could properly explain how a single individual could attend over 800 separate events as a merged Mayor and Chairman. Indeed at the meeting of the full council today council leader Simon Henig commented on how difficult a role being chairman of the council is, with over 400 events to attend. Presumably doing another 400-600 on top of that is impossible then? So many people who look forward to seeing the Mayor at local events will be let down.

Over the last nine years £200,000 has been raised for charity by successive Mayors.

The only hope now for the protection of the position of Mayor of Durham City and 400 years of tradition is the creation of a Town Council.

I am proud to support the Mayoralty of Durham City, which is why along with other charter trustees we proposed the existing Deputy Mayor to become mayor, and will propose Cllr Hopgood at the forthcoming Mayor Making instead of the Labour proposal.

The position of Mayor is supposed to be non-political. Labour have destroyed that principle.

The Labour proposal for next Deputy Mayor was fully supported by all charter trustees who are Lib Dem councillors, because we at least respect the position as not being political.

When I think back to the magnificent way in which past Mayors have represented our City, including local independent councillor Jeff Lodge who I proposed for freedom of the City before his death, it saddens me that elected councillors would seek to undermine the history of Durham City.

BRASSIDE FLOODING UPDATE

Following on from the repeat flooding in Brasside over the weekend I have been on site with council officers on Monday and again today. Previous work done by the council was not successful in stopping houses being flooded.

Private contractors have been brought in by the council to try and identify why drains have again failed and will be onsite for the next few day if necessary. it is possible that obstructions within the drainage system may be the cause or a contributory factor. What is for certain is that the fields around the area are still saturated from the wet autumn and winter and the water table is significantly higher than in the recent past, so everyone should take care and keep an eye on any areas prone to flooding.

Thankfully the work to improve the culvert in Witton Gilbert worked, with some assistance from resident checking for debris, and we are  now waiting for the application for government funding to carry out embankment works.

CYCLE TOUR EVENT IN DURHAM

Council Press release

 

The thrills and spills of competitive cycling will be returning to the streets of Durham this week as the city again plays host to the cycle Tour Series.

This year’s race, sponsored by Pearl Izumi, has been arranged by Durham County Council in partnership with Visit County Durham and organising company, Sweetspot.

The major spectator event kicks off at 7pm on Thursday, May 16. Excitement is mounting for the series, positioned at the highest level of competition in the UK and comparable to racing anywhere in the world.

Ten teams of five top professional cyclists (and two guest teams at each round including the Velo29-Blackhawk squad who are local to the area) will take on each other and the challenges of the Durham circuit in their bid to become the top British cycling team and champions of the Pearl Izumi Tour Series.

Over the course of one hour, teams will battle to place their top three riders as high as possible in the finishing positions in order to gain their team maximum points.

When it comes to dramatic racing, exciting circuits and spectators on the road, it is by far the biggest series in the UK and Velo29 are helping to fly the flag for professional cycling in the region.

The Durham circuit is one of the most demanding with the cobbled climb, narrow streets and right angle corners and has been previously been described as ‘purgatory’ by  the cyclists taking part.

The route will start and finish at Durham School and will take cyclists along Margery Lane, Crossgate Bank, South Street and Grove Street.

The crowd is estimated to be even bigger this year with thousands of spectators expected. The Belmont Park Ride will stay open until 10pm on the night of the race. Return journeys are £2.50 per person or parking will be available at County Hall from 5pm which is about 15 minutes’ walk from the course.

For more information on the Pearl Izumi Tour Series log on to: www.thetourseries.co.uk

 2013 Pearl Izumi Tour Series is an eleven round televised city centre cycling race series of unique, gladiatorial team based cycling.

Ten teams of five top professional cyclists (and two guest teams at each round) will take on each other and the challenges of the Durham circuit in their bid to become the top British cycling team and champions of the Pearl Izumi Tour Series.

Local residents and businesses have received formal notification of road closures, parking restrictions and bin collection changes across the route.

The following road closures will apply prior to, during and immediately after the Pearl Izumi Tour Series 2013 on Thursday 16 May.

Quarryheads Lane (south) – strictly residents only access between 7.00am and midday. Then road closed from midday to midnight.

Grove Street, Margery Lane (south) and Quarryheads Lane (north) – road closed from 7.00am to midnight.

North Road (east/bottom of Crossgate) – road closed from 10.00am to midnight.

Margery Lane (north), Crossgate, South Street, Pimlico – road closed from midday to midnight. Please note that A690 Crossgate Peth and Alexandria Crescent will remain open at all times.

http://www.durham.gov.uk/Pages/Service.aspx?ServiceId=8810

Any spectators intending to visit the event on bicycles are kindly requested not to enter the spectator areas via Quarryheads Lane, Pimlico or the North Road entrance to South Street.

 

WHAT WILL BE WILL BE

Well,  counting in the election today starts at 1pm in Spennymoor and Stanley. For Framwellgate and Newton Hall division it is in Spennymoor. Will update result here, but www.durham.gov.uk is the best place to find results as they are counted.

Thank you to everyone who voted for Mamie, Amanda and I yesterday, and for the other Lib Dems around the County. Hopefully we will still be your councillors this afternoon.

One thing is certain, on the doorstep, the actions of the Labour Party in County Durham have disgusted people. In Langley Park, the Labour councillor has claimed five times more subsistence expenses (food, drink, hotels etc) than all twenty Lib Dem councillors combined. And that is a lot of food and drink.

Popped into county hall yesterday and saw some residents / visitors struggling to find anywhere to park. This was strange given that the barrier was down on the councillors carpark, but apart from my car there wasn’t a single other vehicle in there. It does beggar belief that on the one day when hardly any councillors will turn up at county hall, there were 80 empty parking spaces whilst visitors struggled to find somewhere to park. Perhaps all that will change this afternoon, or perhaps 100 years of Labour control will continue. Either way, thanks again for supporting us.