We will get an update today on the council’s crazy plans to tarmac over the greenbelt around Durham City. if anything new comes out of this I will post it later. In the meantime I would strongly advise anyone interested to read the alternative vision being put forward by the City of Durham trust. A completely independent proposal which makes much more sense than the Council’s devastating plans. http://www.durhamcity.org/cdp/responses/CDT.pdf
Yesterday the 10 councillors (Labour) who run the council cabinet agreed a budget which includes subsidies for trade unions, clothing allowances for Labour councillors and no cuts to the cost of councillors. But most shocking of all – The budget will INCREASE RESERVES by millions of pounds this year and potentially by more in later years. The budget states that the council should aim to increase reserves from £26m to £35m.
I fully recognise the serious pressure on the council budget, in fact I think the Conservative Minister who runs the local government department is doing George Osbourne’s job instead of fighting the corner of local government.
But who in their right mind puts more money into RESERVES when they are cutting services and when what we need is a boost to the local economy. Only a lunatic would put even more millions in the bank when our roads and footpaths are falling apart. You’d have to be nuts not to invest in getting our young people into engineering and manufacturing when there is a skills gap across the County. There is so much more we could do now, but the Labour-run Cabinet appears to have buried its head in the sand.
Needless to say opposition councillors will be putting forward alternative budgets in a few weeks, Lib Dems included. We can’t sit by whilst Labour squirrels away money for some imaginary rainy day – it is pouring down out there and we need to get on with the job of boosting County Durham for the long term after decades of failure from a Labour run council and successive Labour and Conservative governments.
I wonder if Ed Milliband agrees with the local council that they should be hiding money away instead of investing in capital programmes and economic regeneration. I certainly don’t.
A number of people have been in touch with me about what the council is doing in respect of homelessness. I asked last week if a report could be put together. Some good work is being done as can be seen in the council response:
Durham County Council is committed to ensuring our citizens do not have to make the street their home. Over recent months the County Council has adopted and signed up to a regional statement, committing to the principle of No Second Night Out. This approach ensures that anyone who sleeps rough does not do so for a second night and is offered advice, support and accommodation to ensure they do not return to the streets.
Latest council weather update:
Please ensure that all requests for assistance are directed to HAL/CRM, their staff will telephone through urgent requests to the appropriate Service for action. Telephone 01913706000
Please find below the last weather update for today from Technical Services and Direct Services
The current position is as follows, a further update will be provided at 5.00pm:-
Forecast
Cloudy this afternoon with occasional light snow (see snow summary). From approximately 1800, heavy snow is expected to spread from the west, and will continue until around 02-0300. As it eases and starts to move away, it may turn to light sleet or even rain in places for a short time. Skies will then clear. RSTs below zero in the snow, and then remaining below as skies clear. There will be widespread ice and frozen snow to end the night.
My pressure to help free residents from Finchale Abbey Village has been answered. The road down to the Abbey has now been cleared, so should be a little easier for residents to get out and about.
Managed to get the snow clearing teams out to a few areas in the last few days to improve road conditions, including on Newton Drive and Lund Av. to get access to the School and Doctors surgeries. Staff also responded to my requests to help clear footpaths at the shops in Framwellgate Moor. All credit to the streetscene team.
Council is filling grit bins as quickly as they can and along with Newton Hall councillors I have put in requests for grit bins in a few areas including Ghyllfield Road and the surrounding streets.
Our requests for grit bins at The Avenue, Pity Me and Durham Terrace, Fram Moor were refused so I arranged for sacks of grit to be put there using local funds, as well as down in Brasside where I have been waiting since the 10th December for an answer as to whether or not the village can have a grit bin – really does take the mickey that the council can’t give me an answer in SIX WEEKS! There isn’t a single grit bin in the village.
I have had a lot of requests for estate roads to be cleared and the council is doing as many as they can at the moment. If there is a serious issues somewhere please let me know.
ABBEY LEISURE centre will open their doors free of charge this weekend to encourage more people to exercise.
Anyone taking out a direct debit membership this weekend will pay nothing until March.
All fitness appointments must be booked in advance. For more information on the participating leisure centres log on to www.durham.gov.uk/leisureoffers.
FINAL EVENING UPDATE:
Forecast
Current snow showers should clear in the next hour or two. Tonight will have quite a lot of cloud with just the odd snow showers. RSTs will be below zero with ice and hoar frost. Tomorrow morning will see a few snow showers mostly in the east.
Forecast
Mostly cloudy today with a few snow showers, especially during the morning. Very cold with RSTs struggling to rise much above zero. The continued risk of a few light snow flurries overnight with a few clear spells at times. RSTs below zero with ice. A few light snow flurries into tomorrow morning too. Slight additional snow accumulations through the period, with around a centimetre or two possible.
Highways Update
All Priority 1and 2 routes have been treated. Gritters will patrol and treat /plough as necessary throughout the morning and will be reviewed at lunch time following receipt of the main forecast.
Forecast
The main lunchtime forecast for County Durham states the following:-
This afternoon will have further spells of snow although sleet may fall in the most coastal areas. Tonight will see further spells of snow but these should gradually become more confined to the east and some clear spells may develop across western areas. Again, sleet rather than snow may fall in the most coastal areas. RSTs below zero with ice and hoar frost and RSTs will drop sharply in any later clear spells. Tomorrow morning will have snow showers with the continued risk of sleet on the coast.