We have become increasingly angry at the rubbish being left by certain outlets outside their properties. Overflowing bins, tubs of fat and food waste are completely unacceptable, and we are adopting a zero tolerance approach to this issue which is ruining the look of the area.

Over recent months we have reported issues to the Council many times, however problems persist and we are concerned about the strength of the response and the results of enforcement.

We need your help. Every time you see overflowing takeaway bins or rubbish or containers left lying around at the front side or rear of any of the business properties on Front Street, or for that matter at any of the other shopping areas, please take photos with your phone and text or email them to us as.

Together we will make sure that these businesses and the Council take this issue seriously.

In addition we thought it worth providing details of the inspections done by the Council of the premises for food safety reasons – these are recorded on the Food Standards Agency website and are updated as and when an outlet has a new report which can be anything from 6 months to two years.

You can find the list here for Framwellgate Moor: http://ratings.food.gov.uk/authority-search/en-GB/%5E/framwellgate%20moor/desc_rating/0/durham/%5E/0/1/10

Here for Pity Me/Arnison: http://ratings.food.gov.uk/authority-search/en-GB/%5E/pity%20me/desc_rating/0/durham/%5E/0/1/10

and here for Newton Hall: http://ratings.food.gov.uk/authority-search/en-GB/%5E/newton%20hall/desc_rating/0/durham/%5E/0/1/10

If you can’t find the business you are looking for note there are three or four pages for each. You can also enter in the name of the premises, postcode or area in the search box on the FSA website.

We have launched a petition against Options 1,2 and 3 of the County Plan. Help us get signatures.

You can sign the petition on the Council website at:

www.durham.gov.uk

You can download paper copies here:

County Plan Petition 2016

Please get as many signatures as possible and return to us by the deadline.

The Council’s Option 1 for the future of Durham City over the next 17 years includes building 9000 houses including at least 5000 on the greenbelt. Options 2 and 3 are not much better, so we have a petition for an improved version of option 4:

PETITION AGAINST OPTIONS 1,2&3 OF THE COUNTY DURHAM PLAN & SUPPORT FOR A MUCH IMPROVED OPTION 4

We the undersigned believe Options 1,2 and 3 of the County Durham Plan Issues and Options proposals will place unacceptable pressure on Durham City and the villages around it, damaging the Greenbelt and risking Durham’s unique status as a World Heritage City. Varying Option 4 to provide a more even spread of housing, with additional infrastructure, skills and investment to boost jobs and regeneration in all parts of County Durham would offer the best sustainable plan for the City and all of our County’s towns and villages.

Residents have until the 5 August to comment on the first stage of the County plan.

We are currently delivering 6000 leaflets explaining our views relating to the four options being offered by the Council.

It is essential that as many residents as possible tell the Council that Option 1 is unacceptable as it would place too much emphasis on house building around Durham City. It proposes large scale destruction of the greenbelt with as many as 9000 houses to be built in Durham City.

The report can be read here:

http://durhamcc-consult.limehouse.co.uk/events/28610/download?file=3827560.pdf

Please send in your comments to the Council.

You can respond in numerous ways including by email to:

cdpconsultation@durham.gov.uk

We we will put more on the blog in the next few days.

The first leg of the consultation on the County Plan starts next week.

Previously the Council simply published what it wanted and called it a consultation. This time they are providing options for consideration. The cynical will say they have already made up their minds and this time they are simply making sure the consultation appears to be above board.

The only way we can be sure that we get a better Plan for County Durham and for the Durham City area is for everyone to get involved and put across their views.

What I am absolutely certain of is that developers and land owners will inundate the consultation process with calls for huge housing developments around Durham City.

Collectively all residents must respond to this consultation making it known that we need a sustainable plan for the future which doesn’t flood the area with over-development of the greenbelt.

In addition to the plan there are two really important  reports also going to Cabinet – Sustainable Transport Strategy and Air Quality Action Plan.

I have been campaigning for the Council to get its act together on Air Quality for many years – they have failed catastrophically thus far, with an Air Quality Management Order being in place on the City for many years. Indeed were it not for the continued pressure from Lib Dem councillors I don’t think any plan would exist.

The second additional report is the Sustainable Transport Strategy. which includes recommendations for a Northern Relief Road. This very much links in with the pollution issues and the wider County Plan.

You can find the various documents going to Cabinet at this link:

http://democracy.durham.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=154&MId=8478&Ver=4

We will be commenting in due course on all of this in more detail. With links to the Consultation pages.

Following the release of plans for a new expanded Accident and Emergency Department at Durham’s University Hospital, as local councillors we have been forced to intervene.

We did not get notification of the plans, this despite the fact the hospital borders our area and it is residents in our area who will be most affected. I also discovered not a single local residents was to be notified of the proposals either. In addition, the application from Durham and Darlington NHS Trust did not include a travel plan.

The council wasn’t  consulting with a single local resident in the surrounding area, despite this having a massive impact on residents.

We felt this was wholly unacceptable misjudgement by Labour-run Durham County Council.

For many years parking problems have plagued the area due to lack of space at the hospital and excessive charges for staff and visitors.

Following our intervention, the Head of Planning at Durham County Council has confirmed that residents across a wide area will now receive letters about the application.

We raised further concerns about the fact the Travel plan for the new A and E was not submitted with the application and would not have been seen until after the end of the consultation period. The plan will now be submitted in the next two weeks so that we can comment on it within the consultation period.

We also contacted the press about our concerns – some comments made below:

Cllr Amanda Hopgood, Lib Dem group leader said that submitting the travel plan after the end of the consultation period was “completely unacceptable” and would leave residents thinking there was “a rabbit away” believing the impact on the surrounding area must be addressed. Also commenting to the press she said “We fully support having an excellent A&E facility but we must see a robust plan to deal with the horrendous lack of parking at the hospital.”

The use of the A and E has doubled and is set to rise by over 30% over the coming decade according to the hospitals’ plans for a new Accident and Emergency building.

Amanda further commented “I am not convinced that this application offers anywhere near enough parking provision.”

“We were told previously that a multi story carpark was being considered. That is not in the plans. We will be analysing the travel plan when it appears and may have to challenge it at committee.”

Again Durham Council has accepted failings in the process and confirmed that a travel plan will now be submitted within the consultation period.

Cllr Mamie Simmons commented “We felt that the public in Durham were being ignored by the Council and the Hospital Trust in respect of this application. This doesn’t bode well for the future.

“Hospital parking is causing issues up to half a mile from the site. It causes serious disruption for residents and businesses.”

I believe hospital staff have never had their parking concerns adequately addressed by the Trust. Parking charges are considered excessive for visitors and staff and the nearby park and ride is near capacity.

Many streets around the hospital have had residents only parking installed, and the concern is that this will have to be extended even further out from the hospital at additional cost to residents.

We are also commenting that there has been large increase in complaints about the over-use of ambulance sirens in the area and that this could be further exacerbated by the expansion if proper procedures are not put in place – to clarify sirens do not need to be on at all times, only where there is a safety concern. Some residents believe that sirens are being used when there are no other road users or pedestrians around and are therefore unnecessary.

You can comment on the application by writing to the Council at County Hall, quoting reference:  DM/16/01417/FPA

To view the application click here. Note that the travel plan has not yet been uploaded.

Over the last few months we have been out and about noting problems across the area. In addition, our surveys have been coming back in and we have been reporting the problems you have identified. Many of these have already been fixed following our intervention, more are still to be done. We also know there will be other local issues not reported yet. Please let us know about any potholes, pavement defects, streetlights not working, blocked drains or broken kerbstones or anything else you feel is affecting the look of the area.

Streets where we have recently reported problems include: Newton Drive, Gray Av, Winchester Rd, Hylton Rd, Aykley Vale, St Cuthberts Av, Front Street in Pity Me and Framwellgate Moor and Old Pit Lane to name a few.