Over the last year we have raised concerns that people working from home or not able to get grants for other reasons have been struggling.

I’m please to say that we have been listened to and the County Council has approved a new scheme to provide those who have missed out with some additonal grant funding from the money provided by government:

The new scheme will offer support for mobile and home-based businesses, that operate in the hospitality, accommodation and leisure sectors or its supply chain, or those providing in person or face to face services, which have been significantly impacted by the restrictions and have fixed monthly business costs.

As part of the application process businesses will be asked to:

·            Demonstrate fixed business-related costs of at least £100 a month, these must be integral to the running of their business and does not include personal salary costs or rent / mortgage costs;

·            Evidence that the business provides the majority of the applicant’s income (over 50%);

·            Demonstrate that they have been severely impacted by local and/or national restrictions;

·            Evidence they were trading on 18 September 2020; and

·            Demonstrate that they have not received or are eligible for a previous grant payment from the council.

The scheme provides for the following level of support as a one off payment:

·                £100 to £200 fixed costs per month, they would receive a £500 one off payment

·                £200 to £400 fixed costs per month, they would receive a £1,000 one off payment

·                Fixed costs of more than £400 per month, they would receive a £2,500 one off payment

Our website has been updated with a holding statement to reflect these changes and full details on eligibility and how to apply will be available on there by Friday 26 March, accessible via this link: http://www.durham.gov.uk/covid19businessgrants. There will be an online application process for applicants to submit details to support their application in line with the requirements set out above.

We will be reviewing the scheme take up and funding on 12 April 2021, in line with the first key milestone in relation to restrictions for businesses starting to be lifted.

Just been told that one of the empty units on the Arnison Centre has been taken. Great news. I’m sure there will be plenty of people really happy to have a Hobbycraft round the corner.

Plenty more empties in the area, so let’s hope these fill up too.

Back in 2011 after Labour tried to close the leisure centre, the Council did a program of putting solar panels on our leisure centres but missed off Abbey. I’ve been complaining ever since, which is why at a council meeting today I was delighted to be able to support a program which will see Abbey become Carbon Neutral with solar panels and a huge heat pump.

This massive investment with European funding adds to the excellent news – that we got the Council to confirm this week – that the changing rooms and shower facilities will be ripped out and replaced.

I’m still working to make sure we get a new sauna/steam facility and pushing to get renovation work brought forward , but things are looking up for our leisure centre.

At yesterday’s cabinet I finally got the commitment I have been asking for for many years to the full renovation of the changing rooms and shower facilities at Abbey Leisure Centre.

For the past two years, I’ve pushed and had no positive response after the work was excluded from the plans for the Centre. Perseverance pays off!

However the commitment to keep a sauna/steam facility has not yet been given. This is a concern as for many people it is a facility which allows for conversational time with other users.

At a time when mental health issues are one of the biggest issues facing us as we come out of lockdown, it is essential that facilities like this are retained.

The work to renovate Abbey has again been kicked down the road though but the Labour-run council, with the final report not due until the end of the summer at the earliest. This is something I cannot accept and we will be pushing for the report to come forward much more quickly.

Residents have waited far too long for these improvements.

This year it hasn’t been possible to get around knocking on doors until now. We have over 6000 houses in our area, so there’s no chance we can get around everyone.

We are continuing to update with our local leaflets and street letters, and on this website.

You can show your support for us and complete a short survey at:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/LHDKWVR

For anything else please do get in touch with us.

Since the middle of last year we have raised concerns about the safety of the road surface on Carr House Drive.

So we are really please to confirm that the resurfacing scheme has been put forward to senior management for this coming financial year.

We will update when this is officially confirmed.

Over the last year I have been in discussion with the Council to try and get a serious solution to the problems in some parts of the area, particularly Newton Hall with poor broadband.

I have just finished a meeting with Netomnia and Youfibre representatives who are rolling out Fibre to the House broadband across our area in the coming months.

You can register your interest at youfibre.com

Their basic package is £22 for 50mb but they are offering 1000mb too – although that’s a bit pricier at £37.50 a month right now on a discount. They hope within two weeks to have updated their website for applications, but are taking time so as to manage expectations on expected date properties are connected.

I have asked that certain parts of Newton Hall – such as the Edlingham Road area are prioritised where people are only getting 3mb at present.

If you live in another part of the area, and have dreadful broadband please get in touch and let us know the speed you currently get.

The company will be providing a map soon which will show the areas they are rolling out to and I will share it on here.

Delighted to be able to report that the huge scheme at the nature reserve is getting closer to completion. The path from Abbey Road (Northumbrian Water HQ) which accesses the site has now been completely resurfaced and is wider and mud free too!

We regularly had to chase up cutting back of nettles along this path which at times came close to being difficult to pass without getting stung. Plus its easier to distance and get past each other.

Just waiting for the dropped kerb now at the start to make it easier for Prams, Wheelchairs and mobility scooters.

We’ve been pushing the council for many years to renew this play area. Equipment is old and damaged and surfaces are poor.

We now have three designs we want to consult with parents and children on. The site is designated as for under 11’s but in reality it is for younger children.

The enclosed PDF shows the proposals we are consulting on. Please let us know if you / your children prefer A, B or C or if you have any other comments.

https://markwilkes.mycouncillor.org.uk/files/2021/02/Abbey-Leisure-Centre-Play-Area-Consultation.pdf

You can let us know which option you prefer by going to this survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/66XRKCY

Please email us if you have additional comments.

We submitted three main budget amendments to the Council’s budget yesterday but Labour rejected them.

£10m capital investment for school repairs: The Council currently has NOTHING in the repair budget using local funding and only £5.4m from government to repairs schools despite having a £118m backlog of repairs.

As far as the Lib Dems are concerned, if the Government is failing to provide enough funding, that does not mean the Council should put nothing in. After all, our schools are our responsibility.

£1m towards nature reserves and public rights of way: Might sound like a lot but it isn’t really. We have 55 nature reserve and 3500km of public rights of way and the council is failing to invest in them.

Rahter than leaving tens of millions of pounds in reserves, we wanted to see money spent on these areas, as so many people are getting out and about doing exercise. Labour refused, choosing to leave all the money in reserves.

£10,000 for each councillor to spend improving our area: Right now money is being put into Area Partnerships to carry out regeneration work. There is no guarantee that any area will get this money. We felt it fairer to take a small percentage of this money and let councillors decide consulting with local residents. Labour refused

We also supported an opposition motion calling for free parking in our town centres and City Centre to help boost the high street – paid for from money provided by government to tackle Covid impact. Labour refused this too.

We will of course continue to fight for and work hard to get as much investment in our area as possible.