The current consultation on the latest document released on the County Durham Plan, does not include an event in the Framwellgate Moor area. I am quite staggered at this and have emailed asking why not and if this will be arranged before the July 8th  cut off point. In the meantime, there is a staffed exhibition in the Town Hall on the 23rd June from 1600 to 1900, also at Ushaw Moor, Deerness Sports Centre on the 24th June from 1300 to 1500.

It is very important that anyone interested comments on the proposals for housing at this stage. The council is not discussing where the houses will be built specifically or about the bypasses at this stage but is consultating on the overall plan of providing upto 8000 houses in the former Durham City District and surrounding villages:

Go here to look at the document and make comments:

http://durhamcc-consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal/planning/cdp_ce/cspd?pointId=1734345

Did you know you can access  council services by television, internet or mobile phone.

It is called “Looking Local” and can be viewed in any of the following ways:

• Sky viewers – go to channel 539 and press the red button.
• Virgin viewers – press the red home button, choose Interactive (option 7), select news and info then Looking Local (option 6).
• From a Wii or PC – visit www.lookinglocal.gov.uk
• From a web-enabled mobile phone – text your postcode to 61061.

I have sent a road patching request for Flambard Road/Priory road to see what happens – the particular area has probably had pothole s filled in more an 5 times and can be seen from space using Google Maps as a blurred area on the road.

Other services you can see include looking for the availability of council houses across County Durham. You will need to register with Durham Key Options before using that part of the service.

You can also check for bus and train times from a specific bus stop,  if registeed deal with gp and nhs services, and see what is going on in County Durham today, tomorrow or over the weekend. Though looking at this section I think it isn’t being fully utilised yet.

Other services include reporting:

Abbandoned vehicles, flytipping, road repairs, graffiti and housing repairs.

And a key section has details of where to get help about a whole raft of things including:

Family issues, rights, medical conditions, coping and caring, crisis, well being, work and education.

If anyone sees any gaps – for example I can’t find the Durham City Citizens Advice Details, let me know.

The Council is to carry out two changes to roads in the area to see if it improves traffic flow.

The first is to shorten the bus lane on High Carr Road as you come to the Aykley Heads Roundabout, in the hope that it will help increase the number of vehicles getting through the roundabut and turning into Aykley Heads. This strikes me as a sensible trail.

The second is to allow through traffic past the park and ride at sniperley, where at the moment if you are travelling from Witton Gilbert, you can’t drive through to go North on The A167. This seems a sensible proposition and will hopefully reduce the blockages at the main  Sniperley Roundabout somewhat.

If anyone has comments on either of these changes please feel free to email highways.orders@durham.gov.uk with your comments.

New white lines on Abbey road and Holmlands Crescent are improving inconsiderate and dangerous parking.

By reducing parking near to the entrance to Smithfield, Abbey Road which had over the last few month become worse, it is hoped that these will reduce further poor parking.
Coninuted parking on the main stretch of the road is a cause for concern but conversely it appears to be slowing down traffic along Abbey Road. I have spoken with the Council who are not inclined to do any more at present to stop parking near to Bridge End Motors and will wait to see how the situation develops.

Following the submission of a 5000 name petition from the group working to keep Sherburn Leisure Centre open, there will be a fifteen minute debate on the issue at Full Council on Wed 22nd June in the Council Chamber at County Hall. This is open to the public and I am sure that issues that matter to all the leisure centres under threat will be raised.

If there are any residents with long standing housing repairs in Brasside, Bearpark, Witton Gilbert, Framwellgate Moor and Pity Me, please contact me.

I recently dealt with one issue that had been going on for a long time and discovered other problems not reported before, but Durham City Homes has carried out all of the repairs to the property very quickly following my discussions with them.

Following on from a number of  years of issues for businesses and residents on Beech Road in Framwellgate Moor,  I  have now been successful in getting the council to consult on bringing in a 3 hr waiting for the area.

I have asked that a larger area than normal is consulted (going into part of Lilac Avenue) as there could be some impact there. One of the key questions whether this needs to be in place on Saturdays or just Mon to Friday. To comment by email please email the officer in charge of this at sarah.stoker@durham.gov.uk

I am confident that for businesses and shoppers here, this would be a big improvement as shoppers will find it easier to park.

I have uploaded the consultation letter and the map of the proposals can be accessed by clicking here Consultation Plan – Unclassified Beech Road, Framwellgate Moor, so if there is anyone from the wider area who wishes to make comments they can see how to.

The County Council put out a press release on Friday regarding the leisure centres they are consulting on. (Printed below).

They are unwilling to release at this stage how many bids have been received for Abbey, though I know it is at least two, probably more.

I have been working with a steering group made up of users and members of the local community, as well as Cllr Hopgood (Newton Hall) and this group has submitted a bid.

A futher bid has been submitted from a group called Slam, based in Willington who already run a centre there. There may be at least one more third sector (charity/voluntary) group submission, as well as possibly some private sector proposals.

Having seen the quality of the community bid, I could not accept a private sector bid without proof that any community/voluntary bid was unustainable.

This is because it is essential that the centre is run for the local community, not for shareholders. By running the centre in this way, the improvements to the centre that I have been pushing the council on for two years can be achieved.

An improvement in facilities for young people is non negotiable in this equation. Indeed it may well be that by the centre not being controlled by the Council, but with their support that this can now be acheived.

PRESS RELASE FROM COUNCIL:

Next step in leisure centre consultation

Proposals submitted by community groups and businesses bidding to run six leisure centres in County Durham will now be considered in detail by Durham County Council.

The deadline for submissions passed at noon today and each will now be considered in depth before any decisions regarding the future of the centres is taken.

Earlier this year the council embarked on a three month consultation process seeking alternatives to closure for council-run leisure facilities at:

Abbey Leisure Centre

Coxhoe Leisure Centre

Deerness Leisure Centre

Ferryhill Leisure Centre

Glenholme Leisure Centre – Crook

Sherburn Leisure Centre

The consultation was launched as part of the authority’s requirement to make savings of £123.5m over the next four years due to large reductions in Government grant. During the 12 weeks 1,915 consultation questionnaires were filled out and there were 21 initial expressions of interest.

Terry Collins is the council’s corporate director of neighbourhood services:”I am extremely pleased with the level of interest shown by groups and businesses wanting to take over the centres and can confirm the following.

“We have received 19 bids from ten organisations. These bids relate to interest in all six centres. We will now have to ensure that the proposals are financially robust going forward, meet compliance arrangements as well as our legal requirements regarding the transfer of staff. They will clearly also need to offer the right mix of experience and capabilities for the future.”

Notes to editors:

A report to Cabinet in March outlined the need for the authority to address the number of under used facilities and to meet the challenge of a 25 per cent reduction in the sport and leisure budget, following major reductions in Government grant.

For the council’s leisure services this equates to a saving of £3.5m over the next four years with nearly £1.5m of that within the next financial year (2011/12).

Durham County Council currently has 19 indoor facilities.

An application to increase the number of houses being built on the old Council Depot on Finchale Road/Old Pit has been submitted. The developer is looking to increase the number of houses on the site from 199 to 205, by changing some of the house types. The application is 11/00328/FPA.

I have requested that the Council seeks additional funding for the local community through a s106 agreement or alternatively the provision of additional social housing as part of this  application. This could see an additional social rented property or £6k of funding for local play facilities. Given that the original application was based on fewer properties this only seems fair.

The link to view the application when it is uploaded visit:

http://publicaccess.durhamcity.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/DcApplication/application_searchform.aspx

and enter 11/00338/FPA . (NOT ACTIVE TODAY)

The user group set up to save Abbey Leisure Centre is set to put in its proposals this week to take over the centre. A lot of hard work has been put in to create a proposal and it’s hoped the steering group proposals will be able to move the next stage.

It is clear that a majority of residents and users want the centre run for the community and by the community and I will continue to support the group along with Cllr Hopgood from Newton Hall, whereever we can.

Other groups are also expected to put forward proposals and ultimately whatever the outcome, I hope the centre is run for the community and will continue to push for this.

Of key importance is that the centre remains open and that it improves facilities for young people in our area.