Due to the bad weather the Council is struggling to get around everywhere.

Bins should be put out on the normal day. If not collected by the evening, then they will only be collected the following week on your usual day. Please take them back in off the road if not collected.

If you have additional rubbish the following week this can be put in bags next to your bin and will be taken.

Framwellgate Moor Community Centre, working with County Hall has organised a beginners computer course to start on 25th January next year.

There are still some places left, so pop into the community centre if you are interested.

The community centre has now agreed to switch to infinity broadband which uses fibreoptic and is 10 times faster, so computer classes should be great, especially when using the internet, and this will also help other groups using the centre.

There are still times available for room hire if anyone has a group or is interested in setting up a group.

There have been a number of thefts from motor vehicles in the Pity Me area in the last week or so.

Please check to make sure that you have locked your car.

The next Police and Communities (PACT) meeting for the Framwellgate Moor and Pity Me area is on December 9th from 6.30-7.30pm at Framwellgate Moor Community Centre. The police, community wardens and local councillors usually attend. All members of the public are asked to come along even if you don’t have a particular issue.

The nature reserve at The Carrs in Pity Me is an excellent local facility for walking in the heart of Pity Me and Framwellgate Moor, and provides habitats for wildlife and flora, including great crested newts.

I have arranged with the Council for a clearing day where we will clear out gorse and willow which is drying out the wetland areas of the reserve.

This will be on Wed 1st December starting at around 9.15am and running through to 3pm, though you can come along any time you like.

You will need wellies or good boots and warm outdoor clothing including waterproofs if the weather is poor, gloves also useful.

The site is currently benefiting from improvements thanks to new reed beds as part of the development on the old County Council Depot site, and by reducing some of the invasive plants and introducing plants such as heather we will be able to keep the site in excellent condition and ensure that the wetlands areas are protected.

There are plenty of wildlife species to view on the ponds and around the site, and the day will give you an opportunity to talk to other volunteers and Council ecology officers.

For more information please get in touch. We will be meeting at the bottom of Bishops Way at 9.15am, and can be found around the site after this, just come along and join in!

This is the information for volunteers from the Council:

INFORMATION FOR NEW VOLUNTEERS
(WORK PARTIES)

Important: Please ensure that you bring the following items with you to all work parties:

• A packed lunch and refreshments
• Warm clothing which you don’t mind getting dirty
• A waterproof jacket / overtrousers (if you have them)
• Strong outdoor footwear, preferably boots or wellies (steel toe-capped footwear if possible)

On the day:
• Volunteers should arrive on site and be ready to start work at 9.45am. Most volunteers start to arrive from 9.15am onwards.
• On your arrival please ensure that you speak to a member of staff to inform them that you are a new volunteer and it is your first time attending a work party. You will then be introduced to other staff and volunteers.
• At the start of the work party you will be given a brief introduction to the site and the job you will be undertaking that day.
• A tool / health & safety talk will also be given. After listening to, and understanding the talk, you will be asked to sign a register to show this.
• You will then start work under the guidance of experienced volunteers.
• We usually break for lunch at around 12pm, taking approximately 30 minutes. However, if you fancy a cup of tea at any time you are welcome to take a break – everyone is encouraged to work at their own pace.
• Work parties usually finish by 3pm, although they can finish slightly earlier or later depending on the task.
• All training is given ‘on the job’ and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is provided when necessary e.g. hardhats, gloves, ear-defenders etc.

Work parties provide an opportunity to meet new people, have an enjoyable time and to do something constructive for the countryside of County Durham. Please come along and join us soon.

DATE:

I can now confirm that I have arranged a new consultation on the County Durham Plan for November 30th at Framwellgate Moor Community Centre.

PROCESS:

This will run from 2pm to 8pm and consist of three REPEAT presentations at 2pm, 4pm and 6pm, with the chance to ask questions afterwards, as well as a separate room where displays will be available and residents will be able to talk to council officers about specific issues.

I am hoping that anyone who can will come along at 2pm and 4pm to avoid a rush at 6pm when others finish work.

Closer to the date I will add further information onto the blog when I have it.

PARKING/TRAVEL:

If you can walk or use public transport to get to the event please do so. The Working Men’s Club carpark is available during the day for anyone needing parking, and the newly resurfaced carpark at the rear of the community centre now has more than 30 parking spaces too with lighting having just been installed.

The details for the Consultation event on 30th November are being finalised wit the event running from 2pm to 8pm with presentations at 2pm, 4pm and 6pm.

in additional I have arranged for highways officers to attend both to allow residents to discuss the bypasses, but of more immediate concerns to discuss concerns of the Bus Gate proposals at Durham Moor and the Dryburn Road bus lane. they will be available from 4pm to 6pm.

Event is at Framwellgate Moor Community Centre. Please use public transport or walk if at all possible. There is parking in the Working Men’s Club and at the rear of the community centre in the newly resurfaced carpark.

As part of the building of new council homes in Bearpark, myself and Councillor Rev Crooks have been working hard to make sure that as much money as possible was secured for new play in Bearpark.

Originally it appeared that only upto £25,000 would be made available towards new equipment, however pressure to ensure that the planning obligations were kept has meant that we now expect to have £50,000 towards this and we expect to have more good news soon as well. Bearpark is finally seeing the investment it needs after so long.

The AAP has already granted £5000 towards outdoor gym equipment too.

Last year when it was announced that there would be funding for a small number of new council homes, I immediately entered discussions with Council officers to ensure as many of these homes as possible were built in the Framwelglate Moor Division, and yesterday the first of these was handed over to a new tenant in Bearpark. The vast majoprity of the homes are being made avaialbe for Bearpark residents after I pushed to ensure there would be a local lettings policy for these homes, helping ensure that families from Bearpark get to stay in their village.

I am now pushing for the council to do far more to get empty homes owned by private landlords back into use as we have over 4000 homes in the councty which with a little work could be providing homes for some of the 10,000+ people on housing waiting lists in the County.

There are a great many ways in which private landlords can be helped, persuaded or made legally obliged to bring homes back into use. Given the current housing crisis after 30 years of inaction, this is the quickest way to get houses available, whilst pushing for investment in new homes through the government and local council.

Clearly much more needs to be done, but this is a start and much more can be achieved.

When I was informed in August that the council was looking at disposing of land at Smithfield, Pity Me, I reminded the council of the serious parking issues in this area, and consulted local residents as to their views, which I forwarded on to the council. I now find it disgraceful to see that last week a for sale sign went up with no further response to me or residents about what was to happen to the land. Quite frankly, why did the council bother to ask my views if it then chose to put the land up for sale without even letting me know about it.

Typical of this council.

I have today been in touch with officers asking when the trees which were cleared by Yuills at the entrance to Pity Me are to be replanted as per council promises. This is the best period for planting trees and i would have expected this work to have started by now. Hopefully we will see some action soon.