2500 Staff get Living Wage as Labour Council caves in to Lib Dem pressure

I am delighted to be able to confirm that 2500 staff in our schools and council offices will now get paid a minimum of £7.43 an hour. A LOCAL LIVING WAGE.

We have been challenging the Council on this for two years and in July I tried to force this through the Council but Labour refused. Now they have caved in and many staff who were earning the minimum wage will now be paid a local living wage – a fantastic success which we hope will open the floodgates to other employers in the county paying their staff more.

I am convinced that this will more than pay for itself in higher moral and productivity as well as better living standards.

Just goes to show that as councillors now and then we really do make a profound difference to our local residents. Here’s the Northern Echo report on this:

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/11612563.Thousands_to_benefit_from_Durham_s__local_living_wage_/?ref=rss

Now we carry on the battle to make sure that this increases each year, and seek to challenge other employers to do the same.

Good day to check the drains or go to M&S

If it does happen to stop raining today. Please check any pavement or road drains outside your house and if the water isn’t going down a while after it has stopped raining either report it to hal@durham.gov.uk or send me an email.

I have today reported the flooded mini roundabout inside the Arnison centre and blocked channel drains which are soaking people’s feet in part of the parking area just outside the M&S store – which incidentally has a pretty good offer on for the next few days with 25% off vouchers when you spend £20 or more!

Featherstone Road pothole repaired, repaired, repaired, repaired

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How many times does Durham County Council repair potholes before realising that perhaps a better job would save money. Well, looking at this bit of Featherstone Road in  Newton Hall it would seem that at £30 every time they repair a pothole, several hundred quid might have been spent by our esteemed Labour run council on bog standard fixing jobs at this location.

We were promised that proper jobs would be done to save money. Indeed the Lib Dems in the Coalition Government provided millions of pounds extra to the council to get these kind of repairs done properly.

Let’s see how many more slabs of tarmac are chucked on the road before this one is done properly.

Brothers and Sisters stay together – Can you help with adoption? Call in New College on Thursday

Durham County Council is appealing for brothers and sisters to stay together when they are adopted and are asking people to step forward.

It comes at a time when some ten sibling groups, two or more, are waiting for caring homes in County Durham.

A drop-in session all about adoption is being held at New College, Durham on Thursday 13 November (6pm to 8pm).

The evening has been  organised by Durham County Council’s adoption service and key workers will be on-hand as well as adoptive parents who will be able to give their first-hand experience on adopting children and showing just how rewarding it can be.

Wendy Ellis, adoption team manager, Durham County Council, said: “Brothers and sisters often have to wait longer than other children to be adopted so that we can find a family where they can stay together.

“People can be concerned about adopting more than one child, but there is lots of support available to adoptive families to help. If you are thinking about adoption come along to the Information session and meet adoptive families to hear about their experiences.”

The drop-in session comes during National Adoption Week, organised by the British Association of Adoption and Fostering (BAAF) to raise awareness of adoption and the need for more adoptive families. This year has a special focus encouraging people to adopt brothers and sisters so that they can live together.

Andrea adopted two sons more than ten years ago. She said: “Our lives and that of our extended family have been totally transformed by the addition of our sons. The boys were seven and five years when they first come to live with us and they always say this is their family. It’s lovely to hear my younger son remind me that I am the ‘best mam he’s ever had’. I’m so proud of the boys they have both left school with good exam results and are excited to be planning their futures at college and in the army.

Continues

“When people ask me about adoption we all say that having the two boys has been one of the best decisions we ever made. Anyone considering adoption should consider brothers and sisters. It is so rewarding to see them grow up together as part of a family.”

The adoption service can be contacted on 03000 269400, emailing adoption@durham.gov.uk or going to www.durham.gov.uk/adoption

 

The Avenue footpath repair isn’t the final job…but what is?

dreadful pity me path

 

A rather odd and unsatisfactory repair to part of the footpath on the Avenue in Pity Me is just a top coating.

The area is going to get properly repaired later in the week. However what is less clear is just how much of these pavements are going to be repaired.

Earlier in the year I was refused for the fifth year running action to repair the dreadful state of footpaths on The Avenue, Hartside View and Hudspeth Crescent. Then we decided to use local funding to pay for the resurfacing because it was clear to us that it was dangerous and we simply could’t accept it looking so bad for much longer. At which point the council told us they could’t do it until next year even if we paid for it.

Now it seems perhaps a wee bit is going to be done. I have asked for clarification as to what is being done and will report back. Perhaps all our pressure is paying off at last.

Mere Drive street light repair delay due to lack of land rovers

A streetlight on a path which allows residents access to Front St from the estate in Pity Me has been on day and night for a number of months.

I raised this with an officer in September and a resident also asked for action to stop the waste of electricity on 24th October.

Usually the council will respond in 10 days, but because the light is harder to access, they need to use a 4×4 land rover hoist to carry out the repair.

I have been promised the repair will be done today, so fingers crossed.

If there is a light which is day burning or not working at night please let me know. Sadly I can’t get the council to improve the dreadfully poor LEDs they are using on the new lights and stick by my view that they are not bright enough.

Mobile Phone Saving Website by Oxford Geniuses

A while ago I was trawling the internet to try and figure out if I was getting the best deal on my mobile, and came across a site called Bill Monitor

I was a bit dubious at first, but having used the site for a while I am quite impressed with it. You tell it a bit of information about your contract and it lets you know when you can save on your current contract and how to make the best of what you currently have.

A rough calculation suggests that if every resident in County Durham used this service and acted on the suggestions, we would collectively save £30m a year!!

Dryburn Park and Holmlands Crescent Permit Scheme to commence 12th January

Residents had requested the running of a new consultation on some streets in Framwellgate Moor due to parking problems from people coming from outside the area causing inconvenience to local residents.

A consultation was carried out some time ago. Statutory consultations then occurred.

No further objections were forthcoming in respect of the extension of the residents parking zone to include Dryburn Park and Holmlands Crescent. The scheme will therefore go ahead with a target commencement date of 12th January 2015.

Barrington Close and St Cuthbert’s Avenue residents voted not to go ahead with the scheme.

Residents on Dryburn Park and Holmlands Crescent are being written to by the council this week to explain the process, the implementation date, locations of signs and how to apply for permits.

It can take up to 6 weeks for signs to be ordered and made, which is why the 12th January date has been set.

Once the scheme is expanded residents on these streets will once again be able to access their properties and park near their homes.

Newton Hall Post Office Services Saved

Our press release:
Lib Dem councillors are celebrating with residents after post office services were saved. Councillors in Newton Hall near Durham City had campaigned to stop the loss of services for their branch. In addition capacity and access concerns have been partly addressed and will be monitored.
A move into a nearby McColl’s shop will still go ahead but with many improvements. Services which would have been lost will be retained including the ability to pay in cheques. Transcash as well as Royal Mail and Parcelforce International Services are also now protected. The original plans would have seen a cut to many parcel services.
Councillor Amanda Hopgood comments “We made sure that the difficult access to Durham City was pointed out, and this has been listened to.Residents will not have to go into the City for services. Furthermore, internal access at the new branch was a big concern. We must wait to see if concerns about this have been fully addressed in the months which follow the opening of the new branch.”
External access to the branch will be improved as a planning application has now been granted by the council for a disability ramp. This will be an improvement on the existing premises. Within McColl’s, further adjustments are to be made. Fixtures and fittings will be re-aligned and removed to make sure there is proper access. This will include improved access for wheelchairs and space for queuing.
Concerns about staffing numbers are also being addressed. Staffing is to be aligned to customer demand. However there will be continual monitoring of staffing numbers with a review in three months which will be analysed by the Citizen’s Advice who are the statutory consultees on the proposals.
Records of queuing times and numbers will also be carried out and analysed following the concerns raised.
Councillor Mark Wilkes who put up the online petition to challenge the cuts to services said of the proposals. “In an ideal world we would still have a Main’s branch. However what we are now being offered is far and away better than the original proposals. Protection of services. Improved access, improved capacity and a full review over three months. The Post Office has agreed to full monitoring. We will also be personally monitoring this. Any reduction in service quality will be robustly challenged in the local community.”
Councillors now hope that after the new facility has bedded in the improved offer will mean that local residents warm to the changes. Longer opening hours should cut the risk of queuing. Cllr Wilkes added “There will still be some residents who are concerned, and we would urge them to contact us at any point during this process.”
Councillor Mamie Simmons says “Following our two and a half hour meeting with senior Post Office management we were deeply concerned. What we have achieved by way of improvements is leaps and bounds ahead of what we could have ended up with. The disability access will be particularly well received and are happy the council has supported that application. Of course the first few months of the changes will be key. We will be in touch with the Post Office, Citizen’s Advice and McColl’s if there is any drop in service quality.”
He has also contacted the Citizen’s Advice and McColl’s to request updates going forward and to ask that existing staff are approached as a matter of urgency to see if they would like to work in the new branch.
The move is likely to take place in February 2015.
You can view the consultation result letter here: newton_hall_dh15lx_decision_letter

Link to story on Northern Echo website: http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/local/northdurham/durham/11584479.Post_Office_move_goes_ahead___with_concessions/

Disgraceful state of South Terrace Reported to Council

stateofsouthterrace

You might think that it is only the City centre which suffers from problems with overflowing residential bins. But that is not the case. As this photo of South Terrace in Framwellgate Moor shows, there are problems everywhere.

The reality is that absurd planning decisions over the years mean that terraced houses never meant for five six or seven student rooms have been converted around Durham City including in Framwellgate Moor.

Developers leave little or no space for bins which are overflowing most of the time making it an utter misery for other residents – blocking roads and pavements, causing infestations of vermin and adding further pressure on council staff who have to clear up the litter.

Enough is enough. I have reported the state of this road to the Director for Neighbourhood Services. Something must be done. If you have examples of other areas with similar problems please photo them and send to us.