The words in this headline were spoken to me by a resident.

He had a small local issue and had been thinking of going up to the council offices to sort it out. Then he thought better of it - why not go and see his councillor because “you get more satisfaction from a councillor.”

This set me thinking. Its a terrible criticism of the local council if people think they’ll get better treatment if they get a councillor to raise their case instead of dealing with it themselves.

Resident, councillor, we’re all just neighbours and equal human beings. There should be no difference in the way we are treated.

And if ordinary folk thought their problems would be dealt with sympathetically and courteously their councillors would have much more time to do the strategic thinking they should be doing instead - like considering countywide education, value for money from the budget, or building up the local economy.

Roadworks w/c May 24th Click the blue link to the left to see the latest set of roadworks in Derwentside.

In Consett North ward it will be particularly of interest to people in The Crescent, (Consett) and Pemberton Road and Church Road (Blackhill).

Readers of this site will have noticed the disappearance of three mature trees from the grounds of Glenroyd House. Certainly some of the old folk at Rosemount have, because when they lost the trees they also lost the birdsong that brightened their lives.

What people may have missed, however, is the significance of this destruction. A look at http://www.derwentside.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=8427&step=4&ref=1/2008/0329 will show you the reasons for it.

Apparently, the CVS sought planning approval for a shared entrance with Rosemount before they actually had the agreement of the owner of the land. That agreement was refused, so now they’re back to the drawing board.

There are a number of disturbing features about the new application - apart from the fact that the applicants don’t seem able to organise themselves, let alone anyone else.

• The application is for 24 hrs a day working despite the fact that a clear restriction was placed on the previous application to limit working hours to 8.30 a.m to 6.00 p.m.
• To put the parking spaces where they are on the plan three more attractive flowering trees will have to be cut down
• Despite this the application states that there are no trees adjacent to the development which are important in terms of the landscape character
• A double entrance here will double the disruption and danger to the many pedestrians along this stretch of Medomsley Road

Please have a look at it yourself and let the Planning Department know your feelings.

At the meeting of Durham County Council today the Labour Party showed that it had learnt nothing from its mauling at the ballot box.

In this blog a week or so ago, I said we would learn a lot today, and we did. Rather than hold out an olive branch to the opposition, the Labour group offered Liberal Democrats, Conservatives and Independents nothing by way of a cabinet post.

When it came to the positions of Chair and Vice-Chair of the prestigious scrutiny committees they again offered nothing to Liberal Democrats, Conservatives and the larger Independent Group, but did offer two vice chairmanships to the tiny rump of independents (6 in all) who have lined up behind John Shuttleworth from Weardale.

Call me an old cynic if you like, but doesn’t that smack just a tiny bit of using the power of patronage to bring on board just enough extra votes to make sure that they have protection from any minor rebellions in the ranks?

Ironically, round the fringes, our Group Leader, Nigel Martin, and I were both appointed vice-chairs of a non-executive committee but I would gladly have swapped mine for one of our group getting a place in cabinet. That would have offered real hope that the County Council was going to adopt a positive and constructive approach to building the new unitary council. What we saw today offers no such hope.

It’s a fine line, whether what The Liberal Democrats and I put out locally is information or propaganda. You probably have your own view, and if I’m honest I’m sometimes not sure myself.

Those who read the comments on the site will see a pretty critical one published last night in response to the piece about the traffic lights. The anonymous reader just sees it as a piece of self-promotion on my part, and who is to say that there’s nothing in that?

At the same time we live in a world where lots of people walk past problems. Some don’t even notice. Others notice but just walk on by anyway.

When you offer yourself for election you take on new responsibilities. You become expected to notice problems, and expected to act on the ones you see. You are then judged on how you live up to those expectations.

In the light of that I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say what you’ve seen, what you’re doing about it, and what happens.

So in that spirit I’m pleased to report that some of the potholes I identified on May 2nd have now been filled in, some listed for work in the coming weeks, and Spencer Street recognised as having multiple patching needs. Indeed it is described as “needing to be considered for a scheme to include kerbing and channels”.

Unlike the traffic lights, for most issues there isn’t an overnight solution - but it’s good to make a start. Rome wasn’t built in a day. But it was built. And it was built by a whole lot of people each doing their bit. You can do yours by reporting road and streetlight defects to http://www.durham.gov.uk/feedback.nsf/Highways+Fault+Report 

I got an email today from a friend to notify me of a Government consultation paper on the future of informal adult education. Responses are required by June 12th. As she sees it, “In a nutshell…if you read between the lines… it says “Who needs informal classes when you can learn by typing stuff into Google now or watching the TV, Vocational classes  are so much more important. We might as well leave all this informal learning to volunteers and book groups”"

A website has been set up called “Save Adult Education” where you can read about it and sign an online petition. You can find it at http://www.saveadulteducation.co.uk/ 

Better still, for those with the energy and resilience necessary you can read the Government’s own consultation paper and submit your comments at http://www.adultlearningconsultation.org.uk/consult/ 

“It will have in place a wholly new style including innovative community engagement arrangements…, new and enhanced governance, strengthened leadership and new ways of working and engaging with local people.” Thus saith the Government about the new Durham County.

It hasn’t quite got the force of Old Testament prophecy has it? It smacks more of the “Mills and Boon” of political fiction.

The New County Council meets for the first time on Friday, and we’ll get the first indication as to whether the Labour Party will follow its usual pattern of hugging all power and position to itself, or whether it will embrace the “new style” promised. Will it give the chairmanship or vice chairmanship of any committees to the opposition? Will it seek to change any of its restrictive rules?

So far I’ve been horrified to find that if a scrutiny committee wants to “call-in” a decision for review it can only do it with the agreement of a chair or vice-chair of the comittee. How much chance of a “call-in” is there, then, if all those posts are held by Labour councillors.

Apparently, too, if a councillor wants to attend a training course they have to get the approval of the council leader. So what chance will I and my colleagues have if we want training that will make us a more effective opposition?

And will this “new-style” council scrap its policy of having all its meetings at 10.00 a.m? This clearly discriminates against any younger, working councillors in favour of those who are retired or on benefit.

Friday will be the first time we can read the new political barometer, and the first decisions will tell us whether the outlook is “Stormy” or “Fair”. I know what I’m looking for. I’m just hoping we don’t get what I expect.

Read this blog on Friday for the latest political weather forecast.

The traffic lights on the centre of Consett were fixed today so now both pedestrians and traffix are flowing smoothly. Well done the County Council for resolving the problem so quickly.

It’s a quiet Sunday morning in Consett and as you can see, not much traffic at the Medomsley Road/Station Roads lights. The lights have turned to amber and we know what to expect next.

 As most residents of Consett know (and bank on), if the pedestrian lights have been operated by pressing the button, after the red light in this direction, the green man follows to allow pedestrians across.

But not today.   

Today the WAIT sign is permanently lit, and the lights never allow the pedestrians across. This is pretty dangerous because many people who know the sequence actually set off (including diagonally) before the pedestrian light turns green. They could therefore be at risk. It also means that everyone on foot is forced to dash across or find themselves stranded on the wrong side of the road.

I have asked the Highways Action line for rapid action.

For information about roads affected by repairs and maintenance in the next seven days just click this link. roadworks-17-may-08.pdf

 I should get this report each week. Please let me know if you find it useful.

Derwentside’s “Transition Plan” proposes transferring land valued at £10 million to Derwentside Homes.

As the plan makes clear, the council has already agreed in principle to transferring land worth £2.4 million to Derwentside Homes. I voted in favour of this, accepting the argument that since Derwentside Homes had already bid for a grant of just over £2m to build affordable homes on it and would themselves have to invest a further it, it would provide a route to rapid expansion in the provision of affordable housing. The council’s argument is that this “transfer at nil value” - a gift to you and me - will generate expenditure of £8.3m within the district.

I am much less happy about transferring another £7.6 million’s worth with no evidence of similar investment being imminently available. Whilst it might result in further affordable housing at some point in the future, it would also tie the land up in the hands of just one housing provider with limited resources to develop it, and would inevitably remove the flexibility of the unitary council to use the land in other initiatives and ways to create affordable housing.

We need to be very careful that in a desire to preserve a “legacy” within Derwentside we don’t cut off our nose to spite our face.

I’d be really interested to hear your views on this proposal.

I recently received a consulation on behalf of Vodafone who are looking to site telecommunication equipment at Christchurch.

Clearly this is no small matter as Christchurch is a listed building and a jewel in the crown of Consett. I was quite taken by the ingenuity of the proposal, however, as they seem to have made such a discreet proposal that I can see no reason for concern.

The eagle eyed among you will have spotted that the antenna is planned to be sited behind the right hand louvre in the bell tower. The cabinets containing the other equipment would be invisibly located within the first floor chamber.

Last December I received a similar consultation document in relation to Christchrch. It proposed that the mast be disguised as a flagpole on the tower, with the cabinet sited at ground level beside the church. I didn’t think that proposal looked bad, but have to hand it to the Planning Department. They were not happy with it and their response has clearly produced a better proposal.

The need for telecommunication equipment is unavoidable in a society which relies so heavily on it, and is often controversial. I think that this proposal is the best I have seen (if you doubt it just look a bit along the skyline to the Police Station). I suspect the church will also be grateful for any rental they get for allowing their building to be used in this way - and better able to maintain it as a result.

It’s not my view that counts, however, but yours. That’s why I’ll be interested in any responses I get.

Tonight’s Annual Meeting of Derwentside District Council will probably be the usual round of appointments to committees with a bit of political jockeying at the edges. It may all be over in quarter of an hour (depending on how long Alex Watson’s “State of the Union” message takes).

In amongst it, however, we will receive the “Transition Plan” in which Derwentside District Council seeks to leave its mark upon, and its legacy for, the local area. It may all sound a bit dry but in a series of posts I hope to share with you some of the very important issues involved.

Item 1.1, the three year “Family Intervention Project” is unique in the county as a support and enforcement project set up to work with the most serious perpetrators of anti-social behaviour in the district. Its aim is to improve the lives of the families themselves by bringing them stability, increased opportunity and a reduced risk of homelessness. At the same time it aims to improve the lives of their neighbouring communities. Full external funding has been secured for this year, but will reduce over the next two years.

This leaves the question of how the funding gap of £20K next year and £70K the year after is to be made up. It will also present a challenge, if the project is successful and cost-effective, as to how to make its work permanent.

So it’s going to be vital that councillors stay alert to what’s going on and help the new unitary authority to make the right judgement. There’s never been a more important time for Derwentside’s councillors to keep their eye on the ball. And there’s never been a time when it was harder to maintain motivation.

I don’t know if Alex Watson OBE, leader of Derwentside District Council, reads this website (or whether he’d want to admit to it if he does) so he may be unaware of my “First 100 Potholes” target. Nevertheless, I have to congratulate him on notifying Durham County Council of a most impressive pothole  to the rear of Duncurin House (the old Medical Centre on Medomsley Road).

Strictly speaking this one doesn’t qualify for my competition as it is in a back-street, but it is impressively apalling and capable of doing some serious damage.

We’re now a week into my campaign for pothole action from the Highways Action Line, and I’ve had to send a chaser since my original email is still unacknowledged. This is not a promising start.

This morning I received a pocket guide of Liberal Democrat policies. It’s designed for anyone who wants to know more about our policies.

Many people are “born into” their political party and it doesn’t matter what the policies are. They just support the party like they support their football team - through thick and thin, excellent or rubbish.

Politics isn’t best practised that way. We get the chance to shape and influence policy. When we cry “foul” the party has to listen.

 Of course, no party has a monopoly of truth and we all have aspects of policy where we are not completely in tune with party thinking. The key question is, “Broadly speaking does this party head in the direction I want to take?”

So if you want to know if The Liberal Democrats are heading in the direction you want to take, click this link. pocket_guide_may_2008_final.pdf .

I look forward to your comments and any debate we can generate.

As we all now know, the original Sports Village proposal (of which this is an artist’s impression from “Inside Derwentside, Winter 2006″) has had to be toned down because the money the council had hoped to attract for the project simply was not forthcoming.

Nevertheless, the project remains a key issue in the run up to the new unitary council, and is a priority for Derwentside in its last year as a council. According to the Draft “Transition Plan” to be presented to the council’s Annual Meeting next week, “Options are currently being developed for content of the new facility. Members will be asked to determine this content during early summer.”

That makes it essential that all those with ideas and opinions on this issue voice them NOW. The Deputy Chief Executive, John Pearson, is the lead officer for the project, so let him or your local councillor know your thinking. We’ll only get this one last chance to get this project right.

The 27 Lib Dem councillors on Durham County Council held their first group meeting on Tuesday night and wasted no time (or aggro) in electing Nigel Martin as Liberal Democrat Group Leader, a role which he held in the previous council.

Nigel was obiously delighted to be leading this much bigger and stronger team, and committed us to being a vigorous and constructive opposition.

Our role is critical. Whilst there is only a small majority of eight for the Labour party on this council as a whole, the opposition outside the Liberal Democrats is fractured.

No doubt the 22 independent members will be committed to the needs of their immediate electorates, but it remains to be seen whether they can make common cause on the big issues that need to be tackled county-wide, from raising standards in education to creating a coherent industrial/commercial infra-structure, from developing a recycling strategy across the county to reducing health inequalities.

The Conservatives too (one of whom was elected as a “local Conservative”) remain an unknown quantity.

What that means is that it is up to Liberal Democrats to lead the thinking which will be required to ensure that the Labour Party is held to account in every area, and to the spirit of its unitary “bid” with its promise to devolve power to local communities. It’s an exciting challenge. Thanks to the electorate we have the team to meet it.

Well done the Lib Dem team in Consett North. You’re not just renowned in the North East of England. News of your famous victory has spread to Austin Texas (prizes for those who spotted that the picture was not Consett Civic Centre) from where we received this message:

“From the Owen Temple of Austin, Texas to the Owen Temple of Consett, I’d like to pass on congratulations and wishes of good luck in your public service.

Our first and last names (and Google searches) made me aware of your campaign, and I followed your blog with interest. Just wanted to drop you a note to say hello.”

It’s customary for new employees to be judged on their first 100 days. I’ve decided on a different target for my new role as county councillor - it’s the first 100 potholes.

This particularly fine example is by the island to cross Villa Real Road, quite close to the Number One roundabout. This is an extremely busy road, and with the roadway narrowing at this point it’s a real hazard to cyclists. I have emailed it (along with eight others in Gladstone Street, Romany Drive and Spencer Street) to the Highways Action Line. Obviously they won’t get the email till Tuesday, so we’ll start the countdown then.

If you want to email me your favourite (!) pothole please give me the precisest possible details and, if possible, a digital photo. There’s only one rule - for the moment I will exclude “back-streets”. It’s not that they don’t matter - clearly they do - but until we’ve got front streets up to first world standards I am going to give them priority.

You’re right. This should have been posted yesterday, but yesterday passed in such a rush and by the time I got logged on I was too tired to do anything.

It’s been a tiring six weeks, and I simply could not have been elected were it not for my terrific co-candidate Natalie English and two groups of people:

1) a tireless band of about ten helpers who put out our leaflets, addressed and stuffed envelopes, worked the printer, and worked on all their friends to get behind us

2) the voters of Consett, many of whom had a real struggle of conscience before breaking the ingrained thinking of a lifetime, and who trusted us to work harder and smarter for Consett than our rivals.

I’ve been touched by the number of phone calls urgently wanting to know if we’d made it, the heartfelt congratulations for me and commiserations for Natalie.

The task is only just beginning, but it will be a whole lot easier in the knowledge of how many people willed us into getting it.

And just one final thought. The people of Consett have told Councillor Clive Robson and me that they require us to co-operate to deliver what Consett needs. It’s a challenge which I hope means we can both put behind us the ill-will that emerged during the campaign. The future well-being of Consett is more important than any inter-party rivalries.

My thanks to all of you who helped to make this happen. It was a hard fought fight and my biggest sadness is that Natalie ran the second slot so close without quite managing to get it.

With less than five hours to go before polling stations close at 10.00 p.m., there’s still everything to play for.

By 4 o’clock, after nine hours of voting time, only around 10% of the whole electoral roll had cast their votes in a ballot box at a polling station. Of course, lots of people have yet to go and vote after work, and lots more have already cast their votes by post, but here are three things to think about if you haven’t voted yet.

1) If turnout is low, just a few votes could swing it. Please don’t let yours be the missing vote that would have made the difference.

2) If you have a postal vote that you haven’t sent in, you can still make it count by completing it, sealing it, and delivering it to your local polling station.

3) If you’ve lost your poll card, don’t worry. You are entitled to vote with or without a poll card, so long as you are listed on the electoral roll. Just tell the clerk who you are and where you live.

Please use your vote.

I’m off to say “Good morning” to Consett and am far too busy for a blog. But please do remember to vote today. The race in Consett North could be close and your vote could make all the difference.