If you’re reading this blog you must have good taste. We know that because it’s just been shortlisted for the nationally acclaimed “Blog of the Year Awards” at Liberal Democat Voice. The category, Best new Liberal Democrat blog.

You can see the full shortlist at
http://www.libdemvoice.org/blog-of-the-year-awards-2008-the-shortlists-3575.html

Unfortunately if you look a bit further through the site, as well being well entertained you’ll discover that short-listing was as far as we got.

I’ll just have to get better at this job. On the other hand, there wasn’t much news of Consett on the “The People’s Republic of Mortimer” which was the overall winer.

It’s hard not to be paranoid.

When I tried to log on to this blog-site from my desk in County Hall, I was surprised to find I couldn’t. Perhaps there was a problem with it. I tried to log on to our group leader’s site, www.nigelmartin.mycouncillor.org.uk but I couldn’t. Nor the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors (ALDC).

Was there some terrible plot to block all Liberal Democrat sites?

Actually, No. I tried to log on to the Labour Party as well, but that was blocked too. There’s no plot, it’s just that Durham County is a politics free zone. Perhaps someone could pass that message on to the cabinet.

The first week of the month is always heavy for meetings, that’s why I haven’t updated this blog, and at times it can drive you crazy. Having said that, without them nothing happens. With them, it may be slow but progress does happen.

Take Monday. The council took a step further towards the creation od Consett’s new sports facilities with an outline decision on what’s to be provided. It isn’t everything everyone wanted (I’ve already had great dissatisfaction expressed to me about the absence of a sauna in the new facilities unless some more money can be found from somewhere) but there will be as much as can be providedwith the money that can be scraped together; a new 25 metre pool with learner pool, a big Sports Hall, a smaller sports hall and enough space within the builing for a fitness suite and some ancilliary features.

I was pleased to to have accepted my amendment that the new small sports hall “be constructed with due regard to the physical requirements necessary for its effective use in the provision of indoor bowling”. The truth is there isn’t the money (£2 million) to provide “sole use” space for bowling, but it is essential that the best possible facility is provided that enables the mainly elderly indoor bowlers to get some serious bowling in during the winter months.

There’s still a long way to go with this project, though. Because of the new unitary council coming in, the project will have to be approved by the County Council Treasurer, no doubt with the say-so of the Labour cabinet. That makes it essential that the two Consett Councillors in the cabinet (Bob Young and Clive Robson) put their shoulders to the wheel to make sure that this sports centre happens. They will not be forgiven if it gets de-railed again at this late stage.

Tuesday was the Berry Edge Residents Association where the county engineer confirmed progress on the Albert Road crossings which are now going out to consultation. It’s painfully slow, but something will come of it - and who would have put money on that two years ago?

Wednesday I managed to slip in half an hour at the Scout AGM before going to another meeting. What a great atmosphere. There were about eighty beavers, cubs, scouts, leaders and parents crammed into the Scout Hut in Constance Street to recognise the group’s achievements. There was a good deal to celebrate - and especially the scouts winning a district trophy which had eluded them for thirty one years. Unfortunately I had to miss the end of it (and so never found out if the barbecue beat the rain) to go somewhere else, but it was an exciting reminder of how much goes on round and about, often largely unnoticed, and how many dedicated people it takes to make it happen. It’s a privilege to be a councillor, and so to be allowed an insight into so many different aspects of local life.

Anyone who has heard me sing would run two thousand miles from this competition. But they’d be wrong.

The CD is, of course, not of me singing but the celebrated Owen Temple of Austin Texas.

That more famous Owen Temple (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owen_Temple ) contacted me after the election to wish me well. I was so chuffed I bought some of his CDs at Amazon only to be taken by surprise when the great man himself sent me the same CDs. So with his permission I offer his excellent “Two Thousand Miles” album to entrants of this easy to win competition.

All you need to do is correctly predict the number of Derwentside District councillors who will attend Monday Night’s Special Council Meeting to decide, amongst other things, the outline of what is to be provided in Consett’s proposed new Sport Centre.

In the case of a tie, the prize will go to the entrant who offers the best anagram of “Owen Temple.”

To get you off to a good start, there are currently 54 councillors on Derwentside District Council.

Just email me through the link on the front page of the website with your email address, your name, the number of councillors you think will be there and, if you like, an anagram of “Owen Temple” . Entries limited to the UK (sorry Owen, I’m not sending it back!).