First, may we congratulate Aycliffe North & Middridge Councillor Mike Dixon on being appointed Vice-Chair of Durham County Council last week. It was, however, not the only senior position to which Cllr Dixon was appointed at the County Council’s AGM – in addition he was made Portfolio-Holder Support for Assets, Housing and Rural Issues on the Council’s Cabinet, and also Vice-Chair of South-West Area Planning Committee.
Neither was Cllr Dixon the only Aycliffe Councillor to be given a senior appointment at the County Council. Cllr Jed Hillary was made Chair of the Human Resources Committee, Cllr Sarah Iveson was made Vice-Chair, and Eddy Adam was appointed Vice-Chair of the Environment Scrutiny Committee.
It is sometimes suggested that Newton Aycliffe does not figure in the County Council’s considerations – that “Durham begins at Durham Gate” and that the town is neglected because it is at the extreme south of the County. Nothing could be further from the truth. Your County Councillors fight hard every day to raise the profile of Newton Aycliffe at County Hall, the majority of them from senior positions.
In the meantime, Newton Aycliffe is rapidly establishing a claim to be the ‘jewel in the crown’ of the County Council. Aycliffe Business Park is the exemplar of the County Council’s business strategy, and the Council is just about to embark upon a £10 million project to install the infrastructure for a major extension to the Park. Similarly, the Locomotion Way route from Shildon to Aycliffe Station, the Cobblers Hall SUDS system, and the Chapter Homes development at Agnew 5, are all flagships for new Council initiatives. Meanwhile, in a time of austerity, the County Council is ploughing £2½ million into developing the Leisure Centre.
We believe that Aycliffe can be a focus for the future of County Durham, we are delighted that the County Council agrees with us, and we are working with partners and stakeholders to help our town step up to its potential.
County Councillors Sarah Iveson, Kate Hopper, Jed Hillary, Joan Gray, Mike Dixon, John D Clare and Eddy Adam.