What a busy week it has been for council and community! More (and detailed) information about all the following is available on my blog at: bit.ly/CNB155

DCC BUDGET MEETING

Last week began with the Durham County Council Full Council budget meeting. This financial year the government has given the Council £31 million it was not expecting, and the Council has been able to translate this into £194 million of upgraded services, new leisure facilities, climate actions, and a £20 million towns & villages regeneration fund. So the meeting consisted of the Labour Group supporting the proposed budget, and the opposition Groups presenting their amendments and proposals – most of which were suggestions about how they wanted to spend the regeneration money (with the Labour Group saying to every amendment: ‘No – we’re going to ask the public how they want that money spent’). As you might expect, the meeting generated debate, and the Northern Echo has focussed on the opposition to a Conservative amendment to stop the funding for a County Youth Council. For me, that issue – defeated comfortably 99 votes to 11 – was far less the highlight than Cllr Patterson’s inspiring speech about what she hoped the extra funding might achieve for the County (I have reproduced that speech on my blog).

CO. DURHAM PLAN

Last week also the government planning Inspector approved-in-principle the County Durham Plan, which will make the Council’s planning decisions, and its housing strategy, easier. The exception, however, was that he instructed the Council to delete the three proposed relief roads from the Plan … which affects the Council’s transport & traffic, emissions and economic growth strategies. Environmentalists have greeted the decision as a Climate Change victory, however, so the Inspector’s decision about the relief roads is a two-edged sword in that respect.

OTHER MEETINGS

Talking about Climate Change, last week I attended a very thought-provoking lecture about where that initiative needs to go next. I also went on a march and rally in Durham in support of the WASPI women, sat in on a very upbeat Extinction Rebellion debrief, and attended interesting meetings of the Great Aycliffe Town Council Environment and Recreation Committees, and of Middridge Parish Council.

AND FINALLY…

Congratulations to Aycliffe Business Park’s Excelpoint on being shortlisted for a Small Business Award, and to Greenfield School for its Future Business Magnates project … and also to make readers aware that HealthWatch County Durham’s March newsletter is published, with information about Coronavirus, eating disorder week, world Down Syndrome Day, diabetes prevention and more.