Dear Sir,
Next week residents of Great Aycliffe will be able to choose who we want to sit on our local and Durham Council. I think the time has come for changes of power in both. For too long we have not been listened to by the complacent, out of date, Labour party, who are accountable to themselves and not the people who voted for them.
We now need Councillors who will listen to the people and use their own personal voice, rather than follow the whip of the Labour party.
The big change must be in Durham Council, and now is the right time for a change in leadership and cabinet who have now been there for 11 years and think they run the council and can make the major decisions without consultation.
A few years ago if you asked most people who they where going to vote for in the elections, the answer would be, “it’s pointless voting, as Labour always wins”. People are now more aware of what is going and we saw this at the general election. One thing that did come to our attention was when a proposal was put to the local council about double taxation by a councillor, which he promised his electors he would do, five Labour dual councillors, led by John Clare, walked out of the meeting – he told us he had talked to Durham County Council legal department and they said it would be the right thing to do.
In a statement in Newton News he stated it would be a conflict of interest, he thinks he works for them, as they pay his £16000 expenses! It was later confirmed they could have voted to represent the people, if they had really wanted.
So bear in mind when you vote for a Councillor who stands for both councils, will they represent you on both or work for the DCC? It is up to the individual who you vote for, but think and look carefully before you make your decision and most of all use your vote, because if you don’t it’s no good moaning later.
John Armstrong
Newton Aycliffe
