Residents rightly ask, why Labour Councillors are writing anonymous letters in Newton News. They promised in their newsletter to members, to look at why they lost so badly at County and Town Council, yet have since bluntly refused to do so.
The Independents and the Liberal Democrats on the Town Council are working quietly, confidently and in perfect co-operation and harmony, just getting on with the job we were elected to do.
On Car Parking Cllr Phil Hawkins (Ind) and Cllr Neville Jones (Lib Dem) got the ball rolling by getting the Council to set up a small working group of 5 Councillors, it’s remit, simply put is:
“To invite residents of Great Aycliffe, via Newton News, to identify and submit to the Working Group, areas of the parish they consider to have a parking problem, primarily due to lack of space etc and for these areas to be clearly identified, mapped and land ownership confirmed, then, where possible, to try to come up with solutions to each one. Then to liaise with the land owner e.g. DCC or Livin to see about getting a phased programme of work, over a period of years, to try to resolve and reduce these parking issues. The Working Group will not deal with parking enforcement issues.”
There are No guarantees, No false promises, but the longest journey begins with the first step, to try to slowly but steadily improve the situation, which is likely to take many many years, and will not be able to satisfy everyone. Labour voted against this. This group will probably not start work until next year. The Town Council, like everyone else, is coming out of Covid restrictions, we have some staffing shortages to fill, the priority for existing staff is to be up to speed on existing services and facilities, then, only when time allows, to look into these things.
On the Town Centre, it is down to the County Council, and our MP when it comes to applying for Levelling Up funds and other sources of funding, Parish Councils cannot lead nor apply, but we can get interested parties together and have some input, so we set up another small working group which will probably only need to meet once or twice to complement the work of our MP Paul Howell and Durham County Council. The remit is:
“To look at all aspects and possibilities of regenerating and developing the Town Centre, in co-operation with Durham County Council, our Member of Parliament, and the Town Centre Owners, and the Government’s Levelling Up Agenda.”
Labour Councillors voted against this. Finally, Labour put forward a motion to set up yet another working group, proposing: “That this Council sets up a Special Working Group charged to propose new money saving opportunities relating to the Council’s existing services, which can result in a reduction in Council Tax”.
So Labour now want to slash your services and facilities. To cut your Council Tax (we won’t). Labour members then refused to serve on what was their own proposal! It was the worst plan since Abraham Lincoln said “oh, I’m sick of kicking round the house tonight, let’s go take in a show.” At Full Council last week the Lib Dems and the Independents decided to refer Labour’s crazy motion back to the Policy & Resources Committee. We don’t need any more working groups, wasting staff and councillors time and resources, to look at doing what Councillors and Officers already do, every day, every week, as part of their job, ie: look for efficiencies and savings, which is always ongoing.
The Wizard of Oz, for all his vanity, was at least able to bestow upon his visitors a heart, a brain and some courage. Labour, in its moment of need, is having to make do without all three.
Cllr Arun M Chandran, Independent.