County Councillor Liz Maddison has provided the following update on activities:

Work on the pathway in front of Festival Walk shops at Market Place has started and should take approximately ten weeks to complete subject to weather conditions.

Two of the bus shelters that were vandalised on High Street will be replaced towards the end of August. Options are being considered on the third damaged bus shelter on High Street, owned by a private organisation.

The damaged panels of the Spennymoor Town Council-owned bus shelter on Carr Street reported in the last issue were repaired quickly by the town council.

We visited the new Leisure Centre reception and library facility last week and had a preview of the plans for the pool area, new cafe and soft play area; all of which are making excellent progress. We also discussed parking facilities.

I have identified more fly tipping on both DCC land and Livin land at Baff Street. Some of the significant mess has already been cleared away. All four areas are known sites for fly tipping and long term solutions to stop this are being considered as it is not a pleasant job for the officers who have to clear these areas.

We have concentrated on grounds maintenance across our Divisions this week and have more walkabouts planned.

Recent weather conditions has encouraged the rapid growth of bushes, weeds and undergrowth across the town on both DCC and Livin land. Overgrown bushes at Princess Court have now been cut back.

Clean and Green have cut back the undergrowth on the frontage of the Whitworth Road car park and around the signage at the chicanes towards Whitworth Academy entrance. Road marking renewal has also been requested.

The verges on all road entrances to Byers Green have been cut back.

The underpass at the Ash Tree that Cllr Molloy reported has now been completed. Thank you to DCC Services for undertaking this work.

The road between Gibside Way and Lotherton Drive, Burton Woods, has finally been opened and following a visit there this week, I was advised that all machinery on site should have left the site within a few days. I have asked if the developer could cut back their bushes both sides of the Whitworth Road entrance to make this entrance more visible to motorists and pedestrians.

The Whitworth Road car park has already been cleared of weeds and undergrowth.