County Councillor Liz Maddison has provided an update of activities over Christmas and wishes all residents a Happy New Year and best wishes for 2025.
We had a busy time in the run up to Christmas, visiting St Paul’s Foodbank and calling in to local shops, businesses and community organisations to pass on our appreciation for the work they do in our community.
We met with officers from Leisure Services and called in to the Baby & Toddler Group sessions, following representation made to us regarding the plans to upgrade leisure services offering new facilities for all age groups and providing a new soft play area and cafe provision.
The long established Toddler Group had been concerned with the loss of their existing facilities. We welcome the upgrade and investment in new leisure centre facilities, however we have been seeking an assurance that this popular group can continue in some format. Following our meetings, some concessions and alternative solutions have been offered. I have also written to officers asking if a further option can be looked at, and am awaiting a response to my communication.
A new enterprise opened on Durhamgate’s Industrial Park before Christmas and myself and Cllr McAloon were invited to view the facilities that offer virtual reality games for all ages as well as a virtual, interactive experience driving on a racing track.
We also used the opportunity to visit a business we helped 18 months ago who had been unable to find suitable premises for their raw meats dog food business. We learnt that they were now looking for new premises to expand their business!
The Christmas Market with ice skating, snow globe and supporting Christmas activities proved a big success. Stallholders and local businesses I met reported excellent sales with some stallholders completely sold out. St John’s Ambulance offered demonstrations on first aid techniques. I met one of their youngest recruits, Robert Fenwick, who had just completed 18 subjects towards a special Grand Prior Award; an excellent achievement for this dedicated young man. I am hoping we can continue the Christmas market event this year too.
At the Christmas Adult Parkrun, Cllr McAloon and I met Ross, a young man who had just completed his 100th Parkrun in the adult group and who was delighted to have surpassed his previous personal best, running the challenging circuits in 20.6 minutes. We have some amazing young talent in our town! The first junior parkrun, which we supported with funding, is due to start this month, having been delayed due to bad weather.
The strong winds and heavy rainfall caused some disruption with a dangerous tree needing to be felled on New Year’s Eve, wind damage to one of our bus shelters, and some flooding issues.
Some blocked drains I viewed on Ash Grove and a dropped manhole cover/with drain clearances, have also been reported on Whitworth Terrace. Some areas of Whitworth Road, Greenways Estate and Durham Road have also been cleared.
Fly tipping has been removed on Craddock, Stratton, South Street and Baff Streets.
Following heavy snowfall, one of the 12 new snow tractors for the county has been deployed in Spennymoor, prioritising our health centres, surgeries, town centre, emergency services depots, aged persons homes, care homes, library and other public buildings. Further information at: durham.gov.uk/snowclearance and the Stay Safe page: durham.gov.uk/warmandwell.
The Towns Fund has been agreed by Government with new criteria required. Estimated to now start April 2026.
Work on Cheapside Festival Walk site continues, with expectation for completion still aimed for April 2025. I have been advised that some work on the leisure centre car park will be complete this month. A Highways design audit/consultation will look at potential extra car park provision.
I have reported the dropped kerb and litter accumulation on the old library site/private land for clean up and also behind Cheapside. Neighbourhood Wardens have also been asked to look at the overflowing waste bins that could attract vermin.
A Spennymoor Banking Hub drop-in has been advertised on social media for between 10am-1pm on Thursday, 23 January at the Grind Bar, Cheapside.
Barratts contractor is due to start work on Whitworth Road protected right hand turn on 13 January for 16 weeks, with further work on improved pathways and new lighting down to Page Grove.
Two-way traffic lights will operate on this road with the Burton Woods exit closed to all traffic.
All construction traffic from the Vestry site should exit down to Brancepeth and following a request I made to officers they visited the construction site and requested this planning condition be enforced.
Carriageway patching repair work is planned to start on Beech Avenue week commencing 20 January with a temporary road closure for two days and a diversion route will be signposted via Rock Road, Clyde Terrace and Osborne Road.
A special PACT meeting is to be held on Friday 10 January to update regular attendees on the work that the police have been doing during the Christmas period. Myself and Cllr McAloon will be in attendance.
Cllr Liz Maddison, 7/1/25
Spennymoor's local community newspaper.
