Wednesday 27 August 2008

YRS raises £558 for Redcar Lifeboat

The Yorkshire Ridings Society (YRS) raised a bumper £558 from the sale of silk white roses on Yorkshire Day, Friday 1st August. All proceeds go to Redcar Lifeboat Station.

YRS were assisted by members of Redcar Ladies Lifeboat Guild and Finlay’s Newsagents in Eston.

Monday 25 August 2008

What a waste of money sending Labour to represent the Council

Above is Labour Leader Councillor Dunning's report from his attendance at the Steel Alliance meeting in the House of Commons at which he represented Redcar and Cleveland Council.

The report appears on pages 245 to 247 of the Business Papers for the Cabinet Meeting to be held on 2nd September 2008.

Councillor Dunning is naive if he thinks that this report is good enough to justify him representing a Council that is responsible for spending hundreds of millions of pounds on behalf of the public.

The Council attends meetings and conferences all over the country. It is important that the Council gets value for money. It is supposed to provide us with an opportunity to share ideas, learn about the latest initiatives. We expect to receive a serious report that informs us about what new ideas he has brought back to improve things for RCBC and what policy changes may affect our area.

Instead what we receive from Councillor Dunning is a juvenile report about who he bumped into on the railway station and who he sat with at the table. There is nothing of any substance.

This report, like previous reports from Councillor Dunning, is simply not good enough. It is a clear indication that Councillor Dunning is struggling to provide effective representation on behalf of the Council Taxpayers.

TV RECEPTION INTERRUPTED BY HOSPITAL BUILDING SITE IN GREENHOW WALK

Posted by Glynis;

Elderly residents in Greenhow Walk, Redcar have experienced various problems as a result of the building site for the new hospital.

Intermittent loss of TV signal is being caused by the timber site boundary wall being so close to the bungalows, and about the same height as the residents' TV aerials.

Residents have been disturbed by loud banging as early as 7.30am

Vandalism and anti social behaviour has been caused by local youths attempting to enter the compound.

I have been working with John Hannon and Ian Swales in an attempt to deal with the problems and make life easier for residents.

We approached the Primary Care Trust (PCT), who are responsible for the site and they promised to carry out a door knocking exercise. We understand they have already taken steps to deal with the early morning noise problem.

Lib Dem Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Redcar, Ian Swales (pictured right) said: "The PCT also informed us that youths breaking into the building site could risk serious injury as the site is a very dangerous place."

John Hannon (pictured left), Prospective Lib Dem Candidate in the Kirkleatham Ward By Election said: "They have promised us that a new CCTV system, with direct lines to the police, is to be installed,

"Any unauthorised intruders will be picked up and identified by this hi-tech equipment."

Friday 8 August 2008

Have your say on road safety in Roseberry Road

Concerns have been expressed regarding the safe operation of the PUFFIN crossing on Roseberry Road, Redcar.

The ideal solution to the concerns regarding the pedestrian crossing and the exit from Roseberry Square shops would have been a vehicular exit via the adjacent development onto Low Farm Drive and to this end the Highways section have been chasing the developers to consider this as a viable option when designing their scheme.

Unfortunately, the developers concerned do not see this as a reasonable solution in the best interests of their development and have therefore refused to consider a link up to the car park. The Council can not condition them to undertake this however but will continue to pursue it with them.

2 options have been put forward by Highway officers who are requesting views by 31st August:

Option 1.

Create a signalised junction of Mersey Road and Roseberry Road to allow for pedestrian crossing movement and remove the existing pedestrian crossing.

Concerns associated with this option are the delay to traffic at a junction that does not warrant signal control. Cars will therefore be delayed unnecessarily whist waiting for the lights to change 24X7. The cost of the woks is £120,000 with ongoing maintenance costs does not provide good value for money

This option is not recommended

Option 2

Maintain current entrance/exit and measures implemented via the risk assessment

Following the implementation of measures identified through the risk assessment

1. Re-alignment of traffic signal head on crossing lights to face
towards car park exit.
2. Hoods on signal head changed to expose more of the individual signal
from a more acute angle.
3. Erect warning signs for traffic exiting car park.
4. Ad-hoc monitoring of crossing by highways staff.

This has resulted in the risks being reduced to an acceptable level.

Thursday 7 August 2008

Evening Gazette's superb Yorkshire Day picture gallery

Ace photographer, Doug Moody of the Evening Gazette, has put together a suberb selection of pictures from the Yorkshire Day Parade at Guisborough. They really illustrate the colour and fun of this proud day for the Borough of Redcar & Cleveland. They also show, from the faces of the huge number of people who turned out to watch the Parade, that being part of Yorkshire is something special.

Click here and be amazed.

Saturday 2 August 2008

Yorkshire celebrations at Thornaby

Thornaby held its Yorkshire Day celebrations with a community event on Thornaby Green, which started with a service at the ancient St Peter's Church. There was a wide variety of stalls and entertainment for all the family. Chris was invited to open the proceedings with a reading of the Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity. The Yorkshire Ridings Society stall raised £40 from the sales of Yorkshire products and over £60 for the Thornaby Town Mayor's Charity. Local residents were invited to have their photograph taken in front of the Yorkshire flag for display in Thornaby Library. Chris had his taken with Stockton Borough Councillor Eileen Craggs.

The event was organised by the newly formed Thornaby Yorkshire Day Society, who with help from Thornaby Town Council, put on an excellent show which can only grow. More pictures will follow in a few days. Pictured are members of the new society reading Thornaby's own 'Five Lamps' poem.

Top Blogger Iain Dale helps our campaign

Posted by Chris:

A big thank you to leading Conservative blogger, Iain Dale, for allowing me a guest spot on his blog to promote Yorksire Day and the campaign for real counties.

Yorkshire Day at Cloughton

Yorkshire Cricket legend Brian Stott was guest of honour at the annual Cloughton Yorkshire Day Garden Party.

The Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity is read.

Friday 1 August 2008

Yorkshire Day at Redcar

Ian Swales and Glynis provide the entertainment whilst the Yorkshire Ridings' Society and Redcar Ladies Lifeboat Guild sell white roses to raise funds for Redcar Lifeboat.

Glynis recites 'The Council Cat' by HB Whitehead, whilst granddaughter Charlotte listens in.

Yorkshire Day at Guisborough

Who is that guy behind the Mayor? Could it be George Dunning Labour Leader of Redcar & Cleveland Council wearing a white rose? Wonders will never cease. Picture by Cllr Val Halton.

Lib Dems on parade. Third right. Cllr Margaret Wilson, Cllr Irene Curr, Cllr Mary Ovens. Centre, in front of flag, Cllr Madge Moses, flanked by her son and daughter-in-law. Picture by Cllr Val Halton.


Chris and Glynis carry the flag. Picture by Cllr Val Halton.

The Lib Dem Chain Gang. Just some of the Lib Dem Mayors, Mayoresses and former Mayors pictured in the grounds of Guisborough Priory.

The largest gathering of Civic Heads in the world at Guisborough today to celebrate Yorkshire Day.

Phew what a shower!

Well it did rain but the storm reached us a little later than predicted:

Outside our front door

The garden pond