Nice lunch in Redcar Library cafe.

Having had a full day of meetings at the Redcar Community Heart today I found myself in the Redcar Library cafe with twenty minutes to spare before my next meeting but with only £3.00 cash on me after I paid out £4.50 to park.

However, they were serving homemade chicken casserole for only £2.50 and it was delicious. What a change it made from my usual unhealthy diet. I miss proper home cooked meals. I do them myself occasionally but no where near as often as I would like. I will be visiting the Library cafe again very soon.

Newcomen Ward Neighbourhood Action Partnership

The next Newcomen Ward Neighbourhood Action Partnership is Monday 3rd October 6pm at Roseberry Square Library, Roseberry Road, Redcar.

Barry Coppinger The Police and Crime Commissioner will be attending the next meeting.

Barry will give an overview of what is happening in the Police and will answer any your queries about Anti-Social Behaviour and Crime.

Lay-by for bungalows in Westmorland Road, Redcar

Success at last with our campaign for a lay-by in front of bungalows 60 to 70 Westmorland Road which I submitted as a contender for funding out of the Council's Public Realm around 18 moths ago. Today I received the following confirmation that the work will start of 3rd October.

"On Monday 3rd October construction works will commence to install a new lay-by on Westmorland Road. This project was one of the 72 Phase 2 Projects of the Boroughwide Public Realm Programme and will consist of the construction of a new vehicular lay-by and a relocated footpath between numbers 60 to 70 Westmorland Road.

"The works will be carried out by the Council’s Highway Services section and weather permitting, should be complete by Friday 16th October 2016. Residents have been informed of the works via letter and Coast and Country Housing (owner of part of the land) has also been kept informed throughout the whole process."

Redcar's Yorkshire Coble pub no longer allowing parents of Lakes Primary pupils to park during School run

I am being contacted by parents and residents concerning the recent decision of the Yorkshire Coble to no longer allow parents to park in the pub car park whilst dropping off or picking up children at Lakes Primary School.

This arrangement seemed to have been working well ever since the current travel to school plans were introduced and I have always thought it was very helpful of the landlord and staff at the Coble to allow this to happen. I am unsure as to why the decision has been taken to block access though I understand it has do do with pub regulars not being able to find parking spaces at times.

I have asked the Council's Highways team to advise on what the Council and the School can do to assist in order to prevent the parking chaos that may result from this decision.

I would welcome the views of residents about this as the Coble is really the only place for parents to legally park when doing the School run. It has been suggested that some parents have been staying too long, arriving early and staying to chat with friends and thereby preventing a swift turnover of parking spaces.

UPDATE 15/09/16 - 11 am:

I have been in touch with Highways and it seems the decision has been made by the head office of the brewery not to permit parents from parking in the pub car park. A number of customers of the pub have complained to Samuel Smith Head Office regarding the parking behaviour of parents parking up. The manager of the Coble has stated they were informed by head office not to allow parents to park up. I have asked an Highways officer to assist in taking the issue up with head office.

UPDATE 15/09/16 - 7.27 pm

One of the Council's Highways Engineers has been in touch with the estates department at Samuel Smith Head office and they have stated that they are standing behind the decision not to allow parents to park in the Yorkshire Coble Car park.

They have stated that the behaviour of the parents from both an attitude and a parking and safety perspective leaves a lot to be desired and that they are not willing to run the risk of an incident occurring on their premises.

I will keep pursuing this but please let me know if you have any suggestions.

New toilets in Locke Park

I learned from a resident today that a young child visiting the park wanted the toilet but was surprised to find they had vanished. Previously in the Locke Road entrance car park, they are now situated, as pictured below, next to the Cafe, which is close to the main Corporation Road entrance and parking area.