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.

Landslide victory for Lib Dems in Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's Ormesby Ward

Redcar Liberal Democrats are delighted to have held on to the Ormesby Ward with a landslide result in a by-election held yesterday. 

Nunthorpe resident Carole Morgan, a former teacher at Nunthorpe School, was comfortably elected as the new councillor in Ormesby, which includes part of Nunthorpe.

The result was: 

Carole Morgan (Lib Dem) 980 

UKIP 138 

Labour 126 

Con 41 

North East Party 15 

The by-election was caused by the resignation of popular Liberal Democrat Councillor Ann Wilson, who sadly died during the campaign. New Lib Dem Councillor Carole Morgan said:

“Naturally I regret the circumstances that led to this by-election. Ann Wilson was a superb representative for the area and was liked by all who knew her.

“I am delighted that the people of Ormesby and Nunthorpe have put their trust in me. I am looking forward to working with fellow Councillors Glyn and Irene Nightingale to serve the local community and protect the area from unsuitable development.

“I will try to be a councillor for all residents, regardless of how they voted.”

Lib Dem council group leader Josh Mason added: “I am delighted with the result and am sure that Carole will be an excellent representative for Ormesby and Nunthorpe.

“The Lib Dem Group on the council will continue to hold the Labour administration to account and fight for the best possible deal for residents across the borough.”

Councillors rushing to criticise colleagues often get it wrong but the damage is done!

Redcar and Cleveland Councillors are at their best when they work together

I was disappointed yesterday to read a post on the Facebook page of a fellow Councillor, a Labour member for Coatham Ward, sniping at me in a very patronising way. It claimed I should have contacted the Council before complaining in the press about the lack of action to repair Redcar Town Clock (see previous item below).

The comment attracted some rather nasty comments in support including one from the other Labour Councillor for Coatham Ward also suggesting I should do like him and contact the Council.

Had they bothered to check they would have found that I DID contact the Council first and I got a very helpful response. However, the number of people who contacted me to complain about the clock not working was the reason why I felt it a necessary and newsworthy action to press release my comments and publish them in my blog.

In addition to that I also complained about the fact that the Council appears to be the only local authority in the country that plants green shrubs in flower beds and boxes.

Two entirely different issues but linked because the Labour leadership of Redcar and Cleveland likes to cut maintenance budgets when faced with having to reduce spending so that people notice and they can then blame the Government.

Both these Councillors post numerous stuff on Facebook daily and send out press statements. It is a bit rich to criticise me in such a patronising way when they do exactly the same themselves.

This reminds me of a similar incident in May, shortly after I received the honour, after 31 years on the Council, of being elected Deputy Mayor. The Council's only UKIP member posted a rant on Facebook about him not getting elected as the Vice-Chairman of something because some of my Lib Dem colleagues had refused to vote for him in spite of a deal agreed between opposition members. 

He singled me out for criticism because, he said, he had voted for me to become Deputy Mayor and I had not voted for him. This vote took place before the vote for committee chairs and vice chairs. This posting prompted a comment from an Independent Councillor claiming that he did not want to vote for me but did so because the UKIP Councillor said he should. Another person claimed I was a "low life."

The truth is I DID vote for the UKIP Councillor and not only that I later strongly criticised my fellow Lib Dem Councillors for not supporting him as well. The Lib Dem Group does not have a whip so members are free to choose but I felt they were wrong on that occasion.

The UKIP Councillor later apologised but the damage was already done, my daughter and granddaughter had already read the comments, which had upset them and no doubt many others would have believed them.

There is a code of conduct for members but some members think that allowing others to make nasty comments on their postings is a way of subjecting opponents to abuse without them being responsible. I beg to differ and would delete any such comments

Get the basics right, repair Redcar town clock and plant flowers not green shrubs.

Redcar Town Clock is not working and has been out of action for some time. 

Redcar and Cleveland must be the only Borough in the country that fills its flower beds and planters with horrible green shrubs.

We had this problem prior to 2003 following a similar period of stringent cuts. We were told the clock was unserviceable but it was only seized up through lack of maintenance and the grass was not cut causing public outrage. 

The Council is failing to get the basics right. These type of cuts are more about making a political statement than a genuine money saving effort. People blame the Council not the Government when these things are done and it harms the Council’s reputation as a caring authority.

Redcar Town clock is relied upon and people hate it when it is not accurate. The Rev Alan Powers, said, when he attended Yorkshire Day in the High Street yesterday as John Vaughan to Chris Foote Wood’s Henry Bolckow, "Redcar town clock was known as the four faced liar," when he was the Methodist minister in Redcar.

Our approach roads to town centres are looking shabby with horrible green shrubs in planters and beds instead of flowers.

I realise the Council is running a ‘Love It’ scheme to get volunteers to plant flowers but every other Borough in the land appears to be able to provide decent flower displays without having to do this why can’t we?

Yorkshire Day in York Monday 1st August 2016

Yorkshire Day in York begins this year at Micklegate Bar, at 11.41am, with a landmark 40th annual reading of the Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity.

The readings are in Old English, old Norse, Latin and modern English, the four languages used in Yorkshire since the earliest known written reference to the Ridings, appeared in the Anglo Saxon Chronicles of 876.

Micklegate Bar is where the West Riding meets the City of York. The readers will then walk the walls to Bootham Bar for the North Riding, then

inside Monk Bar for the City and finally to Walmgate Bar for the East Riding.

A further reading at 1 pm kicks off a fun afternoon of events in St Helen’s Square.

The Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity 2016

YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE:

I (your name) being resident in the (East/North/West) Riding of Yorkshire declare:

that Yorkshire is three Ridings and the City of York with these boundaries of 1141 years standing;
that the address of all places in these Ridings is Yorkshire;

that all persons born therein or resident therein and loyal to the Ridings are Yorkshire men and women;

that any person or corporate body which deliberately ignores or denies the afore-mentioned shall forfeit all claim to Yorkshire status.

These declarations made this Yorkshire Day 2016.

Yorkshire for ever!

God save the Queen!

Yorkshire Day in Redcar Monday 1st August 2016

Yorkshire Day at Redcar in the North Riding of Yorkshire, takes place at the town clock on the High Street from 10 am to 4pm on Yorkshire Day, Monday 1st August 2016.

Actor Chris Foote-Wood (brother of the late much loved comedienne Victoria Wood), will once again be leading the proceedings.

Chris, who comes as a different character each year, will read the Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity at 11.41 am  as Henry Bolckow a Victorian industrialist and Member of Parliament, acknowledged as being one of the founders of modern Middlesbrough.

The Declaration will be read in the presence of the Mayor and Mayoress of Redcar and Cleveland, Councillor Barry Hunt and Mrs Olwyn Peters.

There will be stalls and other attractions, including a local dance group. Latex white roses are sold, price £1, for people to wear on Yorkshire Day and all proceeds are to be shared between Redcar Lifeboat and Zetland Lifeboat Museum.

Yorkshire Ridings Society’s North Riding Group, who organise the event, will have a stall selling YRS Products and a Tombola to raise funds to send pupils of local schools on the Yorkshire border for cricket coaching at Headingley.

PICTURE - Chris Foote-Wood pictured on Yorkshire Day 2015 as Samuel Plimsoll.

The Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity 2016

YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE:

I (your name) being resident in the (East/North/West) Riding of Yorkshire declare:

that Yorkshire is three Ridings and the City of York with these boundaries of 1141 years standing;
that the address of all places in these Ridings is Yorkshire;

that all persons born therein or resident therein and loyal to the Ridings are Yorkshire men and women;

that any person or corporate body which deliberately ignores or denies the afore-mentioned shall forfeit all claim to Yorkshire status.

These declarations made this Yorkshire Day 2016.

Yorkshire for ever!

God save the Queen!

Rose Gardens makeover by young people of the National Citizens Service

Last week I appealed in Focus 321 for volunteers to help maintain the rose gardens and the planters in Corporation Road and West Dyke Road. I was pleased to learn that young people from the National Citizens Service (NCS) have agreed at, very short notice, to carry out a makeover of the central bay of the rose gardens.

The rose gardens are situated in Lakes Avenue at the West Dyke Road entrance to Redcar Racecourse. Cars attending race meetings and car boot sales park alongside the rose gardens and in the adjacent seats. It was not a pleasant site for visitors as the picture shows. In spite of persistent requests for the gardens to be tidied up Redcar and Council is currently only attending to planted areas like this once per year.

This is unacceptable, hence my appeal for volunteers to adopt the rose gardens and the planters which I got installed on the approach roads in my ward that lead into Redcar town centre, This was done using funding from the £2000 per annum allocated to Councillors for environment improvements. The planters, in West Dyke Road and Corporation Road, now have horrible green shrubs plonked in them by the Council's neighbourhood team because they need no maintenance work. 

This totally defeats the object to brighten up the approach to the town centre, particularly the ones outside the Winning Post pub and alongside West Dyke Road car park. I should add the ones on the grass verges in Corporation Road and similar in Westfield Avenue were positioned to prevent cars parking and churning up the verges. But nonetheless they need flowers not drab green shrubbery in them. Over the past two or three years I have requested "proper" flowers - bright coloured bedding plants - to be paid for out of the Councillors fund, but there is a noticeable dragging of feet each time that always ensures the planting does not actually happen.

After having made my appeal in Focus, I decided to send in a complaint about the fact that these requests were being ignored. I also pointed out that I was receiving serious complaints from residents about the state of the rose gardens. I included the following comment I had seen on Facebook from a neighbour:

“This is (allegedly) the rose gardens. The council hasn't been near it for months. Bloody disgrace. Makes you wonder what they're wasting our council tax on. Rant over!”

 And an email I received from a resident of West Dyke Road:

"Now that the council appear to have abandoned the rose gardens which they devastated could they at least spray the best display of weeds in Redcar. This could result in killing the 2 or 3 remaining rose bushes but would be better than it is now. This presents a terrible view of Redcar to visitors to the racecourse."

Within less than 24 hours of my complaint and I am prepared to accept it was purely a coincidence I was informed that NCS had agreed to take on the rose gardens as a project for their young volunteers and carry out a  makeover of the central bay, starting this Monday 26th July.

Having then been consulted, I learned the Council was insisting that NCS planted low maintenance shrubbery in the central bed, albeit a slightly brighter version than the dreadful stuff in the planters down Corporation Road. I pressed very strongly to have a bed of roses included to respect the fact they have been known as the rose gardens for probably more than 70 years. In the end this was agreed. Gosh, the relief was enormous after the stress of having to keep arguing by email and insisting on being listened to.

I also recognise and appreciate the input in getting the NCS from fellow Ward Councillor Billy Wells.

Was the arson attack on one of Redcar's seafront shelters an overreaction to England's failure to beat Russia?

For the second time in less than 12 months one of Redcar's new seaside shelters has been wrecked by an arsonist last night.

The incident happened at around 10.30pm following England's first match in the European Championships in Marseille. Violence occurred before and after the match in which England failed to beat Russia. Was the arson attack on one of Redcar's seafront shelters an overreaction to events in Marseille?

The damage, much worse than the previous arson attack on a neighbouring shelter in July last year, will cost thousands of pounds to repair.

As Deputy Mayor of Redcar and Cleveland and a Redcar Councillor I am calling on the police to do their best to bring the culprits to justice as soon as possible.

The shelters are an important part of the sea front experience. They have only been in place just over two years and are well used. The previous wooden shelters stood for decades and were much loved.

Hopefully there may be some CCTV footage of the incident but I note the fire was clearly started on the seaward side which may have been out of sight.

I post below some pictures I have taken:

How about rebuilding Warrenby village instead of building houses on the green fields between Redcar, Marske and Saltburn?

What do people think of the suggestion I put to the Local Plan Steering Group that we should be looking at cleaning up places like Warrenby, getting rid of the derelict buildings and restoring it to a nice coastal village?

So many people have said to me over the years that they have fond memories of living in Warrenby.

Those industrial units that are actually occupied could be relocated. Coatham Marsh could be widened and deepened to make it a more attractive place and at the same time act as a much needed flood alleviation scheme.

The Council is currently working on a new Local Plan. It is clear that developers are looking to build on the green fields between Redcar, Marske and Saltburn. Recently the Council unanimously agreed a motion from Councillor Philip Thomson, which I seconded, stating that priority should be given to building on brown field sites and not on the green fields that maintain the individual identity of towns like Redcar, Marske and Saltburn.

Whilst the Council no longer builds houses it can and should act as a facilitator to assist in obtaining funding to clean up run down and derelict areas to make them attractive for house building. With the closure of the steel works a lot of government funding is going to be made available to clean up industrial land.

If the Council really does support giving priority to making brown field sites suitable for house building it needs to ensure that these sites are identified in the Local Plan.

Redcar Lib Dems oppose greenfield development

Liberal Democrats today helped to persuade Redcar and Cleveland Council to adopt a policy of putting new housing on “brownfield” sites rather than on green fields.

At today’s meeting of the council, Lib Dem Councillor Chris Abbott seconded an opposition motion committing the Labour-led authority to prioritising future residential development on previously developed brownfield The motion, proposed by Cllr Philip Thomson (Con, Saltburn), was passed with support from all sides of the council.

Councillor Abbott, who represents Newcomen Ward in Redcar, said:

“If additional housing is needed in the borough, then the council’s policy should be to build on brownfield sites, which have previously been built on, before considering destroying green land.

“Of course there are national policies that have to be adhered to. But I am pleased that the council has seen that it can still give a lead and firmly set out its belief in protecting the environment and maintaining the green boundaries between our towns and villages.”

BOUNDARY SIGNAGE ACROSS STOCKTON-ON-TEES

Stockton Borough Council have issued the following press release:

REVIEW OF CEREMONIAL BOUNDARY SIGNAGE ACROSS STOCKTON-ON-TEES

STOCKTON-ON-TEES Borough Council is asking for residents’ views on ceremonial boundary signage.

The Council’s Place Select Committee began a review in July and as part of this has been gathering information on the boundary signage across the Borough.

Now that this information has been gathered, the Committee is seeking views from the public before reporting its findings to the Council’s Cabinet for consideration early next year.

Leader of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, Councillor Bob Cook, said: “The Select Committee has already carried out some excellent work over the last few months and I would like to thank them for that.

“We know that many of our residents are proud of our Borough’s history and heritage and that’s why we would now like to hear from anyone who has any suggestions about how best to mark the ceremonial boundaries of Yorkshire and Durham.”

Anyone who would like to take part in the consultation should email their suggestions to  or write to PO Box 229, Kingsway House, Billingham, TS23 2YL by 31 December 2015.  To find out more visit 

Chris Abbott adds: It needs to be pointed out that the Yorkshire/Durham boundary is the centre of the River Tees, and it is the real boundary not just the ceremonial one.

Don't let the media men spin any more area confusion

I refer to the recent poll in the local press where the usual media suspects are attempting yet again to impose Teesside upon us.

Last time they split Yorkshire into three versions so it would split the vote to get the Teesside result they wanted and Yorkshire still came out on top. So now they included just two options Teesside or Tees Valley and are claiming overwhelming support for Teesside.

This same bunch of unelected media men have been getting it wrong for decades. The same people have flitted from Teesside to Cleveland to Tees Valley and now they want to impose Teesside upon us again. It is in the vested interests of certain businesses and local media to lump us together as it suits them. It is inappropriate as much of the area is away from the River Tees. It is a rubbish marketing tool that projects the wrong image.

Our major towns are missed off road signs and don't get the publicity they need because of the media obsession with lumping us together. Their only reason is to catch readers/listeners by putting Teesside. For example if you put Saltburn no one in Stockton is interested.

We have a perfect set of names already for our villages, towns and counties we don't need to keep inventing new names.

There is not overwhelming support for Teesside rebranding. People were given only a choice between inappropriate Teesside and the totally inappropriate Tees Valley.

Yorkshire is three Ridings and the city of York

Yorkshire is three Ridings and the city of York.

It is our county and our heritage.

Changes to local and regional government have never resulted in the abolition of the Ridings and there is no evidence that Yorkshire the county as a whole has ever had a local or regional government purpose.

Yorkshire's existence does not depend on artificial local or regional government boundaries. Local and regional government boundaries can be changed at any time at the whim of bureaucrats and government. And so they should as the demographic and economic situation demands. Local and regional government boundaries are for the purpose of delivering services and their boundaries should not determine who we are.

“The identity of our counties is marred by a confusion of geographical and administrative boundaries created in the middle of the last century and perpetuated to this day."                                                                                                                       Association of British Counties

Yorkshire Day in Redcar

Excellent coverage of Yorkshire Day in Redcar by @zetlandfm. Thanks also to @CoastalView for attending the event.

Yorkshire Day at York Saturday 1st August 2015

Members of the Yorkshire Ridings Society (YRS) will meet at Micklegate Bar at 11.15 am to lead the 39th annual walk around the ‘Bar Walls’ of York carrying the Yorkshire flag.

The Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity will be read at the 4 Bars (Gates) starting at Micklegate Bar (West Riding) 11.40 followed by Bootham Bar (North Riding) Monk Bar (City) and Walmgate Bar (East Riding).

The time 11.40 am for the first reading coincides with the number of years since the first written reference to the Ridings of York in the Anglo Saxon Chronicles. Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity will be read in the four languages used in the area since that time. Latin, Old Norse, Old English, and Modern English.

The ceremonial party then moves on to St Helen’s Square for an afternoon of entertainment in cooperation with York City Council. The Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity in Modern English will be read at 1pm and there will be a reading of Doreen Brigham’s popular poem A Song for Yorkshire by Mrs Judith Preston Anderson, President of YRS and YRS York member Mr Peter Hindle (pictured above at Walmgate Bar).

The Yorkshire Flag presented to the City of York by the Yorkshire Ridings Society after it was
registered by them in 2008 will be flown from the Mansion House on Yorkshire Day.

Fun for all on Yorkshire Day in Redcar

Yorkshire Day (1st August) this year falls on a Saturday and organisers are hoping for a bumper turnout on the day for the celebrations, which take place at the Redcar town clock on the High Street from 10 am.

Leading the proceedings as usual will be actor Chris Foote-Wood who will read the Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity (a statement of allegiance to Yorkshire) at 11.40 am. This equates to 1140 years since the first written reference to Yorkshire appeared in the Anglo Saxon Chronicles of 876.

Chris, who turns up as a different character each year, is pictured as this year’s character, Samuel Plimsoll "The Sailors' Friend" who is said to have been inspired to invent the Plimsoll Line, a safety mark for loading ships, in 1876, while staying in a house on Redcar High Street and now marked by a blue plaque. There will be stalls and other attractions for all the family.

Latex white roses are sold, price £1, for people to wear on Yorkshire Day and all proceeds will be shared between Redcar Lifeboat and Zetland Lifeboat Museum.

Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity 2015

"I, Chris Foote-Wood standing here in the North Riding of Yorkshire declare:

That Yorkshire is three Ridings and the City of York, with these Boundaries of 1140 years standing; 

That the address of all places in these Ridings is Yorkshire; 

That all persons born therein or resident therein and loyal to the Ridings are Yorkshiremen and women; 

That any person or corporate body which deliberately ignores or denies the aforementioned shall forfeit all claim to Yorkshire status. 

These declarations made this Yorkshire Day 2015.

Yorkshire forever,

 God Save the Queen!”