ISSUE 6 AUGUST 2018 Tow Law Town Council News [email protected]
WEAR VALLEY
SPEEDWATCH
Residents of Tow Law and the surrounding area, especially those who drive regularly through the town, may have noticed a dedicated team of Speedwatch volunteers manning their posts in all weathers rain or shine.
There are currently 10 Speedwatch volunteers including Town Councillors Harold Wilsher and Liz Mather seen here in the photograph on the right of this page. Also shown is Town Council Chairman Jeff Gale who was observing the Jeff Gale, Liz Mather and Harold Wilsher session. Liz Mather of organised into groups and do information is then processed Sunnyside joined the team four sessions per week, by the Police. three years ago in response covering the whole of the to other residents former Wear Valley District After the session there will be complaining about speeding Council area. Each session a visit to the Police station to in the area. Harold Wilshire lasts for approximately one prepare and send out warning who had already been hour. letters to the speeders. involved with Neighbourhood Three letters gets the Watch for many years and The Speedwatch sessions perpetrator a visit from a was already doing are overseen by Crook Police Police officer; however the Speedwatch teamed up with and can only be carried out object of Speedwatch is not Liz and together with a small after the proposed location of to prosecute offenders but to number of other volunteers the session is safety checked. inform and educate them. built it up to the level it is at today. Tow Law is covered twice a The team is always on the month and figures on average lookout for new blood and Before a volunteer is are 15 speeders per 100 anyone wishing to join them accepted onto the team they vehicles. The registration, the will be made very welcome. must be vetted by the Police manufacturer and model of Contact Harold Wilsher on to ensure they have no the vehicle, the colour of the 07484785205 for more criminal record. Between vehicle and the gender of the information. them the volunteers are driver are all noted. All Page 1 August 2018
THE TOWN COUNCIL agenda is available on our completing currently planned website as well as minutes work on the Playground. from previous meetings. The Town Council is based at COUNTY COUNCIL the Community Centre at Car parking area to the REPORT Ironworks Road. The office is West of High Street, Tow Finally I’m able to write an manned most weekday Law article for this newsletter that afternoons but may be closed is almost entirely positive. occasionally so the Clerk can The Town Council is in the attend to other business. process of purchasing three The government have
quarters of an acre of land allowed the County Council The Town Clerk Geoff Smith from Durham County Council an extra £1.3 million from the can be contacted by for the purpose of developing ‘pothole’ fund for the telephone on 01388731444 it into car parking space. In purposes of repairing the or you can email him at addition to the purchase price roads after the prolonged and [email protected] for the land the Town Council harsh winter we have just
will be responsible for endured. The County Council Town Council meetings are Surveyors costs, the County has also added an extra normally held on the 3rd Council’s legal costs and £700,000 to this – so now is Tuesday of the month at 6.30 Open Space notice fees. the time to report any pm in the Community Centre. potholes that are Upcoming meetings for causing concern. You 2018 (all Tuesday) are can report potholes on 18th September, 16th the County Council’s October and 20th ‘do it online’ service, or November. you can contact me to
report them for you. The public are welcome to attend the non- We have also seen the confidential part of the Big Spring Clean meeting but must come to Tow Law, and provide at least 3 the vast majority of working days notice of comments from any issues to be raised residents have been at the meeting. Failure hugely complimentary to comply with the 3 day to the team that came rule may lead to the out to make our town a Council not being able brighter and cleaner to hear the issue due to place to live. There are not having sufficient some niggling little time to investigate and things that I would like provide answers to the Map of proposed new car parking area to be done, and I have issue(s) raised. © Durham County Council reported this through
The Town Council will also be the usual Council means – if Agenda’s are available on the responsible for any other you have any concerns feel notice boards at the costs that may arise in the free to contact me and I’ll see Community Centre, on North future. what I can do to help. Point Hotel in the High Street, opposite the Co-operative Millennium Green I’m also pleased to announce store in the High Street (near Playground that I have secured a good Church Lane/Highfields) and amount of funding from the at the entrance to Pennine Since the last newsletter County Council and my own View. In addition the latest fencing has been added Neighbourhood budget that
Page 2 August 2018 should be coming to Tow Law Gina Davies, Wheels to Work over the next year for outdoor WHEELS TO WORK Project Manager said, play and recreation. Hopefully SCHEME ‘Limited access to transport this will look like around Wheels to Work is a moped- can be a real barrier for many £10,000 going to the loan scheme which aims to people living in rural locations Community Centre to help help people access and the ex-mining villages of repair and improve their play employment, training or County Durham; we aim to area and outdoor crèche. The education that would help tackle this problem by County Council are also otherwise be inaccessible loaning individuals their own awarding approximately due to poor public transport transport for a short period £15,000 to the Tow Law connections or out-of-hour until a longer-term transport Town Council to support their work patterns. solution can be found’. Gina scheme to add five pieces of added, ‘there are a number of outdoor gym equipment to the conditions that Millennium Green. These applicants must meet in figures are, of course, subject order to be eligible, such to final quotes coming in. as holding a provisional driving licence and the The County Durham Plan means to pay the weekly recently completed a fee of up to £30. consultation period, in which members of the public were Mopeds of either 50cc or invited to comment on the 125cc are available to preferred options. This will be people aged 16+ as long repeated in early 2019. The as they have a County Durham Plan is a way provisional or full driving for the Council to lay out its licence. The cost is £25 vision for the future of the per week for a 50cc and County. Inclusions that are £30 per week for a particularly relevant for Tow 125cc moped, Riders Law are the provision of a are provided with brand Western Relief Road out of new protective clothing
Durham City and the Adam Clarke with one of the Mopeds (helmet, armoured designation of two jacket, gloves, Employment protection zones The project was originally waterproof over-trousers and at the Tow Law Industrial funded by Chester-le-Street, high visibility vest) and a Estate and the Inkerman Stanley and Mid Durham heavy-duty lock, and are also industrial estate. Area Action Partnerships covered for bike insurance, (AAP’s) in partnership with road tax, breakdown cover, As per usual, if you have any Durham County Council. as well as regular servicing of questions, comments or However due to a growing the moped. There may be a concerns, please get in touch. need to help local people get chance to buy the moped You can contact me on 03000 to work, apprenticeships or from the scheme at the end of 268 719, or you can email me college, funding has also now the loan period. at been secured from Richard.manchester@durh Spennymoor, Bishop Ace Motorcycles in Pity Me, am.gov.uk. Auckland & Shildon, 3-Towns Durham provides the Partnership and East Durham motorcycle training (also Durham County Councillor Rural Corridor AAP’s. People included as part of the Richard Manchester. living in any of these 7 areas scheme) which involves a full can apply for a moped loan. day’s Compulsory Basic Training, followed by a 2 hour CBT plus session on a
Page 3 August 2018 separate day, when clients Tara and Karen support are provided with additional REACHING OUT ACROSS Participants to access a road time and are issued with DURHAM (ROAD) range of opportunities and their clothing and bike. Finding your potential specialist support including developing IT skills, Over 70 people living in Durham Community Action managing money and County Durham have already (DCA) are one of eleven improving their health and benefitted since the scheme voluntary and community wellbeing. began, using their new sector organisations working scooters to get to work on in partnership on the ROAD helps individuals to time. Reaching Out Across Durham find their potential with: (ROAD) Building Better Please get in touch to find out Opportunities (BBO) 1-to-1 support from more and to ask for an programme. ROAD is funded specialist Health application pack, or pass on by the European Social Fund Trainers and Financial our details to anyone who and the National Lottery Coaches may experience difficulties through the Big Lottery Fund. getting to work – this scheme ROAD provides support to Access training and aims to make people more the most disadvantaged vocational courses to employable by helping them groups in Durham, who are help improve to be mobile and furthest from the labour confidence and learn independent. market and who experience new skills significant barriers to work. Guidance, support and We're waiting for your call! advice on any area DCA have two full-time you feel will help you Tel: 0191 303 8442 Navigators – Tara Hallimond to make positive Mobile 07460 068668 or and Karen Anderson – who changes 07472 668884. cover the geographical areas of Teesdale, Weardale, Crook Contact DCA Navigators: Email: [email protected] and Willington. Support is Tara: Tel: 01388 742 063 or offered to those aged twenty- 07496 461 966 Or message us through five and above in County Facebook. Durham who are unemployed Email: or economically inactive, to tara.hallimond@durhamco Submit items for future allow them to move forward mmunityaction.org.uk newsletters to: into volunteering, training, job
search and employment. Karen: 01388 742 062 or newsletter@towlawtownco uncil.org.uk 07496 461 961
Alternately leave the article Email: in paper format at the karen.anderson@durhamco Council office in the mmunityaction.org.uk Community Centre. You can also visit the Any digitised photographs ROAD website at supplied with the article http://www.reachingoutacro should be a minimum of 300 ssdurham.co.uk/ for more dpi and separate from the information document.
We reserve the right to edit articles due to space requirements. Tara and Karen from ROAD
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