DCC Clothing Allowance to be investigated

Chair Cllr Linda Marshall Photo: The Northern Echo

The Local Government Ombudsman has confirmed that the clothing allowance is being fully investigated.

The £12,860 allowance, paid to the Chair and Vice Chair, under Labour, has been paid for 30 years.

The Chair already recieves £13,300 for being a councillor, plus £6,650 for being Chair.

Is there really any need for an extra clothing allowance of £12,860?.. What do you think?...

Changes to Household Waste Recycling Centres

From 1 June 2013, Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) opening hours are changing and Broomsdene (Stoney Heap) and Cragwood HWRCs will be closing.

New opening times at the remaining sites are:

Site	Opening days	1 June 2013 to 30 September 2013 (summer)	1 October 2013 to 31 March 2014 (winter)
Annfield Plain	Every day	9.00am-6.00pm	9.00am-3.30pm
Potterhouse	Every day	9.00am-6.00pm	9.00am-3.30pm
Tudhoe	Every day	9.00am-6.00pm	9.00am-3.30pm
Seaham	Every day	9.00am-6.00pm	9.00am-3.30pm
Heighington Lane	Every day	9.00am-6.00pm	9.00am-3.30pm
Romanway	Every day	9.00am-6.00pm	9.00am-3.30pm
Middleton-in-Teesdale	Every day	9.00am-6.00pm	9.00am-3.30pm
Hett Hills	Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays only	9.00am-6.00pm	9.00am-3.30pm
Stainton Grove	Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays only	9.00am-6.00pm	9.00am-3.30pm
Todhills	Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays only	9.00am-6.00pm	9.00am-3.30pm
Thornley	Every day except Friday	10.00am-4.00pm weekdays 9.00am-6.00pm Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays	10.00am-4.00pm weekdays 9.00am-3.30pm Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays
Coxhoe	Every day except Friday	10.00am-4.00pm weekdays 9.00am-6.00pm Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays	10.00am-4.00pm weekdays 9.00am-3.30pm Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays
Horden	Every day except Friday	10.00am-4.00pm weekdays 9.00am-6.00pm Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays	10.00am-4.00pm weekdays 9.00am-3.30pm Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays

*Please note all HWRCs are closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

House Fire - Consett

From: Consett Neighbourhood Policing Team

Around 5am this morning a fire started at a house in Aynsley Terrace, Consett.

Fortunately the house holder had a working smoke alarm.

He was able to evacuate himself & his family to safety before calling the fire service.This shows how a smoke alarm can save your life.

If you don't have a working smoke alarm contact Co. Durham & Darlington Fire & Rescue Service for a FREE safety check http://www.ddfire.gov.uk/your-safety/general-fire-safety-guidance/hfsc …

Firefighters Drive Ahead with Safety Campaign

Firefighters from across County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service will be ‘driving home’ road safety messages this week in support of the second United Nations ‘Global Road Safety Week’.

The safety week runs from 6th – 12th May and aims to reduce deaths and injuries resulting from road traffic collisions.

Assistant Protection and Prevention Manager Andy Bruce said, “The emergency services commit a lot of their resources to attending road traffic collisions which is the biggest killer of young people in this country. Our crews will be delivering key safety messages across our area, including in schools and colleges, in an effort to change the dangerous behaviours demonstrated by some people - both behind the wheel and on the paths and pavements.”

Andy added, “There aren’t many people who drive a vehicle with the intention of crashing or hurting someone, but many do get distracted and end up doing so. Using mobile phones, turning round to talk to passengers, looking into shop windows, etc. can all lead to disaster if you do them whilst in control of a vehicle. Pedestrians also run the risk of injury if they don’t focus properly when crossing roads. Texting, wearing headphones that mask vehicle noise and simply not looking properly while attempting to cross can all result in a potentially fatal incident.”

More information on the safety week can be found by visiting the website at www.who.int/roadsafety/week/2013 and more safety information can be found at www.rospa.com

Source: http://www.ddfra.co.uk/

UPDATE: Search for Chester-le-Street gran Pamela Jackson moves to Pennines

From: http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk

A new twist in the hunt for missing mum Pamela Jackson has led police to search remote moorland. Specialist teams are now scouring countryside hundreds of miles away

Teams of officers carefully search the thick moorland high

up in the Pennines for Pamela Jackson, inset

Police searching for missing mum Pamela Jackson have switched their search.

Weeks after officers scoured the countryside near her North East home, the case took a new twist and the hunt moved hundreds of miles away.

Specialist search teams from West Yorkshire and Durham police forces have been trawling the undergrowth as the hunt for the grandmother enters its second month.

Later this week the teams are expected to comb land surrounding Littleborough, Rochdale, and police have confirmed the operation could continue for several more weeks.

A Durham Police spokesman said: “The search teams are continuing their work across a number of locations, assisted by specialist officers from West Yorkshire Police.

“This week their efforts will be mainly around areas close to the border with Greater Manchester.

“Pamela’s family are aware the work of the search teams may continue for some weeks, and of course they will be kept informed the moment there is any development.”

Ms Jackson, who lived in The Crescent, Chester-le-Street, was reported missing on March 2 by her youngest son Joe.

Her partner Adrian Muir, 50, from Halifax in West Yorkshire has appeared in court charged with her murder.

Despite extensive searches in County Durham and West Yorkshire, officers committed to finding the 55-year-old have been unable to trace her.

Ms Jackson, who had three sons and four grandchildren, was the eldest of four daughters who grew up in Blakelaw, Newcastle.

Her sister Marion Elsinor, 52, who is a care home cook in Dipton, County Durham, has made an emotional appeal for help to find her.

She previously said: “It’s an ongoing nightmare. It is out of character for her to go off and not to tell anyone where she would be.”

Youngest sister Deborah Leighton, 51, who lives in nearby Consett, added: “She is an important part of our family as she was the oldest sister. As the youngest sister, I always looked up to her.

“She looked after us as my mam was always working. I just miss her. She needs to come home so we can do the right thing and bury her. We need to give her a proper send-off instead of just wondering where she is.”

Ms Jackson, who did not work due to ill-health, missed the 18th birthday last week of her oldest granddaughter Stacey Armstrong, who said: “We cannot grieve because we haven’t got her.

“None of us can get our heads around it until she’s back.”

Her family said Ms Jackson was outgoing with a lively personality, and acted much younger than her 55 years.

Check4Life Programme - Free health checks

Do you feel great? Lets keep it that way?

If you're 16 years and over, you may be eligible for a FREE NHS HEALTH CHECK that can help you live a longer and healthier life.

Clinics are currently being delivered at the Louisa Centre in Stanley and Belle Vue Leisure Centre in Consett.

To make an appointment, please contact Martin Hall on 01207 218 802 or e-mail: m.hall@leisureworks.net

Source: http://derwentvalleylife.org.uk/

Motorists Warned: Switch Your Mobiles Off Whilst Driving

Police are launching a major crackdown on motorists using their mobile phones in Cleveland and Durham next week.

The campaign will be carried out by officers from the Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit from Monday 6th May for two weeks. The aim of the campaign is to educate drivers and robustly enforce the law wherever appropriate.

During 2012, a total of 1,822 drivers were prosecuted for using their mobile phones whilst driving. Those who are caught could receive a £60 fixed penalty notice and could have their licence endorsed with three penalty points. The fine can rise to £1,000 if the matter goes to court and potentially £2,500 if the person was driving a bus, coach or heavy goods vehicle.

Nationally, there are around 30 deaths on the roads each year that are linked to mobile phones and it is believed that driver distraction may play a part in 20-30% of all road collisions. However, as more technology becomes available for use in vehicles this figure is likely to increase in the future.

Inspector Mick Robson, from the Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit, said: “Drivers aged 17-24 years are most at risk of being involved in a crash and with technology such as emails and social networking being readily available on smart phones, as well as texting and making calls, there is more chance that people could be distracted by their mobiles.

“Driving your car requires and deserves your full attention. To do anything other than that puts your life, the lives of any passengers and other road users at risk. You could become involved in a serious or even fatal collision as a result of your lack of appropriate concentration.
"I ask all drivers to switch your phones off or ignore them until you find a safe place to stop where you can return any calls that have been missed. It’s surely better to do that than risk the alternative.”

In partnership with the local authority and Cleveland Fire Brigade, officers will attend Middlesbrough College on Thursday 2nd May where students and staff can utilise a driving simulator from Middlesbrough Council which can simulate what could happen if a driver is distracted by their mobile phone. Leaflets regarding being distracted whilst driving will also be available to those at the college.

Farm Watch: Poaching

From: Consett Neighbourhood Policing Team

 Reports of poaching:

1. Lanchester - Sunday at around 6.50pm. 2 males with a dog were sighted and a vehicle was parked up in a layby on the B6296. The vehicle was seen to leave the area in the direction of Esh Winning.

The vehicle mentioned was a white Ford Transit vehicle. This particular vehicle which has been reported over the past month acting suspiciously and most recently linked to poaching offences in the area.

Any further sightings to us on 101 as and when you may see it. On this occasion observations were passed to all officers in the Consett area however, was not sighted again after these reports.

An earlier sighting of this vehicle in the Satley area was received at around 5.45pm.

A report of lamping in the Medomsley area at 1.47am Monday 29th.

A further report in the area of lamps led officers to the area where a male and vehicle Citroen Berlingo Van registration MJ51 MJV which was intercepted by officers.

The male and vehicle were searched with a number of items in his possession including a hand held spot light and batteries.

The male was arrested and interviewed and found not to have permission to be on the land. He was reported for the offence of Entering Land as a Tresspasser at Night with Poaching equipment.

Farmwatch Appeal: Quad Bike Stolen

Report of a quad theft in the Lanchester area between 13:30 Sunday 28th April and 12.00 on Monday 29th April.

Quad is a Honda 'big red' 350cc quad.

Anyone with any information - contact the Police on 101 quoting reference WI1300542.

In the meantime, if you are a quad owner please take extra precautions to secure it and please don't leave it unattended or on show. Make a note of serial numbers and consider a tracker for it.

Police Appeal: Young Female Assaulted

Consett Neighbourhood Policing Team are making enquiries into an incident which occurred on  Sunday 14th April 2013 (Derby Day).

Where it is believed that a young female was assaulted in Consett town Centre.

The incident occurred at approximately 11.30pm nearThe Coach and Horses public house.

If anybody had any information relating to this incident then please contact PC 2691 Simlesa on 101 extension number 6642493.

Knife amnesty ends

Neighbourhood policing officers ran the campaign throughout March to enable the public to hand over knives and bladed weapons anonymously and safely at local police offices.

PC Alan Patterson, based at Consett, said the people of Consett and Stanley had responded well to the chance to dispose of unwanted knives and added: “Quite an array of items including 118 knives, two Samuri swords and two axes were surrendered and will now be safely disposed of.

“Most of these bladed items will have been lying around in people’s houses or gardens and now they have been handed in the potential for them to find their way into the wrong hands and onto the streets has been removed. I’d like to thank the public for their response to this amnesty.”

Supported by the Consett North Partnership and Consett YMCA, the neighbourhood policing teams will continue to work with local youth groups and schools to educate on the consequences of carrying offensive weapons.

PC Patterson explained: “It is an offence for any person, without lawful authority or good reason, to have with them in a public place, any article which has a blade or is sharply pointed except for a folding pocket-knife which has a cutting edge to its blade not exceeding three inches.

“However, certain types of knife are banned, including any knife that has a blade which opens automatically by hand pressure applied to a button, spring or other device in or attached to the handle of the knife, sometimes known as a ‘flick knife’. Lock knives are also illegal.”

• If you suspect of anyone of carrying a knife or an offensive weapon you should tell someone, preferably a police officer, police community support officer or community warden
• If you are still at school, tell a member of school staff or a parent
• If you want to remain anonymous ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

PC Patterson added that the force takes a robust approach to tackling those carrying knives. Anyone who is found carrying a knife will be charged, except in extremely exceptional circumstances, and anyone suspected of using that knife to commit crime will be charged to appear in court the following day.

He stressed that while the use of weapons to commit crime is rare in the Consett and Stanley areas a campaign such as the recent one can only be of benefit to the community.

Source: Durham Constabulary