Announcement by Paul Howell & Scott Durham, your Conservative Candidates for Aycliffe North & Middridge in the Durham County Council Elections on the 4th May 2017.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the several hundred people we have been lucky enough to speak to during our time canvassing the ward. It has been a pleasure to speak to so many people with different views, and obviously encouraging that the majority want the same thing that we do “Change”.

A change from the Labour Council which continues to blame the Government for changes and cuts to services and where Labour councillors simply follow the party line.

As was in the case of the despicable treatment of the Teaching Assistants, where all Aycliffe County Councillors voted for the proposed changes to TAs terms.

A change from the Labour Council that allows:-

  • £60m to be set aside for New County Hall Offices, when renovation could be done at fraction of the cost
  • Council reserves of more than £200m while cutting back frontline services
  • Allow the number of Executives who earn over £50k to increase by 13 in the year to April 2016 with the annualized cost of Execs pay increasing by over £1.5 million. Sadly at the same time 110 members of staff earning £20k or less were made redundant, the total saving for this being £978k.
  • The spend on Thinford roundabout to go £5m over its £9m Budget
  • Lack of transparency by Labour Councillors in not declaring all business interests (legal requirement) with the Council as required to do so including here in Aycliffe.

 

We will of course work with all parties to ensure the continued Economic development of the Town. Challenging and pushing the benefits of Aycliffe as part of the County Plan and subsequent changes to it. Working with Councillors in Neighbouring authorities on how joined up thinking and sharing of services and brain power can provide efficiencies for all.

We have always said that we will challenge waste and inefficiency wherever we see it, we will also provide transparency in keeping an active register on all of our activities and how we have voted on decisions at County Hall.

We also will listen firstly to what the people of Aycliffe & Middridge want as we see the role of a Councillor is as a public servant.  It is a role to serve constituents and align your priorities with the actions of the Officers within budgetary constraints. It is then a critical part of the process that Councillors scrutinise robustly and ensure value for money. Any “manifesto” commitments need to be produced after discussions with the electorate and if elected we will make it a priority to create opportunities to listen..

All councillors have access to a Neighbourhood Fund and Initiative fund to spend on local projects and to help the community, this is available to all irrespective of party. Remember though this is yours the “taxpayers” money and as such it is your ideas and plans to improve the community that should bear fruit.

Finally thank you again and we hope all those who can vote in the election on the 4th May do so, the turnout last time was 21% of the electorate. If only 5% more people turned out and voted for a Conservative candidate you would have had another Conservative Councillor at County Hall.

If you want that change, please vote and make it happen.

Thank You

Paul Howell & Scott Durham