Dear Sir,
I read with interest the Newton News of Friday 16th April 2021.
Yes, I am standing for re-election, but the people of Newton Aycliffe are totally fed up of candidates slagging each other off and parties doing the same. This is the reason that I am an Independent candidate, the people of Newton Aycliffe will vote for the person that they have the most faith in and will do the job best.
There are two letters in the Newton News that sum it all up and I totally agree with ‘What is a Vote Worth’. Yes, we all want what this letter says! Sadly, to get them all back will take a long time.
Regarding ‘Utter Disgrace and Insulting’, I must agree with all the facts in the letter and I only hope everyone in Newton Aycliffe has received the Newton News to read these letters, both letters are what the voters of Newton Aycliffe want!
When Thursday 6th May comes and the candidates are in place, I only hope that there will be a return to unity and that this will deliver what the Aycliffe residents are asking for.
I have also been reading some of candidates leaflets and I remember when I first became elected, a long serving Councillor said to me “do not put into print what you cannot achieve yourself”. In addition, reading one leaflet that shows the two Lib Dem candidates from Darlington leaning on some lamp posts in School Aycliffe at the traffic lights, these traffic lights were installed following my election to the County Council in May 2005. As one of my first tasks we installed a crossing to allow the general public and disabled access to the other side of the road, having listened to the needs expressed by the residents of this area. I then had to liaise with Jerry Lee, Councillor for Heighington, who managed to get this into the Darlington Council agenda and for that I was very grateful. I then attended the meeting as a member of the public representing School Aycliffe.
I also fought in the West Ward for the introduction of 14 off street parking bays and 34 drop kerbs for the disabled and wheelchair users. I have recently campaigned and successfully managed to get funding for the installation of seating within the two bus stops on Stephenson Way via the Town Council. This, to me, is the primary function of a local Councillor, to listen to their constituents needs within their wards and work with the council to deliver them, if reasonable and achievable. As a long-standing Councillor on the town, and having served at the County and Sedgefield, I can assure everyone that I will continue to dispense my duty as Councillor and represent the needs of the West Ward and the town to the best of my ability and with public need as my focus.
Alderman George Coulson Gray
