Over the last two months there have been a few issues that many residents from different parts of the Ward have expressed their concern. Rather than send individual responses to everyone, we thought it better to send one letter dealing with the issues because although some of them may be village specific they should resonate with everyone. Heighington roundabout – has become an annual event for us to contact DBC to have them cut the grass on the roundabout. It is a source of complaint received from many residents every year despite us chasing Street Scene to have the job done more frequently. DBC’s reason for not doing so is the cost for Traffic Management that they have to pay to cover Health and Safety issues. What we have never understood however is why other roundabouts in similar positions and construction in Darlington & Aycliffe are cut more regularly. So to highlight the difference to DBC Directors we have taken photographs of Heighington roundabout and one on the A68 on the Darlington side of the motorway. Both photographs were shown to the Ass. Director of Street Scene for comment emphasising their similarities – approx. same size and raised above road level, and supported by angled brick – one looking like a billiard table the other like a jungle. The Ass Director wrongly assumed that the Darlington roundabout was sponsored which was correct a few years ago but now like Heighington roundabout it depends on DBC to cut it. He is to investigate and come back with an answer Cutting the grass on Heighington roundabout is something that the Parish Council have been keen to organise for some time but given the restraints and cost they have relied on DBC to do the work but as we all know people in the villages are proud of where they live and I am pleased to say that before Cllr Lee went into the meeting with Street Scene a local builder said he would be happy to keep the roundabout cut subject to not having to provide Traffic management and being given permission to display his companies name on the roundabout. So having discussed this proposal with Street Scene emphasising that the builder will take ensure that the cutting of the grass will be done in a safe way, DBC have sent the following reply:Should TM be employed on the roundabout I would envisage the volunteer you refer too should be able to access the site and undertake remedial action. Notwithstanding that, I’ll try and sort the appropriate TM out and check the team’s availability, and cost, to do the job ourselves. I’ll also look at changing the design of the roundabout to remove the growth there and replace with gravel/stones as has been done elsewhere. The roundabout will still be aesthetically pleasing. So whilst DBC are still insisting on Traffic Management which our local volunteer understandably will not pay for DBC have wakened up to the need that our roundabout must be kept in a better condition than it is and has been for a few years. In the meantime, we will ask Heighington Parish Council to put this subject on their next Council agenda to decide whether they would be happy for DBC to cover the grassed area of the roundabout with gravel which will take away the need for grass cutting and following their decision we will pursue the problem with Darlington Borough Council. Planning Matters As most people are aware villages are under pressure from housing developers. Low Coniscliffe have two definite applications and a third which from information received is a very large Planning Application. Heighington has one for 43 houses with strong rumours that there is a large house builder with his eyes and his diggers set on building on a field on Walworth Road and The Dog Inn has submitted a Planning application for a caravan site in the field adjacent to Walworth Road. As always Action Groups have been set up in parts of the Ward to object to some of these Planning Applications. Councillor Gerald Lee Councillor Paul Crudass
