Election
On 4th May all Darlington Ward Councillors and Village Parish Councillors are up for election. Notifications about the date have been made by the Borough Council. Most voting stations are to remain the same with Heighington Village Hall serving the parish as it has done so well in the past. There is one difference, and an important one – everyone must show photographic identification to the polling station staff.
All those who are not voting by post will be receiving a Poll Card which contains a list of the accepted photographic identification required, please ensure you look at the list and comply with the instructions or you will not be able to vote.
Big Spring Clean
As Chair of Litter Free Durham, who help set up the BIG Spring Clean in Co Durham and Darlington, my thanks to all those groups and individuals who are supporting the event and, more importantly, looking after their own local community.
A special thank you is extended to the Eco Warriors from St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary School who are providing us all with an exemplary example on keeping our neighbourhoods clean. As young as they are, they have seen the mess left by others and rather than ignore the problem they are actively working to make a difference.
And, as a reader of the Newton News, I am often impressed by the many other groups who volunteer to try to keep Newton Aycliffe clean, Newton Aycliffe is a lovely town with beautiful beds of flowers, green spaces, that provides space for the little ones to grow, and numerous well established trees that bring a hint of the countryside into the town.
Newton Aycliffe deserves to be looked after and it is the responsibility of everyone to do the right thing which is to take your litter home or dispose of it in a litter bin – a very simple solution to a very difficult and expensive problem that blights our towns and villages throughout the country.
St. Michael’s Church & Village Egg Rolling
At 9.30am on 9th April, St Michael’s Church will hold one of its Easter Sunday services – everyone is invited to this important Christian service followed by traditional egg rolling on the Village Green. Both adults and children are welcome to have a go throwing, underhand, a paste egg down the green. He or she who throws their egg the furthest is rewarded with a chocolate egg, simple fun but one that the children will remember. Accepting that everyone cannot win, all children will receive a Cadburys crème egg – my favourite.
Cllr Gerald Lee