Dear Sir, With regard to the “Keep of the Grass” letter by Cllr Derek Atkinson a few weeks ago:- When Cllr Bob Fleming was Leader of Sedgefield BC £6 million was earmarked for development in Newton Aycliffe unfortunately he missed being re-elected by just three votes and Cllr Agnes Armstrong of Spennymoor became Leader and Cllr Vince Crosby of Newton Aycliffe, Deputy Leader and the £6 million was diverted to Spennymoor instead. Sunderland Housing made a bid for the Housing and had offered the Council £25.7 million agreeing to pay the costs of consultation and a referendum which was a further £750,000. However officers and Labour Councillors set up Sedgefield Borough Homes SBH (now Livin) as an arms length company, and without going out to tender, gave all the housing and open spaces to them as a sweat-heart deal, with a £4.5 million loan and the Council paying the costs of consultation and referendum. This was all thanks to Cllr Vince Crosby.
The bid was put together by Vince, other councillors and Council staff with some of those staff ending up on the SBH Board. The Council also handed over more land than they needed to, but this was stopped by Cllr Bob Fleming who as Leader on the Town Council challenged a lot of the green open spaces being given away to SBH (Livin). Bob and the Town Council managed to have most of the green open spaces transferred to Durham County Council instead. Thanks Vince – another fine mess you got us into. I would stress that when I served on Sedgefield Borough Council as an Independent I went on record as being totally opposed to giving away our Housing and open spaces to Sedgefield Borough Homes (now renamed Livin). May I also comment on the letter “Political Criticism” and say the grant received was for Neville Community Centre and not The Cubby. Cllr Bill Blenkinsopp Independent
