I started the morning at a meeting of the Recreation Committee of the Parish Council, discussing the results of the most recent stage of the consultation on St Margaret's play area. Lots of positive feedback from people about the plans along with some understandable concerns about the possibility of attracting more anti-social behaviour and excitement on the part of the young people about the prospect of a more exciting play area coming soon. After years of struggle it feels good to be involved in such a positive project.
Somewhat less positive were comments from a visitor to Stockton who thought that the investment in the barrage and the riverside hadn't been used to the best advantage. One of the big issues for the borough is how to regenerate at a time of recession, and the riverbank is one of our biggest assets so these comments were apposite and I'll be passing them on.
Meanwhile I had to comment on a letter which will be going out soon to all electors in the borough and which, at least in the form I've seen it so far, is almost incomprehensible. No doubt eventually it'll be put into English rather than jargon, but why it's produced in jargon in the first place is beyond me.