New Year

2013 dawns bright, sunny and cold in Eaglescliffe.
My hope for individuals is that good health prevails over bad, and that friendship and love triumph over prejudice and hatred.
My hopes for Eaglescliffe
- that the planning officers and committee of Stockton Council will see the value of the tranquil stretch of the river bank that winds along the edge of Egglescliffe and not approve the planning application which threatens to change its character for ever.
- that the residents' organisations which have sprung up recently will prosper and work closely with elected members of the Parish and Borough Councils to develop the community spirit which is undoubtedly present.
- that our children and young people have the safe access to play and school which they deserve and need.
- that all our residents are respected, regardless of age or any other part of their life.
My hopes for the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees are that regeneration continues to show results, that businesses continue to start up and to succeed, and that employment opportunities are seized upon for the good of all.  I'd like to hope that the parties in control at the Council would stop trying to score points on national issues and concentrate instead on how to get the best results locally, which could sometimes be better achieved by working with the opposition, but that might be a hope too far.  We shall see.

Nationally, I hope that the government and particularly Mr Pickles, start to listen to the Local Government Association which is a cross party organisation and let local councils have the time and resources to do the job they do best - listen to local people and provide the services they need.  There's no way that Westminster based politicians can frame rules and laws to cover every tiny detail of what goes on locally and they shouldn't be wasting their time trying.

So a happy, healthy and hopeful 2013 to one and all.