Maureen Rigg's Blog

Orchard Estate Traffic Calming proposals

2012-01-23T08:50:00.000Z

A few years ago complaints about speeding and terrible parking near Junction Farm School led Egglescliffe Parish Council to ask for action from Stockton Borough Council. The Community Engineer drew up plans for traffic calming along Butterfield Drive and for parking restrictions near the school. During the consultation people from the Birchfield Drive area pointed out that "rat-runners" would

Yarm Parking Problems

2012-01-20T08:39:00.000Z

Last night brought the end of this particular phase in the long-running saga of efforts to find a solution to the twin problems of having enough parking spaces in the centre of Yarm for the right lengths of time for all the people who would like to park there. For at least the 30 years that I have been involved in local politics, this has been an issue. This isn't the place to give a full

2011 draws to a close

2011-12-31T20:54:00.000Z

It's that time of year when I reflect on the last 12 months and wonder about the next 12. As I get older reflection seems to emphasise just how quickly the years pass. This year has of course had its ups and downs. Seeing the council seat which John Fletcher held for so many years slip away to another party was definitely a down. And there have been others as the dire financial situation in

The season of Peace and Goodwill

2011-12-18T23:18:00.000Z

As the December edition of Eaglescliffe's Focus leaflet hit the doormats around the ward I started to receive phone calls from people offering coats for the Donate a Coat appeal. For those readers who don't live in the ward or don't read Focus, this is an appeal which the Salvation Army is making this year with Daybreak TV for warm winter coats to give to the homeless and otherwise vulnerable

Are We Nearly There Yet?

2011-12-13T23:19:00.001Z

This was the title of Durham Lane Primary's Christmas production. Unashamedly celebrating the Christian festival, it also allowed children from 5 to 11 to show off their musical talents, their confidence in front of an audience, and their self discipline. I don't know which child the man near me was waving to so energetically but well done to the child for not being distracted. The story of

Allen's West and Preston Park

2011-12-09T22:56:00.001Z

Two sites, two planning applications, worlds apart. The Allen's West application is for a housing estate the size of a village - bigger in fact than Preston is, with perhaps its own shop and some allotments, maybe some unspecified community facilities and potentially bringing with it a mass of traffic problems. Of course, the traffic problems could be reduced by careful road changes and

Credit where credit's due

2011-12-01T22:24:00.001Z

Politicians, like most people, enjoy being praised for doing things that people think are good things. So getting a pothole filled when drivers have complained to us, sorting out a problem with drainage on a footpath, winning a fight in planning committee are all things we sometimes succeed in and enjoy being thanked - we're human after all. Sometimes we don't succeed and then there's a feeling

Another step along the Fairtrade road

2011-11-29T22:36:00.000Z

I was invited this afternoon to attend a meeting of the school council at Ingleby Mill Primary School. Unfortunately I was held up and arrived a little late so I missed the presentation done by the Yr 6 councillors to the others. Apparently I missed a treat, but I was in time to witness the children completing the school audit - where they are along the road to becoming a Fairtrade school.

Farewell to The Grange

2011-11-11T22:42:00.000Z

The Grange was a lovely old house, one of the oldest in Eaglescliffe, and was home to a family which really made the house into a family home. When our children were growing up there were always children living at The Grange, and more children visiting them, always welcome, always safe and though maybe I'm looking back with rose tinted memories, but they always seemed happy. The children grew

More cars, more pedestrians

2011-11-10T22:05:00.000Z

Following yesterday's post I've been asked about the legal position on parking and also what is being done to help solve the problems. In Stockton the council is responsible for enforcing parking restrictions in most cases. The main issues we have in our estate roads are parking partly on the pavement and parking on bends or junctions or across someone's drive. Drivers often park with 2 wheels

Cars, schools and pedestrians

2011-11-09T22:39:00.000Z

Sometimes I wonder if primary schools have built-in magnets which attract cars to park as near as possible before the school opens in the morning and closes at night. The idea of parking an extra 100m away and walking a little seems to be alien to so many parents these days that it's causing real problems. It's not new this year but it also isn't any better. Just over a week ago Carnoustie

Preston Park

2011-11-08T23:11:00.000Z

Yesterday and today I've been involved in a series of meetings about the Park and the Hall, the developments going on right now and the vision for the future. They've been in turn confidential, robust, comforting and exciting. The way in which the story of the Hall and Park will be told in the museum when it reopens, the ideas for celebrating harvest in the kitchen garden, the new settings and

Government by Cabinet

2011-11-03T22:51:00.000Z

For the first time since the election I attended a cabinet meeting tonight, sitting in the row of seats labelled "Public Gallery". I attended fairly regularly for the last 4 years because there were usually important and/or interesting things being discussed and there really was some discussion. Tonight was a step back in time. There was a really important item on the agenda tonight.

Amberley Way and Allen's West

2011-11-02T23:07:00.000Z

Spent the morning in discussions about play areas. First of all a site visit to Amberley Way with the artist who worked with the children of Durham Lane School on designing a play sculpture - the right wood has finally been sourced and the orientation was finally decided on today. Now everything can be ordered and work can start when the workforce are ready. Plans are being drawn up to involve

Good News & Bad News

2011-10-31T23:03:00.000Z

I find it very difficult to understand how a government, especially one with a Liberal Democrat heading up DECC, can suddenly pull the rug from under so many people who were planning to do their bit to boost the renewable energy generation in this country. Solar panels make a lot of sense to householders who plan to stay in their property for 10 years or more and can afford the initial outlay.

More Skateboard talk

2011-10-27T23:36:00.001+01:00

Following our chat with the young people yesterday about where they can play on their BMX and microscooters the Parish Council's recreation committee agreed informally to progress to a meeting with interested parties. Thinking that Stockton Council's youth service might at least be an interested party I contacted them to ask if we could hold the meeting one evening when the local youth club is

Around and About the Ward

2011-10-26T00:31:00.000+01:00

Alan and I spent the morning walking round the areas of what used to be council housing in the days when such a thing existed in Stockton. Doing it with a Tristar officer, the PCSO and some Stockton Council officers means that even when a problem is spotted that doesn't relate directly to a Tristar property we have people with us who can do something about it. So pavement parking, a couple of

Eagle Service Station

2011-10-23T21:36:00.000+01:00

This afternoon was the launch day for the new Nisa-Today store at Eagle Service Station. I was rather surprised to be invited along, having opposed the award of a liquor licence, but even more surprised when I found that I was invited to cut the ribbon at the opening. It was a good opportunity to find out how the business is going and if there were any issues needing attention. The shop

Allen's West Development

2011-10-20T22:53:00.001+01:00

Public consultation day on the proposals for the Allen's West development. I'm sad to say that there seemed to be a bit of misinformation being spread by the developers. The proposal seems to be for over 850 houses and a residential care home or nursing home or extra care facility. There is an indicative arrangement of housing which doesn't provide for very much play or amenity space - not a

Why are our schools free if poor country children have to pay?

2011-10-19T22:54:00.000+01:00

That was the question from one child this morning during a discussion on Fairtrade and its impact on the families who benefit. Why don't we share our money with the poorer countries? was another. Very profound questions and not ones that could easily be answered. They were super children whose willingness to think about the subject really did exceed that of many adults. The school had

Allen's West Crossing

2011-10-12T22:19:00.004+01:00

Good coverage this morning by BBC Tees for the campaign to make the crossing safer. Network Rail say that it fulfils safety requirements. As Alan Lewis said "If it does then all I can say is that national safety standards need looking at". Stockton Council have promised a gate on the South East side to prevent children running up the slope straight onto the line. We're going to keep pressing

Where does our plastic & cardboard go?

2011-10-11T23:30:00.000+01:00

Aluminium cans This afternoon the Environment committee had the opportunity of a site visit to the plant at Hartlepool which deals with the cardboard and plastic recycling we put out in our white bags. It was a noisy but fascinating visit. Seeing the cardboard & plastic, mixed with paper and cans from other authorities that don't do kerbside sorting, being shaken and blown about to separate

Education, education, education

2011-10-10T23:02:00.000+01:00

That could have been the title of the Members Policy Update earlier this evening - presentations on developments in the 3 phases of education. A whistle stop tour of the compulsory 5-16 stage left us breathless but with a sense that at the moment schools in Stockton are working together remarkably well despite the best efforts of successive governments to introduce ever more variety of type and

Number 87 Bus

2011-10-10T09:00:00.000+01:00

Alan was approached by residents asking for an extension to the route of the 87 bus and has had a positive response from the bus operator: From 30th October the bus will go along Urlay Nook Rd to the Hunters Green Roundabout meaning that it stops at Valley Gardens again. This is the earliest date on which the change can legally be made. It's nice to have a positive response from a bus company.

Council Tax Freeze

2011-10-02T23:03:00.001+01:00

So George Osborne has managed to find an underspend in Whitehall of £800million has he? Is that on top of the cuts which he expects all public services to find? If so, has he really thought about what £800m could do for the country? An average saving per household of £72 in a year, or a little over £1 a week will hardly be noticed in most of those homes. Being able to afford an extra loaf of

Human Rights?

2011-09-30T21:28:00.000+01:00

Eric Pickles seems to think that it's a basic human right to have my bin emptied every week. Millions of people in poor and developing parts of the world would welcome the basic human rights of clean water, enough food, shelter and safety. Those rights are violated for many every minute of every day. A little further along the scale of rights might come the right to be cared for humanely when

Kids Count

2011-09-25T22:11:00.000+01:00

That's not just a statement of fact, it's the name of an organisation which aims to ensure that young people have a voice in tackling the issues and problems faced by young people. They aren't affiliated to any one political party but attend party conferences to ensure that the young people really do have a voice. This year at the Lib Dem conference they had two aims - to bring their

2011-09-23T22:45:00.000+01:00

Being councillor for Eaglescliffe does bring variety to life. Having spent a part of the morning being Lib Dem group leader in a meeting discussing, among other things, the possibilities for wheeled sport in the borough and the difficulties of planning enforcement I spent the early part of the afternoon with Alan Lewis and council officers trying to decide on the best way to resolve an issue

Joined up thinking?

2011-09-22T23:58:00.000+01:00

At a meeting of the Environment Partnership tonight there was discussion of two things which linked up in my mind: possible housing sites and the green infrastructure of the borough. Stockton's core strategy adopted last year was written during the height of the housing boom. At that time there was great hope that contaminated land could be cleaned and good modern housing built on it. Sadly,

Relentless Realism

2011-09-21T22:31:00.000+01:00

With a strong yellow thread of idealism peeking through - that was the tone of the Liberal Democrat conference for me. Last year in Liverpool there was a sense of unreality about being in government after so many long years. This year there was an acceptance that we're in government and it's hard. There are many, many things we'd like to do. Our Liberal Democrat heart wants to spend money to

Conference update

2011-09-18T23:09:00.000+01:00

The weekend draws to a close and what are the highlights? Too many to list but among them has to be the new Lib Dem policy on Education Credit, building on the Pupil Premium once resources are available. It will provide a wrap-around support service for the most vulnerable children and their families, helping with parenting skills, with providing computer access and high speed broadband, and

Why I'm a Lib Dem

2011-09-14T22:27:00.000+01:00

Preparing to go to our party conference at the weekend I've been reading some of the motions for debate. We are in interesting times as a party. For many years in opposition we set our policies at conference safe in the knowledge that we were unlikely to be called upon to put them into action. For the last few years there has been a gradual change towards setting policies which just possibly

Harvest Home

2011-09-14T08:43:00.000+01:00

A break from party politics as we try to cope with a glut of apples the like of which has never before descended on the Rigg kitchen. Our crab apple tree fruited heavily and early so dozens of jars of chutney, pickle and jelly filled the cupboards. Then the tree which produces multi-purpose juicy green apples also fruited heavily, rapidly followed by the trees at the allotment. The allotment

Kingsmead continued

2011-09-09T22:52:00.000+01:00

Yesterday's consultation was a great success - lots of residents of all ages came to look at the proposals and make their comments. As a result there will certainly be some changes to the proposals. The Parish Council recreation committee always said that the views of the residents nearest to the site are very important and most of those people made the effort to come and look and tell us what

Kingsmead Play Area

2011-09-07T22:39:00.000+01:00

As residents of Egglescliffe parish will know Egglescliffe & Eaglescliffe council has a programme of refurbishing the play areas in the parish. So far St Margaret's has been completed, Amberley Way phase 1 is complete and now it's Kingsmead's turn. When the estate was built the developers were responsible for providing play equipment. Sadly for the children of Kingsmead that was at the height

When is affordable not affordable?

2011-09-05T22:48:00.001+01:00

In housing terms the answer is When it's in Eaglescliffe (or Yarm, or Wynyard ....) When developers are applying for permission to build more than a handful of houses in Stockton they have to provide a percentage of "affordable" dwellings as things stand at present. (In their infinite wisdom Conservative led government are changing that!). However, the definition of affordable has always been

Local Food

2011-09-04T18:39:00.001+01:00

We hear quite a bit about food miles and the impact on the environment of transporting food half way round the globe each day, so it was good to be able to go over to the Community Centre yesterday and buy food grown in local people's allotments and gardens. Many people who grow their own veg or fruit find that "everything comes at once" from time to time. How many cabbages can one family eat

Allen's West History

2011-09-02T21:18:00.001+01:00

Several people made the effort to go to the offices at Allen's West site today to share their knowledge of the history of the site. Of course the history of its ownership and the outline of what went on there is documented but there are gaps and for some reason this site seems to have a lot of rumours and half stories surrounding it, perhaps because during and immediately after the 2nd World

Renewable Energy Quandaries

2011-08-31T22:32:00.000+01:00

There's a planning application at present in the ward that's proving just a tad controversial. Teesside High School wants to generate some of its own power - very laudable. In doing so it wants to educate the pupils about the need for energy conservation and about renewable energy - again, very laudable. So on the roof of the school they want to install some solar panels - very good idea. So

MOD memories

2011-08-26T21:27:00.000+01:00

Do you have stories to tell of what happened on the MOD site at Allen's West during the war? Did you work there soon afterwards and see the changes that happened? If you're in the Eaglescliffe area next Friday, Sept 2nd, then the industrial archaeologists looking at the site would love to hear from you. As local residents will know from our Focus leaflets there is a planning application being

Tees Valley Enterprise Zone

2011-08-17T20:19:00.000+01:00

At last the months of hard work have paid off - the Tees Valley has its enterprise zone, announced today. Of course some will complain that it's being called Tees Valley, but to be honest I don't care what it's called as long as it helps to bring some much needed enterprise and employment to the area. The real triumph of the people who've been working on it for so long is in convincing the

Can Liberalism Survive?

2011-08-14T11:57:00.000+01:00