THANK goodness for that. I've finally had a few comments in response to the new blog.

One of the first has come from Darlington Labour councillor Nick Wallis, who is a blogging veteran these days.

Nick was one of the first councillors to seize the new media opportunities as a way of engaging with his local community. Good for him, I thought.

Strangely enough, I had a meeting yesterday with Durham County Council leader Simon Henig, who doesn't seem to buy into this new fangled way of communicating at all.

He insists he's had less than ten emails from residents in his ward during his time as a councillor. He was deputy leader of Chester-le-Street District Council for five years before becoming county council leader.

I have to say I find his lack of emails quite extraordinary. If the rest of the world has been consumed by new technology, how come local government has been left behind in the way it communicates?

Councillor Henig is clearly a bright chap. A lecturer in politics at Sunderland University and considered to be a rising star, he obviously knows what he's talking about.

But I was very surprised that he thinks email and blogging is currently a bit of a waste of time when it comes to communicating with the people he serves.

He was aware that one or two councillors, like the aforementioned Nick Wallis in Darlington, were blogging but questioned how much interest they really attracted.

Whether you're a politician or a resident, I'd be keen to know what you think.