Council urged to invest more in County Durham towns and villages

Durham County Council’s latest budget was labelled “city-centric” by opposition Labour and Independent councillors, who pleaded for more investment in the region’s rural and outlying areas. 

The local authority’s spending plans, which include a 4.99 per cent council tax increase and multi-million capital investment for projects in Durham City, were approved on Wednesday after a narrow vote.

Despite being accused of “talking the county down”, Labour leader Carl Marshall said communities should receive greater support. 

He told a council meeting: “No investment for outlying villages, all while pleading poverty to the public and hiking up council tax once again. This is absolutely unacceptable for our residents across the county. 

“The public should not have to repeatedly pay for the mistakes of this council. This coalition acts with impunity, expecting residents to pick up the tab. That must end today. It’s not monopoly money, it’s our communities money.”

Independent Chester-le-Street councillor Bill Moist urged the council to rewrite its budget to better serve underfunded areas. He said: “This budget is not intelligence-based. It’s city-centric, again, and I can’t agree with it. I believe we should have a delay to give people the time to get together and get a proper budget for County Durham.”

Trimdon and Thornley’s Jake Miller added: “I can’t vote for this budget, there’s nothing in it for the villages I represent. How can I go back and say I voted for something that has no benefit to them whatsoever? Yet again, we have another year of money being poured into the city and nothing for our villages.”

Projects identified for funding as part of the council’s capital programme include the Milburngate hospitality leisure and development in Durham City. However, previous council plans to build new leisure centres in Chester-le-Street and Seaham have been paused due to funding difficulties. 

Karen Fantarrow, also an Independent councillor in Chester-le-Street, said: “People want change. We’ve got nothing, we’re the forgotten town: no leisure centre and charges for parking. We want to be known for the market and investment back into our town. We believe, if we were looked after correctly we could bring Chester-le-Street back to what it was.”

Meanwhile, West Auckland’s Rob Yorke said “County Durham to this coalition cabinet is just one big game of Monopoly”. He added: “What’s in this budget for the residents of Spennymoor, Newton Aycliffe, Shildon, Coundon, Leaholme, West Auckland, St Helens, Etherley Dene, Witton Park, Escomb and Toft Hill? Toft Hill was promised half a bypass, and we are still waiting.”

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Yet members of the council’s ruling coalition - made up of Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Independents - strongly refuted the claims. Liberal Democrat Elizabeth Scott said: “The Labour group like talking the county down. That is not the way of the joint administration, we put County Durham on the national and international stage.”

Alan Shield, of the Derwentside Independents, added: “When the Joint Administration of Durham County Council was formed, Labour councillors were quick to dismiss its prospects, stating that expectations were that the partnership would only last for a few months. Ever since, the opposition has focused on undermining the work of this council, talking down our county time after time.

“In contrast, members of the Joint Administration have worked together and have got on with the job of delivering for the residents of County Durham. Four years after forming the administration, we continue to do that for everyone in this great county.”