WHEN I was a Durham County Councillor, I had half of the paths in Parkside, Spennymoor, resurfaced with Tarmac.

This was because the council’s preferred Footpath Surface Treatment (FST, known as “slurry seal”) is not up to standard and has a short life, although it is much cheaper. I paid for the resurfacing from my councillor’s funds.

Recently, I reported a poor section of path at lower Mayfields and this has been resurfaced with slurry seal.

I have thanked the officers for their quick response. But it now looks as if, due to funding cuts, the only way that residential paths will be resurfaced with Tarmac will be if county councillors pay for it from their Councillors’ Environmental Allowance.

The entrance to Ox Close School should be resurfaced. This area is narrow and either full of weeds or bare. Any Spennymoor county councillor who would like to fund this small area will be improving the local environment.

Ben Ord, Spennymoor