Residents of the electoral area of the Parish of West Rainton and Leamside are invited to attend the Annual Parish Meeting.

Thursday 25^th May 2023 at 6.30 pm

To be held at the Meeting Room St Mary’s Church, West Rainton.

This is your chance to ask questions of the Council.   It is your meeting so please come if you are able to do so.

At its meeting on 16^th February the Parish Council received a presentation from the Banks Group regarding the development for Housing on Station Road.

The presentation is available here:  Banks Homes – West Rainton PC Presentation 16.02.23 (1)

They have agreed to keep in touch with us and update as the development progresses.

During discussions Parish Council raised the following queries:

1 – On-street parking on Station Road is currently an issue. Is there an opportunity for widening/additional parking on Station Road as part of the scheme? (parking currently overspills onto verges). This is part of the highway verge and not owned by Banks but they agreed to investigate with the County Council.

2 – In respect of the western most highway access parish councillors asked can it be flared to make manoeuvring in and out easier in view of the issue regarding on street parking opposite.

3 – Banks agreed to ask the directors of Woodside Homes to come and speak to the Parish separately regarding the Commercial/Community Hub which is not part of the Banks development area and answer questions regarding viability and approved uses etc

4 – Banks confirmed they would stone up the entrance and the public footpath in part to make good. Councillor Kellet expressed concern over 50mm aggregate and said it would be difficult to walk over and thought smaller stones would be better.  Banks agreed to pass this on to their project team.

Any questions about the Project can be sent to:

Email: westrainton@banksgroup.co.uk

Tel: 01913786100

Further information about Banks Group can be found on their website: www.banksgroup.co.uk

There is a vacancy for a Parish Councillor which will be filled by the co-option procedure.  The formal notice is available here. Co-option Notice 12-4-23

Information on the co-option process is available at Item 5 in the Council Policies, Procedures and Information section of this web site.

Durham County Council has finalised plans for traffic lights at the notorious Rainton Gate junction.  The press release is available here: A690 junctions PM

UPDATE:  Durham County Council have advised work will commence 17 April 23.

Other relevant documents:

Letter from Mary Foy MP to Durham County Council (DCC):    Rainton Gate Second Joint Letter Nov 22
Section 278 Agreement with the developer.  Link to the web site entry
Petition Link
Joint letter from Mary Foy MP to DCC

Further information concerning this issue will be posted here as and when it is available.

If you have an opinion about this proposal please upload it to DCC as soon as possible.

Letter from Mary Foy MP to various residents included here for wider distribution.   It lists actions which residents can take concerning this application. Mary Kelly Foy MP Leamside residents letter

Planning amendment to the proposed Football Centre at Pit House Lane  link: https://publicaccess.durham.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=QRUNFZGDFJ600

The full letter from Planning: ufm170_Amendments_14

amendment to planning application:   ufm37_Amendments_14

The Parish Council objections to  proposal: Leamside Football Centre – Final Response

WestRaintonCemetery
Memorial Mulberry Tree
 
A mulberry memorial tree has recently been installed in the cemetery and is a special way to commemorate loved ones in the village who have been cremated or buried elsewhere.

The mulberry tree is a tranquil place to reflect and remember.

The tree has a hand carved granite trunk and the branches are made from weathered steel which quickly adopts an orange/brown anti-corrosion “Rust“ finish similar to the Angel of the North, and requires no maintenance. All the fixings are high quality stainless steel and anti-vandal.

The tree can accommodate 240 handmade green granite leaves from its branches, which can be inscribed with silver lettering and one of 10 colour motifs as in the example below.

 
The fee for this new service is £167 (subject to annual review) and covers a 20 year lease and all inscription lettering charges and motif, if required.  On expiry of the lease, the inscribed leaf can either be removed from the tree and returned to purchaser or the lease can be renewed for another 20 years, at a reduced fee of 50% of the fee in operation at the time of renewal.

If you would like to have a leaf inscribed you will need to complete an application form which can be found here.  Mulberry Leaf Application Form- V4 1-4-23 -1

We can also provide the application form by email or by post upon request.

Please contact the Parish Clerk :
Tel: 07368964142                Email: westraintonparishcouncil@yahoo.co.uk
By Post: West Rainton & Leamside Parish Council c/o 62 Trevelyan Place Peterlee SR8 2NL