Reform UK Bishop Auckland

14/11/2026

A688 RETAIL PARK – PROPOSED 40MPH SPEED LIMIT

An important step towards improving road safety near Bishop Auckland Retail Park at St Helen Auckland.

Durham County Council is consulting on a proposed 40mph limit on the section of the A688 shown in green on the map, replacing the existing national speed limit.

The lower limit is intended to make access safer for drivers and pedestrians and support the introduction of a new pedestrian crossing across the A688.

The crossing is an important local issue. This proposal is a step towards it, although an installation date has not yet been confirmed.

Comments on the speed limit proposal can be sent to [email protected] by Thursday 3 December 2026, quoting reference TA4253.

This is the initial consultation stage. A separate formal consultation will provide the opportunity to submit official objections.

I’ll share further updates as the scheme progresses.

Cllr Stephen Gray
West Auckland Division

13/11/2026

As the initial stage of a new County Durham Plan, a list of potential development sites has been published. This includes building on the greenbelt land surrounding Picktree Village. North Lodge Parish Council is supporting the village and surrounding area's concerns that development here would be completely unsuitable and damaging to our community.

Craig Martin, County Councillor North Lodge and Chester-le-Street said:
It's ridiculous that the Council's administration has published a list of so many development sites across County Durham, including Picktree Village's greenbelt. We need to stand up to developers' greed, when there is already planning permission for 12,000 unbuilt homes in County Durham. We need social and affordable housing on brownfield sites, not a free-for-all in the greenbelt.

Mandy Blair, resident of Picktree Village said:
As a Picktree resident, I urge Durham County Council to protect our Green Belt and exclude it from inclusion in the new County Plan. While I appreciate the need for housing, it should not come at the expense of protected green spaces, especially when suitable brownfield sites are widely available. Our local infrastructure simply cannot cope with more housing; our local roads are already heavily congested, unsafe and completely unequipped to handle more traffic, with no physical possibility of widening for the most part.

Luke Akehurst, MP North Durham said:
Several residents have contacted me to share their concerns about the review of the Green Belt and Scoping Plan Consultation. The Green Belt plays an important role in managing urban growth pressures from the north and maintaining separation between distinct settlements. Many residents are understandably concerned by the prospect of the County Durham Plan not including a Green Belt policy, especially when the consultation itself highlights the need for Green Belt land to be reviewed. I strongly believe that a Green Belt policy should remain a key component of the County Durham Plan and that there should be clear, comprehensive and accessible consultation with residents before any changes are made.

13/11/2026

12/11/2026

12/11/2026

The independent peer review didn’t just find good intentions. It found impressive progress.

At Reform-led Durham County Council, 72 of 74 improvement actions are complete or underway, alongside stronger working relationships between councillors and senior officers.

There is more to do, but the direction is clear: stronger leadership, a culture of improvement and a council focused on better services and value for money.

Reform is underway in County Durham.

11/11/2026

Tomorrow is the election day for the 2 Spennymoor Town Council seats. Remember to go out and vote for Ernie and Grahame, our Reform UK candidates!

11/11/2026

NO INCREASE IN PARISH COUNCIL PRECEPT: The parish council has approved an annual budget and set its precept (the council tax request). Parish councils do not receive direct funding from central government, so they rely on their precept, plus any other income they generate from services or facilities (e.g. from the rental of allotments) to meet their spending costs – which is why your parish council keeps a careful eye on its budget to ensure it spends money wisely and appropriately. After reviewing the budget and reserves, councillors decided that, due to prudent and sound financial measures, the precept request does not need to increase from £62,225 for the financial year starting on 1st April 2027.

Note: Although the Parish Council is requesting the same financial precept for the whole parish, due to changes in the number of Band D equivalent properties in the Parish [tax base], the individual precept against each property may change. This can result in the individual precept rising or falling by a small percentage even when the parish precept as a whole has not changed.

11/11/2026

72 out of 74 actions are now complete or underway