Forest Giraffe moves in to Yarm's Leven Park!

Earlier today, Leven Park welcomed a new resident - a Forest Giraffe!

In recent months, Yarm councillor Andrew Sherris and I have sought feedback from residents on the new play area at Leven Park.

Almost without exception, residents replied they wanted to see equipment suitable for younger children.

Responding to this we drew up a shortlist of potential new pieces of equipment and asked youngsters at Levendale primary school to select their favourite. Their overwhelming favourite was the Forest Giraffe which Cllr Sherris and I agreed to order, paid for from our Community Participation Budget.

With work having commenced earlier today, it is hoped the new equipment will be 'bedded in' and open for use well ahead of the school holidays.

With Yarm Town Council having wasted over £40,000 of the council's reserves on a futile judicial review grossly mishandled by two Conservative councillors (and then a further £13,000 spent on the cost of the by-election forced by the two councillors' resignations), the council is sadly no longer in a position to replace, renew or add to the town's facilities in the coming years.

It therefore makes it all the more pleasing we have found room within this year's budget to provide this welcome addition to Leven Park.

Although there remains little scope for further schemes this year - with funds having been set aside to replace many of the small, post-mounted litter bins throughout the town which are not fit for purpose - please feel free to contact me with any suggestions for further projects.

Post by Cllr Mark Chatburn.

Yarm Residents Association - Missing in Action

At last night's Yarm Town Council meeting, the so-called residents' association demonstrated that all their talk is exactly that - talk.

In readiness for Yarm Gala held each June, Yarm Town Council is obliged to fence off the part of the High Street the Gala occupies. This work has previously been undertaken by volunteers, although numbers have dwindled in recent years.

So much so that last year only two other town councillors in addition to myself (cllrs Andrew Sherris and Bob Wegg) turned up on the day to erect the barriers, and the following day to remove them. (It's worth noting that there were more relatives of Mrs Milburn, the council's clerk, helping out than there were councillors!)

Concerned at the lack of volunteers, Yarm Town Council sensibly asked Stockton Borough Council to quote how much it would cost us to pay them to do the work for us. The answer: a staggering £580 plus VAT.

Given Yarm is still licking its financial wounds incurred in the disastrously mishandled Judicial Review (mishandled by disgraced ex-cllr Jason Hadlow, the 'brains' of Yarm's so-called residents' association no less), it was out of the question that we inflict this additional cost on our town.

So, as last year, I suggested that we undertake the work ourselves, and as last year councillors Sherris and Wegg readily offered their services.

However, when I asked for further volunteers from the members of the public present - including the three candidates in this month's by-election standing under the banner of the so-called residents' association - I was greeted with a stony silence. Not one of them was prepared to give up just a couple of hours of their time for the good of our community.

In stark contrast, I am delighted to confirm that all three of UKIP's candidates in the by-election have confirmed they will be helping out on both days. Unlike others, we recognise that talk is cheap, and that actions speak louder than words.

YRA? MIA.

Yarm footpath maintenance schemes - some good news

It isn't often I have had the opportunity to share good news regarding Yarm in recent times, but today is an happy exception.

I have now received confirmation of the areas which will have new footpaths laid throughout Yarm and Kirklevington during 2015/16. These are:

- Carew Close (full length)

- Forest Lane (various areas)

- Ryedale Close (full length)

- Larun Beat (from Lympton Gate to The Slayde).

These works are in addition to the resurfacing of Challoner Road (between Skirlaw Road and Meynell's Walk) already scheduled for this financial year.

Whilst we have a number of paths throughout the ward in need of resurfacing, Larun Beat has been in a serious state for disrepair for many years and is one of, if not the, worst in Yarm. This was one of the first issues I raised as a councillor, and I know councillors Andrew Sherris and Jennie Beaumont worked hard to raise this several times prior to my own election. Whilst it is sadly not the done thing for the old political parties locally, it would be wrong not to thank the aforementioned equally for their work in this regard.

Although no dates have been finalised for the work to be undertaken as yet, I will notify residents as soon as they are agreed.

If you believe any other areas are particularly in need of resurfacing - or at the very least some remedial work - feel free to drop me a line at mark.chatburn@stockton.gov.uk so we can endeavour to include them in future work programs.