Local Democracy Reporter covering County Durham and Darlington for
@TheNorthernEcho
, BBC, and more. Views all mine. Get in touch: bill.edgar
@newsquest
.co.uk
Durham police has been urged to rethink its decision into whether Keir Starmer is guilty of an offence after photographs emerged of him drinking beer, allegedly breaching coronavirus rules at the time.
COUNTY DURHAM RESULT
Paul Donaghy (Reform) - 9,679
Jamie Driscoll (Independent) - 25,074
Andrew Gray (Green) - 2,396
Aidan King (Lib Dem) - 3,907
Kim McGuinness (Labour) - 43,084
Guy Renner-Thompson (Conservative) - 11,627
Big win for Labour in County Durham
I’m at Darlington Town Hall, where the council is meeting for the first time since the local election results.
New just in: Labour has agreed a coalition deal with the Liberal Democrat’s to run the Council after 4 years of Conservative rule.
More to follow
London receives 40% of culture funding, despite making up 16% of the population.
That is changing, with a £𝟕𝟓 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 boost.
Another example of
@Conservatives
levelling up the whole of the UK 🇬🇧⬆️
My interview with
@wesstreeting
on a visit to the North East at the weekend, where he set out how Labour will overturn years of delays to key health services.
This includes: NHS waiting times, a lack of GP appointments and the ongoing dental crisis.
Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen is speaking at Teesside Airport, where Darlington Conservatives are launching their 2023 local election campaign.
A banner with his face on just fell over.
Liz Truss on BBC Radio Tees says she ‘would need to look into that issue’ when asked if she will open a new investigation into mass sea life deaths on the North East coast.
Doesn’t sound like she even knows much about it.
North East people are missing hospital appointments, turning up late to work - and even some being forced to spend wages on taxis because buses are simply not "turning up."
This is the shocking reality of transport issues in cut off communities.
Labour responds to the letter by shooting back: "Frankly, it's a big mess that you're handing over for someone else to sort out".
Council leader cllr Harker accuses Darlington Conservatives of "reckless financial mismanagement".
All 5 County Durham bids for levelling up cash to regenerate town centres and more have failed.
“This is a day to be angry, feel betrayed, and realise that levelling up is a lie" -
@grahamemorris
I’m at Four & Twenty in Corbridge where the owner, Sarah Bell, has given 30 free meals to the homeless. Volunteers from the Peoples Kitchen are also here
Visited the new-look Darlington Library this morning ahead of its reopening this Saturday.
The historic building has undergone a huge transformation that shines a light on the town's heritage.
“I wish you all a safe journey home - or at least to the pub,” says Stephen Guy as the
#DurhamMinersGala
draws to a close.
Jeremy Corbyn then receives wide applause.
Here at the
@Transport4North
conference, North of Tyne mayor Jamie Driscoll is outlining his vision for better transport in the North.
He’s once again calling for the full Northern Powerhouse Rail plans to be realised and the Leamside Line to be reopened.
Elusive broadband company IX Wireless has donated thousands to North East Conservative MPs who were elected in 2019.
But it remains unclear why the donations were made or what the money was for. Several County Durham MPs haven't explained why.
Thanks to
@wallington1877
and
@FCRothbury
for contributing to this moving tribute of larger than life character, and former Northumberland footballer, Mark Bruce
Redcar: a seaside town which has already benefited from millions of Gov £ with more investment in the pipeline.
A key example of levelling up in action, says the local MP
@JacobYoungMP
. See how it's being done here:
The current state of play in Darlington is:
🔴Labour 21
🔵Conservatives 13
🟢Green 7
🟡Lib Dem 3
There are 6 more seats to be announced
#DarlingtonLocalElections
The North East has finally announced its devolution deal - and County Durham is involved.
Many local residents and councillors wanted the county to have its own deal but that won't happen.
Green Party leader Matthew Snedker says the 7 seats it won at the
#DarlingtonLocalElections
are a sign that the party is keen to rectify residents’ concerns in the town
Northern leaders have called for all of the cultural icons of northern England to be a catalyst to rebuild the region and rebalance it with the rest of the UK.
The 'Say No To Consett Incinerator' campaign group is celebrating this afternoon after the High Court dismissed a local developer's bid to build the new facility in the town.
More to follow.
Off to the Transport for the North meeting in Leeds where metro mayors and councillors from across the North will discuss the new Integrated Rail Plan and what it means for the north
A fair few people walking past are looking a bit bewildered - unsure of what’s going on - but when one driver was told the takeover was imminent he replied ‘f****ing champion’
#nufc
Carnival-style version of Blaydon Races being played by this band, which could even be better than the current version played at
#nufc
games
#DurhamMinersGala
BRINKBURN AND FAVERDALE
Rebecca Baker - Lab 957
David Beckett - Lab 949
Paul Bennett - LD 86
Sally Clarke - Con 877
Scott Durham - Con 891
Ty Hankinson - Gr 139
Sarah Holt - Lab 880
Andrew Raw - Con 843
S Siddle - Green 166
N Wilson - Green 129
LAB GAIN
HARROWGATE HILL
Samantha Bedingfield-Weller - Con 475
Jon Clarke - Con 489
Ian Ferguson - Ind 70
Roz Henderson - Gr 846
Martin Landers - Lab 586
Sophie Landers - Lab 561
Richard Lawley - Green 720
Joe Passman - Lab 563
Anna-Maria Toms - Gr 765
Mike Vasey - Con 421
GREEN GAIN
Inside the site’s office quarter everything from staff laptops to coffee machines are also being auctioned off.
Plaques like these demonstrate how successful Cleveland Bridge once was.
A multi-million redevelopment of Darlington train station will further strengthen the town's image as a northern powerhouse,
@BenHouchen
says.
It's an exciting moment for the town - and it can take inspiration from the huge regeneration around Kings X
Good to speak to
@northumbriapol
Rural Crime Officer, PC Lee Davison, and new Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, at
#Hexham
this afternoon. Article in this week’s newspaper.
Strong letter from Durham County Council to the government, asking for the £1.2m it spent on 5 failed levelling up bids to be repaid.
Leader Amanda Hopgood told members this morning that Co Durham had been “removed as a priority one status area” before Round Three was decided.
Went to see the brilliant One Off at
@LiveTheatre
last night. A raw depiction of affection, humour and vulnerability set inside Durham prison. Go and catch it if you can.
Durham County Council has joined calls from regional politicans and
@TheNorthernEcho
to secure the future of hundreds of jobs at the Hitachi site in Newton Aycliffe.
A letter, signed by the 7 NE local authorities, has been sent to Transport Secretary Mark Harper.
Labour’s shadow Levelling Up Secretary Lisa Nandy is in Darlington today, where she is setting out how her party will realise the Governments Levelling Up agenda after the flagship policy was cast in doubt after the recent events in Number 10.
Into a new week where we will (hopefully) begin to find out what the future holds for Darlington Council, as political parties are due to begin coalition talks.
Labour will hope they can quickly strike a deal with either the Lib Dems or Greens to avoid uncertainty.
Great to look around the New Hall exhibition space at Locomotion in Shildon, County Durham, today ahead of it opening to the public tomorrow.
The new site helps bring the region’s railway heritage to life.
Labour (
@CoDurhamLabour
) has defeated the Conservative Party in the Chester-le-Street East by-election in County Durham to win the by-election.
The election was held following the death of former Tory councillor and conty council chair Beaty Bainbridge