Cassop-cum-Quarrington Parish Council Quarterly Parish Council Annual Report 2022-2023

Dear Parishioners,

It has been another busy year for Cassop-cumQuarrington Parish Council and one where we emerged from the pandemic and got back to business as usual.

Parish Council Arrivals and Departures

There have been some changes to the membership of the Parish Council throughout the year. We said goodbye to Janet Blackburn, a long standing and much respected member of the Parish Council who has moved off to pastures new and Glenn Prince and Raymond Ralph also stepped down during the year.

We have welcomed Gary Parker and Craig Prince as new members of the Parish Council and we have also welcomed back Andrew Shutt.

Councillor Sylvia Raine and Councillor James Robinson were re-appointed as Chair and ViceChair of the Parish Council for 2022/2023.

The People’s Lamp

After many years in the planning stages, the Parish Council was delighted to have The People’s Lamp installed just off Durham Road, Bowburn.

Andrew McKeown, a North East artist, was commissioned to develop the project in December 2020 and based the design on a miner’s safety lamp which includes references to jobs from the mining industry which were put forward by the community. The lamp was fabricated by Dyer Engineering, stands at 4.5 metres high and is made of galvanised mild steel plate.

The project was funded by Section 106 monies which had been set aside for public art by developers who had built housing in the area in recent years.

A dedication event for the sculpture was held in October 2022 with guests including the artist, representatives from Dyer Engineering, childrenfrom Bowburn Primary School and the Chairman of Durham Miners’ Association. The People’s Lamp was formally dedicated to the community of Bowburn, miners and their families and those who lost their lives while working the seams of Bowburn Colliery.

Summer Flower Baskets, Barrels and Tubs in the Parish Area

Iam sure thatallresidentsintheparisharea will have enjoyed the wonderful summer display of hanging flower baskets and tubs provided by the Parish Council once again in Bowburn, Cassop, Parkhill and Tursdale in 2022.

Thinford Nurseries have done a fantastic job in the preparationandmaintenance oftheseasonal display for the last 17 summer seasons. They also prepare winter and spring bedding plants for Bowburn, Tursdale and Cassop.

Local Care and Maintenance of Footpaths and Rights of Way

The Parish Council once again applied for a grant under the County Council’s Parish Paths Partnership Scheme to trim the grass on various local Rights of Way which had been approved for the 2022 season.

This was the eighth year that the Parish Council has been successful in obtaining funding to carry out this maintenance work and we were also able to continue the extended programme which was first been developed in 2020.

Running Repairs

The weather this year caused some damage to fencing at Bowburn allotments and at Doorstep Green. The Parish Council approved repairs to both areas, costing in excess of £3,500. There have also been some issues raised in relation to Bowburn Cemeteryandwe havecommissioned works to cut back overhanging trees and to replace fencing alongside the path.

Christmas Lighting

The Parish Council entered into a hire agreement with Blachere Illumination UK Limited to provide Christmas lights in Bowburn which came into effect for the 2022 festive period. Feasibility works are being undertaken in the Parkhill area of the parish with a view to extending the light show in future years.

Parish Councillors’ Contact Details

Councillor Sylvia Raine, The Grange, Old Quarrington, Co. Durham, DH6 5NN sylvraine@outlook.com (Tel: 0191 3772728) (Chair of the Parish Council)

Councillor James Robinson, 4, Steavenson Street, Bowburn, Co. Durham, DH6 5BA j.robinson6212@btinternet.com (Tel: 0191 3771655) (Vice-Chair of the Parish Council)

Councillor Alfie Dolan, 6 Parkhill Estate, Coxhoe, Co. Durham, DH6 4JH alfie.dolan@hotmail.co.uk

Councillor Nicola Henderson, 39 Earls Way, Park Hill, Coxhoe, Co. Durham, DH6 4BU nicolaparkill@yahoo.com

Councillor John Johnson, 10, Horton Crescent, Bowburn, Co. Durham DH6 5EJ Wilson-jon@hotmail.co.uk (Tel: 0191 3770004)

Councillor Maura McKeon, 27 Wylam Street, Bowburn, Co Durham, DH6 5BD maura.mckeon@durham.gov.uk

Councillor Dennis Morgan, 26 Durham Road West, Bowburn, Co. Durham, DH6 5AU dennismorgan.durham@icloud.com (Tel: 0191 3770553)

Parish Council Budget 2023/2024

The Parish Council made a decision to increase the precept by 1% for 2023/2024. The precept had remained unchanged since 2019 but due to inflationary cost increases, the difficult decision was made to request a small increase, meaning that the Band D precept is now £40.11.

Gillian Kelly Clerk to Cassop-cum-Quarrington Parish Council

Parish Council Mobile No: 0783 4363444 e-mail: gilliankelly.ccqparish@yahoo.com https://www.ccqparishcouncil.org

Address: c/o Bowburn Community Centre Durham Road Bowburn DH6 5AT

Councillor Gary Parker, 28 Charlton Court, Bowburn, Co. Durham, DH6 5FB gaz.tech@btinternet.com

Councillor Craig Prince, 6 Robson Crescent, Bowburn, DH6 5DU craig@kodssurfacing.co.uk

Councillor Jackie Richardson, 27 Monteigne Drive, Bowburn, Co. Durham DH6 5QB discus@discus.plus.com (Tel: 0191 3773574)

CouncillorMartin Ridley,HoneysuckleHouse, 1a Overman Street, High Shincliffe, DH1 2PU martinrid54@gmail.com (Tel: 07949 123886)

Councillor Andrew Shutt, 27 Parkhill Estate, Coxhoe, DH6 4JH shuttandrew@btinternet.com (Tel: 07836 512084)

CouncillorJohn Spoors, 8 GrangeWay, Bowburn, Co. Durham DH6 5PN johnspoors53@outlook.com (Tel: 0191 4475970)

Councillor George Storey, 20 Lynn Crescent, Cassop, Co Durham, DH6 4RH gstorey2506@gmail.com (Tel: 07787 768784)