Make views known (From Durham Times)

Make views known

7:40am Friday 25th May 2012 in Leader By Mark Tallentire, Reporter (Durham)

LAST week, we urged readers to make their views known on plans to create a town council for Durham and suggested Monday night’s meeting of Durham Area Action Partnership would be a good place to do so.

In the event, the fact that only around 80 people attended, including around 25 who would likely have attended the AAP meeting regardless of said debate, was perhaps a greater indicator of public feeling on the issue than the discussion itself.

The proposals have failed to excite.

The AAP is to be applauded for eventually allowing an open floor debate, rather than insisting on small group discussion, as it previously proposed.

However, the debate which resulted was sadly inconclusive.

County council representatives present could not be criticised for gaining the impression that while a handful of people in Durham want a town council, others don’t – and most don’t care.

Much talk focused on other long-running issues, such as studentification and the loss of Durham City Council.

But it’s the existence of precisely such issues which makes a town council necessary. We need local representatives, familiar with the issues and motivated to effect change.

So, we still believe it is odd that a city of the size and prestige of Durham does not have its own distinctive voice.

The county council’s consultation continues until Thursday, May 31. There is still time to have your say.