Announcing Blooming Good Fun 2016

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The Town Council are launching this year’s ‘Blooming Good Fun’ competition.

It is to encourage gardeners from right across the Parish to make a special effort to brighten up their surroundings – and everybody else’s by bringing colour and floral displays to Stanley.

Entry is FREE and there are CASH PRIZES to be one.  There are awards for the best garden, tubs, window boxes, back yard, open space or communal space and trade premises so it’s open to everybody.

To get an entry form, see our Blooming Good Fun page

Stanley Fringe – Remembrance for the Burns Pit Disaster 16th February 2016

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What is Stanley Fringe? It’s difficult to neatly categorise it. They have published no list of objectives.  They have no charitable aims.  The group is a loose collective of artists in the broadest sense from this area. It isn’t a historical society, but one of the only clear goals of the group is to remember the anniversary of the Burns pit disaster. It isn’t a political group but their work reflects the politics of the early Labour movement, Their event on 16th February is called ‘Remembrance, Rebellion and Revolt’. Without having yet attended the event I get the feeling that the Stanley Fringe will be settling scores on behalf of the men who died in 1909.  Their first event last summer was branded as an ‘alternative afternoon of music and poetry’ but the music and poetry presented was steeped in the traditions of the north east. There is a certain nostalgia for old Stanley about the group but it isn’t sentimentality. Rather, their work speaks about the continued warmth and optimism of the people of this town despite all the injustices that they have endured. Pit disasters, wars, the end of the coal industry and the pedestrianisation of the Front Street. The Stanley Fringe and Stanley Town Council will be leading the remembrance for the men of the West Stanley Disaster at the memorial by North Durham Academy at 3.45 on 16th February, the 107th Anniversary of the event.

At 7pm come along to the Beamish Mary, join the group for a pint, song and poetry and settle some scores with the pit owners who sent those men down unsafe pits.

Visit the Stanley Fringe group on Facebook for more information or to get involved

All Dogs must be Microchipped by April

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Did you know that it is compulsory for dogs to be fitted with a microchip.

The change in the law is intended to deal with an increasing number of stray dogs.  The chips are coded with the owners’ details and dog owners who do not get their dogs chipped could be fined.

It will also be a requirement to update the database with any changes to the owner’s details, like a change of address.

If you’re thinking of buying a puppy, make sure that the breeder has had it microchipped. If your dog has not yet been chipped, please contact your vet who will be able to help you.

Stray Aid provide free microchipping to dogs belonging to residents of County Durham seven days a week between 2.00pm and 3.00pm, excluding bank holidays. Call 0300 999 4247 to make an appointment at least the day before to make sure they have a volunteer available.

 

 

More information is available on the Durham County Council website http://www.durham.gov.uk/microchipping

Community Consultation Launched

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Today we are announcing the launch of ‘Ask Stanley 2016’, a comprehensive consultation exercise with Stanley Residents. We want to know what you like about your area, what you don’t, and what you think should be done to improve both the good and bad things. We have put together a short questionnaire and will be trying to get as many people as possible to participate over the next six weeks. The more people take part and the more feedback we get, the better chance we have of identifying the real priorities of Stanley people.

We will use the results to identify issues and options for a more detailed questionnaire to be sent out later in the year and we will use all this evidence to build an action plan for the next five years.

To reach as wide an audience as possible, we are sending a hard copy of the questionnaire to every address in Stanley. The questionnaire will be in the centre pages of the ‘Stanley Life’ magazine, which will be distributed across the parish in the week commencing 18th January. We will also be going out into the community and have arranged sessions to discuss the consultation at:

Catchgate Primary School – 08.30am to 12.30pm Tuesday 9th February

Craghead Village Hall – 09.30am to 11.30am Wednesday 10th February

South Moor Methodist Church – 6pm to 8pm Tuesday 16th February

Tanfield Lea Community Centre – 6pm to 8pm Monday 22nd February

Asda – still to confirm date

Market day – Thursday 21st January 0900am to 1200pm

We will also be speaking to the schools because we want to capture the views of our young people – every person currently aged 13 or over will reach the age of majority during the lifetime of this plan so we need their opinions – any positive changes we can make will have the greatest impact on them.

The Consultation questionnaire can be found on our website at the following address: https://www.stanley-tc.gov.uk/ask2016

Please take the time to complete the questionnaire. Your views are important to us.

Council Agenda – 15th December

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The Town Council meets next Tuesday (15th) at 6.30 pm at the Civic Hall. We are in the later stages of setting the budget for the next financial year and Councillors will be deciding what the priorities are. Business to be discussed will include:

  • Who the first Blue Plaques should be put up for;
  • Whether or not the Council should put new signs and floral displays on the roads into the Parish and hanging baskets in the shopping streets;
  • Whether or not a new war memorial should be built for the whole of Stanley to commemorate the centenary of the end of the war in 1918, or something different.
  • What should be funded in the next year’s budget.

The Agenda and background documents are linked on our homepage: www.stanley-tc.gov.uk

Alun Armstrong switches on Christmas Lights

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Local hero, actor Alun Armstrong, who hails from Annfield Plain, battled extreme Canadian weather to make his way back to Stanley to turn on the Christmas Lights. Mr Armstrong had been filming in Canada but due to heavy snowfall his return to the UK was delayed by days as flight after flight was cancelled. He  even boarded a flight only to be turned back after an hour in the air. Many people would have cancelled, but Alun jumped on a train as soon as he arrived in London and just made it in time to be here for the switch on . We’re very grateful that Alun went to all this effort to support his home town.

For this year’s event, we had a ‘mini lumiere’, featuring the light clock that has been seen at the Gala in Durham, light installations in the planters and on street furniture and a mirror ball installation that when coupled with the music from the funfair made the front street feel like a huge outdoor disco. There was also an installation in the bus station for the night. We were also lucky enough to have carols on Front Street performed by our own Craghead Colliery Band.  There is nothing more festive than a brass band  on a cold night and Craghead did the town proud as always.

Hundreds of local residents came to enjoy the event, which brought a real buzz to the Front Street. There is a gallery of images HERE

Thanks to Lewis Christie for images. Check his page out here

Town Council to ‘Ask Stanley’ in 2016

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The Town Council will be launching a comprehensive consultation with residents of the Parish in the New Year.  We want to build a plan for the next 5 years that focuses on delivering things that people who live in the Parish think are important, so we will be asking every resident aged 13 or over to tell us what is important to them in their part of the Parish and what they would like us to try and do about it.

We want to reach as many people as we can, so we will be sending a newsletter to every home in the area, holding public meetings at Village Halls and Community Centres, engaging with secondary schools and even visiting people at home to capture their views about Stanley and what we should do to make it a better place to live, work and visit.

The Council is also looking to develop a neighbourhood plan for the Parish, so we will be asking what sort of development you think Stanley needs to be encourage growth and be sustainable in the future. We will also share the results with partners like Durham County Council so that all the people providing services in Stanley know what your views and aspirations are.

Please subscribe to our website or like our Facebook page to keep updated.

Town Council launches Blue Plaque Scheme

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Stanley Town Council is launching a blue plaque scheme within the Parish to celebrate the area’s heritage. The Parish includes not just Stanley but surrounding villages including Annfield Plain, Catchgate, Tanfield, South Moor and Craghead.

The intention will be to commemorate noteworthy individuals and locations across the Parish and develop a heritage trail for the interest of residents and visitors alike. For more information about the Scheme or to nominate a location for a Blue Plaque, please see our Blue Plaque Scheme Page

Environmental Awards for Stanley Projects

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Two Environmental Projects from the Stanley area have been recognised this week in Durham County Partnership’s 2015 Environmental Awards.  The Catchgate Neighbourhood Planter Scheme, which was led by the Neighbourhood Watch with support from the Town Council and Tanfield in Bloom were both commended for their valuable contributions to the quality and appearance of the local environment and the efforts and participation from the Local Community.  For full details of the winners of the Environmental Awards, click HERE. For more information about Tanfield in Bloom, please visit their WEBSITE

Main Picture: Town Councillor Colin Thompson with the award for Tanfield in Bloom