(There’s some good news, read on)
It has been a long time since I updated this website for which I can only apologise.
Although it may seem like the issue had been forgotten at times, it has been a busy 12 months in which Cllr Olwyn Gunn has advocated relentlessly for residents on this matter. Most of the time in the face of complex council processes and, frankly, with council officers who (I suspect) would much rather we all just went away at times.
I’d hoped to update you more frequently but we’ve always felt just one more email or meeting away from something worth reporting and suddenly a year has passed.
During this time there have been countless emails, telephone calls and meetings arranged by Olwyn and she driven home the important views of our village. It has, at times, been deeply frustrating with long periods between replies. Such has been her perseverance that the CEO of Durham Council is now intimately familiar with the issues at Hunwick from appeals to him directly.
I’m proud to say that our determination has started to pay off and Durham Council has now confirmed that Bishop Auckland Girls FC will be moving to a new facility at some point this year. This appears to be good news for both the club who get to have their long-deserved full time home and for Hunwick, who don’t lose their green space or have to endure the dangerous parking and traffic situation.
While this is undeniably great progress, there is much work left to do and lots of questions remain. Perhaps cynically, I’ll believe it when I see it. The challenging behaviours of the council officers have certainly done little to built trust with me and I suspect it’s the same for many of you.
In recent weeks, Olwyn has shared some thoughts on how we can (once the deal is finally done) protect the Rec for generations to come. As someone who cares deeply about the Rec I hope we can build more momentum and continue this important work together.
This progress would not have been possible without your continued support. It remains a hot topic in the village and I hope that we can, with Olwyn’s support secure the area for future generations.
Thank you.
rob