Latest news with #JonathanDulston
BBC News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Darlington Borough Council called 'woke' for green spaces plan
A council's plans to protect and restore green spaces has been approved despite being labelled "woke" by opposition Borough Council has declared a Nature Restoration Emergency to improve the area's depleted wildlife over the next 15 Party councillor Kate Mammolotti said developing the plan would be a "win for nature".But local Conservative leader Jonathan Dulston said the council should focus on improving people's lives and criticised the local authority for using its stretched resources on "areas that will make very little difference". Under the council's plans, it will develop a Nature Restoration Action Plan, which will aim to improve the borough's green spaces by will mean areas of depleted wildlife will receive extra protection through the council's proposals and decisions, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. A 'crucial time' Labour councillor Chris McEwan said the council should "lead by example" by including targeted and site-appropriate measures on council-owned land and communal Dulston described the motion as "daft" and said he was concerned it showed the local authority was not aligned with the public."We are a small council, a relatively small town, but we have lots of people facing inequalities," he said. "The full resources of the council need to be focused on that, not pie-in-the-sky green and woke agendas."Labour's Mary Layton said the plans were not "woke" but would underpin everything the council did for the future of the Green Party leader Matthew Snedker said the motion had been made at a crucial time."We need to strengthen the protection for wildlife and restore our precious natural environment," he said. "Right now, there is significant pressure from house builders and landowners to water down the protections for our natural world." Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
25-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Darlington church food bank to limit people to one bag over costs
A food bank is to hand out just one bag of food a month because it is running out of Mary's Church, in the Cockerton area of Darlington, said it was struggling to maintain the service, which could come to an Damon Bage said the church was spending more than £200 per week on the food bank and if the level of spending continued it would need to close by July."So we don't close fully we've had to make the incredibly difficult decision to drop down our offering to one bag a month beginning in May," he said. "In the intervening weeks, clients are welcome to come and drop in for coffee and help themselves to whatever fresh food we have had donated that week."The food bank will still be open every week and new clients who come along will be given food bags for four weeks. Sadly, we can't sustain that for everyone all the time." 'Wake-up call' St Mary's made the announcement just days after King's Church, also in Darlington, revealed it had scaled back its food bank operation following a drop in service provided more than 125,000 free meals to people last year but saw its donations dry up despite increased demand, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Conservative Jonathan Dulston said the cuts should act as a wake-up call for Labour-led Darlington Borough Council."This is now an opportunity for us to rethink how our food banks across the borough work together in partnership," he said. Money from the council's Household Support Fund was allocated towards King's Church food bank to help keep it Borough Council has been approached for a comment. Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Price hike for town centre car parks approved
Parking in a town centre is to become more expensive. Darlington Borough Council said from the spring, fees would increase from £1 to £1.20 for the first hour in short-stay car parks. Council leaders said increasing prices had been a "difficult decision" but it had no choice because of "significant" financial pressures. Free parking in the town was scrapped in 2023 and critics said it would impact footfall, however the council said visitor numbers were up since the changes had been made. After drivers have paid the initial £1.20 for the first hour, they will pay £1 for every extra hour up to a cap of £5 in short stay car parks, the council said. The cap in long-stay car parks will be £5 per day or £20 for a weekly ticket. A council report said: "This proposal is not taken lightly but will support ongoing provision of car parking services, highway maintenance works and highway schemes across the borough. "It is preferable to cutting discretionary services such as grass cutting, street cleaning, community safety and leisure provision." Last year, the Labour and Liberal Democrat-run council was accused of "killing Christmas" after refusing to support a plea to offer free parking over the festive period, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The Conservative motion, led by party leader councillor Jonathan Dulston, said free parking during the festive period would provide a "much-needed lifeline" to small businesses and encourage town centre footfall. However, it was turned down for being financially "unviable". Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Slight drop in footfall after free parking ends End to free parking sees town footfall drop Darlington Borough Council
BBC News
22-02-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Darlington car park charges hike given go-ahead
Parking in a town centre is to become more Borough Council said from the spring, fees would increase from £1 to £1.20 for the first hour in short-stay car leaders said increasing prices had been a "difficult decision" but it had no choice because of "significant" financial pressures. Free parking in the town was scrapped in 2023 and critics said it would impact footfall, however the council said visitor numbers were up since the changes had been made. After drivers have paid the initial £1.20 for the first hour, they will pay £1 for every extra hour up to a cap of £5 in short stay car parks, the council said. The cap in long-stay car parks will be £5 per day or £20 for a weekly ticket. Support highways work A council report said: "This proposal is not taken lightly but will support ongoing provision of car parking services, highway maintenance works and highway schemes across the borough."It is preferable to cutting discretionary services such as grass cutting, street cleaning, community safety and leisure provision."Last year, the Labour and Liberal Democrat-run council was accused of "killing Christmas" after refusing to support a plea to offer free parking over the festive period, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The Conservative motion, led by party leader councillor Jonathan Dulston, said free parking during the festive period would provide a "much-needed lifeline" to small businesses and encourage town centre it was turned down for being financially "unviable". Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
