18th   Had my yearly Cardio-vascular check up today and was given the “Thumbs Up” so all as well until next year.

19th   Tuesday morning is usually gardener’s day, but I had to leave it in the care of my wife as I had a meeting of the Parish Council’s Rights of Way Committee at 10 a.m.   There had not been a meeting of this Committee for some time and the last meeting had not been quorate.   There was therefore a long agenda and because of my involvement in the past I was elected as Chairman for the forthcoming year.   There are a number of new Councillors on the Committee who needed some guidance as to their role and the need to walk all 61 footpaths in Wetheral Parish, split between 5 Members it only means some 12 each.   It is easy in dry, sunny conditions and not in the rain, some have been damaged by flooding  and there is always the problem of fly-tipping and litter!!   Then in the evening there was the Council Meeting of The City Council which started with tributes to fellow Councillor Ged Caig who died recently.   A question by Councillor Gareth Ellis regarding the suitability of the Energy from Waste facility proposed at Kingmoor Park Industrial Estate by the residents of near-by Lowry Hill was answered by the Portfolio Holder.   I queried the Executive Minutes where it was stated that Barley Edge was off Scotby Road, where in actual fact it is off Durran Hill Road.   Later on I asked the Portfolio Holder of Environment and Transport, Councillor Chris Southward why Section 106 money from the Barley Edge Development was to be used for Playing Areas and Open Spaces in Botcherby Ward’s Keenan Park and Melbourne Park rather than being used adjacent to Barley Edge where a footpath is needed to link up with Alexander Drive so that the residents of Barley Edge can access the play area a hundred yards away safely as they have either to walk along a busy road without a footpath on their side or to cross the road to the opposite pavement and then re-cross often with pram, toddler as it is unsafe to cross without parents present.  We arranged to meet on site two days later so that he could assess the problem and come up with an answer.   A motion had been put forward by Councillor Bloxham regarding Hate Crimes and a similar motion had also been put forward by the Leader Councillor Glover; it was therefore agreed that the two motions should be co-joined and agreed unanimously that the Council will work to ensure local bodies and programmes have support and resources needed to fight and prevent racism and xenophobia.

22nd   The Clerks, Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen of both Wetheral and Hayton Parish Councils met at the Civic Centre to have a meeting with the Director of Governance, Mr Mark Lambert, to discuss the way forward regarding the A.G.M. of the Down-a-Gate Playing Field and Community Centre Committee due to a No Confidence in the present committee by local residents.   Both Parish Councils will be present and if necessary pour “Oil over Troubled Waters”.   Both Parish Councils were in agreement as to the way forward.   Down-a-Gate Community Hall. was badly damaged by flooding after Storm Desmond and needs a rebuild with the site and the playing field being owned by the City Council.