The St.Chad’s Councillors are raising a petition on behalf of residents to ask the Council to install a pedestrian crossing near Oakfield Court.
 
Councillor Robert Oliver’s request for a crossing was approved in principle several years ago but due to financial constraints the scheme has not been included in the Council’s Highways budget.
After a meeting with residents at Oakfield Court, Councillor Alan Wright has contacted the Council which confirms the situation with the budget this year.

Residents are invited to sign our petition here or email their support.
 
Robert

The St.Chad’s Councillors are raising a petition to ask the Council to put an island in the larger lake at the Silksworth Sports Complex as a sanctuary for wildlife. Already this year there have been several attacks on birds and the provision of an island has been suggested by many residents at the Lakeside Village and Farringdon. The St. Chad’s Councillors are looking at funding for a floating island similar to that on the smaller lake.

Residents are invited to sign our petition here or email their support.
 
Robert

The scheme to calm traffic on Allendale Road by building out the kerbs at various locations has started after 93% of respondents in Farringdon backed the proposals.  The St. Chad’s Councillors have supported the measures to reduce speeding traffic along the main route in Farringdon in response to concerns from residents. Signs will also be installed to advise motorists of the changes which will come into force this year.
 
Alan

The Council has decided to restructure and enlargen the current Area Committees. At present myself, Robert and Alan are part of a committee that includes Councillors from nearby Silksworth and Doxford Wards, known as the South Sunderland Area Committee. This is the Committee where many local groups make applications for funds and from where the community chest allocations are decided.  Councillors are in the process of being informed as to the aims of these new committees and why the changes are taking place. One glaring alteration is that Doxford Ward is being placed in a different grouping to  both St. Chad's and Silksworth Wards, which seems a bit odd taking into account our geographical proximity. I raised this point at the last "workshop" and did not really get a definitive answer as to the reasoning behind this decision.

Although we have a different political point of view from our Labour colleagues and have not agreed with every decision that has been made, for the vast majority of the time we have been like-minded in most recommendations and much has been achieved. The overall atmosphere within the committee has been positive and respectful amongst members.
 
We will keep you updated with developments as they occur, as this is a very significant change that the Council has embarked upon. 
 
Michael

In his role as Sunderland Conservatives Housing Spokesman, some ideas of Michael Dixon were featured in a recent article in the Sunderland Echo regarding residential housing repossessions. Michael made the point that Gentoo should consider purchasing as many as possible of repossessed ex-local authority houses and then re-let them. The reasoning behind this was to  increase the stock of "social" housing and give some people who have been waiting for years, hope of a Gentoo property.

The sale prices of many repossessed houses are at times very low and Michael argued that Gentoo could create a portfolio of these types of property to the long-term benefit of both the tenants and themselves.

Michael