St.Chad’s ward consists of the three distinct communities of Herrington, Farringdon and the Lakeside Village. Since 2004 it has had Conservative representation on the City of Sunderland Council, first with Robert Oliver who was then re-elected in 2006 for a four-year term. Michael Dixon was elected in 2007 as the second Conservative Councillor, taking the seat from Labour. May 2008 saw the election of a third Conservative Councillor when Alan Wright gained an excellent 454 vote majority, another gain from Labour.

Herrington

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East and Middle Herrington is a popular residential area. Once distinct villages, and now a desirable suburb of Sunderland, it has easy access to the A19 motorway which forms the ward boundary to the West. Our priorities here have been to cope with the increasing amount of traffic and parking as well as ensuring a safe and pleasant environment. The roundabout at the A19/A690 junction is a perennial concern as cars approach quickly and with reduced visibility. Michael and I appeared recently in the Sunderland Echo to put pressure on the Council to extend the operating hours of the traffic lights, a campaign which we will continue.

The impact of Doxford International has been one of our main concerns as employees continue to park in surrounding streets. At last the Council has responded with a proposal to reduce long-stay parking which is currently being considered by residents in the affected areas. We have also had success with road resurfacing in several parts of the ward such as Broadmeadows, Summerhill and this year Longmeadows where a potholed carriageway will at last receive attention.

Never a week goes by without a request for action to tidy up litter along City Way; remove graffiti from the lampposts or install new dog waste bins throughout the ward. Central to the environment in Herrington is our own local park, much used by dog-walkers and families alike. We were delighted when our requests for better facilities for children paid off this year with an application to the Lottery Fund for a new play area.

Robert

Farringdon

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The beginning of my long working relationship with Farringdon was in the early 1970s when the combination of a Conservative Council in Sunderland and a Conservative Government saw the introduction of the policy to allow Council House tenants to purchase their homes under the Right-to-Buy scheme.

I worked for the Valuation Office in those days and as a body not connected to either the Council or the tenant, it was seen as an unbiased arbitrator to assess an agreed sale price. Few people took this opportunity to purchase for a variety of reasons but ten years later from about 1982 the applications to purchase from the tenants began in their droves, a trend which was to continue for many years.

As a result of my work as a Chartered Surveyor for over thirty years I have visited property in every street in Farringdon several times over and have met literally hundreds of residents. As a result I have always felt very much at home in Farringdon and it is a pleasure to represent the area on the Council.

The massive increase of owner-occupation has proved to be a big plus for Farringdon over the past twenty five years, while the modernisation schemes that have been carried out on houses owned by the then Sunderland Housing Group will also have improved standards. Individual tenants will have more first-hand experience of the speed of service when they report issues to Gentoo Sunderland, but Robert and I have found the Gentoo staff at the North Moor Housing Office to be very helpful when we have contacted them on behalf of ward residents.

Both Robert and I have been heartened by the number of Farringdon residents who have been in touch with us in recent months, while we have made contact with various people and groups. For those of you who have not been used to having two Conservative Councillors representing Farringdon, please be assured that we will be working hard on your behalf in the years that follow.

Michael

The Lakeside Village

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Living at the Lakeside Village I have got to know the community through my daily contact with residents and attendance at the Lakeside Forum meetings. Both the Towers and the houses have a distinct feel to them, being a relatively small area the focal point of which is the Lakeside Stores where I regularly see local residents.

Residents often express their concern at the increase in traffic in the area and we have taken this up with the Council, enquiring about the North Moor Lane junction where long delays are common and accidents all too frequent. One major development has been the work carried out on the turning circle in front of Lakeside Stores where, at last, the grassed area has been reduced in size to allow buses to pass comfortably.

Taking pride in their neighbourhood, residents often contact me about litter and general maintenance. A recent walk around the ward resulted in action on graffiti on lampposts; a clean out of the dam next to Ask Kirk and the installation of new manhole covers near the Baptist Church. Working with Gentoo and the Council both Michael and I ensure the voice of local residents is heard as we continue to ask for improvements to the area. We are pleased to see our pressure paying off in the work underway to finish landscaping around the Towers and action by the Council to install recycling bins.

Robert