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Blaydon and Consett MP Liz Twist appointed as Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Parliamentary Private Secretary

A North East MP will be working alongside the Prime Minister after she was appointed as his Parliamentary Private Secretary.Blaydon and Consett MP Liz Twist will serve as Keir Starmer's PPS alongside Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven MP Chris Ward. The UK Parliament website describes a PPS as someone appointed by a minister to be their assistant.Read more...

North East mayors 'deserve London-style powers'

Mayors in the North East and Tees Valley should be as powerful as in London, according to a newly elected Labour MP.Chris McDonald told BBC’s Politics North the government would devolve more powers to regional mayors, but there had to be value for money for taxpayers and better accountability.Read more...

New bus routes launched to increase frequency

New bus routes are being launched to offer a more reliable service to passengers.Go North East said residents living in Derwentside will see new fast bus routes to connect Consett, Stanley and Newcastle, serving villages such as Burnopfield, Dipton, and Whickham.Read more...

£1m funding boost for North East communities to tackle health inequality

North East communities are to get £1m in health funding as part of a new "trailblazer" cash pot set up by a leading financial services firm and the University College London Institute for Health Equity.Read more...

Homes at former steelworks site refused by council

Plans to build 71 homes at a former steelworks site have been rejected by the local authority.Project Genesis Ltd had applied to Durham County Council to build the housing estate on land previously used by Consett Steelworks.Read more...

Your Voice, Your Vote: 'Bus services must improve'

In the run-up to the general election, the BBC is looking at the issues that matter the most to you, as part of Your Voice, Your Vote.Read more ...

New car parking rules in England will see drivers given 'grace period' to prevent unfair fines

Drivers could avoid costly fines within months thanks to a new car parking loophole. The upcoming Code of Practice introduces several driving regulations set to enhance consistency and uphold standards for motorists across the nation amidst the ongoing motorists' feud.Read more...

Bus service confidence 'at all time low'

Public confidence in a county's bus service is at an "all time low", transport bosses have been warned.Despite a multimillion investment plan to "improve connectivity" in County Durham, timetable changes and cost-cutting measures by operators have hit services and public trust.Read more ...

Polling Stations for Blaydon and Consett Constituency

With the upcoming election scheduled for Thursday, 4 July 2024, it is important for residents of Consett and the surrounding areas to know where they can cast their votes and who the candidates are. The polling stations will be open from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm. Here is a comprehensive guide to the polling stations and the candidates running for the Blaydon and Consett constituency.Read more...

Consett Area Youth Consultation

Tell us how you would like the Consett Area to look by 2036. What can we all do to improve on what we already have? What ideas do you have to ensure the continued and positive growth of the Consett Area?  Read more...

Iron Men of Consett

Building Self- Belief are currently delivering and Employability Programme at Consett Academy. As part of the sessions, we discuss the importance of volunteering and how impressive this is to employers – especially when young people are channelling their energy into a good cause.Read more...

'We want to save lives' - Holly Newton's parents bid to buy lifesaving bleed kits after teen's death

The parents of stabbed teen Holly Newton have launched a fundraising mission they hope will help spare other families the heartache they have endured.Holly, 15 died in hospital after she was allegedly attacked with a blade outside a pizza shop in Hexham town centre last January. A teenage boy also injured in the incident survived. Now Holly's mum and step-dad Micala and Lee Trussler have set-up a new non-profit organisation called Holly's Hope, which aims to raise money to and install life-savin...

UK charities hiring staff with ‘privilege not potential’, report author warns

Charities are hiring staff with “privilege rather than potential”, according to the author of a report highlighting the stark class divide in the sector.Working-class people are less likely to be hired by charities than by employers in the public and private sectors, said the EY Foundation, which supports young people from low-income backgrounds to progress in professional roles.Read more...

Four new car parking rules coming in October 2024 that all drivers need to know about

Drivers are being warned about new car parking rules that will come into effect in 2024.The new Code of Practice aims to raise standards and improve consistency for motorists across the country. The IPC code will be published in June before coming into effect this autumn.Read more...

Today is the deadline to apply for emergency photo ID for local May elections: Here's how to apply

Wednesday marks the final day anyone without the correct form of photo ID to take part in next week’s local, mayoral and police commissioner elections can apply.Every voter in England and Wales will be able to cast a ballot in at least one type of election on May 2.Read more...

History of Consett Q and A – Local Mysteries now Solved!

As part of Building Self-Belief’s series of events about Consett’s heritage, local Historian Brian Harrison agreed to be in the spotlight for our Consett’s History Q and A session. We decided to change the format, and instead of delivering a talk, in advance of the session Brian was sent a series of questions that he had to research in preparation for the evening. What evolved was a lively and engaging event where every single person n the room learnt something new!Here is a selection of s...

A step along the road to decarbonisation, with the first Net Zero asphalt in Durham

A new material which takes carbon out of the atmosphere has been used to resurface a North East road in a UK first.Read more...

Transport, transport, transport: North East Mayor candidates make their election promises

Political Correspondent Tom Sheldrick took a trip on the Tyne and Wear Metro to find out what North East Mayor candidates are promising if they get elected in MayRead more ...

Preserving Green Spaces in the Consett Area

The allocation of Green Spaces has been suggested as the starting point for our Consett Area Neighbourhood Plan. We have the advantage of living in a beautiful place, and as an area, we are on the edge of  the North Pennines, classed as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Help us preserve and enhance the beauty of our area....

Government delays decision on incinerator opposed by Steve Barclay

The government has temporarily banned permits for new incinerator plants in England, including one the Environment Secretary Steve Barclay is fighting to stop being built in his constituency.Read more here...

County Durham councillor selected to stand in new North East seat in next General Election

A Consett county councillor has been chosen to stand as a parliamentary candidate in a newly formed North East constituency that includes her town.Click here to read more...

Boundary changes may reduce access to MPs in UK’s poorest areas, research finds

Some of Britain’s most deprived communities could find it harder to get parliamentary representation based on how UK constituencies have been redrawn, according to research backed by anti-poverty campaigners.The latest boundary review was meant to equalise constituencies, redrawing the outline of MPs’ seats on the basis of the electoral roll, but did not take the actual populations into account.The result is that some new MPs will be supporting as many as 50% more constituents than others, w...

Durham Police antisocial behaviour victims can demand policing review in 'UK first' scheme

Victims of anti-social behaviour will be able to demand an independent review if they are not satisfied with how officers have responded under a new scheme.People living within the area covered by Durham Police will be able to request a review if they have reported three or more instances of anti-social behaviour but the offences continue.It is considered the first scheme of its kind in the country.John McGee knows more than most about the issue, having said it made him feel nervous to be in his...

North East to get 1.5% of HS2 savings

County Durham is to receive £72.8mn to improve local transport, paid for from the £36bn that the government expects to have saved by scrapping high-speed rail between Birmingham and Manchester (HS2).Durham’s grant is the only money coming the North East’s way from the total of £4.7bn that ministers said today would be allocated to the North and Midlands from HS2 savings.It means the North East’s share amounts to approximately 1.5% of the total, the rest of which will go to eight council...

UK public services will buckle under planned spending cuts, economists warn

Britain’s stretched public services will buckle under the weight of the spending cuts being planned for after the election, economists have warned, as Jeremy Hunt prepares for another round of tax reductions in next week’s budget.Experts say the level of public sector spending pencilled in for the next parliament would mean cuts equivalent to those undertaken by David Cameron’s government from 2010 to 2015. Some have warned the next government will not be able to implement them, ...