There is much to look forward to in County Durham in 2017, despite the ongoing government austerity cuts.
We will focus on key priorities, continuing to encourage economic growth, redoubling efforts to make Durham a safe, clean and green place to live and later in the year we welcome back a number of our highly successful events and festivals.
Recently, I was privileged attend the Hitachi train plant in Newton Aycliffe as the first train assembled by the County Durham workforce was unveiled. This marked a historic moment for the county and the North East as train building returned to the cradle of the railways – fully justifying years of hard work to persuade Hitachi to locate at Aycliffe ahead of more than 40 rival sites across the UK.
As we drew up plans shortly after Durham became a unitary authority in 2009, the plant was but an artist’s impression – now it is an impressive factory with a large skilled workforce and substantial supply chain.
I was privileged to tour the plant with people from County Durham companies who proudly noted parts and components they had contributed to the trains. This project shows how successful we can be when working together and Durham County Council wish Hitachi luck in its efforts to win national and international contracts in the future.
There was more good news in 2016 – the continued expansion of Dalton Park and inward investment by an expanding customer contact centre company, ResQ, in East Durham. Its CEO talked about the ‘can do’ attitude of Durham County Council and our business arm, Business Durham and how ‘it has been a positive experience from the start’. Meanwhile, the North East chairman of the Federation of Small Business said the work of Business Durham is an exemplar in how councils can stimulate high-value economic activity.
There’s more positive economic news in 2017, with the start of the next phase of Net Park in Sedgefield and new facility at GlaxoSmithKline in Barnard Castle. Redevelopment has begun on the Durham riverbanks, enhancing retail and leisure offers. These projects mean more jobs for local people and are key to our plans for a brighter future for County Durham.
We have updated masterplans for Durham City and major towns throughout the county – masterplans which go before our Area Action Partnerships locally following consideration by Cabinet. Each is unique and details work undertaken so far and that still to come. We look forward to ‘Operation Spruce Up’ within each of our 14 AAPs as we continue our spring cleans across County Durham so that this county is seen in its best possible light.
County Durham continues to host some of the UK’s most popular ground breaking events, working with our visitor attractions as well as national funding bodies including the Arts Council and Heritage Lottery Fund. The amazing Kynren returns for a second summer – the country’s largest outdoor performance since the London Olympics attracted 100,000 visitors at a series of stunning evening performances.
Beamish, the UK’s most popular living museum, will expand to encompass a reconstructed 1950’s town this year. Seaham Marina improvements will continue as well as a new activity centre offering water and land sports. Popular annual festivals, including Bishop Auckland Food Festival, Brass and the Durham Book Festival will again entertain locals and bring in thousands of visitors.
Finally, we welcome back Lumiere for a fifth time in November, the UK’s largest light festival will this year be accompanied by a major international lighting conference, that we have attracted to Durham having last year taken place in Seoul in South Korea.
That’s not bad for a council that has faced budget cuts from national government of almost £200 million.
For despite the sheer size of those spending cuts, we remain as fiercely ambitious for Durham as on day one of this unitary authority back in April 2009.
Long may it continue.