Representing Labour as candidate for the Coxhoe Division will be a great honour for me, and a responsibility that I will not take lightly. As a resident of Bowburn and frequent presence in the other villages, I am deeply invested in the future of our communities.
Communication with residents lies at the heart of Coxhoe Labour team’s beliefs, and all three candidates will have knocked on almost every door in the ward by the end of the campaign. We intend to continue after polling day by regularly canvassing streets across the division, keeping up our conversations with local people.
I am Durham through and through. My political beliefs were forged at an early age by my grandfather Tom Callan, who worked the County Durham coalfields and was general secretary of the Durham Miners’ Association during the 1984-5 strike. Raised in a single-parent family, I attended school in Durham before studying at Cambridge and Oxford, graduating with my master’s degree last summer. I moved back to roll up my sleeves and put my education to good use in the place I am proud to come from.
The challenges facing County Durham are well-known; continuing to deliver public services and regenerate the local economy despite further budget cuts will require real leadership and determination, both of which I can offer. Even in these difficult conditions, Labour has delivered a great deal for the people of Coxhoe, Bowburn and the surrounding villages. Developments include refurbishment of the war memorial in Tursdale, traffic calming measures at Cassop and Kelloe, funding for the vital 59 bus Sunday, and the installation of CCTV cameras to prevent fly tipping. On a larger scale the Integra development will bring up to 4,000 jobs into the area and create essential new warehouse space for the region’s businesses. I aim to build on this legacy by ensuring that our streets are well-maintained and by attracting as much investment as possible into the region, always placing the interests of local people at the heart of my actions.
Education remains one of Labour’s top priorities. Our council has created three new classrooms at Coxhoe Primary School and set aside £7.2m for a new primary school in Bowburn, as well as introducing of 20mph zones at Coxhoe Primary and Bowburn Junior School. We can always improve, and as your councillor I will lead the fight for a much-needed new secondary school for the children of East Durham.
If elected I will be a dedicated, passionate and articulate voice for our villages during a critical time in local government. Once again our council will be the buffer between the people of County Durham and austerity. Only a Labour council can effectively protect us.
Hear more from Maura about what is happening in Coxhoe Division and why #LabourWorks for County Durham: