In case anyone was wondering, none of the hotels in County Durham are housing asylum seekers. The proportion of asylum seekers in County Durham is the lowest in the North East and only 56% of the national average, and there are only 445 asylum seekers in County Durham. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Having run out of time the other motions will not be considered.

Now moving to a vote other substantive motion. It is CARRIED by 62 votes to 7 with 17 abstentions.

Ah Mark Wilkes has been called.

It's becoming clear that the Chair is calling Reform councillors to speak. We have not yet heard from opposition councillors.

This has been LOST 25-61

Mark Wilkes has just moved a motion to extend the time available for the upcoming debate.

Someone has just walked in with a serious video camera, presumably to record the debates on the motions which should start in a few minutes

A lot of Reform UK councillors are wearing Make Durham Great Again baseball caps with the Ward Group branding on them

So I'm in the Council Chamber waiting for the meeting with it's motion to rescind the climate change resolution about to start.

@keithbeard.bsky.social here we are at the Gala

I see the LibDems have beaten Reform into third place in the by-election caused by the Reform councillor resigning. www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/comments/252...

Just seen in our back garden; a comma butterfly.

Any thoughts, @keithbeard.bsky.social ?

I read in @theguardian.com that "An article from the Blue Labour campaign group, titled What is to be Done, calls for the government to legislate against diversity, equity and inclusion". Do these people have no sense of history? The book has already been written: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_Is...

Classic!

A further change: Reform will be marking their own homework. Scrutiny Management Board has an important role in checking on the Council. From 2021 it was chaired by Rob Crute, a Labour member and not from the joint administration. An amendment to have Mark Wilkes, a LibDem, as Chair was lost.

Largely appointing committee members in accordance with established rules, but this new Council has added three members to the Charter Trustees for the City, something the outgoing administration decided not to do.

Darren Grimes has been elected Deputy and now a list of eight further councillors to the new Cabinet.

After formal business, Andrew Husband has just been elected Leader.

Voting for Chair of the Council Richard Bell v Roddie Rodiss Roddis wins 27-62 with 4 abstentions

Sitting in the Council chamber in Durham waiting for the first meeting of the new County Council to start.

I see that Paul Sexton, elected as an independent councillor for Chester-le-Street South has just joined Reform. Disgraceful. To change allegiances so soon after the election shows contempt for the people who voted for you. www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/2516072...

My letter leads the letters page on this week's Advertiser:

Something #DurhamCountyCouncil has got right is a commitment to equality and diversity: durham.gov.uk/article/2689... and it must be defended.

Last night's Quiz #YeOldElmTree was themed on the #ShippingForecast and our team won. I'm just hoping for the same result tomorrow afternoon when votes are counted in the Parish Council elections.

I've been out canvassing and have had a very welcoming response. But there are 8,587 electors living in 2,939 different addresses so I cannot reach everybody, even with my dedicated band of helpers. So if you have any questions pop them on here and I will do my best to respond.

With Harvard University telling Trump to shove off, or words to that effect, I think they need a song to show support. Fortunately #TomLehrer wrote one eighty years ago, Fight Fiercely Harvard: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1-...

Fiona Hill is the Chancellor of Durham University

A really heartening message today from a resident who had received my leaflet: "It is refreshing to read literature from a local representative which feels as though there is true care and appetite to make a difference within our community."

In a shameless bid to win the votes of cat-lovers, I thought you might like this: Another project merged Lego bricks with the heat sensor from a burglar alarm to produce the “mouseapult”, a device that detected cats and lobbed toy mice in their direction. Here's the full article:

Well it's official: My nomination as a candidate for the City of Durham Parish Council has been declared valid. If you live in the Neville's Cross ward you'll soon be getting my election leaflet, and my updated website is already online at cornwell.org.uk Any questions? Please post them here

Dear Mr Farage, Your election communication is before me. Soon it will be behind me.

It's trying to snow here, but so lightly that I can count the individual snowflakes.

Does the #BBC not have enough money to rent studios for its foreign reporters? There's a poor man standing in a snow storm in Kyiv. And Katya Adler outside in Paris.

Peter Mandelson is saying that Donald Trump's presidency will be "consequential". The BBC says this is a compliment. May I remind you that Liz Truss's premiership was consequential?

We were contacted this morning from a rather smug @stewartbain.bsky.social (formerly of @orkneylibrary.bsky.social 😒) asking for our reaction to the news that @anncleeves.bsky.social is publishing a new Jimmy Perez novel, set in ORKNEY. No comment. www.thebookseller.com/rights/pan-s...

Back to Ye Old Elm Tree this evening for the first quiz of the year, which we won.

Everyone is welcomed...

I think many of my friends, especially @chazbrenchley.bsky.social and @effjayem.bsky.social, will find this enjoyable and seasonal. The Substack link is the one to take.

Great ending to #Shetland tonight. Worth watching the series if you’ve missed it so far!

Just back from a superb concert by the Coal Porters at the Toft House in Middlesbrough.

At Ye Old Elm Tree waiting for the rest of the team to arrive for the #quiz.

@murphynovels.bsky.social Hello and welcome to Bluesky