Making the news this week…
A small rural school is leading the way when it comes to sustainability and tackling climate change with a raft of eco-friendly measures to dramatically cut the amount of CO2 it produces
We’ve extensive coverage of the dale’s response to the refugee crisis in Ukraine
A popular couple say “all good things must come to an end” as they prepare to retire from the town centre shop in Barnard Castle
A dale chef took part in a three-night sleep-out as part of a challenge to raise cash for the Royal British Legion
The new-look community centre at Toft Hill is enjoying a new lease of life, say delighted officials
Tributes have been paid to the dale’s oldest resident, who has died aged 106
We’ve loads more pictures from World Book Day activities
In sport, there’s a full football round-up plus the latest from West Auckland Boxing Club
We catch up with the Wattyboys ahead of their gig in Barnard Castle and chat to the artist looking forward to a new exhibition at Richmond’s Station
Plus… readers’ letters, this week’s events guide, Bob Garton’s quiz, farming and rural news, family announcements and much more…
All in this week’s paper, out now
![A COUNTY councillor is backing a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing in Staindrop. Frustrated parish councillors in the village summoned their county council representative Cllr George Richardson to their latest meeting to discuss several issues, including the call for a safe way to cross the A688. Earlier this year their request for a crossing was turned down by the county council’s highways officers. Parish council chairman Jonothan Raper described the reasons for the refusal as “spurious” and called on Cllr Richardson to support their campaign. He added: “One of the arguments they made was there is no clear line of desire when they studied the village – well this isn’t a clear line of desire because there isn’t a crossing, people cross whenever they can. “When the lollipop person was there, one of the things I noticed was people would walk all the way down to the lollipop person to cross the road to go to the shop or to go to the school.” He added a problem of parking at the primary school is exacerbated because people are too afraid to walk their children across the road. Cllr Richardson said he had supported previous attempts for a crossing point with the first being made about 15 years ago. He added: “We went fairly well down the road with that and they looked into it. The only recommended place was where the bus stop is and to get the visibility splays, people on the other side of the road would lose their parking. “That didn’t go down well so it just died a death.” Cllr Raper said he suspected the real reason for the officers’ refusal was the cost of installing a crossing. He added that much of the cost could be recovered from savings made on not having to employ a lollipop patrol. Cllr Raper said: “A lollipop person only provides a benefit of crossing for three hours of the day. You are getting 21 extra hours of crossing time [with a pedestrian crossing].” Cllr Richardson said he would raise the issue with the county council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr John Shuttleworth.](https://teesdalemercury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/georgeR-120x86.jpg)
