ContactingyourCouncillors

Cllr.CraigHannaway-07561467168 craig.hannaway@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk

Cllr.StuartSmith-07557540628 stuart.smith@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk

SurgeryheldoutsideSainsbury’s every3rdSaturdaymorning

Cllr.PhilipThomson-07747044858 philip.thomson@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk

Our busy start to year continued into February when we hostedthevolunteersfromtheRNLIbasedatRedcar.

Despite some technical difficulties they kept us entertained with some great stories. The highlight of the evening was when they invited one of our members to try on their kit to our great amusement. Well done to Tina whodefinitelylookedthepart.

As part of the wider WI several of our members attended an International Day which focused on the mountainousKingdomofNepal.

We were entertained by several speakers, including two Gurkhas based at Catterick Garrison who described how the Gurkhas came to be such a respected part of the British army. The day was rounded off with a lovely Nepaleselunch.

Lesley Wilson

Saltburn has lost its coveted Blue Flag beach status, the gold standard, among beaches due to a decline in bathing waterquality.

The beach was the only one between Whitby, in North Yorkshire, and Roker, on the outskirts of Sunderland, to boast the internationally recognised certification which wasawardedto80beachesinEnglandlastyear.

While this year’s results won't be announced until May, Keep Britain Tidy, which manages the certification process in the UK on behalf of the Foundation for Environmental Education, confirmed it is not eligible to applythisyear.

Saltburn bathing water quality, based on samples previously taken by the Environment Agency, which calculates the results of tests, fell from ‘excellent’ to ‘good’. Water quality is an important part of the criteria, with a Blue Flag certification meaning beaches must meet the ‘excellent’ quality standard as set out in the EU’s bathingwaterdirectivewiththemostimportantstipulation being that no industrial, wastewater or sewage-related dischargeshouldaffectabeach.

Beaches can gain or lose a Blue Flag each year with the award period running from the middle of May to the end of September, during which time the flag can be flown. Several other criteria are also assessed. Beaches must be kept clean and free of litter and waste and there mustbetoilets availabletothepublic. Theymustalsobe safe, being patrolled by lifeguards where necessary and be

The authority will be applying for a SeasideAward, an award that will continue to showcase Saltburn as one of the best beaches in the UK. It is felt that hopefully, the drop in classification will be a one off and we can resume BlueFlagStatusin2024.

Marine Parade Fencing & Allocated Parking Spaces

Wardcouncillorsarehavingregularmeetingswithcouncil officers from the ‘Place Investment Team’ who are overseeing the refurbishment of the perimeter fencing alongMarineParade.

The replacement will be undertaken in the materials that were originally used and not in wood which has been usedtoreplacedamagedsectionsrecently.

The look-out area opposite ‘Jack’s Castle’ will be totally refurbished with new balustrades. Changes to the parking lay-out of Marine Parade are still planned hopefully before the tourist season begins, but are being held up by Northern Powergrid with the works they need to carry out to move street furniture and to provide the power source for the needed additional EV charging pointsplannedforMarineParade.

Ward Councillors have indicated to officers that the planned conversion of the land next to the Northumbria PumpingStationintocarparkingshouldbepriority.

Stuart Smith