Latest news with #JohnCoulson


BBC News
25-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Yarm Town Council resignations lead to temporary appointments
Four councillors have been temporarily appointed to a town council after all of its members quit in the space of a Town Council was left "unable to act" following the 11 resignations earlier this month, some of which were put down to ongoing hostility and claims of a "toxic" Borough Council said four of its members, including one who had resigned from the town council, had been appointed until elections were held.A spokesperson said the resignations meant the town council was "unable to act, as a minimum of four councillors, known as quorum, is required". It explained because there were so many vacancies, the borough council "may, by order, appoint a person or persons to fill all or any of the vacancies until other town councillors are co-opted or elected to take office".The local authority used its power under the Local Government Act 1972 to appoint John Coulson, Andrew Sherris, Elsi Hampton and Stefan followed an initial wave of seven resignations at the beginning of who also represents Yarm on the borough council, was one of the town councillors who resigned - also giving up his roles as chairman and mayor - alongside six previously told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "We left because the situation became untenable and in some ways impossible to carry on. "We couldn't progress and proceed how things were."Councillors Pamela Smailes, Brian Newcombe and husband and wife Bob and Barbara Wegg cited ongoing hostility and a "toxic" atmosphere for their resignations last borough council said a notice of election would be published on its website in the coming weeks, no later than 10 July. Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.


BBC News
08-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Preston Park lodge demolition plans rejected by Stockton Council
Plans to knock down a vandalised lodge and replace it with a partial replica of itself have been refused by Council's planning committee decided the money would be better spent restoring the South Lodge, near Preston Park Museum in Stockton, after it was "left to rot and ruin".After a narrow vote, councillors rejected the authority's plan to demolish the condemned lodge and build a piece of public officers said the building was of "low architectural importance". The lodge was built between 1919 and 1939 to replace an earlier building and was used as a home until 2019, according to the Local Democracy Reporting is currently unused and boarded proposed structure would have consisted of three arch-like alloy steel structures with boards showing the history of the area. Planning officers recommended approving the scheme but Councillor John Coulson called the proposed structure "monstrous". Councillor Tony Riordan said: "I'm concerned that, once we're allowed to get rid of an asset, it's gone, it doesn't come back."Would that money not be better spent preserving what is a building in curtilage of a heritage asset."Councillor Lynn Hall told the committee: "We've left it to rot and ruin really.""I don't think we've looked at any alternatives. "Once that lodge goes, it's gone forever. We should be trying to keep it at all costs." Planning services manager Simon Grundy said the lodge was considered of "low architectural importance" and only of historical significance because of its ties to the Grade II Preston said its loss would be "marginally outweighed by the public benefits" of the sculpture voted seven to six to refuse the plan. Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.