Local councillor John Clare thanked businesses after he was awarded a special Aycliffe Ambassador award during Wednesday night’s Make Your Mark ceremony on Aycliffe Business Park. Cllr Clare was handed the gong for his outstanding contribution to the business park at the end of the awards presentation, held at the Xcel Centre. “It’s a...

Police are warning motorists of a “zero tolerance approach” as the penalties for using a mobile phone while driving were cranked up today. As from Wednesday (March 1), new legislation means drivers caught using their mobiles will now be subject to a £200 fine and six points on their licence. The new legislation could have a huge effect...

The stage is set for Aycliffe Business Park’s third annual Make Your Mark awards event. More than 250 people will gather for the award-giving bash at the Xcel Centre tonight (Wednesday March 1). For the first time, the available tickets for Make Your Mark – organised and promoted by the not-for-profit Aycliffe Business Park Community Ltd...

More than 5,000 children in County Durham have received a place at one of their chosen secondary schools for September 2017. Parents of 5,088 soon to be Year 7 pupils will on March 1 receive offers for the forthcoming academic year, with 98.3 per cent of them given one of their preferred choices. Of the 5,088 applications made, 4,849 pupils...

The Great Aycliffe and Middridge Partnership – GAMP – which supervises almost £250,000 of County Council locality spending in Great Aycliffe and Middridge – is still advertising for public reps. If you live in Great Aycliffe or Middridge, and are interested in having a say on how this public money is spent locally, call 01325 327441 for...

County Durham-headquartered fitness business OneGym is continuing to grow across the region, opening its latest gym on Teesside following a £250,000 investment. The 12,000 sq ft fitness facility on the border on Ingleby Barwick and Thornaby has created six new jobs, with OneGymnow employing 22 staff across Bishop Auckland, Newton Aycliffe,...

A good weekend of footballing action was preceded with the excitement of the TJFA cup semi final draws on Wednesday night. Each of the Aycliffe sides involved got a home draw, in the League Cup the Under 11's will face Whinney Banks. In the Challenge Cup our Under 9's and 17's will face Nunthorpe Athletic and Seaton Carew respectively. The...

Volunteers are being sought to join a brand new Scrutiny Panel, which will review the investigation and handling of cases of domestic abuse. Ron Hogg, Police, Crime and Victims’ Commissioner for County Durham and Darlington, included the objective to ‘Address the incidence and impact of domestic abuse and sexual violence in all its forms’...

Aycliffe firms PWS, Baltic Training Services and Raisco will battle it out for the Company of the Year gong at next week’s eagerly-awaited Make Your Mark awards event. A total of 65 nominations involving 37 different companies on Aycliffe Business Park were nominated in the third annual Make Your Mark competition. A panel of judges –...

Neighbourhood wardens and staff from civic pride, clean and green and recycling – all have been recognised for their contributions to Durham County Council winning two prestigious national environment awards. The council recently ‘cleaned up’ at the Keep Britain Tidy Awards, taking home prizes for best local authority and best campaign...