Last year the County Council promised the residents of Church Eaton that the footpaths through the Village would be resurfaced with twelve months. However despite having made this promise nothing has happened and Council have now decided not to go ahead with the work.

As residents will know the surface on many of the paths is breaking up and in some places pot holes are starting to appear.

Last year, when he was County Councillor Barry Stamp got the Highways Department to agree to this work, however since he lost his County Council seat in May they have changed their minds and are now saying there is not enough money in the budget to allow the work to go ahead.

Barry believes this is an appalling situation and will be fighting hard to get the Council to change it's mind.

Barry Stamp is calling for a change in the planning laws which allow owners of useable building to demolish them without permission. The call follows the news that developers of the old Haughton Farm site in the middle of Haughton are intending to demolish the old farm house despite the fact that when outline permission for the site was approved the plans showed the house staying on the site.

"The old farm house is a prominent building in the middle of Haughton, which until a few months ago was used as a family home. I am appalled that the developers of this site now intend to demolish the building, even though the outlining planning permission showed it was to remain. I have been assured by the Council's planning department that there is nothing anyone can do to stop this happening. Removing this old building is a great shame as it will change the appearance of the Village centre. I will continue to fight this plan but I am afraid there is little anyone can do as the developers have the law on there side. The Government must change the planning laws to ensure the same fate does befall other communities," said Barry.

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