The following items were discussed by Darlington Borough Council's Cabinet last night: SITE REFURBISHMENT: Members agreed to release £312,210 of funding from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for improvements to the Honeypot Lane caravan site.
The extra money will go towards providing more amenity blocks at the site and work will be carried out over the next year.
BUSINESS PLAN: A draft business and annual action plan aimed at revitalising Darlington town centre was welcomed. It includes the pedestrianisation of the centre and the development of a shopping centre in Commercial Street.
HAUGHTON ROAD: Councillors were brought up to date with the progress on a plan to transform the town's Haughton Road area and agreed to act as landowners of the site.
SCHOOL CLOSURES: Members approved a report advising them on the closure of Harrowgate Hill Infant and Junior schools, which will be replaced with a primary school due to open in September next year.
DEBT WRITE-OFF: The council has written off debts worth £189,000, which the authority believes cannot now be recovered.
NEW PATH: Councillors gave their approval to a footpath linking Neasham and Hurworth villages, near Darlington. Castlebeck Care, which runs a residential home for autistic people at Neasham's Newbus Grange, is contributing £25,000.
LIBRARY STANDARDS: It was agreed to prioritise the replacement of the mobile library at a cost of £130,000. A report by the Library Standards Task and Finish Review Group concluded that Darlington failed to meet 13 of the 30 Public Library Standards. The e-library in the old Arts Gallery will be developed using existing resources.
Cemetery rules: A new set of rules governing the town's North, East and West cemeteries and Darlington Crematorium were approved, revoking regulations made in 1975.
WEST PARK: Community services will have overall responsibility of West Park, when it opens in spring, in conjunction with the countryside management team from Development and Environment.
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