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Northumberland County Council has announced steps to take forward a project that will secure new schools and leisure for Ponteland.

The council has carried out a review of previous plans, aimed at to ensuring that investment will provide the best long-term solution for students and the local community.

The original outline planning application for the construction of a new Ponteland High and primary school, alongside a new leisure centre, has been reviewed and the County Council is working hard to address concerns raised by residents.  

The four Ponteland County Councillors asked officers to look at all possible options in detail that will not only provide new schools, but also provide for the long-term interests of the whole community.  

In order to facilitate the design changes, Northumberland County Council is to withdraw the outline planning application originally submitted in December 2016. A detailed planning application will now be developed and will be brought forward as soon as possible.

The submission of a detailed application will also ensure that educational provision for the students on roll at the schools is secured by enabling the construction of the buildings to take place along the shortest achievable timescale.  This will mean any requirement to provide temporary accommodation at the school sites will be kept to a minimum

Cllr Wayne Daley, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children’s Services at Northumberland County Council said: “While we remain committed to the investment of £57m into local education and leisure in Ponteland, we have to be sure that this is going to deliver the best possible educational environment for pupils across Northumberland.  

“We are working hard to ensure we address all of the of concerns raised by parents and residents in Ponteland to achieve the best possible educational outcome for the young people there.”
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Extra payment options for post-16 transport are being introduced as the new administration looks to make the charge easier for households to manage.

The county council is now looking to carry out a comprehensive review of the policy which sees over 100 students in the county having to pay an annual sum of £600 for travel organised by the authority, and other Post 16 students who are able to use public transport having to pay for their own travel'

While it was not possible for the administration to bring in any changes to its Post 16 Transport Policy ahead of the statutory deadline for the 2017/18 school year, it has implemented a new payment system which allows families to spread payments more evenly.

Over the past year 127 students paid for post 16 transport.  Of these 25 paid the fee as a lump sum and 102 choose to pay in instalments. Previously the £600 charge could be paid as a lump sum or as a payment of £200 followed by eight monthly payments by direct debit of £50.

In a bid to help ease household budgeting, students will now be offered a third payment method from September 2017 -  eight payments of £75 via direct debit.

Deputy Council Leader Wayne Daley, who is also Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “As a council we believe the current post 16 travel charges are unfair and we are committed to overhauling this policy.

“While statutory deadlines meant we couldn’t make any major changes for the coming school year we were keen to find a way of offering increased flexibility for those students and families who have to pay the charges.

“Many people find it easier to spread bills evenly in smaller amounts rather than pay lump-sums or larger initial instalments.

“We hope this new system will make things a little easier for some households while we carry out a root and branch review of the whole policy.”

The £600 travel charge for students attending their nearest educational establishments where public transport is not available was introduced by the previous council administration.  
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At its meeting on 5th July Northumberland County Council will consider a motion to withdraw the Northumberland Local Plan Core Strategy from Government and to carry out a review of some aspects of the document.

Members of the council’s conservative group have submitted the motion which is also asking officers to undertake a full review of the housing and employment numbers, and strategic land use allocations, for the plan period up to 2031.

In the motion members stress their support for economic and housing growth to support communities, as well as their commitment to the ambitions of the North East LEP strategic economic plan and North of Tyne devolution agenda.

They question however whether the housing numbers contained within the current core strategy are required to meet these ambitions, and wish to undertake a review and any required public consultation as soon as possible.  

The proposed level of new housing in the County, at 24,320 by 2031 plus the inclusion of up to an additional 2,000 houses at Dissington Garden Village over and above objectively assessed need, are seen as significant issues.

In response to the motion a report to full council by Geoff Paul, the council’s director of planning and economy, sets out the key issues raised by the motion, and what the process for withdrawing the Core Strategy would be.

It highlights an opportunity to review the housing numbers required for Northumberland to deliver sustainable economic and housing growth through a recent refresh of the North East Strategic Economic Plan,  expected revisions to national planning policy and recent and anticipated national publications on housing and population projections.

Coun Peter Jackson, Leader of Northumberland County Council said:  “Our group has long questioned some of the assumptions which were used by the previous council in drawing up the Core Strategy.

“Information currently available, and anticipated for release by the Government later this year, suggests to us that the requirement for housing in our county may very well not be as high as has been proposed previously. We want to use this information from Government and take into full account the latest regional plan in the form of the NE Strategic Economic Plan, to review the need to build on acres of Green Belt land.

“The new council which we are leading is determined to support and protect our communities and to plan for a sustainable and prosperous future for our county and the wider region and we therefore wanted to propose a review at the first opportunity.

“I can promise that the most up-to-date available evidence will inform our review and that the new plan for our county will be produced as soon as possible."

Cllr John Riddle, cabinet member for planning, housing and resilience at Northumberland County Council added:  “We have listened carefully to our communities and want to implement this review of the core strategy to ensure that it is truly fit to address the future housing and economic needs of Northumberland, whilst respecting the environment and protecting our beautiful county.”

Advice has been sought from the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and the report states that a local planning authority can withdraw a submitted plan at any time prior to adoption, at which point it would publish a statement about this and send notification to consultation bodies.  

It would also need to determine at which stage in the plan-making process it would need to go back to in order to make any necessary changes, and discussions are currently taking place with DCLG  in an attempt to arrange a Ministerial visit to speak to the council leadership about the potential scenarios relating to the strategy.  

Members have said that they would wish the work to be done as quickly as possible, so that the strategy can be re-submitted to Government as soon as is practicable.

Risks raised within the council report include the possibility of Government intervention in preparation of the plan due to the delayed timescale, and also of speculative or unplanned development in the county whilst changes are made to the plan.  There could also be the increased likelihood of planning appeals where the council has used the draft plan to resist development proposals. Some current applications may also require re-consideration by committee.

The full council will consider the motion and the report at its meeting at 3pm on Wednesday 5th July in County Hall, Morpeth.


More about the Core Strategy

The Northumberland Local Plan Core Strategy sets out the proposed strategic planning policies of the council to guide future development and planning decisions in Northumberland up to 2031.

In line with national planning policy, the council must provide a positive planning policy framework that supports and grows the economy.  One of the main premises of the currently submitted plan is that without positive policy intervention Northumberland will not have the working age population to support delivery of the Council’s Economic Strategy, or the ambitions of the North East LEP Strategic Economic Plan.

A draft plan was submitted to Government on 7th April 2017 for independent examination.  
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Thousands turned out for the fourth Northumberland Live festival at Blyth at the weekend and quite a few left their litter behind them - much to the dismay of one little boy.
Five-year-old Oliver Jackson, of Blyth , immediately set to work collecting the abandoned cans, chip trays and sweet and crisp packets you can see in his grandma’s photographs.
Proud gran Alyson Young said: “On Saturday evening after the Blyth festival was finished and people were leaving, my grandson, Oliver Jackson, aged five, was watched and admired by many people as he started to clear up the filth and debris that other people had left.
“He was so upset by the amount of litter and mess that adults had left lying in ‘his park’ that he took himself off and found a carrier bag and started to clean up. He said ‘It’s not acceptable to have all this rubbish - why have they done this to my park?’
“People looked on in awe of this little boy and started to give him money for his efforts. As if that wasn’t good enough - he then went on to say, ‘I think I’ll give this money to the poor children’ because they don’t have what he has.
“He went and asked for a bag from an organiser and was picking up everything, including a four-pack of lager which had been left behind, and was dragging it along behind him.
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Northumberland County Council has made a £1.75 million commitment to providing great opportunities for young people, with a recruitment drive for 160 apprentices.

The ‘We’re Making it work’ recruitment campaign has started for the county council’s Apprenticeship Programme, which offers apprenticeships from entry level to Degree level. Over the last five years the council has taken on more than 1000 apprentices, with schools in the county taking on over 200.

Apprenticeship Coordinators will be supporting new apprentices, providing mentoring and advice to assist them through the learning process, along with a dedicated lecturing team.

Daljit Lally, Interim Chief Executive of Northumberland County Council, said: “We support hundreds of apprentices each year and they are incredibly valuable to the council and to businesses across Northumberland.

“Our current recruitment drive will see us take on 160 new apprentices this year, with the commitment that by 2020 we will be supporting up to 400.”

Wayne Daley, Northumberland County Council’s Deputy Leader and cabinet member for Children’s Services, said: “Apprenticeships are an excellent option for all ages. They provide people with the opportunity to develop skills and knowledge while working towards achieving nationally recognised qualifications.

“They aren’t just for young people either - they also suit adults who may be out of work or looking for a career change.

“There are some great opportunities across the county for people to gain the skills, and experience necessary to enter the world of employment.”

Over the last two weeks an apprentice recruitment  roadshow has taken place across the county, giving people the chance to go along for a chat, to ask questions and register interest in becoming an apprentice - 230 people have signed up so far.  There is still time to go along - the Roadshow will be at Sanderson Arcade in Morpeth on the  27, and 28 June, and at the entrance of Willowburn sports centre in Alnwick on the 29 and 30 June.

For information about apprenticeships with Northumberland County Council go to http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/Education/Learning/Apprentice.aspx or email: apprenticeships@northumberland.gov.uk
 
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Northumberland County Council’s Trading Standards service is  urging  owners of Hotpoint  fridge-freezers to check their model numbers for safety reasons after one was identified as the initial cause of the tragic Grenfell Tower fire in London.

Residents who believe they may own a Hotpoint fridge freezer model  FF175BP (white) or FF175BG (graphite), should call Whirlpool Corporation’s freephone hotline on 0800 316 3826 or visit www.hotpointservice.co.uk/fridgefreezer to register their details for further updates.

The council’s trading standards service  is encouraging residents to follow this guidance as soon as possible, to help keep themselves, their family and property safe from harm.

Hotpoint manufactured these units between 2006 and 2009. It  has not been subject to a product recall but current testing by technical experts to establish the cause of the fault,  will establish whether any further action is required.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has ordered an immediate examination of the unit but has added there is “ no specific reason” for people with one of these fridge-freezers to switch them off until a full investigation is carried out.

Hotpoint is expected to give customers further updates about what action it will take, and customers are advised  to follow standard safety advice by not overloading plugs, ensuring sockets are not damaged, and checking cables and leads are in good condition.
 
Paul Hedley, Chief Fire Officer with Northumberland Fire And rescue Service  said:

“ The safety of Northumberland’s residents is our priority. The device is currently  being subject to immediate and rigorous testing to establish the cause of the fire.  

We urge residents with this model of fridge freezer to log their details promptly so if there is a product recall, this can be done swiftly.”
 
Northumberland County Councillor John Riddle, Cabinet Member with responsibility for public protection added:

“Sadly fires in the home can and do happen and smoke, the silent killer, is responsible for over half of all deaths in  house fires.

“ One of the easiest way to protect your home and family is by installing  smoke alarms on every level of your home and making regular checks to ensure they are all in working order.

“ With a simple push of the test button and you can check  both the power supply and the detection mechanism; it should be carried out as a vital part of any household routine. A working smoke alarm can buy you valuable time to get out, stay out and call 999.”
 
People with concerns about product safety can also call the Citizens Advice consumer service line on 03454 04 05 06 or the Government  helpline on 0300 123 1016.

The Government website on product recalls, which will be updated should further action on the product be necessary, can be found at www.gov.uk/productrecall.
 
 
   
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Plans have been submitted for change of use to a Micro Pub at 40c Front Street West Bedlington. 
The applicant has existing businesses at The Office in Morpeth and The Foxes Den in Felton, which have proven extremely popular with local residents. The Office was recently awarded Northumberland Pub of the Year by The Campaign for Real Ale. They now intend to open a similar venue in Bedlington.
The proposal comes after other licensed premises in Bedlington have received criticism due to recent incidents of vandalism in the town centre during the early hours of the morning.
Within the application the proposal is to;
The micro pub which is set to be named The Boxwood Tap joins proposals for a boutique hotel at Laird’s House at the top of the main street.
Bedlington.co.uk contacted The Boxwood Tap for comment and they say this news story accurately represents the position to date.
View the planning application documents on the Northumberland County Council website.
Let us know what you think in the comments below.

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Glastonbury acts are set to appear at the Lindisfarne Festival in Northumberland this summer.
Building on the success of the last two years, Lindisfarne Festival 2017 is gearing up to be an even bigger and better showcase of music, comedy, culture and creative arts.
With Glastonbury 2017 now underway and festival fever in full swing, Lindisfarne Festival organisers are delighted to be showcasing a number of same name acts at their Northumberland event including DJ Norman Jay MBE, Huey Morgan, The Showhawk Duo, Beans on Toast, The Pale White, Backyard Rhythm Orchestra and Little Mammoths.
With tickets sales already ahead by 55% compared to the same time last year, the team are equally delighted to welcome comedian and Punch Drunk founder Kai Humphries to the festival, who along with hosting the main comedy tent at Glastonbury will also be curating this year’s Lindisfarne Festival comedy line-up.
With a stellar list of stand-up talent soon to be announced, full details of the line-up will be revealed at their sold-out Punch Drunk event in Blyth on July 3 featuring Britain’s Got Talent finalist Daliso Chaponda.
Comedian Kai Humphries said: “Punch-Drunk Comedy has had an outrageous start to 2017, welcoming the likes of Zoe Lyons (LIVE AT The Apollo), Dave Johns (I, Daniel Blake), and Paul Sinha (The Chase) to our stages in Blyth, Bedlington , Ashington , and Cramlington .
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County Council ready to respond

By Bot, in News,

Northumberland County Council is providing reassurance to residents that it is fully prepared to respond should a major incident occur within the county.
 
The council regularly carries out reviews of the emergency procedures that are put into action for major events such as serious flooding, severe winter weather and other incidents.
 
Cllr Peter Jackson, leader of Northumberland County Council said:  “Following the tragic Grenfell Tower fire, and aftermath, the council is acutely aware of the importance of a swift and robust response to such an incident from the local authority.
 
“We would like to reassure residents and communities that Northumberland County Council has detailed plans in place to respond to major incidents, which are regularly tested.
 
“Over the last week we have been looking at a number of issues with the aim of providing reassurance that suitable procedures are in place and that we have confidence in our processes.”
 
The council regularly reviews and updates its plans, including how it works with partner agencies to resolve emergency issues and restore normality as soon as is possible. To test arrangements, the council undertakes exercises and trains for these scenarios - including planning how people would be rehoused if their homes were lost or damaged.
 
This planning ensures the council is ready to act when such a situation arises, as was the case early in December 2015 when Storm Desmond hit the region with devastating effect.
 
The county council’s  emergency severe weather response plans were activated and a multi-agency control room was established at Northumbria Fire & Rescue Service’s HQ at West Hartford, where Police, Fire and Rescue, Environment Agency and County Council staff converged to put in place a co-ordinated response to the incident.
 
Departments across the council have been working proactively following the Grenfell Tower fire, to provide reassurance that safety procedures are in place and that there is every confidence in processes.
 
Whilst Northumberland does not have any residential tower blocks of the type involved in the Grenfell Tower tragedy, there are residential low rise premises of up to four storeys.  There are also premises within Northumberland which are fitted with external cladding and the council is working to establish the type and make of those panels.
 
As part of a wide range of measures, the county council will also be liaising with external partners and contacting premises across the county to provide an offer of support, advice and guidance on fire safety matters and asking that they take steps to satisfy themselves that there are no safety concerns for the premises for which they are responsible.  
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The route for the eagerly-anticipated return of the Tour of Britain to Northumberland has been revealed.
Covering 117 miles and passing through 26 communities, one of the most gruelling and prestigious dates on the cycling calendar will make its comeback in the North East on September 4.
Cyclists will begin in Kielder Water & Forest Park at 10.15am and then pass through Bellingham and Otterburn, before heading towards the coast via Elsdon, Rothbury, Alnwick, Eglingham, Chatton, Belford and Bamburgh.
The course then travels down the stunning coastline, passing through the communities of Seahouses , Beadnell, Embleton, Longhoughton, Lesbury, Hipsburn Warkworth and Amble along the way.
Riders will then pedal through Widdrington, Widdrington Station , Longhirst, Ulgham, Morpeth, Guide Post Choppington and Bedlington.
Spectators in Blyth have the chance to see the cyclists twice as they pass through on their way to Seaton Sluice and Seaton Delaval, before looping back to the finish line for the race’s conclusion which is expected at about 3.30pm.


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