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Construction is well underway on a new outdoor climbing attraction for Plessey Woods Country Park. The investment in specially constructed ‘climbing boulders’ will complement the refurbished and improved visitor centre and toilets which are due to re-open in the coming months. Three large manmade boulders, around ten feet in height, will be installed in a clearing in the trees, providing fun and fitness for a range of skill levels and abilities. There will be a rubberised surface underneath alongside safety signage. And as part of the scheme a child-friendly boulder climbing is also being put in by the current playpark. The boulders have been paid for by the County Council, Section 106 monies and local County Councillor Malcolm Robinson through his Member’s Small Schemes fund. The boulders will complement the range of improvements to the park’s visitor centre, also supported by Cllr Robinson, which include an enlarged cafe area, modernised kitchen and improved serving area and new toilets. Councillor John Riddle, cabinet member for environment, farming and rural, said: “We are committed to ensuring our parks and green spaces are well managed and maintained, and to invest in them so that they continue to be among our most popular attractions. “We know how important our open spaces are for people’s health and wellbeing and this will be a fantastic new addition for the park, alongside our refurbished and improved visitor centre and toilet facilities.” The climbing structures have been designed to look realistic and provide a range of different holds and routes for climbers and non-climbers of all abilities to have a go at the growing sport of ‘bouldering’. Bedlington West County Councillor Malcolm Robinson said: “This is going to be a great new feature for this wonderful park, and it’s something I’ve been keen to support through funding. “Plessey Woods is so popular with residents and visitors and we hope that this exciting new free-to-access facility will allow non-climbers to get involved, helping them to keep fit as well as attracting those already involved in the sport that want to practice and improve their skills in a safe outdoor environment.”

https://www.youtube.com/live/jn8AXLt35io... I think what happened at the end of yesterday’s full council meeting was ridiculous! I had questions to ask, if not include in debate, as was put forward by the chair but after he railed against Councillor Hill he then went straight to a vote? That’s why I felt I had to vote against, not enough explanation and cutting any debate from members about how we operate within NCC was a step too far! This is after being told not to contact officers directly and now receiving no paperwork for agendas. Looking at the proposals for the Corporate Services and Economic Growth Overview and Scrutiny committee it looks like we have had our wings firmly clipped! The red strike through are what’s been taken out! This strikes me as another example of manipulation to the deterioration of me being able to work effectively for NCC and my residents! One thing for sure now is that I will be pushing to get better transparency and accountability into this system of local government!

Thanks for your words of encouragement yes Bedlington mining history is acknowledged, but the railways and many other topics and contributions are undervalued. Surely we have enough people no matter where they live who would support and maybe have documentation or artifacts which they could share. There wasn’t the social media that there is nowadays when I volunteered to help out with Beamish. I think that it is vital to first of all to collect as much info on line. The go from there. Perhaps a virtual museum at first. Anyway thanks again for your comments

Should have been done decades ago! It irritates me to see videos on the early railways which make zero mention of our unmatched contribution to the railways. I think there was an effort to kill this solely because of the politics at the time. Surely surely we can get over this in the twenty-first century?!

Thanks it was me Pegwoman. I just strongly believe that Bedlington deserves its own museum. I am currently hoping to gather a group of like minded people who would support the project. Thanks for your comment from so far away Bedlington never leaves those who lived there. I only lived there until I was twelve, but it is still a place I relate too.

I'm not sure who wrote the article but I first thought it was Ian Lavery MP , and Mal was sharing it! Good cause, Good luck whoever it was.

I am suirprised that they wanted tpo upgrade the pitch to artificial turf. I have no idea how many, if any, other teams in the league the terriers played in had 3G. But I would always want Bedlington Dr. Pit Welfare Park to have a Bedlington football team playing there🤞. Good luck Mal

Go for it Mal!!!

Done! Good luck with this project, Malcolm. What a boost it would give to the area.

An honest assessment of the current legal situation surrounding the Bedlington Terriers from the MP. Bedlington Terriers FC – a deeply disappointing situation For more than two years, my office and I have worked behind the scenes with a multitude of partners to try to resolve the situation facing Bedlington Terriers Football Club. Until now, we’ve resisted making a public statement, hoping that quiet diplomacy and goodwill would prevail. Sadly, the situation is now worse than ever, and I feel it’s time to speak openly. Bedlington Terriers, a club with a proud history and deep roots in our community, has played at Dr Pit Welfare Park for more than half a century. They had secured planning permission and funding to upgrade the pitch to 3G and improve facilities, an exciting step forward. But legal and ownership complications have derailed everything. The land is governed by a charitable trust originally established for the mining community. When the club tried to move forward with improvements, it became clear that the lease they were operating under was legally invalid. This issue, which was first identified in 2012, was never acted upon and only resurfaced a decade later, when progress on re-development was being made. Northumberland County Council (NCC), which holds the land in trust, attempted a land swap to resolve covenant issues raised by the Charity Commission. However, CISWO (Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation), which has an interest in the site, refused to consent, citing concerns about preserving the site’s heritage and the community’s access. In December, I met with NCC and CISWO to try to find a solution. The council was open to compromise, but CISWO would not budge. Their position is that preserving the site means preventing any development, even if that development would allow the club to continue playing and thriving in the community. I strongly disagree. In trying to “preserve the site,” CISWO is ignoring the reality: Bedlington Terriers have played on the western portion of Dr Pit Park for five decades. They’ve maintained the ground throughout that time. The rest of the park, home to bowls, sports, play areas, and a Green Flag-rated green space, remains untouched and well-used. At the end of last season, the club was relegated from Northern League Division 2 having failed ground grading criteria. Then in the summer, the legal entity running BTFC was struck off the register because of an administrative issue, leading NCC to require the club to vacate the ground. Though the entity was later restored, the damage was done. Bedlington Terriers are now playing in the Northern Alliance at a home pitch outside of Bedlington. The ground, once secured, has since become a target for arson and vandalism. I raised CISWO’s role in this mess from the floor of the Commons last week and have further meetings planned in the coming weeks. Let me be clear: This situation helps no one. Not the mining community CISWO claims to represent. Not the park, which is now suffering from neglect and vandalism. Not the people of Bedlington, who’ve lost their senior football team. And certainly not Bedlington Terriers, who are fighting for survival outside their home town. I still believe a solution is possible, if sensible heads prevail. I will continue to urge all parties to find common ground and do what’s right for the club, the community, and the legacy of Bedlington.

Malcolm Robinson Bedlington West Ward. I’ve been told I need to expand and better explain my post about the proposed project at West Lea. (Well that makes a change from people saying I’m too verbose!) The project I’m promoting, and have been for some years now, is to see a multifunctional facility at West Lea, next to the cemetery. We need a community centre and we need some sporting facilities so why not get them both in one hit, because in all likelihood we will only get one chance at this. That’s why there are questions in the survey about both sports usage and community usage. I’m also keen to see some SEND provision so that’s why that is in too! Also outside I want the full sized pitch restored to level and with drainage, which will help with, or give access for, some drainage for the path. Beyond that two junior pitches installed. With new changing rooms etc. in the new building this will be the best pitch in Bedlington and have decent facilities for our youngsters coming through. I’ve identified a funding route and have a small group of people who are willing to manage it, namely the Bedlingtonshire Development Trust. They have even agreed to do the training necessary so NCC will consider them suitable. Big thanks to each and every one of them for their commitment! I asked a month or two ago for some ‘likes’ to a post I put out about this in an effort to gauge some public support. What came back was about double what NCC get to their consultations and that enabled me to silence the NCC doubters and press through onto the next level. This time it’s a full feasibility study because we have to prove it’s needed, wanted and sustainable. That will be based off the replies to the survey and that’s why I need as many people as possible to fill it in! This isn’t just about the West End of Town or the Top End its for the whole of Bedlington so please fill it in if you would support it wherever you live. Let’s get behind something positive for a change and let’s start to address the lack of facilities investment into the Bedlington for the past few decades! Click the link and fill the survey in......about 2-3 mins! https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx...