No More Wdc!

[Monsta®]

there times up we'll be invaded by blyth smack heeds and crack heeds from crammy! think its time to move to a different country!

[Mr Darn]

there times up we'll be invaded by blyth smack heeds and crack heeds from crammy! think its time to move to a different country!

Someone mentioned this at work today... whats happening? all of northumberland and newcastle are gonna be one big council?

[Monsta®]

Someone mentioned this at work today... whats happening? all of northumberland and newcastle are gonna be one big council?

no only northumberland and parts of cumbria. they will be merged into two large councils instead of umteen small councils to "save money" (or in other words more holidays and flashy cars!).

[Merlin]

no only northumberland and parts of cumbria. they will be merged into two large councils instead of umteen small councils to "save money" (or in other words more holidays and flashy cars!).

The councillors are going to have to get some strong lacky bands as braces for all that cash thats going to go into their back pockets,we dont know where the money goes with small councils,what chance do we have with one big council

Build the Bedlington wall and be quick about it :lol:

[Monsta®]

The councillors are going to have to get some strong lacky bands as braces for all that cash thats going to go into their back pockets,we dont know where the money goes with small councils,what chance do we have with one big council

Build the Bedlington wall and be quick about it :lol:

you'll be lucky a wall it took them 10 years just to give the place a few new bins and seats! :lol:

[Malcolm Robinson]

you'll be lucky a wall it took them 10 years just to give the place a few new bins and seats! :lol:

Strictly speaking it wasn't the council who got the new seats and bins on Front Street it was a community group though a "heritage" bid! Maybe forming a "community group" whose sole intent is to build Merlin's wall might produce better and quicker results! Passport controls could easily be introduced at Stakeford Bridge, Plessey, Bebside and Nedderton and genetic checks made for quislings!

[Merlin]

Strictly speaking it wasn't the council who got the new seats and bins on Front Street it was a community group though a "heritage" bid! Maybe forming a "community group" whose sole intent is to build Merlin's wall might produce better and quicker results! Passport controls could easily be introduced at Stakeford Bridge, Plessey, Bebside and Nedderton and genetic checks made for quislings!

:lol:

[threegee]

...only northumberland and parts of cumbria. they will be merged into two large councils instead of umteen small councils to "save money"...

Has it dawned on 39 Victoria Street that this would probably end Labour Party domination of one of their last bastions of mindless obedience?

Would this be a bad thing for Bedlington?

[Malcolm Robinson]

Has it dawned on 39 Victoria Street that this would probably end Labour Party domination of one of their last bastions of mindless obedience?

Would this be a bad thing for Bedlington?

GGG,

I think that is what has held Bedlington back for far too long and one of the reasons I would like to see no "party" references on local ballot papers! Every local councillor should be an "independent" and not tied to party lines, they are elected to serve the whole of their constituency and not promulgate their own party's indulgences and support. At national level things, I accept, are different but locally a person's political persuasions have no bearing as to how quick they can get the road done or Mrs Bloggs roof fixed! That might be a bit naive cos it looks very much that if you are not in the ruling party's gang you get very little done but it shouldn't be that way and opposition councillors have to take their share of the blame for letting it happen!

WDC has been stuck in a one party occupation for far too long and it has stifled any worthwhile development in Bedlington. Given a level playing field Bedlington has more natural resources, more natural assets and more economic development potential than anywhere else in the district, ahhhh, but the notorious "smoke filled rooms" in Ashington say NO, any economic regeneration has to be there!

There looks to be an interesting "power play" at the moment with WDC announcing a million squid for Bedders just before the last local election and with Lab having lost the Bedlington central councillors they had WDC look to be trying to back peddle on that commitment!

[Merlin]

GGG,

I think that is what has held Bedlington back for far too long and one of the reasons I would like to see no "party" references on local ballot papers! Every local councillor should be an "independent" and not tied to party lines, they are elected to serve the whole of their constituency and not promulgate their own party's indulgences and support. At national level things, I accept, are different but locally a person's political persuasions have no bearing as to how quick they can get the road done or Mrs Bloggs roof fixed! That might be a bit naive cos it looks very much that if you are not in the ruling party's gang you get very little done but it shouldn't be that way and opposition councillors have to take their share of the blame for letting it happen!

WDC has been stuck in a one party occupation for far too long and it has stifled any worthwhile development in Bedlington. Given a level playing field Bedlington has more natural resources, more natural assets and more economic development potential than anywhere else in the district, ahhhh, but the notorious "smoke filled rooms" in Ashington say NO, any economic regeneration has to be there!

There looks to be an interesting "power play" at the moment with WDC announcing a million squid for Bedders just before the last local election and with Lab having lost the Bedlington central councillors they had WDC look to be trying to back peddle on that commitment!

We may be a one party domain but realisticaly who else is there to vote for?Have they or anyone else ever done anything for Bedlington that does not involve something for themselves?They are the self preservation society!

Ideally we need a Party to be involved with Bedlington and Bedlington only never mind the one upmanship of Ashington Newbiggin etc.If this was so they would have to look after the interests of Bedlington or they wouldn't be elected again!I know this will never happen,but what if......?

[Malcolm Robinson]

We may be a one party domain but realisticaly who else is there to vote for?Have they or anyone else ever done anything for Bedlington that does not involve something for themselves?They are the self preservation society!

Ideally we need a Party to be involved with Bedlington and Bedlington only never mind the one upmanship of Ashington Newbiggin etc.If this was so they would have to look after the interests of Bedlington or they wouldn't be elected again!I know this will never happen,but what if......?

It could happen Merlin and it could happen quite soon! Given the changes which will soon come into play in local gov Bedders could declare itself a "Town Council" and elect a mayor. Personally I would only support such a move if WDC transferred all decision making powers to it and it had real autonomy. Anything else and you will end up paying more and more "rates" for the same services!

[Pete]

It could happen Merlin and it could happen quite soon! Given the changes which will soon come into play in local gov Bedders could declare itself a "Town Council" and elect a mayor. Personally I would only support such a move if WDC transferred all decision making powers to it and it had real autonomy. Anything else and you will end up paying more and more "rates" for the same services!

Malcolm this could be your opportunity to form your own political party for Bedlington.

[Blank]

Malcolm this could be your opportunity to form your own political party for Bedlington.

Vote Malcolm!

[Monsta®]

Malcolm this could be your opportunity to form your own political party for Bedlington.

you could stand for the BNP! the bedlington no-nonsense party!

[Merlin]

It could happen Merlin and it could happen quite soon! Given the changes which will soon come into play in local gov Bedders could declare itself a "Town Council" and elect a mayor. Personally I would only support such a move if WDC transferred all decision making powers to it and it had real autonomy. Anything else and you will end up paying more and more "rates" for the same services!

So Malcolm how does this come about(Town Council) am interested.What changes are coming about?Do you think the decision making powers would really be handed over or is this just pie in the sky?Can it really be done?

[Malcolm Robinson]

So Malcolm how does this come about(Town Council) am interested.What changes are coming about?Do you think the decision making powers would really be handed over or is this just pie in the sky?Can it really be done?

Merlin,

A "Town council" is formed in the same way a Parish council is formed but with a town council you get to have a Mayor. It is really a simple process which needs something like 200 signatures to get started. That is not a problem and could easily be initiated!

The problem is that the council in whose district they operate have to agree[ to the powers they hand over and in WDC's case that will mean keeping bus shelters and public toilets clean! They also have to be self funding so that would be another drain onto "ratepayers!" Some years ago I looked at it quite closely but what you got for what you have to pay it's a no brainer! I know some people are still trying to promote a parish council for the town but unless and until it had real decision making powers it will always be just another layer of funded local Gov, and about as effective! Two councils in the country effectively banned parish councils operating in their district by not giving them any autonomy and so making them so impotent they would be valueless, one was North Tyneside, the other ���.I wonder!

My preferred route was to support an elected NE Regional Assembly which could lobby for the whole area and provide a blueprint for development, underneath a county authority which could dispense services such as Education, emergency, health etc and more local authorities like parish or town councils but with real decision making powers for their locality. That would get rid of the problem, the likes of Ashington councillors and Newbbiggin councillors making decisions about what happens in Bedlington where they have neither business nor morality to be!

Someone should be presenting people with options now, given the shake up in local Gov about to take place, or will it be the case once again the electorate will be told what they are about to get once it becomes a "fait accompli!" Public consultation, publicly conned more like!

As for doing something proactive, like standing up and taking these people on, I am afraid these days I am relegated to being just another "!*!@# ", passing sarcastic remarks and laughing when someone falls down!

[Merlin]

thanks for the info.got something to think about now(that will hurt),as for !*!@# that also sounds like me!!

[Malcolm Robinson]

Having just come up against another fine example of WDC dismissing needs in Bedlington I need to have a rant! It is nothing major but because it is so paltry in the overall scheme of WDC it only increases the disrespect shown!

On another matter WDC should soon be sending out letters to everyone in the town asking questions about leisure facilities, while this might seem to be a step in the right direction I would ask what is the real reason behind it. If WDC is no more in 2009'ish then what hope has anyone got in anything being discussed now actually coming to fruition? You cannot "cost" and "forward plan" if you don't know what situation there will be on the ground! It all smacks of "lip service" being paid because it is too late to actually cost anything!

All that money Mr Devon was shouting about in the press a couple of weeks ago which is supposed to be coming to the town had better come pretty dammed quickly!

The quicker the subject topic on this thread becomes a reality the better!

Rant over.

[Merlin]

Having just come up against another fine example of WDC dismissing needs in Bedlington I need to have a rant! It is nothing major but because it is so paltry in the overall scheme of WDC it only increases the disrespect shown!

On another matter WDC should soon be sending out letters to everyone in the town asking questions about leisure facilities, while this might seem to be a step in the right direction I would ask what is the real reason behind it. If WDC is no more in 2009'ish then what hope has anyone got in anything being discussed now actually coming to fruition? You cannot "cost" and "forward plan" if you don't know what situation there will be on the ground! It all smacks of "lip service" being paid because it is too late to actually cost anything!

All that money Mr Devon was shouting about in the press a couple of weeks ago which is supposed to be coming to the town had better come pretty dammed quickly!

The quicker the subject topic on this thread becomes a reality the better!

Rant over.

Leisure facilities???In Bedlington??What they gonna do open up Humford baths?Where would they put these so called leisure facilities(old topic this)?As you say lip service only!

They could transfer the area command cop shop back to Ponteland and put the cop shop and court house back next to the red lion,then build a leisure complex on both sites also incorporating the car park behind Bedlington Barlass's place(where you gone by the way)you could also utilise the empty co-op building as well.

Or theres the football pitches adjacent to West Lea and the Hartlands,Leisure complex on this waste land!You could tranform Netherton Club into changing rooms and conference centre cos it will close soon due to the smoking ban!

Hope no councillors read this cos they will say "Bloody good ideas these,lets build houses on these places" :lol:

Anyway Just a thought

[Malcolm Robinson]

Merlin,

Do you know why there has been a push for new houses in Wansbeck as a whole. The money collected in business rates in the area goes down to Whitehall, it is then mixed with tax money and redistributed back to the local councils depending on how many houses they have in their area.(One of the criteria anyway) More houses equels more cash, and obviousley including community charges, so there should be the money for better leisure facilities for the people who inhabit these cash cows! Not many years ago Wansbeck was sending a lot more cash down than it was getting back, the new houses will have redressed that imbalance somewhat but I don't know today's figures.

As for where a facility might go, my money would be on the old chestnut of Galagher Park!

[Blank]

As for where a facility might go, my money would be on the old chestnut of Galagher Park!

I would say nowhere, because there is never going to be a leisure center in Bedlington.

Havent talks of leisure centers been going on since the 1920's?

[Richie]

Oooohhh I'm excited how will Ashington cope having their money used elswhere just like they plundered Bedlington funds wehey!!!!!!!!

[Blank]

Oooohhh I'm excited how will Ashington cope having their money used elswhere just like they plundered Bedlington funds wehey!!!!!!!!

It'll probably still get spent on Ashington anyway...

[Malcolm Robinson]

Oooohhh I'm excited how will Ashington cope having their money used elswhere just like they plundered Bedlington funds wehey!!!!!!!!

By the time they come to spend any on Bedlington, Ashington might just be part of a different council!

[Malcolm Robinson]

I would say nowhere, because there is never going to be a leisure center in Bedlington.

Havent talks of leisure centers been going on since the 1920's?

Don't quite remember the 20's!

As for leisure centres, they all have one inherant problem, it costs "ratepayers" to keep them open, almost none make their running costs! Swimming baths are an even bigger drain on the community pot. So before anyone gets too carried away by talk of a leisure facility in the town find out how it will be paid for, running costs that is, capital costs are another thing and there are funding bodies out there who will probably fund the bulk of the build! I don't see why, with a bit of imagination and acumen applied, some sort of self funding multi facility cannot be the way forward.

Oh and by the way, rememeber, the community centre is for sale and the golf club,(both got Bedlington in their titles!) now I wonder where that money might go.......Might even be better to put those sales off until we see how the land lies, politically speaking that is!