Bedlington Has A New Residents Group

[Keith Scantlebury]

As of today there is a new residents group in Bedlington. The Burnside Estate Residents Group was formed and will include the residents of Moorland Cottages and Thomas Holliday Homes. The constitution was presented to the meeting and adopted.

The turn out could have been better, but those residents who were there contributed positively and enthusiastically. We are receiving support from Bernicia, East Bedlington Parish Council, Northumbria Police and Wansbeck CVS.

The reputation that Burnside has had over the last decade or two has not been the best, to say the least. Things have improved significantly over the last 12 months or so and it is our intention to build on that and make it an estate that people wont be ashamed to admit to living on.

There are many good people living on this estate and they have had to suffer the stigma of living on Burnside because of the way a certain few chose to lead their lives by disrepecting their neighbours and environment and, in doing so, tarring everyone on the estate with the same brush, things can only change for the better.

BURNSIDE ESTATE RESIDENTS GROUP

(neighbours pulling together)

This post has been promoted to an article

Edited April 4, 2013 by threegee

[keith lockey]

Good luck with it Keith.

[Keith Scantlebury]

Just spotted the mistake ....... "An New"

[tonyg]

i lived at burnside in 1945 / then bolam place /then waverly ave /then west view . moved to bedlington in 1973 love it [ good luck with bedlington station

[threegee]

I've taken the liberty of promoting this to a front page news item. Also fixed a couple of minor typos, and assumed you meant to say disrespecting not disrepecting. A photo, though not essential, would help a lot!

Really great news. If you require free webpages on Bedlington.co.uk just ask - even your own domain (burnside.bedlington.co.uk maybe?) PM me, or indeed any of the moderators for help. On the new machine you can now to have your own FTP account, so your own webmaster can upload your own pages. There is of course no charge for any of this. Also, you can start your own forum (which can optionally be password protected by you) on the general board.

[Malcolm Robinson]

Well done Keith.

[Pete]

This is a great and positive step forward Keith, all the best with this. There needs to be more residents groups like this not just in Bedlington but across England.

[Adam Hogg]

Well done Keith, hope it works out well for the people of Burnside.

[Keith Scantlebury]

Time will tell folks. I think once people realise they will be getting something out of it, they will show a little more willing. Its a case of working together and meeting each other half way rather than instilling a "them and us " attitude. You only get out what you put in, as they say. There is plenty of help on offer and if we use it wisely, there is absolutely no reason why we cannot be successfull.

Bernicia had the flyers printed for us (I produced them) they printed the copiesof the constitution (saved my ink) and they are making all new tenants aware of the group. They are also vetting all new applicants as to their suitability, police checks, previous tenancies etc. Malcolm did say a short while ago, that if we got this going, we would be flavour of the month and it seems he is right.

Edited March 11, 2013 by keith

[Symptoms]

Keith - I hope this is a successful venture for your community and becomes a beacon of local democracy. The real challenge will be keeping it relevant and truely 'shared' by all; the danger with many of these things is they become driven by just a very few individuals which can untimately cause resentment so the watchword should be inclusivity. Best of luck.

I'm intrigued by your "vetting" with "police checks" - how does this work?

[Brett]

I have shared this on Facebook and Twitter for you as well Keith.

[Keith Scantlebury]

Keith - I hope this is a successful venture for your community and becomes a beacon of local democracy. The real challenge will be keeping it relevant and truely 'shared' by all; the danger with many of these things is they become driven by just a very few individuals which can untimately cause resentment so the watchword should be inclusivity. Best of luck.

I'm intrigued by your "vetting" with "police checks" - how does this work?

Any new applicants for a house are checked out. The house will only be allocated to suitable families, ie for amount of bedrooms etc. Applicants who have been involved with serious crimes or evicted from properties for criminal activity and anti-social behaviour will find it difficult to get a house from Bernicia.

[Keith Scantlebury]

I have shared this on Facebook and Twitter for you as well Keith.

Cheers Brett, I kept it away from facebook prior to the first meeting simply because the group is only open to those living in Burnside, Moorland Cottages and Thomas Holliday Homes.

[keith lockey]

Any new applicants for a house are checked out. The house will only be allocated to suitable families, ie for amount of bedrooms etc. Applicants who have been involved with serious crimes or evicted from properties for criminal activity and anti-social behaviour will find it difficult to get a house from Bernicia.

Having gone through a 'year' of hell with someone who had 'previous' - and who was but next door to me regardless, then I can only see this as a step in the right direction. So I hope it works out Keith. Good luck once again.

Edited March 11, 2013 by keith lockey

[Symptoms]

So it's a Housing Association? I didn't know the Peelers could respond to requests from groups like yours for background checks on prospective tenants; I thought that DBS (the old CRB) checks were only for working with kids, healthcare, fostering, and so on.

[Keith Scantlebury]

So it's a Housing Association? I didn't know the Peelers could respond to requests from groups like yours for background checks on prospective tenants; I thought that DBS (the old CRB) checks were only for working with kids, healthcare, fostering, and so on.

Bernicia is a social landlord Symptoms. Previously called Wansbeck Homes, they took over the housing stock from Wansbeck District Council. I dont think they are the only social landlord who check out their housing applicants to make sure they are suitable.

[Malcolm Robinson]

Sym,

Its not Keef1's group doing the vetting its the housing association doing it and I am not sure DBS will come into it? More probably some sort of 'criminal' or 'anti-social' background checks? ASBO's have to count for something, don't they?

[Keith Scantlebury]

Thats what I was trying to say Malcolm, thanks.

[Symptoms]

Ah, now I see ... thanks guys. However, and there usually is a however with me, I'm interested in what 'official' mechanism is used which allows social landlords/housing associations to gain 'criminal' or 'anti-social background' checks. In other words, who do they approach and under which legislation is intelligence provided?

[Keith Scantlebury]

well if they had been kicked out of a housing association / council house for criminal activity or anti social behaviour it would be easily checked .

[Symptoms]

So it's some sort of database held by councils/housing associations that's checked and not via the Peelers?

[Keith Scantlebury]

The residents group is still going strong. We have just had our 4th xmas party for the kids on Saturday and as usual they thoroughly enjoyed it. Because of the major renovations going on over the last couple of years ,hindered by the original builders going bust we've had to put a few things on hold. We've had financial help  and support from, Bernicia, EBPC,Police and  Crime commissioners Fund and Northumberland Police. We raise money mainly via a weekly bonus ball draw. We are looking to raise funds by other means from next year. A trip is being planned to South Lakes Zoo Park in late Spring / Early summer 2017. Hopefully we can do something for the older residents and get them away in the summer as well. Our bank account is in a healthy state as well.

Maybe we should take up the offer of help to create a website (above GGG) if it is still available . We've managed with a facebook page up till now

 

[threegee]

Get it in the Services Directory then, and yes we are a community resource and a Bedlington URL (and your very own FREE webspace) is there for the asking.  You can also have your own forum on the board providing you provide your own moderation, and it can be as open or as closed as you wish.  PM if you need any other help.

P.S.  Don't forget to post your meetings and other events on the calendar.

[Sharky]

Hi Keith.

We attended the Christmas party with our girls on Saturday and it was a fantastic event, the girls enjoyed them selves and it was a pleasure to be able to take them.

Myself, wife and 2 daughters have just moved into Burnside in July and so far have found the estate to be a lovely close knit community, from the people we have spoke with already we have been made to feel welcome, it was due to this close knit that we became aware of the Christmas party.

I understand there is a Facebook group that promotes all the things going on for the residents, would it be possible to share the site with me. I have tried to search on "Burnside residents" and "Burnside Bedlington" but I cant find anything.

Looking forward to our future in Burnside, keep up the great work

[Keith Scantlebury]

Thanks Sharky,

Everything that happens is a joint effort by the residents . There are a few things planned for next year and hopefully they will come off. 

Many people will tell you what the estate was like prior to the residents group being set up . Life in Burnside has improved considerably.