Councillor Crosby - Bedlington Deserves Better

[Bill Crosby]

Let me be clear; there is a commitment from the current political administration to develop a swimming pool in Bedlington. It has been discussed and agreed over several months in response to the changes to the town centre scheme.

That an unnamed Northumberland County Council spokesperson has seemingly questioned this is a matter to be resolved within the corridors of power at County Hall and something that needs to happen now.

Russ, Malcolm and I have already written to the Acting Chief Executive to seek answers and clarification. Our message is that improved leisure facilities are a must for Bedlington and are wanted by residents

It is not acceptable that other towns have the equivalent of two leisure centres and smaller places have leisure facilities that our town does not.

After decades of Labour failing to deliver there is at last an opportunity to provide Bedlington residents with a leisure offer that other areas take for granted.

This is through funding that otherwise would have been spent on retail and the additional resources from government which were recently announced.

If more is needed, then that is where the Council’s capital programme comes into play as it has previously for large scale infrastructure projects across the county.

If that can be done for Ashington, Berwick, Blyth, Morpeth, Hexham and Ponteland then our turn is long overdue.

Bedlington should receive equal treatment; in fact, more than that is required given unequal history.

That is why I stood for election and that is what I am continually seeking to achieve.

As a footnote, I have recently received emails from ‘Mary Whitehouse’ and ‘John Profumo’.

That is the level of the murky and ridiculous antics taking place in Northumberland at present. I am not interested in petty score settling.

Bedlington is my only concern and it deserves better.