Bedlington Investment

[Malcolm George Allan]

Hi when I was young living in Bedlington 1950s/60s Bedlington Council was rated as one of the best run Councils in the country, it seems since the amalgamation of Bedlington with Wansbeck that amount of capital investment towards Bedlington did not meet the requirements of improving the town a great deal.

Bedlington used to have an open air swimming pool at Humford in the good care of Wilf Marley this acted as a social hub and a place to keep fit even though the water could be a bit cold sometimes and yet still Bedlington waits for a swimming pool maybe a Community right to build could be put forward to Northumberland County Council for the benefit of all ages of the Bedlington population.

Yours in the Spirit of Co-operation.

Malcolm G Allan.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

@Malcolm George Allan - whats a 'Community right to build'? 

I only know I have seen many comments on the online groups about a new swimming pool in Bedlington and I believe it has been discussed many times by the West Bedlington Council but never had the go ahead

In the 1950's we walked walked to Humford baths and it was 3d for the whole 8 hours Wilf kept it open

Back in 2016-17 we created a couple of Then & Now images :-

In the Gallery section of this group under Historic Bedlington there ia an album with images of Humford. This is a direct link to that album :- 

 

[Malcolm George Allan]

Hi Alan I am a bit rusty with my definitions as I am now retired but had some experience in Workers Co-operative sector. Have found out some interesting things. From the Community Right to Buy introduced as part of the Localism Act 2011.

There are 4 categories as follows.

Community Right to Buy.

Community Buy Out

Community Asset Transfer.

Community Right to bid.

That allows community groups to nominate land or buildings as "Assets of Community Value" that does not guarantee the community the right to buy but it does trigger a process where the Community gets first opportunity to bid when an asset is put up for sale

I have been reading about Bedlington Terriers and the problems they have as a Community Interest Company (CIC) with a company that wants the Bedlington Terriers to vacate the ground that has been part of the local football fabric for a very long time.

If the Bedlington Terriers could look at those 4 categories that I have displayed and they got some legal advice from a Co-operative Development Body in the region this could be of some assistance in their case of keeping Bedlington Terriers at their home ground for years to come.

I don't know if this would be helpful in anyway as there is a very pro-active councillor Malcolm I am not familiar with his surname so apologies for that but he might be interested in this Localism Act 2011 and the categories that could benefit the Bedlington Community in the future as a form of building up Community Assets.

I hope this is helpful information.

Yours in the Spirit of Co-operation.

Malcolm. 

[Malcolm George Allan]

Hi Alan Community Asset Transfer.

It specifically refers to the transfer of assets (Land &Buildings) from a public body to a Community organisation often less than market value, with the aim of promoting COMMUNITY WELL-BEING just like Humford Baths all those years ago Alan just to finish a good legal structure for any Community is a Community Benefit Society (BENCOM) That's it. 

Thanks.

Malcolm. 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

23 minutes ago, Malcolm George Allan said:

Hi Alan I am a bit rusty with my definitions as I am now retired but had some experience in Workers Co-operative sector. Have found out some interesting things. From the Community Right to Buy introduced as part of the Localism Act 2011.

There are 4 categories as follows.

Community Right to Buy.

Community Buy Out

Community Asset Transfer.

Community Right to bid.

That allows community groups to nominate land or buildings as "Assets of Community Value" that does not guarantee the community the right to buy but it does trigger a process where the Community gets first opportunity to bid when an asset is put up for sale

I have been reading about Bedlington Terriers and the problems they have as a Community Interest Company (CIC) with a company that wants the Bedlington Terriers to vacate the ground that has been part of the local football fabric for a very long time.

If the Bedlington Terriers could look at those 4 categories that I have displayed and they got some legal advice from a Co-operative Development Body in the region this could be of some assistance in their case of keeping Bedlington Terriers at their home ground for years to come.

I don't know if this would be helpful in anyway as there is a very pro-active councillor Malcolm I am not familiar with his surname so apologies for that but he might be interested in this Localism Act 2011 and the categories that could benefit the Bedlington Community in the future as a form of building up Community Assets.

I hope this is helpful information.

Yours in the Spirit of Co-operation.

Malcolm. 

Cheers @Malcolm George Allan

I would guess the very ative councilor you are thinking abouit is Malcolm Robinson who often posts info on the work the local council is doing, or not doing.

 

[Malcolm George Allan]

Thanks Alan, I think this is the guy that I have read on some of the posts of what the Council is doing are not doing, I have attended a lot of Glastonbury Town Council meetings even put ideas towards them never got a reply or thank you from them as it seems across the length and breadth of this country (England) that the majority of the populace have no great faith in the actions of our so called elected local Councillors, I wonder why.

Do you just love Democracy?

Malcolm.