Contributor Leaderboard

Without doubt this year has been very different to any other. As 2020 comes to an close I would like to give an update on what is happening both in my ward and across Bedlington. I particularly want to touch on why things haven’t moved as quickly as we all hoped on the town centre redevelopment. Like all Bedlingtonians, by now I had expected to see steel frames emerging from the ground, but unfortunately that is not where we are at. Coronavirus has played a large part in this. Ahead of the pandemic Advance Northumberland had both ALDI as the anchor tenant and several other retailers in place to occupy retail units on the site. However, the outbreak caused a number of these other retailers to review their plans. In one case a prospective tenant went into administration. Therefore, from a point where things were looking very rosy, we have had to make changes to the project. These changes were reported earlier in the year and I am particularly delighted that given the reduced demand for space from retailers, improved leisure facilities are now a key part of the town centre redevelopment. In my opinion, these changes are more suited to the needs of residents and will result in a much better overall outcome for Bedlington. Given the ongoing eyesore that is our town centre, along with fellow Bedlington Independent Councillors Bill Crosby and Malcolm Robinson, I am continuing to make the case to the County Council for funding to be made available to advance the revised scheme as quickly as is possible. I have again written today to the Council’s Chief Executive and Leader to remind them of this. As always, requests for funding are difficult when budget cuts are having to be made. However, this assumes all current budgets are not only spent but spent well. For instance, if the Council can invest in an ‘International Team’, it can certainly invest in Bedlington. Equally, any unspent Members Allowance funding, rather than be clawed back, should be transferred to current projects which can deliver. Returning to the retail element of the scheme, ALDI remains as the anchor tenant and I fully expect the deal to bring them to Bedlington to be signed off soon. At that point we will at last see activity taking place on site. A short build time is expected to allow the store to open well before the end of 2021. In the meantime, the leisure part of the scheme will continue to be developed and I will provide an update on the funding situation whenever I can. I mentioned above the need for the scheme to be tailored to the need of the town. With that in mind, the public consultation, in whatever form possible given current circumstances, must ensure that everyone can have their say. The second project I would like to reference is the Northumberland Line. Having taken part in a visit from a former Transport Secretary to Bedlington Station in 2019, I am increasingly optimistic on this project being delivered. After all the promises that weren’t kept and the photographs of politicians longingly looking up the track for a train that never arrived, I never thought it would happen. However, progress at last seems to have been made and this will be an excellent achievement for the County Council The key factor at Bedlington Station will be having enough parking to serve the rest of the town but if that can be provided, I am sure the project will be a great success. As someone who lived on Bower Grange for over 20 years, I am well aware of the positive impact that the increased footfall will have on the economy of the Station. There have certainly been some setbacks in 2020 but as it draws to a close, I am increasingly confident of a much better 2021 for Bedlington.