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Andy Millne
Tesco's plans are now available on the planning portal
Follow the link above, choose General Public and when prompted for a postcode enter NE22 and you can see the list of all planning applications in Bedlington including Tesco, who have three.
10/S/00076/FUL - The proposed new store
10/S/00077/FUL - Erection of a temporary store
10/S/00-78/FUL - Demolition of the current store.
A few points:
The new store appears to have twice the floorspace of the old one
There should still be pedestrian access from the car park to Front Street
Tesco are proposing to put a mini roundabout at the Vulcan Place junction
John White

Local MP backs radio project

By John White, in News,

Plans for a community radio station serving South East Northumberland have had a welcome boost from Wansbeck MP Ian Lavery says one of the team behind the scheme, Colin Heathcote.
"As chairman of the South Northumberland Radio Group (SNRG) I met Ian to give him a briefing about the proposed station - to be called Synergy.
He fully supported what we are trying to do saying that a community radio station would be a great asset for the area. He thought it was a "˜very exciting project' and wished us luck in our efforts to raise the £60,000 we need to launch a full-time station.
Our first target is £10,000 to enable us to carry out an initial four-week experimental restricted service licence broadcast from a studio in Bedlington. We have been offered premises for a peppercorn rent but have to meet all the public utility and equipment costs together with the licence and performing rights fees.
We've major funding applications pending & I've also talked to several parish and town councils in the area about our plans and, to date, we've had money and funding pledges from four of them.
As experienced community radio technicians and/or broadcasters, we are committed to providing a genuinely accessible local community radio station. And local interest in what we are trying to do is building: an introductory piece on the www.bedlington.co.uk site about our plans has attracted 1,300 hits.
Prime Minister David Cameron talks about a "˜Big Society' and how he wants people to play a bigger role in the way communities function. We feel that a community radio station could help act as a catalyst to wider involvement by the public in what goes on in their areas.
Our objective is to broadcast professionally produced, entertaining programmes that will include music to suit all ages and tastes, interviews with community representatives and speech based contributions from local organisations. The broadcasts will be available via the FM frequency, and on line. Extensive community information will also be posted on the SNRG website: www.snrgroup.co.uk
The area's principal sources of local information are local newspapers and magazines. The radio station would complement these with a round-the-clock service that could offer immediate and rapid delivery of vital local information.
If anybody is interested in our plans, they can contact john.white@snrgroup.co.uk
Andy Millne
Tri Northumberland are hosting two exciting new events in Newbiggin in July.

Couple Swim Challenge
Starting at 6:30pm the swim will take place in the bay on Friday 23rd July and is expected to be completed by 7:30pm.
Couple Challenge Triathlon
The triathlon will take place on Saturday 24th July at 12.00 noon
with a 1900m Sea Swim over 2 laps, taking competitors in and out of the sea.
The bike will complete a 2 lap course to Amble and round Lynemouth, before
returning to Newbiggin. This will start around 12.30pm and extend until 4.40pm.
Your help in keeping the main street as clear as possible, particularly from
12.30pm tilll 1.00pm, as triathletes leave Newbiggin would be really appreciated.
The run will follow a 4 lap course along the full length of the promenade with the first runners leaving the transition at around 2.45pm. Most runners will finish by 6.00pm and the event should be fully complete by around 7.00pm.
We hope these two events will attract support from visitors as well as the local community.
Come down to the promenade and see what's happening and help to give everyone a great experience.
Tri Couple Lampost Flyer.pdf
Gary Smith
Local business man Gary Smith who runs Mr Booncy's Bouncy Castle Hire from Bedlington has started up a sister company Mr Boogie mobile discos.
But with a twist after seeking local knowledge from other Déjà's Gary came across Craig Sanderson a local lad from Bedlington. Gary realised he had hit the jackpot.
Gary Explains,
"I met Craig when I was researching the need for value for money mobile discos in the area".
"I soon realised Craig was a very talented lad not only did he have great knowledge about Dj ing
He also produced his own music productions". Gary said "I soon realised I had stumbled across a very talented lad and felt I needed to help this guy promote his music"
As Gary was already in the process of building his website for his disco service he new this as a great way to help Craig to promote to a wider audience. Gary Said
"I know the importance to be recognised if you have a talent or bespoke service to shout about".
Gary became the winner of The Spirit of enterprise award in September 2009 for his bouncy castle company so knows the importance of being recognised for what he does.
Gary said "I opened a webpage so people could not only look at what services we had to offer but could also listen to Craig's music for free".
Anyone wanting to listen to Craig's music can do by visiting www.bounceandboogie.com
Andy Millne
As you are probably aware Bedlington, like the rest of the county, has been and will be hit with a package of cuts while Northumberland County Council re-adjusts its financial budgets. One of these measures has been to put our Community Centre on closure notice.
To try and mitigate the effects of these cuts, and to bring in additional value for our communities, a Development Trust for Bedlingtonshire has been formed. This Development Trust has formally registered an interest in taking over the Community Centre in an effort to keep it open and accessible for us all. A business plan is being worked on which will go before Northumberland County Council for their consideration.
A vital part of this business plan will be to ask the community for voluntary help in the initial stages of a possible takeover.
By reading this you have already registered an interest in community life within Bedlington and we would therefore respectfully ask if you could consider helping us in our endeavours. We need a handful more people who are willing to give up some of their time to keep the Community Centre open. This should be a short term initiative as development plans are being considered which will make the Community Centre sustainable and allow for its normal commercial viability.
We believe our Community Centre can/will and should be the heart of our community and if that is something you agree with please contact us for further information or leave your thoughts in the comments.
Brian Oliver,
Secretary.
Bedlingtonshire Development Trust.
Andy Millne

Family Food Festival

By Andy Millne, in News,

What to expect?
Fantastic live demonstrations on the cooking bus!
Meet local businesses who will be giving away free samples and selling their produce.
Ted's Picnic performance by The Panto Company.
5 a side football tournament with NUFC coaches.
Live musical entertainment.
BBQ and Northumbrian hog roast.
Face Painter.
and so much more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Date: Wednesday 16th June 2010
Time: 6pm - 9pm
Venue: St Benet Biscop High School, Bedlington.
FREE ENTRY
Aether & Hemera
The National Cycle Network is a Sustrans flagship project. The core aim is to create conditions for people to travel for the benefit of their health and for the health of the environment. Sustrans' Connect2 project is a BIG Lottery funded walking and cycling project that is transforming 79 local communities across the UK by creating new crossings, bridges and underpasses, that overcome existing barriers to provide better walking and cycling links to be completed by 2013.
Aether & Hemera are the artists selected to work with Inspire Northumberland in developing an Art Strategy for two new cycling and walking routes in Blyth and Bedlington.
The project aims at designing innovative artworks that enhance the experience of the environment and create remarkable places to visit in Blyth and Bedlington.
Aether & Hemera's approach is always informed by the fundamental consideration of the activities, history, cultural memories, perceptions and emotions of the human beings who inhabit the space. For this reason the artists would like to hear directly from the local residents what they consider to be the essence of their community. To facilitate this involvement they printed and distributed cards where people can write their say on the future of the new routes and then post the filled cards in the Red Tricycle's mail box.
During the Community Forum on the 20th of May held in Bedlington Community Centre the artists invited the attendants to answers the following questions:
"¢What is your favourite location for cycling or walking?
"¢Do you see things differently when you are cycling or walking?
"¢Does light change your experience of cycling or walking?
"¢Where do you like to stop to have a rest?
"¢What do you feel while you are cycling or walking?
Cards' and Red Tricycle's locations can be seen on Aether & Hemera's blog page where it is also possible to join the discussion and see the progression of the artistic research: www.aether-hemera.com/blog/connect2
Andy Millne
The Friends of Gallagher Park have secured funding totalling almost £70,000 towards a regional standard competition BMX track. The good news was received from the Lottery Greener Spaces Award that a bid of almost £50,000 has been successful and work on construction of the facility at Gallagher Park, Bedlington can commence in May 2010. With local County Councillors Val Tyler and Jeff Gobin supporting the scheme with £10,000 each from their small grant budget, the funding will bring a much needed recreational facility to the people of Bedlington. George Webster, Chairman of the group, said: "I'm extremely happy our hard work and determination to see this project through has eventually yielded some funding. I'm looking forward to this first step to improve the park and help breathe new life into this green community space."
PC McIntosh, Neighbourhood Beat Manager for Bedlington Station and Cambois who has supported the group in it's quest for improved facilities since 2008 said: "It's a massive boost for the local youngsters and the people who have supported the building of this facility. Gallagher Park is an ideal location to host this type of community facility which will go a long way in addressing what the youngsters have been asking for and give them somewhere to congregate away from the shopping area."
The friends are already planning other additional facilities at the park and with the SusTrans Connect 2 cycle path, which links Ashington to Cramlington, set to run through the park it is hoped that it will allow people from other parts of Northumberland to easily access the facilities.
The Barnesbury Cycling Club, which recently qualified as a British Cycling Go Ride club, plan to start fortnightly coaching sessions for children at the park. Chris Gray from the club said: "I hope our children's Saturday afternoon off road coaching sessions will help develop a new generation of cyclist for our club from the local area. We will be developing these sessions throughout 2010 and hope to identify anyone interested in working towards a BMX coaching qualification to enable the club to use the new facility and coach children on a regular basis. With the sport featuring in the 2012 Olympics, it is hoped that Bedlington can capitalise on the interest and publicity generated by British Cycling through a range of activities and initiatives planned for the coming months."
Visit the community forums to view the plans and join the discussion.
Anyone interested in either attending coaching sessions or working towards a BMX coaching qualification can contact Chris on cngray@hotmail.co.uk. Anyone interested in helping to develop the park is urged to contact the Friends of Gallagher Park at gmm.webster@talktalk.net.
Andy Millne

New Community Help Hub

By Andy Millne, in News,

New assistance for those on benefits or looking for work arrives in Bedlington this week with the opening of a Community Help Hub at 30 Front Street West, just across the road from the Lion Petrol Station. The Help Hub, an initiative of County Church Wansbeck, will offer free telephone access to 0870, 0845 and 0800 numbers and free internet access to those seeking to apply for jobs or benefits.
The Church, which does not have a building of its own and meets each Sunday in Bedlington Community Centre at 11 am, has taken on the rental of an empty shop across the road from where it meets, and hopes to use it for the good of the community.
"There are a number of people now who only have mobile phones, and no access to a landline", said Dennis Fancett, a leader of County Church. "It is really expensive to call these so called free and low cost numbers from mobiles, yet most statutory agencies including our very own County Council and most government helplines now insist these numbers are used should you wish to contact them. We believe the Help Hub will provide an answer to those who could not otherwise afford to do so. You can also use our internet service for job applications and to sort out benefits, again a boon for those with no internet at home or pay as you go only, or who may need to phone up for help whilst completing an internet form".
"We are convinced there is a real need for this service" he continued. "In fact, during the last few months, whilst we have been setting up the Help Hub, we've become aware of a very similar service now provided by statutory agencies for one day a week in each of Ashington, Blyth and Morpeth. This convinces us we are on the right track. Whilst obviously we look to work closely and compliment these other services, our focus is to offer something in Bedlington, a community that so often gets overlooked, and of course we will be open 3 days a week thanks to our staff who are mainly volunteers."
Church member Alan Rapley secured funding from Vodafone's World of Difference programme to enable him to work as a project co-ordinator for 2 months, helping in all the work needed to covert the empty shop and liasing with other agencies.
"I firmly believe that the services the Community Help Hub are offering are going to make a real difference to those in the Bedlington and wider Wansbeck area who are struggling financially and who need help to sort out their benefits or look for work." said Alan.
Over time, it is hoped the range of services that can be offered through the Help Hub can be expanded. "We have a large meeting room upstairs and seminars and advice on subjects such as parenting skills, writing a cv, money management and dealing with addictions are all under consideration said Dennis, though initially we just need to focus on the basic Help Hub service. The initial set up costs and ongoing running costs for the Help Hub are currently being met entirely through donations from Church members", he added.
The Help Hub opens Tuesday 16th March and normal opening times will be Tuesday to Thursday from 10 am to 4 pm. However, as it is staffed by volunteers, there may be some variations to these times during holiday periods. The Help Hub is open to all members of the public who wish to use its services.
Read what Bedlington.co.uk members think in the forums.
Andy Millne
At a Northumberland County Council executive meeting this afternoon, March 8th, council were asked to support a submission for a new Academy School for Bedlington. Councillor Andrew Tebbutt agreed this support in principle but stated there was a need to consider any budgetary implications. Working group partners have been identified and it was agreed to support and move the project on.
An Academy is a school that is publicly funded with some private sponsorship but remains independent of local authority control. Since their introduction in 2000 they have been met with mixed reactions over their effectiveness.
Supporters of the schools point to benefits such as improved GCSE results and an increase in innovative and creative methods of solving local issues. Critics claim they are costly, ineffective and a ruse to enable the privatisation of the education system. They also regularly come under attack due to the pupil selection criteria they employ.
Speaking about the proposed Bedlington Academy, Councillor Reed said he hoped this initiative would address some of the underlying social problems parts of Bedlington experience, some of which are in the top 10% most deprived areas in the country.


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