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An £8 billion black hole by 2025 could swallow up popular - but discretionary - council services, local government leaders have warned.
Just to stand still and deliver the same services currently being provided today - which have already been significantly cut in the last decade - the Local Government Association (LGA) estimates that councils would need an additional £8billion more than they are expected to have by 2024-25.
The organisation has launched a campaign to influence the forthcoming Spending Review by warning about the growing risk to vital local services if the Government does not take action to secure the financial sustainability of councils.
But the LGA also said that, with the right funding and powers, councils can continue to lead their local areas, improve residents' lives, reduce demand for public services and save money for the taxpayer.
Between 2010 and 2020, councils will have lost almost 60p out of every £1 the Government had provided for services.
The LGA's chairman, Lord Porter, a Conservative, said: "The money local government has to provide vital services is running out fast and huge uncertainty remains about how councils will pay for services into the next decade and beyond.
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Police are searching for a missing man who may have travelled to Scotland.
Andrew Malcolm, 46, was last seen on Bolam Place, Bedlington on Tuesday February 5 and officers are becoming increasingly concerned for his welfare.
It is believed that he may have travelled to the Dumfries and Galloway area and anyone with information is urged to get in touch.
A spokesperson for Northumbria Police said: "Officers are growing increasingly concerned for his welfare and are keen to make sure he is fit & well.
"Andrew is described as white, of stocky build with a bald head. He was last seen wearing a navy blue T-shirt, black jeans, a black hoodie and black Timberland boots.
"‪It is believed he may have travelled to the Dumfries and Galloway area of Scotland.
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Private surgery helped this teenager live a normal life again - but now she's facing the prospect of yet another operation.
Lucy Huddleston, 17, suffers from adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, a condition which causes her spine to be curved and twisted at the top and bottom, leaving it stuck in a distinct 'S' shape, which was getting more and more pronounced.
The only NHS-funded treatment available would have fused her spine together, severely limiting her movement.
So eager to keep Lucy moving, her family raised over £50,000 and travelled to Germany for surgery.
But now, Lucy is facing yet another costly operation as the spinal curves which had been corrected begin to worsen again.
Dad Mark Huddleston, 46, said: "We are so grateful to the people who helped raise money for the operation.
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This is the spine-tingling moment local darts ace Chris Dobey walked out at the Utilita Arena to Newcastle United anthem Local Hero.
A Magpies fan, for years Dobey has been on the terraces watching his boyhood football club walk out on to the St James' Park turf to the guitar-riffs of Mark Knopfler.
And on Thursday night, he got to experience that himself at the Premier League darts in Newcastle, as he was given a rapturous ovation by his home support ahead of his 6-6 draw with Austria's Mensur Suljovic.
"It was a dream come true to play in front of that crowd tonight, I felt like Alan Shearer at one point!" Dobey told PDC.TV after the game.
"If it wasn't for the fans spurring me on I could've easily thrown that one away and it was a great feeling to get the draw in the end."
Dobey was handed the opportunity as one of nine wildcards who replaced injured two-time world champion Gary Anderson.
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For every boy growing up in Newcastle and its surrounding areas, the dream is to play for Newcastle United at St James' Park.
And Bedlington darts star Chris Dobey was no different, and he was still visibly excited to be at the home of the Magpies for the launch of the 2019 Premier League darts.
But as he sat down to talk to Chronicle Live, he explained why making his Premier League darts debut at Newcastle's Utilita Arena will be the 'next best thing'.
"Every kid's dream is to get out there and play on that pitch but unfortunately football wasn't for me," the 27-year-old explained.
"I have come in to the darts world where I am getting the chance to play in front of the next biggest stage in Newcastle in front of a home crowd. Hopefully it will be an amazing feeling.
"I am going to enjoy it. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity but hopefully I can get up there permanently in the next few years."
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A vision to bring passenger trains back to Ashington and Blyth by 2022 should be a government priority as it will boost opportunities for people living in some of Britain's most deprived communities, a report says.
Northumberland County Council has pledged an extra £3.5m towards a goal of restoring passenger services to 20 miles of track which links Newcastle to Ashington and Blyth . Only freight trains have operated on the Ashington, Blyth and Tyne Line since passenger stations were closed in 1964.
Today, the council has pledged an extra £3.5m to pay for design work, impact assessments and a range of engineering and ecology work, with a feasibility study nearly complete.
Northumberland County Council aims to submit a full business case and design details by the end of the year, and says the plan is to run passenger trains between Newcastle and Ashington by 2022.
Reintroducing passenger services to the current freight line could boost the local economy by up to £70m with more than 800,000 annual return journeys by 2038, the local authority says.
Council leader Peter Jackson said: "We have always supported this ambitious proposal to help secure future jobs and growth across the whole county.
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Bedlington darts ace Chris Dobey says it will be a 'dream come true' when he makes an unexpected Premier League debut at Newcastle's Utilita Arena on Thursday evening.
Each year the cream of the darts crop do battle in a 10-player league to be crowned Premier League darts champion and take home the £250,000 first prize
'Hollywood' will get his first taste of Premier League action when he takes on Mensur Suljovic in front of his home town crowd.
The news came as somewhat of a surprise on Monday, after two-time world champion Gary Anderson pulled out of the 16-week event with a back injury.
Instead of replacing Anderson with a tenth player in the league, the PDC decided to offer nine players a wildcard entry across the first nine weeks of the competition.
“First of all everyone at the PDC would like to wish Gary Anderson a speedy recovery back to full fitness as soon as possible,” said PDC Chairman Barry Hearn.

“Gary’s withdrawal has opened up an incredibly exciting opportunity for the nine contenders to go out and show what they’ve got on some of the biggest stages in world darts.

“The young players who impressed at Alexandra Palace have already shown they can cut it in darts’ biggest ever tournament.

“The local favourites have earned their chance to entertain the crowds and TV viewers, with every one of them will bringing something different to the Premier League party in 2019, and I’m sure they’ll cause a few shocks along the way.

“The PDC has always been about giving opportunities to players and we felt this was the perfect chance to do something revolutionary, as we now look forward to an exciting year of Premier League Darts ahead in 2019."
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A bid for almost 100 new homes on part of the existing course has been lodged to prevent Blyth Golf Club from folding this year.
Bellway Homes has submitted the application to Northumberland County Council , seeking to build 92 houses at the Newsham facility, off Plessey Road.
The proposals would involve the demolition of some outbuildings with the new homes to be built on the site of the 10th and 11th holes, while the clubhouse would be renovated, new outbuildings would be put up, including a Halfway House, and there would be alterations to the course.
The plans are for 24 two-bedroom homes, 41 three-bedroom houses and 27 four-bedroom properties, of which eight would be for social rent and six for sale at discount market value.
A planning statement, by consultants Lichfields, concludes: 'The golf club is in a poor financial position and without any measures to address this, it is likely that the club would be forced to close in 2019 given the current overdraft position with the bank who are providing crucial financial support.
'The proposed development would provide the funds required to improve the golf course and the clubhouse, thereby securing the future of the club.'


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