Malcolm Robinson

Alan, No I think its actually under Choppington Parish Council. Sure the NCC councillor is Choppington too.

I did go along to see what it was like. As a Panel member I would rather a member of the public replied so I can see what they got out of it. There was a good turnout when I was there with many of the current local topics covered. Northumberland Rail Line. Cycling. Northumberland business help. Advance Northumberland. (Marketplace redevelopment) Borderlands Funding. There was also a questionnaire to fill in which included your suggestions.

https://www.northumberlandline.uk/post/bedlington-works

https://www.northumberlandline.uk/?fbclid=IwAR3-s4BNKXgX-PF343sPVT5atugaLV2MPKUzg1hzESs0QN_Xm8CvMkaAHYo

RIP Your Majesty.

Thirsty Thursdays still on Vic.............

Not Dr Pit Park Alan, sorry.

Well another quite extraordinary Full Council meeting yesterday, this one about replacing the NCC Chief Executive! Never easy to do nor inexpensive but I have to say for the first time, because of an overwhelming public interest, this was done in public, so well done to the Administration for having the bottle to front this one out. The last time I was involved with the same thing it was all done behind closed doors! I went to work at 5am as normal on a Wednesday about today’s meeting and sets of papers pinging into my mobile phone. Having the chance to skim through them I was of a mind to vote against any financial recompense to the current CEX. In fact I was quite determined given the situations we have faced for the last few years! After getting home and a quick shower and change and then up to County Hall for the meeting. I asked for hard copies of the papers and sat down to read through them as quickly as I could. It became apparent this wasn’t as cut and dried as I had imagined and most people watching the full meeting will no doubt come to the same conclusion. We had several presentations and question and answer sessions, interrupted once again by the same member of the public who had to be led away in handcuffs at our last meeting and once again the police had to be called to do the same. So listening and having read through all the legal advice off QC’s, our legal team, the NCC chief finance officer I was of a mind to abstain from the vote, if for no other reason than to register my dismay at what we were being asked to agree. During the debate it became apparent that if the situation wasn’t resolved today then the costs would far outweigh any settlement figure, plus the council would still be stuck in the limbo it had faced for the last few years! I was looking for best value for my residents weighed together with making a principled stance and it was obvious, and at once point stated, that this was in fact the least worst option and the only way we could as a council get back to the real business of working for our residents. Faced with what was in effect a Hobson’s choice and against my better judgment I voted for the recommendations. It would have been much easier to vote against the recommendations citing the financial constraints we are all facing at present, the unlawful nature of some of the items under discussion, the way some people have been treated and some of the details in the settlement, but that would have very real and enormous financial and administrative ramifications going forward for us all! So the least worst option is was then! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yTJpkOQlS8

You might have missed this............https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/northumberland-line-rail-plans-approved-24342677

Thats my concern too Canny lass. Also the free parking is only guarenteed for the first year!

So am I Canny lass but 5 mins to read through about 300 pages of complex legalities................I dont like being asked to make a decision without at least a grasp of the facts. If I had a week to read it through I would still need someone versed in company law to help expalin a lot of it. In my opinion this was going through come hell or high water!

Looks that way to me Canny lass but with planning nothing is as it seems!!!!!!!!!!

Some members seem to like this stuff.......................

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7747/

Canny lass, I’ve since had to opportunity to ask the head of planning the same question and while I was given the correct definition at the meeting it is only one definition????????? Every sub category of housing/planning has its own variation and if fact the government web site I looked at defined it as 80% of market price. So depending on what we are talking about, renting, ownership, part ownership etc. this ambiguous term has a multiple of meanings. Can that be right? For me it’s a misnomer because to the average guy in the street with no planning experience the term means something other than what’s being talked about. Also affordability has to take into account the local wage structure because clearly what’s affordable in the South East cannot be the same as up here! I still think basing anything on a super-heated market will inevitably produce the wrong outcome and if we are talking ‘council houses and social rents’ then we should be able to use a more local and affordable matrix. I think it’s a good initiative I’m just worried that if it’s pitched wrongly we might not actually help the people we should be helping.

But who is JR?

It doesnt get any better!!!!!! https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/daljit-lally-dubai-northumberland-council-24224895?fbclid=IwAR1kuc4xKJ9ksw3M9tAYF86dpfUzlwAAvsnRxEIECdwc_EDPj9KCxo23rk4

Beats me CL..............quoted as £1M of profit and no paperwork????????????? We now have to go cap in hand to HMRC and ask them if we owe anything. I now see there is 'debate' whether or not NCC made anything at all from this.....and with no paperwork who can tell?

Just adding my own comments about the Max Caller report and noting some of the comments my threads get. I think the clarion call coming out of the report is that all sections of NCC need to work as a proper local government organisation for the benefit of our residents. In other words, as far as the elected members go, stop the daft petty squabbling, mudslinging and attempts at point scoring. Have the lessons been learnt? Just yesterday I got two emails about this from other members, one consolatory the other adversarial. Seems we still have a long way to go! I have to say the NCC officers I deal with (certainly at my level!) just want to get on with their jobs and do them as professionally as possible. Without me and other members bringing issues and concerns to them and them responding there would be almost nothing getting done apart from the very base level services. That would seem a good and healthy relationship to have in any organisation and I do recognise not everything can go my way and there are usually very good reasons why not, but as long as these are explained most people understand. The report clearly states where the problems have been and points to the way it will be rectified and I expect that to be underway now! Anyone still wanting more info here is the latest NCC cabinet meeting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJJJOgZLRhs

The second part is perhaps more damming Canny Lass.

I think it was because of the subject matter Eggy..............10 minute comfort break in the middle........and we couldn't take the papers outside the room until after the end!

Well that was a heck of a meeting yesterday! Extraordinary meeting of full council to hear the findings of the Max Caller report into governance at NCC and the chief financial officer’s report into the International business NCC has. Some of us have been asking for quite some time about this International business NCC has and even why the heck we were involved in a healthcare operation in China when there is so much to do much much closer to home! Anyway here is the meeting. With only about 30 mins to read through the report we were allowed one question at each presentation; mine were asking if it was a systems failure or a personnel failure or both and secondly if we have hundreds of thousands of pounds sitting in a unused business bank account, that should be put to better use! It was really disturbing to hear the extent of both but I have to say I think we have seen two female officers who have shown remarkable professionalism and stoicism to get the second item before full council and I would like to thank them for that! The first shows just what some of us have been faced with when trying to get our jobs done! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUVNDwajSBY