Malcolm Robinson

Lilbill15, you can call me anything you want just don't call me late for a dinner! 😂 I did a lot of the research already and then John helped and Andy made it into something publishable..... Im just sick of being told Britishvolt have to be described as being at Blyth because everyone knows where Blyth is and they dont know where Bedlington is!

We have a lot there Eggy and given the amount of times I'm told recently Bedlington isn't as well known as one of our neighbours I think we should be using this to promote the place! In fact i think we should do something really outstanding with it!

A few years ago I put a historical time line together for Bedlington not sure where it went..........ANDY?

Like your thinking Lilbill15.......😀

Im just wondering Canny lass, the shire has about 30,000 these days, Ashington about 32,000 and Blyth used to be 30,000 back in the day never mind the new builds. So is this to have 90,000+ not the 73,000 as stated? Its clearly says no more than 77,000? Alan, whats the current population figures, do you know?

Proposed new Constituency. Wansbeck disappears and becomes part of the new Blyth/Ashington constituency. I think the title says all we need to know! https://www.bcereviews.org.uk/node/6486?postcode=NE638NB&fbclid=IwAR2opQTPvRukCDr0qAcVGRRf3874wD-Wdril7WDHtWQTLfN3k1D0qRK8HGU

Alan, the main part of that was always earmarked for commercial redevelopment since the days of WDC. I know Banks had wanted to build 300 odd hosues there but that scheme never got off the ground.

Britain's first giga plant! https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-56711116

It is Canny lass. With the new parking area where I wanted it we should see a lot more events going on down there making it easier to ask for more upgrades!

https://www.facebook.com/321013641645017/videos/594982757700108 https://www.facebook.com/321013641645017/videos/430688474219411 https://www.facebook.com/321013641645017/videos/808093089689613 https://www.facebook.com/321013641645017/videos/344153499769027

Here is what I have spent over the last 4 years out of my Members Local Improvement Scheme. It would seem some members haven’t spent their allowance for local projects and our last Bedlington West Ward councillor left over £20K unspent in his, which then disappeared, so it wasn’t available to me to use for local projects when I started! There are a couple of projects included which are actually just outside my ward area and I’ll explain why I agreed to them. First one is the new accessible footpath behind the War Memorial in the Town Centre. I think that one is self-explanatory, it’s about commemoration and respect! Second one is the bus shelter on Schalksmuhle Road. I think some of my residents would use that and appreciate it as much as anyone. Third one is the BMX track in Gallagher Park. Again I think the cycling kids in this ward will use that outdoor facility as much as anyone so no problem supporting that. I would just point out that in every case these were shared costs and resulted in improvements way and above what a single contribution would mean and brought benefits to the Town as a whole.

It was the old hut used to store tools etc for the cemetery staff. The Friends group needed a base and that seemed ideal. I have another possible use for it too..........a man shed to help with mental health issues. If we can get some people interested in using it as a meeting place then doing a bit of gardening in the cemetery it would help in many ways! The Yurt in Leading Link can be used in the same way.

Thanks Canny lass. The reason for the videos is that I’m usually accused of being too verbose and you can imagine the reams I would have to write to get all that lot down. One of the accusations levelled at me is that I don’t tell people what’s going on???? Course that probably comes from the politicos who struggle to leap from one paragraph to another and who for decades have never engaged with their communities and it suits their narrative to foster the idea that nothing goes on because Independent councillors can’t get anything done. Well I’m thinking that lot is certainly north of £500K and in all probability something approaching £1M because while I know a lot of the costs I don’t know the costs of the likes of the road improvements and considering most things council wise cost about 2-3 times the usual rate I have no doubt the latter figure is not unrealistic! And BTW, that doesn’t include the £500K I managed to get in last year’s NCC budget for a sports facility at West Lea! A facility I worked on for 2 years had meetings with planners, green space officers, funders, user groups and fabricators. I had all the boxes ticked and even a set of drawings, I then had to hand it all over to NCC who basically pulled it! I just don’t understand why our Town is starved of investment while others, some less populated, get new and refurbished facilities costing tens of millions of pounds? I won the arguments, got the funding yet still we haven’t seen anything built? And it wasn’t the Administration who pulled it, they actually supported it! Another in a long line of sorry tales and something that has to BE changed!

Just a quick round up of what's been going on in my Ward over the last month or so........ Didn't want to leave these important projects unfinished! Movie2.mp4

A snap shot of what's been happening in the Bedlington West Ward over the last 4 years. This one!.mp4 536174421_Thisone!.mp4

Thanks for that -pauls, interesting read and a refreshing one. This is exactly the type of 'conversation' we need in Bedlington so we get the investment, type of development which will focus the Town, help all the existing retailers and add to their ranks. It encapsulates the reasons why I don't think putting in a facsimile of what's available around us will change the fortunes of our Town. We need to be bold, innovative and imaginative if we are ever to see Bedlington become a 'destination' Town.

Ive asked again but still havent got exact details of whats going on. I even asked at the last full council meeting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=17601&fbclid=IwAR3Cpjheg_sgjo89clVvE44YS7RN8htY8dHVHnwx0CBL-doOy4V6fdesdOA&v=6ORSQ-AF99s&feature=youtu.be

Well the good news is that an application for The River Blyth estuary to become a Freeport has been submitted. This once again opens up a whole new range of opportunities for Bedlington, as well as other places of course, but with so many possibilities on our side of the River this could well be another game changer for us. Can wait until we see Puerto Del Bedlington.

Thought it might be worth putting this up to see where we might be going climate change wise. Bit of silliness at the start but it does get interesting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eSBX9Byd3k&fbclid=IwAR3i29HeLXdEakTTtriPGG-mnOT64ZCxT8EJNa5S3aq1KGEFfQPY7Coql2I

Ive done the same _pauls........my update was yesterday or next week. Looks like next week then. I would like to see a business hub with units for people/businesses to go into. I would also expect to see it offering training and retraining not least for the potential new jobs coming to Cambois.

I take your points _pauls and agree in most part. The difference this time is that NCC and the LEP have actually signed off the money for it so it will start. And yes it has little reflection to the original scheme and given recent events Im not too sure Im unhappy about it. Personally I believe we need to reinvent our Town in a dynamic, bespoke and forward thinking way, not just to copy what's available in other nearby towns. Thats what's going to result in footfall and that will mean businesses will inevitably follow.

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/aldi-jobs-being-advertised-northumberland-19742087?fbclid=IwAR1SDLB8FtyrEo8b6jiiUrWyO057Iqfhou8lz3RTyBP3igiQhMV3WcY6Kwc

The Santa tour for the west end of Bedlington will being going ahead Monday night, 21st Dec. We intend starting off at 4.00pm and will head off down Link Avenue and along North Ridge. After a stop at the Willian Allen Homes to give our seniors a carol its then into the West Lea Estate. Hazlemere next and then the Meadowdale Estate followed by Cumberland and Westmorland. After going along Deanery Street and Bishops Meadow we will finally end up going to the Chesters. Sorry can’t give exact times but follow our progress and updates either on my page or Leading Link’s Facebook page. Fingers crossed for the weather! Looks like Stead Lane PTA did a great job let’s hope we see as many smiling faces tomorrow night!