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Progress has continued to be made on the town centre scheme that is designed to regenerate Bedlington in the last few months. Northumberland County Council’s regeneration company Arch is going through a tendering process for contractors to build the scheme having had significant interest from potential retailers. The tendering works are due to conclude soon with the scheme due to come to a board meeting in the near future to get final sign off. Speaking about the scheme Cllr Richard Wearmouth, cabinet member for economic development, said: “Right from the start of the new administration we said that regenerating Bedlington Town Centre would be a significant priority and work has continued through the last few months to realise this. “We have been in regular contact with the local county councillors who have been pushing hard to make sure that we get a scheme that works well for the town. “I look forward in the very near future to giving full details of the scheme that is to be put before the board including the timeline for the works to be undertaken.” Bedlington Central Cllr Russ Wallace added: “The regeneration of our town centre is absolutely crucial to the future of Bedlington. I am therefore absolutely delighted that the development is moving rapidly into the construction phase.” To find out more about the latest progress go HERE

Many of the considerable numbers of men who enlisted for the First World War from East Bedlington never returned to take up their work in the pits.

Northumberland County Council has agreed a budget to save £65m over the next four years while making ambitious plans for the future. Councillors approved efficiencies of £8.2m for the coming year, £21.1m in 2019-20, and rising to £65.1m over the term of the Medium Term Financial Plan 2018-2022. Council Leader Peter Jackson said: “We’re pleased to have agreed our budget which allows us to balance our books, and do the right thing for the people we serve. But the hard work starts now. “The next three years will be more challenging than ever, and may have a impact on the way we deliver services. “However, we’re bold and ambitious for the future, and by approving this budget we’ll be much better placed to help support a thriving local economy and deliver value for money for the communities we serve. To protect vital services and significant demand in services, the council has reluctantly decided to a Council Tax rise of 2.99%. While this rise in line with inflation, it equates to 85 pence per household per week for a Band D property. Coun Jackson added: ”We’re still very much ambitious for our future, and for the future for the people of Northumberland, and our capital programme of £588m is the biggest ever delivered in the county. “Over the coming years we pledge to continue investing in Northumberland’s future and making sure we get a fair deal for the whole county - one that works for everyone.”

More than £750,000 in cash and suspected Class A drugs has been seized by police after raids in Gateshead this week. The raids were conducted by officers from Northumbria Police on Monday following an intelligence-gathering operation into the suspected supply of Class A drugs in the North East. During the operation £250,000 in cash and more than 5kg of what is believed to be cocaine was seized which has an estimated street value of more than £500,000. Detective Inspector Don Gibson, who has been leading on the operation, said it was satisfying to be able to take a significant amount of what are believed to be Class A drugs off the street. He said: "We have carried out months of intelligence gathering into suspected drugs supply and this has enabled us to seize a significant haul of what is believed to Class A drugs. "It is believed to be cocaine and so what we have seized could be worth as much as £1 million which is one of the biggest seizures we have had. "Illegal drugs have a huge impact on our local communities whether that be through the supply itself or the associated violence and disorder that comes with it. "Our officers will continue to gather intelligence on any suspected illegal activity and would encourage the public to report suspicious behaviour to us. "By working together to take illegal substances off the streets, we can continue to make the Northumbria area a safer place for residents and visitors alike." During the raids four men and one woman were arrested by police and this morning the four men were charged in connection with the seizures. They appeared before magistrates in Bedlington today charged with being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs. Three of the men were remanded in custody until the next hearing at Newcastle Crown Court while a fourth man was released on bail. The woman arrested following Monday's operation has been released under investigation.

Visually impaired Bedlington Station resident Jean Scrowther is searching for a volunteer sighted buddy to accompany her and her guide dog Bess to do a Lidl shop, sometimes pop for a coffee and occasionally go to Morpeth on a market day.

Moving tributes have been paid to a top Northumberland badminton player who has died at the age of 85. Lynn Lacey, nee Jordan, represented the county for around 25 years and won a string of tournaments, but also went on to become a good tennis and golf player. Her real name was Lydia. However she became known in the sporting world as Lynn after her name was misspelt on a team sheet when she was a teenager and the wrong name was subsequently used in press reports about her. Lynn, of Bedlington, has now died after a battle against cancer. Her funeral took place on February 13. Her husband Tom Lacey has paid tribute to her and spoken of her long and successful sports career. Lydia was born in Walker, Newcastle, and was the youngest of five siblings.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in all my years of Sunday pub roast-guzzling, it’s that a beautiful exterior is no indicator of the quality of grub that lies within. The General Havelock is a boozer that reminded me not to judge too much on appearances; the place might not please the eye, but its Sunday dinners certainly please the stomach. The pub has neither a spectacular location, situated as it is close to the A189 Spine Road near Blyth, nor, it has to be said, a well-kept air, with its peeling paintwork on the windows, rather battered furniture and visible mould in one corner of its restaurant. A slight smoky haze, presumably from the kitchen, pervaded both the pub and restaurant section, and I even discovered the lock in the cubicle in the gents’ toilets wasn’t working. However, if you don’t mind your pubs being a bit rough around the edges, the General Havelock’s food will more than make up for what it lacks in the way of refinement. You’ll have to be happy to launch straight into your roast, as there are no starters served – and no other choice of main course. A standard-size pork, chicken or beef meal is £7, or you can opt for a small one for £6. Choosing lamb adds £1 to the bill. I was unsurprised when Mrs E ordered beef, having noticed that particularly wanton look that she gets in her eyes when she hasn’t had any of the stuff for a while. I, on the other hand, struggled to make a decision, so appreciated being offered the option of a bit of all the meats by our friendly server.

Northumberland County Council is backing a flagship campaign to get up to half a million people out and about cleaning up their local communities this March. The Great British Spring Clean is a campaign with a simple aim: to bring people across the country together to clear up the litter that blights our towns, villages, countryside and beaches. Litter remains a huge problem across the country, causing harm to the environment and wildlife, with councils in England having to spend over £700 million on street cleaning services every year. Running from 2 to 4 March, and promoted by Keep Britain Tidy, the Great British Spring Clean wants to inspire hundreds of thousands of people to get outdoors, get active and help clear up the rubbish that lies around us. Northumberland County Council will be encouraging and supporting groups and individuals who want to ‘do their bit’ to help clear up the litter from streets, parks and beaches. Officers will be on hand to give advice, and essential equipment can be loaned to groups who want to collect litter. Council teams can also arrange to pick up the bagged waste afterwards. An ‘environmental prize’ that supports community clean up activity will be offered by the council to the group which collects the most litter during the Great British Spring Clean weekend, with their prize presented at the annual Love Northumberland awards. Last year’s winners received a Superbin, a large steel litter bin with a storage compartment for volunteers litter picking equipment. Councillor Glen Sanderson, cabinet member for the environment and local services, said: ‘We are justifiably proud of our beautiful county and are determined to keep it that way. “We are delighted to be supporting the Great British Spring Clean and encourage as many groups, individuals and organisations as possible to take part. “We can offer equipment, waste collection and all the advice and guidance that groups might need. Together we can make a real difference and clean up the environment on our doorsteps.” If you would like to loan equipment such as litter pickers, hi-visibility vests, gloves and rubbish bags you should email nicola.wardle@northumberland.gov.uk or phone 01670 622997 by Friday 23rd February. To find out more about campaign, and register your event visit www.greatbritishspringclean.org.uk

Two Northumberland firefighters found themselves saving a life outside the county as they made their way to a training course. This morning (February 16), NFRS Firefighters Paul Cameron and Tom Oliver were on their way to an Initial Boat Operators Course on the River Tyne at Newcastle Quayside. En route they came across a crashed car. They then performed CPR on the driver, who it's believed may have suffered a cardiac arrest, until paramedics arrived. Deputy Chief Fire Officer Mark McCarty said: "Paul and Tom acted in the best tradition of the emergency services when they came across this incident and their quick thinking and professionalism helped save the driver's life." Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service firefighters from Colby Court also attended and made the scene safe for the general public and all other road users.

A Bedlington resident is hoping to succeed as an author following the publication of her first novel.

An online campaign which helped to share Northumberland residents’ love for their local parks has won a national award. Northumberland County Council ran the campaign last July, and it has now been recognised as the best in the UK by national environmental campaign charity Keep Britain Tidy. The Love Parks Award recognises an outstanding event or campaign that ran during Love Parks Week 2017, and Northumberland was awarded the top prize at Keep Britain Tidy’s annual Network Awards last Thursday. The Love Parks initiative aims to ensure that residents and visitors use local parks and protect these important green spaces, and the award was open to entries from all local authorities in England and Wales. Northumberland County Council ran a social media campaign to promote how great Northumberland’s parks are and to highlight why residents and visitors ‘Love’ their local parks. Cllr Glen Sanderson cabinet member for environment and local services said: “We are absolutely delighted to have won this national award. “People tell us on a daily basis how much they enjoy parks and green spaces across the county - and it was extremely good to be able to highlight so many of those reasons through this campaign. “I would like to sincerely thank all the residents and visitors who took the time to take part. It is a great credit to our parks and local services staff who maintain our beautiful ‘Green Flag’ parks to such a high standard and who have worked closely with our communications team to run a hugely successful campaign that was so highly commended by the judges.” At the award ceremony, Keep Britain Tidy’s chief executive, Allison Ogden-Newton said: “Each year, our award winners show just what is possible when people have the passion and commitment to make a difference to the environment on our doorstep. “This year is no exception and I would like to congratulate them and thank them all for their incredible work.” During the Northumberland campaign photos and videos were posted on social media each day, building a colourful campaign which demonstrated the fantastic features of the 12 parks across the county that are managed by the county council. Thirty three posts gained a huge 42,059 impressions on Twitter and on Facebook seven posts and videos reached 146,855 people and were viewed 67,300 times. Things that Northumberland residents and visitors said that they love about local parks included meeting friends and family; dog walking; enjoying flowers, plants and green spaces; watching wildlife; enjoying water features such as lakes, streams and paddling pools; and taking part in sports and leisure activities like bowls, football, cycling and play. You can view a video about Northumberland’s Love Parks campaign here.

Are there any areas of land near you that you think could be developed to improve your community? Northumberland County Council is calling for people across the county to put forward sites that they think could be suitable for future development. As part of producing a new ‘Northumberland Local Plan’ for the whole of the county the council is giving people an opportunity to suggest sites for potential use. This ‘call for sites’ will help the council to understand where land could exist for a range of possible future purposes and will add to information already held by the planning team. Sites which could be used for housing, economic development such as business units, or for mineral extraction, will be particularly welcomed. Those which might be used for retail, leisure or other types of development will also be considered. They could include vacant or derelict land and buildings, surplus public sector land, agricultural land, and areas which might present additional opportunities for development within existing settlements. The county council is preparing a new county-wide local plan. The new full plan will set out both the strategic and detailed policies that will guide future growth and development across Northumberland over the next 15 to 20 years. Councillor John Riddle, cabinet member responsible for planning at Northumberland County Council, said: “We are preparing a new local plan for Northumberland which will not only set over-arching planning policies for the future but include detailed land allocations for future development. “We are therefore calling on communities across the county to come forward with any sites that they think might be suitable for development that will enhance the future of their area and the county as a whole. “The council already has a lot of information about sites, but we are extremely keen that this plan meets the aspirations of all residents and communities and so we are inviting everyone to put forward their ideas. “Once we have gathered all this information and assessed it we will then consult on them widely as part of the local plan.” Landowners, developers, agents, local residents and other interested parties are asked to put sites forward for consideration by 5pm on Monday 12 March 2018. The best way to submit information about sites is an online form which can be found at www.northumberland.gov.uk/localplan. An accessible form can also be downloaded, completed and returned to the Council and printed copies are being made available in each of the council’s customer information centres across the county. After this period of consultation, the council will consider and review all of the information received and use it to inform the process of selecting sites that will be proposed for future development in the plan. A draft version of the new local plan will be published for public consultation later this year.

Northumberland County Council is holding a State of the Area Debate on Tuesday 20 February from 3pm in the Council Chamber at County Hall in Morpeth. Cllr Peter Jackson, Leader of the Council, will set the scene before introducing Cabinet colleagues who will briefly speak about the current challenges and opportunities for the county, to stimulate discussion. A public debate will take a ‘Question Time’ style format, facilitated by the Business Chair Cllr Richard Dodd. The meeting will be open to all, and questions from members of the public or councillors can be submitted in advance or will be taken from the floor on the day. The event is expected to run until around 4.30pm. Anyone wishing to submit questions in advance should send them to democraticservices@northumberland.gov.uk by 5pm on Friday 16 February 2018.

Campaigners have spoken of their delight after it was announced that an option to remove a key structure at Humford Country Park in Bedlington is now off the table.

Teenager Bethany Fisher died after Jordan O'Donnell crashed his car on a residential street in Bedlington

Northumberland County Council is consulting community and voluntary, or ‘third’ sector, organisations in the county about how it will provide support to them in the future. The council currently provides funding to Northumberland Community and Voluntary Action (NCVA) to provide support services to the sector. Northumberland CVA helps to build capacity within the sector, to support volunteering initiatives and also to get messages out about the work that the sector does. The current contract is due to end in March 2019. The council has reviewed the current contract and arrangements, looked at future priorities for support, and considered what options could be pursued in taking this work forward. Future options include: Retaining the status quo of a single countywide Commission; Commissioning on the basis of an agreed geographical split; Commissioning on the basis of three individual support packages; Delivering the commission within the council with the support of a facilitating fund; and Withdrawing from the commission. Voluntary and community sector organisations and representatives are being asked to look at a consultation document and give their views on the priorities and options identified. They can also raise any concerns or questions they have. Councillor Cath Homer, cabinet member responsible for voluntary and community sector support at Northumberland County Council said: “The ‘third’ sector play a vital role within our communities across Northumberland - and we want to make sure that we are providing the right levels and types of support. “We welcome all feedback on the consultation document and on support from the council, and will gather all of this information together to help us to shape the type and level of support provided in the future. “Similarly to all services supported by the council it is important that we review this, ensuring that it meets identified aims, and that we can balance providing for it alongside other vital frontline council services.” The council is using a range of methods to consult those with an interest in this issue, including voluntary and community sector and social enterprise organisations, councillors, residents and other stakeholders within the community. The consultation will run until Monday 5th March 2018, after which time responses will be analysed and a report on proposals for the future produced. You can find the consultation document and response form in the Voluntary and Community Sector section of the website www.northumberland.gov.uk

Two North East roads have been ranked among the most dangerous in Britain, a new interactive map reveals. Research conducted by Regtransfers.co.uk shows the routes across the country where you are most likely to be involved in an accident. It found the A193, which runs between Newcastle and Bedlington, had an accident rate of 2.53 per 1 million vehicle-miles driven. And the A68, which links Northumberland and Edinburgh, made the country’s top 50 accident blackspots with a rate of 2.7. These contrast with the average accident rate of 1.48 for the UK. The data, compiled by the private number plate company, also found 13 of the most dangerous roads in Britain all run through London.

Northumberland Archives is looking for volunteers with a passion for history to digitally log records as part of a new initiative, Reading Room. The project, in partnership with FamilySearch.org, aims to make browsing parish registers easier and more accessible for the public. Currently 60% of indexes have been processed for the County and Northumberland Archives are looking for volunteers, to complete the remaining 40%. Volunteers with a keen interest in family ancestry and historic records are being asked to select information from marriage, death and baptism registers online and input them into the digital system to enable the archives to be indexed. People can choose to undertake this work from the comfort of their own home. The role is extremely flexible meaning people can volunteer as little or as often as they want, ranging from ten minutes to a whole afternoon logging records. Councillor Cath Homer, Cabinet Member for culture, arts, leisure and tourism at Northumberland County Council, said: “Reading Room is a valuable and fascinating resource for many people to explore their family history. “Northumberland Archives is offering a great opportunity for people with an interest in local history to get involved. I would encourage anyone thinking about volunteering to take part.” The process to apply is quick and easy and anyone interested should visit www.familysearch.org to register. For more information about Northumberland Archives visit www.experiencewoodhorn.com/collections/ or contact archives@northumberland.gov.uk View the video to find out more - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktd3_lB0aUE

A drink driver was caught out when police pulled him over for having a frozen windscreen. Dean Williamson was travelling along Front Street, in Bedlington, on Boxing Day when a passing officer noticed his front window was iced over. The 28-year-old was initially stopped and told to scrape the windscreen clear but he went on to ignore the warning and carried on driving his Ford Focus, a court heard. The same officer then pulled Williamson over again but noticed he was “swaying and stumbling” when he was ordered to get out of the vehicle. He then failed a roadside breath test and was arrested. Williamson, of Lily Avenue, Bedlington, has now been banned from the roads for three years after he pleaded guilty to drink driving at South East Northumberland Magistrates’ Court.

A bungling thief was snared when he left behind his DNA in the McDonald’s restaurant he burgled for just £3-worth of food. Kane Bircahll smashed a window of the Cowpen Road branch of the fast food giant, in Blyth, and sneaked in during the middle of the night while the premises was closed. The 28-year-old then made-off with £3-worth of food items, South East Northumberland Magistrates’ Court was told. But, not only was hapless Birchall caught in the act on CCTV, he also left behind his own blood and was further identified from his DNA. Now, Birchall, of Burdon Terrace, Bedlington, has been warned he is facing the possibility of time behind bars after pleading guilty to one count of burglary. Adjourning the case for the preparation of a Pre-Sentence Report, District Judge Bernard Begley told him: “This is simply an adjournment so the court can be aware fully of everything about you.

People power has put Bedlington-based blogger James Common through to the finals of a national competition.

An online campaign which helped to share Northumberland residents’ love for their local parks has been shortlisted for a national award. Northumberland County Council ran the campaign last July, and it has now been highlighted as one of the best in the UK by national environmental campaign charity Keep Britain Tidy. The Love Parks Award recognises an outstanding event or campaign that ran during Love Parks Week 2017. The Love Parks initiative aims to ensure that residents and visitors use local parks and protect these important green spaces, and the award was open to entries from all local authorities in England and Wales. Northumberland County Council ran a social media campaign to highlight why residents and visitors ‘Love’ their local parks. Cllr Glen Sanderson cabinet member for environment and local services said: “We wanted to promote the parks and the activities and things that people can enjoy there to a wide audience across Northumberland and the wider region. “We also wanted to support pride in the parks for those who work there and who visit and enjoy them. “Local services staff and parks team members encouraged residents and visitors of all ages to show why they love their local park - having their photo taken with the Love Parks heart, or making a video clip. “It is a great credit to our parks staff and communications team that the campaign has been commended by the judges as worthy of shortlisting for a national award.” Photos and videos were posted on social media throughout the week, building a colourful campaign which demonstrated the fantastic features of the 12 parks across the county that are managed by Northumberland County Council. The council’s communications team also put together videos for a ‘quick tour…’ of each park - and promoted these through social media, encouraging people to visit and enjoy the parks. You can view the videos here. The campaign was primarily run through Twitter and facebook, and the target audience was Northumberland residents and those who visit from the wider region. Thirty three posts gained a huge 42,059 impressions on Twitter, the equivalent of 13% of the population of Northumberland, and 845 people engaged with the campaign through ‘loves’, retweets, comments or other sharing or feedback. On Facebook seven posts and videos reacher 146,855 people and were viewed 67,300 times. They were shared 316 times and 746 people reacted to them. During the week the council also announced £2.3m National Lottery funding which will enable comprehensive improvement to one of its urban parks, in Ashington, and a video about the announcement was viewed 219 times. Things that Northumberland residents and visitors said that they love about local parks include: Meeting friends and family; Dog walking; Enjoying flowers, plants and green spaces; Watching wildlife; Enjoying water features such as lakes, streams and paddling pools; and Taking part in sports and leisure activities like bowls, football, cycling and play. You can view a video about the Love Parks campaign here. The winner of the Love Parks Award will be announced at the annual national Keep Britain Tidy network conference in Brighton on 8th February.

A woman in a Bedlington care home recently celebrated her 100th birthday.

Northumberland County Council hopes a new growth deal for the Borders will breathe new life into previously ‘neglected’ areas of the county. David Mundell MP, Secretary of State for Scotland and Jake Berry MP, Northern Powerhouse and Local Growth Minister, joined cross-border local authority partners (Carlisle City Council, Cumbria County Council, Dumfries & Galloway Council, Northumberland County Council and Scottish Borders Council) for the first Borderlands Growth Deal meeting of 2018. This was the first meeting with UK Government Ministers since the UK Chancellor committed to opening negotiations on a Growth Deal for the area in the 2017 Budget. Northumberland County Council Leader Peter Jackson said: “This deal is all about bringing new life to some of the previously neglected areas of north and west Northumberland. “Whether it be in terms of improving business investment, digital connectivity, tourism or making sure that people have the skills necessary for the modern world, we will use this deal to provide better prospects for our communities.” A Borderlands spokesperson said: “Our shared ambition is to play our full part in the regional and wider UK economy and unlock the potential of the south of Scotland and north of England. We welcomed the opportunity to discuss the Borderlands Growth Deal direct with Ministers. Discussions were positive and although they remain at a relatively early stage we look forward to more collaboration and discussion with both the UK and Scottish governments.” Scottish Secretary David Mundell added: “We are continuing to make good progress towards a Borderlands Growth Deal, which has the potential to transform the economy of the whole region, creating jobs and increasing prosperity. We had a productive meeting with the five Borderlands local authority partners. I was impressed with their enthusiasm for, and the energy behind, creating a transformative deal. We will continue to work closely with the Borderlands partners to work up the detail of their proposals. Northern Powerhouse and Local Growth Minister Jake Berry said: “I'm delighted that we've fired the starting gun on this hugely exciting coast to coast Borderlands Growth Deal-something that will be unique in the UK. I am looking forward to us continuing this progress working with the Borderlands councils and the Scottish Government in the coming months on developing an ambitious sector led deal that will encourage growth and productivity to create thriving local economies both sides of the border." The Borderlands partnership brought together the five cross-border local authorities of Carlisle City Council, Cumbria County Council, Dumfries & Galloway Council, Northumberland County Council and Scottish Borders Council to promote the economic growth and competitiveness of an area that straddles the Scotland-England border. Last year a formal proposition was submitted to the UK and Scottish governments for consideration, focusing on the factors which make the area attractive to investors, visitors and those who wish to relocate. It also aimed to tackle the need for population growth and improved productivity. The proposition focused on several key themes, including: digital technology; innovation; low carbon; and energy. The approach is based on existing physical and infrastructure connections, and transport and connectivity are at the heart of the partners’ proposals, linking the opportunities that can be created and informing future projects. Picture shows Cllr Peter Jackson (left) with Jake Berry MP