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An evening of red hot rock & roll, rockabilly, rhythm & blues from Ruby & the boys. You'll hear tunes by Elvis, Chuck Berry, Ruth Brown, Wynona Carr, Wanda Jackson, Janis Martin and many more. Let's boogie!

A Choppington man was served up with a Centre Court ticket for Wimbledon on Monday after waiting in line for 56 hours. To give himself the best possible chance of realising his top bucket-list dream, Des Robson packed up a tent and comfy chair and left his home at 6pm on Friday. He drew up the list after surviving two heart attacks two years ago. The computer technician arrived at the main gate of the All England club at 1.30pm on Saturday and he was rewarded with first place in the queue. This meant he was able to get a ticket for the showpiece court with the action on Monday including defending champion Sir Andy Murray beating Alexander Bublik in straight sets.

Plans to revise and re-launch a much valued community funding scheme are currently being considered by Northumberland County Council. One of the key improvements to the scheme will be a new grant aimed specifically at the under 18s. Proposals for the future operation of the Northumberland Community Chest Scheme will be put before the five new local area councils to seek their views. Under the new plans there will be a ‘Help For You’ scheme for young people. Grants of up to £200 will be available to help those under 18 in pursuing a particular ambition. It is proposed that both the local and countywide elements of the community chest are retained. For local schemes, there will be a £5,000 upper grant limit with a maximum award of 75% of the cost of any proposal. For the countywide element, the pot has been doubled to £60,000. There will be no upper grant limit, but the maximum grant award will be 75% of the project’s costs. The community chest fund has been in operation in Northumberland since 2009 and over its lifetime 1,450 awards have been made to voluntary and community groups totalling £2.6million to develop projects that enhance the environment, improve health and wellbeing and strengthen communities. Leader of Northumberland County Council, Peter Jackson said: “We know how helpful and appreciated the community chest fund has been and how it has benefited so many communities across the county. “We have been reviewing the scheme and feel there is some room to improve it. One of the most exciting aspects is our plan to widen the appeal of the fund to the younger generation. We are proposing to introduce a grant dedicated to individuals under 18s, called Help For You, to help them pursue their ambitions whether they be sporting, musical or academic.” “ We also want to ensure there is a consistent approach in assessing projects across the county. As part of this, we propose that the community chest budget will be managed and allocated locally with funding allocations for each area council , based broadly on the population living within that area.” In future it is proposed that each local area council will have the flexibility to identify particular priority themes which are seen as particularly relevant to their communities. As part of this, both the Ashington & Blyth and Cramlington, Bedlington & Seaton Valley local area councils will have the scope to ring fence an element of their allocations to specifically support the social welfare centres within their areas. Once all local comments have been taken into account, the scheme will be re-launched at the end of July. The deadline for the first round of applications is scheduled for Friday 29 September.

Plans to leave South East Northumberland without a police station open 24/7 have been criticised. Wansbeck MP Ian Lavery says he has been left shocked at news that Bedlington Police Station is to reduce its opening hours. He says the move will leave the constituency without any 24/7 police stations as the front office will only be open between the hours of 8am and 8pm. Blyth and Cramlington police stations will see their front office opening hours cut from 9am to 5pm five days a week to 10am to 2pm five days a week. Northumbria Police say the changes will not see a reduction in the availability of officers but are being made in response to a significant decline in the use of front offices.

A new pilot scheme is being introduced to give local areas more say on road improvements. Extra funding of £500,000 has been allocated for a new Northumberland Local Pothole Fund, on top of the £20m already being spent county-wide through this year’s Local Transport Plan capital programme. The five Local Area Councils are each being allocated £100,000, with members of each Area Council invited to submit suggestions on their priorities for permanent repair of key areas suffering from repeat pothole failure or localised drainage issues. The money is being allocated from some of the additional funding from central Government through their National Productivity Investment Fund to help local authorities improve their highway infrastructure. The deadline for the first round of submissions is mid August, and once received, the identified locations will be inspected and assessed to identify the work needed and the potential cost. At this first stage councillors can submit a maximum of three locations per ward for consideration. It is intended that two further rounds of submissions will be invited later in the year, depending on expenditure as repairs progress. Councillor Glen Sanderson, Cabinet Member for Environment and Local Services, said: “Keeping our 3,000 miles of roads in good condition is a priority for us and this scheme is an excellent way for local areas to identify key locations for improvement. “Local councillors know their own roads extremely well and where the issues are, and we are committed to more decision making at a local level through our new Local Area Councils. “While we expect works will be carried out at the majority of locations put forward, our Area Managers will need to consider whether the scale and cost of the repair is appropriate for funding from this programme “It could be the location is already earmarked for other planned maintenance works, or would be better referred for consideration for repair through other larger capital maintenance programmes. “Either way the pilot scheme will ensure areas of concern are being flagged at both a county and local level and long-standing issues with potholes and road surfaces corrected in a timely manner.” A report on the pilot scheme will be presented to Local Area Councils next week.

A new initiative has been launched in Northumberland to stop residents and visitors falling foul of their most loyal friends. Northumberland County Council is introducing the Green Dog Walkers scheme, a community-led programme to reduce dog fouling and promote responsible dog ownership across the county. Dog walkers are now being encouraged to join up by signing the Green Dog Walker pledge. Those signing the pledge agree to always clean up after their dog and put the bag in a bin and to use a friendly approach to encourage other dog walkers to do the same. Northumberland County Council will provide a Green Dog Walkers support kit to local community groups and individuals who want to get involved. Those that sign up will be sent a green dog walkers armband to wear when walking their dog to help draw attention to the scheme. They will also be sent green doggy bags and pledge leaflets. Green Dog Walking is intended to be a friendly and non-confrontational approach to changing attitudes to the problem of dog fouling. It will complement other existing council approaches being delivered across the county including issuing fines when irresponsible dog owners are caught allowing their dogs to foul without picking up after them and also through educational initiatives promoting responsible dog ownership. Northumberland County Councillor, Glen Sanderson, cabinet member for the environment and local services said: " Failing to clean up after your dog is unacceptable. Dog fouling is one of our top environmental priorities and one of the issues most commonly raised with us by residents. Not only is it unpleasant but dog dirt can carry serious diseases which can cause blindness and liver disorders, and children are the most susceptible. “The council’s dog wardens work hard to educate the public on responsible dog ownership and our commitment to effective enforcement will continue as before with patrols in problem areas across Northumberland “ Green Dog Walkers will have the power to add to their efforts and change attitudes about dog fouling in Northumberland in a positive and friendly way.” Local ward member for Hexham East, Northumberland County Councillor Cath Homer said : “ I would encourage as many people as possible to get involved and sign the pledge, so we can work together to make a real difference and improve the environment for everyone in Northumberland.” If you are interested in becoming a Green Dog Walker, please email greendogwalkers@northumberland.gov.uk, or for further information about the scheme you can visit the council’s website www.northumberland.gov.uk/greendogwalkers

A new thresholds document has been launched today, 3rd July 2017, by Northumberland Safeguarding Children Board, providing guidance to assist professionals in identifying the most appropriate level of intervention and support. This new guidance, helps to clarify for everyone who works with children, the shared agreement on thresholds which have been developed by Northumberland County Council and colleagues on the multi agency Northumberland Local Safeguarding Children Board. The importance of providing help to families at the earliest possible opportunity remains imperative for all professionals who work with vulnerable young people and their families. When concerns become more complex, or where early identification and intervention do not appear to assist in reducing risk, it becomes increasingly important that professionals are able to utilise guidance on what might be the most appropriate “next step”. A new ‘Unborn Thresholds’ document has also been developed which focuses on the specific needs of unborn babies and their families. The new documents will be be used primarily as a helpful indicator of the types of interventions that are felt to be the most appropriate for families. To help support organisations, a large A2 poster of the thresholds document has been designed for organisations to put up in staff areas for easy reference, a webinar has been produced explaining the context and purpose of the document, and case studies have been produced for training exercises with staff to facilitate their understanding of how the documents should be used. Wayne Daley, Northumberland County Council’s Deputy Leader and cabinet member for Children’s Services, said: “Providing early help means providing support as soon as a problem emerges, at any point in a child’s life. “The new thresholds documents will help us and our colleagues in other organisations to identify issues and provide help at the earliest possible opportunity .” Paula Mead, Independent Chair of the multi-agency Northumberland Safeguarding Children Board said: “It is really important for children, young people and their families, that agencies provide them with the right level of support as early as possible. “This document is a tool that helps front-line staff to identify the most appropriate level of intervention and support that children and families need. ” Further information can be found on the Northumberland County Council website www.northumberland.gov.uk/thresholds

Northumbria Police and Northumberland County Council are supporting the Young Drivers Event on Tuesday, 4 July, in Hexham. The event, which is to be held at Hexham Mart, Tyne Green, has been arranged jointly by Fire and Rescue, Police and Northumberland Community Safety and follows a similar event in Alnwick earlier this month. The event is to start at 6pm and runs through until 9pm several emergency services will be in attendance and will provide information and live demonstrations to drivers to highlight key issues and concerns on our roads. It's aimed at young people aged 14-24 but all are welcome to join. The evening begins with an opportunity to view modified cars, speak to medics, Fire and Rescue, paramedics, driving instructors, as well as Northumberland Blood Bike volunteers. You'll also hear from Northumbria's specialist Op Dragoon police, a dedicated team targeting road safety. ROSPA advanced motoring instructors will be on hand to give you a free driving assessment in your own car and a local mechanic will be available to carry out free vehicle checks. Northumbria Police Inspector, Pam Bridges said, “This is a great chance for young people who are already driving or thinking about learning to drive to really understand road safety. You'll see what's involved in a live extraction from a vehicle that's been in a mock accident and get hands-on with other live demonstrations, including a simulated drive with 'beer goggles' to see how dangerous drink driving can really be. For just a few hours of your time, you could learn something that could one day make a big difference or even save your life." Councillor John Riddle, Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing, Public Protection and Fire, said: 'The Young Driver Safety events have a great benefit to drivers and the local community. The events provide a range of information and demonstrations regarding safe driving and provide the attendees with information that they can take away and put into use when on our roads, giving them further education into safe driving with benefits for everyone." The event also provides the opportunity for drivers to have free assessed drives in their own car by ROSPA advanced motoring instructors along with free vehicle examinations carried out by a local mechanic.

Cadet Sergeant Esmée Webley, has won 35 hours of flying tuition worth £3,000, thanks to the Royal Air Forces Association. The RAF charity runs an annual flying scholarship programme, which gives six awards to outstanding members of the Air Cadet Organisation. The awards attract more than 250 applications every year from across the UK. An Air Cadet with 2522 (Bedlington) Squadron ATC, Esmée was presented with her prize by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier, at the association’s annual conference. Esmée said: “It’s been lots of hard work. I applied last year and wasn’t successful, so I think the message is, don’t give up. The amount you can achieve in one year with the ATC can really push forward your application. Just keep trying.” Air Vice-Marshal John Cliffe, chairman of the association, said: “We’re delighted these young adults who aspire to a life in aviation are going to receive some flying training. The quality of entries is extremely high and the application and interview process is very thorough. So our 2017 winners can be very proud of their achievements.”

Police investigating a rape in Northumberland have charged a man. The incident happened in the early hours of Thursday in the Langdale Crescent area of Ashington, near to the town’s cricket ground. Ryan Brody, 20, from Ashington, has been charged with the offence and is due to appear at South East Northumberland Magistrates’ Court, in Bedlington, tomorrow.

These are the schools praised for their teaching standards - and those who’ve been ordered to do better. We’ve summarised findings about the 15 North East schools who’ve had new Ofsted judgments published in June. This month, no local schools have received new ratings of ‘outstanding’, the best possible grade a school can attain following an inspection. However, many were able to celebrate achieving a ‘good’ grade — but a number were ordered to improve, whilst one earned the worst possible score of ‘inadequate’. A short inspection confirmed the school continues to be good - though it has been on “quite a journey” since inspectors last visited. A move to a new building and “tireless” work by staff have left a “very kind and friendly school” where pupils make good progress from different starting points.

Northumberland County Council is reminding parents of the importance of the MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) vaccine, as a very effective way to prevent infection and stop measles from spreading. Measles is caused by a virus which can spread quickly through coughing and sneezing, person-to-person contact, or by touching a contaminated surface. The illness is highly infectious and can cause a rash and high fever. It can also cause serious health complications such as lung and brain infections, especially in babies under a year, teenagers and adults. There are currently large outbreaks of measles across some areas of Europe and with the summer holidays approaching and increasing travel there is a risk of measles being brought back to the UK by people who have not been completely vaccinated. In the last year, there have also been measles cases linked to music festivals and other large public events, mainly in teenagers and young adults. Elizabeth Morgan, Interim Public Health Director, said: “Fortunately, the MMR vaccine is a very effective way to prevent infection and stop measles from spreading to people who can't have the vaccine. Whatever your age, if you think you or your children may not have received two doses of the MMR vaccine, or you are unsure, speak to your GP - it's never too late to have the vaccine and measles can still be serious in adults. “ Northumberland County Councillor Veronica Jones, cabinet member for Adult Care and Public Health, said: “We would encourage all parents to have their children vaccinated against measles. It is important that we raise awareness of health issues and the danger of measles, so parents can make an informed choice about the vaccine.” Dr Alistair Blair, a GP in Morpeth and Clinical Chair at NHS Northumberland CCG, said: “Measles is highly infectious and children and adults who haven’t been vaccinated or had the infection before are at risk if measles is circulating. “There is no treatment for measles but it can be prevented by the MMR vaccine and two doses are required to ensure the best protection. “If anyone has missed out on MMR in the past it’s always possible to catch-up as the vaccine can be given at any age. Just contact your local GP.”

Northumberland Archives at Woodhorn has acquired a collection which has been independently assessed as ‘probably the most important archive of Northumbrian social history’ that was still in private hands. The collection of papers from Dickson, Archer & Thorp Solicitors of Alnwick charts the history of the 200 year old practice from its establishment in the late 18th century until its closure and the death of the last managing partner in 2003. The collection has been purchased by Northumberland County Council’s Archives team at Woodhorn thanks to a series of grants, including from the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF); the Arts Council England and V&A Purchase Grant Fund; Friends of the National Libraries; and the Lord Crewe Trustees, with the total purchase cost £150,000. Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, a HLF grant of £77,400 was awarded to assist with the purchase of the collection and it will also allow Northumberland Archives to engage a volunteer co-ordinator who will work with a team of volunteers to clean, package and undertake basic listing of the collection. The practice had a wide client base dealing with probate cases from families of relatively modest means to handling the business of many county families including that of the Duke of Northumberland. Practice partners were also involved in governance both county-wide and more locally. The collection comprises in excess of 400 archive boxes or more than eight cubic metres of records. Cllr Cath Homer, cabinet member for culture, arts and leisure at Northumberland County Council said: “This is a fantastic acquisition for Northumberland Archives. Once the content has been sorted and listed it will be an amazing resource for those studying family history or local history and also people interested in old wills or in criminal cases. It will give an incredible insight into the history of Alnwick and the wider community. Ivor Crowther, Head of HLF North East, added: “We’re delighted that National Lottery players’ money can support Northumberland Archives to acquire this significant record of local history. The project will not only secure the collection’s future, but also share this heritage with the community through an exhibition and exciting new volunteering opportunities.” Northumberland County Council has recently taken over management of the county’s archive and modern records service in a move that will ensure the sustainability of the collections for the people of Northumberland and further afield. The council is committed to investment in preserving its historical records, and plans are already being developed to increase public access to the collections both online and through outreach programmes. The services also play a key role in strengthening the Council's overall records management, ensuring that in this digital age, the local authority is able to control and govern the vast amount of information it owns.

In light of the Northumbria police decision to close all but one of its stations to the public after 8pm, we asked the questions our readers want answered. From July 17, the front desk at its HQ, Forth Banks, will operate from 8am to 8pm, seven days per week, as will Gateshead . All other stations within Central Area command will move to opening hours of 9am to 5pm. in Northumberland, Bedlington police station will see its front desk operation reduced from 24 hours to 12, between 8am and 8pm. In Ashington and Morpeth, station front desks will be open from 9am to 5pm. While stations in Hebburn, Amble and Killingworth will no longer have a front desk provision. Here are the questions our readers want answered.

Football isn’t just about the big names at the big clubs in the North East. It’s about little lads and lasses pulling on their boots and mams and dads organising their lives around lifts to training sessions, supporting from the sidelines, raising funds, helping to coach, cleaning kits and giving those hugs in celebration or commiseration, depending on the day. The Chronicle recognises that for families across the North East, junior football is a big part of day-to-day life, and this gallery pays tribute to the passion and commitment of all the youngsters involved. We invited clubs and leagues across the region to send their team photos, and we have included them all here along with some great action shots by Alan Hewson Photography. A Your Team supplement, featuring most teams, is published in The Chronicle on Saturday, July 1. For back copies call 0191 201 6300. Even if you are not involved yourself, the looks on these faces will lift your heart. Ashington Town Reds Under 9s, Bedlington Town, Bedlington Town FC Girls, Bedlington Utd U10s, Berwick Juniors, Berwick Rangers, Birtley Town Juniors FC Girls Under 12s, Blaydon YC, Blyth Town Barça Under 13s Girls, Blyth Town Whites Under 10s, Chester le Street Town Whites Under 7s, Cramlington Jnrs, Cramlington Town, Cramlington Utd, Corbridge United Under 10, Cullercoats FC Under 14s Girls, Durham Fed Under 13s, Ellington Jnrs Hawks Under 8s, Felling Magpies Under 11s, Gosforth PSV Under 10s, Gosforth Under 10s PSV, Heaton Hawks Under 7s, Hexham Porto Under 10s, Kingston Park Warriors, KYPC Jags Under 7s, Killingworth Young People’s Club Storm Under 14s, Leam Rangers, Longhoughton Rangers, Lumley Ladies Under 14s, Montagu and North Fenham Lionesss Under 9 Girls, Montagu and North Fenham Whites Under 11s, Montagu and North Fenham FC Blues Under 9s, Montagu and North Fenham Reds Under 7s, Montagu and North Fenham Reds Under 8s, Montagu and North Fenham Reds Under 9s, Montagu and North Fenham Reds Under 10s, Montagu and North Fenham Under 7s Reds, Montagu Blues Under 7s, Montagu Blues Under 8s, Morpeth Town Girls, New Fordley Juniors Under 10, Newcastle Benfield FC, Newcastle Benfield Girls, Newcastle Benfield Under 15s, Newcastle Benfield Juniors San Siro Under 13s, Newcastle Benfiield Olympico Under 7s, Newcastle Benfield Under 14s, Newcastle Benfield Tardini U7s, Newcastle Boys Club Inter U10s, Newcastle City Juniors Under 9s Benfica, Newcastle East End Blues Under 9s, Newcastle East End FC, Newcastle East End FC Blues Under 13s, Newcastle East End Blues Under 14s, Newcastle East End Blues Under 10s, Newcastle East End FC Under 15s, Newcastle East End Under 9s Reds, Newcastle East End Under 11s Reds, Newcastle East End Under 12s Reds, Newcastle East End Whites Under 10s, Newcastle East End Girls Under 10s, Paul Burke Under 10s, Newcastle East End Girls Under 11s Blues, Newcastle East End Girls FC Under 9 Blues, Newcastle East End Red Girls FC Under 11s, Newcastle West End, North Shields Juniors AFC, Northburn Wanderers, NSGathletic Cobras Under 9s, Olympico Under 8s, Paul Burke Under 10s, Ponteland Middle School 12, Ponteland Reds Under 10, Prudhoe Youth Club Hurricanes Under 9s, Red House Elite, Ryton and Crawcrook Albion, Seaton Delaval Dynamos Belgrade Under 14s, South Shields, Stakeford Juniors Under 12s, Sunderland Fulwell Youth Football Under 18s, Swalwell Swifts Under 10s, Team Gosforth PSV Under 11, Throckley Magpies Under 11, Throckley Magpies Under 7s, Throckley Magpies Under 8s, Throckley Magpies Inter Under 12,

Landowners who may be experiencing problems with unauthorised encampments are encouraged to call on the expertise of officers at Northumberland County Council. At this time of year the county sees an increase in the number of unauthorised traveller and non-traveller sites being established on private land. For a fixed-negotiation charge Northumberland County Council is now offering support to landowners through its fully rounded, professional service, which would ensure a quick resolution and smooth move-on of the group from the site. The council has a dedicated Liaison Officer, who works with traveller and non-traveller communities, who can be called upon to begin negotiations with the group, or take up any welfare concerns. A landowner could also be given support from the council’s legal and public protection teams, should court action be required to remove the encampment. John Riddle, Cabinet member for Planning, Housing and Resilience at the council, said: “Where a landowner may not want to conduct negotiations with an unauthorised encampment themselves, they can approach us to help with the move-on process. “Our officers have years of experience and knowledge of working with traveller groups, and often know the families who travel through the county on a regular basis. “Landowners are encouraged to take advantage of this expertise to ensure the smooth removal of a group from their land. “In most cases there are no issues with these types of encampments, but where a landowner feels they need some extra support the council can help.” A fee of £200 would be levied to a landowner for officer time in visiting and managing a move-on of the encampment, this would increase to £400 if court preparation papers or attendance at court by an officer, was required. Any further costs, such as bailiff costs or exceptional court costs would be agreed with the landowner first.

Cadet Sergeant Esmée Webley of Bedlington Air Cadets has won 35 hours of flying tuition worth £3,000, thanks to the Royal Air Forces Association. The RAF charity runs an annual Flying Scholarship programme, which makes six awards to outstanding members of the Royal Air Force Air Cadets. The awards attract more than 250 applications every year from across the UK. Esmée was presented with her prize by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier, at the Association’s recent Annual Conference. Speaking after the presentation Esmée said: “It’s been a lot of hard work, I applied last year and wasn’t successful, so I think the message is, don’t give up. The amount you can achieve in one year with the ATC can really push forward your application. Just keep trying.” Air Vice-Marshal John Cliffe, Chairman of the RAF Association and a former RAF pilot, said: “We are delighted that these young adults who aspire to a life in aviation are going to receive some flying training and so take the first steps. It is how my flying career started and I have always been grateful for the wonderful opportunity given to me at a young age. Because of the costs involved in flying, I know only too well that such opportunities are beyond most families, and so it is really pleasing that the Royal Air Forces Association is able to help make these dreams become reality.” “These annual awards are made by the RAF Association to thank the Air Cadets for their year-round hard work supporting our fundraising and welfare work”, he continued. “The quality of the entries is always extremely high and the application and interview process is very thorough. So our 2017 winners can be very proud of their achievements.” The overall winner is rewarded with a course of 35 hours flight training in a light aircraft, which covers all or part of the tuition needed to obtain a National Private Pilot Licence. This would normally cost around £3,000. Five runners-up receive 12 hours training each (worth around £1,000 each). Applications for the next round of scholarships will open in September/October 2017 and will be announced on www.rafa.org.uk and www.rafayouth.org.uk Credit: Durham Northumberland Wing Air Cadets

Archaeologists working for the National Lottery funded Peregrini Lindisfarne Community Archaeology project have made exciting new discoveries which may well have turned a long held belief about the Holy Island of Lindisfarne on its head. The remote and beautiful island holds a special place in history. Known as the ‘Cradle of Christianity’ in the North East, it was here that St Aidan established a monastery in AD635 and set out to convert the pagan Northumbrians. The monastery developed into an international centre of learning and craftsmanship and it was during this Golden Age of Northumbria that exquisite items such as the Lindisfarne Gospels were produced. All this came to a crashing end with the arrival of the Vikings in the late 8th Century. Many in academic and ecclesiastical circles have long maintained that the close linear arrangement of the the Parish Church of St Marys with the Priory church is evidence of the original locations of the two Anglo-Saxon churches on Holy Island. This close linear relation is evidenced at other early Northumbrian monasteries such as Hexham and Jarrow. Until this summer the assumption has been that the original Anglo-Saxon churches stood down in the shelter a high rocky ridge known as of the Heugh in the area now occupied by the Parish Church and the Priory. But excavations during the last four weeks up on the Heugh suggest a very different configuration. The excavation has revealed the stone foundations of a small rectangular building with a chancel type configuration at the east end. The crude and unmortared walls, very simple window arches and positioning of a possible alter stone all suggest an early date which has led to speculation that this is a church building which could date from the 7th century. The Venerable Bede, writing in c.731, records that St Aidan arrived in Northumbria from St. Columba’s monastery on Iona in 635AD at the request of King Oswald and was gifted the Holy Island of Lindisfarne to establish his own monastery. The parallels between the islands of Iona and Lindisfarne are remarkable and it is easy to understand how this was a suitable location for Aidan to evangelise and convert the Northumbrians, especially given the close visual relationship between the island and the royal court of Oswald at Bamburgh. Contemporary historical sources refer to at least two churches on Lindisfarne, a small timber one built by Aidan and later one built by Finian which was dedicated to St. Peter. Richard Carlton, the director of The Archaeological Practice running the community archaeology dig on behalf of the Peregrini Lindisfarne HLF Landscape Partnership Scheme said: “This second year of investigation on the Heugh has exceeded all my expectation. And with work still to be done to revisit the watch tower structure identified last year and work in the Lantern Chapel building there is potential for the Heugh to yield more of its secrets.” Excavations last year further west on the Heugh revealed a massive foundation wall that archaeologist are now speculating is a foundation for a ‘watch tower’. The Venerable Bede, in his ‘Life of St. Cuthbert’, made reference to a signal from Inner Farne being seen from the watch tower on Holy Island to mark the death of St Cuthbert. Sara Rushton, Conservation Manager at Northumberland County Council, said: “This latest discovery of a potential church building on the Heugh cements Holy Island as one of the most significant early medieval sites in Britain. It is incredible to think that we have uncovered two very significant buildings associated with the early Christian foundation of the priory that provide tangible links to both St. Aidan and St. Cuthbert.” The monastic tradition on Iona, where Aidan came from, was much more dispersed than the patterns that developed at Hexham and Jarrow. The Irish monastic tradition was for small chapels and ‘turas’ type buildings defining the monastic precinct. The scatter configuration of buildings on Heugh certainly seems to have parallels with Iona where there were at least six chapels and this new discovery could be one of a number of chapels within the monastic complex. In addition the close visual relation between the buildings on the Heugh and the castle at Bamburgh, which the priory does not have, is significant and supports the early date. The Peregrini Lindisfarne project is a Landscape Partnership Project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) thanks to National Lottery players and has been developed to conserve, enhance and celebrate the natural and cultural heritage of Holy Island and the wider shoreside landscape. The project is hosted by Northumberland County Council’s planning department. Cllr John Riddle, portfolio holder for planning at the council said: “Community participation is at the heart of the Peregrini project and this Community Archaeology has been a brilliant opportunity for people to get hands-on experience of absolutely fantastic archaeology which illustrates how wonderful the cultural heritage of our beautiful county is.” Ivor Crowther, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund North East, said: “The North East is full of incredible heritage and this find shows that there is still so many stories left to discover. Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players we’re delighted to support this project which is putting communities at the heart of celebrating the history of their landscape and creating strong partnerships to ensure its bright future.”

A family fun day is set to take place this Saturday. Following the success of the inaugural event last year, the Bedlington Picnic is returning to the town – with organisers promising it is bigger than better. The event, from 11am to 6pm, will allow local people to showcase their talents. A variety of foods, stalls, crafts, rides and a dog show will be on offer, as well as free activities for children and a full programme of talented local artists on the stage. Among those performing on the bandstand will be Bedlington Brass Band, Bedlington Choir, Bedlington Ukulele Band, Callie Griffiths School of Dance, Arrieanne Masters and a battle of the bands from 3pm to 4.30pm.

Forth Banks. Newcastle City Centre Police Station, Forth Banks: From 24/7 to 8am – 8pm (7 days a week). Gateshead. High West Street: From 24/7 to 8am – 8pm (seven days a week) Etal Lane. Etal Lane, Westerhope : From 24/7 to 9am – 5pm (five days a week) Byker. Clifford Street: From 8am to Midnight to 9am – 5pm (five days a week) Whickham. Front Street: From 8am to Midnight to 9am – 5pm (five days a week) Newcastle West End : Westgate Road: From 8am – Midnight to 9am – 5pm (five days a week)

Northumberland County Council is about to embark on a major refurbishment within Hexham’s historic Queen’s Hall to create a fantastic new facility that will provide an integrated library, customer and visitor information centre all under one roof. The investment scheme will breathe new life into the library area which has not had any major refurbishment work done to it for over 35 years. It has been designed taking customer needs into account and will create a convenient, modern and accessible service area for residents and visitors. Unfortunately while this work is taking place there will be some brief disruption to the library and tourist information services. These services will be temporarily relocated into the former Tourist Information Centre in the Wentworth Car Park for a twelve week period. A range of normal tourism and library services will continue to be provided here including four public access computers. The possibility of locating additional public computers into the foyer of the Wentworth Leisure Centre is also being explored. To allow for the organisation of this move the library will close at the Queen’s Hall on Saturday 1 July and reopen at Wentworth on Monday 17th July. Customers are currently being informed of the arrangements through social media, posters, fliers and via the website. Alison Elsdon, Director of Corporate Resources at Northumberland County Council said: “ It is great news that part of this wonderful historic building is to be given a new lease of life and the town will receive enhanced, joined up local services. “ We appreciate there will be some disruption to these services while the work is taking place and we are working hard to minimise the impact. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused, but I hope residents bear with us. “ Families can be reassured that the children’s Summer Reading Challenge will go ahead as planned and we are making arrangements to hold summer library activities in Wentworth Leisure Centre.” When the library is closed for two weeks, members will be able to renew or reserve books, 24/7 on the library website www.mylibrary.co.uk or through the library customer service line on 01670 620250. There will also be a book drop-off point at the Queen’s Hall. Corbridge TIC and Library is open six days a week, Monday - Saturday 10am - 4.30pm (closed 1-1.30pm) for those who wish to and are able to travel. A tourist information leaflet point will also be present in the foyer of the Queen’s Hall and staff will also be on hand to answer any enquiries that come in on the Hexham Tourist Information phone line. “ We are reviewing the plans for the layout of the new library with the aim of giving the best level of service to our customers. No definitive decisions have been made regarding the location of the local history collection.” added Cath Homer.

Northumberland County Council has announced steps to take forward a project that will secure new schools and leisure for Ponteland. The council has carried out a review of previous plans, aimed at to ensuring that investment will provide the best long-term solution for students and the local community. The original outline planning application for the construction of a new Ponteland High and primary school, alongside a new leisure centre, has been reviewed and the County Council is working hard to address concerns raised by residents. The four Ponteland County Councillors asked officers to look at all possible options in detail that will not only provide new schools, but also provide for the long-term interests of the whole community. In order to facilitate the design changes, Northumberland County Council is to withdraw the outline planning application originally submitted in December 2016. A detailed planning application will now be developed and will be brought forward as soon as possible. The submission of a detailed application will also ensure that educational provision for the students on roll at the schools is secured by enabling the construction of the buildings to take place along the shortest achievable timescale. This will mean any requirement to provide temporary accommodation at the school sites will be kept to a minimum Cllr Wayne Daley, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children’s Services at Northumberland County Council said: “While we remain committed to the investment of £57m into local education and leisure in Ponteland, we have to be sure that this is going to deliver the best possible educational environment for pupils across Northumberland. “We are working hard to ensure we address all of the of concerns raised by parents and residents in Ponteland to achieve the best possible educational outcome for the young people there.”

Extra payment options for post-16 transport are being introduced as the new administration looks to make the charge easier for households to manage. The county council is now looking to carry out a comprehensive review of the policy which sees over 100 students in the county having to pay an annual sum of £600 for travel organised by the authority, and other Post 16 students who are able to use public transport having to pay for their own travel' While it was not possible for the administration to bring in any changes to its Post 16 Transport Policy ahead of the statutory deadline for the 2017/18 school year, it has implemented a new payment system which allows families to spread payments more evenly. Over the past year 127 students paid for post 16 transport. Of these 25 paid the fee as a lump sum and 102 choose to pay in instalments. Previously the £600 charge could be paid as a lump sum or as a payment of £200 followed by eight monthly payments by direct debit of £50. In a bid to help ease household budgeting, students will now be offered a third payment method from September 2017 - eight payments of £75 via direct debit. Deputy Council Leader Wayne Daley, who is also Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “As a council we believe the current post 16 travel charges are unfair and we are committed to overhauling this policy. “While statutory deadlines meant we couldn’t make any major changes for the coming school year we were keen to find a way of offering increased flexibility for those students and families who have to pay the charges. “Many people find it easier to spread bills evenly in smaller amounts rather than pay lump-sums or larger initial instalments. “We hope this new system will make things a little easier for some households while we carry out a root and branch review of the whole policy.” The £600 travel charge for students attending their nearest educational establishments where public transport is not available was introduced by the previous council administration.

At its meeting on 5th July Northumberland County Council will consider a motion to withdraw the Northumberland Local Plan Core Strategy from Government and to carry out a review of some aspects of the document. Members of the council’s conservative group have submitted the motion which is also asking officers to undertake a full review of the housing and employment numbers, and strategic land use allocations, for the plan period up to 2031. In the motion members stress their support for economic and housing growth to support communities, as well as their commitment to the ambitions of the North East LEP strategic economic plan and North of Tyne devolution agenda. They question however whether the housing numbers contained within the current core strategy are required to meet these ambitions, and wish to undertake a review and any required public consultation as soon as possible. The proposed level of new housing in the County, at 24,320 by 2031 plus the inclusion of up to an additional 2,000 houses at Dissington Garden Village over and above objectively assessed need, are seen as significant issues. In response to the motion a report to full council by Geoff Paul, the council’s director of planning and economy, sets out the key issues raised by the motion, and what the process for withdrawing the Core Strategy would be. It highlights an opportunity to review the housing numbers required for Northumberland to deliver sustainable economic and housing growth through a recent refresh of the North East Strategic Economic Plan, expected revisions to national planning policy and recent and anticipated national publications on housing and population projections. Coun Peter Jackson, Leader of Northumberland County Council said: “Our group has long questioned some of the assumptions which were used by the previous council in drawing up the Core Strategy. “Information currently available, and anticipated for release by the Government later this year, suggests to us that the requirement for housing in our county may very well not be as high as has been proposed previously. We want to use this information from Government and take into full account the latest regional plan in the form of the NE Strategic Economic Plan, to review the need to build on acres of Green Belt land. “The new council which we are leading is determined to support and protect our communities and to plan for a sustainable and prosperous future for our county and the wider region and we therefore wanted to propose a review at the first opportunity. “I can promise that the most up-to-date available evidence will inform our review and that the new plan for our county will be produced as soon as possible." Cllr John Riddle, cabinet member for planning, housing and resilience at Northumberland County Council added: “We have listened carefully to our communities and want to implement this review of the core strategy to ensure that it is truly fit to address the future housing and economic needs of Northumberland, whilst respecting the environment and protecting our beautiful county.” Advice has been sought from the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and the report states that a local planning authority can withdraw a submitted plan at any time prior to adoption, at which point it would publish a statement about this and send notification to consultation bodies. It would also need to determine at which stage in the plan-making process it would need to go back to in order to make any necessary changes, and discussions are currently taking place with DCLG in an attempt to arrange a Ministerial visit to speak to the council leadership about the potential scenarios relating to the strategy. Members have said that they would wish the work to be done as quickly as possible, so that the strategy can be re-submitted to Government as soon as is practicable. Risks raised within the council report include the possibility of Government intervention in preparation of the plan due to the delayed timescale, and also of speculative or unplanned development in the county whilst changes are made to the plan. There could also be the increased likelihood of planning appeals where the council has used the draft plan to resist development proposals. Some current applications may also require re-consideration by committee. The full council will consider the motion and the report at its meeting at 3pm on Wednesday 5th July in County Hall, Morpeth. More about the Core Strategy The Northumberland Local Plan Core Strategy sets out the proposed strategic planning policies of the council to guide future development and planning decisions in Northumberland up to 2031. In line with national planning policy, the council must provide a positive planning policy framework that supports and grows the economy. One of the main premises of the currently submitted plan is that without positive policy intervention Northumberland will not have the working age population to support delivery of the Council’s Economic Strategy, or the ambitions of the North East LEP Strategic Economic Plan. A draft plan was submitted to Government on 7th April 2017 for independent examination.