If you live in the area, you can’t have failed to notice the building work at South Beach shops.

The owners have received planning permission to extend upwards to include flats and to knock the shops into one.

Unfortunately they did not receive permission to completely knock the shops down and rebuild. BVBC planning officers are aware of what happened, and are investigating. I’ll keep you informed of developments…. (excuse the pun!)

At a meeting this afternoon, County Councillors Lesley Rickerby (Lib Dem South Blyth) and Jeff Reid (Lib Dem Plessey) met with residents and others to discuss the various problems arising from the construction of the Academy.

Of course there was no representative from the Emmanuel Schools Foundation (ESF) who are behind the application.

The residents aired their problems and action will be taken on various matters. Another meeting is to be held and again Mr Vardy, or a representative form ESF  will be invited to attend. 

At this week’s Regulatory Panel there is an agenda item about increasing taxi fares, mainly due to increasing fuel prices.

In the last 6 months I have become increasingly reliant on taxis, so I can understand that this is a blow to many. However I can see how fuel prices are affecting ALL drivers, not just taxi drivers.

 I think that it will be a difficult decision whichever way the vote goes.

However on a different note, there is an item where the taxi trade are requesting reduced license fees for bio-diesel fuelled vehicles. A good principle no doubt, but how are we to ensure that the vehicles actually use bio-fuel?

Again, an interesting debate is in prospect!

My July council diary is again fairly quiet.

July 1st       Regulatory Panel ( of which more later)

July 3rd       Full council

July 16th    Sustainable Communities Review Commission

July 22nd     Development Control Panel

Before the full council meeting on 3rd July there will be a Public Question Time, to which all residents are invited. Questions can be put to the Mayor and the portfolio holders. If a full reply cannot be given , a written reply will be given. 

Since I posted my views on ‘phone masts last night I have received e-mails of support from residents and from councillors elsewhere about this. This has been the most reaction I have had from any post.

It shows that this site is viewed all over , not just in South Newsham ward.

To all of you, thank you, and to the Lib Dem councillor from “down south” (*)  thanks for your ideas, I will discuss your suggestions with our planning officers

(*) His words, not mine!

At tonight’s meeting of the Development Control Panel there was yet another applicaation for a mobile phone mast, this time on the roadside between houses and the Brockwell Centre in Cramlington. It’s not in my ward but the principles are the same wherever.

The application was only for “siting and design”, not a planning application as such.

Understandably local residents had concerns about this application, mostly about the possible health problems that come with these masts. I say possible health hazards as we don’t really know what to think as there is so much conflicting information (and mis-information?)

But we could not even debate these as under the law (Town & Country Planning (General Permitted Development ) Order 1995) phone masts under 15 metre are permitted developments.

Luckily the recommendation was to refuse under the siting part of the act, but as I said in moving the recommendation to refuse , “I feel the same frustration as the residents in that we cannot take possible health matters into account in these applications”.

 We are there representing the people of Blyth Valley and looking at these matters in their best interests. And yet the law does not let us do that, it gives more or less automatic approval to these masts.

The application WAS refused, but the moment was spoiled by one Labour councillor saying that the (opposition) councillors who spoke against the mast were playing to the gallery. And that is rich coming from that councillor!!

At a meeting last night residents showed their growing frustration at the way that the Academy building is going ahead.

Despite concerns by local residents the previous Labour administration went ahead with the plans for an Academy primary school on the site of South Beach First School. The new Liberal Democrat administration now has to try and untangle the development and / or move the site elsewhere. But of course the Emmanuel Schools Foundation has a long lease on the site (the figure of 125 years has been mentionned!)

At the meeting the local MP (Ronnie Campbell, Labour) spoke against the Academy and agreed to offer what help he can. It was pointed out that this was a Labour plan and that it was already against the views of local people. Now I’m always ready to give credit where it’s due, Ronnie’s late entry into our particular fight is to be welcomed, and I’ll put my cynicism aside for now.

The argument has always been on several levels, some of which affect us all :-

•  The very principle of two tier education
• The very principle of Academy schools
• The traffic problems that the construction will generate
• The traffic problems that the school is already generating

Well, now that we have the attention of our MP will he be able to help? Watch this space.

As an aside, someone said to me in all seriousness, “Ronnie is the best opposition MP we have. ”. Well his lot have been in government 10 years, and when it comes to the vote in the Commons he is still a Labour MP.

There are no planning applications from South Newsham or South Beach wards on next week’s DCP agenda.

There is one application that concerns us all; I’ll post more after the meeting as I don’t want to prejudice my chance to comment at the meeting.

Okay, it’s not a South Newsham issue, but I’d like to put on record my support for the Stroke Association’s “Lost without words” campaign.

 I today sent an e-mail , via www.Stroke.org.uk to Ronnie Campbell, MP for Blyth Valley. The e-mail says: -

“ I am writing to you regarding The Stroke Association’s Lost without Words campaign. I fully support the campaign and as a member of your constituency, I am requesting your help.

Around 250,000 - 300,000 people in the UK are currently living with communication disability as a result of a stroke. This can be devastating as many cannot speak or understand language in the way they used to. Speech and Language therapy is vital but so are Communication Support Groups which can improve confidence and independence, overcome isolation and depression as well as improve communication skills.

The Lost without Words campaign is calling for Primary Care Trusts in England to:

-Assess how many people are affected by stroke related communication disability in their area

-Find out more about the personal impact of communication disability direct from stroke survivors and carers

-Ensure that communication support groups are available to stroke survivors in every area as part of the stroke care pathway

-Ensure that stroke survivors get the amount of communication support they need and for this to be monitored regularly

I would be grateful if you could support the campaign by doing the following:

1. Add your name to EDM 1719 which refers to the Lost without Words campaign.

2. Write to our local Primary Care Trust and ask them whether they intend to implement The Stroke Association’s recommendations and deliver a service which I think is vital.

3. Write to Ann Keen, Minister for Stroke Services to ask what action the Government is taking to encourage improvements in support for people with communication disability following stroke.

Many thanks “

I hope you take the time to read about the campaign and to e-mail your local MP
 

Just a brief update on some local matters..

• It appears that compensation has been paid to the brewery for access over their “ransom strip” of land, and therefore the temporary road around the pub will go ahead. Good news of sorts to residents of Shearwater Way.
• The previous administration granted a lease of 125 years to Emmannuel Schools Foundation , so it doesn’t look as though they will be moving their “Junior Academy” to a more appropriate site.
• The traffic lights promised for Fulmar Drive / South Newsham Road may be installed in the late summer / early autumn. I’ll believe it when I see it, council officers will promise the earth if they think it will keep residents quiet

If and when I get more details about these I will let you know.

There will be a meeting at the South Beach Residents Association on Monday 9th June, to discuss the Traffic chaos that is Shearwater Way.

I don’t know who called the meeting, but I imagine residents of Shearwater Way who are most affected by the contractors traffic to the school.  If I had been informed of the meeting earlier I could have helped publicise it.

I should be there, and will be trying to contact other district and county councillors to make them aware of the meeting. However we are there to listen to the views expressed, not to defend the County Council or the Academy.

The council has recieved an application for a premises licence for South Newsham pavilion. The football club (Blyth Town FC) envisage opening hours on Wednesday evenings and Saturdays and Sundays.

Any representations should be made to Blyth Valley Borough Council before 27th June.

I was horrified to hear on the radio that the Lib Dems propose to introduce motorway usage charges. What? Don’t we pay enough to use cars?

 So I checked into the full story, and found that the full policy includes:-

• Cutting fuel duty and abolishing VED over the next 10 years and introducing a cost-neutral road user pricing scheme on motorways and trunk roads

• Building a high speed rail network paid for by introducing emissions-linked charges on road freight and internal flights

• Introducing rolling contracts for train operating companies to increase long-term investment and improve services

• Give power to control local bus services back to local authorities

• Introducing a new fund for rural transport

• Giving passengers a stronger voice to improve local transport services through a new passenger watchdog

Overall a balanced and radical group of propsals, but so much for balanced reporting. No mention of the cuts in fuel duty or VED. 

As always, it pays to check on the full story, and not rely on broadcasts!!

My diary of meetings for June is as follows:-

June 3rd        Regulatory Panel (one agenda item, confidential)

June 5th        Blyth Community Assembly

June 13th       River Blyth Port Health Authority

June 18th       Sustainable Communities Review Commission

June 24th       Develoment Control Panel (Agenda not yet available, any South Newsham / South Beach items will be listed later)

 Overall a quiet month for me, but further details of all BVBC meetings can be found on the council website.

That was the headline in the Journal, reporting the crash between a contractor’s wagon on the way to the Academy site and a Vauxhall Astra. The accident was at the already bad junction between Fulmar Drive and South Newsham Road.

The article points out that the lorry driver is not believed to have been at fault, but as one resident is quoted “….. it backs our claim that this new school should never have been built in the middle of a residential estate…..”

 Exactly!!