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 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.

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!!

At a meeting of residents, called by County Council officers, there were calls for local residents to write to the brewery to ask them to reverse their decision about the “temporary” access road to the school.

I was not at the meeting, so I can only say what I have heard. In fact District councillors were not invited, this being a county matter.

But the whole problem could have been avoided by siting the Academy elsewhere. When this was South Beach First School I fought to keep it on it’s present site. But now this is to be an Academy for the whole of Blyth there is no need to keep it what is an inappropriate, difficult to get to, site.

I will be meeting with councillors Rickerby and Reid to discuss possible solutions.

Despite objections from some residents the (then) County Council granted themselves planning permission for a new temporary road looping around the South Beach pub to the school.

Their meeting was held before Blyth Valley councillors had chance to comment and so took no notice of any local comments.

But now the brewery that own the pub are reported to have denied them rights over the land, and so it is likely that traffic will have to go down Shearwater Way instead. This is equally unacceptable!

Why can’t the council take the hint and move the Academy primary site elsewhere?  We cannot stop the Academy, but we can have a say on where it is sited.

No doubt this will go on and on and on……… (to fade)