Blyth Councillor Agrees with Walnut Unlimited Survey.

Blyth Town Councillor Aileen Barrass who has been involved with youth work in the Town for many years, completely agrees with the recent survey by Walnut Unlimited, calling for a community led approach to tackle serious youth violence, highlighting the need for a massive hike in funding for both youth services and mental health initiatives.

A study written by nine organisations working in the field of human rights, youth services, mental health and racial justice advocates a radical rethink of how the Government funds and tackles youth issues across the UK.

A survey undertaken to look at youth issues from a public point of view found that 69% of the people surveyed believe that the Government should seek solutions to the root cause of youth violence and 74% of people would like to see more funding allocated to youth work.

Councillor Barrass told us at Labour News that “I do believe that expanded youth work in all fields, sports, the arts and local communities does keep our young people out of trouble and away from crime and violence and the Government needs to place a higher priority on finding funding to have that work carried out in our communities professionally”.

Councillor Richardson’s Intervention will save cyclists and walkers from danger?

Regular walker around Blyth’s open spaces, Councillor Margaret Richardson of Cowpen Ward has come across a landslip that is encroaching on National cycle route 1 in Cowpen which is also an integral part of the National coastal footpath.

She told Blyth Labour News “ I did notice that the concrete supports for the bankside had moved a little during the winter”. “I haven't been along this way for several months but we have had some very high spring tides this year and it looks like the supports have fallen and the bankside has been washed away.”

Councillor Richardson has informed the County Councils footway officers of the danger and she would like to see a temporary fence erected to safeguard the public until engineers are able to view the Landslip to design and undertake a permanent repair.

Councillor Richardson also said: “It would be awful if two cyclists passed each other at this spot and either slipped over this very dangerous edge, I just hope the County Councils’ officers treat this repair with urgency”.

Town and County Councillor concerned about the recycling disparity between Northumberland and the rest of the UK.

 

Councillor Kath Nisbet who represents Croft ward is extremely concerned with figures issued by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs regarding the downturn in recycling rates across Northumberland.

With the Town of Blyth having the largest number of residents with the opportunity to recycle, Councillor Nisbet said “I believe I need to bring this very worrying tail off in recycling to the attention of Blyths residents to hopefully improve the recycling rates across the Town”.

Across England as a whole an average of 6.4% of all material sent by residents to be recycled last year 2021/22 was rejected, but in Northumberland a massive 14.9% of material sent by residents for recycling was rejected, well over twice as much as the national average.

Councillor Nisbet said that “the 8,877.12 tonnes of rejected recycling was extremely costly to dispose of and better recycling was one of the ways Council Tax rates could be lowered”. “Its been quite disappointing to me and many of my Labour colleagues that a number of recycling centres have had their hours cut, which won’t help the overall picture in future years”.

Northumberlands overall recycling rates fell from 33.4% in 2020/21 down to 32% last year 2021/22.

Councillor Nisbet told Blyth Labour News that she will be bringing matters up with the County Council to reissue the dry recycling list as a reminder to all households on what should be placed into their recycling bin. She also wants to remind people to recycle their glass jars and bottles through the Council's glass banks.

Adrian is concerned for family stability!

Blyth Town Councillor Adrian Cartie works in the community and is seeing the problems of people getting poorer on a daily basis. He is very concerned for the future of many families in the Town.

Adrian told Blyth Labour Newsletter: “The massively high cost of energy this winter and with food prices forced up by 17% plus across the board I have noticed how close generations of families have grown together to support each other. I am very concerned that if things keep going in the same direction with wages not matching price rises then the whole stability of family groups may suffer”.

“Elderly members of the families I meet each day have been stripped of their savings this winter to cover costs and with Landlords raising rents to counterbalance higher mortgage charges younger family groups who in many cases are working in more than one job will be brought down to earth which will not help them or their children”.

“I’m worried that it may take years to right the wrongs that have been placed before people through an idiotic poorly planned mini budget that has brought chaos to east coast towns like Blyth. Our Town has already suffered the ignominy of enforced industrial change and the offshoring of employment by free market economy Governments over the years”.

“The damage caused has been dreadful for Blyth and I’ve noticed that the long term damage on local society has grown rapidly over the last thirteen years, with the least resilient families suffering badly.”

Frustration at promised relief road suffering further delays

 Details at yesterday’s cabinet meeting report that the road may be delayed by up to a further 3 months as costs due to inflation escalate.

At the cabinet meeting 11.04.23 the Councils Conservative Administration agreed a further 430,000 to the scheme which will see the duelling of the Laverock hall Road and a trunk section between Ogle Drive and Chase farm.

The road scheme has been an ongoing for a number of years with the original scheme three scrapped due to house builder persimmon building on the route and problems identified with the section crossing over the railway line.

A new scheme went out to consultation in 2022 which sees route 5 becoming the preferred option.

The scheme costs have more than doubled from the route three estimates at 18million to now exceeding 40 million. Northumberland County Council need to contribute 15% of the cost so the cost to the local tax payer has also increased.

Councillor Watson has been continually frustrated by the lack of information and clarification on how the scheme will progress as it is greatly tied into the Northumberland Line where the road crosses the line at Newsham.

Cllr Anna Watson said: “ Back in 2021 as soon as I was elected I asked for assurances and highlighted this schemes importance. Local members haven’t been kept up to speed. We are told to watch cabinet or search for information on the website. This is the same attitude expressed to the Leader of the Opposition, its not respectful, acceptable or how a council should work.

 I have asked questions at full council and been assured local members would be kept up to speed sadly like so many other things this has simply not been the case.

“With such an important large scale infrastructure need, something the former Labour Administration were working on and issued design routes and consultations in late 2016 it appears to have moved very little since then. It’s a big important part of Blyth’s future.

“All we need is some open and honest discussions with local members, so we can properly carry out our role and keep the public up to speed and support the schemes progression. Whenever that might be.”

“Schemes such as these aren’t party political and should stand outside the veil of secrecy around information sharing and principles of the Council should be upheld and information sharing with local members should be far better.”

Councillor Anna Watson