Reports from our County Councillors – Jan/Feb 2013
Buses
Arriva have recently introduced drastic reductions in services across Northumberland; they have removed links from outlying estates to town centres. In Amble that means cutting out the service to the Links Estate.
I know just how hard it will be for residents who depend on that bus. I am working with Amble Town Council and the County Council to see what can be done to salvage a service. Arriva get no subsidy for the 20 Service and the County have less and less money to support bus services. Some of the most vulnerable in our community, the elderly and the disabled, will be hit very hard.
Arriva are introducing accessible buses for the disabled on local services – but that isn’t much use if passengers can’t reach the nearest bus stop. A vital link to the local hospital will also be lost. There will be an impact on job seekers, young parents, and shoppers. I will continue to fight hard. You can help too by telling Arriva what you think.
Amble Library
It is good to see work underway at the Library. I have been involved in this since April 2009 and have supported the costs with a £28,000 contribution via the Members Local Schemes fund. Work will include new lighting, a new layout, and a modern disabled access. The library building is now the main access to many County Council services. I hope it will provide a community hub for years to come.
Robert Arckless
Telephone 01665 711938
Email Robert.Arckless99@northumberland.gov.uk
I am really pleased to support the initiative taken by the current administration to make a one off special grant of over £20,000 to Amble Town Council to offset the new burden placed on the Town Councils precept by central government. The amount granted means that Council Tax will remain almost the same as last year, but this may not be the case after the May elections for NCC. I will certainly support the efforts to keep council tax static.
Dog fouling continues to raise its head in my area, and I am sometimes shocked to see the mess that irresponsible dog owners leave on our footpaths and walkways. Acklington Road seems to be getting worse, and I have raised the issue with the Town Council with a view to getting at least one doggy bin for the use of residents. However, there is no excuse for the actions of the few people who let their pets create this unsightly and dangerous mess, and they should be reported to the council who will take action against them.
Our roads continue to be a problem with the very difficult weather causing all sorts of issues. I have been working closely with the Highways department and exerting as much pressure as I can to have our area gritted and repaired to a satisfactory level. To be fair, I think the Amble area has seen its fair share of gritting etc., but the ever growing number of potholes continues to be a problem.
I am please that the Queen Street parking issues seem to be getting nearer to a solution, and I continue to press for the physical removal of the silly and unnecessary white line in High Street, which was agreed several months ago.
We have the election for County Councillors in early May, and I hope that Amble residents will exercise there democratic right to vote in it.
As ever I am available at jeffrey.watson@northumberland.gov.uk and by phone on 07802385367.
Jeff Watson
