County Councillors reports June – July 2013
New beginnings
Thank you to everyone who voted in the recent elections. Whoever you voted for (or didn’t vote for!) I promise that I will work as hard as I can for the communities I represent. I look forward to working with my new colleague Cllr Scott Dickinson and Cllr Jeff Watson on local issues. My new Division now includes part of East Chevington Parish which means I will need to work closely with them and with my existing parishes of Hauxley and Togston. I am also a member of Amble Town Council; the parishes are a very important link and I will need their local knowledge to do my job.
I intend to resume my programme of advice surgeries at Amble Library, Hauxley Village Hall and Christ Church in North Broomhill (and a new joint surgery in the Druridge Bay Community Centre.) I am still working out details but hope soon to get back in to a routine.
There have been some dramatic changes as a result of the election and the Labour Group is the largest now. That means an added responsibility for Labour members like me.
These are the toughest times for local councils in a generation and there are no easy answers. We are all Northumbrians and we have a duty to do our best for the people of the County we serve. I am proud to have that opportunity again.
Happy to help
I really enjoy my links with local schools. Amble Links and Amble First School both recently asked me to help them with improvements to their schools; Amble Links have added a shower to help disabled pupils, Amble First are developing a modern modular unit to replace an old mobile. I nominated funding for both schemes. I am hoping to support a community project involving youngsters from James Calvert Spence College too.
Robert Arckless
Telephone 01665 711938
Email Robert.Arckless99@northumberland.gov.uk
May I first of all thank all those who voted for me in the latest County Council elections. I will continue to make myself available to residents of my ward regardless of politics and do my best to improve our local environment.
I am also pleased to have been elected to the Town Council so I can work more closely with other Councillors on the problems/issues that the town has.
I can report that the removal of the single yellow line on High Street is nearing fruition. The consultation has taken place and it is scheduled to have approval sometime in June. Red tape has slowed down this whole process and it has taken almost a year since I started the ball rolling to have them removed, but perseverance has paid off at last!
You may notice that I managed to have substantial repairs carried out to the roads near the anchor on the Braid. The road to the bottle banks was almost impossible to drive on so I am very pleased with the result. I must say I am surprised by the size and quality of the repair especially if you consider the problems we have having our major roads repaired but I am informed it was “different budgets”
I have asked Warkworth Parish Council to request that the wooden poles, which prevent cars/caravans entering the grassed areas in the same area described above, be replaced. This is to prevent misuse of the site as was demonstrated recently by caravans staying there for several days. (Note:this area of the Braid is in the Parish of Warkworth)
I continue to be available to you on
Jeffrey.watson@northumberland.gov.uk
07802385367
Jeff Watson
Amble West with Warkworth
