County Councillors: March – April 2014
Tough choices for tough times.
Budget cuts facing Northumberland County Council this year are the largest in years and are on top of a succession of previous difficult grant settlements from central Government. In four years we face the prospect of the loss of a quarter of the revenue budget with projected cuts of £64 million in the next two years alone. Protecting front line services against cuts of this scale will be impossible, but changes to the senior management structure and looking at radical options such as moving services out of County Hall and better use of the Council’s assets should lessen some of the pain.
Buses
I am working with senior transport officers to look at ways of sustaining local buses. The 471 Travelsure service which connects the Links to Amble town centre is guaranteed funding by the County Council for another year. That gives us a chance to look at ways to improve services: the important thing is to use what services we have if they are to have a longer-term future.
Clean and green
The condition of too many of our out of town centre estates is just not good enough. I am delighted that Homes for Northumberland and the council have reached an agreement on grass cutting and grounds maintenance which should see a significant improvement in the council estates. This agreement will be closely monitored and promised improvements will be delivered. Funding for this will come as part of rent payments and I hope to see real change. This agreement should also ease pressure on services in the rest of the town so there should be an overall improvement.
Budget issues
Budget proposals identifying possible cuts of some £33 million for the new financial year are now out to consultation. Children’s Services are tasked with identifying over £5 million in cuts; that is out of a budget of some £40 million
Robert Arckless
Telephone 01665 711938
Email Robert.Arckless99@northumberland.gov.uk
I am trying to arrange for a new bus shelter to be erected on Acklington Road opposite the High School. Councillor Arckless has promised financial support alongside mine and the Town Council has agreed to take responsibility for its maintenance. I am awaiting final estimates for the project but am confident that it should be completed in the next few months.
I have been in further contact with the police regarding the fatal accident at the bottom of the Wynd and the possible erection of a speed camera. I am advised the position should be made clearer after the inquest due to be held in April this year.A number of residents have expressed concern about the flowers etc. at the scene of the accident as being a possible distraction to drivers and it was good to see that the dead flowers had been removed. Perhaps the family will in time also remove the shirts etc from the scene of the accident.
I have seen the revised new plans for a development at the bottom of Gloster Hill. In my opinion there is little difference to the original plans and therefore I have continued with my objections.
The new netting on the multi use games area at the Welfare ground seems to be working well and I look forward to further improvements being made to the Welfare ground this year with funding from Persimmons as a part of its house building agreements for the town made with the county council.
As ever I am available to you on 07802385367
Jeffrey.watson@northumberland.gov.uk
