Malcolm Robinson Bedlington West Ward.

09/06/2026

Today’s training was about code of conduct.

As I am intimately aware of a lot of this stuff having been the most complained about chair of a town council, none substantiated, and having had various serious threats at the recent election so I didn’t have any questions today.

Given some of the questions raised by other councillors it’s obvious this isn’t a job for the fainthearted and nor should it be, but for other reasons!.

09/06/2026

We have training modules all this week and yesterday’s was about Governance.

I think it’s worth trying to explain what actually goes on within NCC as far as governance goes because it’s too easy to blame the councillors for everything NCC gets wrong! And this isn’t an excuse in some cases councillors can take the hit!
About 80-90% of NCC ‘business’ are statutory responsibilities which means by law they have to be delivered. Things like heath, education, social services, etc the rest are described as discretionary services.
What rankles me are the levers of power within NCC.
We have an Administration, a cabinet, chairs of various committees, especially scrutiny committees, all from the same party. Bearing in mind it’s a minority Administration which means no overall control by any single party.
This can’t be healthy simply because of a lack of challenge in the dark corners where decisions are often made!!!!

Also of course there are 69 councillors at NCC yet positions of authority and influence are only given out between the 28 single party members. Are these people really the best options for the jobs they are given, jobs which directly influence the way local government works for the people it supposedly represents? I’m sure I know some councillors who would excel within various positions and bring real benefits but they will never get the chance because they wear the wrong coloured tie or don’t even sport a tie!
I just feel there is a wealth of individual talent within the 69 members which isn’t being exploited for the benefit of the county!

So the questions I asked yesterday were about this hegemony and why.

Sent from Outlook for iOS

07/06/2026

So we have a pre planning application for 1200 new houses to the north west in my ward area.
I have remonstrated with the planners because even though it’s in my ward area and I sit on NCC Strategic Planning where this application will be heard I wasn’t given any notice about it.
Given it’s a ‘pre application’ which is really a toe dip to test the waters by developers doesn’t excuse this. A further point to make is that we can make representations about most aspects to the application at the pre planning stage…if we knew about it of course!

This can only emphasise the absolute need to get involved with the Local Plan consultation doing the rounds now!

We might not be able to stop it, and of course the government can now directly over rule any local decisions more than ever, but we should be able to shape it.
Is it the right area, has it got any community payback, will it add to local infrastructure, is there enough basic infrastructure to enable it, these and many more questions need to be answered before it’s pushed through by any agency!

Another important tool in the box is the Neighbourhood Plan the Town Council have been working on. Again it’s not a panacea to developer blight as once more the government can over rule it but at least it should show public opinion on the sections it covers. This can be a useful argument as long as it seems reasonable.

I have been going on about this new plan and the changes the government have brought in for some time now because at a recent Local Plan working group it was said that the massive increase in house building targets being imposed most will have to be found in the south east of the county……that’s Bedlington slap bang in the middle!!!!

https://nland.uk/NlandLocalPlan

Whatever happens with this one, whether it proceeds or fails, it’s the shape of things to come!

Sent from Outlook for iOS

We are starting to prepare a new Local Plan for Northumberland. A Local Plan explains how an area should grow and change in the future. It sets out how we will meet housing needs. It also identifies how we deal with important economic, social, and environmental issues. Before we begin writ...

05/06/2026

Take a look and get your views in!

04/06/2026

The second Defibrillator has now found its new home with the Friends of West Lea Cemetery.
(No tasteless jokes please!)

Given the investment this cemetery has seen over the last few years both in terms of finance and man hours it has more and more visitors these days.
So given the amount of footfall it now gets and its closeness to the sports pitches next door I thought it worthwhile to provide a defibrillator there.
Also the fact that Issy, the chair of the Friends group, knows exactly how to use one, given her profession, was just another reason to put one there.

Unfortunately Sarah couldn’t make it today, as she is feeling under the weather, but Isobel was on hand to accept the defibrillator.

04/06/2026

Well in no time at all the new PlayZone has been vandalised!
After years of effort and getting quite a few disbelieving people to believe it was needed and wanted and would be looked after seeing this is just demoralising!

Thanks for letting me know Dawn and I’ve informed the authorities who look after the PlayZone.

04/06/2026

NORTHUMBERLAND A1 SAFETY ALLIANCE (NASA)

It shouldn’t be rocket science.

Over the coming months, NASA will compile and publish the definitive 10-year safety record of the A1 through Northumberland.

We will document:

• Fatal collisions
• Serious injuries
• Collision locations
• Road conditions
• Safety concerns raised by communities
• Promises made by authorities
• Progress made – or not made

This is not a political campaign.

This is not a blame campaign.

This is an evidence project.

Too many people have lost their lives. Too many families have been affected. Too many questions remain unanswered.

If you have information, reports, photographs, local knowledge, historical records, media coverage or personal experience relevant to A1 safety, we would like to hear from you.

Our aim is simple:

To produce the most comprehensive public record ever assembled on safety along the A1 through Northumberland.

04/06/2026

03/06/2026

One of the most commonly reported concerns on Fix My Street are pot holes.
Many people say they report them and nothing happens, probably worth knowing there are calculations involved with pot holes.

Once reported a NCC Highways officer has to go out and physically check and use the metrics to ascertain whether it meets the criteria for action.

With over 3,200 MILES of roads in the county there is an awful lot to do but it seems only 43% of reports get sanctioned!

Look at the picture, that’s the measurements used.