Unlike Ashington, where all concerned got around a table and discussed the boundary which would be most advantageous for the town, (they choose the whole of Ashington as one parish) ours was set within three ward boundaries leaving us with an unworkable tiny parish with little or no scope to bid for services. 

Had the opportunity arisen, like Ashington, I am sure common-sense would have prevailed and we could have discussed the boundary and chosen one not too unlike the old Bedlingtonshire boundary.

This would then have given us a railway, large and small industrial units, a deep water port, land with the potential for further industrial development and even a beach, along with the mix of shops, dwellings and park areas we would have had a parish that could prosper and been large enough to get a bite of the apple!  

If we ever get a leisure facility at Gallagher Park the adjoining Parish would have the leisure facility, we would be left with the access road! 

Running a joint venture with the adjoining Parish would still mean setting two sets of Parish rates and at the current estimate of £8.13 per household extra on a band 'D' rate for just an annual budget of £25,000 per year, which would not even cover the cost of employing one full time member of staff (wages + Nat. Insurance, pension contribution, liability etc) let alone employing more or buying into any services. 

Our only hope is we all see sense and no one stands as a parish councillor, or they stand and once elected they all step back and do nothing, then we just might be able to do something, but we would need North, West and East Bedlington all sitting around a table together discussing the problem.

BRIAN OLIVER
(An active community representative in Bedlington)


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