December 2023

It’s been a busy few months for the Parish Council. In particular, we have been responding to a number of planning applications representing the views of residents to Northumberland County Council, the local planning authority.

As usual it was an honour to work with the Church to ensure that we remembered the fallen on Sunday 12 November at a wonderful church service and afterwards at the village fountain. We were pleased to be joined by Lady Ridley and also the King’s Deputy Lieutenant, Wing Commander Henry Cummins. As ever it was a fitting tribute to our fallen heroes to whom we owe so much.

We have installed two new seats in the cemetery and also two at Station Road, we know how this is so important to people and we plan to install further seats in 2024 so if you have a recommendation for a location please let us know. In addition to our new seats we have also been re-staining all the current seats and have carried out a thorough overhaul of the play area and chippings. Our new flagpole has arrived and is being installed on Platinum Way.

We have also been in discussion with Northumberland County Council regarding bus services in the parish and we have also been able to make contact with Arriva. A public survey has been undertaken and at the time of writing this report 110 people had already completed the survey showing a strong need for services, particularly between Morpeth and Newcastle which connects with as many locations in the parish as possible. The deadline for the survey has been extended and can be completed online at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/WFYRYHJ until 15 December 2023. We will share the results once the analysis has been undertaken. We are also hoping to hold a public meeting with Northumberland County Council and Arriva to discuss the results and what options there are for improving current services.

Councillors have also been looking around the parish with representatives of Northumberland County Council in order to understand what work is needed to trees which if uncared for can become dangerous, overgrown or in some circumstances a nuisance to residents and road users.

Sadly an application to the Heritage Lottery fund declined an application for a red phone box which we hoped to convert to a min-library and book loan service. We are currently looking at alternative ways of delivering this project so look out for updates.

We know that many residents are concerned about potholes and we regularly report these to Northumberland County Council. There is a brilliant new service that is available at https://fix.northumberland.gov.uk where you can report anything from a pothole to a blocked road gully, a broken sign or a streetlamp off. You can also see all the issues raised in your area and which ones have been attended to and which ones are outstanding and still needing attention.

We know how much our community facilities mean to residents and we have been please to support Stannington Village Hall by funding a new floor to the Jubilee and Supper rooms and also to provide a grant to Stannington First School which will support a Christmas Party, some educational trips and also some planetarium sessions to be held in the Village Hall.

In 2024 we are hoping to stage another parish wide social event for the Summer Solstice following the success of the event for the Coronation of King Charles III. The Parish Council will also go on tour and meet around the parish.

Our Christmas tree is soon to be in place and in this season of goodwill, the Parish Council wishes all our residents a very peaceful Christmas and good health and happiness in 2024.

R Tolson