Talk of the Town You bet your life it is!

 For us here at Murky its good to have a social media run around late in the evening after Cabinet whether its being held at County Hall or in person via an e-media platform reading details spun among known confidants and close supporters now that the infighting among the County’s top Tories has hit warfare level and the closest fans of both sides are wanting to be first to run out the news.

Last night was better than usual as the delegated few were warmed up after chucking out time even though the bar is in their own living rooms and were showing off like mad.

We would like to think that the top tories get down to denying what we have learnt from their pals but doing that will further stretch the conspiracy theorists  beliefs that the Tories in Northumberland aren’t sure what the truth is anymore!

So what have they been crowing about?

Apparently, after clearing the joyous spin which is normal from the Tories the Council is going to lend ADVANCE Northumberland the cash to begin the roll out at Bedlington and develop an Aldi store in Bedlington on the ‘Hole Site’ at a very advantageous price to Aldi.

We have to agree that apart from it placing pressure on Morrisons and Lidl it will tart the site up a bit and be of benefit to the Town, but it isn’t a sports centre and isn’t the offer being run out by the Bedlington Independents who have bankrolled the Tories for the last three years by sacrificing their votes on the alter of regular and ongoing false promises.

The problem the lastest cost to the taxpayer offer to Aldi the new borrowing requirement to ADVANCE Northumberland is, the Bedlington Independents and Northumberland Conservatives have informed the taxpayer previously that they have already funded the project.

Councillor Wallace and the Council as shown below, ran out the story in 2018 that £6.5M had been loaned by the Council to ADVANCE to undertake the roll out of development at the Bedlington Hole Site.

What happened to that cash? as on 14th January 2020 ADVANCE Northumberland lodged two years of accounts with Companies House showing losses of £4M in 2018 and another £4M in 2019.

On 20th January 2020 the Companies Auditor EY resigned from the clutches of ADVANCE Northumberland followed by a flurry of resignations from Councillor Board Members including the then Leader of Council, Councillor Peter Jackson one of the accused in the leaked emails to Councillors and the press.

https://find-and-updatecompany-information.service.gov.uk/company/11161983/filing-history

So as this matter is now the ‘Talk of the Town’ the question needs to be asked, Should ADVANCE Northumberland be allowed to handle cash from the Council or should the workforce be transferred to the Council and Northumberland County Council handle the regeneration of its Market Towns and growth projects itself?

 

·         Talk of the Town: Councillor Wallace - Market Place Update May 1^st 2018

  

Councillor Wallace - Market Place Update

By Russ Wallace, May 1, 2018 in Talk of the Town

 

 

Russ Wallace

 

Posted May 1, 2018

I am delighted to learn today that NCC have released £6.5m to allow the Bedlington Market Place development to move to its next stage.

This is not the big publicity announcement of the various retailers – that will come later, but the release of this money allows the development of the site to go ahead. Building will begin later this Summer and hopefully be completed by late 2019.

Bedlington has been Northumberland’s forgotten town for far too long and this project represents an important landmark in ensuring our town thrives for generations to come.

I have been involved in this development since it was first proposed over three years ago and since our election last May the Bedlington Independent Councillors have been pressurising the administration to get the development underway

I am therefore particularly pleased at this news and confident that Bedlingtonians will give the development their full support.

The full NCC press release is copied below.

Thank you for reading.

Best wishes

Russ

Northumberland County Council : Press Release 1^st May 2018

Bedlington Redevelopment Progresses 

Plans to give Bedlington the vibrant town centre that it deserves are moving to the next stage following funds being released by the board of Northumberland County Council’s regeneration company for a multi-million pound redevelopment.  The scheme when completed will include a new store for a well-known food retailer, additional retail units, car parking and a number of new apartments which aim to transform the town centre economy. 

It is projected that up to 200 jobs could be created by the scheme once completed. 

In total the next stage of the works are expected to cost just under £6.5m with other funds previously having been agreed for land acquisition and other preparatory works. The regeneration company is already in the process of discharging planning conditions for the scheme and tenders from contractors for the construction are due back within weeks, subject to agreeing contracts construction work will start later this summer. 

Speaking about the news the Chairman Cllr Richard Wearmouth said, “The new council administration said from the outset that doing right by the residents of Bedlington was a key goal for us. These proposals have the potential to be truly transformational for the town, giving a boost to the high street by pulling in additional footfall and generating new jobs for local residents. I am hugely looking forward to the start of work on the ground later in the summer.”

The three independent Bedlington county councillors, Malcolm Robinson, Bill Crosby and Russ Wallace issued a joint statement saying, “This is very welcome news for Bedlington and something which collectively we have been working towards ever since our election last year. Bedlington has been Northumberland’s forgotten town for far too long and this project represents an important part making sure our town thrives for generations to come. We are delighted at this news and confident that residents will now give the development their full support”