My opening priorities

These are the main reasons I want to stand to contribute to the Council: they may change through the campaign as issues arise, but I want to set down my opening thoughts. They are the things that are particularly important to me.

The average house price in this area is more than double the rest of Northumberland. This creates a real problem for families wanting to stay in the area and to maintain communities. Equally, second homes and holiday homes are important because tourism is the major driver of the economy. But almost all new building in the last few years has been of this nature and there is too little affordable housing. Getting the balance of economic development while retaining the character of the area is critical.

This requires a consistent set of local planning frameworks which should be developed through the Parish Councils. Unlike the Council's proposed core strategy document, I don't think SE Northumberland should be the only acceptable area for significant business and infrastructure development.

We need more focus on jobs; this is largely outside direct County Council control, its mostly a matter for the private sector. But the Council should be supportive of local business; there should be a Northumberland jobs fund to help start up businesses; related topics are issues like dualling the A1 to improve the local economy and providing free residents parking to support local businesses.

This area has one of the highest percentages of people over 65 in the country. We need to make sure that the care and support for the elderly is maintained and improved: we need to make sure that the links between Social Services, the NHS and private providers work well together and are adequately resourced.

Renewable energy has become a catch phrase in our society and the first visible wind turbines in the Division are rising over the A1. I'd never say never but it's not obvious that they have any economic value and their provision needs to be carefully managed.

Hello again

It doesn't seem like five years since the end of my political career. But it is, and it's therefore time to resurrect it for the May 2013 Northumberland County Council elections. I've been thinking for the last year whether to stand or not; in 2008 I said that I would stand a couple of times because I ought to be more effective a second time around. I also have taken on a number of local voluntary roles since 2008 and I wanted to be comfortable that I had time, if I elected, to do the job properly. I think  can.

The roles - Citizens Advice, the local Abbeyfield Society, the Bamburgh Pavilion and Heritage Society and the Golf and Croquet clubs - have been a good opportunity to understand more about local issues and problems which should mean I could do a more effective job.

When I stood last time, the unitary council was new and I made a big thing about wanting to ensure the Council was held to account during the transition period and the importance of oversight and transparency of reporting. I still feel that strongly: the Council has had to deal with a sharply different financial environment and it still has much to do to keep within Central Government funding constraints while providing decent service to Council taxpayers.

At the moment I'm going through the selection process - although I think local politics should be more about the person than the party it is important to be part of a larger group if you want to be effective. Hopefully now I want to be selected I will be.

Then it's just a question of being elected..

 

 

I haven't deleted the various posts from 2008; I at least will be interested to see how the two campaigns compare..