Northumberland County Council leader accused of neglecting Bedlington after Alnwick park pledge

Councillors from Bedlington and Ashington have hit out at the leader of Northumberland County Council after he pledged to create a new public park in Alnwick.

Coun Glen Sanderson said work was already underway to create the park on former school playing fields next to the Lindisfarne Community Centre on Lindisfarne Road. It followed a question from Coun Gordon Castle, the Conservative councillor for Alnwick.

Speaking at Wednesday's meeting of the county council, Coun Castle said: "The Lindisfarne Community Centre in Alnwick is an excellent community project for the town - we got this one right.

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"Adjacent to the site is playing fields previously used by the Lindisfarne School. It would make an excellent community park with seats paths and trees, and there are three points of access.

"Will the council please consider adding this to its parks and open spaces?"

Tory leader Coun Sanderson replied: "I can confirm that officers from the council have recently visited the site and consider that a scheme to make this green space accessible to the general public would be an excellent addition to the council's parks.

"Work has begun to review the scope of the improvement work required to bring the green space into public use as a community park. The project will be subject to a public consultation in the autumn or early winter, with a view to having a new community park open by spring 2025."

While Coun Castle welcomed this - stating himself to be "delighted" - the reaction from councillors representing other towns in the county were warm. Coun Christine Taylor, the Independent councillor for Bedlington Central, criticised the leader over the pledge.

She said: "I was quite surprised in the first question from Coun Castle and the response you gave, which was about developing green space into a park. I have asked repeatedly over the last year for funding for the woodland attached to Gallagher Park that was damaged in Storm Arwen.

"It's in a bad state and I have asked for funding to put this right. I was told there's no funding available - then I have to listen to a funding request from Coun Castle and you say yes, you can have it.

"What is the difference between what Coun Castle is asking for and what I'm asking for."

Coun Sanderson conceded that there was "no difference" and asked Coun Taylor to send him further details, promising to "pick it up".

Labour's Coun Liz Dunn, who represents the Lynemouth ward, added: "I would suggest tidying up the Queen Elizabeth Park in Ashington. There are new benches that have been put in, but you can't sit on them because of all the weeds and nettles.

"Before you start with new parks, lets get the maintenance of the ones we do have right."

Coun Sanderson responded that he would have council officers investigate the issue at the QE park.