ISSUE 9 HERE COMES SUMMER Gardening Competition - Deadline For Entries: 7th of July IN THIS ISSUE: ANNUAL REPORT PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION NEW PLAY PARKS LOCAL ELECTION RESULTS Welcome to the spring edition of the Seaton Valley Futures magazine. This issue of the magazine has been slightly delayed due to the Local Elections held on the 4 May and the General Election held on 8 June. With respect to the former, a majority of the existing Councillors were re-elected to their Wards, however we have welcomed two new Councillors, Cllr Eva Coulson and Cllr Daniel Nesbitt onto the Council for the first time. I was elected as Chair of the Council at the Annual Parish Council meeting on the 17 May, and I have proudly accepted this appointment. I would like to take this opportunity to thank last year’s Chair, former Cllr Darren Mullen for his sterling efforts during 2016/17, a very successful year for the Council, as highlighted in our Annual Report, summarised later in the magazine. STUDENT SUPPORT AT Looking through the contents of this issue of ‘Futures’ NEW HARTLEY PONDS it is wonderful to see how students, of all ages, have contributed to the tidying of public spaces and in making Seaton Valley a nicer area to live and visit. I’m Students from Newcastle College have been very impressed by the quality of the winning volunteering to help clear away rubbish and litter at photographs in the Photography Competition and New Hartley Ponds Nature Reserve. The Ponds are at know how good the standard of all of the photographs the south west entrance to the village, at the bottom of that were entered were. I also look forward to seeing the entries into this year’s Gardening Competition (see Double Row and are a popular place for walkers and the back cover) – it’s still not too late to enter. nature enthusiasts. There are some exciting things happening this year. The students already take an active role in the area by The improvements to the roundabout at Fountain Head volunteering in the care and development of the Bank in Seaton Sluice are progressing well; a new play park is planned in Seghill at Deneside to replace the nearby East Cramlington and Seaton Valley Nature rather ‘tired’ park at Burnlea Gardens and the Reserve. imminent Summer Galas and Fayres in the villages will celebrate the community spirit that we have in the All of the students are from the Learning Development Valley. I also look forward to welcoming the Tour of Department and are completing horticulture based Britain Cycle Race back in September as it passes through on the way to the finish in Blyth. qualifications. As part of their course the students also access work placements and have been involved with I wish you all a very pleasant summer. projects at Jesmond Dean's Pet Corner, Groundworks, and have also assisted with the local Holywell in Bloom group. If you are interested in conservation work and would Stephen Stanners like to volunteer to improve your area you can pick up Chair, Seaton Valley Council an application form to join the East Cramlington and T: 07892 696 394 Seaton Valley Conservation Volunteers from either E: [email protected] The Keel Row, The Hastings Arms or from Seaton Valley Council Offices. that we now only have a further three shelters left that that we fund some indoor bowling equipment and large mats to be located 2016/2017 have classed as in need of early replacement. at New Hartley Memorial Hall. The equipment was installed in May ANNUAL REPORT 2016 and has proved to be quite popular with the bowling Dog Fouling fraternity. Dog fouling issues continue to be single most popular area of concern identified by residents, and whilst realising that we can’t Support for Retail Outlets A summary of our year is outlined below: project which the Council hopes to deliver by the end of July 2017. eradicate the problem completely we have taken steps to actively Again in response to concerns raised in the Village Planning The third and final element of the Seghill Play Park Plan is to install address the matter. exercise the Council commissioned some work to help improve the Neighbourhood Partnership with Northumberland County play facilities at the Welfare Site. Designs are currently being appearance of the retail offer on Seaton Delaval ‘high street’. We Council drawn up for this project and an autumn installation date has been We think our efforts are starting to have some affect as the issue is funded a number of ‘shop improvement works’ which we hope have The work of the partnership is now firmly embedded within the targeted. becoming much more recognised and generally seen as being an made a positive impact on the high street. Further works are workings of the Council. Working relationships between NCC and anti-social act. We will continue to highlight the problem and push expected to be completed in the current financial year. Seaton Valley are very good, and the standard of work provided is for more penalty notices for repeat offenders. well regarded by most residents. Grass cutting is seen as Neighbourhood Plan particularly good whilst some problems with weed control were Leisure Activities Following receipt of its designation in September 2015 the Council experienced during the summer months of 2016. The Council continued to fund services from Active took steps to hold a number of consultation events to publicise the Northumberland to help provide leisure activities within our plans development in the early months of 2016. Whilst the events The number of new litter bins and the need for replacement bins villages for residents throughout the Valley. Activities provided themselves were fairly well attended we struggled to sign continues to be reviewed and is informed by residents and partners include; just jhoom; zumba gold; multi- sport; street funk dance, Tot volunteers up from each village to take the plan forward and views. A number of requests were received for bins in new Shots and soft archery. eventually we took the decision to move ahead with developing the locations, and these were accommodated wherever possible within New Hartley chapter on its own, in the hope that this would act as a the resources available. In addition the Council also completed a major upgrade of its Youth Service catalyst for other villages in the Valley to get more actively involved Mitford Road play park in Seaton Delaval. The old equipment was The Council’s contribution to this service enables the County too. Floral Bedding completely removed and replaced with brand new facilities and a Council’s Youth Service to deliver a youth club for Seghill and 2016/17 was the first year of a new three year contract won by the separate football compound was also installed. provides staffing to other youth clubs in Seaton Valley. In addition No sooner had we started on this activity when we discovered that County Council to provide the Council’s Floral Planting to youth club provision it enables a Healthy Youth Engagement Barratt Homes had submitted an appeal against the County arrangements. The Council was pleased with the County Council’s Northumbria in Bloom Worker to be employed to help develop and run ad hoc projects for Council’s decision to refuse its planning application and that the performance in this area of the Council’s work and is particularly The Council continues to work with the Valley’s resident groups to young people across the Valley. Secretary of State had determined that a Public Enquiry should be pleased with the quality of spring bedding that has come into bloom support the Northumbria in Bloom initiative. There were a number held to hear the appeal . in recent weeks. of notable achievements last year and the groups are now working Art Stop hard to improve on last years’ performance. Seaton Valley Community Partnership was successful in securing On hearing this news the Council took the decision to suspend the Promoting Seaton Valley £15,000 towards the costs of an ‘Art Stop’ project from Arts development of its Neighbourhood Plan pending the outcome of The Council continues to actively promote the Valley. A variety of Christmas Events Council England. This project was collaboration between the the Public Enquiry.The Council and residents from New Hartley are posters and notice boards are now in place at many of our bus stops One of the highlights of the Council’s year is the Christmas events partnership, Seaton Valley Community Council and now working together to submit written evidence to the Public in each of our five villages, highlighting aspects of Seaton Valley life held in each of its villages at the end of November. The events are Northumberland Youth Service. Enquiry which is scheduled to begin on 13th June 2017. and some of its locations. The new Gateway signs are also now in always well attended and really do seem to signal the introduction situ and have received favourable comments from both residents of the Christmas period. We continue to run our Christmas Lights New Hartley Post Office and neighbouring authorities. Design competition at each of our first schools and provide In mid-June 2016 the Council was made aware that the Postmaster entertainment and refreshments at the switch on events. at New Hartley Post Office was considering whether or not to We held our first Photography Competition in April last year to resign his position with Post Office Plc. The Council arranged encourage residents to take ‘shots’ of the Valley to promote ‘sense Allotments meetings with the Postmaster, the Post Office Plc and residents to of place’ which had the added bonus of increasing our library of The Council ring fences the income it collects from allotment rents discuss the future of the Post Office in New Hartley and agreed a images of Seaton Valley.