Local Labour news in Prudhoe, Wylam and Stocksfield

Over a 6 year period from 2017, the Conservative administration at Northumberland County Council (NCC) spent £65M in Ponteland while spending just £2.4M in Prudhoe, towns of similar population. Can you imagine what Prudhoe would look like with that kind of spend!

Angie Scott, Labour County Councillor and Mayor of Prudhoe, commented  “Prudhoe got less than 1% of NCC’s capital spend over this period. This is an absolute disgrace and misuse of power. It’s clear that the Tories spend in their traditional heartlands at the expense of Prudhoe, a town with far greater need of investment. This blatant discrimination needs to stop and I will be campaigning for a massive investment in Prudhoe to redress this imbalance”.

In May 2025 we have new local elections and you have the opportunity to elect 3 Labour councillors for Prudhoe and the surrounding villages. Only Labour will fight for an equal share of capital spend that Prudhoe needs and deserves. It is our money that NCC decided to spend elsewhere. Anyone who says that Prudhoe is getting a fair deal is no friend of Prudhoe.

Just when will the Tory controlled Northumberland Council be fair with spending in Prudhoe?

This has come after a call from Councillor Angie Scott for Prudhoe to get its fair share of funding. A report earlier in the year revealed that only £3.9 million was spent by the council on capital projects in Prudhoe since 2017. This was compared with £66.1m in Ponteland in that same time period. That’s a huge £62.5 million spend difference, where both towns have similar sized population.

Tory Councillor Gordon Stewart said: “The centre is really popular and well-run, attracting thousands of visits each week but parts of the building are looking tired and in need of modernisation. This refurbishment work will breathe new life into the centre and provide a modern and improved experience for both visitors and the local community.”

He failed to mention the 62.5 million of spending that the people of Prudhoe didn’t get. He didn’t say why the Tory controlled council favoured the people of Ponteland over the people of Prudhoe. Neither did he say what he was going to do about getting the massive spending difference addressed. The spending of 1.5 million on Waterworld doesn’t even come close to addressing this scandalous injustice put upon the people of Prudhoe by the Tory Controlled Northumberland County Council.

The Tories nationally have shown their willingness to provide their friends with lucrative contracts.

The local Tories have shown their willingness to fund the councils who have the most wealth, leaving places like Prudhoe with little investment. The map below shows the distribution of investment from NCC.

Prudhoe is Northumberland’s eighth largest town, with 10,288 people. It has seen by far the lowest capital investment since 2017, at just £3.9m

No single project has cost more than £1m, with the most expensive being a pavilion at Eastwoods Park coming in at £769,854.

Since the general election, as your MP, I have been speaking up in parliament about many issues which affect our area. The constituency has many different challenges affecting town and rural communities. I have already raised the problem of access to banking and the difficulties associated with sustainable sheep farming. I will continue to bring our area’s voice to the House of Commons. If there is anything you wish to raise, please get in touch at joe4hexham@gmail.com

New safety equipment has been installed at the Tyne Riverside in Prudhoe after work by Angie Scott collaborating with Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service, Ovingham Parish Council and local Mountain Rescue team.

Angie stated “By working together, we’ve been able to significantly enhance the safety measures in place, making the riverside a safer environment for everyone. We need to do everything we can to avoid future tragedies on our river”.

For more information follow this link.

We frequently get comments from residents expressing concern about speeding on many of the roads around our towns and villages.

A recent survey along Castlefields Drive showed what many already felt: far too many drivers exceeding the speed limit by significant amounts. Speeds of up to 56 mph were measured through a 20 mph residential zone! The figures suggest that over the space of a year, 10,000 cars break the speed limit my 10 mph or more. Existing measures clearly aren’t working!

West Wylam Community Centre and its sports field were completely redone many years ago with the aid of a £100K+ grant from Sports England. However, since around 2021, the facility has been locked and unused. The building is now in a state of dilapidation and this potentially superb facility which could serve the local community is being allowed to rot despite the use of public money to build it in the first place. It also looks like people may have broken into it (window wide open). I have tried to contact the owner directly on this issue in the past but my communications remain unanswered.

Many residents have expressed frustration and anger that this situation has been allowed to continue. Despite the public money, this remains privately held land. However, Northumberland County Council (NCC) has powers to intervene and Prudhoe Town Council (PTC) has called on NCC to serve what is called a Section 215 notice demanding that the owner restores the facility. This could be such a fantastic venue for local sports and other clubs. PTC is committed to continue to find a way to get it reopened.

Whether you live in Wylam, Prudhoe or Stocksfield, or any of the villages in between, the River Tyne provides a focal point for recreation and leisure uses. Aside from fishing and canoeing, the River is used for wild swimming and the Riverside Parks by families and dog walkers. However, the evidence is clear that after heavy periods of rainfall the levels of pollution in the river can become extremely high, posing a threat to the health of river users. Local residents in the Prudhoe area have also reported incidences of dogs dying or becoming extremely ill after swimming in the river.

In the lead up to the General Election, Fergal Sharkey (of the Undertones fame), came along to a meeting in Wylam to talk about the major threats to the river, and why successive Conservative governments, have failed to tackle the issues. The main source of pollution comes from the water companies, that were privatised back in 1991.
In August 2024 OFWAT announced a ‘catalogue of failures’ by Northumbria Water in how it has ran their sewage works, which has resulted in excessive spills from storm overflows. OFWATs investigations show how Northumbrian Water has routinely released sewage into the rivers rather than ensuring that this only happens in exceptional circumstances as the law intends. This echoes the findings of Wylam based Clean Tyne River Group, which also voluntarily monitors the river’s water quality for faecal bacteria including E.coli. The samples collected after heavy rainfall in summer, show high levels of E.coli – the highest levels topping 13,700, above the DEFRA safety standard of 900 colony-forming units. . In 2023, the severe storm overflow at Wylam spilled 30 times for a total of 263 hours, the equivalent of 11 continuous days of discharge, and the Environment Agency 2023-24 Annual Report refers to 33 pollution incidents on the River Tyne.

All of this is extremely bad news for river users. It is clear that the failure by successive conservative governments to ensure adequate regulation of the water companies is seriously impacting the quality of our rivers. Northumbria Water consumers have seen their annual water bills increase year on year. The 2.7m customers in our region will pay an average bill of £391 for their water and sewerage services in 2023/24, up around 7.5% compared to the £362 they were paying in 2022. In short the Conservatives have turned a blind eye and weakened rather than strengthened regulation, with serious damage being done to our countryside, our tourism industry, and people’s health, whilst expecting consumers to pay more.

The new Labour Government will put failing water companies under special measures to clean up our water. It will give regulators new powers to block the payment of bonuses to executives who pollute our waterways and bring criminal charges against persistent law breakers.

As your North East mayor I’m on a mission to turn our region into the home of real opportunity. Since you elected me in May I have pushed ahead with big changes – from setting up a North East Child Poverty Reduction Unit to backing plans for a new film studio in the North East.

At the top of my to do list is to take our bus network back under public control. I started that work on day one, kick-starting the legal process so we can finally put the public before profit. When we get control of our network we’ll have a bigger public say over routes, fares and timetables. That means more buses connecting people to good jobs, and it means a new focus on saving rural bus routes.

As part of my bus plans, this November I’ll be launching a regionwide consultation on North East transport, asking your views on the infrastructure and services we need to grow our region. Look out for it and be sure to have your say.

I couldn’t be prouder to be your North East mayor. From coast to countryside, city to village, we have so much that makes us a unique and great region. In the coming months I’ll be setting out plans to grow our cultural sector, increase visitor numbers and promote our region nationally and internationally, and I look forward to updating you on these plans.

In October 2023 Prudhoe Town Council agreed to recognise a climate emergency and to work collaboratively with Prudhoe Community Partnership (PCP) in the development and implementation of a Climate change and Biodiversity Action plan. The recognition of climate change was proposed by Labour Cllr Carol Stephenson who said,

“While Prudhoe is a relatively small town, it has an important part to play in the protection of its natural environment.  If we are to protect and improve our environment  working with partners is essential.  The people of this town are enormously proud of our natural heritage and rightly so – today we have agreed as a Council to work with the PCP to protect that environment for those who live here now and for future generations.  Prudhoe Community Partnership have been active for some time in the development and implementation of a Climate Change and Biodiversity Action Plan and today we have agreed to join them in this important work.  From now on it’s a joint endeavour with our PCP partners.

The aim of the Climate Change and Bio-diversity Action Plan is to enable the people of Prudhoe to share in the many benefits of a clean, safe, and sustainable environment now and in the future.   Protection of the environment is about mutual benefit – everyone benefits from less waste, pollution and the protection of our natural world, the Action plan will be about supporting people to make a difference rather than telling people how they can or cannot live”.

Since that time Labour Councillors Carol Stephenson, Dot Dickinson, Duncan Coutchman and Jonathan Wheeler have worked with the PCP, local activists, businesses and employers in the development and roll out of the Climate Change and Bio-diversity plan.  This has resulted in in a number of Prudhoe Goes Green events focussing on action and education about everything from clean energy, minimising energy waste, accessing green transport and planting for bio-diversity.

As part of the bio-diversity plan, and after a public consultation, Carol got the agreement of the town council to plant spring bulbs in an unused part of the Edgewell West Cemetery.  With the support of Cllr Jonathan Wheeler, Chair of the Cemeteries Committee, the planting of bulbs will mark the launch of Friends of Edgewell Cemetery (Sunday October 27^th).  In launching this group our aim is to protect and preserve what is an important local cemetery,  improve knowledge and appreciation of the cemetery and support bio-diversity making.  If you would like to know more about the Prudhoe Climate Change and Biodiversity Plan, future Prudhoe Goes Green events or the launch of Friends of Edgewell Cemetery please contact Carol Stephenson (carol.stephenson@prudhoetowncouncil.gov.uk) or Jonathan Wheeler (jonathan.wheeler@prudhoetowncouncil.gov.uk).

Prudhoe Town Council (PTC) works in partnership with Prudhoe Gardeners Association (PGA) and the Prudhoe Community Allotments to support the interests of the town’s allotment gardeners at several local sites.

Dot Dickinson, Edgewell Allotments Representative and Town Councillor says “there are numerous benefits to renting an allotment, keeping you fit, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, growing an excellent food source and giving you a sense of accomplishment, in addition to being in places for social contact which improves mental health.”

Further information here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/prudhoegardenersassociation

Many residents have expressed concern for the safety of children outside of Prudhoe West First School.

In response, Northumberland County Councillor and Prudhoe Mayor, Angie Scott, used her Small Schemes Allowance to fund the road safety barrier at the school

Angie has worked with the school and Northumberland County Council to look at safety options and this year she has managed to get pencil barriers installed. Speeding is still an issue on this road and Angie is determined to keep pressing NCC to install speed-restriction measures.