OUR PLAN-MAKING PROCESS
A Core Group of some Councillors and interested residents
began work in January 2008. They set up 8 theme groups with a wider village membership
(see under Main Issues in our Village) to report on current issues. As well as
talking to local groups and businesses about their views, the Core Group organised
2 village walkabouts, two Action Planning Events, interviewed 250 local residents
on their doorstep and local sixth formers at Prudhoe Community High School
THE MAIN ISSUES IN OUR VILLAGE
Housing and development Although
any village development is controversial, we need a better mix of housing, with
more affordable homes and appropriate housing for older people. However, any
such development will mean the potential loss of green space, extra traffic and
more pressure on our local services. The main areas for potential development
are the Old Station Yard, the fields opposite Broomley School, the fields next
to Old Ridley, the land next to the garage and Spar and Merryshields Farm. Proposals
to expand business provision at Stocksfield Hall will benefit our local economy,
employ some local people and help maintain our services, but will also generate
extra traffic on already busy roads.
Our local environment While Tynedale has significantly reduced the percentage
of household waste going to landfill, much plastic material is no longer accepted
for re-cycling. Fly tipping is still causing problems, particularly on the footpath
that follows the Guessburn. Traffic on our narrow rural lanes restricts the opportunities
for walking. A footpath along the south bank of the Tyne has been a long-standing
priority. Two wind turbine clusters are proposed at Hedley on the Hill and Currock
Hill. They will generate clean energy but may spoil the general beauty of the
area. Other proposals include the expansion of Stocksfield Hall, Hollings Hill
landfill (which could bring domestic waste through the village) and the continuation
of quarrying at Broadoak Quarry outside Ebchester. There is some dissatisfaction
with the restoration of Merryshields Quarry re suitable nesting areas. The drains
seem unable to cope, particularly during heavy rains. Despite the introduction
of bins, dog litter remains an issue for a significant number of residents.
Sport and leisure Most of the sports and leisure facilities in the village
are not owned by the clubs that run them, limiting their ability to invest in
new provision. All the clubs are dependant on the work of committees and volunteers
to function, and it is becoming more difficult to both recruit and sustain voluntary
involvement. All clubs are financially viable but constantly need to work hard
to achieve the income to remain solvent. Many are reliant on grant aid support,
particularly to fund any new development initiatives. The sports fields at the
Cricket Club, already heavily used, is facing additional demand with a request
for an additional football pitch and proposals to upgrade the drainage, acquire
new goalposts, and put in additional floodlighting for a grass training area.
This in turn would mean improving the clubhouse and providing additional changing
and showering facilities. There have also been suggestions for widening the range
of activities - for example a running track or outdoor bowls facility (as well
as improving equipment for the indoor bowls that currently exists) to cater for
a wider audience and age range. Increasing casual use of existing facilities
may be possible, but this does present challenges for clubs who primarily need
to cater effectively for their members. An indoor sports hall with gym / fitness
room and possibly a squash court are still desirable. All this suggests that,
despite the rent of an additional field in recent years, space is still a problem
and we may need to look at additional space in the village, as well as catering
for less organised activities, such as a skateboard park, youth shelter, BMX
bike track or gym. Although they have access to the sports field, the school
does not have its’ own outdoor sports area, which may limit the amount
of physical exercise activities that the school can offer. Facilities for older
and disabled people are also limited. SICA does provide a range of indoor sports
and leisure facilities, but it is not suitable for a number of indoor sports.
Other leisure activities, such as allotments, are not widely available. The cost
of some activities, such as golf, tennis or riding may prove restrictive for
some residents.
Young people Our discussions with young people through events and the household
survey have not been comprehensive enough. With what we do know, we need to look
at a range of facilities and services, for very young children, those up to 9
years old, 9 - 12s, and 13s - 18s, as their requirements are radically different.
Many of the activities are completely reliant on volunteers, and for raising
their own funds. Other organisations would be willing to become more involved
but lack the resources to take on any new projects. At the teenager end, youth
clubs (both in the village and at Prudhoe) are not well-attended on a regular
basis. Current buildings are not “user friendly” to most young people.
Transport to outside facilities is also an issue.
Highways and transport The A695 remains a problem, with the prevalence of
heavy traffic and large lorries. There is only one narrow footpath along parts
of it, and it is often difficult for two people to pass each other without actually
stepping onto the road due to lack of hedge trimming. This is not acceptable
for a route regularly used by parents with buggies and children going to school.
There have been a number of accidents between the sports fields and Birches Nook
Road during icy and wet conditions. There is also a problem with speeding traffic
on New Ridley Road and at its’ junction between New Ridley Road and Hedley
on the Hill Road, as well as on other residential roads and through Broomley
and New Ridley villages. Outside developments, as identified in the environment
theme, will also impinge on the volume and type of traffic coming through the
village. Parking and parked cars remains a problem both for motorists and pedestrians,
with particular “hotspots” on New Ridley Road, on parts of the Birkdene
Estate, at the Painshawfield Road / New Ridley Road junction, at Birches Nook,
the sports fields and on the A695 between the garage and Branch End Play Area.
The state of repair of the Parish roads and the level of road gritting in winter
are regularly reported to the County Council. Public transport late at night
is still an issue, with limited evening services, access for cycles, and overcrowding
at certain times.
Health and social care There is a lack of suitable housing for older
people, who want to live independently but may need to downsize to smaller homes,
or for those who require supported care accommodation. Mental health issues (for
the wider community as well as elderly people) may also need to be assessed,
as this is an area that is often overlooked. Not everyone in the village is happy
about the standard of medical service they receive in the village. Given the
recent difficulties experienced by the Northumberland Care Trust, there are still
no guarantees about the future of village-based GP services. Other issues include
childcare facilities at Hexham Hospital, the response rate of ambulances for
patients requiring emergency treatment, and possible relocation to hospitals
outside the area. As with other parts of the country, obesity is an issue for
adults and children.
Lifelong learning Broomley First School has had to use Portacabin
to meet increased demand, and does not have its’ own sports fields. The
possible introduction of two-tier education in Northumberland is likely to have
an impact on its’ future, which could result in any one of a refurbishment,
closing down or merging with another school. There may be a need to co-ordinate
existing adult learning activities within the village to avoid duplication and
offer a wider range of courses. The library stop on Mount View Terrace is increasingly
hampered by the level of traffic on this road. If there was any significant housing
development, it is questionable whether a mobile library service would meet the
needs of an expanded population.
Community life Stocksfield is essentially two villages merged into one, with
its services stretched out along its whole length and lacking a natural centre.
Any significant housing developments could put a strain on our current provision
such as the school and doctors’ surgery. but could also ensure the sustainability
of existing services and businesses and possibly attract new ones. Any new development
would impact on the social mix in Stocksfield, and could affect the viability
of our many local activities and facilities if it were to develop into a commuter
village. Although a friendly village, isolation is still an issue for some elderly
people and for young people. New residents to the village may find it difficult
to become involved in what are well-established groups and activities, particularly
if they work full-time.
The Parish Council While the Parish Council has limited powers to affect bigger
issues, such as planning and transport, changes in Government legislation and
in the structure of the County Council offer our village a chance to have more
control over some of the services we receive. However, Councillors work on a
purely voluntary, unpaid basis, often on top of full-time work or other major
commitments. Any move to take on more direct service provision would require
an even greater commitment both from Councillors and local residents, which may
deter both existing and potential volunteers.
OUR PRIORITIES FOR ACTION
It should be noted that several priorities that
have emerged would benefit more than one theme. For example, community transport
could help young people to access outside services, residents to get out of their
homes and thereby reduce their isolation, and also those wishing to avail themselves
of learning opportunities outside the village. Similarly, a community development
trust, if formed, may be able to manage the community transport scheme, as well
as tackling some of the other priorities such as managing any services we may
want to deliver more locally, co-ordinating the range of adult learning classes
in the village or being the focal point for any funding applications to improve
local provision. In such cases, there will be one reference to the priority,
with cross-referencing to other themes in brackets.
Key priorities, as identified in the action planning events and the doorstep
inquiry, are written in bold.
Housing and Development
Overall Aims:
- Maintain the rural nature of Stocksfield by limiting new
housing developments to within the built up area of the village
- Support
appropriate existing and future business development
- Look to widen the
range of appropriate housing to accommodate the differing demands and to enable
those residents wishing to remain in the village to do so.
- Limit the development
of Broomley and Hindley
Specific Aims:
- Focus new development on the smaller sites such as Branch
End
- Increase the range of housing available in the village e.g. affordable,
supported, lifetime, sheltered, residential, nursing , palliative care
- Explore
the potential for new village facilities at Merryshields Farm
Local Environment
Overall Aims:
- Monitor and canvass the relevant authorities on day-to-day
environmental issues
- Investigate creating more or widening existing footpaths
that would encourage walking and keep pedestrians away from heavy traffic (also
Highways and Transport theme)
Specific Aims:
- Draw up a village policy on wind farms, open cast mining and mineral
and waste development in conjunction with the Eastern Parishes Forum
- Actively
pursue the development of the former Merryshields Quarry as a locally managed
Nature Reserve
- Actively pursue creating a River Tyne footpath along the
south bank from Bywell Bridge
- Actively pursue the creation of ‘Quiet
Lanes’ in the Parish
Sport and Leisure
Overall Aim • To promote and enhance sport and leisure opportunities
within the village
Specific Aims • Review the current use of the sports fields and club
house facilities • investigate other potential sites for sports to accommodate
existing and future demand on space • Where possible, increase range of
sport and leisure activities • Investigate the potential for a small gym
/ fitness centre at the sports field • Include possible provision of a indoor
sports hall in any long-term plans for a new school or development within the
village • Encourage existing village facilities to open up to more casual
use for more physical activity opportunities (also Young People theme) Young
People
Overall Aims:
- Ensure our provision reflect the needs of different age
groups within the village
- Offer the opportunity for young people to access
services elsewhere in the are
- Support the high quality nursery provision
and play facilities within the village
Specific Aims:
- Bring together young people to discuss how they would
like to influence decisions that affect the village (also Community Life theme)
- Investigate
the possibility of a casual “drop-in” centre, youth shelter or internet
café type provision
Highways and Transport
Overall Aims:
- Influence and pressurise, in association with the Eastern
Parishes Forum where appropriate, the relevant authorities to provide adequate
resources to maintain roads, highways and pavements to a high standard throughout
the Parish and the wider district.
- Monitor the volume and size of traffic,
particularly on A695
- Actively pursue measures which will reduce the risk
of accidents, and safeguard the needs of motorists, cyclists and pedestrians,
but will be sensitive to the local environment and the overall appearance of
the village
- In association with the Eastern Parishes Forum, lobby public
transport providers for better public transport in the evenings, more rail capacity
at peak times, and better cycle carrying facilities
Specific Aims:
- Open up the old Station Yard to create more parking,
including more extensive covered cycle racks
- Investigate requests for
a weight limits and speed restrictions on appropriate roads in Stocksfield in
consultation with local residents
- Investigate the potential for 20mph
speed limits on minor village roads and other safety measures in consultation
with local residents
- Continue to seek ways to improve traffic flow and
reduce the prospect of accidents along New Ridley Road, particularly at road
junctions (e.g. top of Painshawfield Road)
- Liaise with Highways departments
re car parking “hotspots”
Health and Social Care
Overall Aims:
- Investigate creating more lifetime homes, and more sheltered,
residential, nursing and palliative care provision
- Care home in the village
with appropriate support
- In association with Eastern Parishes Forum, monitor
social services in the light of local needs and promote their availability to
appropriate residents
Specific Aims:
- Create more activities and facilities to reduce isolation
e.g. a community cafe, “friendship visits”
- Liaise with GP
practice and Patients Forum on new ways of supporting those with care needs and
their carers
- Look at future capacity of burial space and the possibility
of introducing green burials
Lifelong Learning
Overall Aims:
- Ensure education provision reflects the needs of local
children and parents in terms of availability and quality of local schools
- Provide
a wide range of opportunities for adult learning and recreational pursuits
Specific Aims:
- Monitor developments on the County Council policy on
education to provide the strongest possible case for keeping our school within
the village, either by developing the current premises or building a new purpose-built
school
- Create stronger links between the Parish Council and the School
- Coordinate
IT provision within the village. Encourage new providers such as the University
of the Third Age to make classes, on a variety of subjects, locally available
and provide transport to other venues where possible
Community Life
Overall Aim:
- Ensure that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy community
life and feel part of the village by developing and promoting our services to
cater for the whole population range
Specific Aims :
- Create an All-Village Festival
- Look at the viability
for establishing a Stocksfield Community Development Trust to develop local services
and acquire assets for community benefit -
- investigate residential provision
(Housing and Development theme)
- look at potential funds such as Grassroots
and Community Builders to assist with developing community infrastructure and
provide financial and volunteer support for the wide range of social, sport and
leisure activities in the village (Community Life theme)
- create a community
facilities network to co-ordinate events and reduce duplication of effort among
local clubs and groups (Community Life theme)
- investigate viability of
community transport in association with neighbouring villages (Community Life,
Young People, Highways and Transport, Health and Social Care and Lifelong Learning
themes)
- take any opportunities for developing services for community
benefit and on a not-for-profit basis that lie outside the current powers of
the Parish Council
- act as a central purchasing organisation for local
clubs and societies to benefit from economies of scale
- Provide a welcome
pack, “friendship visits” or a ‘Freshers’ Fair’ for
newcomers to the village
- Provide more “drop-in” facilities,
visits and other activities to reduce isolation
Parish Council
Overall Aims:
- To address issues, in consultation with residents, that
affect the village
- Promote the expressed needs of the village within the
relevant area and county authorities
- Explore potential for developing
services locally where desirable and appropriate either within the Parish or
with neighbouring villages and Eastern Parishes Forum
Specific Aims:
- Review
and publicise grants budget annually (offering support where necessary) to promote
local clubs and encourage new activities where there is sufficient demand (also
Young People’s theme)
- Circulate the Parish Plan to key organisations
in the County to inform and influence decision makers regarding the expressed
needs of residents
- Promote local clubs and activities through Council
outlets like NE43 News and the website and ensure they are kept up-to-date on
new developments that may affect their services.
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