Malcolm Robinson Bedlington West Ward.

17/09/2026

FREE Halloween Ghost Trail at Plessey Woods Country Park

📅 Daily from 3 Oct - 3 Nov. Simply drop in. Note the cafe is closed on Mondays.

Here are a few tips:

👻 It's FREE to park for an hour but you need a ticket still. An hour is just enough time to get around the trail and stop for a play in the park at the end (NE22 6HZ). You can of course stay for longer but parking charges apply (up to £4.50). There is a bus stop along from the entrance.

👻 Last year the trail was 2.7km circular for us (including steps). You can make this trail accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs by following the linear route there and back (I would say this is around 3.5km in total). It may get muddy if it rains.

👻 There's an enclosed playground, cafe, toilet and dog wash at the start / end plus a free bouldering area across from the playground

👻 Pick up a trail map from the cafe during opening hours - (Tues to Fri 10am-3pm and Sat/Sun 10am-3:30pm) Return your trail to the cafe for a sweet treat. The trail is FREE as is the treat - thanks Northumberland Council

👻 During the trail you have to use the map to find 10 Ghosts hidden in the trees and write down the activity they are carrying out on your trail sheet (bring a pen / pencil)

👻 Dogs are welcome - Plessey Woods is popular for off-lead walking so keep this in mind if you don't like dogs

17/09/2026

Delighted to meet with Stephen Scott yesterday at County Hall.

Stephen is standing for election as an Independent in one of the Berwick wards and my advice was simple……..always put your residents first because that’s what differentiates us from the other political groups!

17/09/2026

I asked a simple question at yesterday’s full council meeting and given the Chairs insistence questions and answers are cut as short as possible, I really only expected a “yes”!

However it seems Bedlington is a veritable cornucopia of inward investment which benefit all of our residents and we are the envy of most other towns around us?

(Just as a side note the whole meeting took a drastic turn into political theatrics and grandstanding with loaded questions and answers designed to embarrass other groups. I see other parties have followed me and said the same!)

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17/09/2026

Now at yesterday’s full council meeting, during the Leaders presentation about our corporate performance, which I described as an episode of Jackanory, he mentioned something which ruffled my feathers!
Opportunities for our children should not be limited because they live in one town or another 5 miles away and that’s embedded in our tackling inequalities policy.

Couldn’t hold my tongue at that…………..and I really don't see any difference at all?

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17/09/2026

I had a meeting yesterday before the full council meeting with the Leader, director of service and the portfolio holder about the changes to our Telecare service which are due to be discussed at the next cabinet meeting.
The main point is that it’s the mobile response teams which are under threat while the basic telecare side will remain subject to a price increase.
So quite a tense meeting seeing as I was trying to get them to expand the service not cut it! The ambition should be to roll out such a valued service countywide not dissect it!
Without going into details nothing I said was going to be accepted but the real kicker came at the end!

This has already been accepted by the full council because it was in the budget that went through last February.

Well in that case I’m happy I didn’t vote for the budget, for quite different reasons, and I doubt I ever will again because this is the second time in recent weeks that a subsection in what are almost Atypical/Miscellaneous Categories has been used to justify current policy decisions.
I wonder how many other NCC councillors realise they voted to cut the current telecare service when they voted for this year’s budget?


I was presented with a printed out copy of the thread on this page where I asked how people felt about the telecare service………Here’s another one for your printer chaps!

16/09/2026

Absolutely heartbreaking Noah the disabled 3yr old who has just been found.

Can’t imagine what the family are going through but thoughts and prayers to them.

Fly with the angels little one.

11/09/2026

NCC are consulting on the consumption of alcohol in public places.

Follow the link to have your say.

https://www.northumberland.gov.uk/public-protection/consumption-alcohol-countywide-proposal?fbclid=IwdGRjcAUQ9VlwZG9mAWZkaWQWUOMVJGX-qe287NdFQ1zJ5qPhnh9pnWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR7q6CrzWLVWAlSnc-sWs9bUte1eqPPEOH6x0Mu_lROtQv5qLJaEBXU_uwA1Og_aem_QL4vql47yeGn6eIGXvESVw

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11/09/2026

Just as a quick update on the NCC Telecare issue!

I sent quite a scathing message into the Leadership at NCC about this, and while not mentioning any names, the fact that so many people have been in touch to say what a lifeline it is to them and their loved ones was something I laid out to them, along with lots of other reasons why this hasn’t been handled with the due care and attention it needs!

It is quite obvious to me there are lots of things to be considered with this and while I said I understand NCC have to save money just to balance the books it’s the how and where that’s done will be the true marker of any administration!

I don't believe the consequences have been thought through never mind adequate impact assessments done!

I have now been called to a meeting to discuss this where once again I will be hopelessly outnumbered and no doubt attempts will be made to baffle me with bull###x!
You would think they would have learnt by now because actually I’m looking forward to the fight!

08/09/2026

I’m asking any residents in my ward if they use the NCC Telecare system especially the mobile response side and if that goes how might it effect you.

NCC are looking to change the Telecare system by not only increasing the cost, to make it cost neutral, but getting rid of the mobile response team.
So has anyone used it, did it work for you and what concerns might you have by removing it?

I know NCC have to save money but how they save it is another matter.
Given the response team is only available within a certain part of the county I would have thought extending it right across the county should be what we had ambitions to do, not removing it?

https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/health/telecare-user-fears-he-will-be-forced-into-nursing-home-as-council-consult-on-shutting-down-service-6446864?fbclid=IwY2xjawUMpR1wZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMExFS3dNSW1Qa2dKVTlpTVBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEehx4o1l9XeBGU_ztl2Ll6j_S9uvFqRAr5iuWFf9zZ0luCbG_np85UzZ_CrK0_aem_bAdXQxpUMzQCb7ln4V4UnQ

A Cramlington man fears he could be forced to move into a nursing home after Northumberland County Council launched a consultation that could see vital telecare service closed.

08/09/2026

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