Howard Road Zebra Crossing

As you may have seen in the recent ‘Focus’ newsletter, the County Council are planning to move the zebra crossing on Howard Road towards the Wellway junction as part of the traffic calming measures. This was an afterthought to the original scheme – and the County Council only consulted residents of Howard Rd, Howard Terrace and Greystoke Gardens on the move.

Of course, other people in the area use that zebra crossing – in particular parents taking children along Dark Lane to Goosehill School – so you should also have views on the plans to move it. It may be that there’s a need for two crossings on the road.

The formal consultation is over, but if you have strong views please contact John Mather (tel 533978 JBMather@northumberland.gov.uk) at the County Council and/or me urgently.

Thinking 'outside the car'

Can you imagine living with a car?

See this academic survey on 'car-free eco-towns' www.riveroftrees.com

English Partnerships & St George's Hospital II

See also post on Sept 30th: I quote from and paraphrase [where the English is too tortuous] the developers' letter....

"English Partnerships is proposing to redevelop the former St. George’s Hospital site [which it has 'inherited' from the Dept for Health]. This site represents an excellent opportunity to provide a sustainable mixed-use redevelopment within Morpeth.

"On behalf of English Partnerships, David Lock Associates are holding a public exhibition about the development process and give an opportunity to local people to influence the redevelopment of St. George’s Hospital.

"The public exhibition will be held at: The Corn Exchange in the Town Hall on Wednesday, 5 December 2007 from 11am - 7pm

"There will also be opportunities during the day for tours of the site at 12 noon & 2 pm (meet on site at Cottage Row, near security compound)."

Stakeholders - like me and other councillors - are invited to an evening presentation with subsequent Answer and Question Time. I'd be happy to receive and suggestions for questions!

Boys Brigade Bazaar

I meant to post this during the Boys Brigade Bazaar - but didn't get round to it.

This annual event is the hidden star of Morpeth's fairs and jumble sales. It lasts all week - this year from Sat 17th - Sat 24th Nov - and completely fills the Boys Brigade Hall (an old chapel) on Manchester Street.

You can get everything from glass & china to gadgets to prints & pictures to toys to electrical goods, not to mention books, cds, videos and computer games. If you can imagine Smails having a sale of surplus stock - but allowing customers to rummage through the stock rooms - you'll start to get the picture.

It's a great social event (and I usually get a fair bit of my Christmas shopping done there). But for me the best thing is that it promotes re-use and repair of things which is better than recycling.

It's one of the 'greenest' events in Morpeth - and its been going since 'green' was just a colour between yellow and blue in the rainbow [no political metaphor intended].

And now - you can get the same thing all year round with 'Freecycle' - a web-based exchange of unwanted goods. The Morpeth Freecycle™ group (currently with over 1800 members) is open to all who want to "recycle" [actually re-use] unwanted but serviceable items rather than throw them away. Whether it's a chair, a fax machine, piano or an old door, feel free to post it. Or maybe you're looking to acquire something yourself. Just one main rule: everything posted must be.

Ecover Refill Point at Morpeth Wednesday Market

Have you been along to Morpeth Wednesday Market recently? There last few weels there have been 15-18 stalls - it's looking like a real market.

One new stall I'm particularly excited about (well - I don't get out much) not only sells Ecover products - but has barrels to refill bottles from.

Although Morpeth has a great reputation for recycling, we shouldn't forget that re-use (and repair) is better than recycling....