Homes for the North group shows why we need a North East Mayor

Interesting debate Thursday in the House of Commons when a large group of northern housing associations came together to make the case for devolution and the consequential policy and overall solutions that would result in more and better homes. I attended the debate, spoke v briefly - and afterwards chatted to two of major  housing providers that live and work in the north east and particularly Northumberland: Mark Henderson of Home Group and Keith Lorraine of Isos (see picture below) have many thousands of properties under management. The debate focused on many issues, but I found very interesting the much expressed complaint that in the north east we have multiple different local authorities, differing local housing plans, differing agendas to green belt, urban renewal and definitely different planning teams at the local authorities. The consequence is obvious - less building, fewer homes, greater costs to both local authorities / taxpayer and the developers, and an overall lack of any coordinated regional plan.
I am of the view that one of the benefits of a North East Mayor would be that regional overview.
Similarly, the impression of the housing needs not featuring in infrastructure renewal and expansion also featured. The flip side to that argument is how often does the housing developer reach out to the highways team, the combined local authority, and more particularly the LEP?
That development of an integrated approach and proper focused liaison rather than a wish list to the LEP will be one thing I hope Homes for the North take forward.
Finally, I challenged my two largest housing providers to look at the NCC estate - which is in excess of 100 properties - following the amalgamations of the district councils, and the movement of many things to Morpeth and beyond, and address their suitability for conversion into housing accommodation property. I remember in 2008 touring the two large former hospital sites at Stannington and Prudhoe - both had lain idle for many years at great cost to the taxpayer = well over £1 million dating back over 15 years in Stannington case. They were public land formerly used as public buildings and costing us a lot in security, whilst declining all the time.
I was determined that both would developed and one of my proudest achievements is the backing of both developments thereby releasing an unused state asset, providing much needed new housing and other benefits, without impacting on traditional unused virgin green belt.
I want a similar approach to the former Tynedale and castle Morpeth sites in my constituency, subject to the usual rules on consultation, planning and local views. Everyone in the Hexham constituency knows several buildings that have lain unused for years, quietly deteriorating at significant expense and nothing is done about them. The ball is in my local housing associations court.

In 2017 three things will happen:
- mayoral elections for the north east, with the significant changes this entails.
- a local authority that may failed to do a local plan will have its functions taken over by central government in order for such a plan to be produced under the housing act. Will Northumberland be finished by then?
- and local elections and I hope a fresh start as to the way in which Northumberland is run.
If you are interested in more detail their website is here:
http://www.homesforthenorth.co.uk

Prudhoe Walled Garden Consultation Meetings tomorrow / Friday

The Prudhoe Walled Garden at the old hospital site is a genuine gem. I have been helping the group who are trying to ensure that as the Hospital site is developed this lovely walled garden is preserved for the future, possibly with a community use. As always this requires huge effort by a dedicated band of volunteers and the team behind the Walled Garden are doing a great job. We owe them a great deal and I will help in whatever way I can.

There is a online survey at www.surveymonkey.com/s/prudhoewalledgarden
And you can email your thoughts on prudhoewalledgarden@hotmail.com

or visit the website www.prudhoewalledgarden.yolasite.com
or go on facebook “Prudhoe hospital has a future”

The Consultation Meetings are this week:
Thursday 14th August 2014
- 9.30am - 11.30am: St Mary Magdalene Church
- 3.30pm - 5.30pm: Prudhoe Library, Spetchells

Friday 15th August 2014
- 2.30pm – 4.30pm: Prudhoe Library, Spetchells
I am going to try and pop in Thursday morning but do go and lend your support. This is a great project for Prudhoe.

Prudhoe Hospital Meeting tomorrow night at 7pm - a key opportunity to have your say about the site's future

The Prudhoe Civic and Community Forum meeting will be held at 7pm on April 1 at Prudhoe Community Church. There will be a forum presentation and discussion on the future of the Prudhoe Hospital Walled Garden.

I have been working with many of the locals to try and make the case for retention of the walled garden and an assessmen of the site in general. This has involved meetings with key locals - the record of which is set out here, along with the key questions. My thanks to Robert Forsythe and all the team of enthusiasts for their efforts.
http://guyopperman.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/what-to-do-with-prudhoe-hospital-site.html

One of the activists is Dr Julia Cooper who told the Hexham courant recently that - “The forum meeting is a chance for people interested in the walled garden to come along and we can hear their ideas and gauge how much interest there is. We would like to put together a group to take on the garden. Hopefully at the meeting we’ll be able to identify who the key players are. We’re hoping people will come together in the town to work together.”
http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk/news/prudhoe-plants-the-idea-of-a-community-garden-1.1125589

I urge anyone interested in the long term fate of the Prudhoe hospital site to go to tomorrow's meeting. I will be in Westminster but am sending along Pete, who works for me, to take notes and answer any questions.

Westminster this coming week

The North East after a Scottish "Yes" vote is the key debate this week - at 9.30 on Tuesday. I will be making the case for the Union but also addressing the impact of independence on North East trade, jobs, borders and so much more.
Also on Tuesday I will be
i). At 11am meeting Northern Rail and the British Transport Police both for an update and specifically to address a lack of cover on the Tyne Valley line, as complained about by many constituents.
ii). At 1.30 meeting with the top HCA representative concerning Prudhoe Hospital and any other HCA sites in Tynedale
There are many National Apprenticeship Week events this week, all of which are designed to ensure more people take on an apprentice.
Thursday is International Womens Day and we will be welcoming 1 female student who is representing our patch of Northumberland and taking her both to Number 10, around the Commons and to the Speakers House.
I also have a series of meetings with Northumberland College representatives, Home Office Meetings, and several constituency casework calls to make.