PARISH COUNCIL MEETS THURSDAY
LOWICK PARISH COUNCIL
A meeting of Lowick Parish Council will be held on Thursday 23rd March 2023 at 6.30pm in
the Village Hall
AGENDA
1. Chairman to welcome everyone
2. Apologies for absence
3. Declarations of Interest
4. Questions from members of the public
5. Celebrations to mark the Coronation and Community Event
6. Minutes of previous meeting
7. Matters Arising
8. Community Resilience
9. County Councillor’s report
10. Police Report
11. Matters to report on potholes, repairs/maintenance to street lights/highways etc
12. Correspondence
13. Any other business
14. Date of next meeting – 20th April
KA Gold, Barmoor South Moor, Lowick, Berwick upon Tweed TD15 2QF Tel: 01289 388205
lowickparishcouncil@btconnect.com http://www.lowick.live
PARISH COUNCIL MEETING POSTPONED
We have had to postpone this week’s meeting – and have not been able to find a new date when the Village Hall is available. Apologies – as soon as we know, you will too!
A DATE FOR THE FETE – HAVE YOUR SAY
The Common shortly before last June’s sunny weather and the crowds appeared for last year’s Fete.
This year, we’re planning another sunny day for the village to enjoy, and have already begun discussions about events and activities on the big day.
We are proposing SATURDAY JUNE 17th as being the best day for the Fete – and are keen to hear from you about this choice.
Please click the thumbs up or the thumbs down below – or email us via the Contact Us page of Lowick Live.
CAMPAIGN FOR A NEW HIGH SCHOOL
The consultation for a new HIGH SCHOOL for Berwick upon Tweed has recently ended, and we await the decision of Northumberland County Council about the future of education in our area.
£40 million has been set aside to rebuild our school, and the investment will go to either a new Two-Tier system, or to bolster the existing Three Tier provision created for cost reasons back in the 1970s. An increasing number of school partnerships have converted two Two-Tier – most notably Alnwick’s Duchess’ School, where pupils from Berwick’s catchment area have already gone, from Wooler and Belford.
Your Parish Council unanimously supports the move two a Two-Tier system, and submitted this view to the County Council. Below are extracts from its submission.
“We believe that 3 tier education does not provide value for money and is out of step with the great majority of schools in the UK. It does not establish an effective and continuous education for children as they enter and grow through adolescence, and depends on exhausted and dated buildings and infrastructure.
“We believe the removal of Belford and Wooler to Alnwick is surely likely to stress the provision at the Duchess School. Alnwick is expanding in its own right, and this is likely to continue.
“We believe that the reorganisation of the Berwick Partnership to a 2-tier(primary/secondary) structure represents the best option for securing sustainable and viable education across the Berwick Partnership of schools and for achieving the objectives of the ‘Vision for Berwick’.
“The expansion of Lowick First School is to be welcomed – the village is an expanding settlement, and is one the larger communities in the partnership, and is linked to Holy Island School, which only survives because of tidal issues.
“We are saddened at the poor provision for pupils at secondary school age. The High School is not fit for purpose as a collection of buildings, and has not been for many years. A new school, to match the superb provisions in the Borders Region, and in the South and Middle of Northumberland is 30 years overdue. Naturally, middle school teachers love and speak highly of their work, but with poor continuity of provision into Y9 and KS4, this represents a broken model of provision, where relationships with children has to to rebuilt, often at a time when it is too late. A 3 tier system is merely tinkering with a deficient model and will not result in world class education – and further leakage of students will continue, to Scotland, Longridge Towers and Alnwick.
“Provision of these key public buildings is poor here, and indicates the lack of priority for Education in Berwick. We have had THREE SPORTS CENTRES since 1991, and a perfectly satisfactory THEATRE COMPLEX is to be rebuilt, when it meets our needs. Our HIGH SCHOOL has received no attention in this time, and the present proposal does little to say what could replace it. Where are the visionary plans that could inspire local people to choose them? The County Council wishes to proceed with the Two-Tier system, and should provide proper leadership at this time.
20’s PLENTY – AT LAST!
The sign says it all – or almost!
After years of campaigning from the Parish Council, Children at the Village School, and concerns expressed by local residents, Northumberland County Council has installed the two 20 MPH signs protecting the centre of the village during the school day. The area covered includes the bus stop where children get on and off busses, as well as the First School itself.
One thing is missing – that is the lights that the signs tell us to look out for – but they will doubtless be along soon – we hope!
Meanwhile, thanks to County Councillor Colin Hardy, whose pressure and intervention has made a real difference, and to his community spending chest, which has provided the funds.
Of course, it would be nice to see a proper 20mph limit through the whole village, at all times, and for the officers of the Council to drop their opposition to this on the grounds that nobody would obey it!
LOWICK.LIVE 