Welcome to the Ponteland Community Partnership

Open letter of thanks from Ponteland Community Partnership to the residents

Sadly this communication is to notify the residents that the Community Partnership will be closing by the end of this month. We would like to take this opportunity to thank so many individuals, volunteers and organisations for their support over the past 18 years; without this support we could not have achieved so much. Thanks should also be given to the past Chairman and committee members for all their contributions and hard work over some difficult times.

Once this decision had been made the partnership agreed to put together one last final project for the benefit of the youth who have been under provided for over the years. As government regulations restricted our group from delivering this ourselves it was agreed to create the Physical and Mental Wellbeing Youth Project to be provided by those who can; giving them the funds to facilitate activities throughout the lock down and government road map heading to some kind of normality. Invitations were made to youth organisations to apply for grant funding for something needed to enhance the young people’s experience or  a project for which funds were required; all had to meet a criterion:

  • Must be for the benefit of the students
  • An extracurricular item/or experience/or project
  • Completed application form with estimates on capital expenditure

There have been 8 successful applications all for the benefit of young people; the grants have enabled volunteers and teachers to provide experiences and activities now and in the future. What a way to end the community partnership.

Could this be you?

Alma Dunigan
Chairman
Ponteland Community Partnership


Guy Opperman MP said:

‘The Ponteland Community Partnership has been a wonderful hub for many brilliant local projects over nearly two decades. I would like to thank all those who have volunteered their time and skills to support the many great community projects which have made a real difference in people’s lives. The sad news of the closing of the Partnership is only softened in the knowledge that the positive legacy it is leaving will continue on for many years to come.’


Achievements these are:

  • Launching the Pont News & Views a FREE community magazine distributed to every household in the civil Parish. This provides an essential means of communication for Town Council, community partnership and local organisations on current affairs and events.
  • Assisting other organisations to raise funds of £56,500, for other organisations projects from 2005 to 2007.
  • Assisted Ponteland Community High School in their bid for £10,000 towards funding electricity to the Youth Centre.
  • Assisted Bowling Club grant application for £30,000 towards clubhouse extension.
  • Raised £65,000 for a play park at Callerton Lane
  • Raised £37,000 for the skateboard park at Callerton Lane.

2009 change to one unitary authority funding and support withdrawn

  • Hosted a series of community information events in 2012 at a time when a number of developers were keen to build on the surrounding greenbelt. This kick started the formation of Ponteland Greenbelt Group and members of Ponteland Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group.
  • Funding secured to created a Ponteland Community Partnership website
  • Business donations secured a free community event “Ponteland Question Time” a debate between our MP, Mayor and County Councillors and the Debating Society from the High School. The topic was based on youth concerns and a suitable age for voting.
  • Appointed a Youth Ambassador to promote the views of the youth.
  • Created a student link with the High School and appointed a Student Adviser
  • Arranged a number of community events to revamp the Bridleway, Callerton to Rotary Way and Rotary Way to the Airport- provided by external funding.
  • Received Highly Commended best new project, Love Northumberland Award 2017
  • Contributed to Town Council’s entry into Britain in Bloom Award Silver Gilt 2017
  • 2 events – Planting wild bulbs and trees on the bridleway from Callerton lane to Airport, external funding provided.
  • Contributed to Town Council’s entry into Britain in Bloom Award Gold 2018
  • 2018, Marian Foster from BBC Radio interviewed volunteers at the Bridleway for her programme featured on Sundays.
  • Invitation to Lord-Lieutenants Annual Garden Party at Alnwick Gardens 2018 hosted by Duchess of Northumberland in recognition of volunteers valuable contributions. Guest His Royal Highness Prince of Wales.
  • Received Highly Commended best urban project – Old Railway Line, Love Northumberland Award 2018.
  • Youth work supporting 27 students achieve National Citizen Service Award.
  • Installing 5 Educational Information Pedestals depicting the social history of the railway line, Ponteland Station and rail workers, ICI Explosive Depot, Prestwick Pit and natural environment along Bridleway – grant funded.
  • Creating “step counts” along the Bridleway this addition onto the pedestals is an aid to general health and part of a health recovery programme which links into the Joint Health & Wellbeing Strategy 2018-2020 between NCC and the NHS Clinical Commissioning Group – grant funded.
  • Received Northumberland Community Chest Award 2019
  • “Healthy Lifestyle Initiative”, a 6 month drop in pilot scheme checking weight & BP open to residents and Ponteland workers.
  • Darras Hall Grasslands SSSI Educational Information Pedestal to celebrate a special area of scientific interest in the middle of a 2,600 housing estate. By donation.
  • Youth Reporter Project, topic “the Truth about Social Media”
  • “Physical & Mental Wellbeing Youth Project” – funded activities for Kinball sport at the High School, 5 tents for the Ponteland 1st Scouts, funds for creative activities for Brownies, funds to support 50th Anniversary of the Rangers and funds for 2 after school clubs for Darras Hall Primary School.

How it all started:
Early in 2003 an event named “Shaping the Future” took place at Ponteland Leisure Centre. The purpose of this event was to let local businesses and organisations to be aware of the Local Government Act 2000 and its possible opportunities for the community. The Act encourages each council to establish a Local Strategic Partnership. There was already in place a Castle Morpeth Community Partnership covering the whole of what was Castle Morpeth Borough, which in turn has a direct link with the Northumberland Strategic Partnership – this formed a network of partnerships. The Ponteland partnership covers the civil Parish of Ponteland and allows the residents, businesses, voluntary and community organisations to work together to improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of the area.

What made it different? The Community Partnership was a non political and non profit making organisation all members were volunteers and give up their time to support its aims and all of its activities are funded by grants and donations in money or kind.  Its brief is set out in the constitution.  Partnerships are deliberately positioned to work across local authority boundaries with links to decision-making organisations that have access to funding and overcoming much of the bureaucracy that exists.

What was its purpose?

  • To identify the things that really matter to people in the Parish and to provide a mechanism through which these can be tackled.
  • To develop a community strategy which has wide support because this should lead to addressing issues seen as important to the local community, giving greater co-ordination in decision making with effective use of resources.

How did it benefit the Community? By identifying community views as what is important for the area including “Quality of Life”

What followed on from “Shaping the Future”? Thanks should be given to 4 residents whom made up the initial interim group in 2003 their task was to create a committee structure, constitution and prepare the hand over to the Ponteland Community Partnership at its inauguration later in the October 2003. They were Alma Dunigan, Colin French, Frank Harrington and Colin Scott.

At the Inaugural General Meeting: The Ponteland Community Partnership officially started in the autumn of 2003 and was set up under the precepts of the Local Government Act 2000 at a time when Ponteland was part of Castle Morpeth Borough Council. This was a time when the government of the day was encouraging local communities to get involved in their local areas. There was a need for a community lead group to voice what was important to them and how improvements could be made. This was also at the time that the government of the day and John Prescott were encouraging decision making at grassroots level by extending the democratic system.

Following on: There has been 3 Chairman over the 18 years of the organisations existence; in 2003 Kevin Flaherty, followed by Brian Prickett and finally Alma Dunigan. The Community Partnership has seen many changes in Ponteland Civil Parish each chairman and committee have placed their mark on its activities.

Kevin as the first Chairman and will always be remembered for initiating the Pont News and Views a monthly magazine delivered to every household and business in Ponteland. Local advertising supported the magazine with interesting articles about residents, organisations or businesses. The magazine has flourished over the years thanks to the same editor.

Brian developed solid relationships with other local organisations, supporting them in their fund raising efforts to a total of £193,000 all for the benefit of the community. The high light of this was the fund raising and construction of the Play Park and Skate Park at Callerton Lane; at a time when the Inspector of the Castle Morpeth District Plan acknowledged a lack of youth facilities.

Alma created the website at a time when technology had changed the way we communicate and used this tool to interact with the community over projects and activities. Funding for projects had to be sort and the local aims had to match the aims of the provider to be successful; sometimes this was difficult to achieve without being creative in the application. Projects were focused around the natural environment and the communities’ physical and mental wellbeing young and old.

Ponteland was one of four community partnerships established by Castle Morpeth Borough Council and under the stewardship of Kevin the Ponteland Community Partnership kept going on a shoestring until support from Castle Morpeth put the Ponteland Community Partnership on a more formal basis. The 4 partnerships were responsible to Advancing Castle Morpeth, the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) for Castle Morpeth and the LSP linked in with the county wide Northumberland Strategic Partnership (NSP), thus providing a non-political route to the County Council.

The formal structure came with support of an annual grant of £100k from Castle Morpeth, over £1M of grant funding was levered in for local projects for the 4 community partnerships county wide; this included a small amount of admin support to assist the smooth running of each partnership. Monthly meetings were arranged for the Ponteland Community Partnership which welcomed local residents with their support and ideas.

This structure was all abolished by the reorganisation becoming a Unitary Authority in 2009, leaving all the Partnerships to go it alone without support either financial or administration – this proved to be difficult.

Not every project was successful around 2004 unfortunately a venture to improve the centre of Ponteland by creating a hub at Merton Way shopping area did not materialise after 5 years of hard work by the Partnership’s regeneration group and Castle Morpeth; who were all in favour of this development. The project was put to the County Council at a time when the 10 district councils were to come together under a re-organisation scheme where it did not get the support of Northumberland County Council.

Pont News & Views is a monthly community magazine for the civil parish of Ponteland. The first issue was in October 2005 and it has been published monthly since then. It is delivered without charge to households and businesses in Ponteland, Medburn, Kirkley, Prestwick, and Milbourne all these communities make up the civil parish of Ponteland.

Ponteland had previously received some community news via the Neighbourhood Watch magazine. This was produced and delivered by volunteers but many households did not receive it. Eventually, Neighbourhood Watch was unsustainable; this loss left a local news vacuum with no local newspaper for this area. Various ideas were floated to fill this gap.

The then Ponteland Parish Council (now Town Council) was working to achieve Quality Status. An essential requirement was to produce a newsletter about the Parish Council’s activities four times a year. This they were doing. The Ponteland Community Partnership (PCP) was also keen to communicate with residents.

Fortunately, the Castle Morpeth Borough Council had commissioned consultants to examine the communities of Ponteland and Morpeth. They were able to identify weaknesses and strengths in each. Our lack of a regular community newspaper was highlighted as something that could be overcome. They suggested that we produce a monthly publication, printed cheaply on newsprint. Articles would come from local people and organisations. Advertising could defray the cost. The Parish Council was keen to adopt this idea.

They recognised the need for an independent, unbiased editor to prevent the publication from being hijacked by any one group. The Parish Council and the PCP held frequent talks on how to achieve this. Cost was a major consideration. Finding a suitable editor proved difficult. The Borough Council’s Chief Executive suggested that their publicity officer Chris Jennings, a former journalist, could do the job as a separate contract, provided it did not clash with his Borough role. We all agreed and Chris became editor. Part of his job was to raise income from advertising, negotiate good printing and delivery costs so that the magazine would become financially sound. The Parish Council agreed to underwrite the cost of PNV until it was established

From the start the editor set a high standard. The first issue was eight pages, topical, printed in colour on good quality paper and delivered to the door. This is a tremendous achievement by Chris- who still remains editor. A small management committee from the PCP and with local councillor members, supports the editor, watches over the finances, and insures that PNV remains unbiased. A member of this committee originally looked after the finances, produced regular accounts and was ruthless in chasing any bad debts. For administrative purposes the Town Council now handle the PNV accounts.

After ten years, including recession, Local Government reorganisation into a unity system and many local changes in 2009, PNV is still going forward. It serves our community and is a major source of information.

PCP’s Purpose and Aims:

The “quality of life” is at the heart of what we do and we feel it is essential that we share that feel good factor for all to benefit from.

Over the years our activities have changed as nothing stands still, we all have aspirations and sharing these with others and working together we can make Ponteland an even better place to live.

  • To raise the profile of the Ponteland Community Partnership by putting the heart and community spirit back into the Civil Parish of Ponteland.
  • To identify activities, aspirations and projects for those who live or work in Ponteland that will improve their quality of life.
  • To access funding and support for viable projects.
  • To work and share ideas with other like minded organisations.

Achievements these are:

  • Launching the Pont News & Views a FREE community magazine distributed to every household in the civil Parish. This provides an essential means of communication for Town Council, community partnership and local organisations on current affairs and events.
  • Assisting other organisations to raise funds of £56,500, for other organisations projects from 2005 to 2007.
  • Assisted Ponteland Community High School in their bid for £10,000 towards funding electricity to the Youth Centre.
  • Assisted Bowling Club grant application for £30,000 towards clubhouse extension.
  • Raised £65,000 for a play park at Callerton Lane
  • Raised £37,000 for the skateboard park at Callerton Lane.

2009 change to one unitary authority funding and support withdrawn

  • Hosted a series of community information events in 2012 at a time when a number of developers were keen to build on the surrounding greenbelt. This kick started the formation of Ponteland Greenbelt Group and members of Ponteland Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group.
  • Funding secured to created a Ponteland Community Partnership website
  • Business donations secured a free community event “Ponteland Question Time” a debate between our MP, Mayor and County Councillors and the Debating Society from the High School. The topic was based on youth concerns and a suitable age for voting.
  • Appointed a Youth Ambassador to promote the views of the youth.
  • Created a student link with the High School and appointed a Student Adviser
  • Arranged a number of community events to revamp the Bridleway, Callerton to Rotary Way and Rotary Way to the Airport- provided by external funding.
  • Received Highly Commended best new project, Love Northumberland Award 2017
  • Contributed to Town Council’s entry into Britain in Bloom Award Silver Gilt 2017
  • 2 events – Planting wild bulbs and trees on the bridleway from Callerton lane to Airport, external funding provided.
  • Contributed to Town Council’s entry into Britain in Bloom Award Gold 2018
  • 2018, Marian Foster from BBC Radio interviewed volunteers at the Bridleway for her programme featured on Sundays.
  • Invitation to Lord-Lieutenants Annual Garden Party at Alnwick Gardens 2018 hosted by Duchess of Northumberland in recognition of volunteers valuable contributions. Guest His Royal Highness Prince of Wales.
  • Received Highly Commended best urban project – Old Railway Line, Love Northumberland Award 2018.
  • Youth work supporting 27 students achieve National Citizen Service Award.
  • Installing 5 Educational Information Pedestals depicting the social history of the railway line, Ponteland Station and rail workers, ICI Explosive Depot, Prestwick Pit and natural environment along Bridleway – grant funded.
  • Creating “step counts” along the Bridleway this addition onto the pedestals is an aid to general health and part of a health recovery programme which links into the Joint Health & Wellbeing Strategy 2018-2020 between NCC and the NHS Clinical Commissioning Group – grant funded.
  • Received Northumberland Community Chest Award 2019
  • “Healthy Lifestyle Initiative”, a 6 month drop in pilot scheme checking weight & BP open to residents and Ponteland workers.
  • Darras Hall Grasslands SSSI Educational Information Pedestal to celebrate a special area of scientific interest in the middle of a 2,600 housing estate. By donation.
  • Youth Reporter Project, topic “the Truth about Social Media”
  • “Physical & Mental Wellbeing Youth Project” – funded activities for Kinball sport at the High School, 5 tents for the Ponteland 1st Scouts, funds for creative activities for Brownies, funds to support 50th Anniversary of the Rangers and funds for 2 after school clubs for Darras Hall Primary School.

The community partnership has had to move with the times and receive specific training, create policies and procedures to safeguard all concerned. We find, that all of this is, required when our partnership seeks grant funding for projects.