News

As we move through the winter months, we wanted to share an update about our town’s sustainable planting schemes and acknowledge the dedicated work of our Neighbourhood Services Officers, Mark and Ryan, who maintain our public spaces along Station Road, at our town gateways, and alongside our memorials.

You may notice that our planted areas look different from previous years. This is intentional - we have moved away from seasonal bedding plants that, while providing bright bursts of colour, require frequent replacement and have a larger environmental footprint. Instead, we have embraced sustainable, climate-friendly planting that provides year-round interest through varied textures, forms, and seasonal changes.

While winter gardens may appear less manicured than summer displays, there is beauty in seeing plants through their natural cycles. Our officers work hard to maintain these areas, ensuring they remain healthy and well-tended, even as the plants enter their dormant period. The structural elements of our chosen plants - seed heads, architectural stems, and evergreen foliage - create winter interest while providing valuable habitat for wildlife. Spring bulbs will start appearing soon!

Warmer Homes Scheme: Northumberland County Council is offering free energy-saving home improvements for eligible residents. The scheme targets homeowners and private renters with low-income households or properties with poor energy efficiency (EPC ratings D-G).

Gas Safety Services: The Council is also working with the Gas Safe Charity to provide critical home safety services. Grants of up to £500 can be accessed per household per year.

Ashington Town Council is proud to continue its support for local sustainability initiatives, including the recent approval of further funding for Climate Action Wansbeck’s orchard project at the Wansbeck Road Allotment Site

Northumberland residents, schools, community groups, and businesses can now apply for free tree saplings from Northumberland County Council. The council is giving away 15,000 saplings in a variety of species suited to different garden sizes, including small spaces like balconies.

In a continued effort to support local wildlife and engage the community in environmental conservation, Neighbourhood Services Officers Mark Air and Ryan Appleby have installed 160 bird boxes, following funding approval from the Climate Change and Environment Committee in May.

The Town Council commends our Allotment Officer, Alan Bunker, and the dedicated allotment holders for their outstanding efforts in clearing years of accumulated metal waste from the North Seaton Colliery site. What could have ended up in landfill has been recycled. This initiative has sparked a broader conversation about sustainable practices and waste management on our allotments.

We strongly support the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” approach, with a strong emphasis on the first two Rs.

When reduction and reuse aren’t possible, we’ll focus on proper recycling. Our recent metal collection was such a success, we plan to extend this approach to other materials like glass in the future, and reach out to all allotment sites.

If you have ideas, especially those specific to allotment settings, please contact Alan at alan.bunker@ashingtontowncouncil.gov.uk

Together, we can cultivate not just vegetables, but also more sustainable allotment management.

Ashington Town Council is thrilled see the fun and efforts of a community-focused bird box initiative, spearheaded by our dedicated Neighbourhood Services Officers, Mark, and Ryan. This initiative has seen the creation of hundreds of handmade bird boxes, designed to provide safe nesting spaces for local birdlife and encourage environmental stewardship within our community.

Ashington Town Council has formally voted to support a nationwide campaign seeking to improve the safety of lithium-ion batteries used in e-bikes and e-scooters. The decision was made at the recent Climate Change and Environment Committee meeting held on 30th July.

The council is backing the Battery Safety Campaign led by consumer safety charity Electrical Safety First, which calls for the introduction of new legislation to tackle the growing issue of lithium-ion battery fires. These incidents have become a significant safety concern across the UK, with 11 people losing their lives to fires involving e-bikes and e-scooters last year, and hundreds more injured.

Ashington Town Council is pleased to share comprehensive information regarding tree management in our community, following inquiries from concerned residents and Cllrs. In response to questions about tree removals in various areas of Ashington, the Town Council has taken proactive steps to gather accurate information from both Northumberland County Council (NCC) and Bernicia.

We encourage residents to stay informed and engaged with local environmental initiatives. The Town Council remains dedicated to acting on residents’ concerns, seeking accurate information from the appropriate sources, and working with our partners to ensure Ashington remains a green and vibrant place to live.

Ashington Town Council extends its sincere thanks to all the residents and organisations who participated in the Great Big Green Week event this past Tuesday at the weekly outdoor market on Station Road. The buzzing atmosphere and community enthusiasm for sustainable living was inspiring!

“We’re so grateful to the many fantastic local groups who hosted stalls and shared invaluable information on reducing energy use, increasing recycling and reuse, growing food sustainably, and protecting our regional wildlife and natural habitats,” said Chair of Ashington’s Climate Change Committee, Cllr Sophie Robinson. “The event was a wonderful demonstration of our community’s commitment to taking climate action.”