Simon Gray was co-opted onto Allendale Parish Council in March 2024 and then joined various working groups in May 2024 including Finance (budgets, financial regulations, cashflows etc) and Villages (grass cutting, benches, waste bins, tree works and surveys etc)
He's most frequently seen walking Olly, his English Setter, around the village and particularly up beyond Scotch Hall, Parkgates and High Studden towards Newfold and Garret's Hill
Most of his time in 2024/25 has been spent working as convenor of the Villages group of Allendale Parish Council
Current issues on the Villages group's running agenda are:
- the planning approvals for the new bus shelter on the village green next to the library
- results of funding applications to the county council for this and two other potential bus shelters (one southwards towards Allenheads and the second in Catton)
- review and redrafting of the grass cutting contract for the 2025 season
- the updating and servicing of all the council's mowing equipment in preparation for a new mowing team for the 2025 grass cutting season
- repointing of the west wall of the hearse house
- tree works on Allenfields and Arnison Terrace following the autumn survey still awaiting NCC approval
- identification and mapping of the location & species of all council trees within the conservation area and village greens
- monitoring of the southern speed sign in Catton following its breakdown and recent remedial works
- emptying and location change for the dog waste bin on Splitty Lane
- Planning and purchase of additional dog waste bin opposite the byway at Scotch Hall
- review of the grade 2 listed K6 BT phone box on Arnison Terrace and our proposal to initiate adoption of the box
- monitoring of the works proposed for the area around the wall containting Isaac's Well
- purchase of a new bench for the Bullring
- condition assessment and location mapping of all the 40+ benches within the parish
These issues can be relatively complex with multiple ideas on the best way to proceed with views from a variety of interested parties all of which need taking into account. As a council, we try to balance various interests and then push on with what we've decided is the most appropriate course forward. The Villages Group tries to look in some detail at all these issues and then make a recommendation to the full council. Not easy, but always interesting!
On all of this, I have been very grateful to have worked with Mike Kirk, Brian Johnson, Mandy Charlton, Ginnie Swaile and Sam Coulson on the Villages group
The grade 2 listed phonebox on Arnison terrace after a wash and clean up in June 2024 with some limited edging of the grass
BT are currently proposing the removal of the payphone equipment and the locking of the box. We are looking into the feasibility of adopting the box as a community resource
In July 2024, Hilton Graham did a great job of tidying up the Bullring for us
Weedkilling around the villages is usually carried out by the County Council but weather conditions in 2024 (mainly wet and windy) meant that weed spraying was delayed until late August. We managed to do some limited work ourselves around the Glendinning memorial and Isaac's Well using a weak solution of household vinegar and salt. Surprisingly this seemed to work quite well!
Our annual inspection and report on the condition of the playground areas meant that some remedial works were recommended for the gates onto the playground on Allenfields with new custom made hinge bolts being fitted
We're currently looking at aspects of the Denefield play area and coming up with an improvement programme for 2025 which includes renovation of the handrails, benches and surrounding area
Studden Embankment
This is the inflow to the culvert where the Parkgate Burn flows under the main road.
I'm also keeping an eye on the Studden embankment where substantial areas of trees have been recently cut down. The Parkgates Burn flows through this culvert under the embankment which supports the Allendale to Allenheads road. It's quite a clamber down through the wood to get to the culvert itself but it's worthwhile to get a feel as to how substantial it all is. The culvert channel is about a 5' diameter so one could almost walk through it
This is the outflow side of the culvert on the western side of the road. What needs to be regularly monitored here is the condition of the earth banking above this culvert which supports the main road.
Any remedial works required here in the future would be carried out by NCC Highways as at Whitfield and The Riding in Allendale
The Allendale>Allen Mill footpath
I'm also on the Footpaths Group and Councillor Linda Beck has been monitoring the condition of the footpath along the river between Allendale and Allen Mill.
There's substantial erosion of the foundations supporting some of the gabion baskets causing them to collapse and break up.
While this is part of the Isaac's Tea Trail and is the principal footpath connection between Allendale and Allen Mill, it's also a good example of where the council needs to proceed with care. Access to the river bank is tricky and will require the landowner's permission to cross the various fields. As Councillor Beck has stressed, if we push too hard for remedial works, the county council could just shut the path altogether. It's clear that these works will be expensive, and time will be needed to develop a repair plan and possibly to explore additional funding sources.
So everything here is really interesting but only very rarely is it straightforward
Spliity Lane Dog Bin
The dog bin on Splitty Lane. It's full because the county council installed in on a grass verge which isn't on a bin lorry collection route. We're having it located.
Sadly, I see getting this bin finally emptied in March 2025 as a personal triumph!!
Other Personal memories
My Olly dog surveying the fields below Parkgates down towards Studdon in 2025
Departed friends
Freddy on the left and Fergus on the right in 2013
Also looking down towards Studdon in almost exactly the same location
Simon's main business interest over the last 35 years has been with the repair and refurbishment of vintage fountain pens dating back to the 1880s. He also has a variety of other interests and holds degrees from the universities of Lancaster (BA), Cambridge (MPhil) and the London Business School (MBA)
His latest interest is with improving his field drainage and getting to grips with the bucket controls on a Bobcat E27
The Olly Dog 2025
A full list of all Allendale Parish Councillors as at April 2025 and their contact details is on the Parish Council's website at:
https://northumberlandparishes.uk/allendale/people
Promoted by the Battersea Pen Home, PO Box 295, Hexham NE46 9HS on behalf of Simon Gray, Finney Hill, Allendale, Hexham NE47 9DG