Cramlington Town Council

Cramlington is a town and civil parish in the county of Northumberland, North East England, with an estimated population of 30,119, in terms of area measures 22.8 km2 and has a population density of 1,319 people per km2.

Cramlington Town Council was formed on 11th June 2009 following the parish / town elections on 4th June 2009. The first meeting was held at Beacon Hill Community Centre.

The first elected chairman was councillor Brian Pickering and the vice-chair was councilor Ian Ayres.

Cramlington Town Council has 12 locally elected members; the area is also served by six Northumberland County Councillors and forms part of the Blyth Valley parliamentary constituency. The Town Council is committed to delivering major social and environmental improvements and to enhancing the services provided by other public agencies working in Cramlington.

The community of Cramlington has access to essential services. Manor Walks Shopping Centre is the focal point for shopping and retail provision and is supported by a number of neighbourhood centres. There are plans to enhance Manor Walks which include the provision of a new cinema complex during 2012.

The town is well provided with local health care provision by way of NHS services and chemists and a range of community health and awareness services are available.

Cramlington retains a Police Station and library and all County Council services can be accessed locally through the “Your Link” one stop shop.

Overall Cramlington’s unemployment rate is below the Northumberland average. The percentage of economically active persons claiming benefits ranges from 1.4% in Cramlington North to 6.9% in Cramlington West. Limited opportunities for young people is seen as a major issue.

Sure Start provision is available in the area and this is supported by a wide range of childcare and ancillary services, such as child minders, crèches, out of school care, nurseries, and parent and toddler groups. They are all easily accessed and well used.

Local schools are well regarded and achieve high standards. Cramlington Learning Village provides secondary education and has been graded “outstanding” in its last three OFSTED inspections.

Day to day social housing issues are dealt with by Homes for Northumberland. Further social housing is delivered by housing associations and trusts.

The community has access to a number of parks, playgrounds and open spaces in and around the town, as well as the Concordia Leisure Centre. There is also a range of indoor and outdoor activities on offer in the area, including rugby, football and boxing.

Community safety is a key local issue. Advice and support on local safety and neighbourhood initiatives is available from the County Council’s Community Safety Team and the local PACT (Police and Community Together) initiative provides a partnership approach to community safety.

Cramlington has a developing social, community and voluntary infrastructure and the town is well provided with community centres which serve as venues for social and recreational activities. However, the percentage of people supporting voluntary groups and clubs is low relative to other areas in Northumberland.

Out of School activities for young people are provided by schools, clubs and organizations such as the Cramlington Voluntary Youth Project. Dedicated social activities for older people are limited.