Closure of Blackett Court, Wylam

Monday: Readers of last Friday's Hexham Courant will know that Anchor Housing has announced plans to close Blackett Court in Wylam within the next 12 months. Blackett Court provides residential housing for the elderly. On Monday evening, I attended a Wylam Parish Council meeting where residents of Blackett Court, and others living in the vicinity, expressed their strong opposition to the closure, and cast doubt on the genuineness of the reasons being given for closing it. Paul Kelly, now an Independent Councillor, said he would make enquiries with Milecastle Housing as to what is going on here, eg, has Milecastle been approached with a view to buying the building and taking over the landlord's responsibilities. I'm painfully aware that as a PPC (Prospective Parliamentary Candidate), not an MP, I have very little influence over these matters, but stated my support for their campaign and promised that if elected I will do my part to keep it open. After the meeting, some residents kindly showed me around the building and one of the flats, and to my untrained eye, there was nothing wrong with the building that needs substantial modernisation.