Northumberland tourism hotspot makes fresh appeal for donations from holiday lets

More than half of the properties in Craster are holiday lets or second homes.

Craster Parish Council has agreed to send out letters seeking a voluntary contribution from them towards the precept.

Clerk Adam Shanley said: “In the case of the former they may pay business rates but they don’t pay towards the precept and we feel it is right that we request a voluntary donation towards the upkeep of the village.”

Over £700 was raised in the last financial year and more than £200 has already been received for the coming financial year.

Cllr Martin Smith, chairman, said: “It’s voluntary but it does make a really big difference to the finances and what we can do for the community.”

Proposals to install a donation post are to be discussed with other local groups. Potential sites include the harbour or the end of Dunstanburgh Road.

It had initially been considered as a way of attracting funding from visitors towards the upkeep of the parish with the money added to the precept.

However, members also felt it would be appropriate to support other local groups such as the lifeboat and harbour.

The council has agreed to send a letter requesting a meeting with Northern Powergrid after recent power cuts, including a 10-hour blackout on February 6 caused by a snapped overhead pole. As a result a piece of equipment known as a wishbone, became detached on the high voltage that supplies the area, resulting in loss of power to customers.

Northern Powergrid has confirmed to the parish council that a scheme of work has been raised and authorised, to replace approximately 45 – 50 spans of overhead line in the area, with various pole changes, as well as additional protective devices installed to improve reliability.

Due to the size of the scheme of work, Northern Powergrid will need to approach land owners and the council’s planning department so there is no timescale for the project at the moment.

Meanwhile, a referendum on the Craster neighbourhood plan will be held on June 10. The document will carry significant weight in the determination of new and pending local planning applications.

The dramatic events of the pandemic are having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers and consequently the advertising that we receive. We are now more reliant than ever on your support through buying our newspaper. If you can, please pick up a copy of the Northumberland Gazette when you are at the shops. Thank you.