Remembrance service to be scaled back to adhere to Covid-19 restrictions

Further information is still awaited on how the event can adhere to Covid-19 social distancing guidelines.

But Cllr Kerry Noble told Belford Parish Council: “There will be a remembrance commemoration of some sort on Sunday, November 8.

"We will stick to the Government’s ‘rule of six’ in that six people will be invited by the parade commander to attend.

"We have no powers to stop other members of the public attending so long as social distancing is observed and face masks are worn.

"There is no guidance from Northumberland County Council, the government or the Royal British Legion at the moment so we’re preparing as best we can.”

Meanwhile, councillors agreed to reopen the village’s public toilets as soon as a new cleaner is recruited.

The toilets have been closed for the past six months due to coronavirus but members now feel they can be reopened with suitable signage in place.

Cllr Noble said: “I think we should reopen them as soon as we possibly can.”

Cllr Guy Renner-Thompson, chairman, agreed: “We can’t just leave them shut.”

A fresh letter is to be sent to two property owners who did not respond to concerns raised in the summer about the state of the former community club and a former toy shop.

Cllr Noble said: “The condition of the land beyond the war memorial needs to be sorted out before we hold any form of remembrance.”

Parish councillors had no objections to a planning application for three timber camping pods on land south west of Pond And Gillam’s Plantation.

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