They were mostly bus trips that were the Sunday school or village outings of that time. I remember the excitement of paddling in the sea, the candy floss, the ghost train and the risqué 'kiss me quick' hats.

The highlight of the day was walking round the prom to Cullercoats for a sixpenny bag of fresh caught and cooked shrimps from one of the fishermen's cottages. Nostalgia? No (maybe yes), that's just how it was, and there were lots and lots of people who did the same.

Sadly, or otherwise, life isn't as simple as that today, and the aspirations of holidaymakers and casual visitors are now very different.

When we came to live in Whitley Bay in the 70s with a young family it was because we wanted to be near schools and also to have the freedom of the beach for all the fun and creative adventures children could wish for. I could buy almost everything I needed including my children's school clothes from shops in the town.

My family has benefited from excellent schools that are part of a Labour-run education service that has always been ahead of its time in educational thinking and is now the third best in the country. They all learnt to swim in the leisure pool and have enjoyed not only the beach, but also the many council and community run leisure facilities that can only be found at the coast.

The local Tories don't like to be reminded, but as the private business people who owned and ran the hotels, shops and tourist facilities in Whitley Bay found it harder and harder to keep their businesses going, it was the Tory Government that steadfastly refused to invest money in seaside towns all over the UK.

As a Labour councillor I knew first hand their refusals in the 80s and 90s to even consider the socio-economic facts that the Labour council produced as to why the town needed more capital investment.

During the 18 years of the Tory Government not only privately owned buildings in Whitley Bay such as the Spanish City fell into disrepair but also all the council's schools, houses and other buildings. That was the neglect of Whitley Bay and the borough that I will not allow to be forgotten.

Central Government of whatever colour has always controlled the capital spending of all councils and the regeneration or refurbishment of Whitley Bay and other parts of the borough, the building of new schools, and sheltered accommodation and modernisation of council homes etc only became possible when the Labour Government was elected.

It has freed up massive amounts of money to be invested throughout
North Tyneside and brought economic confidence back for private organisations to get involved again. The Labour Mayor has also built up huge reserves of money to protect the council in the future.

There was never ever going to be a perfect plan for Whitley Bay with its blue flag beaches that suited residents, businesses and tourists alike however hard anybody tried.

The plan now becoming a reality, and making good progress had more recorded support from local people than any other scheme that has been suggested and there have been several.

It has not been without its unforeseen problems but is within budget, will be paid for irrespective of whether the houses are built or not, and all builders are feeling the effects of too many apartments being built.

By this time next year all the present building work and environmental improvements will be finished even if there are no houses or a hotel and what a difference that will make.

My grandchildren are really looking forward to the improvements at the leisure pool.

All political parties should be 'talking up the town' and the borough, sending out the right messages to the rest of the UK and supporting with constructive input, the continued efforts of John Harrison to bring even further investment into the whole borough.

I regret the fact that the Conservatives dogged opposition to the regeneration of Whitley Bay and attempted stalling tactics continues to be so depressingly negative.

MURIEL GREEN
Leader of North
Tyneside Labour Councillors.

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