Council Services in Cramlington

Cramlington has two tiers of local government. Northumberland County Council runs most public services, from bins and roads to schools and the library. Cramlington Town Council is the smaller, local tier, looking after allotments, play areas, litter bins, bus shelters and community projects across the town. Knowing which one to contact saves time, and this guide sets out who does what.

If you're new to the town, our moving to Cramlington guide covers the bigger picture.

Northumberland County Council

Northumberland County Council is the unitary authority for the whole county, with its headquarters at County Hall in Morpeth. It's responsible for:

• bin collections and recycling
• roads, pavements, and street lighting
• planning applications and building control
• council tax and benefits
• schools, admissions and school transport
• adult and children's social care
• libraries, including Cramlington Library
• country parks such as Plessey Woods

Most things can be reported or applied for online at northumberland.gov.uk, which gives you a reference number to track. The council's main phone line is 0345 600 6400, answered from 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Thursday and 8.30am to 4.30pm on Fridays. Outside those hours the line is for emergencies only.

Best for: Report it online and keep the reference number.

Bins and recycling

Use the council website to look up your collection days by postcode, and to report a missed bin. Garden waste collection is a separate, paid subscription that runs from early March to around the end of November, with up to 20 collections a year. Only bins showing the current year's sticker are emptied, so sign up on the council website before the season starts. Check the council's garden waste page for the current charge.

The tip

The nearest household waste recovery centre to Cramlington is at Bebside, on Front Street, Blyth (NE24 4HN). There's no pedestrian access, so you'll need to drive in. It's open seven days a week, from 8am to 7.30pm between April and October, and from 8am to 6pm between November and March. It closes on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

You'll need to book a permit in advance if you're:

• arriving in a van, a large vehicle or with a trailer
• bringing DIY waste, in any vehicle

Permits must be booked at least 48 hours ahead on the council website. Business waste isn't accepted. The site can close at short notice in bad weather, so check the council's alerts page before you set off.

Roads, potholes and fly-tipping

Potholes, broken pavements, faulty streetlights and fly-tipping are all county council matters. Report them through the "Report a problem" pages on the council website, with a photo and a precise location if you can. For parking in the town centre, see our where to park in Cramlington guide.

Planning

Planning applications in Cramlington are decided by the county council and published on its online planning register, where you can read the plans and leave comments. The town council is consulted on applications in the parish, and it has also worked on a neighbourhood plan for the town.

Cramlington Library and the Hub

Cramlington Library is in the Hub at Cramlington on Forum Way (NE23 6YB), next to Concordia Leisure Centre at the Manor Walks end of the town centre. It's open:

• Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9am to 5pm
• Tuesday and Thursday, 9am to 6pm
• Saturday, 9.30am to 1pm

There are public computers, Wi-Fi, printing, photocopying and a scanner. Phone 01670 620394.

The county council also runs a customer information point in the Hub, open from 9am to 1pm on weekdays (excluding bank holidays), for face-to-face help with council services. The building has a lift, accessible toilets, a Changing Places toilet and rooms that community groups can book.

Best for: Library, council help desk and meeting rooms under one roof.

Cramlington Town Council

Cramlington Town Council is the local tier of government below the county council. It has 14 councillors representing seven wards: East, Eastfield, North, North West, South East, South West and Village.

The town council looks after:

• allotments: more than 200 plots across ten sites, taken over from the county council in 2009 (see below)
• playgrounds, dog parks and the activity zone (see our playgrounds guide)
• Coronation Park, off Cumbrian Road near Cramlington Village, home to a dementia garden
• litter bins, bus shelters and environmental maintenance
• the war memorial and festive lighting
• community chest grants, youth provision and holiday activities

It also lists the town's volunteer-led community centres, at Beaconhill, Cramlington Village, East Hartford, Mayfields and Nelson Village. For more on the town's green spaces, see our parks and green spaces guide.

Allotments

Allotment plots are for Cramlington residents only. Download the application form from the town council website, or pick up a paper copy from the office, and return it there. Demand is high: at the time of writing more than 50 people were on the waiting list, with an average wait of around two years. Our allotments guide covers the application process, plot rules and rent discounts in more detail.

Meetings

Full council and committee meetings are held at the Town Council Offices. Public question time starts at 6pm, with the meeting starting at 6.30pm or when questions finish. Agendas and minutes are published on the council website, cramlingtontowncouncil.gov.uk.

Contact

The town council office is at 27/28 Bamburgh House, 1st Floor, Manor Walks, Cramlington, NE23 6UT. It's open from 9am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday, and closed at weekends and on bank holidays. Phone 01670 707831. You can also report an issue through the town council website.

Your elected representatives

• County councillors: Cramlington is split into several electoral divisions of Northumberland County Council, each electing one councillor. You can find yours by postcode on the county council website. Contact them about county services such as roads, bins and schools.
• Town councillors: Each of the seven town council wards elects two councillors. Their details are on the town council website.
• MP: Cramlington is in the Cramlington and Killingworth parliamentary constituency, created for the 2024 general election. Contact your MP about national issues such as benefits, HMRC, immigration and the NHS.

For who holds each of these roles, plus the North East Mayor and how to register and vote, see our guide to politics in Cramlington.

Quick reference

• Pothole, broken pavement or streetlight: Northumberland County Council, online or 0345 600 6400
• Fly-tipping: Northumberland County Council, online
• Missed bin or garden waste subscription: Northumberland County Council, online
• Council tax or housing benefit: Northumberland County Council
• Planning application: Northumberland County Council planning register
• School places or school transport: Northumberland County Council admissions
• Library: Cramlington Library at the Hub, 01670 620394
• Allotments, play areas, litter bins, bus shelters: Cramlington Town Council, 01670 707831
• National issues: your MP

Spotted something that's changed, or know a service we've missed? Get in touch.