A county councillor has warned there are "problems down the line" if planning rules in Northumberland are not changed to allow more new life into small rural communities.
Coun Richard Dodd called for planning reform in the county after new figures revealed many of the county's rural schools have low numbers of pupils, causing them to struggle financially and putting them at risk of closure.
Coun Dodd, who represents the Ponteland North ward for the Conservative Party, hit out at so-called "nimbys" - which stands for 'not in my backyard' and refers to members of the public who object to planning applications.
