Lib Dem response to Gateshead Library Review

Speaking about the review of libraries in Gateshead which is due to be considered by the Council’s cabinet on 12^th July, Liberal Democrat Leader of the Opposition, Dr Jonathan Wallace, said:

“It is vital that residents take part in the consultation next month and make their views heard. It is also important that people with new ideas on how to make savings and run a volunteer service should come forward and pass on their thoughts to Gateshead Council.

“Meanwhile Gateshead must leave no stone unturned in looking for ideas on how to maintain access and funding for libraries.

“I have been pressing for the Council to open talks with coffee shop chains to rent out space in our libraries. Many are in front street locations which would be ideal as retail outlets which could provide Gateshead with the income needed to keep libraries open.

“We should not close any library until this option is fully explored.”

Call to vote Remain today

Liberal Democrats in Gateshead had sent an email message to over 2000 homes in the borough calling on residents to vote Remain today.

Leader of the Opposition on the Council, Jonathan Wallace, argues that Britain is better off in Europe and leaving the EU would be damaging for the economy, jobs, British influence abroad and attempts to tackle pollution.

He wrote:

Dear Fellow Residents,

Today, we each have a vote in the European Referendum. I’m voting to REMAIN and I hope you will do the same as well.

I am voting to stay in the EU because I believe we are stronger in Europe. We have full access to the world’s biggest Single Market. This is vital for our economy as 60% of our trade is done with the EU.

We are safer because of the European Arrest Warrant. This allows police forces to have criminals returned to the UK to face justice.

Our air and seas are cleaner because of the EU. Pollution ignores international boundaries so tackling it needs to be done at an international level. The EU has led on this.

On jobs and prosperity, tackling crime and cutting pollution, the EU has brought us great improvements.

But what is the future of Britain if we vote to leave the EU? Those who are leading the campaign to abandon the EU have not answered that - because they can’t. They are unable to tell us how Britain would be better off alone.

They cannot tell us how the economy will recover from the damage a vote to leave will cause (nearly all experts agree that leaving would deal a big blow to the economy).

Voting to leave is an enormous risk with too many unknowns. On Friday morning we could wake up to find our economy in a state of shock and the country marching into the unknown.

Or we could vote to REMAIN and wake up tomorrow to a Britain that is prosperous and has influence abroad. That’s what I want and I hope you join me in voting to REMAIN.

Yours sincerely,
Dr Jonathan Wallace
Leader of the Liberal Democrat Opposition on Gateshead Council

Wallace Calls on Residents to Back Remain

Jonathan Wallace is calling on Gateshead residents to vote Remain in the Referendum on Thursday.

Residents of Gateshead are being urged to vote Remain in the Referendum on Thursday 23rd June by local Liberal Democrats.

Dr Jonathan Wallace, Leader of the Opposition on Gateshead Council, said, “60% of our trade is with the EU, the world’s biggest market. 3 million jobs rely on that trade. Quitting will be a self-inflicted wound that will risk our economy.

“The recovery from the crisis under Labour in 2008-9 is still weak but the sacrifices we have had to make to restore the economy could be nothing compared to the impact of leaving the EU.

“Thousands of local residents work in firms such as Nissan in Sunderland or Komatsu, in Birtley, or in the supply chain businesses. These businesses prosper because they can export easily to Europe. Leaving the EU will mean barriers to trade will be raised. That will risk jobs of Gateshead residents.

“So far no one from the Brexit side has been able to outline a realistic vision for Britain outside the EU. The vast majority of economic experts believe quitting would be bad for Britain. Most of the biggest employers believe it will be bad for Britain. And I believe it will be bad for Britain and communities here in Gateshead.

“Being in Europe means we can export our goods free of tariffs. Pollution takes no notice of international boundaries. That’s why the EU has had such an important role to play in cutting pollution.

“Working with our European partners, British police forces have been able to track down and have criminals returned to the UK under the European Arrest Warrant to face justice.

“Britain is better off in Europe. Leaving brings a huge number of risks. I’m not voting to gamble with our future. I’m voting to Remain and I’m urging residents of Gateshead to do the same.”

Anger as Gateshead Labour reject devolution

Liberal Democrat Leader of the Opposition in Gateshead, Cllr Jonathan Wallace, has described the Labour Council Cabinet’s decision to reject the proposed devolution package to the North East as “utterly mad.”

The Cabinet met today, 22^nd March, for less than half an hour to discuss the package that had been negotiated by the 7 council leaders in the region with the government.

Despite months of negotiation by Gateshead Council Leader Mick Henry, his own Deputy, Martin Gannon, moved that the plans be rejected as he opposed the creation of elected mayors.

Speaking after the Cabinet meeting, Cllr Wallace said, “This decision is completely the wrong one. We have on offer from the government control over skills training, economic development, transport and planning. There is even the possibility of taking on some health powers.

“This has all been sacrificed by those in the Labour party who view elected mayors as a threat to their own establishment and control of the region. Labour have now put party interests before the people’s interests.

“Labour have not even put Gateshead into the Slow Lane. Instead they have put us in the No Lane – no extra powers, no extra investment, no hope.

“There were many smug grins on the faces of Labour cabinet members this morning after the meeting. But smug grins won’t held fill the skills gap, develop the economy or sort out our transport. Labour have set back Gateshead and the North East. It is difficult to see how the region can recover from this wholly unnecessary, Labour-inflicted wound.”

Gateshead's Dr Jonathan Wallace selected as Lib Dem Police and Crime Commissioner Candidate for Northumbria

Liberal Democrats in Northumberland and Tyne and Wear are putting forward a candidate for the Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner who will campaign for the post to be axed and the savings ploughed back into putting police on the beat.

Dr Jonathan Wallace is Leader of the Opposition on Gateshead Council and has almost 30 years of experience in local government in the North East. He was born in Bensham, grew up in Lobley Hill, and was elected at the age of 23 to Gateshead Council in 1986 for Whickham South and Sunniside ward where he has been re-elected 8 times since.

Whilst Jonathan has extensive experience of local government, he does not come from a typical political background. 7 years ago he gave up paid employment to live the “good life” with his partner David in Sunniside, growing his own food and keeping bees, poultry and goats. His broadcasts about self-sufficiency on his YouTube channel have had over 4 million viewings. Jonathan graduated from Newcastle University in 1988 where he studied history, and was awarded a research doctorate in 1995.

 

“It is a great privilege to have been chosen by fellow Liberal Democrats,” said Jonathan, who is also Leader of the Opposition on Gateshead Council.

 

“My three priorities are to ensure front line policing is protected, bureaucracy is kept to a minimum through scrapping the post of police and crime commissioner, and seeking to reduce the increase in crime experienced under the current incumbent.

 

“Liberal Democrats want a more democratic system to ensure all communities in the area of the police force are taken into account when policing plans are drawn up, without the unnecessary overheads of the commissioner and her office.

 

“I am determined to challenge the Labour establishment in the North East. They have complacently controlled the region for decades without the North East seeing any significant gains. After years of crime falling locally, the incumbent Labour PCC has presided over an increase in crime rates and has been involved in controversy over the departure of the chief constable and her decision to axe funding for Victim Support in favour of funding an alternative organisation of which she is a director. I want to prioritise community policing principles which have taken a back seat under the current Labour PCC.”

Lib Dems call for one in 3 councillors to be cut in Gateshead

Liberal Democrats in Gateshead are to press the Council to back a cut in the number of councillors in the borough. The party is also calling for the local election cycle to be changed to save money and make the council more efficient.

There are currently 66 councillors in Gateshead, with three representing each of the 22 wards. One councillor is elected each year to serve for four years. Every fourth year there are no local elections.

Low Fell Councillor and Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Gateshead, Ron Beadle, said, “Gateshead Council has 2000 fewer people working for it since 2010. As an authority, it does far less than it used to.

“The total of 66 councillors can no longer be justified. Liberal Democrats are therefore pressing for each ward to have two rather than three councillors.

“The cost of each set of local elections is around £200,000. Annual elections by thirds don’t make sense when most councils in Britain hold their electoral contests only once every four years when all councillors are up for election.

“The functions of Gateshead Council have been reduced in recent years. The number of politicians needs to be reduced as well to reflect this.

“The savings from reduced councillor numbers and by switching from annual elections will save over £1 million over 4 years. This is money that can be spent on local services, rather than local councillors.”

Liberal Democrat Councillors will be moving a motion at the meeting of Gateshead Council on Thursday 4^th February calling on the Chief Executive to investigate how the council can be reduced in size and elections switched to a four year cycle.

Right to Buy could see homelessness return to 1980s levels

The government’s Right to Buy scheme could see homelessness return to the levels of the 1980s Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Olly Grender warned yesterday (Monday).

Former Director of Communications for Shelter, Baroness Olly Grender asked a question in the House of Lords to challenge the government over its abandonment of the homelessness strategy.

Liberal Democrats oppose the Housing and Planning Bill which threatens to end social housing in Britain as we know it. With 1.6 million people nationwide on housing waiting lists and homelessness steadily increasing year, on year, the government should start to tackle the housing shortage and stick to the plans to build 300,000 homes a year.

Baroness Olly Grender said, “Social housing with no legal guarantee of replacement can be anything other than abandonment of the homelessness strategy altogether and a return to the 1980s when kids out of care and troops returning home were left with no option but sleeping rough?”

Leader of the Liberal Democrats Tim Farron said, “Today’s Housing Bill threatens to end social housing in Britain as we know it. 

“Selling off homes and pushing people out of the communities they have grown up in is tantamount to social cleansing, ripping the hearts from communities where people have lived and belonged to for many years.”

Lib Dem Councillor Peter Maughan said, "In Gateshead we already have far more demand for social housing than we have available homes. The government's plans will make a bad situation worse.

"Ministers should focus instead on building affordable homes on brownfield sites. Unfortunately, on Gateshead Council, we have a Labour party that are putting their effort into building executive homes on the greenbelt, not supplying affordable homes for Gateshead residents."

Marley Hill Community Christmas Market

Marley Hill Community Centre are holding a Christmas Fair from 11am to 3pm on Sunday 29th November. All residents are welcome to join in the fun.

• Lots of stalls selling crafts and food
• Raffles and tombolas
• Mince pies
• Mayor visiting at 1pm
• Live music including Whickham Wind at 2pm
• 20p entry, children free
• Great day out for everyone

Please support your local community centre by visiting the fair.

Gateshead Council increase garden waste collection charge

Gateshead Council have decided to increase the charge for the green bin garden waste collection service from £20 to £25 next year - with more increases planned. Even at £25 per year however the Council is subsidising the service, which was first introduced in 2006 as a free service.

Low Fell Councillor Ron Beadle has asked the Council to reconsider the decision not to continue garden waste collection in November, and to make faster progress on providing alternative ways for people to recycle their garden waste.

Ron said, “Services should improve when the cost of the service is going up.”

Council officials have said that the staff who collect the green bins are currently re-allocated to winter duties (e.g. preparing gritters) in November but that they will look at this issue again.

Marley Hill School site for sale

Gateshead Council have now received permission from the Government to sell Marley Hill School. As a result, the site has been put on the market and it is expected to be sold for housing.

Bids, along with outline proposals for the site, have to be received by the Council by early December. The school has been closed for 4 years with local primary age children now going mainly to Clover Hill and Washingwell Schools.

Cllr John McClurey, whose sons Kevin and Stuart, went to Marley Hill School, said, “The collapse in pupil numbers meant it was not possible to keep the school open.

“Since the school closed, we have pressed the Council to sort out the future of the site. We were concerned that the building was becoming derelict and an eyesore. But the law required permission from the Government before the sale could go ahead and that was only forthcoming recently.

“Our hope is that any developer will retain the original school building, built in the 1890s, and convert it to housing. Sadly, though the Council will look on this favourably, they have not made it a condition, despite our requests.

“We are expecting any bid to include new homes on the playing field. We have asked officers to look into access to the site. There are concerns at the speed of vehicles entering Marley Hill, despite there being a 30mph limit. We would like developers taking on the site to make changes to the road layout outside the school to improve safety.”

Pictured above: Cllr John McClurey outside Marley Hill School

Landslip fears over major road link

Liberal Democrat Councillors in Sunniside, Gateshead - John McClurey, Jonathan Wallace and Marilynn Ord - have raised concerns about the state of the embankment at the bottom of Metal Bank which carries one of the main roads between Sunniside and Whickham

They brought highway engineers to look at the road surface which is starting to subside. “The road is on a steep embankment and we are concerned that it is starting to give way,” said Jonathan.

“Engineers have now carried out an initial investigation of the road and embankment. They tell us that there are a number of possible causes. Under the embankment is a large culvert, there are old mine workings in the area, there are sewers under the road and animals burrowing into the bankside.

“The engineers will carry out further investigations to identify the cause but they say there is no immediate risk to the safety of road users.

"However, in recent weeks, the fractures in the road surface have got bigger, the curbstones are now out of alignment and the fence is sagging. We are worried that a landslip could could close what is a very busy road and cause traffic to be congested on other already busy roads in Sunniside and Whickham."

Pictured above: Cllr Jonathan Wallace on the embankment where the road is beginning to give way between Whickham and Sunniside.

Back our bobbies, says Gateshead Opposition Leader

Northumbria Police force faces a £57 million loss over the next four years as part of potential Conservative cuts to police budgets as part of Wednesday's Autumn Statement. 

These cuts are likely to hit Neighbourhood Policing teams hardest and put 211 PCSOs at risk across the force area.

The Liberal Democrats are clear that Neighbourhood Policing teams are vital to community safety and cohesion and are campaigning against the looming cuts.

Speaking ahead of the Comprehensive Spending Review, Lord Paddick – the Liberal Democrats Home Affairs lead in the Lords and former Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner said:

“Neighbourhood policing has been a great success in providing reassurance to communities.

"By building trust and confidence between the police and the people they serve, neighbourhood policing teams are the front line in preventing radicalisation and trusted routes through which community intelligence can be passed, information on issues from drug dealing to terrorism.

“The government must ensure police forces are given the resources they need to maintain this vital part of policing.

Lib Dem leader of the Opposition on Gateshead Council Cllr Jonathan Wallace added:

“I know how hard our local policemen and women work to keep us all safe, day in and day out. It is shocking to see that the Conservative Government are failing to do right by them.  I am calling on the Government to rethink these damaging cuts and back our bobbies to protect frontline neighbourhood teams in the Northumbria force area.”

Animal welfare champion calls for end to puppy farming

Puppy farming needs to become a thing of the past, a leading Liberal Democrat and animal welfare campaigner has claimed.

Gateshead Councillor Peter Maughan, who is also chairman of Newcastle and North Northumberland RSPCA, made the call following a challenge by Lib Dem peer Kate Parminter in the House of Lords to the government to end puppy farming. Lady Parminter made the call on Monday 9^th November.

“In Gateshead there are two registered puppy farms,” said Peter. “Overall the system of licensing is weak and fails to give adequate welfare protection to dogs used to breed the puppies or to puppies themselves.

“My own preference is to see an end to puppy farms but if they are to continue, they need much tougher control and regulation. We have to put an end to squalid, unhealthy and often cruel circumstances in which puppies are farmed. We need to ban the sale of puppies below the age of 8 weeks.

“If farms are not registered and conforming to higher welfare standards, they should be closed down. People who buy puppies from them do not know how well their dog has been treated and do not have consumer protection.

“There is more protection in buying a fridge from an electrical store than a puppy from an unregistered puppy farm.

“I urge all those wanting to buy a puppy to go to a reputable breeder rather than a puppy farm where dogs are treated as puppy producing machines.”

Remembrance Day Parade - Whickham

Whickham hosted the largest of Gateshead's Remembrance Day parades yesterday which saw over 40 wreaths laid by organisations and individuals at the war memorial on Front Street.

You can see a full set of photos of the day in the above album.

New "snoopers charter" is a threat to ordinary people - but not to serious criminals - Frank Hindle

The proposed Investigatory Powers Bill will put law abiding citizen's personal data at risk - while the seriously bad guys will simply use servers that are based overseas. It seems that Ministers need to find out more about how internet services work before they try to legislate about them.

Low Fell Lib Dem Councillor Frank Hindle, a former Head of Computing at Northumbria University, has pointed out that the proposed requirement for Internet Providers to keep people's browsing history for a year is a threat to the privacy of ordinary people.

 "Our browsing habits say a lot about us. Whether it is looking up information about places before going away on holiday, or researching our own or our relatives’ illnesses, or simply the absence of any browsing when our homes are empty and unguarded, a perfectly innocent web browsing history will reveal things that we are entitled to keep private. Whatever safeguards the law might have (and at the moment they are inadequate) about how government agencies could use this data, the recent problems at TalkTalk demonstrate the risk that criminals will hack into and steal this data, and be able to use it to target their activities, or simply sell or publish it.

"But for any serious - or even semi-serious - criminal such as a terrorist, child pornographer, or drug trafficker it isn't hard to set up encrypted systems using a server or servers located outside of the UK that will let them do all the browsing they want out of reach of this proposed law. Expecting the internet service provider of someone doing this to be able to provide a meaningful browsing history is impossible.

"Similarly, the proposals don't make sense when it comes to services such as WhatsApp and iMessenger - internet companies are expected to be able to decrypt any messages, even though the companies have no way of knowing the key that is needed to do the decryption.

"Many of the proposals seem technologically illiterate and their absurdity is summed up by a quote by a researcher at University of Kent in New Scientist 'I don’t know what the legal position is on a government requiring a company to do something that is logically impossible.'"

Gateshead Labour pours £45,000 into plush revamp of offices for Leader and Cabinet

Despite having to find £22 million of cuts to services this year, Labour in Gateshead have poured £45,000 into a plush revamp of the offices for the Labour Leader of the Council and the all-Labour Cabinet.

And Liberal Democrats, who discovered the spending following a Freedom of Information request, are demanding to know why Labour have put their own comfort ahead of vital services to residents.

The total amount spent by the Labour Council on office improvements for the Labour leader, cabinet and Labour group secretary is £45,264.89.

“I think this is a staggering waste of money at a time of severe cutbacks to services on which many people in Gateshead rely,” said Cllr Jonathan Wallace, Leader of the Opposition in Gateshead.

“Labour have clearly demonstrated where their priorities lie. Their own leadership now has a comfortable office paid for by taxpayers from where they can decide how to slash services to pay for their own plush comfort.

“At a time when cuts have to be made to balance the books, Liberal Democrat Councillors in Gateshead are committed to helping identify, wherever possible, ways of finding savings without harming front line services.”

The same Freedom of Information request also revealed that the Council plans to spend nothing on the Opposition Office which has not been redecorated since 1986 when the Civic Centre was built.

“Cash is in short supply,” said Jonathan. “There are more important things on which to spend than an office revamp. So I’m happy that the wallpaper and furniture (other than one seat) in the Opposition Office hasn’t changed in 29 years!”

New Sands Allotment Show

Another garden show taking place recently was the New Sands Allotments' in Swalwell. The show was held in the Sun Inn and funds raised went to the Swalwell Community Group.

Whickham Flower Show

Whickham in Bloom's Flower Show was held in September. Well done to everyone who helped organise the event in St Mary's Church Hall and congratulations to everyone who won prizes.

Repairs taking place to Swalwell Pipebridge

Northumbrian Water are carrying out renovation work on the Victorian Pipebridge over the Derwent River in Swalwell, which still carries 25 million litres of water a day. Cllr Jonathan Wallace was given access to the bridge recently to film and photograph it.

Work is on-going to replace some of the pipe supports and brackets and some reinforcement work is taking place before the painting of the bridge is carried out.

Chase Park a Lotto winner as £1 million Lottery bid approved

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Big Lottery Fund have awarded just under £1 million (£922,900) to local community group Friends of Chase Park (FoCP) and Gateshead Council on plans that will see them work together on the restoration and improvement of Whickham’s historic Chase Park.

This is fantastic news for the group which was established by Cllr. Peter Craig in 2009 and has worked tirelessly towards this objective since then. The award will mean that residents will be able enjoy many more facilities. The existing toddler play area will be improved, tennis courts resurfaced and teenage play and skateboard areas built.

Plans over a three year period also include a restoration project for the windmill, entrance gates, paths and ornamental gardens, installation of an outdoor gym and trim trail, development of community garden and orchard and installation of new street furniture, signs and interpretations/artworks of heritage points of interest.

A Lottery award of £66,000 was made in Spring 2014 so that the Friends of Chase Park, working with Gateshead Council, could work up the bid from the HLF. A master plan for the park was drawn up in consultation with local award-winning landscape architects Southern Green.

Chair of Friends of Chase Park, Alan Scott said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded this HLF and Big Lottery Fund grant and look forward to working with Gateshead Council and Southern Green to see the plans for the renaissance of our beloved Chase Park come to fruition.

“Returning the park to its former glory will be something the whole community can be proud of for many years to come.

“So many people have worked hard to get us where we are today and I give huge thanks to everyone involved for the effort and contributions made. Who would have dreamed we would be in this position as we set out on our journey all those years ago.”

Cllr. Peter Craig, Founder of the Friends group said “I would like to thank everyone who has made this possible, with a special thank you to the individuals who have stuck with this.

“It has taken us 6 years to reach this point and we are delighted that our bid has been successful, so that a rejuvenated Chase Park can continue to play an important part at the heart of our community.”

Pictured above: the historic windmill in Chase Park, Whickham, which will undergo restoration.