Redheugh Bridge closure

The Redheugh Bridge will be closed for maintenance works on Sunday 30th October 2011 between 06:00 and 18:00.

Go North East Service 10/10A/11 inbound services will divert via Team Street, Centrelink, Swing Bridge and Forth Banks (as per Mon-Fri am journeys), omitting Clockmill Road and Derwentwater Road and rejoining the normal route on Clayton Street West.

Other Go North East services affected by the closure will divert as follows:

Buses will divert inbound via Askew Road, Hills Street, Tyne Bridge, Tyne Bridge slip road, Mosley Street, St Nicholas Street one-way system to Neville Street then normal route from Clayton Street.

Outbound services to operate from Eldon Square via Percy Street, Newgate Street, Grainger St, Neville Street, then Clayton Street, Westgate Road to St Nicholas Street, then High Level Bridge, Askew Road then normal route.

Services operating from Redheugh Bridge to Central Newcastle towards Tyne Bridge 97/98 53/54 etc., these will operate similar route from Redheugh Bridge roundabout via Askew Road, Hills Street, Tyne Bridge, Mosley Street, Church Chare one-way system to Neville Street then normal route via Bewick Street etc towards Gateshead.

Opposite direction will be normal route from Gateshead to Neville Street/Central Station, then Clayton Street, Westgate Road, St Nicholas Street, Collingwood Street, Swan House roundabout, Tyne Bridge then normal route.

Stagecoach Service 100 will divert (non-stop) via Scotswood Road and Scotswood Bridge to the Metro Centre.

Whickham building plans dropped

A PROPOSAL to allow house-building to the south of Fellside Park in Whickham has been abandoned by Gateshead Council following strong opposition from local Liberal Democrat Councillors.

The proposals were considered as part of Gateshead Council’s “Strategic Land Review” which is looking at building thousands of houses in Gateshead over the next two decades. The vast majority of the areas being considered for new housing are greenfield sites in the west of the borough.

Councillors John McClurey, Marilynn Ord and Jonathan Wallace met planning officers during the summer to discuss the house-building plans.

“We said very clearly that there was no way we could support the proposal to extend Fellside Park by building on the land up to the Clockburn Lonnen,” said John.

“Fellside Road is already very busy and during the rush hour it becomes congested. Adding more houses to Fellside Park would have made a bad traffic situation worse.

“In addition, the area proposed for development is open countryside which adds to the quality of life for Fellside residents.

“We are pleased that following our objections, the Council has removed the Fellside Park proposals from the house building proposals.”

Photo - Councillors Marilynn Ord and John McClurey on the site to the south of Fellside Park, Whickham, which Gateshead Council had considered for house-building. The proposals have now been dropped.

Swalwell Park developments

The Swalwell Park Development Group has been successful in obtaining £50,000 funding from SITA to start the second phase in the Park’s redevelopment.

The Group, made up of local residents, works in partnership with local councillors, Gateshead Council and Tyne & Wear Play Association to improve the park facilities.

This funding, together with money from Swalwell councillors’ Local Community Fund will help the Group to improve play provision. The new equipment will be used for teenage play and active outdoor gym equipment.

Terraces consultation under way

In March Gateshead Council approved the introduction of a licensing scheme for private landlords in the Swalwell Terraces subject to necessary consultation. This followed discussions between local councillors, the Council Leader and the Chief Executive of the Council when they visited Swalwell at the end of last year.

A full ten week consultation exercise is now under way, with the current plan to introduce the scheme in 2012. This commenced with a consultation event which was held on 27th September 2011 at Swalwell Community Centre.

All residents in the Terraces area should by now have received a postal questionnaire, advising of the proposals and asking for views.

In addition, a questionnaire has been posted to all known private landlords and agents in the area. A further consultation event was held on 4th October 2011 in the Civic Centre.

A representative of the Private sector Housing Team attended the Swalwell residents meeting on 6th October 2011 to advise and discuss proposals.

There is still an opportunity for you to have you say. Any individual or organisation may complete a questionnaire via the Council website. Go to http://www.gateshead.gov.uk/Housing/helpsupportadvice/PrivateLandlords/Licensing/CentralGatesheadandSwalwelllicensingconsultation.aspx.


The last date for these forms to be completed is Friday 28th October.

Feedback from the consultation will be used to inform the Council Cabinet who will make the final decision in November, whether or not to go ahead with the scheme.

£360,000 for Whickham and Dunston schools

Schools in Whickham and Dunston in Gateshead are set to receive an additional £360,000 this year thanks to the Pupil Premium which is being introduced by the Government.

The Pupil Premium is an additional payment to schools for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. The policy was one of the top four general election manifesto commitments by the Liberal Democrats last year.

Dunston and Whickham Liberal Democrat Councillor Peter Maughan said, “This extra cash for local schools is a great boost for children’s education in the area.

“The aim of the Pupil Premium is to ensure all children have the best start in life. The last Labour government left a shocking legacy where the richest 16-year olds are three times as likely to get five good GCSEs as the poorest.

“The Government has already protected schools from the cuts needed to reduce the Deficit. The extra Pupil Premium money will go straight to local schools and can’t be siphoned off by the Labour Council to be spent on their pet projects elsewhere. The schools will be free to spend the money on what is best for their pupils.”

Liberal Democrat Schools Minister Sarah Teather recently announced that the total Pupil Premium funding for next year will rise to £1.25bn, double the amount in 2011-12. Lib Dem ministers have successfully negotiated a further rise again each year until 2014-15 when it will be worth £2.5bn.

Swalwell street surgery

Liberal Democrat Councillors in Swalwell will be holding a street surgery for local residents this weekend.

It will be held on Saturday 15th October at The Oaklands estate, (next to the postbox on Beverley Drive), between 10:00 and 11:00 am. We hope to see you there.

All residents are welcoem to come along if they have issues to raise with their local councillors.

Mayor in Marley Hill to celebrate coal heritage

Mayor of Gateshead, Joe Mitchinson, was in Marley Hill on Thursday 6th October to celebrate the unvieling of restored coal tubs that form part of a floral display.

The coal tubs were formerly outside Marley Hill Primary School. When the school was closed in December, there was general consensus that the coal tubs should be retained as part of the heritage of the village whose mine closed in 1983.

The tubs had been used as part of a floral display at the school and it was felt that they should be used again in the same way.

The three local councillors - Jonathan Wallace, John McClurey and Marilynn Ord - arranged for the restoration of the tubs to be part financed by the Local Community Fund. Durham Aged Miners' Housing Association also covered some of the costs and gave permission for the tubs to be placed on their land, in front of the Marley Hill Aged Miners' Homes.

Restoration work was carried out during 2011 by the Tanfield Railway.

You can see the ceremony in the above video.