The Gateshead

Democrat

10/110/110/110/110/1 January January January January January 20102010201020102010

The newsletter for Liberal Democrats in Gateshead

Produced and promoted by Jonathan Wallace, Noel Rippeth and Charles Jevon on behalf of Gateshead Liberal Democrats, Neil Bradbury, Frank Hindle and Tom Appleby, and printed by Gateshead LiberalDemocrats, all at 97 Front St, Whickham, NE16 4JL

Gateshead to host LibDem conference

Party conference in March 2012is to be held in the Sage,Gateshead.

After a great deal of lobbying bymembers in the region, the ConferenceOffice in Cowley Street HQ have opted tocome to the Tyneside venue.The announcement of the Sage as thevenue for the conference coincided with the5th birthday celebrations of the building.“This is great news for the region andgreat news for Liberal Democrats here,”said Cllr

Noel Rippeth,

Leader of theOpposition of Gateshead Council.“It may be two years away but we arealready looking forward to the party cominghere.”

Party HQ chooses Tyneside for major conference

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The Sage, Gateshead, is to host the Lib Dem national conference in March 2012.

Budget consultation “a sham”

Liberal Democrat campaigners in Gateshead have attacked aconsultation exercise on Council the budget as “a sham”.

The comments were made by

Neil Bradbury

, Parliamentarycandidate for Blaydon, after he learnt that Gateshead Council held onlytwo public meetings, both in central Gateshead.“These meetings could not count as a meaningful exercisedesigned to get the views of people across the borough,” said Neil.“There were no meetings in in the towns and villages in the west of theborough.“Furthermore, anyone wanting to come to the meetings had to applyby email or phone in advance.”Gateshead Council is facing cuts of £60 million to its budget overthe next 3 years following the announcement by ministers that thecash paid by the government to support local services will be cutheavily.

Liberal Democrats in Blaydon constituency have slammed a consultationprocess by Gateshead Council into spending cuts as “remote andinaccessible.” And they have compared it to Northumberland’s consultationwhich they describe as “open and in touch.”

Gateshead Council are currently looking at cuts of up to £60 million over the nextthree years, caused by Government ministers slashing the amount of cash given tocouncils to support local services.Gateshead held two consultation meetings for residents but

Neil Bradbury

,Liberal Democrat campaigner in Blaydon has attacked the Council for holding bothsessions in Gateshead town centre.Neil, who is hoping to be elected as the MP for Blaydon in the general election ina few weeks’ time, said, “Gateshead is a large borough. Blaydon constituencycovers the western half of the borough and is made up of small towns and villages.“Gateshead’s decision to hold both consultation meetings in the town centre willmake them inaccessible for many of the people I hope to represent after the generalelection.

Council spending consultation “remoteand inaccessible for many”

“It seems to me that the views of people from the west of the borough are being ignored by Labour. This is noton. Labour must rethink its consultation and hold meetings in towns such as Birtley, Whickham, Blaydon, Ryton andRowlands Gill.“The contrast with Liberal Democrat run Northumberland County Council is remarkable. There we have held 12meetings around the county. In Gateshead, people will only be let in to the meetings if they apply in advance. InNorthumberland they are open to all residents.“The difference in approach between Lib Dem Northumberland and Labour Gateshead is remarkable. Allcouncils are having to face up to huge cuts as Labour are slashing the amount they are giving to councils to spendon services.“But in Northumberland we have made it much easier for people to come along and give their views. Labour inGateshead have a great deal to learn from us.”

Council quizzed on car park standstill

Liberal Democrats in Gateshead are to quiz the Council’s top brass over the“Get Carter” car park. Plans were initially in place to demolish the car parkin 2007 which were then delayed to 2008 and then to 2009. Work on thedemolition started in 2009 but then stopped.

Councillor Frank Hindle, who is Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for thenew Gateshead Constituency, said, “I am very concerned that several years afterit was first announced that Tesco would be working with the Council to redevelopthe Town Centre, over two years since Spenhill (Tesco’s regeneration subsidiarycompany) held a public consultation on their proposals, and many months sincedemolition of Trinity Square started, this whole project appears to have come to astandstill.“Local residents and users of Gateshead Town Centre want to know what ishappening and how long they will have to live with a fenced off and almostabandoned demolition site.“Tesco’s proposals were well received and we all thought that at last we might seethe end of this tribute to 1960s architecture and planning – but instead we are leftwith the worst of both worlds – an ugly car park standing ina wasteland instead of a vibrant town centre.“It is time the people of Gateshead were told what isactually happening, instead of being given promises ofimminent progress that never seems to happen.“I hope that Spenhill and Tesco are able to get this schemeback on track, but if not, the Council needs to start thinkingof alternatives.“We are asking a series of questions to the Council’s chiefexecutive and will be pressing for visible progress in thecoming months.”

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I’m still standing! - Gateshead’s infamous“Get Carter” Car Park

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Questions - Frank Hindle

Tom chosen for Jarrow

Liberal Democrats in Jarrow Constituency, whichcovers the eastern part of Gateshead, have chosenTom Appleby as their candidate for the generalelection.

At 25 years old, Tom will be one the youngestParliamentary candidates in the North East. He currentlyworks as a supervisor for a major retail chain but is alsostudying for a law degree at Northumbria University.“I am looking forward to the campaign, even though itwill be a big challenge!” said Tom.“My aim is to help our candidates in the local electiondo well and to dent Labour’s complacency in aconstituency they have taken for granted for too long.”

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New candidate - Tom Appleby, right, chatting toa member at a recent meeting. Tom is the newcandidate for Jarrow.A decision by Gateshead Council to aim to cut carbon emissions by atenth in 2010 has been welcomed by Liberal Democrats in Gateshead.

The party’s councillors had planned to move a motion calling on Gateshead tosign up to the 10:10 Campaign but decided not to press the move when it wasrevealed that the Leader of the Council, Mick Henry, had agreed to the Councilbecoming part of the campaign.Carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels such as coal and petrol are know tobe leading to climate change and global warming.The effect has been extreme weather, such as the floods last year in theDerwent Valley.Liberal Democrat Councillor

Ione Rippeth

, who planned to move the motionbefore it was withdrawn, said, “This is a decision we were pressing for so we aredelighted Gateshead is now to join the 10:10 campaign.“The work of cutting our carbon starts now. We can all as individuals help toachieve this. The Council, as the biggest employer and owner of buildings in

Carbon cut decision welcomed in Gateshead

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Cllr Ione Rippeth

Gateshead, however, can have a big impact on the overall emissions produced by the area.”

On the Christmas card list!

It may have been Christmas but the campaign in Blaydon continued. Members had 20,000 Christmas cards toput into envelopes and deliver to residents in the constituency. So over a few mince pies and the occasionalglass of red wine, and copious quantities of tea, members gathered to ensure all the envelopes were stuffed.Pictured above (l to r) Robin Stanaway, Marilynn Ord, David Randall and Blaydon candidate Neil Bradbury.