Newcastle upon Tyne Liberal Democrats

Byker Ward

Byker Ward Liberal Democrats would be pleased to hear from any resident who has a problem, a query or would like to help the Lib Dems in the ward. Please get in touch with us via the 'Contacts' page, or register your support using the 'Register/Support' link on the left.

• Feb 11, 2010:
  • CLEGG ANNOUNCES WIND TURBINE PLANS FOR DISUSED SHIPYARDS
    The Liberal Democrats plan to create 57,000 jobs by upgrading disused shipyards into centres for the production of off-shore wind turbines, leader Nick Clegg announced today during a visit to Newcastle. Mr Clegg said it was a "scandal" that 90% of the £1.75 billion contract for a wind farm off the coast of Kent was going to foreign contractors, because there were no facilities to build the giant turbines in the UK. Under the Lib Dem plans, all port authorities on the North Sea and Irish Sea would be able to bid for a share of a GBP400 million pot to convert seven shipyards, with towns like Liverpool, Newcastle, Hull, Middlesbrough, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen and Glasgow expected to be in the running. Mr Clegg said that the scheme would not only help the Lib Dems meet their target of increasing the proportion of UK electricity that comes from renewables to 40% by 2020, but also create tens of thousands of jobs in cities hard hit by unemployment. A further £100 million would be invested in training and testing facilities, including at universities with specialist engineering research units, such as Loughborough, Durham and Newcastle. Launching the plan during a visit to a former shipyard in Newcastle, the Lib Dem leader said: "We need to make sure we come out of this recession with a rebalanced and green economy. "Our plans would act as a huge boost for Britain's budding wind industry and create nearly 60,000 jobs in many shipyard cities where unemployment is a huge problem. "New off-shore turbines, with blades the size of the London Eye, need to be built and launched from modern docks, so we need to upgrade our shipyards to take advantage of this massive opportunity. "Just imagine the docks and shipyards along the coastline of Britain coming to life and leading the world in this new technology. "Expanding off-shore wind will create jobs but unless we act now, these jobs won't be British jobs. It's a scandal that 90% of the £1.75bn contract for a wind farm off the coast of Kent is going to foreign contractors, with the turbines being manufactured in Germany. "Investing in infrastructure for a new green economy not only helps create jobs now but will allow Britain to take its place at the cutting edge of this growing industrial sector for the future. "Britain clearly has the manufacturing and engineering expertise to lead the world in this green technology but government must play its part in supporting this." Liberal Democrats plan to redirect £3.6 billion of Government spending within a year of the general election to create jobs and build up the national infrastructure. They believe 6,400 new offshore wind-turbines will be needed to meet targets on renewable energy. Conversion of shipyards would involve upgrading to make them suitable for construction and testing of turbines and are deep enough for the boats needed to transport the blades and towers to the sites of wind farms in the North and Irish Seas. Published and promoted by Newcastle upon Tyne Liberal Democrats, 3 Bloomsbury Ct, Newcastle, NE3 4LW Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
• Apr 5, 2009:
  • MORE POLICE NEEDED TO TACKLE FEAR OF CRIME IN THE EAST END, SAY LIB DEMS
    Newcastle East campaigner Greg Stone has called on Northumbria Police Authority to ensure that more officers are allocated to the Clifford Street police station - the home of Newcastle East Area Command. The call follows reports that Newcastle is set to gain another 70 police officers in coming years, after a long Lib Dem campaign for more police on the streets. Crime in Newcastle is lower than in most other major cities, although fear of crime remains a concern in some areas. In particular, concerns have been recently raised with Greg Stone about community safety and fear of knife crime on parts of the Byker estate, leading to requests from the community to step up patrols. Councillor Greg Stone, Lib Dem Parliamentary spokesman for Newcastle East, said: "It is my view that the quality of policing in the East End is excellent but it is always welcome to enhance the quantity of police available in the area. "Obviously operational police matters are best left in the hands of police commanders, not politicians, but I hope that some of this welcome additional resource in the fight against crime can be deployed in Newcastle East Area Command. "Continued targeting of known criminals who target house burglaries and car crime should remain a priority. "I am particularly aware that some people do not feel safe in some parts of the area at night, and I have recently discussed this problem and been out on patrol with local police superintendents. "Having more high-visibility patrols in these locations would help to reassure residents and deter crime and disorder, as shown by the recent Operation Meerkat in the Byker Wall area and Operation Lark on Shields Road. "More feet on the beat is definitely good news, but I intend to continue to campaign for more police in Newcastle East as part of an effective campaign against crime. "By contrast, Labour would rather squander billions of pounds on an expensive and ineffective national ID card system." Published and promoted by Newcastle upon Tyne Liberal Democrats, 3 Bloomsbury Ct, Newcastle, NE3 4LW Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
• Mar 10, 2009:
  • LIB DEMS HIT BACK OVER SPENDING CLAIM BY CHALLENGING LABOUR MINISTERS TO BACK BYKER WALL REFURBISHMENT SCHEME
    Newcastle East Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesman Greg Stone has hit back at a Labour ambush over their criticism of Newcastle council for not bringing forward spending on school improvement projects, and has turned the tables by challenging senior Labour ministers to bring forward spending on the refurbishment of the Byker Wall and Estate. The Lib Dem run city council has submitted a bid to Government for PFI funding for a major scheme to transform the Byker Wall estate, which is increasingly showing its age after being built in the early 1970s, but is still waiting for the Government to make up its mind on the application. If successful the £210 million initiative would create massive new opportunities for local firms including joiners, electricians, and plumbers, as well as transforming the quality of the estate for residents. The Government have recently confirmed that the pot of money available for schemes of this kind has been halved. The Lib Dems have now challenged the Government to make up its mind on an application for £80m of funding for the scheme, which has been languishing on ministerial desks for months. They claim this would be a better use of senior ministers time than engaging in "spurious" attacks on the city council over schools spending which is already planned and which will go ahead in coming years. Greg Stone said: "It is a fact that under the Lib Dems Newcastle City Council has one of the largest capital spending programmes in the country, and I fully support efforts to allow local companies to benefit from construction opportunities. However, rather than making spurious attacks on the Lib Dems because we are committed to long-term spending to replace outdated Victorian primary schools rather than quick fixes, Labour ministers like Nick Brown should put their money where their mouth is. "The Lib Dems will continue to campaign for much needed investment to restore the physical fabric of the estate which has been neglected by Labour. Rather than delaying any longer, the Government should release much needed funds to transform the Byker Estate, creating a huge benefit to local residents and local businesses alike." Published and promoted by Newcastle upon Tyne Liberal Democrats, 3 Bloomsbury Ct, Newcastle, NE3 4LW Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
• Jan 7, 2009:
  • LIB DEMS INVEST IN THE FUTURE
    Millions of pounds look set to be spent on Newcastle's communities during the economic crisis. The Lib Dem-run city council plans to invest £21 million into energy efficiency, regeneration and boosting the economy. The cash will be borrowed, but council tax will still have to go up by 2.9% to cover the loan, meaning a rise of 65p per week for a family living in a Band D household. The Lib Dem council leaders are sticking to their pledge to keep the rise below the rate of inflation for the fifth year running - even though the amount Newcastle has been given by the Government has increased by only 1.75%, the joint lowest in the country. The three-year investment will secure jobs in the face of the credit crunch. Councillor Peter Allen, executive member for resources, said: "We've kept to our original election pledge when we took control of the council - bills down at or below the rate of inflation - and we're now delivering for the fifth year running. "At the same time we've invested extra in the services people have told us are most important to them, such as our hugely popular rapid response teams, improving the environment in every ward round the city. "We've achieved all this because we run an efficient operation, and we'll be tightening our belts further next year to the tune of £20 million plus, whilst still protecting frontline services." The council is saving around £20 million by cutting 500 posts - many of them managers and administrative staff. Front line jobs will be protected. The £21m investment will be spent on projects people in the city have raised as a priority, including: :: £7m extra spending on road and pavement repairs and improvements. :: £1.4m extra on grants for disabled facilities to make improvements in people's homes. :: £75,000 extra on Newcastle WarmZone, helping those facing fuel poverty. :: £800,000 extra on works at Walker Quay. :: £4m extra in a new regeneration fund to support various schemes across Newcastle. By using local external contractors for building work, jobs will be secured and no manpower will be taken away from frontline services. A scheme to help low-income first-time buyers with shared equity loans and cash from the Government and developers is on the cards, and more staff to help homeowners avoid repossessions. The council is also pledging to work with developers to help them out as the demand for homes drops, to increase the amount of affordable social housing in the city and to offer support packages for small businesses. Council leader John Shipley said: "As well as keeping council tax bills down, and protecting frontline services, there is much that the council can do to help businesses and individuals survive the economic recession. "Our budget proposals includes an extra £21 million of spending on infrastructure and regeneration projects - which will help keep many people in work in the construction industry locally. "We're also continuing with a package of interventions to help people in debt crisis, to help housebuilders and homebuyers alike, and to help small businesses. "Without this extra spending package, our council tax bills would have been even lower, but we think that supporting the city's economy through this crisis is simply the right thing to do." The council's draft budget proposals will go out for consultation before being put to councillors in March. Published and promoted by Newcastle upon Tyne Liberal Democrats, 3 Bloomsbury Ct, Newcastle, NE3 4LW Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
• Jul 31, 2008:
  • LIB DEMS CALL FOR ACTION ON BYKER AND CHILLINGHAM ROAD METRO STATIONS
    Newcastle East Lib Dem councillors and campaigners have called on NEXUS to give priority to improvements to Chillingham Road and Byker Metro stations. The call comes after it was confirmed that the Government has approved a £300 million upgrade programme for the Metro network. The funding allocation has been welcomed by the Lib Dems, but campaigners have called for action to be taken to improve Chillingham Road and Byker Metro stations as a priority, following previous calls to improve safety at these stations. North Heaton Lib Dem Councillor Greg Stone, who is a member of the Opposition on the Tyne & Wear Passenger Transport Authority, said it was good news that Metro will get a much-needed cash injection. However, he wants to see NEXUS bring forward plans for improvements to these stops. "Clearly this investment is very welcome, though it remains a fraction of the investment delivered in London including billions of pounds spent on Crossrail and £800 million on new ticket halls at Kings Cross underground station," he said. "It seems the Government have recognised that North East Labour seats are under threat and have finally got out their chequebook. "It is great news that stations and rolling stock are to be upgraded over the next decade. However, residents in the East End of Newcastle want assurances that local stations will not have to wait years for improvements." The Lib Dems are calling for action to reclad the 1970s era stations, which are looking increasingly tired and shabby, to install anti-graffiti measures, and to improve passenger safety following concerns over poor lighting and anti-social behaviour in on these stations. Cllr Stone said: "I know that many people find it intimidating to use Byker and Chillingham Road stations at night. "Although some stations on the network are to receive major upgrades, there has been no word on these particular sites as yet. We feel that with investment, more people will use these stations. "Chillingham Road in particular could become a catalyst for regeneration of adjoining sites on the Fossway." South Heaton Lib Dem campaigner Henry Gallagher added: "We would particularly like to see a partnership with the nearby Newcastle Retail Park to improve connectivity and access at Chillingham Road, as has worked successfully with Tesco at Kingston Park station." Published and promoted by Newcastle upon Tyne Liberal Democrats, 3 Bloomsbury Ct, Newcastle, NE3 4LW Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY