Newcastle upon Tyne Liberal Democrats

Dene Ward

Your Dene Ward Liberal Democrat councillors work hard for your area. Please do contact them with any queries, concerns or suggestions.

You can also meet your councillors at their surgery at High Heaton Library, Newton Place on the last Thursday of each month (except Christmas and New Year), from 6.30pm to 7.30pm. This is a joint surgery with North Heaton Ward.

• Feb 25, 2010:
  • LIB DEMS PICK LOCAL COUNCILLOR TO TAKE ON LABOUR
    Liberal Democrats in Newcastle East have chosen local councillor Wendy Taylor as their candidate for the for the forthcoming General Election. A consultant in Clinical Oncology at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care in Newcastle Freeman Hospital, Wendy has been a councillor for Dene Ward, which is in the Newcastle East constituency, since 1988. Speaking after her selection, Councillor Taylor said: "It is a great privilege to have been selected as the Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Newcastle East. "As a local councillor, I know the area very well and I am really passionate about offering local people a credible political alternative to Labour's record of failure in the North East. "The Lib Dem run Newcastle City Council demonstrates that the Liberal Democrats are capable of turning around a failing Labour administration. "People in Newcastle East deserve an MP that - unlike Labour - does not take the area for granted. I am looking forward to campaigning in the constituency and fighting for a fair deal for local people in the aftermath of the recession." Councillor Taylor has been an Executive Member of Newcastle City Council since 2004 and currently holds the portfolio for Environment, Sustainability and Transport working successfully on issues such as waste management, climate change, cycling, and public transport & highways. 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
• Oct 2, 2007:
  • Paint the town brown!
    L-R: Lib Dem Dene Ward Councillors Wendy Taylor and Bob Renton, with local Parliamentary Spokesman Cllr Stephen Psallidas helped to clean up the Coxlodge Waggonway in late September Liberal Democrat councillors in Dene Ward have spent the day working with residents and Council staff on tidying up the Coxlodge Waggonway. Work included painting a substantial length of fencing brown, to make it more weatherproof and to cover over graffiti. Councillor Wendy Taylor said: "It was an enjoyable day in good weather, and I would like to thank the residents who turned out to help us to improve their local environment." Local Parliamentary Spokesman, Councillor Stephen Psallidas, added: "This is precisely the sort of voluntary action and local involvement that the Lib Dems want to see more of." 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