Newcastle upon Tyne Liberal Democrats

Kenton Ward

Kenton Ward Liberal Democrats would be pleased to help resolve any comments, queries or complaints that you might have. Please get in touch with us via the 'Contacts' page.

• Aug 6, 2009:
  • MINISTER VISITS CITY TO WITNESS CRIME FIGHTING SCHEME
    A Home Office Minister visited Newcastle today to see the good work the city council is doing to reduce retail crime. Alan Campbell visited two shopping areas in Kenton, accompanied by Councillor Anita Lower, chair of the Safe Newcastle Partnership. One of the shopping areas has seen a drop in crime following work by the Partnership to improve the environment and install CCTV cameras. At the other location work is beginning to improve the environment and increase shop security following reports of criminal damage and anti-social behaviour. Mr Campbell was in Newcastle to launch a £5 million fund for small retailers to buy security devices such as alarms, UV markers or radios. The Retail Crime Action Plan (RCAP), which has been drawn up in partnership with the retail industry, details a broad range of actions to tackle crimes against retailers and small businesses. Newcastle is one of more than 50 local authorities than can bid for grants from the Small Retailer Grants Fund. 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
• Sep 2, 2008:
  • LABOUR AXES NINE POST OFFICES IN NEWCASTLE
    Newcastle Liberal Democrats are angry that Labour has closed nine of the city's Post Offices despite residents' protests The axe today fell on nine of Newcastle's Post Offices despite hard-fought campaigns by local residents to keep them open. Thousands of people held public meetings, signed petitions and wrote letters protesting at the decision by Post Office Ltd to close the local branches. The closures in Newcastle are part of the Labour Government's programme to shut 2,500 Post Offices nationwide. There was also shock at the announcement that a six-week consultation has begun on the future of St Anthony's Post Office in Walker. This Post Office is facing closure because a branch has been saved in Blaydon. Newcastle's Labour MPs, Doug Henderson, Nick Brown and Jim Cousins, had the chance to halt the closure programme during a vote in the House of Commons but instead supported the Government and rejected the opposition motion. Ron Beadle, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary spokesman for Newcastle North, said: "More than 1,000 people signed a Liberal Democrat petition to keep our Post Offices open. "But yet again the Labour Government is showing how is has stopped listening to local people in Newcastle. "The loss of these nine branches will hit communities in Newcastle hard. "Post Offices are vital assets for many local people and these closures will cause difficulties, particularly for older people and those with mobility problems." Under Labour, thousands of Post Offices have already closed, while under the Conservatives 3,500 post offices were axed. Ron Beadle added: "Newcastle's Labour MPs had the perfect opportunity in Parliament to show their support for Post Offices. "Instead they put the Labour Party before the people of Newcastle and voted with their Government to back the closure programme." The Liberal Democrats have a plan that would save the Post Office network. "We would invest £2 billion through public shared ownership, which would revitalise the network and keep open a vital local service for millions of people across the UK," said Ron. The Post Offices that will close are: :: Clayton Road :: Howard Street :: Kenton Road :: Union Society :: Walkerville :: Brunswick Village :: Garden Village :: Walbottle :: West Denton 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
• Aug 8, 2008:
  • SAVE OUR POST OFFICES: THE LAST PUSH
    Lib Dem campaigners, including Newcastle MEP Fiona Hall, Ron Beadle and Greg Stone, gather outside Walbottle village Post Office in a final push to save nine of Newcastle's post offices from closure Liberal Democrats from across Newcastle have come together for one final push to save nine of Newcastle's post offices - just days before their future is decided. The Lib Dems gathered at Walbottle village Post Office - one of the nine threatened with the axe - having collected more than 1,000 signatures from local people opposing the closures. At Walbottle the petitions and many letters of protest - all collected since the nine closures were announced six weeks ago - were posted in order that they reach Post Office Ltd by August 11, the deadline for the end of the public consultation. Newcastle MEP Fiona Hall, who was among the protestors gathered at Walbottle, said: "Posting these 1, 000 signatures today has been an appropriate way we can show Post Office Ltd that people in Newcastle want their post office services to stay open. "Many local people need, and in some cases depend on their post offices." Ron Beadle, Parliamentary spokesman for Newcastle North, added: "The way the consultation works is that at the end of all this, even if one of the 'Newcastle nine' post offices are saved, another post office - not necessarily on the current target list - will be forced to close in its place. "It is a frustrating catch 22 and just shows that the past six weeks have been nothing more than a sham consultation." The branches facing closure are: :: Clayton Road :: Howard Street :: Kenton Road :: Union Society :: Walkerville :: Brunswick Village :: Garden Village :: Walbottle :: West Denton Under the Labour Government plans more than 2,500 post offices across the country face being shut - despite public outcry - and many more closed under the Conservatives. The Liberal Democrat plan to save the Post Office network would see £2 billion invested. Recently a motion was proposed in the House of Commons demanding the Government halt their plans to make 2,500 branches shut up shop. Newcastle Labour MPs Doug Henderson, Nick Brown and Jim Cousins voted against the motion and backed the closure programme. :: To contact Post Office Ltd please see www.postoffice.co.uk/networkchange or telephone 08457 22 33 44 or email consultation@postoffice.co.uk. 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