Gosforth eFocus No 13
HUGE BOOST FROM COALITION GOVERNMENT
Newcastle and the North East got a £300 million boost this week as the government announced its local growth deals to create jobs and investment.
Virtually all the North East proposals have been agreed and the region was behind only Greater Manchester and London in the level of funding received.
The Local Growth Fund will ensure that over the next two years work can begin on a range on investment and infrastructure projects including - a new link from Central Station to the Stephenson Quarter, the development of laboratory space on the Science Central site, improvements to major road junctions in around the city and an upgrade to the Central Station metro.
POST OFFICE UNDER THREAT
Gosforth Liberal Democrat councillors have set up a petition which people can sign to protest against the proposal to move the St Nicholas post office away from the centre of Gosforth - it's at http://chn.ge/1ofJUOp There is also a Facebook group for people to support athttps://www.facebook.com/savestnicholas
BIG DEVELOPMENT SITES IN NORTH NEWCASTLE
Save Gosforth Wildlife have put if Freedom of Information requests to Newcastle City Council to try to find out what discussions have been held about potential development of the Nexus site in South Gosforth and the adjacent industrial estate. There's also a report from Co-ordinator John Urquhart about the Core Strategy hearings (David Down made a submission about old mineworkings underneath the disputed site in Parklands Ward).
RETAIL SHOPPING
The proceedings of the meeting of Newcastle City Council on 2nd July are now on Youtubehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKHcucO_4Dw#t=36
Cllr David Down's tribute to former councillor Diane Packham and introduction of Cllr Robin Ashby is at minute 7:35, Cllrs Greg Stone's and Henry Gallagher's motion on retail vitality are at minute 31:15. Robin's maiden speech on the topic is at minute 42:28. He followed up with a letter to The Journal (whose coverage of City Council meetings has declined in recent years)
BUS CHANGES
Service 46 (Newcastle - Brunton Park - Great Park) operated by Arriva. From 20th July hourly daytime and half hourly evening Mon - Fri journeys extended from Newcastle Haymarket to General Hospital via RVI and Dental Hospital. Amendments to timetable times.
New Service 553 (Regent Centre - Freeman Hospital) operated by Arriva and subsidised by Newcastle NHS Trust. New service starting 20th July operating via Gosforth High Street and running into the hospital grounds.
Service 554 (Regent Centre - Four Lane Ends - Quorum Business Park) operated by Arriva. From 20th July will additionally serve Freeman Hospital, slight amendments to times.
HADDRICK'S MILL JUNCTION
The latest tranche of Coalition Government investment money has given priority to upgrading the Haddrick's Mill junction, one of the most notorious in the City. Cllr Henry Gallagher said, "It is fantastic to see the government approve investment to sort out the Haddrick's Mill roundabouts. The trick now locally is to get it right. After all, the City Council's recent record with regards to transport improvements in Gosforth have been found lacking."
GREAT PARK
Remedial work has been carried out at the Warkworth Woods Play Area on the urging of Cllrs David Down and Pauline Allen.
Cllr David Down has just been notified that the developers will be clearing the following gullies in Melbury in the near future after they were reported to be blocked:
One in Barmoor Drive adjacent to gable of 2, Netherwitton Way (The White House).
One on opposite side of road to 10 Barmoor Drive.
Three outside 1 & 3 Barmoor Drive.
One outside 1 Sharperton Drive
One on opposite side of road to 55 Netherwitton Way.
One outside 38 Netherwitton Way.
Three on opposite side of road to 5, 7 and 8 Lumley Way (on park side of road).
One outside 124 Featherstone Grove.
If you know of any others in need of attention, please let us know
FOOTPATH MAINTENANCE
There's still time to submit information about dodgy footpaths in your area which should be on the Council's maintenance schedule.
GOSFORTH COMMUNITY MINIBUS
They're looking for volunteers aged 25-69.If you'd like to help, emailjohnmarggillon@aol.com
PLANNING APPLICATIONS
New garage at Holly Cottage, North Brunton, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 5HD Ref : 2014/0984/01/DET
Roof and Dormer windows to form additional bedroom accommodation at 1 Fencer Court 2014/1022/01/DET
Felling of mature sycamore at 11 Beech Close, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 5PH, 2014/1019/01/TRE
The application to demolish 37 The Grove Gosforth and put up a 5 storey building in its place has been turned down
And Marks and Spencer are applying for a licence to sell alcohol
GREAT NORTH ROAD
Roadworks to improve the Great North Road and Forsyth Road junction in Jesmond started on Monday 30 June for 9-12 weeks. There are plans to keep disruption to a minimum by closing single lanes - northbound in the mornings and southbound in the evenings - when traffic is at its lightest in those lanes.
Work to be carried out includes new traffic lights to improve the flow of traffic, and the crossings will be improved for pedestrians and cyclists by replacing the existing 3-stage staggered crossing to a single crossing.
Proposals to install Toucan and other pedestrian help have now been considered by an Appeals subcommittee. Its decision : no changes are proposed.
WARD SURGERIES
As well as specific ward surgeries, councillors from all three Gosforth wards gather outside Boots, on Gosforth High Street, between 100 hrs and noon on the first saturday of every month .
SCHOOL BUS NEEDED?
There is no school bus for students from the Great Park who attend Gosforth Junior High School. Cllr advid Down has asked Nexus whether the bus that serves Gosforth East First School could be driven on to the Junior High but has been told there could be difficulty in doing this as both schools finish at the same time. It would increase waiting time for some of the students. He is currently in contact with the City Council about the need.
A1 ROAD WIDENING
There exhibitions taking place on widening the A1 Metro Centre south to Coal House junction
BY-ELECTIONS ELSEWHERE
In the last few weeks Liberal Democrats won seats from Conservatives in Littlehampton and Cheltenham, and held one in Pendle. There was a narrow loss to Independents in North Yorkshire.
MEANWHILE, IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS
Economy: Manufacturing - Motion to Take Note (3 Jul 2014)
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/lords/?id=2014-07-03a.1799.0&s=speaker%3A25000#g1805.0
Lord Shipley: There used to be a fashion for suggesting that the decline in UK manufacturing did not matter given the rise of our service economy. In my view, any commentators who still believe that are profoundly mistaken...
Gosforth eFocus is brought to you by
David Down, Pauline Allen and Robin Ashby .
Liberal Democrat Councillors for Parklands Ward
Reporting email : pauline.allen@newcastle.gov.uk
Henry Gallagher, Peter Legott and David Slesenger .
Liberal Democrat Councillors for East Gosforth
Reporting email : henry.gallagher@newcastle.gov.uk
Jackie Slesenger, Bill Shepherd and Nick Cott
Liberal Democrat Councillors for West Gosforth
Reporting email : jackie.slesenger@newcastle.gov.uk
All in the great city of Newcastle upon Tyne
Write to any of them c/o 5 Rudby Close
Whitebridge Park
Gosforth
Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 5JF
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