Communal bins bombshell

The following article is reproduced from the Newcastle upon Tyne Liberal Democrats website.

Residents have reacted angrily to plans by Newcastle City Council to introduce a communal bin regime in Gosforth, following similar decisions elsewhere in the city.

The Council says this is part of a plan to remove 13,000 bins across the city and to save money on the collections.

West Gosforth Liberal Democrat Councillor Nick Cott said: “There will be real concerns about the effectiveness of the collections. Where communal bins have already been introduced, in parts of Heaton, our Liberal Democrat colleagues report lack of sufficient capacity and examples of overflowing bins. It is also possible that recycling will be discouraged. It is all very well the Council looking at saving money, but unless it has an effective operation the scheme could prove problematic.”

A petition from householders in the Wingrove area was presented to council last week” said Councillor Dominic Raymont who represents East Gosforth Ward. ” This illustrates the concerns of residents city-wide.

Commercial-sized waste bins will be placed in back lanes at a distance of one every fourth household. There will be three bins: one each for normal and recycled waste, to be collected once a fortnight, plus another for glass with collections every three weeks.

Basically if you have a back lane then the chances are you are included in the scheme,” said Councillor Raymont. “So we do not expect this will limited to a few streets, it will doubtless affect householders all over the city.”

Councillor Cott continued, “We have seen a number of examples of the lack of consultation with residents in Gosforth by this council in recent years. To ensure our residents are aware of this from the start we have initiated a petition for people to express their opposition.”

Sign our petition here:

https://newcastle-libdems.org.uk/en/petition/no-to-communal-bins-petition

The article article is reproduced from the Newcastle upon Tyne Liberal Democrats website.

All change for ward boundaries in Newcastle from 2018

East Gosforth is no more, now its Dene & South Gosforth

Earlier this year High West Jesmond Residents’ Association (HWJRA) and Friends of the Valley and Little Dene (FOVALD) both made representations to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England as their first draft of the proposed new wards for Newcastle City Council had split High West Jesmond in half by putting a boundary along Lodore Road.

The good news is that we were successful in our representation and we have heard back today with the final recommendations confirming that the area is being kept together in a newly formed Dene & South Gosforth Ward.

High West Jesmond representations considered

The final recommendations report notes on para 57 of page 19 that:

“Residents of High West Jesmond commenting on our draft recommendations stated that their community associations lie with Gosforth and Jesmond rather than with the area to the east of the Ousburn river.

We are unable to include High West Jesmond in either the wards for Gosforth or Jesmond without giving rise to high levels of electoral inequality.

However, we do acknowledge community identity in our final recommendations by naming the ward Dene & South Gosforth.

In doing so we include Rectory Road and Rectory Drive in this ward as proposed by the Council in its initial consultation.”

This is their email below together with links if you want to look at it in more detail.

“The Commission has now completed its review of Newcastle upon Tyne. A full copy and summary of the report is available on our website, www.lgbce.org.uk.

An interactive map of final recommendations is available at www.consultation.lgbce.org.uk

The changes proposed for Newcastle City Council must now be implemented by order subject to Parliamentary scrutiny.

A draft Order – the legal document which brings into force the recommendations – will be laid in Parliament. T

he draft Order will provide for new electoral arrangements for Newcastle upon Tyne to be implemented at the local elections in 2018“.

New Chairman for HWJRA

Residents committee strengthened

Congratulations to Nick Moore who was elected the new Chairman of High West Jesmond Residents’ Association (HWJRA) at the AGM last Wednesday.

I am filling the Secretarial and Treasurer roles and Jeffrey Fox is our newly appointed Communications Officer. I am also pleased to report that a further 4 committee members were elected on the night.

Membership is also strengthening following the various leaflet drops around the area.

Bob Curry is stepping down from the committee after many years as both Chairman and committee member and we thank him for his valued contribution.

Fiona Bruce
Secretary

Want to be informed about Blue House Roundabout plans?

High West Jesmond resident? Then join us!

Do you want to be kept informed about what is happening with the Blue House Roundabout and Jesmond Dene Road?

Following the Council’s withdrawal of their initial plans for both the Blue House Roundabout and junctions with Jesmond Dene Road, a steering group has been set up to work with the Council on development of new plans.

Although the initial plans have been withdrawn it is important to note that the Council still intends to make changes and so keeping informed about this will be very important for all of us who live near to and use these road junctions.

High West Jesmond Residents’ Association has a seat on the steering group and we would like to keep in touch with as many residents as possible so that you can tell us your views and we can feed back to you any relevant information from the steering group.

In order to be kept informed you simply need to join the High West Jesmond Residents’ Association – there is no charge and all we need is your name, address and e-mail address (if you have one).

If you’d like to join us and be kept informed then please either:

Email your name, address and e-mail address to Jeffrey Fox at jeffrey_fox@hotmail.co.uk or

Post your name, address and e-mail address, if you have one, to Jeffrey Fox at
21 Moorfield, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 3NJ

It really is as simple as that. Please join us by providing your contact details and we will do our utmost to keep you informed about what is happening. Please also talk to your neighbours to encourage them to do the same.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a student, temporary resident or permanent resident – we’d like to keep you informed.

If you have already contacted us, then there is nothing more to do – you will be hearing from us shortly.

Council backs down due to overwhelming opposition to Blue House Roundabout plans

Blue House Roundabout plans to be redesigned

A short video has been issued by Newcastle City Council cabinet member for Investment and Development Cllr Ged Bell where he explains that the council has pulled its controversial plans to build a large motorway style roundabout to replace the existing Blue House Roundabout in High West Jesmond.


 High West Jesmond Residents’ Association welcomes the news that the couincil has withdrawn its plans which was overwhelmingly opposed by High West Jesmond residents.

Residents, commuters and other local stakeholders were strongly opposed the building on the Town Moor and did not feel that the proposals had been sufficiently well thought through before they were originally published.

Residents unite to oppose Blue House Roundabout plans

Complete opposition from all sides to council plans

Today residents’ associations in High West Jesmond, Jesmond and Admirals 5 (Matthew Bank) held a meeting and agreed to unite in their complete opposition to the proposed plans put forward by Newcastle City Council for revised road layouts and junctions around Blue House Roundabout and Jesmond Dene Road.

99% of respondents all all 3 MPs opposed

Residents, businesses, motorists, cyclists, pedestrians, environmental organisations, local and national road traffic organisations, 99% of all respondents on the council’s own consultation website, all 3 local MP’s and the majority of local ward councillors are all unanimous in their rejection of the proposed plans for Blue House Roundabout/Jesmond Dene Road.

Council must now listen

The feedback has been of a high quality, constructive and very clear. The council must now listen to this feedback.

We therefore call on the council to:

  1. immediately shelve their plans for Blue House roundabout/Jesmond Dene Road;
  2. scrap their plans for a revised proposal to be presented in mid- September as this simply will not allow enough time for feedback to be properly evaluated; and
  3. restart the whole process, engaging in proper, meaningful consultation with local residents, businesses and interest groups to ensure that the needs and wishes of all local stakeholders are properly taken into account before any future proposal is put forward for consideration.