Birtley eFocus

I've just finished and published our latest email newsletter for the Birtley and Lamesley wards of Gateshead. You can read it on this link.

eFocus 100

A bit of a milestone today - we published the 100th edition of our email newsletter for the Whickham area of Gateshead. This edition covers bin collections, the new Front Street School, house-building at Dunston Hill and my selection as PPC candidate for Northumbria. You can read the newsletter on this link.

Labour - putting party interest first

I am just back from a special meeting of Gateshead Council Cabinet. This all-Labour body met today to decide whether or not to accept the devolution package that is on offer to the North East. It's a package that includes control over skills training, transport, planning and economic development. All areas that need regional direction and control. The price of the devolution package is the creation of an elected mayor.

I am no fan of elected mayors but they were a key commitment in the Conservatives' manifesto. And in case anyone missed this significant point, the Conservatives won the general election last year. Whether we like it or not, if we want devolution, we have to have elected mayors. Details of the devolution package can be negotiated, but the government has made absolutely clear that there will be no negotiations on elected mayors. We can have devolution AND elected mayors, or no change.

Meanwhile, the dinosaur wing of the North East Labour party has swung into action to fight the mayoral plan. They view any change to the current system as a challenge to the Labour Establishment. They have run everything in the North East for too long and exist now to continue controlling the Establishment rather than to do anything beneficial for the people and the region.

Indeed, one of the loudest complaints from the Labour Establishment about the devolution package was that it could challenge the North East as "a Labour region." Labour talk of wanting "democracy" but drill down through their statements and what Labour means by "democracy" is everything run by Labour.

Sadly, the reactionaries and the dinosaurs have won the day in the Labour party today. The cabinet unanimously threw out the devolution proposals. This was a totally and utterly mad decision. It's about internal Labour politics, posturing at other people's expenses. There are lots of bad for the people of Gateshead in this decision, but no benefits.

I've already been interviewed by the BBC. Here's my news release:

Anger as Gateshead Labour reject devolution

Liberal Democrat Leader of the Opposition in Gateshead, Cllr Jonathan Wallace, has described the Labour Council Cabinet’s decision to reject the proposed devolution package to the North East as “utterly mad.”

The Cabinet met today, 22^nd March, for less than half an hour to discuss the package that had been negotiated by the 7 council leaders in the region with the government.

Despite months of negotiation by Gateshead Council Leader Mick Henry, his own Deputy, Martin Gannon, moved that the plans be rejected as he opposed the creation of elected mayors.

Speaking after the Cabinet meeting, Cllr Wallace said, “This decision is completely the wrong one. We have on offer from the government control over skills training, economic development, transport and planning. There is even the possibility of taking on some health powers.

“This has all been sacrificed by those in the Labour party who view elected mayors as a threat to their own establishment and control of the region. Labour have now put party interests before the people’s interests.

“Labour have not even put Gateshead into the Slow Lane. Instead they have put us in the No Lane – no extra powers, no extra investment, no hope.

“There were many smug grins on the faces of Labour cabinet members this morning after the meeting. But smug grins won’t held fill the skills gap, develop the economy or sort out our transport. Labour have set back Gateshead and the North East. It is difficult to see how the region can recover from this wholly unnecessary, Labour-inflicted wound.”

ends

PCC email newsletter no. 2

I recently published the 2nd email newsletter for members in the North East about my Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner campaign. You can read it on this link.

My insider's guide to conference

I filmed this video over the weekend - 7 minutes about everything that goes on at conference.

Full set of photos of York Conference

I was really pleased that Tim banged the drum for community politics in his Leader's speech today. A great speech generally and some strong points especially about the refugee crisis. I now have a full set of photos of the conference on my Flickr site. Click on the picture above and enjoy.

Photos from Saturday at York Conference

Barbican, where conference is being held.



Lots of reminders that there is a referendum coming up.



Debate under way on regulating cannabis.



The best attended fringe meetings are those offering food!



Lib Dem mugs



Our newest members are cuddly and cute.



Me and my handiwork.



Tim's Q&A



Put out to grass (not a reference to the cannabis debate).



Every gay man's hero, Lynne Featherstone, the person who delivered gay marriage.



Glee club (I chose to go back to my hotel!)

Off to York Conference

I've just arrived at York and got to my tiny guesthouse (Gregory's Hotel) about 45 minutes ago. I never see the point of staying in conference hotels as they charge silly prices. I spent the journey on the Cross Country train crammed into a small space reading the latest copy of the Smallholder magazine. And I spent a nearly fruitless half hour after getting to the Gregory trying to connect to the internet. My laptop is now speaking to the system so I'm back on line!

Time now to head to the conference centre, the Barbican.

My first PCC email newsletter to members

Last night I sent out my first email newsletter to Lib Dem members as Northumbria PCC candidate. You can read it on this link.

Visiting Lib Dems in Blyth Valley

On Monday I did another PCC meeting with party members, this time in Cramlington, in Blyth Valley Constituency. There are no local elections to the unitary Northumberland Council this year (unlike in Tyne and Wear) so the contest there is purely about the PCC. We had quite a good chat about local campaigning, the dinosaur nature of the Labour Party and the need to scrap PCCs and use the money on front line policing.

Pictured above, me with some of the members who came to the meeting.

Gone to the dogs!

Today it was the turn of Pelaw and Heworth ward to host an action day. The aim was to get the next Focus delivered across most of the ward. In the end, we managed to cover the whole ward, though a couple of patches were taken by a member to be delivered through the week. I was given a patch to do near Heworth Grange Comprehensive with a warning there are usually lots of big people-eating dogs. Sadly for the dogs, I encountered none and therefore continue to be alive and kicking rather than being Pedigree Chum substitute.

Back at HQ, Pelaw and Heworth now has the most points from me for best action day lunch - sausage casserole. Alas, I wasn't able to hang around for too long to enjoy it. Once lunch was consumed, I was sent off to Bill Quay with another bundle of Focuses to deliver.

Campaigning in Dunston, Staiths and Lobley Hill

Our second action day over the weekend was in 2 different wards: Dunston and Teams, then Lobley Hill and Bensham. We had focuses for each area to deliver. The Staiths area was delivered first and then we split into two teams, one heading to Dunston, the other (with me) to Lobley Hill.

The two wards are strongly Labour but before the Coalition years, we came close to winning Lobley Hill and Bensham. Our aim now is to build up our strength in the two wards. This is a gradual process which will take time, but it is how we won in other wards in Gateshead.

Steps and cake - campaigning in Low Fell

I was in Low Fell in Gateshead on Saturday to help with the action day in the ward. Low Fell is Lib Dem held though the majority is not large. It is home to a large number of Labour councillors who live in nice houses whilst representing less well heeled areas in other parts of Gateshead. On Saturday we spent the morning delivering target letters. I discovered that Low Fell is built on the side of a steep hill. Long flights of steps are needed to get to some streets.



Those hosting action days are expected to provide lunch for the helpers. I was able to tuck into a large quantity of cakes before heading out to do some door-knocking. A good response.

Tom Brake MP in Newcastle

Lib Dem MP Tom Brake was a visitor to Newcastle last week. I was part of the delegation to meet and greet him at Newcastle Central Station and we took him on the Metro to South Gosforth and then the Regent Centre. He then headed to Newcastle University to speak in favour of staying in the EU.

You can see photos from the visit on the above link.

Campaigning in Whickham North

I was away last weekend (in Stockholm) so in my absence, my colleagues arranged for me to deliver lots of Focuses! On Wednesday, I delivered 370 in Whickham East. Yesterday, I headed down to Whickham North to deliver 200 Focuses in the morning then returned in the afternoon to do a survey of residents with Cllr Sonya Hawkins. We called on houses in the Glebe, where my Dad lives. I caught him heading to Newcastle to go to a club that had a free jazz afternoon. At over 85 years of age, we have retired him from delivering Focuses. Dad headed off for the music, Sonya and I continued door-knocking in the cold! We got a good set of survey returns.

Visiting Sunderland

I attended an enjoyable pizza and politics event hosted by Millfield ward Lib Dems in Sunderland last night. Speaker was John Shipley, former leader of Newcastle City Council and now a peer. Host Niall Hodson took the opportunity to show off some of his campaign publicity. I wasn't the only PCC candidate there. Craig Martin, Lib Dem for Durham, was also enjoying pizzas!

Burning pizzas in Ryton

Sunday saw the local Lib Dem team move into Ryton for the day. A group of us hit the doorsteps to do a survey of residents. Alas, one of our members called on the son of the Labour mayor Alex Geddes. Since we like Alex (I appreciate that in the Labour group, being liked by us is something of a popularity killer), the conversation went well.



Meanwhile, back at HQ, we shifted a large quantity of sandwiches. Sadly, one of the pizzas we were hoping to eat was left in the oven for a bit longer than necessary. It emerged a bit incinerated.



Once the survey was done, we spent the rest of the day mopping up a few leaflet patches. Job done by 3pm.

Scampi and Chips in Dunston Hill and Whickham East

On Saturday I headed down to Dunston Hill and Whickham East ward in Gateshead to be part of a team that delivered 1100 Focuses. In rain, snow and hail (which stings when hitting cold hands) we got the leaflets delivered, stopping only when we ran out. We did however take a break for lunch at the Harry Clasper in Whickham. Scampi and chips went down very well.

450 Focuses delivered in Whickham

I headed down to the Whickham part of my ward yesterday. 450 Focuses were delivered. My feet were sore when I got back home! Other wards are now lining me up for more deliveries!

eFocus 99

The 99th edition of our Whickham eFocus has just been published. It leads on the proposals by Labour in Gateshead to change bin collections to once every three weeks. Other issues include house building in Dunston Hill and the Fugar history project. You can read the newsletter on this link.