Generosity

 

On Monday 17th February 2025 the Gateshead Lib Dem council group meeting was held online to discuss the council budget. We went through Ron Beadle's report on the budget and then each of us said our bit and announced whether we should support, oppose or abstain on the budget. The budget meeting is tomorrow (20th Feb). Our group decision will be announced then.

There was a second item on the agenda. Labour's Robert Waugh, who won the by-election in Bridges ward in September, started his time as a councillor by setting a precedent for his term of office - he didn't turn up for his own count. Since his election, he has not turned up for any meetings. After his non appearance at his count, I did express my concerns in this blog that his absence could be down to his health. I wished him well and hoped to see him attend meetings as soon as possible.

There are of course other issues floating around in the background, not the least of which being "the Charity Commission looking into concerns regarding Labour Councillor Robert Waugh, who recently left his position as CEO of the organisation which now runs Gateshead Leisure Centre." (quoted from The Chronicle, 12 November 2024)

Nevertheless, in a spirit of generosity (to their own) the ruling Labour group are proposing to give Cllr Waugh a dispensation freeing him from having to attend any meetings until May 2026, which just happens to be when the next local elections are held. And that also means Labour won't face a by-election in Bridges ward, a contest they would almost certainly lose to the Lib Dems.

There will be a vote on this generosity at the council meeting tomorrow. I've never known a person to be elected and never attend any meetings during their term of office while continuing to receive their full allowance. So Gateshead could be home to a record breaker! Whether Gateshead wants such a record is another matter.

Meanwhile, assuming Labour push through their plan, residents of the borough will fork out around £16,000 for Cllr Waugh's allowance (from Sept 24 to May 26). Oddly enough, that's about what a by-election would cost!

Core group meeting

On Sunday, Gateshead Lib Dem core strategy group met online. And what is the "core strategy group"? Effectively it is the campaign managers from across Gateshead. We meet regularly to coordinate campaigning and draw up timetables for activities. On Sunday we also discussed various council issues to consider how they fit in with our current campaigning. So, a busy time for us in Gateshead.

Restoring Kindred Wood

 

Kindred Wood is on the edge of Sunniside, the village in which I live and which I represent on Gateshead Council. It covers 5 hectares and is a recognised nature reserve, it's in the greenbelt and there are preservation orders on the trees. Recently, someone brought a digger onto the woodland, destroying trees and vegetation and dumping spoil on the ground next to one of the ponds. No planning permission has been granted for any development on the wood.

When the presence of a digger in the wood was first brought to my attention, I contacted the council's enforcement team. They very quickly stopped any further work on the site. The local Lib Dem team are now looking for those responsible to remove the spoil and replace the trees that have been destroyed.

On Saturday I visited the site with Cllr Marilynn Ord to ensure no further damage has been caused - fortunately none has.

Website meeting

 

Gateshead Lib Dems are continuing to develop our website. Three of us who are leading on this project met up last week at Sapori Restaurant on Gateshead High Street. I'm not sure whether this was an excuse to try out a restaurant none of us had visited before, a genuine attempt to get some website work done or both! Anyway, I was joined by Yoni Aibi and Matthew Jordison. The end result is that I need to sort out the events page on the website, and keep supplying more photos of Lib Dem activities around Gateshead for the gallery page. Feel free to take a look on this link.

By the way, I'm sure Yoni and Matt are doing a Charlie's Angels pose!

Group budget briefing

 

Last night Gateshead Lib Dem council group met to discuss, among other issues, the forthcoming council budget. We received a briefing from the head of finance and the chief executive, both useful contributions to the discussion. No decisions have yet been taken on the budget by the group (the budget will be voted on at full council on 20th February.) There will be further discussions by the group over the next week.

Chowdene action day

 

On Sunday 9th February, Gateshead Lib Dems were in Chowdene ward for an action day. The aim was to deliver our latest Focus across the entire ward. Target achieved. The ward will have new boundaries in the local elections in May next year. A chunk of neighbouring Low Fell will be added to Chowdene, making the ward an interesting battle.

Throughout the day, 22 members helped out. Free lunch included!

Devil's Porridge

On the first Wednesday of each month I chair the meeting of Sunniside History Society at Sunniside Social Club. Last week the speaker was Liz Purcell who spoke about the "Devil's Porridge". This was the name given by workers (mainly women) who were employed in the munitions factories in the First World War to the material that went into making explosives. An interesting meeting and fascinating subject.

Planning ahead

 

Gateshead Lib Dem executive last week looked at early plans for the local elections next year. We have had a number of new and newish members who are typically half my age but who are taking on much more of a role. This next generation will be taking a key role in the local election campaign. It was a productive meeting and as I head up the social media and literature campaigns, I had plenty to report.

Delivering in Lamesley

 

Yesterday (Sunday 2nd February) we had an action day in Lamesley ward in Gateshead. The ward is sandwiched between my ward (Whickham South and Sunniside) and Lib Dem held Birtley. the aim of the action day was to deliver our latest Focus newsletter. Most of the ward was done but a mopping up operation over the next few days will deliver what is left.

Full Council

 

Last week Gateshead full council meeting took place. The Lib Dems had a group meeting before the start of the council proceedings to discuss amendments to motions. The group meeting was a bit crowded as we are beginning to outgrow the opposition office. So in a cramped room, over homemade lunches, we went through the motions and amendments.

The motions debated at full council were:

• support for social care experienced people - Labour motion, backed by Lib Dems (motion on this link);
• thanking residents and officers for enduring Gateshead flyover closure - Labour motion, Lib Dems regarded it as unnecessary as the thanks had already been given but questions about the timing of inspections have not been adequately answered (motion on this link);
• tackling intimidation and harassment of elected councillors and MPs - Labour motion backed by Lib Dems (motion on this link);
• reducing employers' National Insurance Contributions in the care sector - Lib Dem motion but amended by Labour to remove the focus on shortages of staff in the care sector. Lib Dems opposed the amendment but voted for the substantive motion (motion on this link).

Meeting the new locality coordinator

 

We have a new locality coordinator for the wards in the west of Gateshead and Cllr Marilynn Ord and I met up with him at the Whinnies Community Garden in Sunniside last Friday. Sam, the new officer, is new to working for Gateshead Council so comes with new ideas. We are planning to have monthly meetings but we will have lots of issues to raise with him. Welcome onboard Sam.

Only 3 historical inaccuracies

 

I've spent the last few weeks watching every edition of Downton Abbey (and 2 films) checking for historical inaccuracies. I only found 3. See the video to find out what they were. Last week I put the box set of Downton DVDs into the Sunniside History Society raffle. I'm now trying to watch all 52 editions of Blake's 7. The special effects budget for this was clearly tiny compared to Downton!

Sunniside Hub Meeting

 

Whickham South and Sunniside Councillors (me, Jonathan Mohammed and Marilynn Ord) were at the Sunniside Courtyard Cafe tonight for a meeting of the Sunniside Hub group. The group will be looking to raise the funds needed for a Christmas tree in the village later this year.

Meeting in the Tilley Stone

 

Gateshead Lib Dems (or at least the social media group) decided not to meet on-line last night. Instead, we met in person at the Tilley Stone pub on Jackson Street, Gateshead. I think my role there was to be the old guy who doesn't understand TikTok! But a useful meeting nonetheless! (Picture: Liam Bowering, Amanda Wintcher and me)