News
Archive
Job swop for council leaders
1st October 2008
Collecting residents’ household rubbish,
emptying litter bins and dealing with pests was all in a day’s work for
politicians and senior officers. Cabinet members
and directors joined front
line staff on their rounds as part of ‘Meet the Leadership’ recently.
The idea is to help employees feed information on key services and potential
improvements, and for the leadership to gain an insight into the day-to-day
issues that employees face. Other services covered included the garden waste
and kerbside recycling collections; the dog warden section and bereavement
care.
Council Leader Simon Tagg said: “It’s all very well making decisions in the
Council Chamber, but I feel it’s essential to see how key operational
services, such as refuse collection, actually work on the ground. Meet the
Leadership also reinforces the link between the leadership and members of
staff. Our employees are the experts at their jobs, so they have a very
important role to play in the decision-making process.”
It follows last year’s event, which was hailed a success. Cllr. Tagg added:
“I found the day extremely useful. I certainly picked up a lot of points,
which I will be discussing with my Cabinet colleagues.”
Simon Tagg
working to keep Post Offices open
29th September 2008
Post
offices across Staffordshire could
soon be offering council services to their customers. Residents will be able
to pay council tax and fines and access other services at their local branch
if Post Office Ltd's latest ideas
for sustaining its network go ahead.
Representatives from local authorities across the county attended a meeting
at Staffordshire County Council where Simon Burman, senior marketing
development manager at Post Office Ltd (POL), explained the
proposals. A number of pilot schemes are
already running around the country, and POL hopes authorities in
Staffordshire will be the next to test the ideas. Both councils and post
offices have reacted positively to the proposals.
Newcastle Borough Council leader Simon Tagg attended the meeting and said he
was planning to invite Mr Burman to the borough council to discuss the ideas
further. He said: "Obviously this has come too late to save the post offices
which have already closed, but it could help to sustain those that are left.
The borough council wants to bring services into neighbourhoods, so this
could be one way of doing that. As well as allowing people to pay council
tax bills at post offices, it could also help when we are carrying out
consultations."
Ted Manders, head of regeneration at Stafford Borough Council, said: "We are
certainly interested in this. We are looking at how we can use post offices
to improve our services and the ideas that came forward were very
encouraging."
Pilot schemes are currently running in Leeds and Wiltshire.
Mr Burman said: "We have two pilot schemes running, one for improving our
expertise in validating identification, and another for the paying of
housing benefits." During the latest wave of post office closures, 26
branches across North Staffordshire were axed.
Mike Johnstone, sub-postmaster at Little Madeley Post Office, said: "I think
anything that brings in extra business would be beneficial. We've lost a of
things, like television licenses, and car tax, as most people sort these
things out online."
Borough Council pledges cash to
Madeley community project
27th September 2008
Newcastle Borough Council’s Cabinet is
set to approve in principle support for the Madeley Community Development
Project to the tune of £160,000.
The project has been put together by members of the community to develop a
new village hall complex in the heart of Madeley which will provide a
joined-up hub for service
providers such as the police, PCT, Staffordshire County Council, Housing 21
and Newcastle Borough Council. More details of the project can be found
at: http://www.madeleycdp.co.uk/
The project was recently given planning permission by Newcastle Borough
Council and the project team have made a bid to the Big Lottery for further
funding. The Borough council is supporting their application.
Council Leader Simon Tagg said, "The Borough Council is keen to be involved
in the Madeley project. The Council is committed to improving it services to
residents and we believe we can do that by being based out in the community
in which we serve. This project can be of benefit to all our resident on the
rural western side of the Borough.
Services that they we would hope to provide in Madeley include: Housing
support services, Community Safety and a one stop shop & specialised
surgeries to provide access to all council services. The cash we are willing
to pump in to the project will allows us to do this."
Evidence points to keeping Pay
Phones
2nd September 2008
An
investigation ordered by Newcastle Borough Councils Cabinet into the usage
of BT pay phone has been received by members. Evidence suggests that there
is a valid case for retaining a number of the threatened phone boxes because
of high usage numbers and their proximity to busy highways and accident
blackspots. A number of others are recommended to be retained because of the
their historic interest.
Council Leader Simon Tagg who represents
May Bank said, " One of the BT pay phones threatened with the axe is on May
Bank High Street. Our research shows that in the last financial year 1350
calls were made from that pay phone. This proves that even in this age of
mobile phones it is still an important community resource. It is centred in
the heart of May Bank on a busy road that has got busier recently since the
opening of the Wolstanton Link Road and is an accident blackspot. I would
like the Council to use its veto to stop the May Bank pay phone and others
on the BT hit list being removed."
"A number of payphones especially in the rural areas are traditional red
boxes. Even though they have relatively low usage they are worthy in my view
of retaining because of their historic
value and as emergency phone in isolated
areas.”
New ID for the Borough
Council
29th August 2008
Residents are being asked for their
comments on a proposed new logo for the Borough Council. It is intended to
use the striking new image to replace the existing logo used by the local
authority on its stationery, vehicles, uniforms and all other corporate
materials.
The Council’s Graphics and Design team together with marketing officers have
produced the logo and based it on the three turret castle which forms a
central part of the civic shield. The existing logo
- which comprises the
words Newcastle-under-Lyme in blue and green lettering with the ‘A’ in
Newcastle represented by a green triangle under a blue arch - has been in
use since the early 1990’s.
Council Leader Simon Tagg said, “Residents in the Borough are incredibly
proud of its history and tradition. This striking, bold image is an obvious
link to that heritage. We also think it is a better visualrepresentation of
our area. I don’t think many people locally would be able to tell you what
the old logo was supposed to represent. The design has been produced
in-house by the Council’s graphics and design team and our marketing
specialists. It will be introduced incrementally to ensure the authority
faces no additional costs. As materials such as paper supplies, business
cards, uniforms etc come to the end of their lives or we run out of stock,
they will be replaced with items bearing the new logo.”
Deputy Leader Robin Studd said, “The castle means something to the people of
Newcastle – it is after all where the Borough gets its name from. The
Borough Council is a multi-million pound operation and it is important we
brand our services with a strong, bold image. This means that when residents
see staff with the logo on their uniforms, or see our waste or Streetscene
vehicles bearing the logo, they are aware that it is the Borough Council
providing those services for them. It should strengthen our profile in the
community and enhance the link between residents who receive our services
and the services themselves.”
Cabinet members will discuss the new logo at their meeting on September 10
and comments from residents will be fed into the meeting. Comments can be
made by completing the form at the bottom of this page. The Council is
retaining the corporate blue and green colours in the proposed new logo.
Cllr. Tagg added, “The logo is at the heart of the Council’s corporate
identity and a stronger and bolder image would now be more relevant as the
Council enhances its role as a community leader with a range of new,
customer-orientated front line services including the transformation of the
historic Guildhall as a Customer Service Centre; the overhaul of the
Council’s waste services; a community focused Streetscene service.”
Keele spoil heap fire should expire
naturally
8th August 2008
An
underground fire should be allowed to
burn itself out, consultants have
recommended. For three years a mining
spoil heap at Hollywood Lane, Keele, has
been smouldering away, destroying
woodland and leaving the earth blackened
and unstable. The burning has created
cavities beneath the surface, and there
is also the risk of explosions. Some
residents living nearby have called for
the fire to be extinguished, but
consultants from White Young Green
believe this would be too difficult and
costly, due to the constraints of the
site and the extent of the fire. The
consultants, whose survey of the site
was jointly funded by Staffordshire
County Council and Newcastle Borough
Council, have instead recommended a
series of alternative actions to make
the area safe.
These include: A secure fence around the
perimeter of the tip, Warning notices to
warn the public of the dangers of the
burning spoil, Existing vegetation and
trees should be removed from areas where
the fire is not yet established, The
closure of Hollywood Lane should be
continued until the tip is deemed safe,
The tip should be carefully monitored
while it remains alight, Consideration
should be given to full restoration of
the tip when the fire is finally
concluded.
Extinguishing the fire, which would
require excavating the site and removing
all the combustible material, would cost
£600,000. But the consultants found that
the fire is contained by a layer of clay
and estimate it could burn itself out in
the next two years.
Borough council Leader Simon Tagg, who
is also the county councillor for Keele,
has asked the borough council's public
protection committee deal with the issue
“as a matter of urgency”. The committee
has the power to issue an enforcement
notice to the landowner to ensure the
recommendations are carried out.
Mr
Tagg said: “Obviously people could still
climb over a fence or break in, but I
think as long as there are warning signs
telling people about the risks of the
land burning, of the cavities
underneath, and of possible explosions,
that's all we can really do.” Mr Tagg
has also written to Keele Parish Council
asking it to contact the landowners
about erecting temporary signs in the
meantime. Residents were told about the
report, and what would now be done, at a
recent public meeting.
Borough councillor for Keele, Wenslie
Naylon said: “There was a lot of concern
expressed at the meeting about the smoke
and pollution coming off it, but we were
assured by the borough council that it
is being monitored, and is non-toxic.
“But the issue of access to the site is
difficult, as there are various ways
where people can come into it on foot.
It seems to me that it must be fenced
off. Most people in the area are aware
of the problem, but we still get some
people going on to the land. Some people
go there to collect wood. The message
must go out very clearly that it is a
very dangerous area, so dangerous that
firefighters have been told to stay off
it.” Peter Abbotts, aged 61, who lives
close to the fire in Station Road, Keele,
said: “I don't really know enough about
it, so I suppose we just have to trust
what the professionals are saying.” A
spokesman for the county council said:
“We are continuing to work with
Newcastle Borough Council on this
problem, particularly on the concerns
over fencing and re-opening Hollywood
Lane.”
Any residents concerned about the fire
should contact Newcastle Borough Council
on 01782 717717.
Former Council trainee accountant
struck off by CIPFA
5th August 2008
A
trainee local authority accountant who
used more than £44 million of the
council's money to play the stockmarket
has been struck off by his professional
body. Andrew Pate borrowed the money on
behalf of Newcastle Borough Council –
almost tripling its debt in the process.
The money was then invested through a
stockbroker friend whose business he was
trying to help. His activities went
undetected for more than seven months in
2004 until the alarm was raised.
Pate
did not benefit personally from the
investments but exposed the council to
the risk it would lose the money. Today,
CIPFA, the Chartered Institute of Public
Finance and Accountancy found Pate, of
Kensington Court, Trent Vale, guilty of
misconduct. In 2006, the Crown
Prosecution Service dropped criminal
charges against Pate due to insufficient
evidence.
Council
Leader Simon Tagg, said, "I remember
back in 2004 we were all shocked that
this could have happened. What was even
more shocking was the way that the then
Labour cabinet tried to cover it up.
I was an opposition councillor at the
time and it was almost impossible to get
any information about it. It was all top
secret. The full details have never
really come out.
The Council officers involved have now
left the Council and I can assure people
that stringent procedural checks were
put in place when the Conservatives &
Lib Dems took control of the Council in
2006 to prevent this happening again".
Labour Councillor John Williams
(pictured left) is the only member of
the 2004 Labour cabinet still on the
Council. What is his view now on how
open he was about this at the time? Head
of
communication at the Newcastle Borough
Council at the time was Barry Schofield.
Mr Schofield now works for Labour MP
Paul Farrelly.
£36,000 Marsh footpath project
almost complete
17th July 2008
A £36,000 project to do up footpaths on
Wolstanton Marsh is almost complete. Earlier this year the Conservative-led
Cabinet at Newcastle Borough Council decided to use money given in developer
contributions, following the commencement of various building works in
the area to fund the renovation work of the popular path network.
Borough Council Leader & May Bank Councillor Simon Tagg said, “This has been
one of the biggest investment by the Council in the area in over 30 years.
The footpaths when finished will be coated with protective light coloured
resin that is similar to the colour of the paths before work began. These
paths are really well used so we feel this a great way to spent the money
gained from developers. As a result of these improvements they will be safer
for everyone to use.”
Fellow May Bank Councillor Ian Matthews said, “The paths had been in a poor
state for a long time so we are pleased that this work is being done. In the
past flooding was a issue in bad weather when potholes filled with water.
With the new surface this has become a thing of the past.”
United
front over future of North Staffs Royal Mail sorting office
15th July 2008
Council leaders are calling for a
meeting with Royal Mail over its
decision to close its sorting office in
Stoke-on-Trent. Royal Mail is proposing
to relocate operations from the sorting
office in Leek Road,
Stoke, to Wolverhampton.
Mark
Meredith, elected mayor of
Stoke-on-Trent, Sybil Ralphs, leader of
Staffordshire Moorlands District
Council, Simon Tagg, leader of Newcastle
Borough Council and David Ward, deputy
General Secretary of the CWU, are
calling for a meeting with Royal Mail to
try and stop the closure.
In
a joint statement the group said: “While
we recognise the need to move from the
Leek Road site, we are disappointed that
Royal Mail is not seeking to keep its
sorting operation inside Stoke-on-Trent.
Moving the sorting operation to
Wolverhampton will lead to a loss of
jobs in Stoke-on-Trent.”
Exposing Labours 'veil of secrecy'
scam
Letter printed in The Sentinel14th July 2008
Dear Sir,
I
would like to respond to the claim by
Newcastle Labour councillors, the local
Labour MP and his staff that there is a
“veil of secrecy” at Newcastle Borough
Council. I have looked into this matter
and my findings are as follows.
The
council abides by Part 1 of Schedule 12A
of the Local Government Act 1972, which
governs the way that confidential
information is dealt with by local
councils. In other words, we don't keep
thing secret unless the law requires us
to do so. The council responds to
freedom of information requests in a
timely manner, as it is required to do
under the Freedom of Information Act
2000. The council conducts itself within
the required government legislation and
in line with the way other local
councils operat
Let me turn to the people who are making
the claims of secrecy. Labour
councillors Edward Boden and John
Williams were a part of the previous
Labour administration that used to
control Newcastle Borough Council. It
appears to me that they have still not
got used to the idea that the electorate
no longer wishes them to run it. Since
2006, the number of Labour councillors
has been reduced from 32 to just 12. As
a result, they are quite rightly out in
the cold and away from the
decision-making process. This is now
done by Conservatives and Lib Dems.
Newcastle MP Paul Farrelly admitted to
me recently that he doesn't have time to
read all the council documents that are
sent to him because of his busy life as
a Member of Parliament – that's fair
enough. He has, for the past year or so,
employed an assistant in Newcastle –
Barry Schofield, who by all accounts
runs Paul Farrelly's PR machine and is
no doubt behind the many charges of
secrecy levelled at the council.
Your readers will not be aware that Mr
Schofield was head of policy review and
communication at Newcastle Borough
Council until 2006. He was removed from
that position in a shake-up of senior
management after the Conservatives and
Lib Dems took control of the council. I
urge readers, next time they see a
headline 'Labour claims a veil of
secrecy in Newcastle' to bare in mind
the above information and take note of
individuals at Labour's HQ who may have
an axe to grind!
Simon Tagg
Conservative Leader of Newcastle Borough Council.
Historic Guildhall
transformation begins
25th June 2008
Residents can now see concrete
evidence of the Council’s progress over its Guildhall transformation
programme. Approved contractors Paragon Interiors Plc have now moved on site
and begun the task of transforming the Grade II listed building into a
one-stop customer service centre. The first visible signs of the works are
now evident, after a compound was placed around the building.
Council Leader Simon Tagg said: “This is a very exciting stage of the
Guildhall project, where we will see the Borough Council’s vision become a
reality. The scheme is a win-win situation - we will not only improve the
way our residents access Council services, but we can also bring an iconic
building back into public use. The end result will be a building which acts
as a focal point for the town centre of which we can all be proud.”
The Guildhall will become the main venue for customers’ Council enquiries
when the project is completed by the end of the year. Visitors will be dealt
with by customer service advisers who will ensure that the vast majority of
requests are dealt with at the first point of contact. Revenues and benefits
customers will be catered for in a special area on the building’s ground
floor. A range of services will be found on the first floor, accessible by
the Guildhall’s restored staircases or by a new customer lift. Residents who
need detailed or specialist advice or services will be seen at the Civic
Offices by appointment only.
In the meantime, arrangements have been made to ensure disruption to
visitors and businesses is kept to a minimum. Temporary detachable bollards
in the area will replace fixed posts to help improve traffic movement and
enable swift deliveries.
Flower planters have been removed to facilitate the monthly Farmers’
Markets, while the compound will be reduced in size to accommodate
Newcastle’s historic outdoor market.
Jeanette Hilton, customer services manager, said: “This project is a
complete contrast – on the outside people will see little change to the
building, whereas on the inside it will be completely modernised, while
preserving the character and architectural features of this beautiful
eighteenth century structure. There will be quite a lot of activity on this
site during the next few months so we apologise for any inconvenience and
ask that the public bear with us during these important changes.”
Scaffolding is due to be erected next month, to enable some minor external
improvements to be carried out.
Leaders Blog launched
30th May 2008
Computer users can now keep in touch
with Newcastle Borough Council Leader Simon Tagg by clicking onto his
monthly weblog. Cllr. Tagg is keeping residents up to speed with his
activities as Council Leader and providing details of his busy schedule. The
‘blog’, which can be accessed via the Borough Council’s website homepage,
will be updated on a monthly basis.
Current information includes details
on the Council’s ‘Meet The Leadership’ initiative and the PARINS anti-racism
campaign. Another new service launched by the authority’s communications
department is a weekly news ‘podcast’.The podcast produces audio versions of
a range of news items to keep residents informed of various Council
initiatives and policies. Users can download the podcast from the
authority’s website homepage as well as from Apple’s iTunes service.
Simon Tagg said, “More and more people are keeping up to date with the news
by using electronic forms of communication. By launching the Leader’s blog
and weekly podcast we are expanding our e-media outlets even further.”
Election 2008: Labour meltdown!
5th May 2008
New make up of Newcastle Borough Council
| Conservative |
 |
25 +5 |
| Liberal Democrats |
 |
19 +1 |
| Labour |
 |
12 -8 |
| UKIP |
 |
4 +2 |
|
Declaration signed for equality
and diversity
A campaign fighting to stamp out
racism in North Staffordshire is set to add a new supporter to its list.
Newcastle Borough Council has agreed to pledge its support to the work of
the PARINS Partnership by signing its declaration.

PARINS (Partnership Approach to Racial Incidents in North Staffordshire), is
leading the drive to create a society where people from all racial,
religious and cultural backgrounds can live
together in harmony. A joint venture
between North Staffordshire Racial Equality Council and Stoke-on-Trent’s
Citizen’s Advice Bureau, PARINS also supports victims of racism and
encourages them to report incidents. The declaration contains a set of
principles to ensure every individual is treated fairly and equally,
regardless of colour of skin, race or religion.
Mark Barrow, the Borough Council’s Chief Executive, said: “This is a
commitment on behalf of the Borough Council to support the important values
that PARINS contains. We want to make a clear commitment to the community
about the values we have across all levels of our business, whether it’s
through our employees, our partners, or the services we provide to the
public. This declaration is racially-based but actually the principles of
equality apply to all groups, including disability, age and gender. It’s
about treating people with respect.”
The signing of the declaration forms part of the Borough Council’s ongoing
equality and diversity agenda.
Cllr. Simon Tagg, Council Leader, added: “Members of staff in all contact
points have received training to enable them to deal effectively with
reports of racial incidents. As a Council we are committed to providing
services that are accessible to all sections of our community, irrespective
of racial, ethnic, religious or cultural backgrounds.”
Meet the leadership 'on the
job'!
25th March 2008
Planning has already begun for the next round of ‘Meet the Leadership’ which
will take place in September 2008. Cabinet members and corporate directors
are gearing t
hemselves
up to work in front line services such as waste management and Streetscene,
which are based at Knutton Lane depot, for the day.
Meet the Leadership is a fairly new venture which is aimed at ultimately
improving services. We are the ones making the decisions in the council
chamber after all, so it makes sense to make time to find out how our
decisions work on the ground. It’s also a simple but effective mechanism
which allows two-way, face-to-face communication, a valuable tool that
sometimes gets forgotten about in our technological day and age.
Getting stuck in alongside our members of staff sends out the message that
we care about them and the services they deliver. It’s also another way of
reinforcing the link between the leadership and members of staff who deliver
the services. This week, councillors and directors each spent a day in
services based at the Civic Offices, Jubilee Pool and the Museum and Art
Gallery.
I spent my morning in the customer services area, dealing with the public’s
enquiries. I handled a number of calls from all our service areas, including
Streetscene and enforcement. I found it the experience valuable, as did my
colleagues. We subsequently fed information back to officers, which is where
service improvements can be identified.
Newcastle can keep over £1
million of Government 'blunder money'
11th March 2008
The Government will let Newcastle keep
more than half of the £2 million it wrongly received in an embarrassing
grant blunder. Newcastle Borough Council has been told that it will only
have to repay £970,000 over two years, after it argued that the money, which
came from the Local Authority Business Growth Incentive (Labgi) scheme, was
needed to help regeneration. The Department for Communities
and Local Government (DCLG) overpaid the borough council by £2,020,000 over
a two-year period after it confused Newcastle-under-Lyme with Newcastle Upon
Tyne, with the latter being underpaid by a similar amount.
Council leader Simon Tagg, pictured right, today welcomed the Government's
decision to let the authority keep more than £1 million, and insisted the
repayment would not affect council tax levels.
Mr Tagg said: "I am very pleased with this outcome, as Newcastle doesn't
usually get much out of the Government. Right at the start we said we would
keep hold of the money until we had argued our case for keeping it. We
showed the Government the council finances and told them what we would spend
the money on, and in the end they allowed us to keep the money."
The borough council will pay back £370,000 straight away, with two further
payments of £300,000 being made by April 2009 and April 2010. The initial
repayment will come from the authority's Labgi reserve fund, and a report
will go to full council in April proposing that the remaining £600,000
should be paid from contingency reserves.
Mr Tagg added: "Taking £300,000 out of the contingency reserves will have a
minimal impact on the budget, and it definitely will not affect service
delivery."
A spokesman for the DCLG said: "It is clear that the overpayment is a
significant sum. "The council has shown a strong commitment to efficiency
and is able to point to a full and imaginative programme of economic
development in the area."
Civic Pride as Guildhall is brought
back to life
20th February 2008
Plans
have been unveiled which will breathe new life into one of
Newcastle’s most historic buildings. The Borough Council has today
announced plans which will see the Guildhall in the heart of the
town centre brought back into public use. It will be transformed
into a Customer Service Centre where all the Council’s face-to-face
enquiries with customers will be dealt with.
The Grade II
landmark building – which dates back to 1713 – has been empty for
the last couple of years but has previously been used as a pub,
provision market, civic offices and court building. Proposals
approved by the Borough Council’s Cabinet today (Feb 20) will see
the Guildhall transformed before the end of the year.
Council Leader
Simon Tagg said: “This is fantastic news on two fronts. Firstly, it
means we are taking positive action which will improve the way our
customers can access services. And secondly, the proposal will
breathe new life into one of the Borough’s most iconic and historic
buildings. We propose offering access to almost all front line
Council services via the new customer facilities in the Guildhall.
Only complex or specialised services will be provided from the Civic
Offices, by appointment.”
Deputy Leader
Robin Studd added: “This proposal not only enables the Council to
bring the Guildhall back into community use in the shortest possible
time but also supports regeneration proposals for the town
centre.The report considered by Cabinet members today revealed the
Borough Council plans to provide welcoming, efficient and modern
facilities in a well-appointed, central location which customers can
easily access.
People who
visit the Guildhall will be dealt with by Service Agents whose job
will be to ensure the vast majority of requests are dealt with at
the first point of contact. Revenues and Benefits customers will be
catered for in a specially provided area on the ground floor of the
Guildhall. A range of services will also be found on the first
floor, accessible by the Guildhall’s impressive and newly restored
staircases or by a new customer lift that will be installed for the
first time. The proposed design also allows for partners to utilise
the building at various times with discussions set to take place
involving the PCT, police, county council, CVS, community groups,
CAB and others.
In parallel to
the transformation of the Guildhall, a new reception with modern
interview and meeting rooms will be established in the Civic Offices
to receive visitors who need detailed advice in specialist areas, by
appointments only. Access to the County Council’s Children’s
Services reception in the Civic Offices will be unaffected by these
changes.
Councillor
Tagg said: “This is a terrific opportunity for one of the Borough’s
key buildings to be brought back into use in a way which benefits
the Council’s customers while at the same time preserves the
Guildhall for future generations.” |
Labours £2 Million '2 Newcastles' blunder
13th February 2008
The Government has overpaid a grant to
Newcastle Borough Council by £2 million - after confusing the town with
Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Over the past two years Newcastle has received more
than £2.5 million in Government cash as part of the Local Authority Business
Growth Incentive (LABGI) scheme.
But now the Department for Communities and Local Government has written to
the council saying the amount was calculated for a city the size of
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, population 259,536, rather than a borough such as
Newcastle-under-Lyme with 122,000 residents. The authority should have been
paid around £600,000, and the department has asked for the overpayment to be
returned.
But council leader Simon Tagg says the council has no intention of returning
the money at this stage as it has already been set against a number of
regeneration projects. Mr Tagg said: "I'm flabbergasted that someone
could have made this mistake. It's like when the Government lost those
discs. The council accepted this money in good faith. It was a large amount,
but we assumed it was in recognition of the work we've done to encourage
business growth in the borough. Stafford received a similar amount, and I
don't think Stafford is a better place to do business than
Newcastle. In Newcastle was have things like the Lymedale Business Park
which is full of companies all paying the full business rates, and so we
thought the LABGI grant was the Government paying some of that back to us."
The LABGI scheme was conceived as a way of rewarding local authorities that
encourage business growth in their areas. Last year the amount allocated to
Newcastle soared from £458,000 to £2.066 million. The council had been
planning to use the money on projects such as the refurbishment of the
Lancaster Buildings in the High Street.
Mr Tagg added: "We have no intention of giving the money back at this stage.
We want the Government to look at its figures again. If we do have to pay it
back it should be over something like 20 years! We can't hand over £2
million just like that."
A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government said:
"This is a regrettable error, and we have taken action to rectify it. We are
working closely with the councils involved, and are taking steps to ensure
this does not happen again."
Newcastle business
leaders back Borough Councils stance while Newcastle Labour signal they
would capitulate to their masters in London
14th February 2008
Business leaders believe Newcastle
should be allowed to keep the £2 million it wrongly received from the
Government, in order to help regeneration. Newcastle Borough Council has
received more than £2.5 million over the last two years as part of a
business growth incentive scheme, after civil servants confused
Newcastle-under-Lyme with Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The borough should have
actually received around £600,000 and now the Government is asking for the
overpayment to be returned.
But council leader Simon Tagg says that while the council has not spent this
money, it has been ring-fenced for a number of regeneration projects.
Newcastle Chamber of Trade believes the money from the Local Authority
Business Growth Incentive (LABGI) scheme is desperately needed in the
borough to help create employment and regenerate the area.
Trevor Miles, vice-president of the chamber, said: "I think it's quite
amusing that central Government could send the money to the wrong place like
this. It's not just the Government that makes mistakes like this, the Post
Office sometimes gets the Newcastles confused as well.
"The chamber of trade welcomes any money that comes to Newcastle Borough
Council. The council has done a good job in keeping costs down, but we
really do need grants to improve the situation in the borough, and to help
our businesses grow and expand. It would be sad if they had to give this
money back, because of a mistake that the Government has made. Newcastle
does need the funding to improve its deprived areas and create opportunities
for employment."
The money had been earmarked for projects such as the refurbishment of
Lancaster Buildings and the old St George and St Giles school building in
the town centre.
But councillor Sylvia Butler, who leads the Labour Group, thinks the council
will have no choice but to pay the money back and questions why nobody had
queried the large grant payment until now.
She said: "I'm surprised this wasn't picked up sooner as it was a huge
amount. People were surprised it was so big at the time. But the council has
to give the money back. Unfortunately mistakes happen but this is money that
was allocated to Newcastle-upon-Tyne and so we can't keep it. The money will
be missed but if someone wrongly put some money in your bank account you
wouldn't be able to keep it. I have asked an officer about the grant money,
and he said some of it has gone into the budget, despite what Simon Tagg has
said about it being ring-fenced."
Mr Tagg responded by saying that when the first LABGI payment was made in
February 2006, the Labour Group was still in power. He said: "Nothing wrong
was found at the time, and last year's payment was based on the same
figures. As Stafford had received nearly £3 million, we didn't query it. The
money is declared in the budget, as it has to be, but it has been
ring-fenced. The Labour Group wanted to use the LABGI money to fund a zero
council tax increase, and if they'd got their way that there would be no
money left to pay back."
Mr Tagg says the mix-up will also not affect next year's council tax levels.
Newcastle City Council, which was underpaid by more than £2.7 million, has
also been contacted by the Government, and told the shortfall will be paid
to the authority on March 3. A spokesman for the city council said: "The
council is pleased the Government has spotted this error. Services were not
affected and we have received the full amount."
Christmas card
artists meet Leader
14th December 2007
Young artists from a Newcastle school
have receive prizes at a special assembly after designing Council Leader
Simon Tagg’s official Christmas card. Cllr. Tagg visited St. Giles’ and St.
George’s Primary School
on Tuesday, December 11 to give gift vouchers to
Adam Pemberton, Lucy Hope and Billy Seru, all aged eight.
Adam’s
design featuring Santa in his sleigh was selected for the front of the card.
Lucy’s picture of a Christmas tree and Billy’s design of Santa delivering
presents are depicted on the back of the cards.
A total of 27 Year Four pupils entered the competition, which was judged by
Cllr. Tagg and colleagues from the Borough Council. “The standard of the
designs was very high – it was difficult to choose a winner,” he said. “I
would like to congratulate Adam, Lucy and Billy and their classmates for all
their hard work.”
The cards will be sent to civic and community leaders in Staffordshire and
the West Midlands and beyond. The children’s Christmas card designs will be
on display in the main reception at Newcastle’s Civic Offices from December
12 to 24.
Thistleberry
Latest: Investigation ordered into demolition of historic wall
17th
November 2007
Newcastle Council's
Planning Committee has ordered an investigation into the demolition of a
historic dry stone wall on Keele Road, Thistleberry.
Councillors
on the Planning Committee raised residents concerns about the lack of
information from both the developer - Persimmon Homes and the highway
Authority - Staffordshire County council. A report will now be brought to
the next planning meeting (in December) outlining reasons why the wall was
demolished, what has happened to the stone and what is going to be done about
the metal barrier that replaced the wall.
Council Leader Simon Tagg who represents Thistleberry on the County Council
said, "Local residents are rightly asking why no one was consulted about the
removal of this wall which dates back to the 18th Century. Persimmon Homes
and Staffordshire County Council have been slow to provide any detailed
information.
We also have concerns over the unsightly barrier that has replaced the wall.
It looks so out of place on a gateway road in to town. Hopefully the report
ordered by the Planning Committee will shed some light on theses issues."
Letters tell true
story over Road resurfacing
Letter printed in the
Sentinel17th
November 2007 from John Pye Chairman of R.A.G.G.S
Sir, - As
chairman of the Sidmouth Ave, Gower St, Granville Ave and Northcote Place
residents' association, and in response to A Watson's letter of November 14,
let me firmly set the record straight. A Watson clearly implies that
Councillor Stephen Holland seeks to take undue credit for the recently
completed and very necessary and overdue road resurfacing.
The road resurfacing scheme apparently referred to by A Watson concerns
Granville Avenue, Newcastle, which is an area covered by the residents'
association of which I am the current chairman.
It is an undisputable fact that Mr Holland is, with the assistance of
councillors Simon Tagg and Ian Matthews, responsible for this road being
resurfaced.
Mr Holland has worked tirelessly with our residents' association, and
attends almost every meeting we hold. It is a fact that without him, this
road would still be in the disgusting state that it had been in for many
years. I would go further than this and say that, had it not been for the
equally tireless efforts of Simon Tagg some 18 months ago, Sidmouth Avenue,
another road within our association boundary, would also still be in the
same dangerous state that it had been in for many years. Indeed, The
Sentinel reported on this issue and featured photographs of Mr Tagg with
residents examining the terrible state of the road surface in Sidmouth
Avenue.
Who is A Watson? Do they live anywhere in the vicinity of our residents'
association? Possibly not, as they seem so very ill informed.
If they do, however, reside within our boundaries, I would like to invite
him to our next meeting which will be held on November 26 at 8pm at St
George's Church hall. He could then meet personally with Stephen Holland,
and possibly also meet other very helpful, hard working councillors, who
strive constantly to improve the quality of life of all the residents.
JOHN PYE Newcastle
Planning appeal
victory for Lower Oxford Road campaigners
1st
November 2007
An appeal by a developer
against a decision by Newcastle Council's Planning Committee has been thrown
out by Government Planning Inspectors.
The application to convert an historic family house in Lower Oxford Road, Basford into 3 apartments (on 3 stories) was refused by Councillors in
September 2006 because of concerns about over-development of the site,
parking issues and lack of amenity space for resident.
Now a year later the Inspector has agreed with Councillor on parking and
also considered the lack of usable outdoor space would result in
'unacceptable living conditions for future residents of the upper flats'.
May Bank Councillor Simon Tagg, who proposed refusal of the original
application at the planning Committee said, "It was the right decision. I am
pleased that the Planning Inspector has backed the Planning Committee on
this and agreed with local residents' concerns. There is no doubt that the
developer was attempting to maximise the use of this property, and therefore it
would appear potential profit. It is the local councillors' job to speak up
for residents, both present and future. This was overdevelopment of this
particular site."
The property, the former Vicarage to St Marks Church, Basford hit the
headlines in 2004 when 10 preserved trees were illegally cut down in the
garden of the house. The then owner was forced to replant the trees a year
later. A series of controversial planning applications were then submitted
with permission finally being granted for 2 town houses on the garden site.
Conservatives vote
to continue weekly collection
11th October 2007
Conservatives
on Newcastle Borough Council's all-party Scrutiny Committee have backed a
plan to increase home recycling to include plastic & cardboard while
continuing a weekly collection of kitchen waste. The scheme
will now go out to consultation with the public.
Council Leaders join workers delivering front line services
3rd October 2007
Residents saw some
different faces in their neighbourhoods when Council leaders joined front
line staff on their rounds. Politicians and senior
officers from Newcastle Borough Council went out and about with depot staff
on Friday, September 21 in a bid to gain first-hand experience in important
services.
Members of the Cabinet and Corporate Board joined teams in Streetscene,
waste and recycling services and environmental services. The initiative
helped staff feed information to the Council leadership on key services and
potential improvements. And it gave the Cabinet and Council directors an
insight into the day-to-day issues of staff on the front line.
Council Leader Simon Tagg, Chief Executive Mark Barrow and Cabinet member
Mary Maxfield (pictured right) collected residents’ household rubbish.
Council Leader Simon Tagg said: “We didn’t do this because we were told to;
we actually requested to do it. The Cabinet makes decisions but it was good
to see how they actually work on the ground.
Simon Tagg
elected on to Staffordshire County Council
12th July 2007
Newcastle
Conservatives have won the by-elections
brought about by the untimely death of Newcastle Borough & Staffordshire County
Councillor Glennis Deakin in May 2007.
Newcastle Borough Council Leader Simon Tagg has won the fight for the Westlands, Thistleberry & Keele County Council Division.
While Linda Hailstones, wife of Seabridge Conservative Borough Councillor
Peter Hailstones has been elected for the Westlands Ward on the
Borough Council. (Simon & Linda pictured right, outside one of the
threatened day care centres in the Westlands during the campaign)
| Candidate |
Party |
Votes |
% of Vote |
| Simon Tagg |
Con |
1,067 |
41.94 |
| Marion Reddish |
Lib Dem |
1,005 |
39.50 |
| David Beardmore |
Lab |
268 |
10.53 |
| Wayne Harling |
UKIP |
204 |
8.03 |
|
Partnership at
Newcastle Borough Council set to Continue
The Partnership of
Conservatives and Liberal Democrats is set to continue running Newcastle
Borough Council. Both Groups joined forces last year after the local
elections resulted in no party having overall control of the authority.
The joint working arrangement will now go on for a further 12 months after
voters went to the polls earlier this month and once more left no single
party with an outright majority. Both Groups gained three seats each in the
May elections with Labour losing six.
The make-up of the Council is now 20 Conservatives, 20 Labour, 18 Liberal
Democrats and two UKIP members. Conservative Leader & Leader of the Council
Simon Tagg said: “The Partnership has started down the road to improving the
Council and we have agreed to carry on this year. The Conservative Lib Dem
partnership worked well last year, both Groups recognise there is more to do
and our efforts will focus on translating this into better services for the
residents of Newcastle.”
Robin Studd, Liberal Democrat Leader & Deputy Leader of the Council, added:
“The Government Inspectors, the Audit Commission, have recognised we are
beginning to turn things round at the Council. Our challenge now is to keep
our foot on the pedal and keep moving forwards. The result of the election
showed that people don’t want Labour back in power. They lost seats to both
ourselves and the Conservatives.”
Among the councillors who lost their seats was David Leech, the Labour group
leader. He lost in Knutton to UKIP’s Derrick Huckfield. Other Labour members
who lost their seats were John Macmillan (Butt Lane); last year’s Mayor Bill
Sinnott (Madeley); Ray Astle (Ravenscliffe) and Michael Clarke (Wolstanton).
Simon Tagg
re-elected to the Borough Council
Simon Tagg has been
re-elected as May Bank ward councillor for another 4 year term. Also, in a
day of drama in Newcastle the Conservatives picked up 3 seats from Labour
and are now the joint largest party on Newcastle Borough Council.
| Conservative |
 |
20 |
| Labour |
 |
20 |
| Liberal Democrats |
 |
18 |
| UKIP |
 |
2 |
Party Gains/Losses
| Party |
Swing |
Conservative
|
+3 |
Labour |
-6 |
Liberal
Democrats |
+3 |
Independent |
-1 |
UKIP |
|
|
Final Election leaflet:


Delivering you a
low 2.7% Council Tax
The Conservative/ Lib Dem
administration led by Simon Tagg on Newcastle Borough Council has agreed its first budget,
delivering on an election pledge and increasing council tax at the below
inflation level of just 2.7% - the lowest rise in years and well below the
4.9% hike by Labour-run Staffordshire County Council.
The Budget was presented to the full council and approved on 28th February
2007.
Champion for
Borough's children
Young people in Newcastle are set to
benefit from the creation of a new trust. The Borough Children's Trust aims
to bring together organisations throughout the area to support young people
up to the age of 19-years-old - especially those with special needs or
disadvantages.
Members will include representatives from local schools, the police and the
borough council.
The trust will focus on the specific needs of children in Newcastle to
deliver the aims set out in the Children Act 2004 - enjoying and achieving,
staying safe, being healthy, making a positive contribution, and economic
wellbeing.
It will have a two-tier structure, with the board supported by Community and
Learning Partnerships based around secondary schools in the area. The
partnerships are currently in development in Clayton, Kidsgrove, Chesterton,
Knutton and Silverdale, and Wolstanton and Cross Heath.
Council leader Simon Tagg, who will represent the borough council on the
trust, said: "A children's trust will bring together all services for
children and young people in the borough. It is focused on improving
outcomes for all children and young people in Newcastle up to 19-years-old.
"It will support those people who work very hard every day with children,
young people and their families in schools, social services and the
important voluntary sector."
Inspectors praise
improving Council
Article printed in The
Sentinel, 21st February 2007
Inspectors have
praised Newcastle Borough Council more than a year after it was heavily
criticised. A new Audit Commission report says the current political
leadership and improved council structure has provided a solid foundation
for the authority to move forward.
It was previously slammed for having over-ambitious vision statements which
stretched available resources in order to deliver seven corporate priorities
and work on 23 areas of improvements.
Now, the latest report shows since the Conservative/Lib Dem coalition seized
power from the Labour group in May's local elections, it has brought about
better clarity over roles and responsibilities.
Simon Tagg, council
leader, said: "Every member of staff at the council and the residents of
Newcastle should be heartened by the messages coming out of this report.
Although it's early days and we shouldn't get carried away because there is
still much more to do, it shows we are now heading in the right direction.
We have ended the drift of the Labour years and we are honouring our promise
to the electorate last May to change the culture at the council."
The full report also sets out how the council can ensure it remains on track
- by including 'obvious measurable benefits or targets' in plans and making
sure major changes do not overlap.
Councillor Stephen Holland added: "Credit should be given to those people
who have led these improvements since May - the council leader and deputy
council leader, the officers including the council's improvement programme
manager; and other members who have been involved both directly and
indirectly. But we should not rest on our laurels as the report makes clear
- councils have to evolve as they improve their services and meet the
changing needs of their residents. It is important that as elected members
we strive for the best for our council. We owe it to the people we
represent."
Since inspectors were on site the council has also appointed new chief
executive Mark Barrow, who takes up his post at the end of March.
Keeping Council Tax
down and delivering on our promises
Families in Newcastle
will have to pay the borough council just £4.36 extra a year in council tax.
Annual tax bills are poised to rise by 2.7 per cent in the borough after the
council agreed its budget for the 12 months from April 1.
It means residents in average Band D homes will pay £165.92 for the year,
compared with £161.56 last year.
It is the first budget set by the ruling Conservative /Lib Dem coalition
which took control in May 2006 and is among the lowest rises in recent
years.
It will be presented to full council on Wednesday, when it is expected to be
passed by a majority. Under the previous two budgets passed by Labour, the
council tax rose by 4.9 per cent, the maximum allowed by the Government.
Simon Tagg, (pictured
right) leader of the borough council, said: "When we were in opposition, we
put forward a budget below the rate of inflation and below the rise in state
pensions. Now, we are carrying that through. Council tax does have to
increase to keep pace with rising costs. The council is subject to those
costs, and we want to invest in our priorities."
Those priorities are:
Keeping cleaner and safer streets
- an extra £200,000 has been
set aside for improved CCTV monitoring
Creating a borough of opportunity
- the council wants a wider
range of leisure, cultural and sporting facilities. Up to £5 million will be
used to fund investment projects and large scale regeneration programmes
Waste management and recycling
- £220,000 is to be spent on
collection of more green waste and recyclable materials
Transforming the council
- about £250,000 will be set
aside to develop one-stop shops where residents can drop in to sort out any
council related problems.
Mr Tagg added: "I
think residents will appreciate what we are doing." The borough demand has
to be ratified by the full council next week.
Taxpayers in Newcastle welcomed the council's attempts to keep bills low.
Annie Deakin, aged 56, of Kidsgrove, said: "It's another bill but I'm
thankful that it can be kept low. When everything creeps up, it adds up."
Meredith Birch, aged 62, also from Kidsgrove, added: "If the money is being
spent on things like CCTV and good causes, it takes the sting out of the
bill."
Please sign the
Save Our Care Homes e-petition
Sentinel article from 1st Feb
2007

Following the news
that Staffordshire County Council plans to close all council-run Care Homes
& Day Care Centres in the Borough by March 2008 Cllr
Simon Tagg has launched an online petition. Cllr Tagg said, "I am very
concerned about what is happening, some of the most vulnerable
members of our community have been made
very afraid for their future. I am shocked at how this has been handled. We
need to send a message to Staffordshire County Council asking them to think
again about this". The e-petition states:
'We the undersigned are completely opposed to
Staffordshire County Council's policy to close every Council-run Care Home
and Day Centre in Newcastle Borough by March 2008. We ask Staffordshire
County Council not to carry out this heartless cut in basic welfare
services.'
19th
Century map reveals Borough's past
Article printed in The
Sentinel, 3rd February 2007
An ancient map which
was discovered at a church has been donated to a museum.
The map, which was
found at St Giles Church in Newcastle and dates back to 1840, details the
land which was owned by the Burgesses of Newcastle Borough. It has now been
donated to the Borough museum at the Brampton. Burgesses traditionally held
powerful positions in Newcastle and used to run the Borough alongside the
town's mayor.
Pictured right -
Councillor Simon Tagg, a Burgess of the Borough along with fellow Burgesses
Jack Vernon & Geoff Davies and the current Mayor of Newcastle Bill Sinnott
with the map.
Why are we still
waiting?

May bank Councillor
Simon Tagg has hit out at more inaction by Labour-run Staffordshire County
Council. This follows their continued failure to deal with a problem related
to the grass verge on May Bank High Street (see picture right). The muddy
and chewed up stretch outside the flats was reported by Cllr Tagg to County
Council Officers before Christmas.
Cllr Tagg said, "I
reported this as urgent to County Council officers not just because it
is an eyesore but because many local elderly people have to cut across this
grass verge to get to the shops and it is a muddy mess at the moment. Cars
are continually parking on this grassed area after it appears County Council
or Aspire Housing vans had parked on it to carry out work nearby. Whatever
the reason, this now needs to be put right, with the soil reinstated and
bollards erected if necessary. This is not the first time that
Staffordshire County Council has failed to act. They really need to
get their act together and stop letting local people down."
Cllr Tagg has now
contacted Staffordshire County Council again and sent them a copy of the
picture showing the state of the grass verge and requested their immediate
attention.
After pressure from local May Bank Councillors the problem
was finally dealt with by Staffordshire County Council.
Labour come under
fire for link road misery
My letters to the
Sentinel, January 2007 about
the controversial Wolstanton link road
Sir - A Bloor has got a cheek calling May Bank residents 'nimbys' for being
concerned about road safety (The Sentinel 11th January 2007).
What residents and myself were calling for in the recent Sentinel article
about the Wolstanton link road was for Labour-run Staffordshire County
Council to honour its pledge to make improvements to help alleviate the
increased road safety issues that the new road will bring to May Bank and
parts of Wolstanton. The issues of congestion on the High Street and
ra
t-running on Basford Park Road will be made much worse by this new road.
That's not just local councillors and residents saying this, it's the
Council's own traffic survey!
May Bank's three Borough councillors will continue to press
Staffordshire County Council and the local Labour County Councillor, who is
in charge of funding for the roads in May Bank to act NOW!
(Right) Every picture tells a story: Labour-run Staffordshire County Council
is responsible for the Wolstanton link road.
Sir, - Further to the letter from Mervyn Edwards (January 3) regarding the
Wolstanton link road. This road, which many local people have long dreaded,
is about to become a reality. In the 2003 May Bank and Basford Traffic
Study, it stated that the road would lead to a 25 per cent increase in
traffic though the already congested May Bank High Street. Labour-run
Staffordshire County Council, which is in charge of our highways, has been
aware of this for four years, but has done nothing to implement the road
improvements that could reduce the impact of the extra traffic, and make our
roads safer for the young and old alike. During this period, Labour county
councillor Mick Clarke has promised many times to carry out these
badly-needed improvements, but the people of May Bank are still waiting. A
second crossing point is needed on the High Street, and an improved parking
lay-by needs to be designed. Are you listening, Mick?
Mervyn Edwards points out that the Wolstanton link road is part of some
dubious "grand plan", but we must not forget its effect on May Bank's
pensioners and children. May Bank folk will never forget the fact that this
link road was passed by Labour councillors while most Lib Dem councillors
sat on their hands. All Conservative councillors voted against it.
Work on
controversial Wolstanton link road begins
Article in the Sentinel 22nd December 2006
Work has finally got under way on the long-awaited Wolstanton
link road, but residents and community leaders fear the project will create
more traffic problems. Some people
believe that the scheme linking the A500
with Wolstanton, will increase traffic in nearby May Bank High Street.
They say motorists wanting to get on to the D-road will choose to cut
through the neighbourhood to use the link road, rather
than travel on the congested Basford bank route.
Councillor Simon Tagg, who represents May Bank, said: "They might call this
the Wolstanton relief road, but it will not bring any relief for May Bank.
"It was estimated in the 2003 May Bank Traffic Study that if this new link
to the A500 at Wolstanton were built, it would lead to extra traffic through
the already congested High Street in May Bank.
"Staffordshire County Council has known about this since 2003, and has done
nothing to put improvements in place to help May Bank cope with the extra
traffic the new road will create."
Eva Lycett, who lives on the High Street, said: "The traffic gets worse and
worse. Sometimes you can wait for more than five minutes before you can
cross.
"It's dreadful now, it really is. There is a crossing, but it's at the other
end of the road, and we're all elderly people here."
Work on the £2 million link road began earlier this month - 28 years after
proposals were first mooted. The 650-metre route, which will connect
Wolstanton to the A500, will also serve 250 new houses being built by Bloor
Homes, which is picking up
bill for the development.
Campaigners fought against the plans, although its supporters insist it
could bring about benefits for businesses in the area. The route will take
A527 traffic out of Wolstanton High Street via Grange Lane, across former
mining land above Asda, to link with the A500. Staffordshire Highways has
hired Wrekin Construction to complete the 35-week project.
All earth-moving operations will take place from 8am to 6pm, and 8am to 1pm
on Saturdays. Sundays will be quiet, unless the contract gets severely
behind schedule.
A Happy Christmas
on the cards
15th
Dec 2006
Prizes have been
awarded to the winners of a competition to paint a Christmas picture for
Newcastle Borough Council Leader Simon Tagg's official Christmas card.
5 and 6 year olds from St Wulstan's Catholic Primary School where Cllr Tagg
is a school governor all took part and painted pictures with a Christmas
theme. These were then judged by Cllr Tagg and colleagues at the Council.
The winning design (pictured below), a nativity scene by Katharine Fairweather aged 6, has now been pictured on the card which will go out to
over 130 civic and community leaders and officials all over Staffordshire
and beyond.
Cllr Tagg said, "There were some wonderful pictures and it was hard to pick
just one winner. I'd like to thank Katharine for doing the painting, and to
the runners-up and all the children from St Wulstan's well done!"
"I'd also like to thank the members of staff
who work so hard all year round
for the children and wish the staff, children and their parents a Happy
Christmas. It's nice to do something different for the Leader's card this
year rather than the usual snowy scenes."
Katharine was presented with a book voucher, as was 2nd place Edward
O'Malley (age 5) whose painting depicts the 3 kings and 3rd place Holly
Newman (age 5) for her colourful nativity scene (pictured above: Simon,
Katharine, Edward & Holly).
Cllr Tagg also awarded the
whole class who took part with a tin of sweets when he visited the school for the prize giving.
A pick of the paintings and the winner and runners-up will be displayed in
the reception at the Civic Offices in Merrial Street in Newcastle from now
until Christmas.
CCTV cameras now monitored in town!
Article in the Sentinel
4th December 2006
A Private contractor is
monitoring Newcastle town centre's CCTV network on busy weekend nights in the
run-up to Christmas.The pilot scheme was launched this month in a bid to make
the town a safer place for clubbers and Christmas party-goers to visit.
It is the first time that live footage has been monitored in the town. The move
is intended to ensure a fast response from police to any violence. The
contractor, based at Newcastle Borough Council's CCTV control centre in Knutton,
informs police at the first sign of any trouble. Officers patrolling in the town
centre are then directed to the scene of any fighting or confrontation.
Better CCTV coverage was named by the borough council's ruling Lib-Dem and Tory
coalition as one of a number of priorities for the next year. Five new cameras
have recently been installed in the town centre - three at the south end of High
Street and two covering Paradise Street - taking the number of cameras in the
town centre from 12 to 17. That is on top of the 33 cameras which the council
installed at Midway multi-storey car park.
Council leader Simon Tagg said: "At the moment, the CCTV cameras are just
recording and if anything happens the footage is studied after the event.
"With monitored CCTV, our officers will contact police as it happens. They will
then be able to gather evidence from the scene, rather than look at it two weeks
later. If there's an incident, an officer can use the cameras to track a
suspect. A common complaint now is that recorded footage will often lose the
offender as he walks out of view.The aim is to make the town centre safer,
especially during the busy Christmas period."
If the scheme is a success, the council will look to bring in regular monitoring
of CCTV footage, and, ultimately, 24-hour monitoring.
Inspector Mick Boyle, of Newcastle police, said: "It will assist us with crime
reduction in the town centre and provide a deterrent. I'm sure it will make
Newcastle a safer place."
Publican Mike Fallows, licensee of Brassingtons in the town centre, said: "I
welcome this. If it's going to help put police in the right place at the right
time, it's good." The council has also identified priorities over the next year
to make streets cleaner and safer, improve recycling and enforce on-street
parking restrictions more effectively. Councillor Tagg added: "We have also
started to honour our election commitments on improved CCTV and better
car-parking enforcement and we will be putting the emphasis firmly on cleaner
streets and targeting litter and grot hotspots."
update on CCTV
<click>
Disappointment
as Lap Dancing Club gets the go-ahead in the Town Centre
Press release 4th
Dec 2006
Council Leader
Simon Tagg has commented on the news that permission has been
granted for an adult entertainment venue (lap dancing club) in
Newcastle's town centre.
He said, "I
am disappointed by the outcome of the Licensing Committee hearing.
Is this really the direction we want our town centre to go in? The
Newcastle Police raised no objections to this, therefore torpedoing
the opposition to this venue by very many people - church groups
included."
"The Council
was never consulted by the Police before they came to their
decision. They must now tell us how they intend to police the
problems that could arise from having this type of venue in our town
centre."
It's a matter of priorities
2nd Dec
2006
Newcastle's
Conservative / Lib Dem administration has started the process of setting out
the Council's priorities. A report to the Council's Cabinet sets out the new
administration's plans in a number of key areas. This follows on from the
joint agreement between the Conservative & Lib Dem Groups after the May 2006
local elections which saw them wrestle power away from Labour for the first
time in over 30 years and reflects the manifestos on which the two Groups
fought that election.
The Council will move towards a more focused set of priorities based around
- cleaner safer streets, improved recycling, and creating a Borough of
opportunity for Newcastle's residents.
Cleaner Safer Streets - means:
1) Moving towards a monitored CCTV system starting with a 'peak hour'
monitoring pilot over Christmas at the Council’s new CCTV control centre
based at the Knutton Depot.
2) The creation of multi-skilled streetscene teams to target litter hotspots
in the Borough.
3) Better on-street car parking enforcement around the town centre area.
Improved Recycling - means:
1) Start to meet the Government‘s recycling targets.
2) Increased investment in recycling - green waste, plastic and cardboard.
Borough of Opportunity means:
1) Roll out of Neighbourhood Renewal Initiatives across the Borough.
2) A 20 year Town Centre Action Plan & Regeneration
3) Set up a Borough Children’s Trust.
There is also a commitment to transform the way the Council works through
the Council’s Improvement Programme which is already underway, through
developing a Contact Centre and through the introduction of multi-skilling
and more flexible ways of working.
Council Leader Simon Tagg said, "The document will set the Council on a new
course for the next few years and is a necessary document as it will provide
a focus for the improvements in service delivery we desire. We have also
started to honour our election commitments on improved CCTV and better
car-parking enforcement and we will be putting the emphasis firmly on
cleaner streets and targeting litter & grot hotspots.
“Along with the things that we are doing outside to make the streets cleaner
and safer, we also recognise that the Council has to continue to change and
improve so it can deliver the service improvements. That’s why we want to
transform the way the Council works and interacts with the public - our
customers. We will manage performance and we will create a multi-skilled and
mobile workforce to do that."
MP Caroline Spelman visits Newcastle
Press release 25th Nov 2006

Caroline Spelman MP,
Shadow Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government paid a visit to
Newcastle on the evening of Thursday 23rd November 2006 as a guest of
Newcastle Conservative Association.
Caroline rounded off her tour of the West Midlands by meeting with a group
of Councillors from Newcastle - headed by Council Leader Simon Tagg. She then attended the Newcastle Conservative Association Annual Autumn
Meal at the Borough Arms Hotel.
Caroline met with
Councillors who have recently taken control of Newcastle
Borough Council in partnership with the Lib Dems which ended over 30 years
of Labour rule in the town.
She heard about the
improvements taking place at the Council and also discussed the
Government's White Paper on the future of Local Government.
Pictured from left
to right: Simon Tagg, Stephen Holland, Jeremy Lefroy, Ann Heames, Betty
Cartwright, Andy Fear, (the late)Glennis Deakin & Caroline Spelman.
Update: Inspectors' positive report
Audit commission Inspectors have given the Improvement Programme at
Newcastle Borough Council a significant boost. They have provided informal
feedback to Council Leader Simon Tagg and acting Chief Executive Ian
Jenkinson following their visit last week to the authority.
The Inspectors made a number of positive comments in a number of areas. This
follows the last inspection in March 2006 (before the new Conservative / Lib
Dem administration took over the council) which was critical of the Council
in many areas.
Positive comments including:-
Leadership – “the new organisation structure shows clarity”; “visible
leadership is being demonstrated through the Meet the Leadership sessions”;
“there is increased trust between members and officers, particularly in
financial areas.”

Organisation – “there is an increased understanding in this area”;
“there were no dissenting voices during the inspection.”
Employee development – “reviews are now built into a planning cycle.”
Direction – “the Improvement Programme and restructuring are
well-documented and clear.”
Capacity – “new structural design is helping this”; “recruitment and
retention issues are also being addressed.”
Internal Communications
– “really good improvements”; “team briefs
are consistent and becoming embedded.”
Council Leader Simon Tagg said: “Every member of staff at the Council and
the residents of Newcastle should be heartened by the messages coming out of
this informal feedback. Although it is very early days and we shouldn’t get
carried away, it shows we are now heading in the right direction.”
Deputy Leader Robin Studd added: " The Council has not had too many
inspections in recent years where Inspectors have had positive things to
say, so we should enjoy this moment and then roll our sleeves up and press
ahead.”
Acting Chief Executive Ian Jenkinson also welcomed the feedback. He said:
“Many thanks to everyone who took part in the inspection. We now await the
formal draft report setting out the Inspector’s key messages. This review
comes before the Use of Resources inspection which will look back at our
achievements over the last 12 months. Although the impact of the changes we
are making are not yet fully developed or embedded, our direction of change
is positive and that is excellent news for the Council.”
May Bank latest: You decide on school's fence plan
Leaflet 27th Oct 2006
Cllr Simon Tagg would
like to thank all those people who wrote letters to him recently about the
May Bank Infants School headmistress’ proposals to erect a fence (with gated
access) around a part of the
Marsh next to the School.
Simon said, “The plans were discussed at last week’s Cabinet meeting which I
chaired as Council Leader. We decided that whilst we all support
safer access to the Marsh for the schoolchildren, it would have been
premature to make a decision on the proposals at the moment because it
became clear that inadequate consultation had been carried out.
The Council will now write to residents who live around the Marsh to ask
them for their views. We believe that this is the correct way forward.”
Stephen Holland said, “A number of residents have been telling us that they
were unaware of these plans, otherwise there has been a mixed response.
Therefore more consultation is the best way ahead.”
Ian Matthews added, “The Marsh holds a special place in people’s hearts so
it is only right that they be asked their views. I was surprised to hear
Labour Councillor Mick Clarke on Radio Stoke saying that he believed there
had been enough consultation and that people had already decided in favour
of these proposals. You have been telling us different!”
Exclusive:
Labour's £1.6 Million addiction to consultants
Press release 12th Oct 2006

New figures to be
released shortly are expected to show that Labour spent £1.6 Million on
consultants during their 2 years in full control of Newcastle Borough
Council - a period that ended on May 24th 2006 when they were voted
out.
Council
Leader Simon Tagg said, "The figures will show that people (such as ex
Council Leader David Leech and Cllr Mick Clarke) in glass houses shouldn't
throw stones. Labour's attack on the new administration for engaging
consultants on vital Council restructuring will now seem at the very least -
foolish. The true scale of their involvement with consultants while in power
is indeed shocking."
Historic night as
new structure gains Full Council approval
Press release 28th Sept 2006
New positions in the new structure
proposed by Council Leader Simon Tagg and adopted by the Full Council
tonight:
Ian Jenkinson - Acting Chief Executive,
Head of the Paid Service and Returning Officer
Paul Clisby - Monitoring Officer
Alan Campbell - Deputy Monitoring Officer
Alan Hill - Interim
Corporate Director (Resources)
Alan Hudson - Corporate Director (Community Services)
Neale Clifton - Corporate Director (Strategy, Development and
Regeneration)
Ian Jenkinson - Corporate Director (Assets and Operations)
Full Council
also
adopted a 17 strong Senior Management structure. Full story can be found
<here>
Councillors go
back to school
Council press
release 23rd Sept 2006
Councillors in
Newcastle will be going back to school, in an effort to encourage children
to take an interest in local democracy and vote when they are old enough.
Council leader Simon Tagg and fellow May Bank councillors Ian Matthews and
Stephen Holland will make a number of visits to
Wolstanton High School.
Councillor Tagg will visit the school of which he is an ex pupil on
October 4, 11 and 18, and November 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29, when he will give
pupils an insight into life as the leader of the council.He will also talk
about local elections, and the session will include questions and answers.
Council restructuring gathers
momentum after passing Scrutiny test
Press Release 11th Sept 2006
Council Leader Simon Tagg has
indicated it is the joint Conservative / Lib Dem administration's intention
to move forward with the restructuring and improvement of Newcastle Borough
Council after the plans passed unscathed through the Council's Scrutiny
Committee on Wednesday night. He confirmed that the plans will now go to the
Full Council at the end of the month for ratification.
Cllr Tagg said, "Our restructuring plans met no real obstacles at the
Scrutiny meeting, just a bit of political point scoring by the Labour
opposition but for all their talk in the end they didn't even force it to
the vote. We can now progress to the Full Council at the end of September
(27th) and start the improvement of Newcastle Borough Council."
Cllr Tagg also pledged that he and his Cabinet colleagues will intervene to
stop any drop in service level to the public.
"I have made it clear to my Cabinet colleagues that it is our job to ensure
that the restructuring of the Council moves as smoothly as possible. Each
one has been given an area of the Council's activity to monitor in order to
prevent any problems arising and ensure that officers don't take their eyes
of the 'service delivery' ball over the next few months."
He conceded that the next few months could be difficult as the new structure
'bedded in' but he had confidence in his Cabinet colleagues.
"Both the public and Council staff can I believe be confident that they have
the right team running Newcastle at the moment. That team is changing the
culture in the Civic Offices and leading a Council striving for excellence."
Cabinet member Cllr Glennis Deakin said,
"The rest of the Cabinet and I are determined to see the Council improve and
we intend to monitor the situation closely. It is important that we work
with officers to ensure that the restructuring is managed properly."
Picture exclusive: Borough set to sweep up &
recycle
Article in the Sentinel 6th September 2006



Conservative Group Leader Simon Tagg &
Cllr David Becket (pictured top right) viewing the ground breaking recycling
process for street sweepings.
Newcastle Borough Council is set to
increase its recycling efforts by recycling street sweepings for the first
time. The move is part of the new Conservative/Lib Dem administration's new
recycling strategy that has replaced the Labour Group's stated policy of
moving the Borough immediately to fortnightly bin collections.
A report that goes before the Council's Scrutiny Committee on 6th September
says that there is the potential for 1,300 tons of recyclable materials to
be obtained from the street sweepings, which equates to an additional 2.6%
towards the Government targets for the Borough of 18% in 2006/07 and 20% in
2007/08.
Council Leader Simon Tagg & Lib Dem Environment Spokesman David Becket
paid a visit to a local recycling plant to view the groundbreaking process
for the recycling of street sweepings on Thursday.
Simon Tagg said, "I was impressed with the process to recycle the street
sweepings. Why should all that material go to a landfill site or be
incinerated as is happening at the moment when it could be recycled? This
will not only help us to reach the recycling targets but also protect the
environment. The soil/grit material extracted can be reused as backfill on
building sites and the other sweepings (leaves, wood, plastic) can be
recycled in the normal way."
David Becket said, "This is a groundbreaking process which more councils are
becoming alert to. Newcastle is at the forefront of this. The recycling of
street sweepings along with the additional garden waste collections and the
introduction of plastic bring sites as set out in our new recycling strategy
will help us towards the Government's tougher targets for recycling."
Simon Tagg blasts Labour criticism
of Council restructuring
Letter to the Sentinel 22th August 2006
I
write following the Sentinel article on the decision of Newcastle
Borough Council’s Cabinet to restructure the top tier of the
organisation (August 18th).
The case
for restructuring is compelling. In March 2006 Government Auditors
slammed the Council, then Labour-controlled, for lacking leadership
and said there were no signs of improvement and that services to the
public were suffering.
The
consultants’ report which we commissioned using available funds
already specifically earmarked by the Council involved extensive
consultation with staff at all levels through one-to-one interviews
and group meetings. This revealed significant frustration with the
lack of leadership from the top of the organisation but there was
also real hope vested in the new Conservative/Lib Dem administration
to bring about the change required.
We are not
reinventing the wheel with a new organisational structure. It is
similar to ones used by other councils up and down the country. It
does not involve a mass cull of staff - a scare story put about by
the Labour opposition and the proposals are cost neutral over the
medium term.
The
Council has been held back by backward-looking and weak political
leadership from Labour for a number of
years. We intend to improve it and provide the excellent services
which Newcastle’s people deserve - restructuring is the first step.
May Bank action: Vandalised
bus shelter replaced
Press release in the Sentinel 16th August 2006
A vandalised bus
shelter has been replaced. The shelter situated by the Marsh on
Basford Park Road, May Bank had been the constant target of
vandalism and
graffiti culminating in part of it collapsing in
on itself in May.
May Bank Councillor & Leader of Newcastle Borough Council Simon
Tagg said, "After part of it 'collapsed' one Saturday night back
in May there has been a desperate need for a new bus shelter.
The side which collapsed was open to the elements so it can't
have been a nice experience waiting for a bus there. This new
shelter is dark green similar to others across the Borough. The
other shelter was a disgrace - not in keeping with the Marsh at
all."
Cllr Stephen Holland said, “I am very
pleased there is a new bus shelter at last. Since I was
elected in May, I have been working hard to get
this shelter on Basford Park Road. Quite a number of
residents from May Bank use the buses on this popular route
every day with buses going to Hanley and Stoke. The old
shelter had been vandalised and covered in graffiti.”
Simon Tagg leads the improvement at
Newcastle Borough Council

Press release the Sentinel 1st August 2006
The Council's new political
administration has unveiled a proposed restructuring of the authority. The planned changes are intended to raise
standards of service delivery and have been drawn up along with external
consultants 'Excellence in Business'.
Council Leader Simon Tagg said, "We believe that these
changes are necessary to ensure that the people of our Borough receive
excellent local services. This restructuring will affect only the top
tier of the Authority and our aim is to empower staff at all levels to
achieve the improvement that they and the new administration would like
to see. As a Council we are currently rated as 'fair' by the
Audit Commission. For us, fair is not good enough and we want to move
towards being an excellent authority with a reputation for good
governance on behalf of the people of the Borough."
The current Chief Executive Felix Harley has decided
to take early retirement.
Simon said, "On behalf of the Council we would like to offer Felix our
warmest thanks for the significant contribution that he has made to the
life of our Borough.The process of recruiting a new
Chief Executive will begin immediately."
Newcastle hosts International Summit
Article
printed in the Sentinel 19th June 2006
They may have
come from four different continents, but a group of special visitors to
Newcastle this week have one very special thing in common. All are
residents of towns and cities which share the same name and, together,
they have been celebrating their similarities at the latest Newcastle's
Summit.
The get together marks the first time North Staffordshire has hosted the
biannual event and the festivities got off to a spectacular start with
an opening ceremony at the New Victoria Theatre yesterday. Delegates
have travelled from as far a field as Japan, South Africa, France,
Germany, Switzerland and the U.S.
Walter Friemal is from Neuburg, which is the German name for Newcastle,
and is a veteran of the international summits. He said: "The whole idea
started in Shinshiro, in Japan, where the first summit took place in
1998. I've been to summits in Switzerland and America since then. During
the week we will be going to Wedgwood and Spode and I'm looking forward
to that. I have some Wedgwood porcelain at home."
Betty Lou Heintz is representing New Castle, in Indiana. She said: "Our
New Castle is fairly flat farmland, so it's interesting to see the
hills, trees and gardens over here. We are finding that although we are
far apart, we have many things in common, such as uptown regeneration."
Besides yesterday's opening ceremony the delegates also attended the
opening of an international friendship garden at The Brampton, in
Newcastle, as well as a special dinner at Keele Hall.The visitors are
staying at Keele University during their visit and South African
representative Laurence Short maintained that he would like to see his
native Newcastle form a partnership with Keele. He said: "We are trying
to develop a university back home. My Newcastle has over 300,000 people
and we are a big city. I've never been to England before and I'm looking
forward to meeting more people. We are all part of one big Newcastle
family."
The 29 delegates attended a seminar about getting more people involved
in their local communities, and will also be taking part in an education
symposium at Newcastle College and will be given a guided tour of the
borough. Other trips include going to the Dorothy Clive Garden near
Woore, plus Apedale Heritage Centre where they will find out about the
area's mining history. The group will also visit Trentham Gardens,
Shugborough, and Audley Cricket Club. They are also set to tuck into an
English fish and chip supper before attending an international salute at
St Giles' Church, in Newcastle.
Simon Tagg, leader of Newcastle Borough Council, said the historic
borough and surrounding area has lots to offer. He hopes a spin-off from
this year's summit will be setting up school exchanges between Newcastle
and its namesakes overseas.
New Cabinet meets for the first
time
Article
printed in the Sentinel 1st June 2006
The first meeting of Newcastle
Borough Council's new-look cabinet was taking place today. The meeting
follows an historic Annual Council Meeting which saw the Labour Party
lose control of the authority for the first time in three decades. The
partnership of Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillors will now
take their places around the cabinet table for the first time.
The cabinet's leader will be councillor Simon Tagg, who has
the portfolio of corporate and service improvement. The deputy leader,
Liberal Democrat Robin Studd, will be cabinet member for regeneration
and planning.
Councillor Tagg said: "The new cabinet committee is made up of some of
the best talent from our two groups. It's a team that can take Newcastle
forward and bring about the changes necessary to improve services and
value for money."
Other cabinet members include Conservative councillor Jeremy Lefroy, who
is in charge of finance, resources and efficiency and Liberal Democrat
councillor David Becket, responsible for environment and recycling.
Historic night for Newcastle: New
Tagg team to lead Newcastle
Article
printed in the Sentinel 25th May 2006
Labour has lost
control of Newcastle Borough Council for the first time in more than 30
years. Although still the biggest individual party on the council,
with 27 seats, an alliance forged between the Conservative group and the
Liberal Democrats has wrested control of the borough away from Labour with a
combined seat total of 31.

The Labour Party, which had lost its majority in the May 4th elections after
losing five seats, is now facing up to the unfamiliar role of opposition.
The swing was
brought about after a deal was thrashed out between the Tories - who won
three new seats in Porthill, May Bank and Clayton to bring its total to 17 -
and the Lib Dems, who increased their representation on May 7 by two to 14.
Now Conservative group leader Simon Tagg has been voted in as the new leader
of Newcastle Borough Council, with Lib Dem leader Robin Studd his deputy.
Councillor Tagg said: "We are pleased that we have reached an agreement that
will offer the change that the people of Newcastle clearly voted for in the
recent elections.
"This is an historic opportunity and there are many challenges and difficult
decisions that need to be taken to set Newcastle on the right course.
"The work will start straight away with addressing the poor financial
position of the council that we will inherit form Labour."
The two parties
have agreed a list of priorities for the coming year, which includes
addressing the council's financial problems, improving recycling in the
borough, tackling litter and anti-social behaviour, better on-street parking
enforcement and working towards a fully monitored CCTV system around the
town centre.
Click
here to see how I got there! Click
here to see me on TV!
May Bank election 2006:
Stephen Holland elected
Stephen Holland
1,126
Lib Dems
371
Labour
326
Stephen, Simon & Ian say -Thanks for your
support!
Conservatives win Newcastle's Borough wide election!
Its a scandal: Civic Office
refurbishment overspend
My comments printed in the Sentinel 16th March 2006
Newcastle's civic offices have been
branded the borough's Wembley Stadium after the costs of refurbishing the
council chamber spiralled. Latest borough council figures show an estimated
£301,560 spend on furniture, decor, blinds and curtains and other
refurbishments at the civic chamber, plus £29,295 on general repairs and
renewal to carpets, lighting, electrics, ceilings and linings. The council is
also spending £263,221 to make the building compliant with the Disability
Discrimination Act.
But when the borough council approved the works 18 months ago, the
anticipated cost was £245,000, £56,560 less than the present estimate.
Despite this the council's cabinet had set aside £319,000 for the works.
Councillor Simon Tagg, the Conservative group leader, hit out at what he
sees as a major overspend at last night's scrutiny committee meeting.
He said: "Members may recall that the estimated cost quoted to the cabinet
in November 2004 was £245,000 - so it is £50,000 over budget. At the time
council leader David Leech joked that, "we hope to come well under that
figure", in poking fun at Conservative objections.
"Who's the joke on now? I'd say the people of Newcastle."
After the meeting, Mr Tagg compared the civic offices refurbishment with
England's national football stadium, which has run £100 million over budget.
He said: "I think it's safe to say that the council is heading for a large
overspend on the project. I feel people should know about it.
"There was outrage at the idea of spending £245,000 - now it is £300,000.
All for something that the public will very rarely see or use. I feel it is
turning into Newcastle's Wembley Stadium."
Mr Tagg had asked for the figures to be released to the scrutiny committee.
CCTV latest: Monitoring is
the key
My comments printed in the Sentinel 3rd Feb 2006
New town centre CCTV cameras must be
monitored constantly to protect late night revellers and provide extra help
to police, say councillors. They say the £40,000 investment in cameras in
Newcastle can only be justified if incidents picked up by CCTV are dealt
with as
they happen.
Members of the borough council have welcomed the five new CCTV cameras,
which will be installed on High Street and Paradise Street, but are
concerned that footage will not be constantly monitored.
Councillor Simon Tagg said a team of operators keeping a constant watch on
the cameras, particularly during busy Friday and Saturday nights, would
ensure police receive a quick call-out should any violence flare-up. Similar
fears have been raised in Stoke-on-Trent after it was claimed a £25,000
camera in Chell Heath had not picked up criminals and troublemakers,
although council-run cameras in the city are monitored throughout the day.
Mr Tagg, the Conservative group leader, said: "Real time monitoring is the
key to getting the most from the CCTV investment the council is making.
Instead of just looking at a tape recording of an incident an hour or in
some cases weeks after it has happened, it would be beneficial to have
operators monitoring the CCTV and for them to be in contact with police so
that a rapid reaction can be made enabling police to intervene to stop
disturbances as they happen and allowing arrests to be made. At the same
time monitoring can lead to enhanced evidence gathering potential from CCTV.
With the present unmonitored CCTV tape review system, if a camera is
pointing the wrong way, then you lose the suspect and the evidence."
Councillors have approved the scheme to put two poles on High Street and one
in Paradise Street, which will hold a total of five cameras - taking the
number of cameras in the town centre from 12 to 17 at a cost of about
£40,000. That is on top of the 33 cameras which the borough council has just
finished installing at Midway multi-storey car park.
Go to my dedicated CCTV page
<click>
Message
for the year ahead from Newcastle
Conservative Group Leader Simon Tagg
Press release 1st Jan
2006
Newcastle Conservative Group Leader Simon
Tagg has welcomed in the New year with a message to the people of Newcastle
to embrace change and ditch Newcastle's failing Labour Party. Cllr Tagg
accused Labour Councillors of losing control of the Council's
finances whilst presiding over a deterioration in services to the public and
planning more cuts in the Council's core services in 2006. He said "Since Labour
regained control of Newcastle in 2004 they have shown breathtaking incompetence in the way they have run the affairs of our
Borough. They have
chosen to use the Council's reserves to support the Council's budget and then
cut funding for community groups as well as putting off important
decisions. Now they appear to want to empty our bins only once a
fortnight. How could they possibly consider this when the blue box recycling
is not up and running properly meaning that for an average family, the grey
wheelie bin will be full after only a few days. This is all about
Labour cutting local services again."
"This situation cannot be allowed to
continue. Labour councillors cannot be allowed to blunder on as
they have in the past. It's time for change in Newcastle. Only
the Conservative Group offers a way forward which protects local services
whilst keeping council tax increases down. The forthcoming elections
in 2006 will provide voters with an opportunity to deliver their verdict on
the last two years that Labour have been in full control of Newcastle Council. Things can be
different! My Conservative team and I will be working to bring about
the change needed in Newcastle in 2006."
Latest: Brewery respond to
residents pub petition
Sentinel article 26th Dec
2005
A Boarded-up pub shut down after a rat
infestation is set to reopen next year after a major refurbishment. More
than 100 residents have been calling for answers over the future of the
Hempstalls Pub, in Hempstalls Lane, Newcastle, since the venue was
boarded-up in May. Now Punch Taverns, the pub's owners, has pledged to
transform the pub into a food-led family inn.
Families
living near the venue have given the plans a cautious welcome. Susan Smith,
aged 47, who lives opposite the pub, said "When we moved here 20 years ago
the pub was fine, but about five years ago it went downhill very quickly and
is now an eyesore. We need a decent landlord with a strong personality to
bring in customers who won't cause trouble."
The pub company's decision comes two months after 140 residents signed a
petition organised by Newcastle Borough councillors Simon Tagg and Ian
Matthews to spur senior management into action. The petition stated: "We
feel that this is no longer an appropriate place for this type of licensed
premises with its associated noise and anti-social behaviour problems. We
understand that you are reviewing plans for the future of the site and we
would like you to take local residents' concerns into account when you come
to your decision."
Environmental officers at Newcastle Borough Council shut down the pub in May
after reports rats had infested the cellar and mice were in the upstairs
living quarters.
A spokesman for Punch Taverns said: "We are putting together a substantial
investment project for this pub. Once these plans are finalised we will go
on to make the necessary planning applications and, all being well,
refurbishment work can begin. The current project schedule means we expect to
open by the middle of next year."
Taking Cameron's message onto the
streets of Newcastle
Press release 6th Dec
2005
Newcastle Conservatives will hit the
streets early to take the message of the new party leader, David Cameron, to
the people of Newcastle.
Councillors and party activists will distribute a newspaper from David
Cameron in Newcastle town centre on Saturday 10th Dec 2005.
Newcastle Conservative Group Leader Simon Tagg said "It's great news that
David Cameron has been elected Leader by a 2 to 1 vote. This really is a
fresh start for the Conservative and having a leader with the qualities of
David Cameron will help us in our campaign in Newcastle."
"We want to get out bright and early on behalf of the new leader to get his
message of change to people. That's why we will descend on the town centre
to distribute our newspapers on Saturday."
Simon & CF raise over
£200 for Children In Need!
Press release 8th Nov
2005
A local councillor and students from Keele
University dyed their hair blue for Children In Need on Friday 18th
November 2005. May Bank Councillor Simon Tagg and student members of Newcastle and Keele
Conservative Future (NKCF) took up a challenged laid down by
members of NKCF and raise over £200 for Children In Need by being
sponsored for the act.
The group dyed their hair blue
for the whole of Children In Need Day and paid a visit to the
Civic Open Day and met the Mayor of Newcastle, Colin Brooks, at the
Civic Offices in Newcastle and toured the town centre in the afternoon
with money buckets and then attended a meeting of NKCF members in the
evening at Newcastle's Conservative Club.
May Bank Councillor, Simon Tagg, who is President of NKCF said “This
was great fun and we raised a bucket full of cash for Children
In Need. We promised to be ‘visible’ with our blue hair during the
day and not just hide at home. I'd like to thank everybody that gave
money.”
Simon Tagg comments on the
scrapping of Newcastle Carnival
My comments printed in The Sentinel on
26th Oct
2005
The axe as fallen on Newcastle's
annual Carnival at Wednesdays Cabinet meeting. The controlling
Labour Group voted to discontinuation the annual Bank Holiday
event after more than 30 years.
Conservative
Group Leader Simon Tagg blames
poor planning in recent years and the spread of the compensation
culture for the weakening of the event, so that now it
has become the victim of the
council's budget cuts.
He said "It will be a sad day if the
annual town Carnival is scrapped. The poor planning of recent
years have left this 'community building' event open to
criticism. The hiring of
'tacky' Posh and Becks impersonators last year costing £900
brought ridicule from all quarters. Heath & safety concerns have
lead to the annual parade, the centre piece of the day, being
decimated. Floats and troopers were lost because of worries of
injury and compensation claims. The Carnival would have been see
as untouchable until recent years but now its seen as
expendable"
Cllr Tagg went on to urge the
continuation of events in the Brampton Park, which were very
well attended and popular - such as steam engine rallies and
vintage cars as well as a fun fair.
He Said "I would like to see some sort
of event continue in the Brampton Park, perhaps a Fun Day. It is
a great place to hold an event on a smaller scale and would be
well attended as it always was on Carnival Day".
May Bank
Action: Petition on boarded-up pub's future
My comments printed in The Sentinel on
3rd Oct
2005
More than 100
residents living near a boarded-up pub have signed a petition demanding
answers over the site's future. People living near the Hempstalls Pub, in
Hempstalls Lane, Newcastle, say the venue has become a magnet for vandals
since being boarded up earlier this year.
The pub's owners Punch Taverns has said it is reviewing its plans for the
site. But 140 residents have so far signed the petition organised by borough
councillors Simon Tagg and Ian Matthews in the hope the brewery will listen.
Mr Tagg said: "We have responded to residents' concerns about the state of
the Hempstalls pub and approached the brewery, which says it is reviewing
their plans for the premises. We will be sending them this petition which is
signed by local people who have to live with the state the pub is in on a
daily basis. All the windows are covered in metal grilles, the fence is
broken and the site has become a magnet for youths and vandals. Residents
have had enough and want something done."
Mr Matthews added: "The pub is an eyesore. We will also be making the
borough council aware of the concern of local residents."
Environmental officers with Newcastle Borough Council shut down the pub in
May after reports rats had infested the cellar and mice were in the upstairs
living quarters.
Residents were delighted when the pub closed after complaining pub-goers
were urinating in the car park and being loud and abusive to passers-by.
The petition states: "We feel that this is no longer an appropriate place
for this type of licensed premises with its associated noise and anti-social
behaviour problems. We understand that you are reviewing plans for the
future of the site and we would like you to take local residents' concerns
into account when you come to your decision."
Save
Staffordshire Ambulance Service: Big isn't better
My letter printed in The Sentinel on
23rd Sept
2005
May I give my
support to colleagues from the Staffordshire Moorlands over the awful
proposals to merge Staffordshire's Ambulance Service with others. Our
ambulance service, the envy of the rest of the country, is being put at risk
because of the Government's regionalisation agenda. When will they realise
that bigger isn't necessarily better and that what people want is
locally-run services? The rejection recently by voters of a Regional
Assembly in the North East proves there is no appetite for powers
transferred to a regional 'super body'. Newcastle Borough Council will be
debating this issue at a special meeting shortly and I hope councillors will
reject these proposals and send a strong message to the Government.
Simon Tagg condemns decision to
close Etruria Station
My Letter printed in The Sentinel on
28th July 2005

I would like to add to the condemnation
of the decision to close Etruria Station (Sentinel,
July 22). From a Newcastle perspective, we see the station as an important
building block in creating the
integrated transport system that North Staffordshire so badly needs.
Newcastle does not have a railway station
and Etruria is the closest. It is in an ideal place for a transport hub for
rail, bus and car to serve Newcastle town centre and Hanley via a park and
ride system. Its closure, I feel, would be a missed opportunity and undermine
one of the key pillars for the regeneration of the area - a transport system
that works.
Conservative reform agenda for the
Council
My comments printed in The Sentinel on
2nd & 20th June 2005 (Stress at work policy & reform of the councils
constitution)
A Stress-busting
policy for staff could prevent a council making further mistakes, according
to a leading opposition councillor. Newcastle Borough Council aims to tackle
the problem of stress among workers through initiatives in its draft Stress
At Work Policy and Guidance
document.
Annual staff surveys
are just one proposal put forward in the document, which is set to be
approved and put in place by October, In the last financial year to April
2005, council workers each clocked up an average of 11 days off sick, but it
is not known how many of those were stress-related. The figure is an
improvement on the 13.4 day-average from the previous year, but not as low
as the 9.5-day target officers were hoping for. The eight-page proposal
states the council "recognises there is no such thing as a pressure-free
job", adding that "increasing demands placed on the organisation to provide
quality services, the need to face legislative challenges and the continuing
restrictions on available resources are likely to increase the pressures
that have to be faced by employees".
Conservative group
leader, Simon Tagg, hopes the stress policy will prevent the council making
mistakes similar to ones he has highlighted recently, including a refused
phone mast application in Clayton getting permission by default after an
administrative mistake, and confidential details of the town's carnival
accidentally being leaked to The Sentinel.
He said: "When people are stressed they make mistakes and I'm sure there's a
lot of stress going on in the council's planning department. I think this
policy could maybe help avoid future mistakes and I'm behind the policy as
long as it helps those people delivering services on the frontline."
Conservative
councillors have hit out at a council's ruling group after failing to set up
a watchdog to combat mistakes. Simon Tagg, May Bank councillor and New
castle's
Conservative group leader, branded Newcastle Borough Council a "laughing
stock" after calling for a Constitution Review Working Party to be
established, following what he claimed were errors made by the authority.The council has
faced a storm of criticism after a refused Orange phone mast application at
the junction of Clayton Lane and Clayton Road was given permission by
default after an administrative mistake.
And Mr Tagg has highlighted further "errors" which he says could have been
stopped if the working party was established Speaking at the meeting, Mr
Tagg said: "The constitution is the nuts and bolts which holds the council
together.It sets out how it should operate, how decisions are made, and the
procedures which are followed to ensure that it is run efficiently and is
accountable to local people. At the moment, when things go wrong, we are
told no individuals are to blame and that it's the system's fault. Well if
that's the case, then lets have a look at the system.
The Conservatives want the group to review rules and regulations regarding
meetings, decision-making responsibilities, financial regulations, and
protocols on member and officer relations. Mr Tagg said "We have seen
in recent months a number of cases where this council has let people down -
the fiasco over masts in Wolstanton and Clayton, preserved trees cut down in
Basford, confidential documents accidentally leaked about the town's
carnival plans and a ticking off from the District Auditor over the way the
council does its financial accounting."
May Bank mast victory !
My
comments printed in The Sentinel on 10th
June 2005 (picture: Cllr Ian Matthews and local campaigner Abi Smith)
Controversial plans for a phone mast near
an infants' school have been knocked back. T-Mobile wanted to put a 12-metre
mast near the traffic lights at the junction of Alexandra Road and High
Street in May Bank, Newcastle, just metres from May Bank Infants' School.
A meeting was held with residents after families living close to the
proposed site - near the Cricketers Arms pub and She Devil clothes shop
facing Wolstanton Marsh - said a mast would be totally out of character with
the area and far too close to homes. More than 40 letters of objection were
sent to the council and 163 residents signed a petition opposing the plan.
May Bank resident Mick Purcell owns Mayfield Garage just 10 metres from the
site and lives in nearby Mayfield Place. The 46-year-old said: "I know we've
all got mobiles but they're trying to site them too close to properties. My
son's and daughter's bedrooms would have been facing the mast and we just
don't know about the long term impact the emissions from these masts will
have."
May Bank councillor Simon Tagg told Newcastle Borough Council's cabinet
meeting the mast would be in a "sensitive area". He said: "This mast would
be an eyesore in a prominent position on the Marsh and would be seen on all
approaches to the High Street lights."
Mr Tagg, who said the mast had been "met with overwhelming opposition from
local people", also raised concerns over possible interference with a
traffic management antenna already on the site, which gives priority to
buses and emergency vehicles.
Fellow May Bank councillor Ian Matthews said: "I am pleased this mast has
been refused. The people around the Marsh didn't want it. It would have
ruined a lovely area."
Transport Working party says NO GO! to congestion charging in
Newcastle
Press release 11th April 2005
Newcastle Councils Transport Working Party has given
the thumbs down to the idea put forward by The North Staffordshire
Transport Study (NSITS) in relation to congestion charging of motorist
in Newcastle. In the working parties final report to Wednesdays
Scrutiny Committee it states - road charging and workplace charging is
not an option for North Staffordshire at present and could only be
contemplated after visible improvements in public transport provision
and as part of a national policy for such measures (Report, Findings: G)
May
Bank Cllr Simon Tagg who is a member of the Transport Working Party
said "The idea of road charging such as the congestion charge which they
have in London really is a no go for Newcastle and the City too. The
alternatives to a car are just not viable for people to use - the
buses for example"
During the working parties evidence gathering
stage it met with various transport providers including the local bus
companies (Report, finding: I)
Cllr Tagg said "We met with all the local bus
companies large and small but the one which really interests me is First
Bus - which is the main bus service provider for the area. First Bus has
taken a lot of stick over the last few years - a lot of it rightly so
because of inconsiderate and badly publicise timetable changes, frequent
cancellations and lateness. They have brought new people in to run the
operation and we were promised improvements but only time will tell. At
the moment though the only thing that seems to have improved is their
PR!"
The working party gave serious consideration to the
towns bus station - which the Borough council owns. Members made a site
visit during the rush hour to see problems first hand (Report, page 3
& 4)
Cllr Tagg Said "We are recommending a number of
improvements. The bus station is one of the entry points into our
town centre it should be cleaner and safer. It should contain reliable,
up to date and accessible time table information - this is lacking at
the moment. Personally I would like to see the return of a bus station
manager"
The working party also investigated the possibility
of setting up a Shopmobility scheme for the town centre.
Cllr Tagg Said" Newcastle must be one of the few
towns without a shopmobilty scheme - even a small town like Whitchurch
operates one part time. Our town centre is for everyone so should be
accessible to all. The council should investigate setting one up in
Newcastle with the help of local traders - who can only benefit from
such a move"
Lower Oxford Road: Trees replanted
My Comments printed in the Sentinel
24th March 2005
The trees illegally cut down at 1, Lower Oxford
Road, Basford have at last been replanted. The property developer who axed
the original 100 year old trees has
complied with the Tree Replacement Notice (TRN) that Cllr Simon Tagg
pressed the council to serve on behalf of local residents.
Cllr Simon Tagg said “This is a victory for
people power and I was pleased to fight for this issue on behalf of
Basford residents. Seeing the new trees in place shows that local people
will not be taken for mugs by a guy trying to make a fast buck at the
expense of the loca environment.”
Cllr Ian Matthews said, “It will be a long time
before the new trees resemble the ones cut down but this is an important
step in righting this wrong.”
Community Chest move slammed
My Comments printed in the Sentinel
22nd Feb 2005
Community groups say they will struggle
to survive if plans to axe a lifeline fund are passed by council leaders.
The Community Chest Fund was set up by Newcastle Borough Council about four
years ago, providing groups and organisation
s
with vital funding to help with everyday costs.
But under this year's budget plans Labour councillors are proposing to
remove the £50,000 annual fund while setting a council tax rise of 5%.
Conservative Group Leader Simon Tagg - whos group is proposing a rise
of below 3% - attacked the move.
The Conservative budget proposal includes
keeping the Community Chest Fund and committing the council to paying for
peak-time monitored CCTV in the town centre and extra street cleaning.
Councillor Simon Tagg said: "People have put forward a message strongly that
their streets are dirty and littered, so we have put more money into
increasing this valuable service.
"We have also proposed reinstating funding for the Community Chest Fund that
Labour propose to cut. We feel this cut is a spiteful move, attacking
voluntary and community groups who do so much, for free and in their spare
time, for our communities.
"This money is not charity, but cash well spent towards building a better
community. This cut has been extremely unpopular with the public and shows
how out of tune Labour councillors are with the public."
Save our Court House !
My Comments Printed in the Sentinel
4th Feb 2005
Councillors are
demanding to keep a magistrates court in Newcastle amid fears a proposed
North Staffordshire super court is to be built in Stoke-on-Trent. Newcastle
Borough Council first objected to the plan in 2003 after the Magistrates'
Courts Committee (MCC) approved t
he
merger of Newcastle and Stoke-on-Trent justices
at a combined court somewhere in the region. The Department of
constitutional Affairs (DCA) has issued a consultation paper requesting
views on where the single court should be. Stakeholders are being asked to
agree on a "red line area within which the new courthouse is to be
located.But councillors in Newcastle have rejected the notion of any red
line area and are taking a firm stand that they want justice administered in
the borough.
Conservative group
leader Simon Tagg said the council should demand that two courts remain -
one in Newcastle and one in the city. He said: "We have said all along there
should be two courts because of the size of the population and we should
stick to that.
"If we agree to a red line area, the court will end up on the other side of
the A500. We want a court in Newcastle administering justice for Newcastle
people and I hope the county council and MPs will join us in this stand."
Seabridge councillor Andrew Fear, Conservative Deputy Leader added: "We need
to be firm that this borough justifies its own court house, that there are
sites that are suitable and we must stick to our guns and not let them sneak
this in through the back door."
Councillors voted unanimously to retain a court in Newcastle, to request
there be two courts covering North Staffordshire, to inform the DCA of
suitable sites in Newcastle and to reject the notion of a red-line area
Half want a
parish council - half don't
My Comments Printed in the Sentinel
28th Jan 2005
Residents are divided on whether they
want a parish council in their village. Families in Wolstanton have given a
mixed reaction to the proposal during consultation by Newcastle Borough
Council.The authority sent out voting slips to more than 4,000 homes after
receiving a 900-signature petition from villagers backing the move.But the
results - from the 1,169 returned slips - show 616 (52 per cent) supporting
the petition and 553 (47 per cent) against

Comments made by residents during the
consultation ranged from the parish council being "a good thing" to there
already being too much administration.The move toward a parish council would
mean residents paying an extra parish precept on top of their existing
council tax.
The council would have to pay a grant to the parish council of between
£7,000 and £10,000. Councillors will meet next week to decide what comments
to pass on to the ODPM with the petition.
May Bank councillor Simon Tagg,
Conservative group leader, has already raised concerns about the impact on
council tax bills. He says people living in certain areas of Wolstanton
class themselves as residents of other areas such as Porthill, May Bank and
Cross Heath and would not welcome the prospect of paying for improvements to
Wolstanton. Mr Tagg feels the closeness of the vote reflects the concerns
that residents have about the plans.
He said: "I wanted there to be a full and frank debate about the parish
council plans and I believe we have had that in the last month and the
people of Wolstanton have given support by a small margin (63) to the
plans."
Families left to clean up
My Comments printed in
the Sentinel on:
14th Jan 2005
Fed-up residents claim their streets were
left littered with glass and paper by waste collectors. Families living in
Woolliscroft Avenue and May Avenue, May Bank, say blue box recycling workers
left smashed glass and rubbish behind when they collected the boxes. they
say Mondays collection left behind 'an absolute mess'.
May Bank councillor Simon Tagg, whose
parents live in Woolliscroft Avenue, said he had to get his own dust pan and
brush out to sweep up smashed glass left behind after the collection. He
said " Leaving broken glass lying in the street is very dangerous and I
would have expected better from Cheshire Recycling, which operates the
service. I can't believe they didn't have a dustpan and brush to hand to
clean up the glass. It was just left lying there, on a route home from a
local school. People want cleaner safer streets, but in Woolliscroft Avenue,
we didn't have either"
No one was available for comment from
Cheshire Recycling, who operate the fortnightly service for Newcastle
Borough Council.
Money going to the wrong place -
Labour and Lib Dems have warped priorities
My letter printed in
the Sentinel on:
8th Jan 2005
Further
to the letter by N Lewis, Kidsgrove (Council makeover not needed January 1,
2005), it really shows the warped priorities of the Labour and Lib Dem
councillors, who voted to spend £245,000 on refurbishments of Newcastle's
civic suite. Over Christmas, I took a walk around Newcastle town centre and
found dangerously uneven pavements, water-filled potholes in various places,
and benches in need of repair. In Castle Walk, there is not a litter bin
along the entire stretch and the pavement is covered with sticky chewing
gum. There are dark, badly-lit alleyways dotted around the town, which are a
muggers' paradise.
Conservatives on
the council voted to spend £53,000 on replacing worn and threadbare carpets
and minor redecoration - a thrifty repair job on civic offices - freeing
money up for what people have said is their priority - cleaner and safer
streets. Labour and Lib Dem councillors would rather spend that money on
plush comfy seats and expensive video display screens.
For more info on
the scandal of Civic Suite refurbishments
<click>
Wreaths are not political footballs
My comments printed in
the Sentinel on:
20th Nov 2004
A
Political party has been slammed for attempting to make political capital out
of Remembrance Day by laying wreaths with the group's logo. The United
Kingdom Independence Party laid a wreath at Newcastle's Remembrance Day
ceremony marked with the group's bright yellow and black pound-sign
logo.
Councillors
criticised the party for using Remembrance Day as a "political football" and say
advertising political parties at such services is in bad taste.
Newcastle Conservative group leader Simon
Tagg took part in the Newcastle ceremony and Said " UKIP's David
Nixon's wreath-laying left a bad taste in my mouth. Political parties don't
put down their own wreaths because the Newcastle Mayor does so on their
behalf"
"When the sergeant
at arms called on local organisations and charities to come forward and lay
wreaths, it was inappropriate for Mr Nixon to lay his. These wreaths are not
political footballs".
Pensions - creating
a partnership in saving for retirement
Pensions have been in the headlines recently and also the subject of
many wild claims by supporters of a minority party in the

Sentinel letter pages.
Tony Blair promised to strengthen and support occupational pension
schemes, yet Gordon Brown has introducing a £5billion a year tax on
pensions, and the small increase in the basic state pension has been
more than swallowed up by massive council tax increases. More and more
pensioners are having to go through intrusive means testing under the
Pension Credit scheme to get anything extra.
A mountain of research is showing that we could all be wasting our
time building up retirement funds - this is creating a disincentive,
especially in the young to put anything aside for their old age, yet
Labour politicians still claim there is no pensions crisis!
Conservatives have pledged to restore the link between pensions and
earnings increasing the pension for a single person by £7 and a
pensioner couple by £11. We will also create new lifetime savings
accounts which would ensure that individuals' contributions would be
matched by the Government - creating a partnership for saving to
give people confidence in putting money aside for retirement.
Telecommunications working party (TWP) - Branded
a toothless talking shop
Press release: 22nd Oct 2004
Conservative Group Leader Simon Tagg today branded the TWP to be set
up by Newcastle Borough Council a 'toothless talking shop'
This comes after its was revealed that the committee which is due to
hold its first meeting on Nov. 3rd will not be able to review
controversial mobile phone mast application before they go to the
Planning Committee or give any recommendation on whether applications
should be allowed or blocked.
The committee will also have no scope to alter any of the
councils substantive policy in relation to masts.
Cllr Tagg said "After making enquires with the council as to
what the role of the TWP will be, I was disappointed to learn it can do
very little and will not be able to review controversial mast
application before they go to the Planning Committee or give any
recommendation on whether applications should be allowed or not."
"A lot of councillors have put a lot of store by this working party
particularly in the local press in response to residents fears of heath
risks associated with these masts. It now turns out it will be a
'toothless talking shop' because its the Government that drives policy
on this topic"
Cllr Tagg went on to call on councillors, particularly Labour
ones, to lobby Government Ministers for a change of policy on masts.
"I call on Labour councillors to write to the Deputy PM to force a
change of policy in the interests of the public - Conservatives have
already taken steps on mast policy. In August we adopted a 5 point plan
on masts - under this all mobile phone mast developments would require
full planning permission and councils would be allowed to take
precautionary health concerns into account where masts are near homes,
hospitals and schools where current national planning guidance prohibits
this".
Conservative Councillors
press Council to ban roadside car sales scourge
May Bank, Basford and Porthill Conservative
Councillors have pledged to press the Council to banish the scourge of road
side car sales from their area. These cars are parked up by the roadside
mainly at Lower Oxford Road, Upper Marsh, and Porthill Bank and display
eye-catching ‘for sale’ signs in the windows.
May Bank Councillor Ian Matthews said, “This issue was
raised at a recent meeting of the Scrutiny Committee, and following
publicity from the Sentinel, there was a noticeable reduction in the number
of vehicles for sale at the side of the road in May Bank, Basford and Porthill.
However since then cars have gradually crept back.”