pdf format - Sitelines

Your council magazine
January to March 2011

Contents
Contacting
the council
Call into our customer service centres (CSC)
Monday to Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm:
Gosforth CSC and Library, Regent Farm Road, NE3 3HD
Kenton CSC, Hillsview Avenue, NE3 3QJ
Outer West CSC,
Denton Park Shopping Centre, West Denton, NE5 2QZ
East End CSC, Shields Road, Byker, NE6 1DL
Civic Centre CSC, Sandyford Road, NE1 8PU
West End CSC and Library,
Condercum Road, Benwell, NE4 9JH
www.newcastle.gov.uk
Council tax and benefit enquiries 0845 111 4101
24 hour automated payments line 0845 111 4199
Envirocall 0191 274 4000
Repairs Centre for YHN tenants 0191 277 8888
Adult Social Care Direct 0191 278 8377
Switchboard for general enquiries 0191 232 8520
Textphone for people with hearing difficulties
0191 211 4944
Neighbourhood helpline - 24 hours
0300 1000 101
To find out how to contact your local councillor
phone 0191 211 5042 or visit
www.newcastle.gov.uk/councillors
Citylife information
6 Alive after five – Restaurant
Week
8 Wor hoose is your hoose
10 Fairtrade Fortnight
12 Your money
13 Sunderland Software City
14 Tackling the bullies – the
McKellen way
16 Every child matters
18 Bridging
NewcastleGateshead
20 The budget challenge
22 Love your city – don’t drop
litter
23 Love your city - climate
change
28 Newcastle thrives
2 3
6
22
30 Census
32 Healthy Newcastle
34 Everyone’s tomorrow
36 Public meetings
38 Spotlight
There are four issues of Citylife this year.
The next edition is due out at the beginning of April 2011.
If you’ve got any questions or suggestions for Citylife, we want to hear from you.
You can contact us by phoning 0191 211 5073, emailing citylife@newcastle.gov.uk
or by post to Freepost Citylife.
Citylife is distributed to homes and businesses across Newcastle. If you are not getting your copy
please let us know. We sometimes have problems delivering to flats and houses of multiple
occupation because we cannot get access to them. If you live in a flat and would like to talk to us
about your Citylife delivery, please contact us on 0191 211 5073.
If you would like a free copy of Citylife in large print on tape or CD, please call 0191 211 5073.
Or download the podcast at www.newcastle.gov.uk/citylife
Citylife is produced by Newcastle City Council and printed by NCJ Media Ltd.
Design by Paul Burgess Graphic Design. Photos by Steve Brock (unless otherwise credited). Distribution by The National Leaflet Company.
14
Do it
online!
8
34
New council tax payers
can tells us they’ve moved
in online.
Visit our website for
more details at
www.newcastle.gov.uk

News
Milecastle moves
Children at Milecastle Primary School in Chapel House have had a period
of disruption after December’s heavy snow caused severe structural
damage.
The roof of the main hall and three
connecting walls collapsed, putting the
building out of action for between six
and nine months. Thankfully the building
was closed at the time so no-one was
injured. After a week at Walbottle
Campus, the entire school has now moved
to the old Throckley First School on
Coach Road in Throckley. It’s been a
difficult time for parents, children and
teaching staff but we’re working hard to
get Milecastle back into operation as soon
as possible.
News in brief
We’re making a difference
to the elderly and
vulnerable
We’re making a big difference to the
quality of life of elderly and vulnerable
adults across our city. Our standards of
care for adults have been rated as
excellent according to an assessment
report published by the Care Quality
Commission.
In safe hands
Our Director of Finance and Resources,
Paul Woods, has scooped a top finance
award for the second time in a year. He
was named Public Sector Finance
Director of the Year in the 2010
Accountancy Age Award.
Park with us
Visitors to Newcastle’s city centre can now
take advantage of more parking at the
civic centre, as it opens its underground
car park to the public during the evening.
It will provide a further 184 spaces in the
city.
It will open at 6pm, close at 10pm and
will be free of charge.
The car park will continue to be open at
weekends at a charge of £1 per hour
(8am to 6pm) on a Saturday and a £1
fixed charge on a Sunday.
Active 500
As a council, we are committed to
contributing to a successful
Olympic Games in 2012. We’re
developing a series of events to
coincide with the 500-day
countdown to the games which
starts in March 2011.
The city is determined to make the
games something we all feel part
of and remember for generations to come.
Newcastle’s Active 500 campaign intends to capture and
reflect the country’s rising sense of anticipation and
excitement, as the London 2012 games draw nearer. It will
also let people know that Newcastle is going to be one of
the UK’s official Olympic cities during the games, hosting
eight Olympic football games at St James’ Park.
Sports clubs in the city, whose sports will be part of the
games, will be hosting a 500-day themed sports calendar
of events made up of open days, taster sessions and
demonstrations.
For more information go to www.activenewcastle.com
That’s Myplace!
A world class facility for young people in the heart of the city
has been given the go-ahead.
A £4.9m grant from the Department for Education means we can start
work on the Myplace project, which will be in the former Vine Lane
School and the small pool next door in the City Baths on
Northumberland Road.
By working with young people and partners in the voluntary sector,
we’ve drawn up plans for a youth venue with a café inside the
building, called The Link. Young people will be able to meet with
friends, take part in activities such as music, drama, dance and
performances, as well as get important advice on health, relationships
and careers.
Myplace will open at times to suit young people, as well as having its
own mobile bus and being close to public transport. Some partner
organisations who work with young people, such as Streetwise, will be
based in the centre.
Cllr Nick Cott, Executive Member for Children and Young People said,
"This project will provide high quality youth facilities and play an
important role in giving young people a positive place in society,
providing opportunities for personal development.”
Alive after five
success
Newcastle city centre is blazing a trail for a new shopping revolution as late
opening hours and free parking has sparked a boom for the evening economy.
Record numbers of shoppers came into the city centre in November as the ‘Alive after five’
campaign set tills ringing as never before.
The experiment by the council and partners NE1 to offer free parking from 5pm, and for
shops to stay open until 8pm on weekdays and 7pm on Saturdays, has proved a big hit with
the public.
In the first month of Alive after five, an additional 180,000 visitors flooded into the city centre,
supporting the local economy, creating extra jobs and bringing choice and flexibility to the public.
Footfall – the number of people who go into a shop or business – was up by a massive 36%
during the first week of the campaign, dwarfing the national average of 19%.
And free parking in the council’s multi-storeys after 5pm has made more than 2,000 free
spaces available to encourage shoppers to snap up their bargains after work.
The initiative has transformed Newcastle into one of the UK’s most forward thinking and
vibrant city centres, in one of the biggest changes to retail hours since the Sunday trading
was introduced.
MBE for Neil
Congratulations to our housing services
manager Neil Munslow who was awarded
an MBE for services to local government
in this year’s New Year’s Honours list.
New skills for all
Fancy learning a new skill You can study
everything from Asian dressmaking to
jewellery making in the city over the
coming months. The new Newcastle City
Learning brochure contains details of
dozens of others. For more information
phone the team on 0191 298 6960 or
0800 073 0911 or log on to
www.newcastle.gov.uk/lifelonglearning
4 5

What’s happening in Newcastle
Alive after five for Newcastle’s
first Restaurant Week
Did you know
New York’s Restaurant Week started in 1992 by a group of
local restaurateurs and food-industry specialists. It’s evolved
into the single largest dining celebration in the United
States. Today, more than 250 restaurants participate, over
two weeks, twice a year – winter and summer.
Alive after five is ready to raise the city’s spirits. They’re
teaming up with some of Newcastle’s finest restaurants to
launch Newcastle’s first Restaurant Week from 24 to 31
January 2011.
For seven days, the city’s top restaurants will offer diners a gastronomic
experience for only £10. This meal deal is on offer at a whole host of
participating restaurants including Cafe 21, Piccolinos, Black Friars and Vujon in
the city centre. They will be offering two courses for £10, a main course and a
glass of wine, or another combination deal for £10 to entice diners.
The idea for restaurant week came from
discussions NE1 had with some of Newcastle’s
top restaurateurs, on how to encourage more
people into the city and create a buzz
around the North East’s thriving restaurant
scene.
Mark Langan, owner
of Barn Asia
“In lean times it’s great
that good restaurants can
band together to offer the
Newcastle public a great
deal that they really should
take advantage of.”
Jalf Ali, director of the
award-winning Spice
Cube
“Restaurant Week is a
fantastic new development
for Newcastle and has been
successfully proven as a
concept with New York and
London both embracing it
as a regular fixture.“
For more information visit www.getintonewcastle.co.uk
Terry Laybourne, 21 Hospitality Group
As You Like It are also taking part
in the £10 meal deal
Chef and restaurateur Terry Laybourne, of the 21 Hospitality Group, said,
“A celebration of the great food and wines offered by the best of Newcastle’s
restaurants is long overdue.
“Coming early in the new year, the timing is important – giving the industry a
stimulus at a traditionally flat time but also providing people with an excuse to
enjoy themselves following the lull after the festive period and holiday break.”
6 7

What’s happening in Newcastle
Wor hoose is
your hoose
Y’ knaa that canny new library in the toon Whey, th’ wanna hear gadgies from ‘roond heor
taak, like. So if y’ knaa y’ hoos from y’ hinny and y’ stotty from y’ spelk, th’ wanna heor
from ye. Alreet
If you can understand the above then Newcastle City Library and
the British Library want to hear from you so you can be a part of
massive project which looks at local dialects and language.
Evolving English: One Language Many Voices will open at
the City Library on Saturday 19 February at 7pm with a special
evening of local flavour hosted by local author and Viz
founder Simon Donald.
The week long project will invite the whole city to come to
the library and record their favourite Geordie words and
phrases in a special booth which will also take a sample of our
diverse accents.
These words and accents will be collected by the British Library
and will become part of a living time-capsule which will be
Geordie crossword
Complete the crossword to test your knowledge of the
Geordie dialect! All spellings are taken from ‘A Dictionary of
North East Dialect’ by Bill Griffiths published by Northumbria
University Press.
Answers can be found below.
Across
2 Food
3 Don't
4 ________ army
6 The opposite of day
8 Right - 'are ye al____'
9 Term of encouragement -
'________the lads!'
11 The latest news - 'what's
the ________'
14 Not alive
15 Your mother's or father's
mother
Down
1 Term of endearment for
females - 'alreet ______'
2 A flat round loaf
5 A turnip
6 To feel very cold
7 The colour of ale
10 You
12 To know
13 A honey or a sweetheart
‘A Dictionary of North East Dialect’ can be bought from
Tyne Bridge Publishing by phoning 0191 277 4174 or visiting
www.newcastle.gov.uk/tynebridgepublishing
used and studied by future generations.
During the week there are a range of events
including drama, music, story telling and even
scrabble.
Local singer songwriter Johnny Handle and dialect
expert Professor Clive Upton will also be coming
along to talk about language and how we use it.
Tickets for the launch event on Saturday 19
February (over 16s only) are £5 and you can
get them by visiting www.newcastle.gov.uk/
evolvingenglish. You can also fill in an online form
to record your favourite words or you can tweet
them to @ToonLibraries.
Answers: Across – 2 scran, 3 divvent, 4 toon, 6 neet, 8 reet, 9 howay,
11 crack, 14 deed, 15 ganny. Down – 1 pet, 2 stotty, 5 neep, 6
nithered, 7 broon, 10 ye, 12 knaa, 13 hinny.
Prize draw – Tell us
your favourite words
Do you have a favourite local word
We’d love to hear it!
Send us your favourite words and their
definitions to contribute to a visual
representation of their usage across
Tyneside in a ‘word cloud’. This will be
published online and in the next issue of
Citylife. There’s the chance to win a £30
Eldon Square voucher for all those who
take part. Send us your favourite local
words and definitions by phoning
0191 277 4100, emailing
information@newcastle.gov.uk
or by visiting www.newcastle.gov.uk/
evolvingenglish by 5 March.
Examples of Geordie words
Have you heard of these
Cracket – a small stool
Plodge – a paddle in the sea
Labber – to splash about in water
Gansey – a jersey or jumper
Fratchy – irritable
Dobbie – a ghost or spirit
Shoon – shoes
Foisty – musty
Taking a
Liberty
Putting a cross in the box on polling day is something
we all take for granted. But how would you feel if you
weren’t given a say on Election Day Or you were denied
your basic human rights
Taking Liberties in the North East, an
exhibition at Newcastle City Library,
explains the 900 year struggle for
democracy in the United Kingdom. It also
highlights the work of people from the
region who have played an important role
in the fight for our civil liberties.
One of the star-exhibits is the original copy
of the 1832 Representation of the People
Act which has been lent to the city from
the parliamentary archives in London.
Commonly know as the Great Reform Act,
it was proposed by prominent local
politician and Prime Minister, Earl Grey - of
Grey’s Monument and Grey Street fame.
The act, which has only
been outside parliament
once and never outside of
London, became the foundation stone
which led to the introduction of wide
ranging changes to the electoral system of
England and Wales.
Other items on view include a 17th
century copy of Habeas Corpus, a first
edition of Origin of the Species and a
replica of Oliver Cromwell’s death mask.
Taking Liberties is funded by the National
Lottery Heritage Fund and is organised in
partnership with the British Library. The
exhibition runs until Sunday 30 January.
For more information go to www.newcastle.gov.uk/takingliberties
8
9

✃
✃
What’s happening in Newcastle
ScienceFest
ScienceFest is back with a playful and imaginative programme for all ages
spanning six days. Highlights include:
“Show off your label”
Fairtrade Fortnight - Monday 28 February until Sunday 13 March 2011
Discovery Museum and
Centre for Life
Maker Faire
Sat 12 and Sun 13 March
The world famous Maker Faire returns to
Newcastle for one big weekend of robots,
gadgets, creative craft and pedal powered
creations. Don’t miss the fire-breathing
dragon in Times Square and the singing
and dancing Titan robot wowing the
crowds at Discovery Museum. Access all
areas tickets available - £5 adult, £10 family.
Great North Museum
Dino Alive
Sat 12 and Sun 13 March
A combination of live sound, facial
animatronics and extreme puppetry bring a
stegosaurus to life. The dinosaur is
accompanied by a palaeontologist who
presents a natural history show. You’re
encouraged to ‘get tactile’ with the
dinosaur and to have a go at being a
palaeontologist. Performances are free of
charge and ticketed on the day.
ScienceFest competition
We have four sets of family tickets to
give away for Maker Faire on 12 to 13
March.
For a chance to win, tells us which
dinosaur will be appearing at the
Great North Museum
Velociraptor
Triceratops
Stegosaurus
Name .....................................................
Address ..................................................
................................................................
.................................................................
...............................................................
Postcode ................................................
Please send your entries to Freepost
Citylife by 11 February. Please put all
entries and coupons into one envelope.
Newcastle City Library
The Lung Dress
Sat 5 March to Sun 10 April
Designer and artist Helen Storey presents
a brand-new design illustrating the
development of the lungs. The dress is
part of a collection of 11 dresses telling
the story of the first 1,000 hours of life
that will be showcased at other festival
venues. Free.
Sat 12 and Sun 13 March 11am and 2pm
Dr Austin and Sparks in Space!
A brand new space puppet show for four
to eight year olds. Famous scientist,
Professor Sparks unveils the world’s first
warp-powered star ship, the Ice Cream,
and sets off on a trip around the Solar
System. Get your free ticket from the
library.
The Lit and Phil
Science of Sleep
Mon 14 March 1 to 2pm. Free.
Dr David Lee will introduce some of the
basics of sleep and dreaming, describing
the popular theories of why we sleep and
the common dreaming experiences.
Other Worlds –
The Search for
Earth-Life Planets
Wed 16 March 1
to 2pm. Free.
Are we alone Recent
advances in science and technology have
brought us to the threshold of finding an
answer to this question.
Eureka Moments in the History of
Modern Science
Thurs 17 March 1 to 2pm. Free.
Award-winning poet and short story writer,
Sean O’Brien, takes us to 1879, when
pioneering local physicist, Joseph Swan
(pictured above), unveiled the original lightbulb
– right here in Newcastle’s Lit and Phil.
The full programme of events will be launched during January at
www.NewcastleScienceFest.com
Programmes will also be available from libraries and other public buildings.
Mamouna Keita, Cotton farmer, Mali ©Simon Rawles. Inset: Babubhai Parmer, cotton farmer, India ©Simon Rawles/Marcus Lyon.
The theme for this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight is “Show off your
label”. Thousands of people around the UK will be taking part in
events to show off their support for Fairtrade. See
www.fairtrade.org.uk/fortnight for more information.
Find out how your school, community or voluntary organisation
could get up to £100 to support an event which promotes
Fairtrade throughout Fairtrade Fortnight by calling 0191 211 6117.
Cotton on to Fairtrade
Join us to decorate a piece of bunting as part of a world record
attempt to produce the longest string of hand-designed bunting.
Come to the Grainger Market Fairtrade Festival on Saturday 5 March
between 10am and 4pm to help decorate Newcastle’s contribution.
John Lewis makes a difference
During Fairtrade Fortnight, the John Lewis Partnership runs
their 'Make a difference' campaign which promotes Fairtrade
items and other environmentally responsible products.
Colin Bell, Head Chef at John Lewis, Newcastle says, “We are
very proud of what we do to promote Fairtrade and look
forward to continuing to promote such a good cause.”
Make it your business
If you are a business in Newcastle that would like to support this
worldwide campaign we’d like to congratulate you with a
certificate to “show off” to your employees and customers.
To find out more about Fairtrade in Newcastle, phone
0191 211 6117 or email stella.carmichael@newcastle.gov.uk
Fairtrade competition
For a chance to win a John Lewis Fairtrade hamper, tell us
where you can take part in making the longest string of
hand-designed bunting.
Answer ......................................................................................
Name ..........................................................................................
Address ......................................................................................
....................................................................................................
............................................ Postcode .......................................
Phone .........................................................................................
Send to Freepost Citylife by 11 February.
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11

✃
Your money
Q. My partner and I have struggled for a while with our
credit card payments. The bills which have come in after
Christmas have proved to be too much for us. I saw an advert
for a company which promises to use “little known
government legislation to legally write off up to 70% of your
debt."
I rang the company and they said they can help. But they
asked us to pay several thousand pounds first. Can I trust
them
A. It sounds like the company is offering to set up an
Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) for you.
An IVA is a legally binding agreement between you and your
creditors to pay back your debts in full or part over five years.
IVAs are not free. You have to pay a large fee up front (some
firms allow you to spread the payment of the fee over the
five years). The rules can be complicated. If you own your
home it could count as an asset and you could be at risk of
losing it if you cannot afford to keep up your payments. It is
vital you seek independent advice before going ahead.
Q. My mother is aged 85. She has used her rent money to
pay a large gas bill and has fallen behind with payments. The
landlord has been in contact and mentioned going to court to
obtain a possession order.
Given my mother’s age, will the court order her to leave her
house
A. The District Judge (the person who makes the decision at
court) has wide powers of discretion. They can take into
account your mother’s circumstances and could make an order
for her to stay in the house – as long as she makes payment
of the rent and something towards the arrears.
It’s important that your mother seeks advice. It may be
possible to come to an arrangement with the landlord before
it goes any further.
If it does go to court, then it is important that your mother
makes sure that the forms are filled in correctly and returned
in time.
If your mother’s landlord is a private landlord, she should seek
further advice. Some tenancies can be automatically ended
after a certain amount of time.
Newcastle’s debt advice team provides free
advice and information about the different
options and support available.
Phone us on 0191 277 1711.
The advice line is open from 8.30am until 12 noon and
from 1 to 4.30pm Monday to Friday. We also have a 24
hour answer phone.
Do it online!
You can apply for many council tax discounts or
exemptions by completing an online form.
Visit our website for more details at
www.newcastle.gov.uk
Do you
benefit
Q. I get Incapacity Benefit but I
hear it’s being abolished. I’m
really worried. What’s happening
A. Incapacity Benefit – and Income Support if you get it
because you are unfit for work – will be abolished
eventually. But not until 2014.
Q. That’s a relief! Will I just keep on getting it
A. No - most people will be reassessed between February
2011 and April 2014 to see if they can get Employment
and Support Allowance (ESA). If you pass the assessment
you will be transferred to ESA. You will get the same
amount of money as your old benefit. If you reach
pension age before March 2014 you won’t be reassessed.
Q. What if I don’t pass the assessment
A. Most people who don’t qualify for ESA will have to
sign on for Jobseekers Allowance. Or you can appeal. You
might be able to claim another benefit like Income
Support, for example as a carer or lone parent.
Q. I’ve got lots more questions - where can I find out more
A. You can find lots more information about this, and
other benefit changes on our website
www.newcastle.gov.uk/welfarerights. Or you can phone
0191 277 2627 and speak to a welfare rights adviser.
To find out more about benefits advice, fill in this coupon.
Please send me information
about benefits advice in
Newcastle.
Name ………………….............………....….....………………
Address ........................……………………………..…………
.................................................................................
..................................... Postcode ……....................…..……
Send to Freepost Citylife.
Family food support
inspires software success
A Newcastle entrepreneur has found funding to turn the software he created to help a family member’s
battle with an eating disorder into the UK’s first online diet programme not aimed at slimmers.
From his home in Jesmond, Paul Dayan is
now working full time on preparing
PlanMyFood, an online service helping
people with medical conditions like
diabetes and irregular cholesterol monitor
their diet.
PlanMyFood came about when Paul, who
has worked in software for over 30 years,
designed a computer programme to help a
family member battling an eating disorder
monitor their calorific intake.
“It just occurred to me that all the existing
online diet services were aimed at slimmers.
I’d come up with something completely
new,” he said.
“Nothing out there was aimed at people
who need to manage their diet but aren’t
trying to lose weight. Not just people with
medical conditions, but sports people
following a specific nutrition programme or
parents making sure their children are
eating healthily.”
Paul has been helped by Sunderland
Software City, who support the software
industry in the North East. They gave him
the support and advice to set up his own
business and help getting the funding he
needed to get his idea off the ground.
Bernie Callaghan, from Sunderland
Software City, said, “Sunderland Software
City is all about taking the best software
ideas in the North East and giving the
people behind them the support to turn
those ideas into profit-making products.
“Paul has come up with a unique piece of
software, not to mention one which could
This article is paid for by Sunderland Software City
have a huge impact on the quality of life of
a lot of people, and we’re delighted to have
been able to help him get his business off
the ground.”
More information about Sunderland
Software City is available from
www.sunderlandsoftwarecity.com, or
info@sunderlandsoftwarecity.com and
0845 872 8575.
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13

Every child matters
Tackling the bullies -
the McKellen way
In December, Walker Technology College and Heaton Manor School were visited by
one of the country’s acting legends. Sir Ian McKellen visited the schools to give an
assembly and take questions from some students about homophobic bullying.
Citylife dropped in to listen to the assembly, and to hear questions from Walker Technology College’s anti-bullying forum.
What was it like when you were at school
That was a long, long time ago, and it was such a
different environment. If you were gay, you thought
you were the only gay person in the world because
you’d never met anyone else that was gay. You couldn’t
read about it, or watch anything on telly, and there was
no mention of it at school. So I just got on with my life
and pretended I wasn’t what I was.
And so it goes on, in work and in your social networks,
until you’re out.
So in school, if a student wants to be honest about who
they are, just think what they’ve had to battle through,
before they’ve got to that point where they can
understand themselves. I think the best thing to do is
accept them, which is the absolute reverse of bullying,
isn’t it
What can we do to tackle bullying
Well I think it’s doing what you’re doing as a group.
Saying on behalf of the whole school, we won’t tolerate
bullying of any kind, be it physical, mental, homophobic
or cyber-bullying. I think the best thing to do, like you,
is to get all the students involved, and treat everyone
the same and with respect. And make people feel safe –
you can’t learn or live life if you don’t feel safe.
What was coming ‘out’ like
Well for me it was hard because it was against the law at
the time. And of course, when you come out, you go on
a massive journey - the end is when you don’t mind
anyone in the world knowing that you are gay. The start
is to accept it yourself and be proud to say ‘this is who I
am’. Find a friend to tell. Hopefully you’ll get a good
reception, that’ll give you the confidence to tell others.
And if someone ever came out to you, and gives you that
wonderful compliment of telling you something deep
about their personality that they want to share – give
them a hug and say thank you. Then that person can be
confident enough to tell a brother or sister and
eventually parents, and hopefully get a good reaction.
Sir Ian McKellen’s visit was organised
between Stonewall, and our RESPONSE team.
RESPONSE draws on the experience of team members
from health, education and the police, who want to
respond to bullying in Newcastle schools and
communities, by working together to create a safer
environment.
Visit www.newcastle.gov.uk/response for more information.
What else would you advise about
homophobic bullying
I think I’d say watch your language, what you say can
mean different things to different people. Things like
‘that is so gay’. Or that television programme is so gay –
it’s rubbish’. Just be careful because you might be
standing next to someone, like me, who might think
‘oh, so you think I’m rubbish’, which would lead to
feelings of being worthless, and no-one deserves to feel
that way.
Do you have any regrets
The one thing I regret in my life is that I never said
‘Mum, Dad, I’m gay’ and had the joy of them giving me
a hug and saying, ‘that’s fine’ because I think that’s
what they’d have done. I just didn’t get the chance.
You can find a transcript of the whole
assembly and question and answer session
Walker Technology College’s anti-bullying
forum had with Sir Ian McKellen on Citylife’s
internet pages.
RESPONSE offers training, support and guidance to:
• all primary, secondary and special schools
• all agencies who provide services for young people
and their families in schools and the community
• all young people's groups and supporting adults
within those groups, and
• young people and families, in partnership with school
staff through the school’s anti-bullying policy.
What to do if your child tells you they’ve
been bullied
• Encourage them to talk about the
problem.
• Reassure them of your support.
• Try and listen calmly and not overreact.
• Contact your child’s school.
• If the bullying takes place outside of
school then talk with the school
about what options there are or
contact the police.
Remind them...
• they have done the right thing in telling
you
• they may be not the only one being
bullied and there may be others in
the class feeling the same way
• they must talk to someone they trust
especially at the time of an incident in
school
• to try and make a list of times, places
and people who may know more
about what has been happening, and
• to avoid trying to stop the bullying
with promises of sweets or money -
this can lead to more bullying for
more rewards for the bully.
14 15

Every child matters
Lessons from Ghost Street
A spooky new film is about to
give teenagers in Newcastle a
supernatural lesson on
road safety.
Want to
adopt
Bringing the world
to your doorstep
Newcastle’s children need you
The film aimed at 12 to 16 year olds, will be
shown around schools in Newcastle to raise
awareness of road safety and encourage teenagers
to use safety advice as part of their everyday lives.
The film follows Tabby, your average seriously
distracted teenager. She lives in a world of mp3
players, gossip and mobile phones until her
distraction costs her dearly. Tabby finds herself
trapped in a deathly-silent street until the ghosts
come out to play.
Each gory character in the film has met their end
on the same street throughout the decades and
each has a lesson to learn from the road.
You can see a sneak peek of Ghost Street
at www.ghoststreet.co.uk
Children and young people
enjoy great services
Services aimed at children and young people in
Newcastle are performing well and have improved
significantly with a large majority of services, settings
and institutions rated as outstanding.
Ofsted’s Children’s Services Assessment also says that an
unannounced inspection of front-line child protection services
found much that was strong and no areas for priority action.
The report praises the council’s special schools and
improvements in the city’s children’s homes. There has also
been a steady reduction in the number of 16 to18 year olds
not in work, education or training and arrangements for
keeping children and young people safe are good.
Newcastle is looking for
families for children of all
ages, children from black
and ethnic minority
backgrounds, children
with complex needs and
sibling groups of children.
We welcome applications
from all sectors of the
community.
To find out more about adopting children in
Newcastle, come along to our information session on
Thursday 3 February 2011 at 7pm, at The Register
Office, Civic Centre, Newcastle.
Or you can phone us on 0191 211 6777 or
email adoption@newcastle.gov.uk
If you’ve got a spare room, you might want to rent it
to an International House overseas student and get a
bit of cash too.
Sharron has two students living with her family – Javi, 24 from
Spain and Rio, 19 from Japan.
“I would say that if you’ve got a room free and you’re a warm
and open person, you’d probably enjoy bringing a student into
your home. I know that my teenagers have benefited from
contact with people from all over the world.”
“There’s a lot of support from International House,” Sharron
tells us. “If you or the student have any problems, after the
initial settling-in period, they can give you advice or either of
you can choose to end the arrangement.”
She advises anyone taking in a student to make sure you’ve
thought about what your house rules are and let the students
know straight away.
“For example,” she says, “My one hard and fast rule is that
dinner is at 6.30pm.”
You don’t have to be a phenomenal cook either. “To them,” she
tells us, “your average, everyday food, like fish and chips or
chicken pie are exotic and unusual.”
And what’s the one thing a host really needs
“The internet, so that they can use a programme like Skype to
contact their family.”
International House pays hosts from £90 per week to take
in one or more of their students. To find out more, phone
0191 232 9551.
16 17

Your Newcastle
Expanding the Backing
Byker team
After the success of the Byker champions, three new
people are set to support community development
workers in Byker, who are currently working with the
local community in the run up to the ballot for the
proposed community trust.
The new people are a welcome addition to the team,
and it is hoped they will bring fresh ideas to the project
when they begin later this month.
Carole Yeoh, a community development worker in Byker,
is looking forward to them starting. She said, ‘It’s really
important that residents know about and get involved in
decisions about Byker, and these additions to the team
will help that happen. Our new recruits are extremely passionate about the area, and
full of enthusiasm to work with residents and help shape the future of the estate.’
Fancy earning extra cash working for yourself
Whether you’ve got a great idea for a
product or service, or simply fancy
working for yourself, then Eureka
Newcastle is definitely for you. This
exciting programme has been developed
especially for people who have little or
no business knowledge or experience.
Meet people who have done it for
themselves, talk to like minded individuals,
generate business ideas and boost your
Easier to get around in
Elswick
Elswick Road is set for a major programme of
improvements.
More than 100 residents shared their views on
traffic issues, telling the council about speeding
cars in the area, the difficulty of crossing Elswick
Road to reach the pool and park, a lack of
parking spaces and also the ugliness of crash
barriers along Elswick Road.
We’ll start work on a series of improvements
including a new road layout, a 20mph speed
restriction, and a new pedestrian crossing in
2011. We’re also developing proposals for a new
car park using part of the site where the
Rainbow workshops used to be.
The plans were drawn up following extensive
consultation with residents, businesses and
organisations. Later phases of the project will
focus on Westmorland Road, between St James’
Boulevard and the John Buddle Work Village.
The scheme will complement other recent work in
the area such as the £1m project to refurbish
Elswick Pool and Park.
skills for self employment. We’re running
events in February and March and some of
the benefits of attending include the
opportunity to develop your skills, access
free business support and increase your
motivation and self-confidence. What’s
more, we’ll cover the cost of your travel to
our venues across Newcastle.
To find out more phone Barrie on 0191
516 4400 or email eureka@rtcnorth.co.uk
The last few houses come
down in Scotswood as
work continues to
prepare the land for the
£300m development
which begins next year.
Bridging
Newcastle
Gateshead
Changes
ahead for
housing
market
renewal
Bridging NewcastleGateshead (BNG) has
been a principle funder for housing
market renewal in Newcastle for the past
seven years. They have been involved in
projects such as Riverside Dene,
Scotswood and Walker Riverside. But, as
part of the Comprehensive Spending
Review, the government has announced
that they are not going to continue to
fund BNG’s programmes from the end of
March 2011.
Despite the cuts, BNG are currently exploring
new avenues to apply for different types of
funding.
BNG is still extremely active as they continue
to talk with registered social landlords and
the private sector, to make sure that the
progress to renew neighbourhoods, which
had experienced long term decline, continues
over the four-year spending review period.
Regeneration initiatives in Scotswood and
Walker will remain a priority for funding over
the coming years.
Sheila Tolley, Interim Director of Bridging
Newcastle Gateshead said, “BNG, residents
and the council remain fully committed to
finishing the housing market renewal
programme. We will seek to increase the
resources coming into the area through
dialogue with central government, and
developing new approaches to fund new
development.”
Bridging NewcastleGateshead (BNG) is working to create great places to live in parts of
Newcastle and Gateshead. Want to know more Visit www.bridgingng.org.uk, email
info@bridging.org.uk or phone 0191 277 2666.
BNG continue to engage with residents across Newcastle
during this challenging time
Pottery Bank Estate improvements
Despite funding cuts, work continues to go on across Newcastle. Not least in
Pottery Bank in Walker, where a £1m investment project is underway.
The first phase of a major property refurbishment scheme has started, which will
see 60 properties improved with innovative external upgrades to the houses.
All work is due to be completed by the end of March 2011 and will set a high
standard for future improvements on the estate.
This article is paid for by Bridging NewcastleGateshead.
18 19

Your council
The budget challenge
The news has been full of headlines about government funding cuts. Local authorities across the country
are experiencing the biggest ever cut backs in the money they receive from central government, as the
country faces the challenge to reduce national debt levels.
Councils provide vitally important services for
local people – from caring for the elderly and
vulnerable adults and young people, to
gritting the roads, clearing litter from the
streets and emptying the bins. To deal with
these cuts, we’re looking at better ways to
deliver those services, in a more efficient way.
We will make sure that we are able to
deliver good quality services, and meet
future challenges, particularly those
around Newcastle’s economic recovery and
the impact this has on jobs, debt, poverty
and health and wellbeing.
A strong economy means that more people
can help themselves and fewer are reliant
on council services. This means that we can
target our resources at those who need
them most.
We’ve joined other local authorities across
the country to challenge the government
on key aspects of these reductions, to
make sure we don’t lose out unfairly. The
government has already listened to some
of our arguments, but overall the drop in
funding for Newcastle works out as £93 for
every person, compared to a national
average figure of around £50 per person.
Taken together with other pressures on
our budget, things like our ageing
population, taxes on the waste that is sent
Impact of government spending reductions on us
The government has announced how much money they will give us in the next
financial year. The table below sets out the impact of this on our ‘spending power’.
to landfill, and rising pension costs – the
council is likely to face a spending
reduction of around £50 million in the
next financial year.
We’ve been preparing for these funding
cuts for some time. We’ve been looking into
the way we do things and made changes,
which has saved the council £48 million over
the last two years. Since the summer, we’ve
been taking it even further with a
fundamental review of all of our services.
So far, we have identified further efficiency
savings of £20 million, and we’re looking at
doing more so we can reach our target of
£50 million and have a balanced budget.
You can see what we’ve been doing to save money so far at
www.newcastle.gov.uk – our £20m proposed efficiency
savings are summarised below:
Chief
Executive’s
Directorate
Identified £3.3m of savings by
making support and
administrative units (back
office services) more efficient.
Teams such as finance, ICT and
customer services have all
been reviewed, and other
central teams will have similar
reviews in the coming months
to identify more savings.
Adult and Culture
Services
Identified £6.9m of savings, and
will focus their resources on
protecting the most vulnerable,
offering more choice and control
and providing preventative
services to help people stay
independent as long as possible.
Savings proposed have come from
Direct Care Services provided by
the council, the way the council
buys services from other providers,
care management, housing and
welfare rights services and changes
to finance and administration.
Your feedback on our
priorities:
In the last issue of Citylife we asked for
your views on the council’s priorities,
particularly around how we can save money
and be more efficient. There were some
interesting ideas and suggestions to help
councillors with budget considerations.
Top priorities were caring for elderly and
vulnerable people, keeping our
communities safe, and waste collection.
Suggestions for saving money included:
• cutting the grass in parks less frequently
• reducing the frequency of road sweeping
• higher fines for environmental offences
• collecting waste fortnightly not weekly
• increasing parking charges, and
• cutting red tape and bureaucracy at the
centre of the organisation.
We have considered these suggestions and
included some within our savings proposals
for next year.
Environment and
Regeneration
Identified £5.6m of savings, and
will focus on how to continue to
keep Newcastle clean and green,
in the most efficient way. Savings
identified so far has come from
reviewing the way we provide
ground maintenance, catering,
horticulture, transport, parks and
leisure and carbon reduction
activity.
Children’s
Services
Identified £4.0m of savings
so far, and will target their
resources at keeping
children safe from harm and
making sure they get the
best possible start in life.
Saving proposals have
looked at access, transport,
residential placements,
fostering and adoption, and
funding for children most in
need.
How can you have your say
It is really important that local people have their say about the council’s
budget. This helps councillors to make fully informed decisions which take
into account the views of the wider community. The budget reductions set
out, mean it’s more important than ever for residents to make their voices
heard.
You’ll be able to see our draft budget on our website www.newcastle.gov.uk from
27 January. You can send us your comments through the website or write to us at Freepost
Citylife.
20 21

Our Newcastle
We’re all in
this together
We’ve all done it. The odd crisp packet or food
wrapper – caught in the wind and out of our hand
before we knew it. Never mind, you’re in a hurry,
‘someone’ else will pick it up.
That ‘someone’ is very likely to
be us. You could argue that
because you pay your council
tax, that ‘someone’ else should
deal with your mess. That’s
what it’s for – isn’t it
Well, it’s not really. Every year
we spend a fortune sweeping
litter from our streets, clearing
rubbish dumped in back lanes
and replacing wheelie bins
that people have lost or
damaged. For example:
The cost of
cleaning up
Dog fouling
and fly-tipping £700,000
Chewing gum
and litter £512,000
City centre
hotspots £500,000
Graffiti £340,000
Back lane
rubbish £185,000
Replacing
wheelie bins £175,000
The total cost of clearing up
the city’s mess, not including
emptying litter bins is £6.6m.
This is a staggering sum of
money when you think that
most of it could have been
avoided if people behaved a
bit more responsibly in the
first place.
The government has cut our
budgets. This puts pressure on
services for people who are
old and vulnerable, children
who need protection, housing,
public transport, education
and the amount of money we
have to invest in regenerating
our city.
We can’t carry on spending
this amount of money due to
the thoughtlessness of some,
when other vital front-line
services are at risk.
Many of these problems can
be avoided and the vast
majority of us are good
citizens at heart.
As we grapple with spending
cuts, simply being a good
citizen can help protect those
frontline council services which
many vulnerable people rely
on.
22 23

✃
Our Newcastle
Make your pledge
It’s not too late to make a difference.
For the second year running Newcastle was named the
greenest city in the UK, for our work to reduce the impact we
have on the environment, through things like recycling waste,
and what we are doing to tackle climate change and cut CO2.
CO2. Who
We have made a commitment to cut carbon
emissions in Newcastle. But what is carbon
and how does it affect us
Carbon dioxide, also known as CO2, is a colourless,
odourless gas. It is sent out into the atmosphere
whenever we burn coal which is used to make electricity.
Oil, gas, petrol and diesel also produce CO2.
CO2 is building up in our atmosphere and adding to the
climate change problem. The whole world needs to cut
CO2 to reduce the effects of climate change such as
severe weather events like flooding and drought.
We are committed to cutting emissions in Newcastle.
Every year Newcastle produces enough CO2 to fill St
James’ Park a whopping 802 times. We are making big
changes so we can reduce this. Our Newcastle
Declaration and Climate Change Strategy sets out how
we will tackle climate change and the action that is
needed to reduce carbon emissions in the city.
For more information on Newcastle’s Climate Change
Strategy and our declaration visit
www.newcastle.gov.uk/climatechange
You can make some small changes that can help the
work we are doing, and help the environment too.
Keep warm, save
money, cut carbon
We support our partner, Newcastle Warm
Zone, to provide free or cut price loft and
cavity wall insulation to the city’s residents,
to help reduce their energy bills. Insulation
could save the average home around £160
each year. It’s one of the best ways to save
energy, money and cut carbon emissions.
To find out more phone Newcastle Warm Zone
on 0191 277 7373.
Some small changes to how we live can
cut our carbon emissions. Just because we
can’t see carbon emissions doesn’t mean
we can’t do anything about it. Simple
changes to our lifestyle can make a huge
difference to our environment.
Drive safe, save
fuel, cut carbon
Reducing CO2 emissions and saving
money while driving is easier than you
think. The secret is to help reduce the
amount of work your engine has to do,
because the harder it works, the more
fuel it burns. This means more CO2
emissions. Driving smarter also reduces
wear and tear on your vehicle.
For eco-driving tips visit our website
www.newcastle.gov.uk/climatechange
So if you would like to help us cut the
city’s carbon emissions, why not sign up to
our campaign and pledge to make a
difference. 20 lucky pledges will be drawn
at random to win an eco-kettle.
I would like to make difference and I pledge to cut CO2 in the city.
I will insulate my home where possible. I would like Newcastle Warm Zone to
contact me.
To cut CO2, I will only fill my kettle with the amount of water I need.
I will drive smarter to help cut CO2 in the city.
Name ………................................................….………….........................……………………
Address ........….……….............................................………....................……………………
…………………….………….....................................................................………..................
………………………...............................................................................……………………..
Email …....................................................................…………………..…………….…………
Please keep me updated with more tips to help save money and cut carbon
emissions.
Send to Freepost Citylife by 11 February.
Save money, save
time, cut carbon
We offer energy monitors to people
who live in Newcastle and these are free
to borrow through our library service.
Energy monitors help to measure how
much energy is used in the home.
You can find out more by visiting our
website www.newcastle.gov.uk/
energymonitors
24 25

✃
✃
Your health
Safe city
Jonathan Edwards, Olympic Gold Medallist Triple Jumper is presenting Active Newcastle with its Inspire mark.
This is awarded to specific projects and events which are:
• genuinely inspired by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games
• well planned and managed
• fully funded from non-commercial sources and with no commercial association
• innovative and inspiring, and
• likely to achieve at least one of our key outcomes. For example, increased participation in
grass roots sports.
Exercise Watermark
In March 2011 Defra will be running a national flooding exercise to find out what
we’ve learned from the Summer 2007 floods and other flood incidents since.
Impulse Fitness
and you for 2011
At Impulse Fitness we know how hard it can be to get started and
make the first move to start exercising. And there’s no point in
anyone telling you it will be easy, because it won’t!
You don’t have to let it take over your life, just fit it in with what you already do.
Set yourself little targets that are easy to reach so you don’t get put off early on.
Ten steps to get you started:
1. Set the date to phone your local gym or fitness centre for information.
2. Phone the facility that you want to go to and get some information.
3. Go through the information and decide what type of exercise you want.
4. Ask what clothing you should wear.
5. Arrange to see a member of staff to talk about what you want.
6. Get a friend to go with you.
7. Tell everyone that you are going to start exercising.
8. Go to your first session.
9. Only do what you can, it’s not a competition.
10. Go home for a lovely shower or bath and you’ll sleep like a log!
Single membership is just £30 per month and joint membership is £25 per
person per month. There are reductions available for people over 60 and
students.
To win one of two free memberships to Impulse Fitness, fill in
your details below and send back to Freepost Citylife or enter
online at www.activenewcastle.co.uk/competition by 11 February.
Name ................................................................................................................
Address ............................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................
............................................................. Postcode ............................................
Email ................................................................................................................
Phone/Mobile number ....................................................................................
Tick this box if you want to get more information about Impulse Leisure
For further information or to find your nearest leisure centre phone
0191 277 1273 or visit www.activenewcastle.co.uk
Exercise Watermark will test the arrangements across England and Wales to respond to all
aspects of severe, wide-area flooding.
Northumbria Local Resilience Forum (LRF) has agreed to take part in Exercise Watermark
by conducting a multi-agency flood scenario based exercise. It will take place in parallel to
the main national event on Monday 7 March 2011. It will be held at Northumbria Police
HQ in Ponteland and will involve participation from the five Tyne and Wear councils and
Northumberland County Council, as well as police and fire service personnel.
Newcastle City Council will also be holding a number of community engagement events
for the public with a flooding and climate change theme during the week of the exercise.
Find out more on our website www.newcastle.gov.uk
Rescues in the Surf
The story of the Tyne Lifeboats by Stephen Landells
Tyne Bridge Publishing, £12.99
www.tynebridgepublishing.co.uk
Rescues in the Surf tells the dramatic story of the invention
and development of the Shields rowing lifeboats. This
generously illustrated book includes an extensive account of
rescues and wrecks from the 1720s to the 1930s.
For a chance to win a copy, tell us which river features in
‘Rescues in the Surf’
The Tees The Tweed The Tyne
Name ............................................................................................................................................
Address .........................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................... Postcode ............................................
Please send to Freepost Citylife by 11 February.
Please remember to put all coupons and entries into the same envelope.
26 27

Your Newcastle
Newcastle thrives!
Two heads are better than one, is the old phrase. So when it comes to
planning how we want the area to develop in years to come, we got
together with Gateshead Council to come up with a plan to make both
sides of the Tyne attractive places to live and do business. It’s called the
One Core Strategy and it’s a 20 year plan.
In some areas where we’re making
major changes, we have area action
plans which are more detailed than
the core strategy, and clearly set
out how we’re going to make
changes to those places, for
example Walker Riverside and
Scotswood Benwell. For the urban
core, Newcastle city centre and
Gateshead town centre we are
working together.
Over the next couple of issues of
Citylife, we will share our emerging
plans with you for developing the
city, and putting in place the
infrastructure to attract new
business and people to the city.
We have four main areas we want
to concentrate on:
• existing and new sustainable
neighbourhoods where people
really want to live
• rural areas and villages to help
them grow and thrive
• existing employment areas such
as Walker Riverside, Newcastle
International Airport and Team
Valley and
• the urban core – as the main
centre of activity that we want
to see thrive.
Science Central
Science Central will provide space in which science
and enterprise can grow and prosper, and will be
based on green principles so that it’s pedestrian
friendly, has low carbon emissions and get its
energy from renewable and efficient fuels. Space
will also be provided for leading edge scientific
and technical organisations together with a wide
range of other city centre uses including housing
and offices. New businesses will be attracted to
set up in collaboration with Newcastle University,
which leads research in various scientific fields.
East Pilgrim Street
East Pilgrim Street will see a major new
shopping space within the heart of the city
centre, which will provide an attractive retail
quarter together with commercial, housing and
leisure uses and new public spaces. The
development will keep the historic character of
the area, reusing listed buildings and bringing
people to live and work in the centre of the city.
What we want for
Newcastle and Gateshead
in the Core Strategy
• Economic growth and prosperity.
• Health and wellbeing.
• Housing and thriving neighbourhoods.
• Great and attractive places.
In this issue, we’re looking at:
The urban core
We believe that the best way to
tackle the economic downturn in
the city centre is by strengthening
business, leisure and shopping, and
making the environment more
attractive. This means offering
businesses a range of spaces they
can use to make their business
grow. It means making public
spaces more accessible and
attractive with areas for people to
meet and relax.
Stephenson
Quarter
Stephenson Quarter is the area behind
the Central Station where Robert
Stephenson had his works. The first
phase includes a four-star-plus hotel,
new offices and a multi-storey car
park, planned to start next year with
completion in 2013. The important
listed buildings on the site will be kept
and reused. The Stephenson Workshop
building will continue to host a wide
range of arts events.
Are we heading in the right
direction with our Core Strategy
and area action plans
Tell us what you think by writing to
Freepost Citylife.
Or talk to us at one of our events:
About both plans:
Thurs 10 February, Eldon Square, (near Boots), 10am to 6pm
About the Urban Core plans:
Tues 15 February, Central Station, 10am to 4pm
Wed 16 February, Newcastle City Library, New Bridge Street,
10am to 4pm
Thurs 17 February, Ouseburn Farm, Lime Street, 10am to 4pm
28 29

Have your say
2011 Census – Be counted!
For information about
the census go to
www.census.gov.uk,
If programmes like ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ have whetted your
appetite to dig up your family tree or look into the foundations of
your family home, most of the reams of information to help you on
your quest will come from the Census.
Since 1801 a population census has
been carried out in the UK every
ten years, except in 1941 when the
country was at war. The next one
will take place on Sunday 27
March 2011.
On Census Day your house along
with around 25 million others will be
asked to complete a questionnaire
either on paper or online. It will
include questions on education,
health, national identity and your
family. You can get help to
complete your questionnaire if
you need it, so don’t worry.
So why should you fill in this
questionnaire Like all local
authorities, we rely on the census
population statistics to get the
government funding we need for
public services such as schools, roads
and social services. How much we
get is directly related to how many
people live in our area. So it’s
important that everyone takes part.
Even businesses use census data to
decide where to locate or expand
their premises to reflect local
demand and the available
workforce.
The answers you give will be
turned into anonymous statistics.
Personal census information is
never shared with any other
government department
nationally, regionally or locally
and is kept confidential and
protected by law.
or if you are
interested in jobs with
the census go to
www.censusjobs.co.uk
Have your say about
customer services
We’ve set up community focus groups
to ask residents about their experiences
of contacting the council by phone or
face to face.
The groups have already influenced some
changes, such as the recorded messages
you get when you phone Envirocall, and
the introduction of an answerphone
facility to allow us to call you back when
lines are busy.
We want to find new people to join the
community focus groups. We meet at the
civic centre two or three times a year and,
in between meetings, you’ll get a
newsletter keeping you up to date with
our news. Some of the other topics we
have covered include welfare rights,
Citylife magazine and parking services.
Competition winners
Candlelit Christmas concert: Mr David
Whittacker, NE3 1ED; Simon Stevens, NE4
5RH; Mrs M Atkinson, NE3 2AQ; Mrs G
Henderson, NE5 1SP; Jane Henderson, NE15
7QS; Mrs KN Brogan, NE15 7SF; Jayne
Walsh, NE3 3DL; Mrs Hazel Kerr, NE5 1JG.
Christmas party at the Discovery Museum or
GNM: Hancock: Linda Lillico, NE4 5RE and
Miss Elaine Orrick, NE6 5.
Have your say about
online services too
We also need to find people who are
interested in the online services we offer,
the council’s website and our use of social
media. We want to set up a ‘virtual’ focus
group to help us develop e-services. We’ll
ask for your views by email three times a
year and keep you updated with a
newsletter in between these
consultations.
If you want to find out more about
the community or virtual focus groups
please contact Alison Dyson by email
alison.dyson@newcastle.gov.uk or
phone 0191 277 7590.
Do it online!
Existing council tax payers can
tell us about a change of
address, a change of name or
other details online.
Visit our website for more
details at
www.newcastle.gov.uk
Enjoy an exclusive free night
out at Newcastle Dogs!
Saturday 5 February
Free for every Citylife reader! If you’ve
never experienced the electric atmosphere
of live greyhound racing, don’t miss out on
this opportunity.
If you’re over 18 call 0191 210 2300 and
quote ‘Citylife’ to get your free tickets.
On the night, you’ll get
• free admission • a free drink
• a snack supper
30 31

Healthy Newcastle
32
Get your flu jab if you are
in an at-risk group or you
are expecting
Local doctors are reminding people who are at
risk from flu to get vaccinated and protect
themselves against both seasonal and swine flu.
People aged 65 and over, anyone aged six months or over
with a long term health problem or a weakened immune
system, and expectant mums who have not
previously been protected from swine flu
need to get the vaccine as a matter of
urgency. Flu can cause these people serious
complications, often resulting in a stay in
hospital and in the worst cases death.
Dr Mike Guy, medical director for NHS
North of Tyne, working on behalf of
Newcastle PCT, said, “For most people,
seasonal flu is not life threatening.
However, it can be far more dangerous for
those in at-risk groups, such as the elderly,
pregnant women and patients with heart
problems, diabetes or lung, liver or renal
diseases, or to those who have weak
immune systems who are at risk of
developing complications."
If you are not sure whether you are
eligible for a flu vaccination please
check on the NHS choices website www.nhs.uk
People urged to have a
sexual health screen
People who may be at risk from unprotected sex
are being urged to have a sexual health screen.
This is a quick, confidential and free test – available at a
range of sexual health centres that exist across Newcastle,
North Tyneside and Northumberland. It covers HIV,
chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhea.
For an HIV test you can ask your GP, or attend one of the
sexual health centres. If a test shows you are HIV positive
there are now very good treatments that can halt the
progression of the virus, strengthen your immune system
and help you to live a full life. Without the treatment, the
virus can damage your immune system, resulting in the
development of AIDs.
Support
every
step of
the way
If your New Year’s resolution
is to quit smoking the local
NHS stop smoking service will
be there to support you every
step of the way.
You are four times more likely to
stop smoking with NHS support and
you can drop in at any sessions - no
appointment needed - to get
friendly, helpful support and
medical products to help with
cravings.
Every time you smoke you do
damage to your body. Over time the
effects of smoking on your body can
lead to serious health problems
including cancer and heart disease.
Smoking during pregnancy has
severe consequences on the unborn
child and often results in low birth
weight, premature delivery, and
reduced lung development for the
child. It increases the risk of
respiratory disorders during early
and teenage years.
If you live in Newcastle, call the
NHS Stop Smoking Service on 0300
123 9290 or drop into one of the
many local sessions – contact the
service for more details.
These articles are paid for by Newcastle Primary
Care Trust www.newcastle-pct.nhs.uk
33

Everyone’s tomorrow
Art is ‘better than a pill’
A stunning exhibition of art work produced by older people in the city
was launched at the Civic Centre in November.
Local artist, Christopher Robinson,
worked with staff and older people
in a variety of settings – day centres,
residential care homes and in the
community - to create a series of
paintings and collages that reflect
the vitality and imagination of the
individuals who created them.
The art also extended to the
musical variety – as guests at the
exhibition, called ‘Better than a
pill’, were greeted by ukulele
players. The name of the event
points to recent research in the US,
which suggests that active
participation in the arts reduces the
risk factors that lead to the need
for long-term care, and improves
the quality of life for those in care.
Professor Tom Kirkwood, Director
of the Institute for Ageing and
Health, was asked to be a guest
speaker to reinforce this message.
Working demonstrations on the
day were given by Chris and
Annette Poulson, which meant that
the event was very ‘hands-on’,
rather than just an exhibition.
‘Better than a pill’ will transfer to
the City Library from Thursday 3
February to Wednesday 16
February. All are welcome to view
the artwork, discover how to get
involved, and also find out how to
buy pieces that you love, or
commission something unique!
Our friends
electric
When Mrs Reid sent a letter to
Citylife about getting her electric
blanket serviced, she didn’t expect to
find Allan Winthrop on her doorstep.
Allan works for our Trading Standards
team. He had let us know that they
were collecting electric blankets from
residents around the city, who had
dropped them into their local
customer service centre. They then
had them tested for safety at the
Metrology Laboratory in Gateshead
and either returned them or gave
back a replacement blanket.
We knew that Mrs Reid probably
wouldn’t be able to reach the event in
time, so we contacted Trading Standards
and asked if someone could visit her. So
she got a visit from Allan and he
brought back her 10 year old electric
blanket, serviced and ready to keep her
warm for many more nights to come.
If you need your electric blanket
serviced, contact an electrical
engineer. You can find one with
Newcastle Trades Register on
0191 495 6178.
Every household should have a working smoke alarm
In the last edition of Citylife, we
pictured an older gentleman checking
a smoke alarm which was fixed on a
wall. A smoke alarm should always be
fitted onto the ceiling.
Watch Manager, Karen Soady, from
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue
Service said, “There is no doubt that a
working smoke alarm can mean the
difference between life and death.
“Please check that your elderly
family members and friends have a
working smoke alarm and help them
to test it weekly.”
If you or someone
you know is over 60
and would like a free
home safety check,
call freephone 0800
032 7777 or visit
www.twfire.gov.uk
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35

Public meetings
Byker
Phone Caroline Collinson on
0191 277 3564
15 March 2011 at 6.30pm
Kenton
Phone Rob Gillie 0191 277 3569
16 March 2011 at 6.30pm
Walker
Phone Debra Lagun on
0191 277 3625
16 February 2011 at 5.30pm
18 January to 31 March 2011
All meetings listed below are open to the public. Times were correct at time of going to press, but please check in case of any
changes. Unless we’ve said otherwise, all meetings, except ward committees, will take place in a committee room in the Civic Centre.
City Council
Phone Frances Marshall on 0191 211 5184
2 February 2011 at 6pm
2 March 2011 at 6pm
Executive
Phone Linda Couch on 0191 211 5121
26 January 2011 at 4pm
21 February 2011 at 4pm
(Budget Special Meeting)
9 March 2011 at 4pm
Development Control Committee
Phone Judith Curran on 0191 211 5183
21 January 2011 at 9.30am
11 February 2011 at 9.30am
4 March 2011 at 9.30am
25 March 2011 at 9.30am
Neighbourhood Committee
Phone Rob Smithson on 0191 211 5166
7 March 2011 at 4.30pm
Housing, Planning and Transport
Committee
Phone Rob Smithson on 0191 211 5166
27 January 2011 at 3pm
24 March 2011 at 3pm
Overview and Scrutiny
panels
The meetings of Overview and Scrutiny
Panels are subject to confirmation. Please
contact the relevant officer to confirm
meeting details.
Overview and Scrutiny Board
Phone June Hunter on 0191 211 6677
23 March 2011 at 5.30pm
Policy Performance and Budget
Phone June Hunter on 0191 211 6677
3 February 2011 at 3pm
15 February 2011 at 3pm
15 March 2011 at 3pm
Economy
Phone Susan Forster on 0191 277 7525
21 February 2011 at 4pm
21 March 2011 at 4pm
Health and Wellbeing
Phone Steve Flanagan on
0191 277 7522
3 February 2011 at 4.30pm
3 March 2011 at 4.30pm
Environment
Phone Adam Taeger on
0191 277 7523
25 January 2011 at 5.20pm (likely to be
re-arranged to fit in with Budget process)
22 February 2011 at 5.20pm
22 March 2011 at 5.20pm
26 April 2011 at 5.20pm
Quality Places
Phone Susan Forster on 0191 277 7525
14 February 2011 at 1pm
14 March 2011 at 1pm
NHS Changes
Phone Paul Staines on 0191 277 7524
24 February 2011 at 9.30am
Communities
Phone Paul Staines on 0191 277 7524
21 February 2011 at 1pm
21 March 2011 at 1pm
Children and Young People
Phone Steve Flanagan on 0191 277 7522
20 January 2011 at 4.15pm
17 February 2011 at 4.15pm
17 March 2011 at 4.15pm
Ward committees
If no venue given, please phone the
telephone number listed.
Benwell and Scotswood
Phone Paul McKinnell on
0191 277 3628
February and March meetings to be
confirmed
Blakelaw
Phone Ann Gilks on 0191 277 3571
27 January 2011 at 7pm
24 February 2011 at 7pm
24 March 2011 at 7pm
Castle
Phone Sue Wannop on 0191 277 3536
20 January 2011 at 7pm
St. John’s Church, Kingston Park
17 March 2011 at 7pm
Brunswick Park Centre
Dene
Phone Susan Johnson on 0191 277 3496
24 January 2011 at 7pm
14 March 2011 at 7pm
Denton
Phone Christine Earl on 0191 277 7082
West Denton Association,
Hillhead Road
3 March 2011 at 6pm
West Denton Association,
Hillhead Road
East Gosforth
Phone Victoria Powell on 0191 277 3598
St. Nicholas Church Hall Annexe,
Wardle Street, off Station Road, NE3 1AN
14 March 2011 at 7pm
St. Nicholas Church Hall Annexe,
Wardle Street, off Station Road, NE3 1AN
Elswick
Phone Dorothy Procter on 0191 277 3640
Newcastle Central Mosque,
Margaret Street, Elswick
14 March 2011 at 6.30pm
Fawdon
Phone Rob Gillie 0191 277 3569
25 January 2011 at 1.30pm
22 March 2011 at 6pm
Fenham
Phone Paul McKinnell on 0191 277 3628
20 January 2011 at 10am
17 March 2011 at 7pm
Lemington
Phone Chris Mason 0191 277 3527
27 January 2011 at 6.45pm
Lemington Resource Centre
24 March 2011 at 6.45pm
Lemington Resource Centre
Newburn
Phone Chris Mason 0191 277 3527
16 March 2011 at 6.45pm
North Heaton
Phone Debra Lagun on 0191 277 3625
1 March 2011 at 7pm
North Jesmond
Phone Susan Johnson on 0191 277 3496
9 March 2011 at 6.30pm
St. Hilda’s Church, Thornleigh Road,
Jesmond
Ouseburn
Phone Cass Winlow on 0191 277 3554
26 January 2011 at 6.30pm
23 March 2011 at 6.30pm
Parklands
Phone Amy Stillwell on 0191 277 3612
28 January 2011 at 2.30pm
31 March 2011 at 7pm
South Heaton
Phone Caroline Collinson on
0191 277 3564
26 January 2011 at 6.30pm
9 March 2011 at 6.30pm
South Jesmond
Phone Elizabeth Grace on 0191 277 3518
8 March 2011 at 6.30pm
Walkergate
Phone Susan Johnson on
0191 277 3496
8 March 2011 at 7pm
Westerhope
Phone Christine Earl on
0191 277 3496
20 January 2011 at 6pm
Westgate
Phone Elizabeth Grace on
0191 277 3518
24 January 2011 at 7pm
28 February 2011 at 7pm
28 March 2011 at 7pm
West Gosforth
Phone Victoria Powell on
0191 277 3598
16 March 2011 at 6.30pm
Gosforth Customer Services Centre and
Library, Regent Farm Road, Gosforth
Wingrove
Phone Dorothy Procter on
0191 277 3640
15 February 2011 at 7.15pm
Robert Stewart Memorial United Reform
Church, Wingrove Road, NE4 9BU
15 March 2011 at 7.15pm
Nunsmoor Centre, Studley Terrace, NE4 5AH
Woolsington
Phone Ann Gilks on
0191 277 3571
9 March 2011 at 7pm
Feedback on the
new statement of
licensing policy
Last year we asked you what you thought about a new statement
of licensing policy about how we will deal with alcohol and
entertainment licensing in the city up to 2014. And you told us:
Your area
• 68% of people who replied felt that there were
enough pubs, 16% felt there were too many
and 16% felt that there were not enough.
• 59% of them felt there were enough
restaurants, 12% too many and 29% not
enough.
• 63% felt there were enough off-licences, 26%
too many and 11% felt there weren’t enough.
City centre
• 50% of people felt that there were enough
pubs in the city centre, 46% felt there were
too many and 4% that there were not enough.
• 65% felt there were enough restaurants,
19% too many and 16% said not enough.
• 68% said there were enough off-licences,
24% said there were too many and 8% said
they wanted more.
The 24 hour question
• 91% said they didn’t think their local pub, club or restaurant should be
allowed to stay open up to 24 hours day, but 9% felt this could be
deregulated.
• Noise was the most common reason for people to say no (31%), followed
by crime and antisocial behaviour (24%). Some were also concerned about
conflict with residential use (13%) and drinking levels (8%).
Thanks to those of you who completed the questionnaire. Your views
will help us to make future decisions about licensing in Newcastle.
36
37

✃
Spotlight
Humphrey and PM Jim Hacker will
be making a visit to the Theatre
Royal from Tuesday 22 until
Saturday 26 February in an up to
date stage version of the classic
BBC sit-com Yes Prime Minister.
Starring Simon Williams and
Richard McCabe. 0844 811 2121.
£9.50 to £31.
Theatre
The Journal Tyne Theatre
0844 493 9999
www.thejournaltynetheatre.co.uk
Including Andy Parson – Gruntled,
Ken Dodd, Punt and Dennis, Flawless
and the English Youth Ballet presents
Coppelia.
Live Theatre
Broad Chare 0191 232 1232
www.live.org.uk
Sat 18 to Sat 22 January at 8pm
Sawdust and Stardust
by Laura Lindow and Beccy Owen
£8 (£6)
Wed 9 February to Sat 19 March
Faith and Cold Reading
Starring Stephen Tompkinson, directed
by Jonathan Moore and written by
Shaun Prendergast.
£10 to £18.
People’s Theatre
Stephenson Road
0191 265 5020
www.ptag.org.uk
Tues 15 to Sat 19 February
The Beauty Queen of Leenane
Tues 22 to Sat 26 March
A Midsummer Nights Dream
All shows start at 7.30pm
£10.50 (£8.50).
Theatre Royal
08448 112 121
www.theatreroyal.co.uk
Shows include G*Mania – Inspired by
the TV phenomenon Glee, Matthew
Bourne’s Cinderella, Yes Prime Minister
and Blood Brothers.
Other events
The Sponsor’s Room
Northern Stage
Tues 22 February at 5.30pm
The Sustainable Community Building:
Refurbishment versus New Build
Run by The Glass-House Community
Led Design and Northern Architecture,
a free public event looking at the
sustainability of community buildings.
Free but you need to book through
www.northernarchitecture.com
Singer songwriter Eliza Doolittle will
take to the stage on Tuesday 29 March at
7pm at the O2 Academy. Flying high off
her debut album, which went gold within
four weeks, she’s preparing for her UK
tour this year. 0844 477 2000. £12.50.
BlueGiro competition
Exhibitions
Discovery Museum
Blandford Square 0191 232 6789
(Textphone 18001 0191 232 6789)
www.twmuseums.org.uk/discovery
Mon to Sat 10am to 5pm, Sun 2 to 5pm
From Sat 12 February Siege and Storm Oliver
Cromwell's death mask will feature as a key
object in this new exhibition, which tells the
story of Newcastle and the North East during
the English Civil War of the 17th Century. Free.
Music
City Hall
Northumberland Road 0191 261 2606
www.newcastlecityhall.org
Shows this January to March include
Alexandra Burke, The Saturdays, James Blunt,
Stephen K Amos and The Wanted.
The Cluny
Ouseburn 0191 230 4474
www.thecluny.com
Tues 15 February at 8pm
Frankie and the Heartstrings with support
£7.50
Sun 6 March at 8pm
Admiral Fallow £7
Wed 3 March at 8pm
Keith James in Concert: The Songs of Leonard
Cohen £12.50.
Metro Radio Arena
0844 493 6666
www.metroradioarena.co.uk
Shows include John Bishop Live, Russell
Howard, Roxy Music, Justin Bieber, Elbow
and The X Factor Live.
Bieber Fever reaches Newcastle
as the teen singing sensation
Justin Bieber visits the Metro
Radio Arena on Saturday 12
March. It’s the first time the
platinum selling star has
toured the UK. For tickets and
information phone 0844 493
6666. £29.50 and £35.
O2 Academy
Westgate Road 0844 477 2000
www.o2academynewcastle.co.uk
Acts include Ocean Colour Scene, Imelda May,
Roll Deep, KT Tunstall, Example,
The Wombats and Eliza Doolittle.
Let us know
Post Freepost Citylife
Fax 0191 211 4888
Email
charlotte.sly@newcastle.gov.uk
Deadline for the April to June
edition is Friday 18 March.
Breathtaking dance act Flawless will be coming to the Journal
Tyne Theatre on Thursday 10 and Friday 11 February. Their first
ever live show, Chase the Dream, fuses the stunning street
dance for which they have become famous with contemporary
jazz and ballet. 0844 493 9999. £20.
Citylife readers have the chance to win a pair of tickets
to see Open Clasp Theatre Company's new show,
BlueGiro at the Live Theatre, Newcastle in March.
BlueGiro not only gives audiences a great night out and a
lot of laughs but also shines a light on a very serious issue
- sexual violence. Shows start at 7.30pm on 24, 25 and 26
March (25 March performance includes BSL
interpretation.) To book call 0191 232 1232 or visit
www.live.org.uk. Not recommended for under 13s.
Please visit www.openclasp.org.uk for information on
further performances.
BlueGiro competition
For a chance to win tell us, where the Open Clasp
Theatre Company will be performing:
The Theatre Royal
The Live Theatre
The Tyne Theatre and Opera House
Name ..............................................................................
Address ...........................................................................
.........................................................................................
.................................... Postcode ....................................
Please send to Freepost Citylife by 11 February.
Please remember to put all coupons and entries
into the same envelope.
University Gallery and Baring Wing
Northumbria University 0191 227 4424
www.northumbria.ac.uk/universitygallery
Mon to Thurs 10am to 5pm, Fri and Sat 10am
to 4pm, closed Sundays
Until Fri 18 February From Sickert to Scully:
An Overview of a Collection
Chris Moore Cartwalking. Free.
Tues 18 January to Thurs 24 February
Chris Steele-Perkins: Northern Exposures
In partnership with University Gallery, this
exhibition is at Galleries Inc, Third Floor,
Central Square North.
Tues to Thurs 12 to 5pm. Free.
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