Who are your Jesmond candidates? (Part 2)
What are the biggest challenges facing Jesmond — and how would those hoping to represent the area tackle them?
As part of our coverage of the upcoming Newcastle City Council elections, JesmondLocal has put the same set of questions to all 13 candidates standing in the new Jesmond ward, covering everything from congestion and housing to community relations and getting around the area.
We’re publishing their responses in batches. In this second instalment, we hear from Ludovico Rella, Janet Stansfield and Peter Allen.
Ludovico Rella, Green
1. Who are you and what are your interests and hobbies outside of politics?
I’m an Assistant Professor at Durham University, focusing on the societal impact of AI. Since 2022, I joined the Ouseburn Folk Choir and learned more and more about folk music of the British Isles. I also recently took up photography and in my free time (and with good weather) I like taking picture of nature in the North East and beyond. I try to learn languages (Mandarin and German) to little avail.
2. What do you love most about Jesmond?
I love Jesmond’s green spaces, surrounded by the Town Moors, the Dene and Armstrong Park. I also like how well connected it is to the rest of the city, being well served by two Metro stops going directly to both the Station and the Airport. Jesmond is also a vibrant community, and the bustling schedule of activities at Jesmond library is just one example of it: I participate in the Majority reading groups there.
3. Where is your favourite place in Jesmond?
On a sunny Saturday, there’s little that beats a walk through the Jesmond market on Armstrong bridge, grabbing lunch and coffee, and then strolling through the Dene and Pet Corner.
4. What is Jesmond’s most pressing need?
Taking care of Jesmond’s green spaces is the most pressing need. Not only does rubbish ruin the appearance of Jesmond’s parks, but it also causes issues such as rats. Another issue for Jesmond is affordability. Jesmond is ideal for young people to move and raise a family, but it is just unaffordable for first time buyers. The UK will enter net-negative demographic territory between 2026 and 2027 according to the ONS, and affordable housing in good neighbourhoods is fundamental to revert this.
5. How would you improve relations between Jesmond’s permanent resident and student populations?
I worked on this issue for a long time in Florence (Italy), which has very similar dynamics to Jesmond. Incentivising landlords to sign longer tenancies and taking better care of their properties would really help in building a sense of belonging and make students care for their street and community. Joint events, such as festivals and debates on topics that interest both residents and students, would also build common ground.
6. What would you do to make it easier to get around Jesmond?
Increase bike routes to improve multimodality of transport: the green spaces surrounding Jesmond can be turned into natural traffic-free bike highways connecting the two metro stops to Heaton, Fenham and the City Centre to Jesmond without either increasing or abruptly obstructing existing traffic, and gradually and gently reducing reliance on cars.
7. Any final thoughts?
Thank you so much for your work and for inviting me to submit these answers.
Janet Stansfield, Reform
1. Who are you and what are your interests and hobbies outside of politics?
I’m a small business owner, and my interests and hobbies include gardening, dogs and crafting.
2. What do you love most about Jesmond?
It’s ethereal with fabulous period properties, steeped in history. Superb Jesmond Dene Park bequeathed to the workers of Newcastle by Lord Armstrong. Wide streets and easy access to the city centre and throughout the region. An eclectic array of independent shops, restaurants and cafes. A community spirit with Jesmond Pool (which was saved by residents) and Jesmond Library which is run by relentless caring volunteers.
3. Where is your favourite place in Jesmond?
Jesmond Dene, the green lung of Newcastle, which is adorned with a fabulous collection of trees, shrubs and plants. And the Ouseburn which runs from a tributary in Ponteland all the way to the quayside. However, the water quality of the Ouseburn does need attention. Plus soil erosion in the Dene also needs attention.
4. What is Jesmond’s most pressing need?
An excess of rubbish in the back lanes, the proliferation of graffiti on private buildings, walls, gates, public pay phones (the ones left). My family moved to Jesmond in 1976, and over recent years, I have seen a significant decline in the aesthetic of the area. Rubbish is strewn from revellers and students and landlords dumping their excessive waste on the back lanes, thinking that it will just disappear. It does not. I have dealt with this issue on a daily basis living on Fairfield Road.
5. How would you improve relations between Jesmond’s permanent resident and student populations?
To mitigate the continuous dumping of excess rubbish in the back lanes, I would identify all student landlords and issue fines for not only the student householders but also the landlords jointly. Neither pay council tax. That would soon encourage them to consider their waste and dispose of any excess at the tip. Plus I would increase the council fly tipping l collections, plus ensure broken bins were replaced to include waste and recycling.
6. What would you do to make it easier to get around Jesmond?
Removal of electric scooters that are dumped on pavements, some in local residents gardens, verges, in the side of the road. These are a hazard not only to elderly residents, but also mums with prams and any person of disability. Ensuring the continuation of the Q3 bus remains in place. Plus NO to any future LTNs whatsoever, as that was a complete financial and logistical failure by Newcastle County Council.
7. Any final thoughts?
Jesmond needs stricter enforcement of waste excess, the provision of more general waste bins, removal of graffiti, the curtailment of anti social behaviour especially the bars on Osborne road, by fining establishments which allow excessive drinking and overflowing onto the road. Sadly, transient populations can impact long term residents enjoyment, so initiatives need to enforced to alleviate some of the existing problems to ensure a more harmonious existence between the two.
Peter Allen, Liberal Democrats
1. Who are you and what are your interests and hobbies outside of politics?
Following Newcastle United, attending matches when we can get tickets.
2. What do you love most about Jesmond?
The vibrancy of the area along with its history – particularly the links to William Armstrong.
3. Where is your favourite place in Jesmond?
I would have to say Jesmond Dene – but my dog, Marley, much prefers 1901, or the Lonsdale at a push.
4. What is Jesmond’s most pressing need?
The biggest issue is how congested the area can feel. A lot of larger and larger properties, a lot of cars, a lot of bins in the back lanes. This has led to significant pressure on residents and council services. It’s key to relieve that pressure by encouraging smaller groups and fewer cars.
5. How would you improve relations between Jesmond’s permanent resident and student populations?
First and foremost, by ensuring students are more involved in community life in the neighbourhood. There are so many wonderful, small groups and associations here that we think most students would really enjoy being a part of. Giving them a better sense of belonging will also mean some students are going to be less likely to be messy and inconsiderate. It then helps facilitate the dialogue between town and gown which can be quite fractious.
6. What would you do to make it easier to get around Jesmond?
One of the things that my colleagues and I have really been pushing for is more joined up thinking. If cycle and foot networks are better joined up, then it’ll be easier to get around Jesmond. We also need to improve public transport, Metro reliability is a perennial issue and it’s deeply frustrating to get onto the platform the station to see that there is a gap in service or delay. The Q3 is broadly excellent, but the cost is prohibitive so we need to implement a price reduction too.
7. Any final thoughts?
All these issues really require people to look under the bonnet rather than painting over them. We’ve spent almost two years analysing the problems and this has yielded big results. We’ve changed the HMO licensing rules, because of issues around those. We’ve unlocked £20 million for the council by looking at the numbers. We’ve implemented new parking zones because they were causing problems. We’ve done our homework and brought in solutions, which is something we’d love to carry on doing.
Here, in alphabetical order, is the list of all 13 candidates standing for election in Jesmond:
Allen, Peter John – Lib Dem
Browne, Philip – Lib Dem
Coles, James – Lib Dem
Cox, Trevor Anthony – Reform
Davison, Sandra Denise – Conservative
Dowson, Tim – Green
Kell, Marianne Elizabeth – Green
McCartney, Killian – Labour
Rella, Ludovico – Green
Russell, Ellen – Reform
Stansfield, Janet Christine – Reform
Weatherill, Fin – Labour
White, John Thomas – Labour