Ahead of the May 3^rd local council elections, JesmondLocal politics reporters Ashleigh Smith and Thomas Goodall are conducting interviews with all the candidates in North and South Jesmond, to find out a little bit more about them and their policies.

Because of the large number of candidates standing this year, the profiles are being split into the political parties for each ward. A number of key questions were asked to all candidates and these are the responses of the Conservative candidates standing in North and South Jesmond

North Jesmond

In North Jesmond, James Bartle (JB), James Cowling (JC) and Kitty Lau (KL) are all hoping to be elected.

Why should people vote for Conservatives?

KL – Because we’re not in the council at the moment, I think we would bring a different point [of view] and maybe different solutions to problems. If you have a good variety of people with different points of view then I think it’s good rather than all the same thoughts. You can compromise to make the community better.

JB – I think what the Conservatives can offer is a real voice on the council that is going to make sure that local council taxpayers’ money is going to be spent wisely on frontline services and getting value for money for local people. I don’t think that Labour and the Lib Dems have done a good job of that. I think we need Conservative voices on the council to stand up for local taxpayers who aren’t getting a good deal at the moment.

JC – The Labour party has dominated local politics for too long. Conservative councillors would provide more effective scrutiny of their plans and give a greater voice to residents and their concerns. I feel like Newcastle is lacking a Conservative voice, and a group of Conservative councillors would be able to ensure taxpayers’ money was being spent efficiently. The local Labour party seeks to blame national politics for its failures locally. Labour thinks that their majority is safe, and that they don’t have to listen to voters’ concerns. Voting Conservative will change that.

What’s the best way to ensure that Jesmond has the right mix of students and local residents?

 KL – Examples such as the Best Neighbour on Campus award shows that students and long-term residents can get on nicely and it’s about building on communication.

JB – It’s about getting the balance right. Students are now an integral part of the community in Jesmond, and Jesmond wouldn’t be Jesmond if we didn’t have that thriving student community. I think there are some really good examples of where students and long-term residents live side by side and get on really well. The actions the council has taken around planning, by not allowing any more houses to be turned into flats, is the right thing to do, something we campaigned for 10 years ago. It’s about the two parts of the community in Jesmond understanding each other and treating each other with respect and like adults.

JC – The council can use its powers to ensure that there is a balance between students and residents, as well as making sure that students are respectful of other residents by dealing with antisocial incidents that don’t reflect the polite behaviour of most students.

 How would you make Jesmond cleaner?

JB – The cuts to local ward services over the last five, six years have definitely had a detrimental impact on Jesmond. We would want to see more of the council resources back, being directed at street cleaning services. We wouldn’t carry on rolling out communal bins, because I think they are part of the problem. We also would look at where the council have located these new big bins, because I think since they were introduced last year they have made the problem worse. Keep Jesmond Clean is great but in a way the community and the residents shouldn’t need to do that.

JC – Reverse the roll-out of communal bins: they often overflow, and the rubbish that is dropped may not be collected. Also, the extra-large pavement bins (such as the one outside Jesmond Tesco Metro) are unsightly and messy.

Bins have been an issue for many years now; how would you aim to fix the problem for residents?

KL – I don’t actually get a bin collection service because apparently, we’re not entitled to it, so it would be nice at least for my estate to have that. The residents that moved in earlier did actually have the service but it then got moved away. So, for residents of La Sagesse it should be at least to get that service back. I’m very into recycling but even myself I don’t know what to put out for recycling and I didn’t realise that sometimes you have to clean things and I class myself as a good recycler so I think more information and education is needed.

JB – In West Jesmond where we don’t have communal bins, there are back lanes which are perfectly clean and tidy where everyone has their own bin and I think as long as it’s managed properly, that works and it’s a service residents expect when they pay their council tax. There is definitely a problem at the end of term time when students are moving out, but the council has powers against fly-tipping and littering and at those times of year; they should be using the powers they have. But if we are elected we will definitely be saying we don’t want communal bins in North Jesmond.

JC – We would also reverse Labour’s 100% increase in brown bin tax. We shouldn’t punish people who are responsible with their garden waste.

Should businesses selling alcohol in Jesmond pay more in rates to pay for the cost of cleaning up litter, policing anti-social behaviour, etc?

 JB – There is an argument for it. The council introduced the late-night levy in the city centre which is pretty much the same thing. I don’t think that’s been in long enough to know exactly if that’s been working yet, I think it needs a bit more time. But I do think licensed premises need to take more responsibility in complying with the terms of their licence and where that’s not happening it should be followed up with enforcement.

KL – As a business owner who is licensed as a restaurant, I pay the late-night levy. I think it gets annoying when we comply and then others don’t and then don’t get punished or at least are spoken to. It’s about dealing with people who don’t comply with their licence.

JC – I would be wary of slapping taxes on companies. I thinking punishing a local business is a last resort in any situation. We should work with local businesses to ensure that some of the unfortunate consequences of night-life are reduced.

What could be done to help Jesmond businesses and services flourish all year round?

 KL – Back in the day there were grants to help set up businesses so I think that could help but also some kind of relief on business rates that’s fair. I think the way they value it is from a long time ago, and maybe it needs to be updated.

JB – Parking is a massive issue for local business. Although shops in Jesmond do serve a lot of local people who can walk to and from shops, we have got local businesses which also attract people from outside the area and it is really difficult to park in Jesmond with all the parking restriction around shopping areas. There is more we can do to make it easier and more clarity on restriction would encourage people to come to Jesmond and use local shops.

JC – It’s vital to support our local businesses as much as possible; low business rates and a business-friendly environment benefit everyone.

Has Jesmond got the balance right with regards to pedestrians, cyclist and motorists?

 KL – I didn’t realise until I was conversing with Streets For People, and people aren’t happy about it. We need a balance to ensure safety for road users and pedestrians.

JC – It’s important to have a balance that works for everyone. Cycle lanes mustn’t cause major disruptions to motorists, but they can also be a positive change if implemented properly. One-way systems also need to be reviewed, as they can cause huge disruption to residents.

JB – I think it’s really important that we first and foremost have safe road spaces for all road users whatever the mode of transport they use, but I do think some of the transport changes we have seen in Jesmond recently, which tend to favour cyclists and pedestrians over motorists, just haven’t worked. They don’t make sense and they aren’t necessarily safe. I don’t think the balance is right and we have gone too far and we have cycle lanes which aren’t practical, and that people don’t use. We can’t forget about people who use and need cars.

 Will national or local politics determine the election result in Jesmond?

 JB – It’s inevitable that national politics will play a part in how people vote, you can’t avoid that. But equally, this is a local election and whichever councillors win in North Jesmond, it’s not going to be able to impact the outcome of Brexit, it’s not going to determine any of the big national issues. What it is going to determine is what services the local community gets, how much council tax we pay, how we keep Jesmond clean and run our city. That’s what I hope people think about when they go to the ballot box.

JC – You should never take the electorate for granted, but I imagine a mix of both. Residents are naturally concerned about their local government, and the state of litter, bins and parking. Labour don’t have to listen to your concerns if you keep voting for them! I also think many moderate voters are concerned about Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour party, and its move to the far left.

KL – I’m doing this for the community, things like what we do with your council tax, roads, bin collections. I hope voters do understand that and that it’s not just about the big issues.

 With only one ward meeting per year does communication between councillors and residents need improvement and if so how would you do this?

 JB – One ward meeting a year is really disappointing. I think it was great when you could have local ward meeting when people would come along to and made them more engaging where people really felt they were making decisions. More regular meetings where councillors can be held to account is a model we should replicate and that would benefit the community.

KL – It definitely does need improving. Maybe more information needs to be displayed. Councillor surgeries could be twice a month, then people would come to you with problems and see you more frequently.

JC – This is certainly a problem, its vitally important that councillors listen to the views and concerns of their residents. If I am elected I will hold a regular meeting to listen to voter’s concerns. The lack of communication from Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors in Jesmond, several of which are now stepping down, shows only Conservative councillors will work to help residents.

What areas or issues are you passionate about and would aim to impact should you be elected?

 KL – Firstly that La Sagesse have their bin service back. Also, as my sons just started school I’d love to re-instate lollypop people and of course fixing potholes in the roads.

JB – I think it’s about bread and butter local issues like potholes in the roads. The condition of roads has deteriorated massively over the last few years. Also, about making sure Jesmond gets fairly represented when decisions are being made in the council. Jesmond doesn’t get its fair share of council resources and investment into the community.

JC – Communal bins have been a disaster, they’re regularly overflowing and unsightly. Overflowing bins attract flies and vermin and are a really unpleasant problem. I also think there needs to be a review of parking permits in Jesmond. The system isn’t working; roads with parking permits are often empty, and the parking permits simply push congestion into a concentration in areas without them, such as the Lindisfarne Road area.

South Jesmond

Ian MacGilp (IM), Chris Murray (CM) and Max Graham (MG) are all hoping to be elected for the Conservative party.

Tell us a little bit about yourselves.

IM – I live in South Jesmond and I moved to Newcastle three years ago. I walk to work everyday and you get a sense of what works in the city and what quite obviously doesn’t. I feel like I’ve always been a Conservative, but I only actually joined the party properly three years ago. I lived in Glasgow until I moved here and I was heavily involved in the campaign against Scottish independence.

MG – I live in South Jesmond. I’m a student studying international relations and politics at Northumbria University where I also work as a lifeguard. I have been a member of the Conservative party for the last three years, ever since I got my first bank account because my mum wouldn’t let me do it through her bank account – she’s Labour.

CM – I also live in South Jesmond. I’ve lived in the ward itself for two years now and I’ve lived in Newcastle for three as a student. Because we’ve got a joint student-resident ticket, we have a really good appreciation for different sides of all the issues. Last year I was president of the Conservative society at Newcastle University and I do a lot of outreach in schools around the north east which is really great because you get to go and talk to the kids and introduce them to Conservative politics.

What do you believe is the best way of ensuring that Jesmond has the right mix of students and local residents?

MG – I think the best thing to do is not force students out of their homes. I think maybe limit planning applications so no more houses can be converted into student houses, but I think first and foremost we should be treating students as adults, especially when they do wrong.

IM – I think as a resident, the impression you get from students is that 99% of them are absolutely fantastic. All the students who live in my building are wonderful model neighbours yet the people who live next door have parties until 3am and they give everyone a bad name. So what the council really has to be able to do is just manage that relationship a bit better. I shouldn’t have to go and call the police for what isn’t technically a crime and be given the Operation Oak phone number; it’s not a number you can really call, it’s a mobile number that you’re supposed to text. People just want to feel safe in their homes.

CM – I think the council’s approach to students is lacking in that, as Max and Ian have said, they don’t treat them like adults and they deprive them of their fundamental rights as residents and as an adult citizen. If a noise complaint is made about a student it can be reported to landlords without having any evidence of the event actually taking place – that just seems completely ridiculous.

How would you make Jesmond cleaner?

IM – One of the most visible parts of local cleanliness is things like broken bottles and broken glass from cars that have been broken into. I walk two miles to work every day and I see all manner of cars that have been broken into and bottles that have been smashed. When they’ve been smashed, they get left for a month, two months until they get ground into a nice glassy pulp because the council isn’t doing anything to sweep up the streets.

MG – I think the one thing the council has done in Jesmond which had a massive impact is that they have removed small, more frequent bins and put large ones in less frequently. So people just drop their litter because they can’t be bothered to find a bin. Smaller, more frequent bins that were emptied more frequently would keep Jesmond a lot cleaner. 

CM – I think enforcement is something the council don’t do enough. I know a fair few friends who have been quite messy with their bins and none of them have ever been sanctioned because of it. If you’re promoting better enforcement of fines then you are actually making money, so you can’t use the ‘we have no money argument’ when it comes to these policies because they don’t cost money.

Should businesses selling alcohol in Jemsond pay more in rates to cover the cost of cleaning up litter, policing antisocial behaviour, ect? 

MG – No, absolutely not. Why should you punish a business because of where it is situated? If anything, these businesses need to be helped to keep these students in line when it does get a bit rowdy.

CM – I think actually the bars in Jesmond are fairly pricey, relative to other parts of Newcastle. I’m not sure if bars would want to raise their prices because they do thrive off their happy hours where they offer deals to students.

What could be done to help Jesmond businesses flourish all year round?

IM – Last year there was the Jesmond gin festival. I imagine the bars made quite a bit of money through that and I guess that’s just one example of how local businesses can collaborate. 

Has Jesmond got the balance right with regards to pedestrians, cyclists and motorists?

IM – Increasing the number of cyclists and increasing people’s access and their willingness to use bicycles is really important, from a public health point of view and from a pollution point of view. It’s fantastic, but it has to be done right. You’ve got this situation on Eslington and Eskdale Terrace where you’ve got people having to cross over in the face of traffic. Of course it’s all oncoming traffic because of the one way system, and cars are going at full speed because it’s all one way, people end up cycling up the pavement. I don’t even want to know how much money they’ve wasted putting in this system.

MG – I agree. I do think that cycling is a fantastic thing that would help people to help the environment as well as saving people money. I do think the schemes for cycling in the city have been too large for the cycling population; take the cycle lanes on John Dobson Street. They are only ever occupied by skateboarders.

IM – I’m met every single morning on my walk to work with gridlock: cars down Eslington Terrace all trying to get down to the RGS. But next to them is one cyclist, if any. It’s absolute lunacy. As important as cyclists are, they’re causing problems for a lot of people.

CM – And the environment. You’ve got gridlocked, stationary cars piling up on the road where you didn’t use to. You’re causing so much more air pollution.

Is there anything you’d like to add? Any issues you are particularly passionate about?

IM – I’d like to talk about whether private schools are doing enough for the community. It wouldn’t surprise you to know that as a party we are very much for private schools, but when they enjoy charitable status in order to operate, that comes with certain responsibilities. They do have to fulfil their obligations to local community.  I sing in the Newcastle Choral Society and we’re always looking for places where we can rehearse. We asked RGS Newcastle and we were told ‘Yes you can come but we can’t guarantee you access as the needs of the school always come first’. Now bearing in mind that we start at 7.30pm in the evening it seems strange that the schools needs would be that important at the end of the day.