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 will be 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 Liberal Democrat candidates standing in North and South Jesmond.

North Jesmond

David Besag (DB), Gerry Keating (GK) and Crispin Welby (CW) are all hoping to be elected for the Liberal Democrats.

Why should people vote for Lib Dems?

CW – It’s definitely time for a change. There is an atmosphere of tiredness that the Labour people exude.

GK – We were in power between 2004 and 2011 in Newcastle and I think during that time we transformed the city and we transformed the way citizens were treated. And the truth is we succeeded and Labour aren’t and you’ve just got to look around certain streets in Jesmond with rubbish strewn all over the place and even the basic task that the council has got to do – which is keep the place clean – is not being achieved.

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

GK – The question is ‘are we dealing with communities at war, or are we not?’. Based on personal experience, I’ve very rarely experienced any difficulty with students. I think both communities relate quite well but let’s not pretend that the students are an intrinsic and permanent part of the community as some people claim. Talk to students and they say ‘what we want is to get our final exams and get away from here’.

DB – Sometimes it just depends who you get: very rarely I can hear people who make noise at four or five o’clock in the morning, but normally it’s ok really; you take parcels in for each other.

CW – There isn’t a war, I have had four occasions of noise in the street I live in. Two of them, I went in my dressing gown to see where the noise came from, and reported it immediately to the police. The outcome was since the second of these reports there has been no noise at all in the street and I would, if asked by a resident, suggest the same thing.

How would you make Jesmond cleaner?

GK – Not by introducing communal bins. My reason is that communal bins can in some places work, they work in Germany but they are collected daily in Germany. Here they are collected fortnightly so it will just, and has in South Jesmond, meant huge communal bins absolutely full, rubbish all over the floor. It’s predominantly in the student areas. The truth simply is that some of the students are gormless and it’s just as simple as that. It’s the landlords and the students who are responsible and in my view the landlords have got to get their own students to clear up their own mess, nobody else can do it.

DB – We introduced rapid response teams who were dedicated to each ward, and were very popular but Labour just got rid of them because they have a habit of centralising things. We would want to get a staff more connected to the ward, which is exactly what isn’t happening anymore.

CW – I would hope that when we are in power, towards the end of our term, groups like Keep Jesmond Clean would be out of business, not because there is anything wrong with Keep Jesmond Clean, but it is a reflection on the fact that the council is not doing its job for whatever reason. I’m a supporter of it, fairly active, and I just wish it wasn’t there. The bins must come back, we must have little cart being pushed by a man again.

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

GK – We have obviously thought about it but it’s prejudicial to the businesses. It would have to be one of their costs and it could be that some of them therefore couldn’t make money. It’s not the case that every establishment in Jesmond is some sort of capitalist profit maker and it’s not the case that the rest of Jesmond is the same as Osborne Road. It’s very easy to give a quick answer saying yes, but until I’ve investigated the situation of every single business and shop I wouldn’t wish to pass judgement.

DB – We have to understand where the issues are coming from as well. There is no point penalising businesses for something that isn’t even in Jesmond. Maybe they’re all drinking in town for example.

CW – How the council raises its money is a big issue and to single out that issue, there is no point in it without a lot further investigation.

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

GK – The issue is that you have to pay business rates throughout the year, and if most of your customers are students and suddenly the place is a desert in July and August you’re immediately in considerable difficulty. The business rates should not be a set sum each month, they should pay higher in times of prosperity and lower when the place is deserted.

CW –  Some sort of balance of business rates is needed and requires a study.

DB – There is no shortage of coffee places in the area, it always seems to me that there are coffee places and estate agents and that’s about it, but there is obviously more than that. It’s not an easy solution I’m afraid.

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

CW – Some of the Streets for People proposals are opposed by all three of us. The balance as it is does not need shaking up, by for example, making Forsyth Road one way in the bit between Highbury and Brentwood Avenue where there are houses. This would not be an increase in safety or in health for example. I’m a driver, I’m not a cyclist, but I thoroughly approve of the Mobikes.

GK – In general we need a balance between the interests of all to which everyone can sign up and it’s easy to say that of course, it’s not so easy to do it. There are a few, and I mean a few, what I would call Stasi cyclists in this ward, who think that everyone should use bikes and they flaunt their autonomy and sometimes get into trouble. There is some foolish behaviour from a few committed cyclists. Most cyclists realise full well that the rules of the road have got to be respected.

DB – Partly because of disability, I’m neither a car driver or a rider of bikes because I’d just fall over but I’m happy for people to cycle and drive cars, but just everyone needs to behave responsibly and that’s not always the case I’m afraid.

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

GK – There are two types of local issues: there’s your street cleaning stuff and there’s the running of the council itself, and I think the running of the council itself over the last few years will play a part. It played a big part in 2004 when we won the city. Overarching all of this is people’s views on national issues, and there is one national issue in particular which I think will have an impact even though it’s strictly speaking irrelevant: Brexit. Now will that help the Lib Dems who are campaigning for a second referendum is an interesting question. Obviously, it will not help us with Brexit supporters and it possibly won’t help us with some remainers who just think ‘it’s over, let it go etc.’ On the other hand, I detected, just in this particular area, is very, very strong for remain and it may, and I’m not going to put it any stronger than that, influence maybe 200 or 300 voters to change their mind. It might be that Corbyn’s alleged links to anti-Semitism will not do him any good around here.

DB – It’s a massively pro-remain area in North Jesmond. The UKIP vote here (in North Jesmond) was the 10th worst in the entire country. It’s why they’re not standing this year, it didn’t surprise me at all they’re not standing as it’s just not an area for them at all. Labour can’t make their mind up about the single market, I think it was John McDonnell saying he wants access to a single market but not the single market, I don’t think this helps anybody.

CW – It’s calculated speculation.

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

GK – Communication between councillors and residents certainly does need improvement. The current Labour lot don’t communicate. They will put out a leaflet here and there. But you’ve got to go out and just bang on the doors yourself, that’s the best way to communicate. Having five or six ward meetings a year, if only 15 or 20 people turn up and it’s the same people, is not actually going to improve things massively. I’m afraid you just have to get on your two feet and do it.

DB – We do our own focus leaflets and other leaflets as well, we talk to people and it’s not even as councillors as we’re not currently councillors. You just have to work as a Liberal Democrat and talk to people.

CW – I will promise to hit doors. I haven’t worked out what percentage I could hit, but in this ward which geographically is very compact, one could hit a higher percentage.

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

GK – What I want in this ward are councillors walking the streets on a daily basis because we ourselves have got the power to get things done immediately but if we don’t live here and if we don’t walk the streets, we’re not going to succeed in anything. That’s what I would concentrate on.

CW – I am passionate about getting back to more democracy, the lack of ward meetings, I want much more of those and I want to look at this issue, to see if I am right or the percentage of bad driving and bad cycling.

South Jesmond

Deborah Burns (DB), Alexandra Logan (AL) and Mark Keville (MK) are all hoping to be elected for the Liberal Democrats. Mark Keville was unable to speak to JesmondLocal for unavoidable reasons.

Tell us a little bit about yourselves. 

AL – I’m Alexandra Logan, I’m a final year law student and I became involved with the Lib Dems quite recently. I was part of the election campaign last year and as a result I decided to set up the Lib Dem society at Newcastle University. We have about 30 members and recently organised an event where Vince Cable came and spoke at the university, it was really interesting.

DB – I’m Deborah Burns, I work at Northumbria University but I’m also a student myself, doing my doctorate. I also have family with two children. I got involved with the Lib Dems after the EU referendum because I felt quite strongly pro-EU and I felt that it was time to do something and not just sit back.

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

AL – I’m coming from a position where I have a lot of contact with the students union at Newcastle University and there’s been a sort of anxiety that the current council is discouraging students from living in these areas and that just doesn’t facilitate a good community. The key is not about trying to segregate different members of the community but ensuring that there’s a better communication between the students and residents so grievances can be dealt with.

DB – I agree communication is the key. I probably come from a slightly different perspective but my children go to school with children whose families live in South Jesmond, particularly Jesmond Vale and they communicate with neighbouring students. I have one family who say ‘we have students living next door, it’s not a problem because at the beginning of the year we give them a knock on the door and say, ‘look, we’re your neighbours: if you’re going to have a party every now and then please tell us in advance and we’ll make alternative arrangements’. There’s a decent amount of respect. I think the value the students bring to Jesmond shouldn’t be underestimated.

AL – It’s also about providing opportunities for young people because if you’re directed into a situation where you’re living in built up accomodation for three years not having contact with other members of the community, it’s making that adjustment period when you leave university even more difficult.

How would you make Jesmond cleaner?

DB – The Liberal Democrats’ plan is to invest more money in larger bins and place them in the areas where they’re needed – say, take money from the airport dividend fund and convert it in 200 large litter bins.

AL – The record from Liberal Democrats in local councils on keeping the city clean is fantastic.

DB – They’ve costed it and they know where the money is. Currently the council has £90 million in reserves but litter is not being dealt with.

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

DB – It would have to be looked at where would you place that rate, because you don’t want them to flee Jesmond because you’re potentially just moving a problem rather than dealing with it.

AL – I certainly wouldn’t see higher rates as a positive, Osborne Road has so many businesses and it attracts so much revenue.

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

AL – Jesmond is iconic in its own way, it has so many attractions so I think it’s about promoting them to the rest of the community. In the next couple of months when the students leave you’ve got the Hoppings event that comes along for a couple of weeks, so that’s a chance for businesses.

DB – I think there’s also the local council closing down things like swimming pools and libraries and these community areas that bring people in, you’re getting less foot traffic as a result. I think there are other ways; as you mentioned there are events which bring people in and the bars in Jesmond are really popular.

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

DB – What Labour have done recenty in terms of managing new cycle routes is appaling. It is a dreadful waste of money. Around Brandling Park they’ve made the new cycle path; they’ve widened the path and it’s utterly nonsensical, there’s so much confusion. Pedestrians think, ‘where do we walk’, cyclists are thinking, ‘when do we come onto the road and when do we come off?’,  and motorists have a lane and a half and are going up on the pavement so they can pass. It’s incredibly dangerous. Then there are all the potholes, they are not maintaining the streets. And they’ve taken away the lollipop men and women from the crossings.

AL – Causing disruption and creating a dangerous situations is just appalling really, giving the surplus the council have.

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

DB – The one thing wanted to say is I feel that in this area Labour are a bit of a default vote and that has lead to complacency, lack of efficiency and wastefulness. If people want to see some change, they need to vote the only legitimate party that can bring about change, so Lib Dems are the way to go.

AL – A couple of years ago when the Liberal Democrats were in the council, there was such a positive community environment – waste was down, there was investment into the area, it was generally more fruitful than the current council. At the moment I think Labour are causing quite a lot of conflict in the community. The Lib Dems’ focus is on intergrating people, better communication and really thinking before plans go ahead.