There’s no disguising that this year has brought a new wave of political and economic issues to the forefront.

The Chronicle recently reported an almost 5% rise in council tax across Newcastle will take place in 2021, while also saying Civic Centre bosses are aiming to cut £40 million from budgets by 2023.

The north east has suffered considerably from the impact of COVID-19, with unforeseen spending having to take priority across the board. Yet Jesmond wards have long faced financial cuts.

Cllr Arlene Ainsley, a Labour councillor for South Jesmond, told JesmondLocal: “This council in 11 years of austerity has lost £330million from our budget.”

Cllr Gerry Keating, who represents the Liberal Democrats in North Jesmond, added in the last 10 years “revenues have fallen substantially, both from revenue cuts and from a reduction in the role and functions of local government.”

“In my view most politicians are unable to achieve impartiality about these matters,” Cllr Keating added, explaining that a large amount of North Jesmond’s annual grant is used to help to pay for Operation Oak.

Both the North and South Jesmond wards contribute a total of £1,117 towards the running costs of Oak, an operation supporting additional policing in heavily populated student areas of Jesmond.

Even that seemingly isn’t enough. Operation Oak has “been stretched this year,” said Cllr Ainsley.

“This is obviously due to Covid and there have been unprecedented demands on their [Northumbria Police] time.” Nevertheless, the councillor called Operation Oak “a great success” and still believes it to be “great value for money for the council.”

Outside Operation Oak, as of February 2020, North Jesmond’s ward budget contributed towards hiring out space for their annual ward meetings alongside insurance and advertising costs.

South Jesmond’s budget contributed “towards Jesmond Library, the Jesmond Festival and various lunch clubs,” said Cllr Ainsley.

She also highlighted that some of the ward’s budget was used to fund a bus to take older people shopping, as well as contributing to the little library in Jesmond Vale.

What future spending in Jesmond will look like is as yet unknown. Cllr Ainsley added that she expected the next budget for South Jesmond to be known early in the new year. Cllr Keating told JesmondLocal that “there may be other matters in the pipeline” but he doesn’t believe the funding will go far. 

The Chronicle reported that a total of £60 million has been lost through the unexpected costs of the pandemic, a combination of an inability to make pre-planned budget savings as well as a loss of income from everything from business rates to parking charges.

“Cuts in Newcastle have been going on for at least the last 30 years or so,” said Chris Clarke, secretary of the Friends of Jesmond Library. “For example, the council closed Jesmond Swimming Pool in 1991 as part of an early round of budget cuts.”

“We cannot deny that Jesmond will always be seen as more affluent than the most disadvantaged communities in Newcastle, when it comes to tough budget decisions in times of austerity,” said Clarke.

But whether that should mean Jesmond gets less money is another question. Clarke told JesmondLocal: “fortunately, if something needs doing in Jesmond, there are usually people in the community with the required skills and a strong willingness to support each other and the community’s infrastructure.”