Questions and Answers

 

Here I answer common questions I've been asked on the doorstep and respond to comments on Facebook.

 

A Castlefields resident asked "Who are you? I thought Gordon Stewart was my Councillor. Where is he?"

The ward boundaries have recently been revised by the electoral commission and a new ward has been created in Prudhoe, which also includes Wylam and Ovingham. This is the ward of Prudhoe North and Wylam.  Roughly in Prudhoe, the ward encloses all of Castlefields, the Riverside including the park and the retail park, along with Essity and all of the industry on that section of the Tyne. All of Wylam and all of Ovingham are included in this new ward.

Therefore, although Gordon Stewart is the Conservative Councillor for part of the existing ward, I am the candidate for the new ward and I will be looking to carry on Gordon’s good work and I intend to be a very visible Councillor and very much involved in local matters, not only in Prudhoe, but also in Ovingham and Wylam. I work closely with Gordon. Gordon and I, and my other colleague, Tracey Gilmore (Conservative candidate for Prudhoe West and Mickley), will work together for the people of Prudhoe and as well I will work for the people of Ovingham and Wylam.

'The traffic and parking on Castlefields is a real problem. What are you going to do about it?'

The question of speeding in Castlefields and parking has frequently come up in comments made to me both online, but also on the doorstep. There is a wide level of agreement that parking and speeding are a problem in Castlefields. The difficulty is there is not a high level of agreement of what should be done about it. Some people strongly advocate speed cameras, others speed humps. Although people often have strong feelings, those who argue for speed humps do not want speed cameras and vice versa. In terms of parking, there is a wide recognition of the problem, particularly of double parking, which effectively reduces the road to a single lane. Again, there is a high level of disagreement about what is needed. Some people suggesting double yellow lines, others advocate that the parking is restricted to certain areas.

Because there was a wide acceptance that there is a problem, but at the same time, there is not a wide acceptance as to the solution to the problem. If I am elected to be your local Councillor, I will advocate for a consultation of the residents of Castlefields as to the best solution, so that we can try and reach an agreed way forward, which we would then seek to have implemented.

'The parking at Prudhoe and Wylam stations are really poor and in Prudhoe the overflow car park is also often full. People park on the pavements and block access. What can you do about it?'

I am campaigning for an expansion of parking at Prudhoe and Wylam stations and in addition, for the installation of electric vehicle charging points. I have talked about this topic on my Facebook page and produced a video. Many people commute to Prudhoe and Hexham, and also beyond, and want to park at Prudhoe and Wylam stations. It is important for the economy of Prudhoe, Ovingham and Wylam, and indeed contributing to the economy of the region as a whole, that people are able to park at the station in order to commute. I recognise that this is an urgent problem and from the day that I am elected, I will campaign to increase parking at Prudhoe and Wylam stations, and I am already campaigning for the introduction of electric vehicle charging points, the need for which will only grow during the transition over the next five to ten years, to electric vehicles.

'There are no buses in Castlefields?'

I will campaign and advocate to local bus companies to introduce a bus route through Castlefields. There is only a very limited service and nothing that goes right through Castlefields at present. In addition, bus services generally in Ovingham and Wylam need to be more frequent, later into the evenings and start earlier, in order to enable people to travel to work. As residents of Prudhoe are very aware, Prudhoe is built on a very steep hill. Many older residents, or residents with disabilities have told me that since the restriction of the buses and particularly the change to the route that the old 604 used to run on, it is much harder to travel, especially towards the upper end of Prudhoe, for example the school and the area around Highfield. I will, therefore, campaign for an improvement in bus services generally, and an expansion of routes through Prudhoe,Wylam and Ovingham.

'The Riverside Park is great, but it looks tatty, what are you going to do about it?'

The Riverside is a great place to walk and to visit all the year round. I frequently walk my own dogs down there. There is also a great café, which is also dog friendly, and which is a good place to warm up on a cold day, after the chilly walk. The signage on the café is poor and unless you are aware of its existence, walking through the Riverside, it would be easy to miss. In addition, the toilets are often out of order, and at the time of writing, the men’s toilet has been out of order for at least a week. If elected, I would work with Northumberland Council as a Councillor, to improve the signage and the toilet facilities.

'There is dog mess all over the place. What can you do about it?'

There is often the perception that dog mess is a problem in Prudhoe, however, although it may have been a problem in the past, especially when compared to walking in other places, relatively little dog mess is encountered, although inevitably there is always some. This just shows how conscientious the people of Wylam, Ovingham and Prudhoe are in cleaning up after their dog. I would advocate for stricter imposition of the existing rules and an expansion of the already very good provision of bins which, in Northumberland, people are allowed to dispose of their dog mess in.

'We do not have a Police Station anymore, and you never see a Police Officer on the streets?'

Conservative Cllr Gordon Stewart has already been pressing hard for the reintroduction of a desk service for Northumbria Police in Prudhoe. I support Gordon’s views and if elected, would continue to press Northumbria Police and the Labour Police and Crime Commissioner, for an increase in police on the streets and the reintroduction of a desk service.

This is a question from a business owner in 'Prudhoe, Labour’s increase in National Insurance, as well as the minimum wage, places significant extra costs on me. I am thinking of closing my business. Can you do anything about that?'

If elected as a local Councillor, I do not have a direct influence on national taxation. Labour’s reckless increase in National Insurance contributions for employers, the attack on our farmers and pensioners, alongside the talking down of the economy has caused hardship for many and a collapse in business confidence across the UK. Conservatives oppose the increase in employer’s National Insurance contributions and the reckless increase in the national debt.