Newcastle City Council

Contacts
What's happening in your ward
Local council services
Reporting problems
Your ward committee and getting involved
Further information

Contacts

• Councillors
• Find your MP and Parliamentary Constituency
• Westgate Ward Surgeries
• Ward Co-ordinator: Elizabeth Grace
  Phone: 277 3518 
  E-mail: elizabeth.grace@newcastle.gov.uk
• Neighbourhood Response Manager: James Farquharson
  Phone: 277 3980
  E-mail: james.farquharson@newcastle.gov.uk

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What's happening in your ward

Information drop-in
Fridays 10am – 12noon, Cruddas Park Library.
This drop in is for parents, carers and grandparents to come along, meet the new outreach team and find out about Sure Start activities happening in the area.

Neighbourhood Charter
A Neighbourhood Charter is an agreement between you, the community, and us with our partners such as the police and health service at a local level. The purpose of a charter is to help us give you the services you want at a local level to improve your quality of life. This includes giving you a bigger say over health, housing, employment, education, policing and local facilities.  Find out more by reading the Westgate Ward Neighbourhood Charter Newsletter (pdf, 749Kb).

Health Trainers – making healthy choices easier
HealthWorks Newcastle have a team of Community Health Trainers who can help you to make better health choices. They can provide people with information about local services, community groups and projects. They can support people to stop smoking, reduce stress and anxiety, get fit and make friends and make healthy and safe relationship choices. Community Health Trainers work with individuals and groups. If you would like their support phone 273 8889.

Active Newcastle
Active Newcastle is a four-year campaign funded by Sport England, Newcastle PCT and Newcastle City Council.  Its aim is to make it easier for people who live or work in Newcastle doing more exercise more often.
To find out what opportunities for physical activity are available, you now only need to visit one website. Go to www.activenewcastle.co.uk and see many of the activities that are taking place in our city. There is a postcode finder with handy directions to a wide range venues, as well as video footage of everyday people talking about the activities that give them a buzz.
Are you in a team or club that involves physical activity in any way? Let us know about it through the website and we will gladly promote what you do to others. We need your help to make this website a success, so tell your friends and colleagues about www.activenewcastle.co.uk today.

Ignite imagination! - Create community! Small Sparks Challenge
Can you think of a positive step you can take, together with others in your area that is fun and also makes your community better? Make sure it involves new people eg

• Organise a community treasure hunt
• Sew a banner for the local football team
• Mark walking trails
• Have a cleanup day for your local area

Whatever you enjoy doing is a great place to start. For further information or advice contact Cornerstone on 226 0941 or Better Days on 281 5541.

Toy Library
Open Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1pm-3pm
Cruddas Park Early Years Centre Under 5’s Toy Library is a toy loan service which is open to the whole community. It is free to join and use. The toy library has a large range of toys, games and activities. Parents can borrow two items for up to 4 weeks. You will need proof of your identity and address to join the library.
For more information phone 273 6682.

Planning Aid North – Supporting Communities on Planning
The Planning Aid Service provides free, independent and professional advice on town and country planning issues to community groups and individuals. They provide advice, community awareness and planning education activities aimed at helping groups and individuals, particularly in disadvantaged areas, to understand the planning system and influence what happens in their local area. For further information phone 0191 222 5776 or visit www.planningaid.rtpi.org.uk/

City Centre Walks
Weekly 1-hour health walks following 4 main routes: Leazes Park, Exhibition Park, The Quayside and Castle Keep. All sessions are led by a qualified walk leader, and begin and end at Grey's Monument. Walks take place every Thursday at 1pm. These walks are perfect for beginners and/or people wanting a leisurely stroll with an opportunity to socialise with others. Each walk costs £1.

Local History Walks
A series of walks combining tours of Grainger Town, the Quayside, Art in Newcastle, Ghostly Newcastle, Guildhall, the City Walls and Monument.
All walks are led by a qualified Green Badge Guide and are a great way of combining gentle physical activity whilst learning more about our City's fantastic heritage. Each walk costs £2.

Fusion is a two-year, City Council-led scheme that aims to increase participation in physical activity amongst children, young people and family groups across Newcastle. The scheme offers free activities at council managed leisure centres and pools and at partner organisations. View the latest newsletter. (pdf, 595Kb)

Night-Watch...
..is now operating seven nights a week. If you are having problems with noisy neighbours call 0300 1000 101. Night-Watch operates between 8pm and 4am 7 nights a week.

West End Health Enabling Action and Response Group
A group of West End residents meets monthly to take action to improve health in the area. They are called WEHEAR (West End Health – Enabling Action and Response). If you are interested in Health issues and would like to be involved please phone Barbara Cage or Rachel Parsons at West End Health Resource Centre for more information on 272 4244.

Meet Your Community Health Trainer Team
Community health trainers are helping people in areas of deprivation in Newcastle to get fitter and healthier. Trainers provide information and practical help on a range of issues. If you would like to know how to get in touch with your local Health Trainer then please phone 273 8889 or e-mail cht@wehrc.co.uk

Everyone’s Tomorrow… today!
Listen to an exciting radio programme broadcast by the Elders Council of Newcastle. Enjoy an hour of news, stories, discussion and music put together by older people for older people. Tune in to the monthly programme on the first Friday of every month from 2-4pm on NE1fm – 102.5.

Launch of New Jobs Club
Learning Links Europe is starting a new Jobs Club to help local people find work. The Job Club will be open every Friday from 9.30 to 3.30 at the Lynnwood Business Centre, on Lynnwood Terrace. For further information please contact Philip Hudson on 273 6520 or email philip.hudson@learninglinkseurope.com.

What's On In The West End Website
Take a look at the What’s On In The West End website to find out more about physical activities available to residents in the West End of Newcastle. There’s also information on the site about Wonder Walks – a series of 10 short and local health walks situated in and around the West End of Newcastle.

Newcastle Warm Zone are working in your area and we encourage you to talk to our assessor who will call to your door. An assessment to see if you are eligible for free cavity wall and loft insulation only takes five minutes and we don't even need to enter your property. All of our staff carry ID and wear the Warm Zone uniform. If you have any queries about the Newcastle Warm Zone project please call us on 0191 277 7373.
Click here for more information about Newcastle Warm Zone.

Knit and Natter Groups
1.30pm-3.30pm, Tuesdays at Cornerstone
1pm-3pm, Tuesdays at Fenham Association of Residents (FAR), Acanthus Avenue
2pm-4pm, Mondays in the community room in Holywell Close (off Barrack Road)
1.30pm-3.30pm, Fridays in Benwell Hall Drive community room
10am-12noon, Wednesdays at Condercum Court
All knitters welcome - no need to book just turn up! Search can provide knitting needles, wool and simple patterns for premature baby clothes and trauma teddies – or just bring along your own knitting. 
Contact Diana Hinns at Search Project, 74 Adelaide Terrace.
Phone: 273 7443.

Activities at Nunsmoor Centre
There are lots of activities and classes to take part in at the new Nunsmoor Centre on Studley Terrace including how to use computers, healthy eating sessions, dads' sessions, baby social, baby peep, play sessions, support with literacy and numeracy and keeping fit. The community rooms and hall can also be booked for meetings and events. For further details please phone the centre on 226 1006.

Help your local Community Centre
Murray House Community Recreation Centre is looking for volunteers to join their management committee. The Centre is on Diana Street and provides activities for all ages. The Committee meets every month and would welcome new members to help them progress the work of the Centre. If you are interested in helping out please contact the Westgate Ward Co-ordinator for further information.

Newcastle Futures
Newcastle Futures is an organisation that is looking to help West End residents into jobs and training. Based in community venues, Newcastle Futures can listen, help find opportunities and even provide grants for the cost of interview clothes and travel costs. For further information phone 0800 587 0478.

Funding Opportunities for Community Groups in Westgate

Community Spaces Grant
Groundwork UK is managing the Community Spaces Grant on behalf of a consortium of environmental organisations. Community Spaces will fund a range of small, medium and large projects to improve green and open spaces, including play areas, community parks, wildlife areas, ponds and village greens. The majority of grants will be between £10,000 and £50,000. If you would like more information or would like to talk over an idea please contact Siobhan O'Brien at Groundwork on 0191 277 3498, or visit www.community-spaces.org.uk. Groundwork is also working with Business in the Community to identify volunteering projects for their members, usually a team for one day. This year they are looking for innovative ideas but will consider a range of projects. Contact Siobhan O'Brien on the number above with suggestions.

Could you use an individual funding advice session?
Are you a community organisation working in Newcastle? You can come to NCVS and talk to a Funding Advice Officer about any aspects of fundraising. For an appointment phone Louise or Chris on 232 7445.

Football Foundation
The Football Foundation is the UK's largest sports charity funded by the Premier League, the FA, Sport England and the Government. The aim is to improve facilities, create opportunities and build communities throughout England. There are a number of grants available. www.footballfoundation.org.uk

David Dockray's West End Young People’s Fund aims to support children and young people aged 5-25 in the West End of Newcastle. The majority of grants will be between £250-£5,000 but grants of up to £20,000 will also be considered. Grants can be for core costs, project costs or capital costs. For more information or to get an application form:
Phone: 0191 222 0945
Website:  www.communityfoundation.org.uk

Ringtons Fund supports charitable organisations that work w ith families, women, elderly people and disabled people in Tyne and Wear and Northumberland. Grants of up to £5,000 are available and applications can be made at any time and are considered by family members of the Ringtons every six mon ths. For further information and application forms contact Community Foundation, Cale Cro ss, 156 Pilgrim Street.
Phone: 222 0945
E-mail: g eneral@communityfoundation.org.uk
Website: www.communityfoundation.org.uk

Hedley Foundation – supports activities that benefit the following groups:

• young people, particularly projects involving edu cation, training and health and welfa re
• disabled people and terminally ill pe ople, providing specialist equipment and support for carers

Grants o f up to £5,000 are available for registered charities in the UK.  Grants are for specific projects only and are awarded on a one off basis. They cannot fund individuals, core revenue, salaries, transport, large or national appeals. For further information and application forms contact the Hedley Foundation. 
Phone: 020 7489 8076

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Local council services

Neighbourhood Services, one of the council's departments, is responsible for d e aling with the cleanliness, safety and improvement of  the local environment. The manager for Westgate ward is Mark Lamb.

The managers are in charge of the Neighbourhood Response Teams, whose job it is to respond quickly to problems that soon make a place look untidy or make it feel unsafe. This team includes the Rapid Response staff who sweep the streets, pick up litter and empty litter bins; remove small scale graffiti; make minor repairs to the footpath or street furniture; and cut back shrubs. They also deal with problems such as dead animals, blocked street drains, potholes and fly-tipping.

The Neighbourhood Response Managers make sure these teams are doing the jobs that are a priority for the local community. They work with local councillors, ward co-ordinators, tenants' and residents' groups and local people to find out what their priorities are. They work closely with other Neighbourhood Services teams in the area such as grounds maintenance, and road and pavement work.

If you want to contact your Neighbourhood Response Manager you can contact them directly, e-mail them or go along to a ward committee meeting.

Key monitoring documents

• Ward priority plan (pdf, 22Kb)
  - sets out the key environmental issues in the ward and what we are doing to tackle them
• Planned repairs and maintenance of roads and pavements (pdf, 23Kb)
• Service requests to Envirocall
  - shows the number of requests to envirocall

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Reporting problems

If you want to report environmental problems, such as overhanging trees or graffiti, or ask for a bulky rubbish collection, you should contact Envirocall. 

Our streetlights are maintained by a PFI (Private Finance Initiative) project.

We work with the police on removing abandoned vehicles.

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Your ward committee and getting involved

Ward Committees

Your Ward Committee is made up of three local councillors. Its purpose is to identify and address local issues. The committee consults and works with local residents and businesses, agencies and voluntary and community sector organisations.

The Ward Committee meets on the fourth Monday of every month and is open to all members of the public. Meetings alternate between business meetings – which discuss issues of local concern and hear grant applications – and more informal themed meetings which offer residents a chance to look at a specific topic in more detail. Meetings are from 6.30 - 8pm unless indicated otherwise. Meeting dates are as follows: 

2010
Monday 28 June, 7pm formal meeting (informal session from 6.30pm) Creche Room, City Library
Monday 26 July, informal City Centre themed meeting, 6.30pm Tyneside Cinema
Monday 27 September, 7pm formal meeting (informal session from 6.30pm), Civic Centre
Monday 25 October, informal housing themed meeting, 6.30pm, Colby Court Fire station
Monday 22 November, 7pm formal meeting (informal session from 6.30pm) Creche Room, City Library

2011
Monday 24 January, 7pm formal meeting (informal session from 6.30pm), venue to be confirmed
Monday 28 February, informal themed meeting, venue to be confirmed
Monday 28 March, 7pm formal meeting (informal session from 6.30pm), venue to be confirmed

The Ward Co-ordinator organises and publicises Ward Committee meetings and deals with any issues raised. They can help you with transport to and from the meeting, childcare and information in a range of community languages. 

View the public papers for Westgate Ward Committee meetings.

Grant Aid

The Ward Committee has a budget which community and voluntary sector groups can apply for by completing a grant aid application form. Further information about this budget and copies of the application form are available on the Ward Committee Funding webpage, or by contacting your Ward Co-ordinator.

Deadlines for the submission of application forms for Westgate Ward Committee are:

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Community Groups

Are you a Community Organisation working in Westgate Ward? If so, we can give you the chance to publicise your work and events on this page. To find out more please phone the Westgate Ward Co-ordinator.

Westgate PAST
Would you like to help keep a record of the West End's past? Westgate PAST is an established Local Heritage Initiative for the collection of oral history, photographs and artefacts in order to record the change that is taking place in the West End of Newcastle from days gone by to the present day. You can help the project in a number of ways

• Contact us so we can interview you and record your memories.
• Tell us if you have any photographs you’d like us to look at.
• Come to our skills sessions on digital photography editing, interview skills, photography, sound editing, using the internet to send e-mails, as a research tool, and computer skills.

Website: www.westgatepast.com  
E-mail: admin@westgatepast.com
Phone: 242 1236

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Further Information

Residents Survey 2008
Each year the Council undertakes a survey of residents in the city to find out what you think about the Council’s performance, the services we provide to you and what you think about the area you live in.
View the results for Westgate ward (pdf, 49Kb)

Find out what consultations the council is carrying out in your ward and submit your views online. You can also see the results of previous consultations.

Cityeye gives details of events in your ward. You can also find information about societies and clubs in Westgate.

Use our online map to find your nearest libraries and schools. You can also find out where your nearest recycling site is and find leisure services, such as swimming pools, and heritage information, such as listed buildings and ancient monuments. 

See also the Related Pages panel at the right of the screen.