Gateshead

Introduction

Gateshead is situated in the south bank of the river Tyne. Gateshead's economic history is steeped in traditional industries with ironworks, shipbuilding, pottery and glassmaking all featuring in the areas past. Traditional industries have now given way to a more diversified economy. Gateshead has seen extensive regeneration in recent years. Developments have included Gateshead International Stadium, the MetroCentre, the Millennium Bridge and the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. Culture has also been key to the area, with sculptures positioned across the district. The most famous of which is the sculpture the Angel of the North, which towers 65ft over the A1.

Recent Visits

Thursday 8 May: Iain Wright MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, DCLG – Keynote speech at the BoKlok official opening.

Demographics for Gateshead

Mid-2006 Population Estimates

Children and Learners

• School Capital Funding allocations for the next three years were announced in November 2007. As a result Gateshead will receive £8.4 million in 2008-09 (including £1.5 million for modernisation and £3.9 million for devolved formula funding), £11.6 million in 2009-10 (including £3.1 million from the Primary Capital Programme) and £13.9 million in 2010-11 (including £5.5 million from the Primary Capital Programme), although 2009-11 figures are only indicative at this stage.
• Gateshead has secured funding through the Building Schools for the Future programme under Wave 1 to upgrade the Thomas Hepburn Community School and Heworth Grange Comprehensive School. The remaining secondary school estate will be included in a later wave of Building Schools for the Future.
• Two new secondary schools have been built to replace Lord Lawson of Beamish and Kingsmeadow secondary schools as part of the £64.2 million Gateshead Schools PFI Project, which also includes five new primary schools: Harlow Green, Rowlands Gill, Dunston Hill, Highfield and Highfield St Joseph's. The first schools were completed in April 2007 and the final phases of the project will be completed in August 2008.
• The two new PFI secondary schools will join the Building Schools for the Future ICT-managed service in September 2008.

Health and Well Being

• The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead opened a £4 million breast screening and assessment centre in July 2005.

Crime

• Gateshead’s Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) has agreed to a 20.1 per cent crime reduction target, as measured by the 10 British Crime Survey (BCS) Comparator crimes, for the period 2005-08.
• During 2007-08 the partnership will receive over £300,000 from the Home Office element of the Safer Stronger Communities Fund of the Local Area Agreement. This funding will be used to help achieve the Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets, including reducing overall crime by 15 per cent and more in high crime areas, reassuring the public and reducing the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour. Funding will also help tackle local priorities.
• £215,000 has been allocated under the Basic Command Unit fund for 2007-08 to help police play a full and active role in delivery of CDRP strategies and policing plans and contribute towards achievement of PSA and local targets. Funding will be used on a wide range of interventions and targeted police operations to tackle crime and disorder, anti-social behaviour, drugs misuse and building Partnership Capacity. All activity has been identified by taking intelligence led and problem solving approaches. 

Transport

• £32.2 million was allocated to Tyne and Wear from the integrated transport and maintenance block for 2007-08. This will be used to support a number of initiatives/schemes including access for all, cycling, public transport, safety and security, demand management and environmental improvements.
• A Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) allocation of £950,000 for Tyne and Wear to tackle local congestion was announced in November 2005 and a further £750,000 awarded in November 2006. The business case for Tyne and Wear was submitted in January 2008.
• Tyne and Wear is one of 10 areas nationally undertaking congestion reduction work with the Department for Transport and £336,000 has been allocated in the first wave of payments from the congestion performance fund to tackle congestion in the short term. Works are now underway. 

Social Inclusion and Regeneration

• £5.2 million through Working Neighbourhoods Fund for 2008-09, £6.25 million for 2009-10 and £6.49 million for 2010-11 has been allocated to tackle areas of the highest concentrations of worklessness and lowest levels of skills and enterprise, faced by the most disadvantaged communities. In addition, £970,000 in 2006-07 from the Cleaner, Safer, Greener element of Safer and Stronger Communities Fund and at least £1.6 million over four years from the Neighbourhood Element.
• £5.7 million was allocated for 2006-07 under the Supporting People programme. This offers vulnerable people the opportunity to improve their quality of life by delivering high quality and strategically planned housing-related services which complement existing care services.

European Funding

• The Sage Gateshead received the Partners in Europe Award 2006 for Pride of the Region Urban Category. The £70 million landmark building which is a world-class centre for the performance, enjoyment and practice of all forms of music. Sage Gateshead is attracting significant numbers of visitors to Gateshead and the region and is creating substantial direct and indirect employment. The project is also a key component of the regeneration of Gateshead Quays, alongside the Millennium Bridge and BALTIC, and aims to raise the national and international profile of Gateshead and the region.