Newcastle

Introduction

Newcastle upon Tyne is situated on the north bank of the river Tyne. Historically Newcastle was at the forefront of 19th century industrial innovation. At one time a quarter of the world’s shipbuilding was centred in there. As traditional industries have declined other industries have grown and the local economy has diversified. Newcastle is a designated Science City. There has been large-scale regeneration in Newcastle with the Quayside providing a focus for range of hotels, bars and restaurants. Gateshead Millennium Bridge links the City to Gateshead Quays and the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art.

Recent Visits

Friday 2 May: Rt Hon Nick Brown MP, Minister for the North East of England – Keynote speech at the Informal Adult Learning Consultation regional conference at International Centre for Life, Newcastle Upon Tyne.
 
Tuesday 20 May: Bill Rammell MP, Minister of State for Lifelong Learning and Higher Education, DIUS – Attending the 'Raising Expectations: Enabling the System to Deliver' at St James Park, Newcastle Upon Tyne.
 
Friday 23 May: Rt Hon Nick Brown MP, Minister for the North East of England – Keynote speech at the Government Office for the North East Open Day.

Demographics for Newcastle

Mid-2006 Population Estimates

Children and Learners

• School Capital Funding allocations for the next three years were announced in November 2007. As a result Newcastle will receive £11.4 million in 2008-09 (including £2.6 million for modernisation and £4.5 million for devolved formula funding), £14.8 million in 2009-10 (including £4.2 million from the Primary Capital Programme) and £17.1 million in 2010-11 (including £6.6 million from the Primary Capital Programme), although 2009-11 figures are only indicative at this stage.
• Newcastle Local Education Authority is in wave 1 of the Building Schools for the Future programme, benefiting from funding of over £134 million. This covers 10 BSF schools, and five (one secondary, three primary and one special school) which were originally approved as part of an earlier PFI project. Based on the current timetable the first schools in this project should be rebuilt or renewed by September 2008 and the last by March 2011, and the first two BSF schools to be built will be Walbottle and Benfield.
• A City Academy is to replace West Gate Community College with places for 1500 pupils aged 11-16 and a further 300 places for sixth form students. The Academy is due to open in September 2008.

Health and Well Being

• A new state-of-the-art NHS Walk in Centre at the city’s Jury’s Inn hotel opened in August 2006 and is run by Care UK. The centre provides commuters with access to healthcare on their way to and from work without the need for an appointment.
• Two new stem cell research labs have opened at Newcastle’s Centre for Life. The facilities cost £6.3 million and will also be used to investigate the causes of degenerative diseases.
• Plans were approved in August 2006 for a £7.7 million Clinical Research Unit to be built at the city’s general hospital. Building should begin in July 2007 and be completed in February 2008.

Crime

• Newcastle has been named as one of 40 priority Respect Action Areas in England, for being a council who has a strong record in tackling anti-social behaviour. The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) is also backing the scheme with £6 million of funding in 2007-08.
• The Safer Newcastle Partnership agreed a minimum 20 per cent crime reduction target, as measured by the 10 British Crime Survey (BCS) Comparator crimes, for 2005-08.
• During 2007-08 the partnership will receive over £400,000 from the Home Office element of the Safer Stronger Communities Fund of the Local Area Agreeement. 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.
• Over £331,000 has been allocated under the Home office Basic Command Unit fund for 2007-08 to help police play a full and active role in delivery of Crime and Disorder Reducation Partnership strategies and policing plans and contribute towards achievement of PSA and local targets.

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.
• Eldon Square Bus Station is part of a major refurbishment and development of Eldon Square shopping centre at a cost of over £150 million. The bus station was completed in early 2007 and cost £16.7 million with an Local Transport Plan contribution of £10.9 million.
• Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) allocation of £950,000 for Tyne and Wear to tackle local congestion was announced in November 2005. A further £750,000 was awarded in November 2006. The business case for Tyne and Wear is planned to be submitted in spring 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

• New Deal for Communities funding of nearly £55 million has been allocated over 10 years for Newcastle West Gate, with spending for 2004-05 around £9.7 million. Initiatives involving tackling crime and community safety.
• £8.2 million through Working Neighbourhoods Fund for 2008-09, £9.82 million for 2009-10 and £10.19 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, at least £1.6 million over four years from the Neighbourhood element of Safer and Stronger Communities Fund.

European Funding

• £1.1 million from the European Regional Development Fund has been allocated to the Tyneside Cinema towards its £6.5 million renovation. The cinema which plans to open late in 2007 will bring together the unique 1930’s architecture with cutting edge cinema technology.