Newcastle Local Interest's video: Better Public Spending is Needed in Newcastle

Discussion on the new plans for the Blue House Roundabout - See https://sites.google.com/site/foodsafetypolicy/discussion-on-the-proposed-blue-house-roundabout No Business on the Moor - See http://themagpies.weebly.com/ http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/newcastle-utd-scraps-super-stadium-plans-1295146.html Byker Incinerator - See http://www.letsrecycle.com/news/latest-news/agency-prosecutes-newcastle-and-chp-business-over-byker-incinerator-ash/ Going for Growth - See http://archiveforchange.org/decades/2000s/ Way good Gallery – See http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/waygood-gallery-cash-row-1457454 Ouseburn Barrage - See http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/47m-ouseburn-barrage-out-action-4406929 My Place - See http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/chain-unveils-plans-revamp-luckies-1418711 http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/council-leader-sinks-plan-newcastle-1399605 The Love Parade - See http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/escalating-costs-killed-love-parade-1682468 Monument Hotel - See http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/greys-monument-hotel-plan-fails-4483390 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/7991579.stm Gateshead have developed a very clear vision and in many ways put Newcastle City Council to shame (see p. 17). See http://www.demos.co.uk/files/northernsoul.pdf ** The presentation could also have discussed the 'blue carpet' see http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/remember-newcastles-blue-carpet-its-11999146 and a discussion of the cost of the artwork, called Shoulder to Shoulder but nicknamed the “Lego Men”. This was installed in 1999 at a cost of £270,000 see http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/haymarket-lego-men-still-wont-4491444 Newcastle upon Tyne commonly known as Newcastle, is a city in Tyne and Wear, North East England, 103 miles (166 km) south of Edinburgh and 277 miles (446 km) north of London on the northern bank of the River Tyne, 8.5 mi (13.7 km) from the North Sea. Newcastle is the most populous city in the North East, and forms the core of the Tyneside conurbation, the eighth most populous urban area in the United Kingdom. Newcastle is a member of the UK Core Cities Group and is a member of the Eurocities network of European cities. Newcastle was part of the county of Northumberland until 1400, when it became a county of itself, a status it retained until becoming part of Tyne and Wear in 1974. The regional nickname and dialect for people from Newcastle and the surrounding area is Geordie. Newcastle also houses Newcastle University, a member of the Russell Group, as well as Northumbria University. The city developed around the Roman settlement Pons Aelius and was named after the castle built in 1080 by Robert Curthose, William the Conqueror's eldest son. The city grew as an important centre for the wool trade in the 14th century, and later became a major coal mining area. The port developed in the 16th century and, along with the shipyards lower down the River Tyne, was amongst the world's largest shipbuilding and ship-repairing centres. Newcastle's economy includes corporate headquarters, learning, digital technology, retail, tourism and cultural centres, from which the city contributes £13 billion towards the United Kingdom's GVA. Among its icons are Newcastle United football club and the Tyne Bridge. Since 1981 the city has hosted the Great North Run, a half marathon which attracts over 57,000 runners each year. Newcastle played a major role during the 19th-century Industrial Revolution, and was a leading centre for coal mining, shipbuilding, engineering, munitions and manufacturing. Heavy industries in Newcastle declined in the second half of the 20th century; with office, service and retail employment now becoming the city's staples. The city was recognised for its commitment to environmental issues, with a programme planned for Newcastle to become "the first Carbon Neutral town" however those plans have slipped considerably, and they now hope to be carbon neutral by 2050. Newcastle is the commercial, educational and, in partnership with nearby Gateshead, the cultural focus for North East England. As part of Tyneside, Newcastle's economy contributes around £13 billion to the UK GVA. The Central Business District is in the centre of the city, bounded by Haymarket, Newcastle station and the Quayside areas. In 2010, Newcastle was positioned ninth in the retail centre expenditure league of the UK. There are several major shopping areas in Newcastle City Centre. The largest of these is the Eldon Square Shopping Centre, one of the largest city centre shopping complexes in the UK. It incorporates a Debenhams store as well as one of the largest John Lewis stores in the UK. This John Lewis branch was formerly known as Bainbridges.