Leader's blog - Tuesday 30 July

Highlights

• We have just come through the period of the general election and a new government is in place. Hopeful a change of government will see some improvement.
• Working with Out North East we're organising a series of Pride in Gateshead events in August

Transcript

Hello everyone and thank you for taking the time to listen to this message. I'm recording this at the end of July, so we have just come through the period of the general election and a new government is in place.

You've heard me many times tell how the austerity and the cuts we've had in Gateshead over the last 14 years have had an enormously negative impact so hopefully a change of government will see some improvement. I know I've listened as you have to the broadcasts during the election that the financial circumstances for the new government are incredibly difficult. However, I'm optimistic that going forward the council will find itself in a more positive position. At the moment we're still facing, after already cutting out 170million pounds, that's a thousand pound for every single resident, we're still facing a gap in our finances over the next 3-5 years of somewhere between 35 and 40 million pound. So that position needs to improve, we will be working with the new government and we hope to have further news of improvement in the future going forward.

Second thing that I want to highlight is that for the first time this year in Gateshead, arranging in coordination with partners and local charities, we're organising a series of Pride events in August. There's going to be a bowls match, a family day out in Saltwell Park, a concert and events. I'd ask members to take part and celebrate the diversity of Gateshead and take pride in Gateshead as a place.