Newcastle City Council does not have '˜spare £200million'

While the council and others might address these, I could not let some assertions masquerading as facts go unchallenged.

Newcastle City Council is not proposing to spend £200million on developments on the quayside.

An independent developer has launched the idea and is in discussion for planning permission.

If the application meets all the rules and the concerns or residents (including those of the Liberal Democrats about traffic) then legally planning permission must be granted.

Whether all or part of the scheme is ever built would depend on the developers raising the money from the private sector.

If Newcastle had a spare £200million in its back pocket (it doesn’t) it couldn’t spend it on hospitals.

That is not a council responsibility. The NHS is paid for out of national taxes.

Nor does it fund the police. They raise their own precept direct from our residents.

Robin Ashby,

Liberal Democrats Councillor for Parklands Ward, Newcastle upon Tyne