Jamie Driscoll, the North of Tyne Mayor, who is standing as an independent candidate at the upcoming north-east mayoral election, recently paid a visit to Shildon, reports Yvonne Hawkey.
Driscoll, a former engineer by profession, who entered politics in his late 40s, spoke of his passion for transport infrastructure, saying it was fitting to hold a public meeting in the historic “cradle of railways”, where the world’s first steam-powered public railway sprang to life.
The meeting took place in the impressive Shildon Railway Institute that Driscoll said he was “honoured to speak at” referring to the building as once a place of “real social infrastructure where kids could get educated. A place set up to give people basic dignity.”
The fact that Shildon is now a shadow of the once thriving industry town it used to be, and now a place left behind, gave an air of anticipation of what was to be a lively meeting.
Despite rumours of disillusioned locals who may not vote at all, it was a good turn out and had even captured the attention of Guardian columnist and senior economics commentator, Aditya Chakrabortty, whose report on his visit was published on the Guardian website last week.
Driscoll began by saying he’d mainly come to listen to the people of Shildon and asked the crowd for their expectations of him, should he be successful at the election on 2 May.
He responded to questions about the lack of public transport, local jobs, schools, decent affordable housing, and the regeneration of town centres.
Driscoll says that his plan includes bringing the north-east bus network back into public ownership as part of a fully integrated transport network which will include free bus travel for under 18s and anyone in education, a capped season ticket and a single ticket across bus, rail and metro.
“We have already made a deal with the Chancellor’s office which is worth £6.1bn,” he said, “and I have worked hard to get County Durham into the deal when other politicians wanted to freeze Durham out.”
Driscoll spoke of his record of creating over 5,000 new jobs from a government target of 1,600 within his term of office by funding companies directly, while the business in turn repays the investment once it has grown.
“This approach has allowed us to use the same money over and over to help even more businesses to grow and employ more staff,” he said. “And we have done this alongside the provision of free, flexible training courses,” he added, “so that people can learn new skills, such as maintaining electrical vehicles and installing air source heat pumps, which are real jobs with a real need.
“And they can do these courses while working around existing shifts, or their caring responsibilities, allowing them to skill up and find good, well-paid jobs.”
On the poverty crisis, he pointed to an innovative child poverty prevention programme, now running in over 100 schools and scheduled to roll out across the new north-east mayoral region, including County Durham, from next September.
When asked if all the investment would go to Tyneside, he pointed to his record of handing budgets directly to communities in rural Northumberland. “If a local community has an idea and can show wide-spread local support, I’ll fund up to 90% of it,” he said, giving examples of community kitchens, play gardens and local arts festivals.
He also mentioned programmes such as TIGGOR (Technology, Green Growth Offshore Renewables), a supply chain programme designed to boost productivity in the whole of the north-east, saying “loads of companies are benefitting and growing from that and they’re not in Newcastle”.
On the question of the regeneration of town centres, he gave examples of work he’d already done in Blyth, North Shields and Ashington, saying one of the biggest things that will make a difference in Ashington is the reopening of the Northumberland Line.
“At the moment there is only one new railway line opening anywhere in this country,” he said, “and that’s between Ashington, Blyth and Newcastle. It’s opening this summer, it’s real.
“I have been able to work successfully in partnership to fund that line and to transform Ashington town centre.
“And it’s not just about the railway line,” he added, “we have also worked with local businesses to make them more viable by helping them to do things like sell on the internet, which in turn brings in the additional revenue that helps their high street shop remain open.”
“But the biggest single thing that will make a difference is having town centres where there’s something to do that doesn’t cost money.
“How about we adopt the concept of public luxury, the idea that our town centres are there to enjoy? Then if there was a decent transport system to get in and out of town safely and affordably people would travel.
“If we start and see human company as something valuable, then that’s what will change our town centres. If you’ve got something you want for the community in your area, I will back it”.
“If you look at what we’ve done already in Tyneside, that track record is there. So, it kind of depends on who you elect as mayor. But you know what? By far the best indication that places like Shildon aren’t going to be left behind is the fact that I’ve bothered to turn up and talk to you.”
A former Labour mayor, Driscoll left when the national party refused to include him on the longlist, a move which provoked widespread criticism in the region, causing many local party units to refuse to nominate any candidate. He now runs his office as an independent.
The North-East Mayoral election takes place on Thursday 2 May. There are six candidates declared, with Driscoll the incumbent mayor in what will become an enlarged North-East Mayoral Combined Authority consisting of seven member councils: County Durham and Northumberland alongside the metropolitan boroughs of Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sunderland.
Shildon & District's local community newspaper.
Jamie Driscoll answered people’s questions honestly. He didn’t patronise. He had done his homework and knew about Shildon’s history. For too long Shildon and the hamlets like Coundon Grange have been left with no investment. The biggest export is our children and grandchildren. Where is the investment in Shildon’s future? We have voted Labour for 3 sometimes 4 generations. How has our loyalty as a ‘core vote’ been rewarded? No investment. No future plans just fine words. Jamie Driscoll has a proven track record in North of Tyne. Let’s give him a chance to fight our corner. Reject the Labour candidate. She expects you to vote for her because she’s a woman and the polls say that Labour will form the next UK government. I’m voting Driscoll.