Gateshead Council: What You Need to Know

Gateshead Council is the local authority of the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead in Tyne and Wear, England. It is responsible for providing a range of public services and policies, such as education, health, housing, environment, transport, and leisure.

What Does Gateshead Council Do?

Gateshead Council provides various services and policies to the residents, businesses, and visitors of Gateshead. Some of the main areas that the council covers are:

• Benefits and Council Tax: The council administers various benefits and support schemes, such as housing benefit, council tax reduction, free school meals, and discretionary housing payments. It also collects and manages council tax, which is a local tax that helps fund local services.
• Bins and Recycling: The council collects and disposes of household waste and recycling. It also provides information and advice on how to reduce waste, reuse items, and recycle more. It also offers a garden waste collection service and a bulky waste collection service for large items.
• Births, Deaths and Marriages: The council registers births, deaths, marriages, civil partnerships, and citizenship ceremonies. It also issues certificates and copies of these records. It also manages cemeteries and crematoria in Gateshead.
• Building Control: The council ensures that building work meets the standards of safety, health, accessibility, and sustainability. It also provides advice and guidance on planning permission, building regulations, conservation areas, listed buildings, and energy efficiency.
• Business and Licensing: The council supports and promotes business growth and development in Gateshead. It also regulates and licenses various activities and premises, such as alcohol sales, gambling, taxis, street trading, food hygiene, animal welfare, and environmental health.
• Care and Health: The council provides social care and health services to adults, children, families, and carers in Gateshead. It also works with partners to improve the health and wellbeing of the local community. It also offers information and advice on topics such as mental health, substance misuse, domestic abuse, sexual health, and coronavirus.
• Education and Learning: The council provides education and learning opportunities for children and young people in Gateshead. It also supports schools, nurseries, colleges, and other education providers. It also offers services such as special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), school admissions, school transport, adult learning, libraries, museums, and galleries.
• Environment and Waste: The council protects and enhances the natural environment of Gateshead. It also deals with environmental issues such as air quality, noise pollution, pest control, flood risk management, climate change, biodiversity, and parks.
• Housing: The council provides housing services to tenants and homeowners in Gateshead. It also manages council housing, homelessness prevention, housing advice, housing repairs, housing improvement, and housing options.
• Jobs and Employment: The council offers job opportunities and apprenticeships within the council and its partners. It also provides support and advice to job seekers and employers in Gateshead. It also works with partners to improve the skills and employability of the local workforce.
• Leisure and Culture: The council provides leisure and cultural facilities and activities in Gateshead. It also promotes and supports the arts, heritage, sport, tourism, and events in the area. It also manages venues such as Sage Gateshead, BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Shipley Art Gallery, and Saltwell Park.
• Parking, Roads and Transport: The council maintains and improves the roads, footpaths, cycle paths, bridges, and street lighting in Gateshead. It also manages parking, public transport, traffic management, road safety, and winter maintenance. For local businesses looking to expand their operations or individuals seeking flexible work opportunities, the ability to search for truck loads offers a valuable resource for managing logistics and transport needs efficiently, aligning with Gateshead Council’s efforts to support economic growth and sustainability.
• Planning: The council plans and shapes the future development of Gateshead. It also processes planning applications, enforces planning rules, consults with the public and stakeholders, and produces planning policies and strategies.
• Your Council and Elections: The council represents and serves the people of Gateshead. It also makes decisions on how to spend public money, how to deliver services, and how to improve the area. It also organises elections and referendums, encourages civic participation, and ensures accountability and transparency.

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How Does Gateshead Council Operate?

Gateshead Council operates under a leader-and-cabinet system of governance. This means that there is a leader who is elected by the councillors from among themselves. The leader then appoints a cabinet of up to nine councillors who are responsible for different areas of the council’s work. The leader and the cabinet make most of the executive decisions of the council.

The council also has a mayor who is elected by the councillors from among themselves. The mayor is the ceremonial and civic head of the council and the borough. The mayor chairs the meetings of the full council, which is composed of all 66 councillors. The full council is responsible for setting the budget, approving major policies, and holding the leader and the cabinet to account.

The council also has a chief executive who is appointed by the councillors. The chief executive is the head of the paid staff of the council and advises the leader, the cabinet, and the full council on policy and service delivery. The chief executive also leads the senior management team, which consists of five strategic directors who oversee different service areas.

The council also has a scrutiny function, which involves a number of committees that review and monitor the performance and decisions of the council and its partners. The scrutiny committees can make recommendations, ask questions, request information, and conduct investigations on various issues affecting Gateshead.

The council also has a partnership function, which involves working with other organisations and agencies to deliver services and improve outcomes for Gateshead. The council works with partners such as the police, the fire service, the health service, the voluntary sector, and other local authorities. The council also engages with residents, businesses, and communities to involve them in decision making and service delivery.

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How to Contact Gateshead Council?

There are various ways to contact Gateshead Council depending on your needs and preferences. Some of the main ways are:

• Online: You can visit the council’s website to access a range of online services and information. You can also complete an enquiry form to log a request or give feedback. You can also follow the council on Twitter to get updates and news.
• Phone: You can call 0191 433 3000 to speak to a customer services advisor. The phone lines are open from Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
• Email: You can email customerservices@gateshead.gov.uk to send an enquiry or comment.
• Post: You can write to Gateshead Council, Civic Centre, Regent Street, Gateshead, NE8 1HH.
• In person: You can visit the Civic Centre or one of the local neighbourhood service centres to speak to a customer services advisor face to face. You can find the locations and opening times of these centres on the council’s website.

Conclusion

Gateshead Council is a local authority that provides a range of public services and policies to Gateshead. It operates under a leader-and-cabinet system of governance and works with partners and stakeholders to improve the area. It also offers various ways to contact it online, by phone, by email, by post, or in person. If you want to know more about Gateshead Council, you can visit its website or contact it using one of the methods above.