Hope Progress Ambition

We are proud of our town and want to make Middlesbrough a place where we all want to live. However, we all know that there’s a long way to go and that much more needs to be done.

Our Progress

§         Created 1200 jobs in the town centre §         Opened mima and the new Centre Square §         Invested huge resources in Children’s Centres §         Raised good GCSE scores by a third in just 5 years §         Improved school buildings - £11m for Primary Schools §         Developed more facilities for young people, e.g. Prissick §         Brought crime down 6% - now 93% of residents feel safe §         Erimus made £50million of improvements to 3,000 homes §         Gave pensioners free bus travel at any time across region §         Eradicated flyposting, made streets and air quality cleaner

Our Ambition

§         Replace wornout housing with modern homes §         Improve youth facilities, developing Prissick Plaza §         Develop a new creative industry and cultural quarter §         Bring the town exciting events, like Proms in the Park §         More recycling, cleaner streets and more wheelie-bins §         Stunning plans for Middlehaven and Hemlington Grange §         Consider SmartCard for all travel across the Tees Valley §         Create a Tees Valley Bus Network and Tees Valley Metro §         Continue to invest in schools, Sure Starts and Teesside Uni §         Roll out Neighbourhood Policing and No Cold Caller zones Habib Rehman's Key Aims For University Ward 2007-2011 1)   Be visible, available and accessible to residents. 2)   Improve parking, an issue constantly flagged up by residents and upon which we will lobby the Council for action. 3)   To lobby the Council to resume and speed up facelift and improvement works to properties (and alley gates for Roscoe Street and Albert terrace).  4)   Work to ensure the regeneration in Gresham and Middlehaven doesn’t impact negatively upon homes in University ward. 5)   Work with our rapidly-expanding University to make sure it’s development benefits local residents. 6)   Work with residents, the Police and the other agencies to deal firmly with anti-social behaviour. 7)   Address the issue of inadequate and lack of youth provision within University Ward. 8)   Work with landlords and tenants on problem issues such as; free collection of rubbish, household furniture, junk, ASB, noise nuisance, and the introduction of alcohol free zones to curb rowdy drunken behaviour and harassment. 9)   To reduce litter, rubbish and junk. And improve the state of cleanliness of streets & back alleys. Which is contributing to increasing problems of dog fouling, rats/vermin and pests.  10)   Halt the rapid disintegration of established community due to some residents moving out due to neglect and failure to effectively tackle the above mentioned issues.

Main Issues Affecting University Ward

KEY ISSUES FACING UNIVERSITY WARD HIGHLIGHTED BY RESIDENTS DURING CONSULTATION SURVEY IN 2007 The following list has been compiled after talking and listening to local residents. The list provides a very basic snapshot of some of the important issues and challenges facing the ward and should help the Council identify and prioritise some of the key issues which are reflected and form the basis of thinking behind the development of my key aims: 1)   To resolve street parking and football match traffic congestion problems caused by rapid expansion of the town centre, Teesside University and Middlesbrough Football Club which are having an adverse negative effects on the entire ward. The local residents and businesses within University Ward are severely affected and suffering rather than enjoying from the success and prosperity of the Football Club, Teesside University and the expansion of the town centre. Local residents and businesses feel that the Council has been slow to understand the nature and severity of the problem and respond to the catastrophic pressures placed upon University Ward.  2)   To reduce litter, rubbish and junk. And improve the state of cleanliness of streets & back alleys  3)   To improve the condition and state of roads, pot holes, broken pavements & damaged kerb  4)   To re-commence facelift and improvement works to properties and alleygates (Roscoe/Albert Terrace)  5)   Tackle the increasing problems of dog fouling, rats/vermin and pests creating health hazard  6)   Improve community cohesion & integration of transient residents  7)   Address the issue of inadequate and lack of youth facilities & activities within University Ward  8)   Examine the impact of regeneration & demolition plans on University Ward  9)   Work with landlords and tenants on problem issues such as; free collection of rubbish, household furniture, junk, ASB, noise nuisance, and the introduction of alcohol free zones to curb rowdy drunken behaviour and harassment  10)   Halt the rapid disintegration of established community due to some residents moving out due to neglect and failure to effectively tackle the above mentioned issues

Habib Rehman's Campaign, Consultation, Community Events And Achievements

I have been involved with and organised several consultations, community events, campaigns and projects on a variety of different issues such as; 1)     Road safety and residents parking campaign 2)     Pest Control campaign 3)     Youth Activities Initiative to examine youth provision 4)     Campaign to preserve the open green space on  Saltwells Crescent 5)     University Resident Parking Scheme Consultations 6)     Campaign for extension to University Resident Parking Scheme 7)     Football Match Day Residents Parking Campaign 8)     Housing Strategy 2008-20011 Consultation 9)     Introduction of coffee evening community social events 10)  Campaign to introduce pensioners weekly luncheon club 11)  Residents Association Campaign Weekly Update Events 12)  Convened a special multi-agency panel to examine ward issues 13)   Fire Safety Campaign in conjunction with Cleveland Fire Brigade in "Whatever It Takes" campaign 14)   Campaign for review of best practise and introduction of a code of conduct and equal opportunities policy for community councils 15)   Campaign in support of Neighbourhood Police to use bicycles 16)   Support campaigns which promote the peace process in Northern Ireland, Kashmir, Palestine, Afghanistan and Iraq 17)   Support campaigns combating knife crime 18)   Organised and sponsored boxing skills training in conjunction with Hartlepool's European boxing champion Amanda Coulson  19)   Organised and sponsored University Ward football tournament at Goals in which over 250 youths took part 20)   Organised in conjunction with regional organisations campaign on Youth Agenda 21)   Helped Middlesbrough Council with the introduction of government's Prevent Agenda and setting up Harmony Initiative 22)   Helped organise public awareness campaign on "Forced Marriage" and introduction of a helpline 23)   Created three independent constituted youth projects 24)   Organised specialist outreach service for hard to reach vulnerable groups such as OAPs, women and disabled 25)   Establish a new University Ward Residents Association, empowering residents to independently participate in the decision making processes by proactively engaging the Council and other external agencies 26)   Expanding the Residents on Patrol Scheme by recruiting and training volunteers to act as the eyes and ears within their neighbourhood 27)   Support, Promote and raise funds for the annual Saltwells Park Community Event Do you have a project or a campaign that you would like support with and promoting?

What Do Councillors Do? What they do: - put the government’s programme into action and help form policies to improve the lives and opportunities of people in their area - represent their residents as effectively as they can, giving a voice to the people they represent and being seen to be on the residents’ side - ensure that the council delivers high quality public services How they do it: - be an advocate for local residents - help residents through casework - attend local events and meetings - campaign on local issues - attend council meetings - monitor council performance Areas of involvement: - crime prevention - nurseries - schools - homes, housing - transport - the local economy - the street scene What Can't Councillors Do? We are not lawyers and cannot get involved in legal cases. We can let you know where legal advice can be obtained, and let you know how to find out if you are eligible for legal aid. We may be bossy but we are not the police. For some kinds of issues we will connect you with the local police or PCSOs. All Councillors have outside jobs as well. Casework can be very time-consuming, so if you are able to pursue lines of inquiry, we will suggest these and hope you are able to further them yourself. If not, we will always do what we can to help you in the time available.