Newport East

The Constituency of Newport East was created in 1983 when the previous borough constituency of Newport was split into East and West.

The constituency consists of communities of Alway, Beechwood, Langstone, Lliswerry, Llanwern. Ringland, St Julians and Victoria electoral wards within Newport City Council boundaries and Caldicot, Caldicot Castle, Dewstow, Severn, West end, Magor, Undy and Rogiet in the Monmouthshire County Council Area.

Located on the Bristol Channel coast of Gwent, on the banks of the River Usk, Newport has an eventful history going back over 2000 years. Still a thriving port, Newport featured heavily in the Chartist movement which played a key role in achieving democracy as it appears today. In 1839, many lives were lost in an uprising in Westgate Square by people fighting for their right to vote.

Today, Newport is a new thriving and expanding city with many economic, cultural and social developments taking place. Newport Unlimited is Wales ' first urban regeneration company with the remit to deliver and implement a major redevelopment strategy for the city. Newport has an impressive record in attracting inward investment in the electronics, semiconductors, manufacturing, financial/business services and distribution/logistics industries. It is also a prime location for UK Government departments and agencies decentralising from South East England, most recently seen in the announcement of several hundred more jobs from the National Statistic Office and the Home Office.

Companies have chosen to invest in Newport because of its good communications, workforce and the ease of access that it provides to the wider British and European markets. The city centre has excellent shopping facilities to cater for a wide range of tastes, with the indoor Victorian market, offering everything from local goods to antiques.

A sporting city in a sporting nation, Newport has a proud tradition in many sports. The city is increasingly attracting major events such as the British Road Race Cycling Championships, important athletics meetings and the Welsh Open Golf. The city will host the 2010 Ryder Cup when it takes place at the Celtic Manor Resort one of largest complexes on golf courses anywhere in Europe.

Rodney Parade, the home of Celtic League Rugby side, the Newport Gwent Dragons & Newport County AFC, is in Newport, with Newport County AFC playing in nPower Football League 2. The city is blessed with excellent sporting facilities with the International Sports Village at Spytty Park , Newport Stadium, the Velodrome indoor cycling track, a tennis centre and a 25m swimming pool.

Working alongside, the city's good quality schools, rapidly developing, Newport University is gaining an outstanding reputation in supporting the growth of Newport across all sectors of life by reaching out and attracting students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The University, now a full member of the University of Wales, is working hard to more closely link higher education with economic development. They continue to achieve impressive research ratings in a number of departments and have exciting new plans to relocate to a city centre campus.

Newport City Council (www.newport.gov.uk)
Newport Unlimited (www.newportunlimited.co.uk)