Sharon Ball

The first meeting of the Bath City Forum took place this week and the Conservative leader on Bath & North East Somerset must have wished it had not taken place for it highlighted what we in Westmoreland have been saying for some time now that our streets are dirty and getting worse.

Figures produced at a meeting of a new city forum suggest Bath and North East Somerset Council had the joint lowest spending per head on street cleaning of any local authority in the country. The Council spends £1.419 million on keeping local streets clean which works out at just £17 per household most other councils spend between £30 or £40 per household so is it no wonder that are streets are dirty.

Residents' associations complained at the meeting that the figure was not high enough and they are not alone as Local Councillors we have been saying this for some time now.

The Conservative administration on Bath & North East Somerset Council said that Cleanliness of our streets would be a top priority they have clearly failed on this part.

We have a planning application for two new flats to be created out of one House at Vernon Terrace please see www.readmyday.co.uk/westmoreland for more details.

Lib Dem plans to help families include tax cuts for low and middle income households, stopping unnecessary repossessions, action to cut energy bills and big cuts in interest rates.

Families are facing a difficult winter. Rising mortgage bills, the fear of unemployment and high heating costs mean that the shockwaves of the financial crisis are being felt in households across Britain.

When the banks were in trouble, they got rescued. Millions of families who are about to find themselves in trouble must be helped too.

Nick Clegg, Leader of the Liberal Democrats

Our Plan to Help Families

1. Cutting taxes for struggling families so you've got more money in your pocket
 
The Liberal Democrats will cut taxes for people on low and middle incomes, raising them for the richest so the tax cuts are affordable.  We will fund this by ending upper rate tax relief on pensions, clamping down on tax avoidance, harmonising income and capital gains taxes, increasing green taxation and trimming overall central public spending. These proposals would not increase the government fiscal deficit; that means they are affordable now. This tax cut is now urgent to get money to people who are struggling the most, helping them to pay for essentials and keep spending money in the high street.
 
2. Lowering energy bills so you can afford to keep warm this winter
 
As wholesale fuel prices fall - they have dropped 28% since August - utility companies must lower people's bills too. Millions of people face a winter unable to heat their homes: 4 out of 5 single pensioners will be in fuel poverty this winter. Energy companies must pass on wholesale price cuts. We'll also change billing rules so the first units of energy you use are no longer the most expensive. Essential energy should be the cheapest, while bigger users pay more. This is fairer, and will help the environment. Finally, those energy companies that received a £9bn subsidy from the European Emissions Trading Scheme must invest in lower tariffs for vulnerable customers and providing comprehensive insulation for everyone.
 
3. Keeping people in their homes, so you don't need to fear unfair repossessions
 
We must ensure that banks only ever repossess people's homes as a last resort. Liberal Democrats will instruct the courts to make sure banks don't repossess unless they've already offered free independent financial advice, and pursued all alternatives like renegotiating the terms of the mortgage and offering a shared equity agreement.
 
We already have nearly two million families on housing waiting lists. We can help those families and prevent a homelessness crisis by allowing councils and housing associations to buy up unsold properties and land from building companies. This will replenish our social housing stock, stimulate the house building industry and provide homes now for people who need them.
 
4. Lower mortgage payments and cheaper business loans through big interest rate cuts
 
People and businesses need help paying off their mortgages and loans, so we need substantially lower interest rates. The UK still has higher official interest rates than the EU (4.5% compared to 3.75%) and dramatically higher rates than the US (1.5%). This makes it much harder for people to pay their mortgages, makes it harder for business to survive and slows the economy down. The Bank of England must remain independent, but at this time of emergency its remit must be changed to make interest rates fall dramatically and swiftly. This should be part of international action to cut rates across all major economies.

These are our top priorities. But you can read more about our proposals to get the economy back on track in the seven page Fairer Future Economic Recovery Plan which was launched at the end of September.

With events developing as rapidly as they are you might also want to check out the latest statements from Nick Clegg, Vince Cable and other Liberal Democrats on economic news section of the party website.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker has written to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards to ask for clarification on hospitality rules. It follows considerable coverage of George Osborne and Peter Mandelson accepting hospitality from Nathaniel Rothschild and Oleg Deripaska in Corfu this summer.

Norman Baker said:

“It is important we establish the rules for MPs accepting hospitality from third parties.

“Mr Osborne, in a massive lapse of judgement, accepted hospitality from a financier who is potentially in a position to benefit from discussions with the Shadow Chancellor.

“We also have a Business Secretary who is known to have a love of the high life and a love of the wealthy. It is very important we know who he is staying with and for what reasons.

“There must be no doubt in future as to what hospitality must be registered.”

As the credit crunch starts to hit the real economy, Gordon Brown must turn his attention to the many families being hit hardest by the crisis, Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg said today.

Publishing his Family Assistance Package, set out last week with his Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable, Nick Clegg today called for an immediate cut in interest rates and also other measures to ease the burden on households, including:

• Tax cuts for people on low and middle incomes
• Action to help people pay rising energy bills
• The creation of a trusted nationwide financial advice service

Nick Clegg said:

“The best way to help families through the tough times ahead is to give them more of their own money back.

“This winter will see more jobs lost, more homes repossessed and many people struggling to pay cripplingly high energy bills.

“The Government wants to spend its way out of this crisis without learning from any of its mistakes, while the Tories seem content to fiddle around the edges of business taxation.

“Only the Liberal Democrats are focusing on directly helping families through this recession.”

Bath MP Don Foster has today launched a campaign urging local supermarkets to think twice before stocking excessively packaged goods.

From the packaging of perfume to pizzas, UK households send over 5 million tonnes of waste packaging to landfill each year.

 “Like many others in Bath, I am appalled by the wasteful packaging that accompanies so many everyday products.  Shockingly, one-sixth of the average household food budget - £470 – is spent on the cost of packaging. 

 “We continually ask residents to recycle more and reduce their waste, but they are justifiably frustrated that businesses don’t seem to be following suit, and excess packaging is a prime example.

 “While I commend the many supermarkets who are trying to limit the number of plastic bags they give out, there is still much to be done to end the serious damage to the environment, caused by these bags and excess packaging, being sent to landfill. 

 “That is why I am launching a campaign against excess packaging here in Bath.  I have contacted all of the city’s supermarkets to highlight this issue, and hope that we can work together to achieve an end to these wasteful ways.”

Bath MP Don Foster has welcome the Government’s indication that it will back Liberal Democrat plans to ensure that small 125ml glasses of wine can be sold along side larger glasses in pubs and bars across the country

Liberal Democrat MP Greg Mulholland had tabled a Private Members Bill calling for the rule change, but has now decided to withdraw after ministers suggested they will back the idea.

Commenting, Don said, “Whenever I have talked about drinking responsibly I have mentioned the bizarre situation that you could not get a 125ml measure of wine, which would make it easier for people to be aware of how much they are drinking.

“This was one of the issues that was raised during the recent alcohol summit in Bath, and I’m delighted that the Government has effectively backed Liberal Democrat proposals which will introduce a real choice for wine drinkers.

“Across the country there has been a deliberate move to phase out smaller wine glasses which means people have no choice but to order larger sizes. 

Commenting on the Annual School Sports Survey figures released today, Liberal Democrat Shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, Don Foster said: "The improvement in the number of pupils doing enough sport a week is welcome, but we can’t ignore the fact that nearly three quarters of a million children are still missing out."

Don Foster continued, saying:

“The decline in competitive sport is especially concerning as it's vitally important for developing the next generation of top athletes.

“However, we must recognise that it’s not for everyone. If we’re serious about getting all young people fit and active then we need to look beyond the school walls and stop ignoring the fact that a quarter of children still don’t take part in any sport outside of school.”

A semi-abandoned car park next to the former Moravian Church on Coronation Avenue in Westmoreland is at the centre of a row over access and safety between local residents and the Council.

The land was originally laid out as a car park for the church which has since been sold to a development company who intend to build flats on the site. The land was originally secured by gates but the Council ordered the removal of the gates saying that the area must be left open for access to the public right of way which runs alongside. This has lead to the car park being used locally as an informal parking area – cars awaiting repair are also being left there.

The use of this car park is now becoming a source of irritation to local residents and on Friday 3^rd October at around 5.15 p.m. an accident was caused when a taxi suddenly veered towards the car park and hit another car. Paramedics were called to attend to the female driver, whilst the taxi driver disappeared.

Local Councillor Lynda Hedges (Liberal Democrat, Westmoreland) said:

“I have on several occasions asked the Cabinet member to do something about locking the gates of this piece of land beside the former Moravian Church. I feel that a ‘stopping up order’ would be an appropriate response to the danger to pedestrians and road users. However I have had no response from him despite alerting him to this danger over a month ago.

“This accident could have been prevented if the Cabinet member responsible had listened to local Councillors and residents about the need for the gates to be closed to prevent irresponsible driving and parking in this area.”

Councillor Sharon Ball (Liberal Democrat, Westmoreland) added:

“Local residents are hopping mad about this accident. Thanks to the Council leaving this land open as a free-for-all parking area, pedestrians and road users are being put at risk by dangerous driving. Surely it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured.”

Liberal Democrat Leader, Nick Clegg has warned that the financial crisis could become an “economic 9/11”.

During a speech to the IPPR think-tank at Canary Wharf, Mr Clegg said that the consequences of the banking crisis could breed conflict and instability and push democracies into narrow nationalism.

He said: “In our world, economic strength is power. We do not yet know, when the dust settles from this crisis, where the power will lie. The financial collapse we are caught in may prove to be an economic 9/11.

“9/11 was a security crisis, with security implications. This is an economic crisis, but its economic and social security implications are potentially no less profound.”

Mr Clegg also welcomed the Government’s £37bn bail-out plan, and called for a “sea change” in the financial services industry bonus culture.

He also demanded that European leaders “step up to the plate”.

He added: “This crisis has proved that in our globalised world chains of cause and effect have no regard for territorial integrity.

“European governments have a responsibility to reduce inequality in their own countries and to work together to reduce it across Europe as a whole. Extremists target vulnerable and marginalised groups. They will only find sympathy for their cause if disaffected groups feel that economic injustice has pushed them right to the edge.

“It is up to European leaders to emulate the courage and cooperation that fixed the global economy the last time it lay in tatters. This time they must embrace the new powers of China, India and Brazil, rather than sustaining the post war settlement of over 50 years ago.”

At the Council House in Bristol last night, it was declared that Liberal Democrat Tony Potter had pulled off a stunning victory in St George West, after a hard fought campaign on local issues.

In his acceptance speech, Tony Potter declared that: “no longer will St George West be the backwater of Bristol.”

Liberal Democrat leader on Bristol City Council Barbara Janke said: “Tony Potter is an excellent local candidate who has already worked hard for the people of St George for very many years. He will be a hard working councillor that people have voted for and need.

"This is a wonderful result. We're delighted that the people of St George West have agreed with our positive message of change. Once again, it has been shown that the Tories are going backwards in Bristol, and that the Liberal Democrats are the only alternative to the failed Labour administration. This is the first step to a majority next May.”

Commenting on the situation facing councils that have money invested in Icelandic banks, Liberal Democrat Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary, Julia Goldsworthy said: “The first priority has to be that the Government supports councils to recover as much of their money as possible. It must also look at the potential for the capitalisation of any remaining debts to avoid service cuts or immediate Council Tax rises at all costs."

“We need to know the extent of the risk and under what circumstance councils made these commitments. Some councils that deliberately avoided taking these risks should have their prudence acknowledged.

“The real issue here is making sure that front line services like fire and policing, social care and transport are protected.

“The answer isn’t for the Government to guarantee these loans. That would simply pass the buck from local taxpayers to income taxpayers, which would not be much comfort to those already struggling to pay their bills.

“It is ridiculous for the Government to try to wash its hands of this, given that in many cases it is revenues councils were collecting for the Government, such as business rates, which are now at risk. These councils were operating within Treasury guidance.

“The next question is how far the problem will spread. PFI schemes for new schools and hospitals could be under threat.”

Responding to Andy Burnham’s announcement today of a modernisation review of England’s public library service, Liberal Democrat Shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, Don Foster said: "I welcome a review of how libraries can be improved but I’m concerned that this is just a thinly veiled attempt to make further cuts to our fast-disappearing library services."

Don Foster went on to say:

“Under Labour we’ve seen the slow death of hundreds of libraries across the country. Rural areas are suffering the most and being cut out of the loop as resources are concentrated elsewhere.

“We should be looking to councils like Sutton who have shown just how great libraries can be when they shake off their dusty image and become lively centres of learning in the community.”

Liberal Democrat research on libraries shows:

· London loses a library every 10 weeks on average, while the North West loses one every three weeks
· A library in the capital is open for an average of 10 hours longer each week than a library outside the capital
· There are 10% fewer mobile libraries than there were in 2001
· Half of all library closures last year happened in the north
· London was the only area in the country not to see more libraries close than open last year
· In England, an average of more than one library per week closes
· The number of people borrowing one item per year or more from libraries has declined by a quarter since 2001

Bath MP Don Foster yesterday spoke in the Westminster Hall debate on the South West Regional Spatial Strategy, and called for a proper test to make sure that all brownfield sites were developed before areas in the green belt.

Speaking in the debate, Don said, “[There is an] urgent need to have a sequential test so that we stick to the rule of developing brownfield, derelict properties first, and green belt land as a very last resort, if necessary. If we do not, it will lead to problems with developers cherry-picking the best and easiest sites, which would be a planning disaster.”

Don also called on the Minister to allow student developments to count, saying, “Will the Minister at least reconsider the ludicrous situation in the centre of Bath, where 1,772 family homes are entirely occupied by students? Building student accommodation on our two university campuses…would release many of those properties. Surely, releasing properties for ordinary home use should count towards the target.”

“Graphic pictures of throat cancer and rotting teeth are to appear on cigarette packets to illustrate the health risks of smoking, the Department of Health (DoH) has announced. Other images smokers will see include rotting lungs, a corpse in a morgue and a body cut open during surgery.

The UK is the first country in the EU to introduce the photo warnings, which will be manufactured on cigarette packets from October 1. The warnings will extend to all cigarette packets by October 2009 and other tobacco products from October 2010. The photos will appear on the back of packets accompanied by a written health warning.” – The Independent.

These photo warnings were introduced into EU legislation thanks to the work of Lib Dem MEPs in Brussels.

Commenting on a report by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child which criticises the Government as failing to meet international standards on the treatment of children, Liberal Democrat Shadow Children, Schools and Families Secretary, David Laws said: “This is a damning criticism of the Government’s failure to meet international standards on the treatment of children."

“Ed Balls must make an urgent statement in Parliament and explain what action he will be taking to address the serious concerns raised in this report.”

Commenting on Nationwide figures showing that house prices fell by 1.7% in September, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: "Day after day we hear yet more bad news for the housing market, as people continue to feel the pinch from Britain’s struggling economy."

Vince Cable continued, saying:

“Millions of families are struggling to make ends meet, faced with the twin menaces of rising energy and food costs. Ever-increasing numbers are slipping into negative equity and unable to afford their mortgage payments.

“Alistair Darling’s stamp duty bribe to buyers has clearly failed.

“Rather than trying to artificially prop up the market for political expediency, the Chancellor must act to prevent a repetition of the waves of repossessions last seen in the Tory recession of the 1990s.

“It is absolutely vital that the Government legislate to create a statutory code of conduct for all mortgage lenders. Repossession should only ever be the last resort.”

A meeting of the Westmoreland PACT ( partnerships and communities together ) will take place on Thursday 27th November at 7.30 in Oldfield Park Baptist Church.

All residents are welcome to this first meeting that is sponsored by the Police the Local authority and other statutory agencies.

The meeting will set out to identify what problems there are over the area and will then vote on the three top priorities that a panel of the agencies will take away and try to resolve one of them.

Mr Wali Rahman, the Student Community Liaison Officer for Bath & North East Somerset Council will also be in attendance at the meeting and will join the panel.

So if you have an issue then please come along and put your case to the meeting.