A new planning application has been received which is within Holyrood Ward of Prestwich as detailed below:-

Application number: 52614         Type of application: Full         Date Registered: 16/07/2010

Applicant: Mr Dost
Location: 33 Glebelands Road, Prestwich, Manchester M25 1WE
Proposal: Construction of ten apartments with car parking spaces and landscaping

Plans are available to view on the Council’s website. Should you require further details please contact the case officer: Helen Longworth on: 0161 253 5322 or one of your local councillors who will be able to advise on how to comment on this application.

Your views would be welcomed in order that we may properly represent local residents and any concerns you may have.

A new planning application has been received which is within Holyrood Ward of Prestwich as detailed below:-

Application number: 52820         Type of application: Full         Date Registered: 05/07/2010

Applicant: Mr & Mrs Hall
Location: Land off Poppythorn Lane, Prestwich, Manchester
Proposal: Outline - Demolition of existing buildings and erection of 12 no. dwellings and associated access and car parking

Plans will be available to view on the Council’s website within 2 working days from today. Should you require further details please contact the case officer: Helen Longworth on: 0161 253 5322.

If you wish to comment on this application or wish to raise issues, please don’t hesitate to contact your local councillors and we will do our best to advise and represent your views.

Last nights Full Council meeting at Bury Town Hall was probably the longest meeting for many months, starting at 7pm and finishing about 10.20 - and then with unfinished business.

The highlight was two motions, the first by the Labour group calling for the re-instatement of the recently sacked board of Six Town Housing, Bury’s arms length Housing management organisation.

It has been well publiscised recently that Bury Council Chiefs fired the board of Six Town Housing because of actions of the board and a lack of consultation with the Council, arguing a number of reasons in justification.

Whilst I have sympathy with the motion and the comments made, I felt extremely uncomfortable with the fact that the debate was encroaching on the minutae of the issue - including individuals involved - councillors and staff of both organisations. (I should point out that it is a long held convention that officers are not referred to directly in debate.)

As a Lib Dem group we were unhappy with the tone of the motion and so we moved the following amendment:

AMENDMENT 

This Council is extremely concerned at the events, which have led to the Board of Six Town Housing being dismissed.
We, therefore recommend  that  the appointment of a new Board of Six Town Housing comprising tenants, councillors and independent members be undertaken as soon as practicable, at least by the AGM of Six Town Housing in November 2010.

We further recommend that an All-Party Group be established to review the events that led up to the dismissal of the Board, and to consider any changes that need to be made to ensure strong governance for Six Town Housing.

Proposer: Cllr Ann Garner            Seconder: Cllr Richard Baum 

This amendment received the support of the Conservative Group and so was passed by Council, Labour abstained on the amended motion which was supported by Lib Dems and the Conservative Group.

The first Prestwich Area Partnership meeting of the new municipal year took place last night at Church Lane Community Centre.

As ever it was a packed agenda and well attended, some of the key highlights were as follows:

COMMUNITY GRANTS

Concern was raised that the Area Partnership were asked to cancel a recent Grants Panel meeting because no funds had yet been allocated to the Area Partnerships for the coming year. Members raised concerns that funds need to be allocated in order that local organisations and activities can be supported.

BROADBAND JUNCTION BOXES

Residents of Brooklands Road raised concerns about the recent installation there of a new large BT junction box bringing high speed broadband to the area. This is apparently the first of a number of boxes to be established in the area and residents expressed concern that they had not been consulted about the location and that workmen went onto their land without permission to carry out the work. the Partnership agreed to raise the matter with the Council.

DISCRETIONARY RATES

Bury Council operates a scheme of discretionary Business Rates reductions for local charities and non-profit making groups. However representatives of Prestwich Amateur Dramatic and Operatic Society (PADOS) attended to voice their concerns that their discretionary reduction had been cancelled and whether this was a change of Council policy. Prestwich Area Partnership agreed to raise the issue with Bury Council.

NEIGHBOURHOOD INTELLIGENCE ASSESSMENT

Every few years the Council produce this document that brings together a variety of local indicators and figures from different sources, local and national, to provide an insight into local communities highlighting crime, health , levels of deprivation and affluence, population statistics etc. The aim is to use the document to inform and influence the devleopment of local policies. The Area Partnership agreed to establish a Working Group to look more closely at the issues raised and how they may be addressed.

POLICE UPDATE

New local Inspector, Mark Kenny attended and gave an update on local crime and Police issues. He confirmed that there had been some significant reductions in crime over the past year and they were working hard to keep it that way. In addition he informed the Partnership that due to reorganisation there will now be crime investigation teams attached to each ward area, with officers responsible to respond directly to crimes in those areas.

HOLYROOD CHILDREN’S CENTRE

Caroline Finn the Holyrood Childrens Centre Manager and Davina Handley from Childrens services provided an update on building work progress and plans for the new centre on Cuckoo Lane at Heaton Park School. It was confirmed that they are starting to provide services off-site and the Centre is expected to be completed and open by November 22nd.  

NEXT MEETING

July 15th from 6.30pm (open forum 7.30), venue to be confirmed - see local press.

The Liberal Democrats today launched plans to create jobs that last by stimulating a green, sustainable economy. The plans include investing in wind energy, energy efficiency in public buildings and homes, and bringing empty homes back into use through renovation.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg said: “This week I will be focusing on the most important issue of all in this election: how we can build a new economy from the rubble of the old. Under Governments from the old parties, economic policy was made entirely subservient to the needs of just one square mile - the city of London.

“This will provide an immediate jobs boost and help create the green infrastructure we need for a low carbon economy. On Tuesday and Wednesday I will unveil further proposals on restructuring our financial system and on boosting social mobility in the new economy.”

Vic D’Albert, Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate for Bury South added, “Time has moved on but the approach and attitude of the two old parties has remained rooted in the past. The recession shouldn’t be the death knell for environmentally friendly policies it should be the spring board. A spring board for massive growth in the green economy, providing a boost to jobs and the economy when it most needs it.”

You can read more about these policies here .

Or your can download this section of our manifesto here: libdem_2010_job.pdf

THE LIBERAL DEMOCRAT MANIFESTO

This is a manifesto you can trust. We have stripped our priorities back to the essential, fundamental changes that Britain needs to make it fair:

• Fair taxes that put money back in your pocket
• A fair chance for every child
• A fair future, creating jobs by making Britain greener
• And a fair deal by cleaning up politics

These are deliverable, practical plans to make your life better, and they are right there on the front cover of our manifesto.  Instead of rhetoric and razzmatazz, we are saying what we will do and how we will pay for it.

Elections should be a competition of ideas, not marketing budgets. They may have the bigger budgets but we have the bigger ideas.And you can trust us to deliver because unlike the other parties, we have spelt out, line by line in the manifesto how every single policy is paid for, and how we will reduce the deficit.

We have set out £15bn of details spending cuts and just £5bn a year of new spending, meaning £10bn for the deficit every year. We are the first party to put detailed spending plans into a manifesto.

Four key pledges

1. Fair taxes: We will ensure no-one pays income tax on the first £10,000 they earn. Most taxpayers will get a tax cut of £700 a year.  We’ll pay for it by closing loopholes that unfairly benefit the rich, a new tax on mansions worth over £2m, a crack down on tax avoidance and higher aviation duty.
2. A fair start for all our children: We will get every child the individual attention they need by cutting class sizes.  We will spend an extra £2.5bn on schools, targeted at children who need the most help. The average primary school could cut class sizes to 20. An average secondary school could see classes of just 16.
3. A fair future: a rebalanced, green economy: We will break up the banks and rebalance the economy away from unsustainable financial speculation. We will be honest about where savings must be made in government spending to balance the books and protect our children’s future. And we will create new jobs with a £3.1bn green stimulus and job creation plan in our first year in office, fully funded by cut backs elsewhere.
4. A fair deal from politicians: We will introduce a fair voting system. We will ensure corrupt MPs can be sacked by their constituents and stop non-doms from donating to parties or sitting in Parliament. We will take power from Westminster and give it to communities, with local power over police and the NHS, and introduce a freedom bill to protect and restore civil liberties.

We also have the following commitments:

• Protect front line NHS services. We will help the NHS work better with the money it has and protect front line services by re-investing the savings we find back into healthcare
• Recruit 3,000 more police officers to keep our streets safe and scrapping ID cards
• Scrap student tuition fees to reduce the burden of student debt immediately and eliminate fee debt altogether over 6 years
• A pay rise for our brave service men and women together with cut backs of bureaucrats and top brass officers in the Ministry of Defence
• Uprate the basic state pension in line with earnings immediately so that pensioners do not fall further behind when the economy starts to grow again

YOU CAN READ NICK CLEGGS MANIFESTO LAUNCH SPEECH HERE

YOU CAN READ OR DOWNLOAD A COPY OF OUR MANIFESTO HERE: libdem_manifesto_2010.pdf

ALTERNATIVELY YOU CAN VIEW OUR MANIFESTO IN FULL OR SECTIONS ON OUR WEBSITE HERE 

Last nights meeting of Bury MBC’s Environment, Economy and Transport Scrutiny Committee received a long awaited presentation about the state of council owned garage colonies.

For some years now there has been growing concern about the state of many of these garages. Many have been badly vandalised or are a focal point for anti-social behaviour as more and more remain empty.

Last nights presentation did seem to bear this out as it was confirmed that half the councils 77 garage sites were a “drain on resources” to varying extents.

As part of the review to be undertaken the Council now plans to consult widely on how best to deal with the worst condition sites.

It has been suggested that there could be alternative uses such as:

• Housing
• Allotments
• Play Areas
• other communal/garden areas etc

In addition it may be appropriate for some to be renovated.

I strongly supported the idea that ward councillors be involved in the consultation and that the local area partnerships should have a say as they have a specific remit to represent the views of residents in the area.

It was agreed that a report and presentation be brought to a future area partnership meeting.

The Liberal Democrats today set out plans to bring a quarter of a million empty homes back into use, making homes available for people who need them and creating 65,000 jobs.

There are over 760,000 empty properties across England which are no longer used as homes but can be brought back into use with some investment. People who own these homes will get a grant or a cheap loan to renovate them so they can be used: grants if the home is for social housing, loans for private use.

Across Bury there is a staggering 1840 empty properties laying idle which could be used to meet local housing needs.

Vic D’Albert, Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate for Bury South commented,

“I welcome this pledge. Empty property is an issue that this Labour Government has clearly failed to address in any adequate manner at all. In one street of Holyrood Ward of Prestwich alone I know of 2 properties that have been left empty, to rot for years.

“This situation cannot be allowed to continue and I am positive this election pledge would have a dramatic in dealing with empty properties across the country.” 

The plans form part of the economic stimulus package outlined as a core principle of the Liberal Democrat election manifesto. In the first year of the new Parliament, the party would redirect over £3.6bn of spending to create jobs and build up Britain’s infrastructure. In the following years this money will be redirected to other Lib Dem spending priorities and reducing the structural deficit.

Read the rest of this entry. Read the rest of this entry.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey has today urged as 70 million population cap on immigration urging that the situation is taken more seriously by politicians.

Whilst I am not sure arbitrary caps are necessary what we do need is stronger control and policing of illegal immigration combined with a greater recognition of the impact that large scale immigration can have on an area and the stresses and anxieties that it can cause the local indigenous community. The days of politicians avoiding the issue of immigration like the plague are long gone and with a a forthcoming general election the main parties have to find rational, coherent manifesto points that acknowledge concerns and offer practical solutions.

My own party already supports a strong border police force and believes migrants should be directed to areas of the country where they are most needed and where the communities would have adequate resources to accomodate their arrival. Sensible though this approach is, it doesn’t go quite far enough for me and I would like to see a tougher policy towards trafficking and illegal immigration and across the board the main parties need to start addressing the perceived negative impacts of large scale immigration into areas and start focusing on how communities can be better supported and how large scale immigration into areas can be limited.

Its a difficult issue, especially for liberal thinkers, but its a crucial issue. Why? Because the people are telling us it is, failure to listen now would be further fuel and amunition to the BNP and would lead to further civic unrest in the future. It’s time to listen and to act.

Plans to demolish 33 Glebelands Road and build a 12 apartment building with parking  have been rejected by Bury Councils Planning Department.

As an original objector to the first set of plans and to these resubmitted plans I am delighted that this planning Application has been refused.

This is a character victorian house and should be restored if at all possible - even if that means converting the existing building into apartments. But demolition would be a tragedy and a further loss to our built heritage on the edge of a council conservation area.

I do hope the owners come back with plans to preserve and restore this building in a way that satisfies both developers and the local community. If they can’t I hope they sell this building to someone who can.

Estimated winter deaths last winter were the highest for 10 years according to the Office of National statistics - who highlight excessive deaths between December and March as compared to the rest of the year.

The ONS estimate that there were 36,700 extra deaths due to winter last year a staggering increase of 49%

In the North West the picture is even worse with winter deaths estimated at 5000 up from 3210 the previous year. An increase of 56%.

It is an absolute scandal that the frail, the sick and the elderly should be put at risk in this country in this century.

The Government has to be more proactive in seeking out the vulnerable and improving insulation, improving heating provision and ensuring that those concerned can turn on the heating without fear of the cost.

With high energy bills many are petrified of the heating bill and understandably put eating before heating. But if they don’t keep warm enough then illness will follow.

The Government has to do better in tackling fuel poverty and supporting vulnerable people in their homes. Its no use waitingfor this winters deaths figures to be announced next year - the Government needs to take positive action now.

Bury Council is facing a funding crisis for Disabled Facilities Grants according to local Lib Dems. Figures obtained by Vic D’Albert, Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate for Bury South reveal that over £1,500,000 of grants are either waiting for approval or approved and not yet paid.

“This is a serious issue with serious consequences for those waiting for these important grants” Said Vic D’Albert, adding, “These grants are essential to enable people with severe disabilities to adapt their properties to enable them to live as independent and full a life as possible. Often these involve proving basic ground floor facilities. These figures show that Bury is heading for a financial crisis with these grants, and are stalling over payments more and more in an effort to keep payments down. If the Council does not address this issue sooner rather than later we will see an escalation in the number of disabled people suffering longer and longer as a result.”

The Council had a budget for the year of just over £1.1m but already have applications totalling £1.53 not paid on top of £418,713 already paid this year. On top of these outstanding applications there are a further 34 cases that have now been marked as medium or low priority.

This backlog of grants follows on from the recent high profile local case of Mr Westwood of Whitefield, a double amputee and constituent of Vic D’Albert, who had to wait over 10 months for his grant. In another instance a mother with a 5 year old autistic child approached Vic D’Albert after being told by a council officer that “the council couldn’t afford to do the work yet – could they find the £29000 necessary and the council pay them back later”.

“I find it intolerable that in an effort to meet the budget that has been set at the beginning of the year, that Bury Council is effectively stalling on providing much needed adaptations. We are not talking luxuries here, these are essentials and needed immediately not in 10 months or a years time. I expect Bury Council to respond to this crisis with a detailed strategy as to how they plan to deal with this problem in a way that meets the demands of disabled residents.“

“It’s stressful, hurtful and frankly insulting for people to be treated this way. Bury Council needs to get a grip of the situation immediately.”

Lib Dem General Election candidate for Bury South, Vic D’Albert has welcomed todays announcement by Vince Cable of an additional property levy on properties worth over £1m.

“This measure would inject a bit more fairness into a distorted Council Tax system which would enable the Government to redistribute tax revenues to the low paid and remove many from tax altogether.” 

The new charge of 0.5% would apply to the value of a property above £1m. So if a home was worth £1.5m the 0.5% tax would apply to £500,000 of it, meaning the owner will have to pay £2,500 a year. The extra tax on a £4m property would be £15,000 a year. The Lib Dems say about 250,000 property-owners would pay about £4,000 a year each on average mostly in the South-East of England.  

Vic D’Albert commented, “It’s important that we balance this additional tax levy with what we are trying to achieve and that is all about lifting four million people - workers and pensioners - out of taxation and cutting taxes for people at the bottom end in a fair way.”  

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said: “I think people, even at the top end, now accept we need to try and rebalance things a bit so that everyone moves together - the whole of society moves together, it’s about fairness and rebalancing one of the most unfair tax systems around.This is a small correction which I think will make a big difference for people who are really struggling to make ends meet,” he said.

The new tax would be a “temporary” measure until it was able to implement its plans for a local income tax. People on low incomes, who are currently receiving council tax benefit, would be exempt, although the party has stressed it does not believe there are many low income people living in million pound homes.

Last nights EET meeting thankfully improved after the “coffee machine” disaster.

PARKING IN BURY

A annual report was presented about Parking services which outlined the number of penalty notices issued and other parking issues.

The report highlighted that the number of people parking in the town centre had reduced over the past year, that revenue from meters and notices will be less than budgeted and 6703 penalty notices were issued. My collegaue,Cllr Donal O’Hanlon raised a very interesting point that 24% or nearly 1 in 4 notices issued were eventually cancelled. In other words we (the Council) were paying people to cancel notices rather than being less heavy handed, reasonable or accurate in the first instance.

I requested that a wide ranging visitor survey be undertaken to focus on parking issues and identify any further issues. This was in response to a limited survey of 1000 motorists that appealed against notices.

STREET LIGHTING

Some avid readers of local current affairs will remember that the Conservative authority , first announced that they wanted to turn off street lights, then had an executive panic attack and decided to change their minds. This angered member of the Environment scrutiny commission who were aware of the need to improve street lighting both in terms of efficiency bu reducing CO2 emissions. Lighting accounts for 13% of the Borough total.

Last night we agreed to set up a working group to look at street lighting issues with a view to applying for a public finance initiative to improve our street lights.

HOUSING GRANTS

A paper was presented to the commission proposing changes to the grants available for residents to carry out housing improvements or adaptations. Much of these changes were non contentious - for instance amending the Minor repairs and Improvements Grants to take account of sustainability issues and decent homes standards.

However what bothered me intensely was changes to the Disabled Facilities Grants. Currently it is mandatory that the council finance up to £30,000 of adaptations, how they now propose that any further “top-ups” required will be only available in exceptional circumstances. Officers admitted that this was due to budgetary pressures - The council has a budget of around £1.2m which included £617,000 from the Government.

I am concerned that this is a start on squeezing local authority grants and support generally - and it greatly concerns me that this is once again financially driven - officers admitted that it is likely residents would have to wait longer or may be turned down for additional essential work.

A new planning application has been received which is within Holyrood Ward of Prestwich as detailed below:-

Application number: 51757         Type of application: Full         Date Registered: 15/09/2009

Applicant: Mr Naseem Dost
Location: 33 GLEBELANDS ROAD, PRESTWICH, M25 1WE
Proposal: RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT - 10 APARTMENTS WITH 12 CAR PARKING SPACES AND LANDSCAPING

Plans will be available to view on the Council’s website within 2 working days from today (see link on the left). Should you require further details please contact the case officer: Helen Longworth on: 0161 253 5322.

A similar application came up for this site some time ago which I opposed along with many other local people and organisations. Once the plans are available I will be scrutinising them once more and will comment more fully at that time.

The long awaited regeneration of Prestwich village moved a step closer tonight when Bury Councils Planning Control Committee approved an outline planning application.

The initial outline application basically designates areas for use and provides a general overview of the proposals. This application will now be followed in the coming months with detailed applications relating to specific site developments.

I am pleased that the application was unanimously approved. St.Mary’s Ward Councillor Mary D’Albert sought clarification on the size of the proposed supermarket and assurances that the Longfield Suite will be unaffected and the new libary will be at least as big as the existing one.

St.Mary’s Lib Dem Councillor Donal O’Hanlon could not vote because he has a vested interest in the development as Chair of the Town Centre Regeneration Working Group that has monitored and pressed forward these proposals on behalf of the Area Partnership. He did however suggest a number of conditions of which one regarding contractors and subcontractors parking was adopted.

So onwards and upwards. Developers will hopefully be working on key aspects/detailed applications now and there may well be detailed consultation with Town planners on the details.

It is also hoped that these detailed applications remain true to the Love Prestwich Strategy document which has been so well received and the the Area Partnership and Town Centre Regeneration Working Group remain an active consultee of the developers.

Watch this space - or to be more specific the Longfield Precinct space!

Last night was a case of one extreme to another. I started off in the Councils Economy and Environment Scrutiny sub group looking at the Local Development framework for Bury and ended up in a pub in Prestwich in a Tenants and Residents meeting.

LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK

This important sub group is responsible for monitoring the progress of the production of the Local Development Framework and associated documents. The LDF looks at the allocation and use of all land throughout Bury and for instance identifies land for business use, housing and of course the green belt. Perhaps the most controversial aspects include the need to identify new sites for gypsy’s and travellers as well as identifying land for about 11500 new homes.

As if that wasn’t enough they have to deal with the impact of climate change which will dramatically affect areas prone to flooding which we were told will have an impact on Radcliffe and Ramsbottom proposals.

LDF documents are still work in progress at this stage and there is much consultation and examination before they become adopted as policy by the council, but clearly there will be significant challenges with wide ranging impact on most of Bury.

POLEFIELD TENANTS & RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION

Following the LDF meeting at the town hall I had to rush to a meeting of Polefield TRA at the Parkside Hotel in Prestwich.

The meeting included tenants, police, Six Town Housing officers and myself. We received reports that suggested that things were pretty quite on the estate - limited anti-social behaviour.

Plans are progressing for a Halloween night disco for under 11’s at Heaton Park School and a public meeting in November.

Tenants raised concerns about speeding on the estate, the use of (often illegal) bikes and quad bikes etc and potentially dangerous junction of Cuckoo Grove, Polefield Hall Rd and Polefield Circle. I promised to request the Council to investigate possible improvements to this junction along with the provision of some improved street lighting and road repairs.

Last night I chaired the Council’s Local Development Framework Sub group (of the Economy, Environment and Transport Scrutiny Commission). Believe me it’s more interesting than it sounds!

Ostensibly the group has been set up to oversee the progress of the Council’s production of a Local Development Framework (LDF) and to scrutinise the consultation process and ensure all bases are covered etc.

The LDF is a votal planning document that will inform future development and conservation across the whole of Bury for the period up to 2026. For instance it will highlight where development will be permitted, whether that development can be for employment purposes or housing for instance. It will identify green belt and green “facilities”.

So all in all its a crucial piece of work that will have a far reaching affect on he future of Bury. Last night was only our second meeting so some way to go yet. But good progress is being made.

The meetings are open to the public - next meeting September 14th, 6pm Bury Town Hall.

Last night Bury Councils Healthier Communities Scrutiny Committee confirmed the Councils decision to close all but one of our elderly persons homes and change some to special centres ie for dementia/respite care etc.

Whilst the issue was controversial in itself and only went through on the casting vote of the chair, what is in many ways more controversial is the manner in which this decision has come about and the delusion that the Council scrutiny committees actually scrutinise to any degree.

Last nights meeting took over 2.5 hours to scrutinise the future accomodation needs and facilities required by the elderly in a 10 year plan culminating in the hoped for build of two care villages by 2020.  Were projected costings scrutinised? No. Were detailed analysis of the various options scrutinised? No. Have the implications for those with learning disability been fully scrutinised (as it will affect their facilities)? No.

Effectively what was actually being scrutinised (and I do use the word loosely now) was a vision from officers of what they would like to see developed over the next 10 years for elderly accomodation provision. Visions are fine but they are the beginning of a process, not the end.

Bury’s scrutiny of council decisions amounts to little more than a rough evaluation or assessment of the decision. How on earth can you scrutinise life changing decisions of the council in a couple of hours, especially when ranged in front of you are a bank of senior officers in support of the decision and no support for councillors trying to scrutinise.

The “scrutiny” system is a disgrace, doesn’t work, and a pointless waste of time.It will lead to policy mistakes and that means people may suffer. Surely even the ruling Tory group don’t want to see that. 

The most notable item on the agenda of this weeks Economy, Environment and Transport Scrutiny Committee at the Town Hall was an item highlighting future pressure for the Council to provide more permanent sites for gypsies and travellers.

The Government say that Gypsies and Travellers want permanent sites in order that illegal encampments can be minimised. As a result the North West (unelected) Regional Assembly has worked out the amount it feels all Greater Manchester Authorities should provide over the next few years.

Currently Bury provides 17 pitches on one site, however North West Region believes that Bury should provide and additional 70 pitches by 2016 and an additional 117 by 2026.

The demand justifying these figures is currently disputed by Bury officers and the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities that have carried out their own study of the demand for sites.

In addition to the difficulty and likely local opposition to finding this many sites, the other barrier at present is the cost. It is estimated that it would cost of £5m to provide these sites. While Bury would receive a grant incentive from Government, it would not nearly cover the cost.

At present this whole issue is going through preliminary stages and as mentioned even the amount of required provision is disputed. It set for further consultation of firmer proposals in 2010 so watch this space.  

This was the week that…

·         Parliament was rocked by revelations about the misuse of MPs expenses [more]

·         One of David Cameron’s closest aides was forced to quit over his ‘unacceptable’ expenses claims [more]

·         Labour suspended a former minister from the parliamentary party [more] and accepted the resignation of the Justice Minister over the expenses scandal [more]

·         Two Labour peers faced suspension from the House of Lords after being found guilty of intending to accept money to amend legislation [more]

·         An opinion poll showed that Labour support has fallen to a record low [more]

·         A poll of Euro-election voting intentions showed a three-way tie for second place, with Labour, the Liberal Democrats and UKIP all on 19% [more]

·         European leaders criticised Cameron’s decision to move his party to the fringes of European politics [more]

·         Nick Clegg’s public approval rating continued to rise [more]

·         An expert on crime reduction said Labour had failed in its pledge to be ‘tough on the causes of crime’ [more]

·         On Burnley Council, Labour and Tory councillors teamed up with 4 BNP councillors to try to unseat the Lib Dem council leader [more]

Over the last week we learnt that…

·         The number of unemployed jumped 244,000 in the first three months of the year [more]

·         BT announced that it is to cut 15,000 jobs, mostly in the UK [more]

·         100 primary schools are closing every year as demand for places looks set to grow [more]

·         Alistair Darling’s economic forecasts are over-optimistic, according to the Bank of England [more]

·         Teenage crime has soared 60% under New Labour [more]

·         The government has cut funding by 25% for five key environmental initiatives [more]

·         Only 13% of terrorism arrests lead to convictions [more]

·         Gordon Brown is “brutal” and has “anything but” a moral compass according to a former aide [more]

Over the last week the Liberal Democrats…

·         Launched their European Election campaign under the slogan ‘Stronger Together Poorer Apart’ [more]

·         Wrote to party leaders urging them to fully accept the recommendations of the investigation into MPs’ expenses [more]

·         Called for intercept evidence to be made admissible in court in terrorism cases [more]

·         Welcomed proposals for a mandatory code on alcohol sales [more]

·         Revealed the environmental impact of the government’s major road schemes [more]

·         Uncovered the fact that over 15,000 farmers earn less than the minimum wage [more]

·         Argued for a shift in focus in crime policy - from punishment to crime prevention [more]

·         Pushed for an investigation into allegations against the police at the G20 protests [more]

This was the week that…

·         Cabinet members came under fire as details of their expenses claims were revealed [more]. Outrageous expense claims included claiming for mock Tudor beams [more]; storm windows [more]; hanging baskets [more]; and plumbing to fix water that was ‘too hot’ [more]

·         A Labour peer was accused of abusing the expenses system by claiming expenses for an unoccupied flat [more]

·         A senior Cabinet minister attacked the “lamentable failure” of her own government [more]

·         The pressure was kept up on the government over the poor treatment of Gurkha veterans [more]

·         A Tory MEP received a standing ovation from the European parliament for criticising David Cameron [more], while another Tory MEP described Cameron’s European policy as “dotty” [more]

·         Senior figures in the Foreign Office called into question Tory foreign policy [more]

·         Labour braced themselves to lose their four remaining county councils at the local elections [more]

Over the last week we learnt that…

·         The gap between the rich and the poor has widened significantly under Labour [more]

·         A think tank believes this will be the worst recession since the 1930s [more]

·         House prices are set to fall 28% on average overall [more]

·         Over 20,000 civil servants think the government is run badly [more]

·         Only one in four voters back Brown and Darling to manage the economy properly [more]

·         The gender pay gap is higher in the public sector than in the private sector [more]

·         The government has spent £28,000 on ‘media training’ [more]

·         A Tory MP claimed swine flu is “nothing worse than a cold” [more]

Over the last week the Liberal Democrats…

·         Revealed the significant increases in train and bus fares under Labour [more]

·         Wrote to the FSA to encourage them to release details of bank ‘stress tests’ [more]

·         Continued to press the government for the fair treatment of Gurkhas [more]

·         Called upon the government to go further after the abandonment of Science SATs [more]

·         Pressed the government for further action on the removal of innocent people’s DNA from databases [more]

·         Uncovered the fact that two million social tenants have missed out on a government rent promise [more]

·         Demanded an urgent review of the out-of-hours care system [more]

·         Rubbished the government’s proposals to ‘fix’ the social services system [more]

This was the week that…

·         The Budget was unveiled to severe criticism, revealing the dire state of the nation’s finances [more]

·         Labour broke their election manifesto promise by raising the top rate of income tax to 50% [more]

·         The Education Minister and the General Secretary of the Labour Party were drawn into the email smears scandal [more]; [more]

·         The Education Minister faced further criticism for allegedly ‘sexing up’ evidence given to an inquiry [more]

·         Francis Maude became the latest Conservative politician to become embroiled in an expenses scandal [more]

·         A former Labour MP resigned from the party, citing the culture of spin as her reason [more]

·         The Lib Dems new tax proposals were well received by influential political figures [more]

·         Unison, a Labour supporting union, attacked the government over their “childish venom” [more]

·         Allegations of ballot-box tampering threw the selection of a Labour parliamentary candidate into further controversy [more]

·         A leading think-tank said that the government’s income tax rises could lose the Treasury money [more] 

Over the last week we learnt that…

·         Unemployment has hit a new high of 2.1m [more]

·         The national debt has crept over 50% of GDP [more]

·         Deflation has arrived in Britain for the first time in 50 years [more]

·         The IMF are far less optimistic about the economy than Alistair Darling [more]

·         1 in 10 households are struggling to pay their council tax this year [more]

·         The care system is “catastrophic” for vulnerable children a report concludes [more]

·         The number of burglaries has risen for the second quarter in a row [more]

·         UK youth are some of the unhappiest in Europe [more]

Over the last week the Liberal Democrats…

·         Launched tax proposals including a pledge to cut income tax £700 for low and middle income earners [more]

·         Attacked the Budget as “a political supermarket sweep of random promises” [more]

·         Reacted to the Budget’s proposals for housing [more], broadband networks [more], car scrappage [more], energy [more] pensions [more], child poverty [more] and college funding [more]

·         Gained council seats from Labour, the Conservatives and an Independent in a spectacular week of council by-election results north and south of the border [more]; [more]

·         Nick Clegg rejected Gordon Brown’s proposals for reforming the system of MPs expenses [more]

·         Warned that the UK was facing a “credit crunch crime wave” [more]

·         Demanded that David Miliband corrects the Parliamentary record over torture allegations [more]

·         Led a debate calling on the government to provide greater support to armed forces veterans [more]

·         Criticised banks for charging exorbitant credit card interest rates [more]

·         Called for greater support for the children of nuclear test veterans [more]

Responding to Alistair Darling’s Budget, Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg said:  
 
“Today we got a pick and mix Budget of recycled announcements from a government skilled in raising people’s hopes but incompetent at actually delivering help. 

“This Budget is a political supermarket sweep of random promises, without even a hint of a plan or any likelihood the promises will be put into practice. 

“Britain’s taxes are too heavy on those who can least afford it. And too easy to avoid for those who know how.  

“The Liberal Democrats would get practical help to people who are struggling and cut the vast majority of people’s Income Tax bills by £700, paid for by taking aggressive action to clamp down on all the loopholes and exemptions that benefit the richest people and biggest businesses. 

“With a shocking deficit this year of £175bn we need a national debate about what the state can and cannot afford in the future. 

“But Labour is out of ideas and out of steam. 

“Today they have condemned us to years of unemployment and a decade of debt. 

“The country deserves something different.” 

Read a summary of the party’s Economic Recovery Plan at www.LibDems.org.uk/RecoveryPlan

You should be able to read Nick Clegg’s Budget response in the House of Commons at http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmtoday/cmdebate/home.htm from around 5pm today

TAX
• Income tax for those earning more than £150,000 to rise to 50% from April 2010• Tax relief on pensions to be reduced for people on more than £150,000 a year from April 2011

(source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8011882.stm)

So today we finally saw the death of dear old prudence, once held so dear as a treasury principle by Gordon Brown. The chancellor weighed in and with his second budget gambled the future prosperity and economic fortunes on a roll of the dice and a spin of the wheel.

The big big gamble is that he tells us the economy will start to improve (grow) by the end of the year and much of what he is putting in place is designed to reap the rewards of growth from 2010/11 - so precious little support for those struggling in the hear and now.

The second gamble is that he is trying to maintain spending at reasonable levels through massive record level borrowing, both in the hope of a speedy turn round in the economy but also in the hope of turning round Labours fortunes especially at the next General election.

Well I suppose now we own most of the banks we should be able to borrow plenty, but the sums just don’t add up. He has tried to please environmentalists - perhaps successfuly re:wind farms, not so with car scrappage scheme, and no Green tax switch. No easing of the tax burden with personal taxation and precious little else.

He has spun the wheel, but he can’t tell where it will stop. However it will cost us dearly when it does. It became clear today that this Labour Government is as bankrupt on ideas to get out of this mess as they are financially. But they are prepared to gamble everything on getting re-elected . Whoever gets elected next May/June - the first budget in a new parliament would be very interesting indeed.

This was the fortnight that…

·         Gordon Brown’s key aide’s plans to smear senior Tories and their families were exposed [more]

·         And Gordon Brown eventually accepted responsibility [more]

·         The Home Secretary came under pressure following the collapse of the case against Damian Green MP [more]

·         A DNA pioneer attacked the government for storing the DNA of innocent people [more]

·         The Chancellor admitted that his previous economic forecasts were wildly optimistic [more]

·         The CBI attacked the government’s environmental policy [more]

·         Two organisations criticised the government’s ‘knee jerk’ crime and prison policies [more]; [more]

·         A teachers’ union called for a boycott of SATs [more] and adopted a Lib Dem policy [more]

·         A high profile Tory MEP branded the NHS a “mistake” [more]

·         A former Tory councillor was jailed for a year for abusing his expenses privileges [more]

·         Vince Cable published a “lucid and eloquent” book on the recession to positive reviews [more]

Over the last fortnight we learnt that…

·         The UK economy will not recover from the recession until 2012 [more]

·         A bailed-out bank will cut a further 4,500 UK jobs [more]

·         Unemployment will reach 3.2m by 2010 [more]

·         UK industrial production is falling at the fastest rate in four decades [more]

·         Car sales have fallen 30.5% in the last year [more]

·         The government have overpaid the Irish health service – possibly by €750m in the last five years [more]

·         Cost-cutting in the NHS is responsible for 4,000 blunders a year and putting up to 1m patients at risk [more]

·         The Treasury will be left with a £39bn public sector spending gap by 2015 [more]

·         Two thirds of small businesses feel they are not getting enough government support [more]

·         Three ministers have claimed their second home allowances while living in grace-and-favour apartments [more]; [more]; [more]

·         The leader of the Green Party thinks flying to Spain is as bad as stabbing someone in the street [more]

Over the last fortnight the Liberal Democrats…

·         Criticised the governments plans for a new generation of nuclear power plants [more]

·         Rejected government proposals to dock alcoholics’ benefits as ‘inhumane’ [more]

·         Dismissed the government’s new electric car policy as a ‘gimmick’ [more]

·         Uncovered the fact that the NHS is paying the government £81m at a rate of up to 5.6% [more]

·         Published research showing that 4 patients a day die in mental health trusts [more]

·         Revealed that the number of anaphylactic shock cases has doubled in ten years [more]

·         Found that the government’s VAT cut is principally benefiting the rich [more] 

·         Discovered that the dole is worth less now than in the previous two recessions [more]

·         Condemned a proposed 30% price hike by water companies [more]

A report from the National Housing Federation today warned that 2.65m people could be living in overcrowded accomodation by 2011 if the Government don’t provide a major house building stimulus as soon as possible.

Whilst they make some valid points and I confess I haven’t read the report in detail, I am concerned that such reports from organisations with a clear vested interest only address part of he problem and with simplistic solutions at that.

There is already a major problem developing. homelessness is now grwoing sharply again, the hidden homeless (those sleeping temporarily under someone elses roof) is been growing for some time and yes, overcrowing is a growing problem too.

But the answer is just about more houses. Yes we do need more homes to be built, but we need to seriously tackle the amount of empty and derelict properties and empty and derelict commercial buildings. We need more funds at local level for compulsory purchase of such properties, for refurbishment, conversion etc.

We need joined up thinking and some imaginative working to provide real solutions. On the same day as another report highlighted the decline in marriage, that 1/3rd of 20-34 year olds still live with their parents and the growth in living alone, we need modern solutions that address the changes we face in society reconciled with housing demand and disused properties. And the NHF are right - we need these solutions and action now.

This was the week that…

·         HSBC became the latest company to make cuts – 1,200 jobs are to go [more]

·         Business leaders queued up to warn that Britain cannot afford another fiscal stimulus [more]; [more]

·         The government confirmed there will be an Iraq War inquiry, but suggested it will be held in private [more]

·         A UK bond auction failed to find enough buyers for the first time since 2002 [more]

·         The split between the Prime Minister and the Treasury began to widen [more]

·         The Parliamentary Standards Commissioner launched an inquiry into a minister’s expenses [more]

·         A Sunday newspaper revealed the affair of a Labour MP and close friend of Gordon Brown [more]

·         The Conservative Party Chairman came unstuck justifying his expense claims [more]

·         Ken Clarke admitted he wasn’t sure if controversial Conservative tax reforms could be afforded [more]

·         Vince Cable was the only politician named in a ‘fantasy boardroom’ [more] 

Over the last week we learnt that…

·         GDP suffered its biggest quarterly fall since 1980 in the last quarter of 2008 [more]

·         The government will borrow £351bn in the next two years – more than in the 306 years up to Labour’s election victory in 1997 [more]

·         Retail sales almost stalled in February, coming in well below expectations [more]

·         15% of shops will be vacant by the end of 2009 [more]

·         Poor leadership at the Foreign Office has created a culture where “mediocrity flourishes” [more]

·         £3bn of overpaid tax credits have been written off as unrecoverable [more]

·         As many as one quarter of government databases may be illegal [more]

·         The Department of Transport misled environmental groups over Heathrow expansion [more]

·         Unemployment is good for your health – according to one government minister [more]

Over the last week the Liberal Democrats…

·         Launched their G20 development plan [more]

·         Successfully amended the Coroners and Justice Bill after forcing a government u-turn [more]

·         Tabled an Early Day Motion calling for the second home allowance to be abolished for London MPs [more]

·         Called on the Government to replace the VAT cut with investment into public transport and home insulation to create new jobs [more]

·         Revealed that anti-terror legislation is routinely used by local councils against minor offenders [more]

·         Wrote to the Chancellor over Sir Fred Goodwin’s pension payments [more]

·         Highlighted shocking statistics about Britain’s knife crime culture [more]

This was the week that…

·         Unemployment passed the 2m mark for the first time in 12 years [more]

·         The IMF predicted that the recession in Britain will be the worst in the developed world [more]

·         Evidence grew of the Government’s complicity in torture [more]

·         NHS target culture was blamed for up to 1,200 people dying unnecessarily at a Staffordshire hospital [more]

·         The NHS was criticised for spending millions on unproven schemes [more]

·         The Immigration minister announced plans for a detention centre outside Calais – although no one in France had heard of the plan [more]

·         After Lib Dem pressure, the government backed down on plans to share data between departments [more]

·         Senior Labour figures lined up to criticise the PM and make him accept blame [more] ; [more]

·         The Government Chief Whip accused his own backbenchers of “idleness” [more]

Over the last week we learnt that…

·         Car production fell by almost 60% in January [more]

·         Each adult in Britain is an average of £40,000 worse off because of the recession [more]

·         Gordon Brown was warned over Britain’s weak regulatory regime in 2004 – and did nothing [more]

·         2m people will be on the waiting list for social housing by 2011 [more]

·         The UK will borrow more money than any other major economy next year [more]

·         Britain is giving less help to the country’s poor in the recession than other G8 nations [more]

·         Youth crime has soared over the last 10 years under Labour [more]

·         The Government’s new Department for Energy and Climate Change is in chaos [more]

·         Housing prisoners in police stations has proved more expensive than the Ritz per night [more]

·         The Government has spent £780,000 on flowers in four years [more]

Over the last week the Liberal Democrats…

·         Condemned the Government over their management of the Northern Rock crisis [more]

·         Exposed a £2bn black hole in the government’s unemployment benefits estimates

·         Challenged the Prime Minister over the Government’s “frenzied” target culture [more]

·         Attended the launch of a cross-party campaign for a ‘Post Bank’ (a long-standing Lib Dem policy) [more]

·         Revealed shocking statistics about alcohol related youth hospital admissions [more]

·         Heaped pressure onto the Government to open a public inquiry into the invasion of Iraq [more]

·         Called for a green road out of recession and criticised the Government’s neglect of the environment [more]

LIBERAL Democrats in Bury have slammed as ‘totally inadequate’ a government scheme supposed to help families facing the loss of their homes. 

The Mortgage Rescue Scheme was announced in November last year by the Government following an alarming rise in the number of people having their homes repossessed by mortgage lenders. But Labour ministers have restricted the scheme to only 6,000 homes across the whole of England.

That means only one in 25 households facing repossession claims in the courts – the first part of a process mortgage lenders have to go through to repossess a home – will get help under the scheme. 713 repossession claims were issued in Bury in 2008, and many more are expected in 2009. But only 29 are likely to have their homes saved under this scheme.

Vic D’Albert, Parliamentary candidate for Bury South said, “The Mortgage Rescue Scheme was launched with a great fanfare by the Government in the autumn. But it is totally inadequate for the tidal wave of repossessions that local residents are facing. 

“The idea behind the scheme is something Liberal Democrats have long been pushing – giving councils and housing associations the opportunity to help residents in mortgage arrears by buying a share in the equity of the home, or even buying it outright. The householders would then rent back their home, therefore avoiding eviction. “But Labour have taken a good idea and then failed to make it a reality. Only 29 families in Bury out of 713 facing repossession will get help. This is totally inadequate. “Labour are behaving like King Canute sitting on the beach hoping they can order the repossession tidal wave to roll back into the sea. At the same time, families are being engulfed in repossession orders and homes are being swept away. 

“Repossession is a terrifying reality for too many people in Bury. The Mortgage Rescue Scheme needs to be expanded urgently or else residents will face being thrown onto the streets.This failing Labour Government is failing people in their hour of need”

THIS WAS THE WEEK THAT…

·         House sales fell to their lowest level in at least 31 years [more]

·         The recession in the UK continued to gather pace [more]

·         A United Nations report declared that the UK had breached human rights [more]

·         Government divisions over the need to apologise for the economic crisis continued to grow [more]

·         A former cabinet minister publicly attacked Gordon Brown on Labour’s lack of ‘narrative’ [more]

·         Labour MPs rounded on the PM at Prime Minister’s Questions [more]

·         A business leader said that the government was focusing on ‘red herrings’ [more]

·         Government ministers failed to comprehensively reveal their financial interests [more]

·         A Tory MEP described climate change as a ‘media driven frenzy’ [more]

·         A Labour mayor resigned after his arrest over corruption charges [more]

OVER THE LAST WEEK WE LEARNT THAT….

·         Continued systematic failings in the social services are leaving vulnerable children at risk [more]

·         Almost one playing field a day was sold in 2008 despite government commitments to reverse this trend [more]

·         Many elderly people are looked after by untrained staff in unclean care homes [more]

·         One in six children did not get into their first choice secondary school [more]

·         New Royal Navy destroyers will be delivered £1.5bn over budget and two years late [more]

·         The private sector pension deficit is at a record £219bn – and is still growing [more]

·         One in four of the world’s CCTV cameras are in Britain [more]

·         Gordon Brown is the country’s most boring public speaker! [more]

OVER THE LAST WEEK THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS…

·         Revealed that over 1000 serving police officers have criminal convictions [more]

·         Said government economic proposals were “shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted” [more]

·         Visited Google to discuss internet privacy issues [more]

·         Called for dirty care homes to be closed down [more]

·         Demanded a public inquiry following revelations of heavy-handed policing at a protest last year [more]

·         Called for a tougher government response to reduce knife crime [more]

·         Exposed a huge decrease in the amount of domestically produced food consumed in the UK [more]

·         Attacked the government’s insubstantial approach to tackling domestic violence [more]

·         Accused the Home Office of being “illegal, immoral, and ineffective” for keeping the DNA of a baby on record [more]

The Liberal Democrat leader tells his party conference that it will be a long, slow climb out of recession but his party offers hope for the future.

Click here to read the full text of Nick Clegg’s speech

Nick Clegg laid the blame for Britain’s economic crisis and political malaise squarely at the door of both Labour and the Conservatives, in his keynote speech to the party spring conference in Harrogate:

“A never-ending cycle of red-blue, blue-red government has got us into this mess - it is never going to get us out.”He said now was the time to try something new:“Now is the time to think big.If you want better, choose different.Choose the Liberal Democrats.”

Nick made a stinging attack on the Labour Government for having let people down: 

“Labour is like a spent match. There’s nothing left. You remember how hopeful people felt in 1997? Remember the promise of a better future?  Don’t you feel the disappointment?“An economy in tatters. A country more unequal than before. An illegal war, our government implicated in torture and rendition. Our environment poisoned. Our privacy invaded, our freedom curtailed. If you believe, like I do, in progress.If you feel let down by Labour, and see that the Conservatives will never be a party of change. Turn to the Liberal Democrats. We carry the torch of progress now.”

Much of the speech was devoted to the state of the economy and what the Liberal Democrats would do to turn things round:

“At least 3 million unemployed by the end of the year. That’s devastating. Let me be clear. We will do everything possible to help. Everything to protect jobs, keeping viable businesses going. Everything to make sure being made redundant does not mean you lose everything. And everything to create hundreds of thousands of new jobs, to get people back out to work as soon as possible.”

Nick told conference that the government has borrowed twelve and a half billion pounds to finance this year’s VAT giveaway:

“That money alone could have created nearly 100,000 new jobs. And laid the foundations, quite literally, for a new green economy.”

Nick said the party should be proud of their progressive policies and enduring liberal values:

“Let us say it loud and clear. We are the only party who will put money into people’s pockets with fair tax cuts. The only party to offer universal childcare and smaller classes in our primary schools. The only party who would use Gordon Brown’s wasted billions to create thousands of jobs today by investing in homes, hospitals, schools and public transport to build the green economy of tomorrow. The only party that will rebuild the jobs, homes and hopes this recession has destroyed.” 

Soaring energy bills have left an estimated 13,244 households in Bury in fuel poverty¹ this winter, according to new figures highlighted by the Liberal Democrats. 

Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesperson for Bury South, Vic D’Albert, is demanding the Government act urgently to help people struggling to pay their fuel bills and is calling on MPs of all parties to back the Fuel Poverty Bill being introduced by Liberal Democrat MP David Heath. 

He said: “These new estimates from Consumer Focus are truly shocking. Nearly one in six households here in Bury are in fuel poverty this winter, including four out of five single pensioner households. This is even worse than the situation nationally. ² 

“It’s not hard to see the culprit. Over the last five years average gas and electricity bills have more than doubled. The prices being paid by energy companies for fuel on the wholesale markets are coming down, but the companies aren’t passing on the cuts to their customers. And meanwhile they are making big profits. This is totally unacceptable.

“As a result growing numbers of people are struggling to heat their homes. As recession bites, here in Bury and across the country an increasing number of people are being faced with the dreadful choice between heating and eating. 

“I am calling on the Government to take urgent action to help people struggling with high fuel bills.“The Fuel Poverty Bill currently in Parliament, proposed by Liberal Democrat MP David Heath, would deliver a massive home insulation programme which would halve the energy needed to heat the average home. And it would end the scandal of those who use pre-pay meters – generally the least well-off – paying higher rates for their gas and electricity. “The Government must give it their support. And energy companies, who have made billions in windfall profits from the European Emissions Trading Scheme, must be made to pay for the programme, as well as being told to cut bills faster for their customers.” 

¹ A household is said to be in fuel poverty if it needs to spend more than 10% of its income on fuel to maintain a satisfactory heating regime (usually 21 degrees for the main living area, and 18 degrees for other occupied rooms).

² Full national figures can be viewed on Consumer Focus’s website at http://tinyurl.com/fuelpov. Find out more about the Fuel Poverty Bill at http://www.endfuelpoverty.org.uk.

Bury South Liberal Democrats have welcomed plans to boost affordable housing and avoid home repossession. 

The plans, launched by the Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable MP and Shadow Housing Minister Sarah Teather MP, include: 

• providing refurbishment loans for owners of empty homes if the homes are leased to housing associations,

• boosting the amount of private housing for rent including using empty commercial property temporarily as housing,

• bringing in a new type of secure mortgage to help boost lending to house buyers,

• letting councils and housing associations buy up unsold private houses and allowing them access to funds to bring their homes up to social housing standards,

• making sure the courts allow repossession only as a last resort.

Parliamentary spokesperson for Bury South Lib Dems, Vic D’Albert said, “There are many people right across Radcliffe, Whitefield and Prestwich who are struggling to get their own home or are facing repossession because of the recession. We must do all we can to help residents through these bad times. 

“Many homes built just before the recession started lie empty, often because the banks are not lending to people wanting to buy, yet there are many people needing a place to live. We want to unblock the system and our plans will help to do that. 

“Giving housing associations and councils the opportunity to buy up empty homes that builders cannot sell will mean hundreds of local families will be able to rent a place of their own.

It has just been announced that repossessions last year rose 54% to 40.000. Meanwhile at the same time it was announced that the Governments home owner support scheme (to support people struggling with their mortgages) has been delayed and put back to at least April.

At the very time people need such a scheme they are faced with delays. In some instances this delay will prove critical and effectively mean even more families will lose their homes. The Government has got to react more effectively to support people through this recession. No gimmicks, No spin, just hard, fast, effective action.

In the North West it was announced that repossessions were up 8% for the last 3 months of 2008 compared with the same period in 2007. This compares well with the South West up 20% , but poorly compared to Wales up only 1%. However the only statistic that will matter to many will be the repossession they face.

The Government must redouble efforts to ensure there are no further delays and that if possible they can bring forward this urgently needed support for people in severe arrears. 

Last night saw the much needed and delayed scrutiny of elderly persons accomodation review proposals proposed by Bury Council.

In order to get these important proposals properly scrutinised the Lib Dem Council Group had to formally “Call-In” the decision of the Council Executive. The reason for this Call-In was to find out about the impact these proposals would have on people with learning disabilities and the proposals for the elderly accomodation review.

The whole process has been badly handled by Bury Conservatives from the start, with a strong pervading feeling that they were trying to rush these policies through amidst a reluctance to share information and curtail scrutiny.

Last nights scrutiny meeting was notable because after the initial presentation from officers, Council proposals and policies seemed to be peeled off in layers  one by one . Until by the end of the meeting at 10.15 there was seemingly a blank piece of paper left - on which the Council was assuring members and public that all users/stakeholders would be completely and thoroughly consulted on at all stages.

But there is now some confusion as to what we are now consulting on. Proposals for Care Villages for the elderly appear to be being reduced to aspirations rather than real objectives and “wellbeing “centres alongside care villages may or may not be for those with learning disabilities depending on any number of variables. In addition officers confirmed that there may be difficulties in achieving aspects of the councils own 2005 proposals for Learning disability services especially as they no longer have an implementation plan!

 All in all a worrying state of affairs. I left with the one positive feeling that everyone will be thoroughly consulted when we eventually have any firm proposals from this Tory Council. However I am very concerned that some important modernisation to services may never happen and I can’t help feeling that there has been an attempt to manipulate the democratic process, and even worse, the general public throughout this whole sorry saga.

The Committee made a number of recommendations in the end. Which included bringing a further report to scrutiny within 6 months - essentially an updated proposal for learning disability services with an implementation plan. However it was felt that we should not delay the consultation process and so allowed the general decision to move forward.

Democracy and public engagement are two areas of growing concern in Bury at the moment.

An extra £4.2bn a year will have to be spent on tax credits if the government is to meet its target of halving child poverty, a report warns.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) estimates that 2.3 million children will be in poverty in 2010, missing the 1.7 million target set in 1999.  

It is fair to say if Labour miss their 2010 target the likelihood is they will never reach the 2020 target of eradicating child poverty in Britain. 

“Labours mishmash approach has cost the country and taxpayers dearly, while failing to deal with fundamental problems that lead to child poverty. And, as we plough into a recession the likelihood is that child poverty may well increase in line with unemployment.

Personally I don’t believe the answer lies in increased tax credits alone but also with family support schemes, advice and practical help for those in most need.”  

“The fact remains that between them Brown and Blair will have failed a generation of our poorest children, what a legacy for a Labour Government.”

PLANS by the Liberal Democrats to massively increase the energy efficiency of all homes will lead to big savings in energy bills, say Bury Liberal Democrats. 

In a message to local residents, Parliamentary spokesperson for Bury South, Vic D’Albert has backed the plans to raise the standard of home energy efficiency. 

“The energy efficiency standards of 99 out of every 100 homes fall well below what they should be,” said Vic D’Albert. “Nearly every one of us is spending money on bills to heat the great outdoors as so much energy escapes from our homes. 

“We want to bring home energy efficiency up to the highest level possible. In the past year, fuel bills have gone through the roof. But too often, our heat is escaping through the roof as well. Our plans will put an end to that. 

”By cutting energy waste, we are also cutting the damage we do to the environment. It’s a win-win situation: lower fuel bills and fewer emissions that are leading to climate change that has given us extreme weather.” 

The Liberal Democrats’ plans include requiring energy companies to use some of the £9 billion profit they have made from emissions trading to insulate the homes of the poorest residents. 

They will also set up a National Green Loans scheme which will pay for a complete overhaul of the energy efficiency of people’s homes. Repayments will be added to energy bills with the loan paid off from the savings in energy use. Loan repayments will not be allowed to be more than the savings. 

“This is a great idea for helping people to cut their energy bills and help us save the planet,” said Vic D’Albert. 

Last nights Joint Scrutiny into elderly persons accomodation went somewhat pear shaped so far as Bury Council Executive proposals were concerned.

We had before us a fine report outlining proposals to bring elderly persons accomodation up to scratch and to offer 21st century choices to our elderly citizens to meet their changing needs and demands.

Unfortunately myself and other councillors had noticed a small but significant reference to Whittle Pike and William Kemp Heaton - facilities use by and for people with learning disabilities. The proposals suggested using these facilities to provide new services for the elderly by either demolishing, adapting or refurbishing these sites.

The report was completely flawed because there was no mention about the impact on services for people with learning disabilities, no mention of any consultation. So we were being asked to approve a report to go before Bury’s Executive without knowing the implications for people with learning disabilities in the Borough.

Because of that I stated that I could not support the report as it was and I proposed that the committee recommend that the report be withdrawn from consideration and new reports produced following consultation with all involved in learning disabilities.

Thankfully my proposal was supported by members of both other parties represented. The more I reflect on it the more astonished I am that we were expected to support effectively a report that offered “piecemeal policy” that would have affected some of the most vulnerable people in Bury. Disgraceful.   

Liberal Democrats in Bury have given their backing to plans for investment in green schemes that will make homes warmer, cut energy bills and improve public transport.

The plans, called Green Road out of Recession, were announced on 18th December by Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg MP. 

The plans will cost £12.5bn, which would be paid for by scrapping the recent VAT cut. The vast majority of that money will be spent immediately, making a real impact on the economy and people’s lives right away. 

• A five-year programme to insulate every school and hospital, with 20% completed in the first year

• Funding insulation and energy efficiency for a million homes, with a £1,000 subsidy for a million more

• Building 40,000 extra zero-carbon social houses

• Buying 700 new train carriages

• Installing energy and money saving smart meters in every home within five years

“The plans proposed by Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats will give an immediate boost to the economy here in Bury,” said Vic D’Albert, Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson for Bury South“. And by insulating people’s homes, it will help thousands of residents whose heating bills have gone through the roof in the past year.

 “I would particularly welcome the widespread introduction of smart meters in homes which would prove a massive boost to the increasing numbers of residents suffering from fuel poverty across the area.” 

Richard Baum, Parliamentary spokesperson for Bury North also welcomed the proposals adding, “Whilst Labour and the Conservatives are quietly dropping serious interest in tackling climate change and damage to the environment, Liberal Democrats believe that moving forward with green action on homes and transport will create jobs, cut energy bills, put money back into people’s pockets and protect the environment. It’s right for Britain and it’s right for Bury”.

The Government’s plans for new laws will do little to help hard-pressed families in Bury, claim  leading local Liberal Democrats.

The plans were outlined in the Queen’s Speech but disappointed Liberal Democrats say that the Government’s announcements will do very little to help people in Bury cope with the recession.

Age Concern are predicting a big increase in winter deaths due to a deadly cocktail of higher energy bills and the economic climate. In addition to many vulnerable elderly people at risk - frightened to turn the heating up - increasingly the rest of the population, especially those directly affected by the economic climate,  are putting their health at risk by turning the heat off to save money.

In october, Gordon Brown announced a £910m package of fuel measures aimed at helping people with soaring fuel bills with money for insulation etc. At the same time he said energy companies, Council and Voluntary organisations would be making door to door visits in deprived areas.

Well the cold is beginning to bite and so I have asked Bury Council for an update on how many homes have been called on - as I have heard nothing about any door to door calls. Or was it yet another instance of warm words from our under seige PM?

In any event what we need is joined up action with HNS trusts, Voluntary organisations and the Council and partners (ie Police) working together to identify people at risk from the current economic and weather climates.

Gordon Brown’s proposals to deal with the economic slowdown are too little too late, say Bury Liberal Democrats. 

The party has published its own package of proposals designed to help people left struggling by the credit crunch. And the plans are being strongly backed by members in Bury.

The Liberal Democrat measures include tax cuts for low and middle income households, stopping unnecessary repossessions, action to cut energy bills and moves to stop reckless banks jeopardising economic security.

Bury South parliamentary spokesperson, Vic D’Albert, said:  “Gordon Brown’s response to the economic crisis has been too little, too late.

“Right across Bury from Prestwich to Tottington and across Britain people are struggling with rising bills, rising prices, and wages that aren’t keeping up.

“If the Prime Minister really wants to help people on low and middle incomes he should take the simple and obvious step of cutting their taxes, releasing billions of pounds to boost the economy. 

“The Liberal Democrats have consistently called for action to cut energy bills, stop irresponsible behaviour by banks and deliver more help for those threatened with repossession. If Gordon Brown had acted when we first raised these issues we would not be in as deep a mess as we are.” 

Key points of the Lib Dem Fairer Future Economic Recovery Plan

• Put more money in people’s pockets - tax cuts for people on low and middle incomes

• Stop unnecessary home repossessions and provide more affordable housing

• Make energy companies reinvest their windfall profits in cutting bills

• Extra help for people in debt or who lose their jobs

• Tough new rules to limit the excesses of the City

As part of the consultation on future options for residential care, a free phone number and email address have been set up to extend opportunities for people to have their voice heard on this important matter.

Tel:    0800 107 9906 (quoting Bury Council)

Email   bury@rmltd.net

These facilities, which are being run independently of the council to encourage participation, will be available until mid October 2008.

In addition details have been issued to the local press advertising these channels to the public.

Whilst many people will undoubtedly focus specifically on the options, the Council inform me that they would also like to receive feedback on people’s views on related topics such as:

• Should the council be helping more people to live at home
• The type of services (and accommodation) are needed by older people
• What can be done to address the growing number of vacant beds across the residential care sector because demand is falling

And of course any comments or suggestions as to how Bury Council can improve services would of course be equally welcome.

I am assured that all responses will be analysed independently with a summary being provided during November.  These results will then feed into the council’s views on developing older people’s accommodation services for the future.

Bury Liberal Democrats would also like to know your views on these subjects and other questions such as :

What kind of housing choice should be available for the elderly and very elderly in Bury?  

If you would rather not take up these options for making your views known, but would prefer to channel them through your local councillors, please don’t hesitate to get in touch via this website, post, email addresses or even the phone!

I am dismayed by the planning application for demolition of the Victorian building at 33 Glebelands Road (the old doctor’s house) to be replaced by 4 storey’s of apartments.

I have today registered my objection to this development. Mature trees would be lost, properties on Orford Road would have the privacy of their gardens and bedrooms invaded by a property that would be taller than the existing property and neighbouring Highfield Court AND the site is on a sharp bend. The increased traffic generated would add to the danger to pedestrians and motorists alike many of whom are elderly.
I have also requested a site visit by the Planning Committee - so that they can see first hand what the impact would be on the area.

This building should have been part of the local conservation area from the start, then it could have been protected, I requested this as did other local councillors, but officers insisted that this was not possible in this case. It looks like that decision will have proven to be the death knell for 33 Glebelands Road. A crying shame.

I am extremely worried and concerned about the proposed new tenancy agreement for Bury Council tenants. In particular I am extremely concerned about section 7/8 PARTc of the proposals from the Councils Arms Length Management company - Six Town Housing.

These sections deal with “applying to court to reposess your home”.

In section 7 they refer to if the tenant has died, you are not the tenants partner and they decide the house is too big, then they will apply to court.

Section 8 just refers to the house being too big.

In both cases there is no mention of the rights of the tenant/resident. No mention of any appeals procedure, no mention about guarantees regarding an alternative location, refusal rights etc. In fact no mention of any rights whatsoever!

I think Six Town Housing needs to review this proposed tenancy agreement and inject a bit more fairness and tenants rights into these two sections at least.

I have registered my objection.