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Want to join the Lib-Dems? Your help is needed
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Former Labour Councillor Brian Patton joins Liberal Democrats
Former Labour Party member and Councillor for Henley Brian Patton has joined the Liberal Democrats.
Brian, who parted company with the Labour Party earlier this year when he was refused the right to stand again in Henley
where he had been a Councillor for 11 years, stood as an Independent in the local elections this year and came second to Labour.
Since then he has had time to reflect on the work he had done in Henley Ward and did not just want to walk away. He was approached
by Liberal Democrat leader in Coventry, Councillor Russell Field, who is a resident in Henley, and asked if he wanted to continue to
work for the people of Henley and Coventry by joining the Liberal Democrats.
Brian said, “I don’t believe that Labour are Labour any more. When I spoke to Russell about what the Liberal Democrats stood for it
opened my eyes. Liberal Democrat opposition to the Iraq War, and to Academies, as well as their support locally for a stronger
eligability criteria for Social Services, I realised I agree with them on many issues.”
Brian intends to continue the work he started as a hard working local Councillor in Henley and build up a real opposition to both the
local Labour party and the Conservative Council in that area.
Cllr Russell Field said, “As I resident in Henley for a number of years now, I was always impressed by the hard work Brian has done in
this area. I was also well aware of the issues he campaigned on in the Council, including his highlighting of issues like care for the
elderly. It is a pleasure to welcome Brian into the Liberal Democrats and I look forward to working with him in the future to build the party in Coventry.”
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Russell Field wins Upper Stoke.
Russell Field has held on to the Liberal Democrat target seat of Upper Stoke in Coventry, over-turning a Labour win last year by three votes
into a Lib Dem majority of 188 this year.
The full result in Upper Stoke was:
| Russell Field (Lib Dem) |
1694 |
| Labour |
1506 |
| Conservative |
482 |
| Others |
170 |
Lib Dem Majority |
188 |
Councillor Russell Field said, "I would like to thank the people of Upper Stoke for backing me in the election this year. They have voted to keep an
independent Liberal Democrat voice on Coventry City Council.
"I intend to use that voice to press Coventry Council to provide more doorstep recycling and environmentally
friendly buildings and vehicles, as well as a thorough review of Youth Services to encourage more engagement of young people, a stronger focus on tackling
anti-social behaviour and making sure Pool Meadow is kept open."
You can email Russell at
russell.field@covlibdems.org.uk.
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Lib Dems need your Help
Liberal Democrats in Coventry want to spread our message across the City, to challenge both Labour and the Conservatives, as well as provide a moderate
alternative to extremist parties like the BNP.
If you would like to help the Lib Dems get our message across, please click here.
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DIFFERENT FACE - SAME FAILINGS
When Gordon Brown replaced Tony Blair he said he would make changes to return trust to British politics, well now we know he is no better than Blair.
Just when Labour thought Tony Blair’s cash for honours had been buried, Prime Minister Gordon Brown is faced with explaining away how an even more devious situation could arise where we might know who got the Honours, but we would not know who the cash came from.
Councillor Derek Benefield says: "Giving donations to any political party in the name of someone else, with or without Honours, is in my opinion far more serious than the situation with donations under Tony Blair. This is complete betrayal of the trust Gordon Brown asked the British public to have in him when he became Prime Minister."
GOVERNMENT INCOMPETENCE PUTS
OUR IDENTITY AT RISK
Chancellor Alistair Darling's Treasury Department has betrayed 25,000,000 people who entrusted their personal details with the Government. These details were irresponsibly put on to CDs and lost in the post, not even registered, or recorded delivery. These details can, if they have fallen into the hands of criminals, be used to take money from bank accounts or obtain credit using the personal details.
This is the same Government that wants you to put all your personal details into an identity card which they will keep safe!!!
At least the DVLA get paid for your personal information they pass on to anyone prepared to pay the price.
Cllr. Derek Benefield says "This would be unbelievable if this was not a Government that has produced a procession of decisions by incompetent ministers, many failing to, or being reluctant to accept the responsibility and resign. This government cannot be entrusted with our personal information, let alone run the country."
Council back down on
Hearsall Common bus lane
As a result of the petition against Hearsall Common bus lanes, which was organised by Liberal Democrat Cllr. Derek Benefield, Coventry Council have dropped plans for the Earlsdon Avenue bus lane (No. 12 Outbound) across Hearsall Common.
We have, however, not achieved a guarantee that there will be no roadworks on Hearsall Common.
This in effect means that the major part of the Common will be left intact. Investigations are also to take place to improve the efficiency of the Hearsall Lane/ Earlsdon Avenue junction.
It is still intended to go ahead with the inbound bus lane which will encroach onto the other side of the Common.
Many thanks to the 2000 signatories to the petition, without which it is unlikely the Council would have changed their minds.
It is not a complete success, but it is an achievement that the council were persuaded by people power to listen to residents, which unfortunately does not happen very often. Many thanks to John Taylor and David Hirst for their assistance with presenting the petition and to residents who attended.
Whoberley residents who feel they were not consulted adequately about the inbound lane (there was no presentation to the Whoberley Ward Forum) may wish to complain to the Ombudsman. This does not mean, however, that the bus lane will be removed.
TWO THOUSAND SIGN PETITION AGAINST
HEARSALL COMMON LAND GRAB
Many thanks to the 2000 people who signed the petition against Coventry Council’s plans to allow Centro to build bus lanes or any other development on Hearsall Common.
The petition has been presented to the Council and will be heard at a Cabinet meeting within the next few weeks which will be open to the public.
Derek Benefield says: "I hope those who are able to attend the meeting will do so to ensure that our Council are aware of the intense feeling residents have about these plans."
Watch this space for the meeting date.
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Centro set to Grab
Hearsall Common Land
Centro are set to take over parts of Hearsall Common for bus lanes.
Not only has this land grab been announced at a time when most people are on holiday, but official details have only been distributed 3000 houses in the immediate area. This is ignoring the many thousands of Coventry people who visit and make use of the Hearsall Common.
Councillor Benefield said:
"This a blatant lack of consultation of the many Citizens of Coventry and organisations that use the Common spending £600,000 taxpayer's money on a dubious claim of saving a few seconds of travel time."
Lib-Dem Councillor Derek Benefield explaining to Lib-Dem Focus team Members Jacqueline Basu (Westwood), Vincent McKee (Earlsdon), Brian Lewis (Whoberley) how Centro's Land grab will affect Hearsall Common and that there is no indication of the acreage involved.
Inspection of plans restricted
Not only was there just three short opportunities provided to see the plans locally, but they were in the holiday period and with little publicity.
Voice your objections quickly as they must be in before 30th August.
Comments can be sent to:
Nick Richards e-mail: nick.richards@coventry.gov.uk
Hearsall Common belongs to the Citizens of Coventry. This could be the thin end of the wedge. What next? A dual carriageway across the common?
A petition is being organised, please sign it. The Council and Centro must not be allowed to get away with this outrageous plan.
Remember the Coundon Wedge?
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Labour’s soft on crime
More than half criminals given the soft option of on the spot fines, instead of being taken to court, have failed to pay their fines. Not only have the fines not been paid, but it has cost the taxpayer almost £3 million trying to collect the fines. West Midlands was the worst area where only one third of fines were paid.
Another Labour soft option has proved a failure with increasing numbers of criminals ripping off their tags so they can leave their homes or hostels to re-offend.
As a result of the Labour Government’s failure through incompetence to deal with the prison overcrowding crisis, Judges are being instructed to allow criminals to go free.
1300 criminals, including murderers and sex offenders, are being kept in bail hostels leaving them free to mix with the local community.
At a time when under 18’s convicted of violent offences increased by almost 20% only 1 in 50 of teenagers convicted of violence is jailed.
Councillor Derek Benefield said:
"The police must feel there is no point in catching criminals if they are going to be set free to repeat the crimes on the public again. The public must feel there is no point reporting crimes if criminals are not punished, which may well result in reported crime figures going down."
Despite bringing in hundreds of new laws and new gimmicks, The Labour Government is making little impact on crime. Not only that, but shooting, knife and other violent crime is increasing. Labour’s crime policies are not protecting the public.
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