- Feb 21, 2012:
- Fire engines gather dust as Tory tries to delay safety report
Two Cambridgeshire fire appliances, which cost taxpayers £1.2 million more than two years ago, are still inoperative as a leading Tory fights to delay consideration of a report into their safety and suitability. The appliances, one based at Cambridge and the other at Standground in Peterborough have never been officially put into service because of a series of mechanical and design faults. But as an investigation is underway into the safety and viability of the Combined Aerial Rescue Appliances, Cllr Roy Pegram, chairman of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fire Authority is trying to delay the examination of a report into the study's findings. He has raised a discussion paper for the authority's meeting on Thursday (February 23) calling on the service to retain the appliances and delaying examination of the investigation report until April 2013. This would tie the hands of the new Fire Authority which will be elected in May 2013 leaving them no room for manoeuvre on the issue. Cambridgeshire County Councillor, Lib Dem Fiona Whelan (pictured) and a Conservative member are carrying out the investigation into the appliances. Cllr Whelan said: "There are major concerns about these appliances and we are carrying out a full investigation to see whether they are fit for purpose. "These CARAs have been backwards and forwards for repair and have never been officially put into service. The engine for Cambridge has only 800 miles on the clock. "We need to allow the full results of this investigation to be discussed as soon as possible to protect the safety of our fire fighters. Their safety and that of the public has to be our number one priority" Nigel Bell, Lib Dem leader on the fire authority said: "There is absolutely no reason to delay the report into this investigation for a year. These engines have been paid for out of public money and we need to know whether they can be put into service. "The safety concerns are of paramount importance and we need to know what we are dealing with. Leaving them gathering dust for another year does not make economic sense." Published and promoted by Lesley Innes on behalf of Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats, all at 16 Signet Court, Swann Road, Cambridge CB5 8LA Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
- Fire engines gather dust as Tory tries to delay safety report
- Feb 16, 2012:
- Lib Dems unveil their action plan to improve life in Wisbech
Ambitious plans to improve education, create jobs and fund more policing for the people of Wisbech have been revealed by Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats. They have outlined their ideas for the Fenland town in their alternative budget for Cambridgeshire County Council. "The people of Wisbech have been ignored for too long by the Tories running the county council," said Lib Dem Leader, Kilian Bourke. "Transport links to the town are poor, people are struggling to find work and bored teenagers are causing trouble. It is time more action was taken to solve these problems and our alternative budget aims to do just that." "We would open the Wisbech line, ensure that the town had the fastest broadband outside Cambridge, and invest in extra teachers in classrooms and PCSO's on the streets, to improve education and community safety. These targeted extra investments, taken together, would make a real difference." Lib Dems propose to improve education in the town by: Attracting and keeping more good young teachers by bringing back an hourly train service to Cambridge and connections to Peterborough and London by reopening the railway line for passengers and freight. Giving an extra £250 per year for every pupil who receives free school meals in two of the Wisbech area's poorest primary schools allowing these schools to employ more teachers, cut class sizes and buy more books. Investing in the youth service to reduce the number of bored teenagers resorting to anti-social behaviour or crime and being a bad influence on their classmates in and out of school. And they have plans to create jobs by: Making sure that Wisbech benefits from early improvement to the county's broadband network finishing up with the fastest connection in the county outside the Cambridge area. Providing young people out of school with the means to get to job interviews and a new job when they get one. This would break the cycle where young people are repeatedly excluded from getting work by the cost and difficulty of getting to interviews or a new job. The Lib Dems' alternative budget also includes funding for two extra Police Community Support Officers to tackle burglary and repeat offending and increases funding for public transport. "There is much that can be done to improve the life of people living in Wisbech, but for too long they have been treated as the poor relations to others elsewhere in Cambridgeshire," said Cllr Kevin Wilkins, Shadow Cabinet Member for Planning, Enterprise and Environment. "The Lib Dems would both deal with the problems faced by Wisbech and make sure residents and employers are better able to create jobs and get jobs than they can now." "And Wisbech's schools would get more money from the Lib Dems and would find it easier to keep good teachers." Published and promoted by Lesley Innes on behalf of Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats, all at 16 Signet Court, Swann Road, Cambridge CB5 8LA Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
- Lib Dems unveil their action plan to improve life in Wisbech
- Feb 15, 2012:
- Young people to get free transport under £80,000 scheme
Young people looking for education, training or employment would be entitled to free transport under an £80,000 scheme proposed by Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats. The scheme would be run by Cambridgeshire County Council Locality Teams and would cover all forms of public transport. Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet Member for Transport, Susan van de Ven said, "Young people face unprecedented pressures, and the prohibitive cost of transport can be a blockade to opportunity. "It is unfortunate that the county council not only fails to provide supported transport for young people in this situation, but is actually planning to cut 100 per cent of subsidised bus services. "Our modest proposal would ensure that every young person seeking education, training and employment would be given a helping hand with making that first step. "We believe that the principle of wider access to public transport for young people should be developed much further." The proposal has been inspired by the train operating company First Capital Connect, which is currently working with the Department for Work and Pensions on a scheme to allow people on Job Seeker's Allowance free travel to job interviews and forthe first month of employment, when arranged through Job Centre Plus. Councillor van de Ven added: "In rural areas, some parish councils and community transport providers are already supporting very localised transport schemes for young people. The county council should be playing a leading role in facilitating access and mobility for young people who need it most." Published and promoted by Lesley Innes on behalf of Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats, all at 16 Signet Court, Swann Road, Cambridge CB5 8LA Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
- Young people to get free transport under £80,000 scheme
- Feb 14, 2012:
- Lib Dems pledge to improve school maintenance and energy efficiency
In their alternative Cambridgeshire County Council budget, the Lib Dems have set aside £10 million over the next five years to maintain and improve the buildings of the 200 schools for which the council is still responsible. "The council has a school maintenance backlog of over £20 million", said Lib Dem Education Spokesman, Peter Downes. "We would increase the investment in making schools fit for purpose and we would give priority to maintenance work that would improve energy efficiency. "This is a win-win situation. The school would reduce its expenditure on energy, thus releasing more funds for teaching, and the county would have to pay less in carbon tax.' Central government has cut back drastically on the funding it makes available directly to school for capital improvements in order to fund its other schemes, such as the creation of 'free schools'. "The government has got its priorities wrong and we must do what we can at a local level to redress the balance," said Kilian Bourke, Lib Dem Group Leader. Published and promoted by Lesley Innes on behalf of Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats, all at 16 Signet Court, Swann Road, Cambridge CB5 8LA Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
- Why did councils drag their feet for so long over link road? - Bell
Cambridgeshire County Councillor, Nigel Bell is questioning why it took years for a vital link road in Ely to open. He has accused the Tory-run Cambridgeshire County Council and East Cambridgeshire District Council of dragging their feet over the link between Lynn Road and Prickwillow Road. The simple removal of a few concrete blocks allowed the road from Thistle Corner to King's Avenue to be opened enabling drivers to access the A10 without driving through the city. But Cllr Bell, who represents Ely North and East and has been campaigning for years to get the road open, said it could have been done much earlier easing congestion in the city. Cambridgeshire County Council Leader, Nick Clarke was quoted as saying: "It was a small problem with an easy solution." But Cllr Bell questioned if that were the case, why both councils dragged their feet for so long. "If it was such a 'small problem', with such a 'simple solution', why has it taken years for the Tory administrations at East Cambs and the county council to sort it out?" he said. "I and other councillors have been asking for this for years. Why has it taken so long to open this vital route?" Published and promoted by Lesley Innes on behalf of Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats, all at 16 Signet Court, Swann Road, Cambridge CB5 8LA Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
- Lib Dems bid to solve poor exam record for disadvantaged pupils
Cambridgeshire has one of the lowest records in the country for helping pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds achieve their full potential. The county comes 12th from the bottom in league tables for achieving five A* to C grades in GCSEs including English and Maths; only 25 per cent of the pupils on free school meals achieve these targets. In a bid to close the national performance gap, Liberal Democrat Children's Minister has allocated an extra £600 per Free School Meals child, the Pupil Premium. With this money schools will be able to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds by providing extra one-to-one tuition, more teaching assistants or after-school activities. This year, the amount available nationally for the Pupil Premium will be doubled to £1.25bn and this will increase to £2.5bn by 2014-15. Peter Downes, Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson and former secondary school headteacher, said: "The gap between those who do really well and those who don't is too great. Unfortunately, how wealthy your parents are has been a deciding factor in a child's chances for too long." Cllr Downes, who represents Brampton and Kimbolton on Cambridgeshire County Council added: "As a Liberal Democrat, I believe we cannot let this continue and that is why we must help children reach their full potential. In the Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats' budget amendment we propose to enhance the Pupil Premium by £250 per pupil in the eight most deprived schools in the county." Published and promoted by Lesley Innes on behalf of Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats, all at 16 Signet Court, Swann Road, Cambridge CB5 8LA Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
- Guided bus row set to drag on costing £9.5m in interest
Cambridgeshire County Council's long running dispute over the guided bus project looks set to drag on for another three years costing £9.5 million in interest.* A resolution of the case with contractor BAM Nuttall was expected to take place in 2013-14 but has now been pushed back to 2014-15. The Conservative administration expects by this time to have won 100 per cent of the court case and received a full settlement - including the cost of these interest payments plus an additional charge on top - from BAM Nuttall. But the delay means that the total cost of interest payments on borrowing money to meet the overspend on the project will rise from £7.9 million to £9.5 million - an increase of over £1.5 million. To date the interest stands at £3.7 million. Liberal Democrat leader Kilian Bourke said: "These new figures confirm that the final decision on whether the council will get its money back has been pushed back even further. Unfortunately the council is paying a high price in the meantime: just paying off the interest on the borrowing is expected to cost the same amount of money over the next three years as a one per cent increase in council tax would provide. "These figures must raise wider concerns about the £250 million of prudential borrowing the Tories are planning to spend on major projects. The abandonment of their wrong-headed austerity drive is good news, but do they have the basic competence to keep these investments on time and on budget? The financial penalties for failing to do so could be severe. "I hope that the Conservatives are right and they win 100 per cent of the court case otherwise local people will be picking up the tab for years to come." Published and promoted by Lesley Innes on behalf of Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats, all at 16 Signet Court, Swann Road, Cambridge CB5 8LA Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
- Lib Dems pledge to improve school maintenance and energy efficiency
- Feb 10, 2012:
- Children with special needs miss out as academies cash in
Schools converting to academies in Cambridgeshire have been cashing in at the expense of pupils who need extra help because of their special needs. The Children and Young People's Scrutiny panel has been told that services will be reduced for disabled children, for young people in care and for those with special needs. An officer report said that "services will be spread more thinly" and "lower levels of need will not receive support". There will also be a reduction in specialist teachers who support primary age children with special needs and a cut in family support packages. These cuts are necessary because the government is making a general reduction in funding to local authorities but also because the county's budget has been top-sliced by £3.1 million pounds to give extra funding to the new academies. "This is desperately unfair," said Lib Dem Education spokesman, Peter Downes. "Surely it is wrong to be moving funding away from those who need it most in order to give extra funding to those who need it least. The way the extra money has been allocated to academies has given them far more than they need to replace the services they are no longer getting from the council." At the Scrutiny Panel, Cllr Downes challenged Cllr Harty, Cabinet Member for Education, to approach the academies to give back some of their extra cash to reduce the service cuts. "'If we are 'all in this together', now is the time for some altruism from the academies," said Cllr Downes. Published and promoted by Lesley Innes on behalf of Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats, all at 16 Signet Court, Swann Road, Cambridge CB5 8LA Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
- Children with special needs miss out as academies cash in
- Feb 7, 2012:
- Lib Dem budget tackles inequality and eliminates waste
Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats have revealed their alternative budget investing £10 million in transport over the next five years, supporting schools and young people and embarking on a radical programme of energy efficiency. The budget identifies around £67 million worth of savings in the years to 2017 while reversing the Tories' withdrawal of financial support for bus services. Transport investment includes: reinstating Cambridge's city shuttle as the county's first electric bus; an extra £300,000 next year for community transport and further cash injections over the following two years making a total of £1 million. A Quality Bus Contract scheme would be used to deliver an improved countywide bus service; transport interchanges would be built to make sure people in rural areas have better access to services; the Chisholm Trail, a strategic cycle route linking up Addenbrooke's Hospital, the CB1 development and the Science Park, would be built; the Wisbech to March railway line would be reopened giving an hourly passenger service to Cambridge and allowing people to travel by train to Peterborough and London. Young people feature high in the Lib Dems' alternative budget with the promise of a top up to the government's Pupil Premium for disadvantaged young people by a further £250 per pupil per year. And there would be free public transport for every young person seeking education or employment. Youth clubs would also be kept open. Over the next five years £10 million would be spent on maintenance and energy efficiency in schools and a further £1 million on solar panelling. The voluntary sector would receive £1 million worth of investment over the next two years and Citizens Advice Bureau would receive financial help to assist people facing hardship due to the tough economic climate. Concessionary fares for pensioners have also been protected. Among savings identified in the budget is £25 million on Northstowe and a further £12 million by replacing the controversial Ely southern bypass project with an underpass under the railway line. Liberal Democrat Leader, Kilian Bourke said: "This budget shows how a Liberal Democrat council would do things differently and better. We would tackle entrenched inequality, instead of just talking about it. "Well targeted investment in bus, rail and cycling infrastructure would allow people to access the wider community and its opportunities, regardless of age and geography. "We would target support at young people who need it and make smart enhancements to our library service and better maintain our schools. "We would eliminate Conservative waste and bad contract management and run the council as an efficient, modern organisation, embarking on a radical program of energy efficiency that would generate big savings. "We would implement a plan to responsibly manage Adult Care, instead of helter skelter budgeting that has demoralised staff and service-users alike and resulted in a 25 per cent cut in care levels mid-year. "While we cannot find a way to protect core services without increasing council tax, we recognise that working families are hard pressed at this time and would restore public trust by not using this increase to give ourselves a pay rise." Published and promoted by Lesley Innes on behalf of Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats, all at 16 Signet Court, Swann Road, Cambridge CB5 8LA Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
- Lib Dem budget tackles inequality and eliminates waste
- Jan 31, 2012:
- Tories in pay increase row told help the elderly not yourselves
Cambridgeshire Tories should invest £100,000 in cash-strapped care for the elderly rather than setting it aside to give themselves a pay rise, Lib Dems claim. They have called on the Tories to allocate the money to Adult Social Care rather than use it to line their own pockets. "At least that way if the Tories give themselves a pay rise the public will be able to see where they are taking the money from," said Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrat Leader, Kilian Bourke. "We should not be giving ourselves a pay rise when front-line services are being cut and people are losing their jobs. Adult Social Care has been chronically underfunded for a number of years and desperately needs that money." The outcry follows a decision by the Tory administration on Cambridgeshire County Council to allocate £100,000 in its budget to fund an increase in councillors' allowances. The decision comes despite the fact that the allowances panel which will discuss the matter has not even been appointed yet. "Given the outcry over the 25 per cent increase in councillor allowances some months ago, I find it incredible that this administration has chosen to set aside £100k in its budget for this purpose," said Cllr Bourke. "It may only be a provision for a pay rise, but it is the equivalent of a 17.5 per cent increase in our basic allowances and that sends out a frankly incongruous message to members of the public who are facing hardship but paying their council tax." Published and promoted by Lesley Innes on behalf of Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats, all at 16 Signet Court, Swann Road, Cambridge CB5 8LA Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
- Lib Dems fight on to stop Tories axeing vital bus services
Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats made another bid to save £2.7 million of county bus subsidies today (Tuesday, January 31) as the Tories met to rubber stamp their plans and press ahead with their flawed replacement transport plan. They fought to reverse the decision after winning the first round of their battle which led to the Tories backing down and putting £1.5 million back into subsidised transport. And they spoke out vehemently against the plans again today during a Cambridgeshire County Council Cabinet meeting accusing the Tories of scrapping 100 per cent of bus subsidies without a viable alternative plan. Lib Dem Shadow Cabinet Member for Transport, Susan van de Ven, has launched a petition to stop the cuts to bus services in Cambridgeshire: http://epetition.cambridgeshire.public-i.tv/epetition_core/view/Buses She said: "The Tory administration is not listening to the people they are elected to serve. Their plans threaten to isolate vulnerable people, including the disabled and elderly, and people who have no other way of travelling to work. Yet they are still pressing ahead. "Their new Cambridgeshire Future Transport project, which is meant to fill in the gaps left by the withdrawal of subsidies, is not working. A pilot in the Duxford area has attracted one customer in two months because there is no research on transport needs underpinning it. The Tory administration is now prepared to sink £1.5 million into this project as the answer to withdrawing bus subsidies. "The administration has come to a very late acknowledgement that some public subsidy for lifeline transport is necessary - and then is willing to spend carelessly. Vulnerable residents will pay the ultimate price." Published and promoted by Lesley Innes on behalf of Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats, all at 16 Signet Court, Swann Road, Cambridge CB5 8LA Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
- Tories in pay increase row told help the elderly not yourselves
- Jan 27, 2012:
- Taxpayers fork out £120,000 for one passenger
A flagship Tory bus replacement project which no-one wants has already cost Cambridgeshire taxpayers £120,000 with another £40,000 committed. Since launching a pilot for the planned countywide scheme, only one passenger has travelled three times between Sawston and Duxford Station. The traveller didn't have to buy a ticket as the route hadn't been registered so the journey was free. The pilot for the Cambridgeshire Future Transport scheme has been running for seven weeks across 11 villages in the Duxford area. It is the brainchild of Cambridgeshire County Council's Tory administration which wants to sink £1.5 million of taxpayers' money into it as a replacement for £2.7 million worth of subsidised buses across the county. A website has been set up to allow residents to book journeys, but there has been no take-up. Cambridgeshire County Councillor, Susan van de Ven, Lib Dem Shadow Cabinet Member for Transport said: "The Conservatives claim their new project will be a model of efficiency but in seven weeks it has transported one passenger at a cost of £120,000. This is is a disastrous waste of taxpayers' money. "The administration hasn't thought this through. They saw the bus subsidies as an easy way of clawing back money to bolster their finances. They said they didn't want empty buses running round the county but now they have used taxpayers' money to buy new minibuses which are standing empty. "The Tories don't understand what people want because they haven't done their research," added Cllr van de Ven. "What the administration does with £1.5 million had better be effective. Cambridgeshire Future Transport is not the answer, let alone what the administration has promised - something better than what we had before." Cllr van de Ven has launched a petition against the bus cuts which can be found here: Cllrhttp://epetition.cambridgeshire.public-i.tv/epetition_core/view/Buses Published and promoted by Lesley Innes on behalf of Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats, all at 16 Signet Court, Swann Road, Cambridge CB5 8LA Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
- Taxpayers fork out £120,000 for one passenger
- Jan 26, 2012:
- Tories set aside £100,000 for their pay rise as they cut services and jobs
County Tories have put aside £100,000 in their budget to pave the way for giving themselves a pay rise. The money provides for an increase Members' Allowances despite the decision to cut £43 million from Cambridgeshire County Council's spending and axe 154 full-time jobs. Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrat Leader, Kilian Bourke said: "This is utter hypocrisy. On the one hand the Tories are cutting services and making staff redundant while on the other they are hoping to give themselves a pay rise. "It is particularly tasteless that they have budgeted for a £100k addition to their pay packets while increasing council tax, a grossly unfair tax that hits the poorest hardest." "It is also worrying that there seems to be a presumption in favour of a pay rise." "This money would be better spent protecting frontline services like libraries and buses, not lining Tory pockets." Putting this £100,000 into services could have: Kept two small libraries open for a year Put two new community mini buses on the road Paid for more respite care packages for families with disabled children or the elderly Reinstated the city shuttle bus Published and promoted by Lesley Innes on behalf of Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats, all at 16 Signet Court, Swann Road, Cambridge CB5 8LA Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
- Tory budget ignores Wisbech
County Tories have been accused of ignoring Wisbech with their latest budget. They have recognised the major problems facing the town but taken the decision not to address them in their £472 million budget for Cambridgeshire County Council. Despite agreeing major capital spending in other parts of the county, they have ignored projects which could help Wisbech's economy and provide jobs. And worse still they limit the area of economic growth to a 'diamond' south and west of March. "This budget is extremely bad news for Wisbech," said Cambridgeshire Lib Dem Leader, Kilian Bourke. "The Tories have highlighted the problems faced by this town and taken a conscious decision to ignore them. This is a missed opportunity which offers the people of Wisbech nothing to address the real problems that they face. "The Conservatives are once again failing to improve the Wisbech economy and bring jobs to the town. They should propose improving transport links to and from Wisbech, but they haven't. They should be improving Wisbech schools, where the town's children need to be given a fair deal, but they're not." Kevin Wilkins, Lib Dem Shadow Cabinet Member for Highways and Infrastructure, (pictured) added: "If the Tories can spend £200 million on a Guided Busway and £30 million on a bypass in Ely the least they can do is provide some better transport infrastructure for Wisbech." Published and promoted by Lesley Innes on behalf of Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats, all at 16 Signet Court, Swann Road, Cambridge CB5 8LA Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
- Tories heed Lib Dem advice on buses, roads and libraries and back MP's station plan
Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats have welcomed the fact that county Tories have listened to their advice and scaled back cuts to buses and libraries and invested more in care for older people in their budget. The Tories have also taken their lead from the Lib Dem Highways Review in proposing a massive up-front investment in roads, pavements and cycleways to halt the ongoing decline. And they have supported a Lib Dem plan for a new railway station in Chesterton which is a personal triumph for Cambridge MP, Julian Huppert. But the Lib Dems have expressed fears as to whether the Conservatives, who have a poor record at managing big projects, will be able make a success of this budget with its extra capital spending. "This budget is half good and half bad. It shows the influence of an effective opposition as many ideas previously promoted by the Liberal Democrats have now been accepted by the Conservatives," said Liberal Democrat Leader, Kilian Bourke. "The Conservatives have accepted that their cuts to many core services went way beyond what was necessary and scaled-back some of the worst. As a result the huge cuts to rural buses and plans to close libraries have been reduced; but substantial cuts will still go ahead and people who use these services will be far from reassured. "The extra investment in Adult Care is a long overdue recognition from the Tories that this service has been chronically underfunded and mismanaged. "The County Council's support for a new railway station in Chesterton is a great personal triumph for Cambridge's MP, and the massive overhaul of our roads comes straight out of a Lib Dem Highways Review, and should stop the steady decline in their condition that the Tories have allowed." "In terms of the overall financial picture we are deeply sceptical about the ability of the Conservatives to manage projects on this scale. With £90 million at stake in the Guided Bus court case, their track record on contract management is not reassuring. But they added that their alternative budget will expose Tory inefficiency and waste, safeguard vital services and better provide for the long-term future of the people across the whole county. Published and promoted by Lesley Innes on behalf of Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats, all at 16 Signet Court, Swann Road, Cambridge CB5 8LA Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
- Tories set aside £100,000 for their pay rise as they cut services and jobs
- Jan 24, 2012:
- Residents must be told about Army move to protect village
A Cambridgeshire County Councillor has called for better communication between the military and Waterbeach residents as the Army prepares to pull out of the village. Michael Williamson, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Waterbeach and a governor ofWaterbeachPrimary School, fears the move could jeopardise the future of businesses and the school as Army personnel and their families prepare to leave the barracks. But he says there has been no official confirmation of a date for the move or whether new families will move in to military housing. "This move will have serious implications for the future of the village primary school, potentially removing up to one third of the pupils and reducing funding," he said. "It will also affect local businesses and the village pubs. The military personnel bring a large amount of business to the village and that could be lost virtually overnight. "The military has been a welcome and important part of this village community since the RAF came here in the 1940s and then the Army in the 1960s. We have heard that some of the personnel will be moved to RAF Wittering and others to Kinloss inScotlandbut we have had no official confirmation of the dates of the moves. "We need to know when the move will happen and whether military housing will be available for other families who could bring new pupils for the school and new trade for our village businesses." Waterbeach Barracks is being closed, as part of Ministry of Defence cuts. There are also proposals to develop the site for over 12,000 new homes. Residents have warned that a development of this size would change the face of the village and create a town the size ofNewmarketor Ely. It could also create gridlock on the already overstretched A10. Cllr Williamson, who is fighting the plans, said that such a development would require up to five new primary schools and a new secondary school. Published and promoted by Lesley Innes on behalf of Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats, all at 16 Signet Court, Swann Road, Cambridge CB5 8LA Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
- County councillor fights to save bus services for the elderly
A leading Cambridgeshire County Councillor is calling on giant bus company Stagecoach to rethink changes to two Cambridge services heavily relied upon by elderly residents. Caroline Shepherd, who represents Trumpington, is worried about people living in the Royal Albert Home at Hills Road who use the City 1, City 3 and two Park and Ride services. The buses stop outside the home and the elderly residents use them for visits to the doctor and the shops and to attend church services, socials and lunches. But as the CB1 development progresses, Stagecoach plans to divert the buses around Station Road so that they will no longer stop outside the home. The company claims the changes are designed to alleviate congestion in this busy part of the city. Residents will be left with just one bus service - the number 13 - which, although it runs every half hour during the week and hourly on Sundays, doesn't stop at Tesco where the residents shop. Cllr Shepherd said: "Although these residents are independent, they can't walk far and these buses are convenient because they stop outside their homes and take them where they want to go. "And there has been little chance for people to have their say on these proposals. The consultation consisted of details posted at the Park and Ride sites, a sign on the side of a bus and a discussion at a county council P and R business strategy group meeting. "I have raised this issue with Stagecoach but so far it has had no effect. These residents rely on these services not only to take them to medical appointments and for shopping but also for their social life. "I am worried that without them they will find it difficult to get out and about and could lead to some of them becoming socially isolated which in turn leads to poor health. Stagecoach needs to realise that elderly people living in the city rely on bus services just as much as those living in rural areas." Published and promoted by Lesley Innes on behalf of Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats, all at 16 Signet Court, Swann Road, Cambridge CB5 8LA Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
- Residents must be told about Army move to protect village
- Jan 20, 2012:
- Lib Dems victory as Tories U-turn on bus cuts - but fears for the future
Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats are celebrating victory after the Tories staged a dramatic U-turn over their decision to axe 100 per cent of subsidised bus services across the county. Lib Dems, who had fought a sustained campaign against the cuts for a year, have welcomed the move to invest £1.5 million - just over half the bus subsidies cash - into bus transport. But they have expressed their concerns about the alternative transport project which they fear could still lead to services being lost in the future. The money will be handed over the next three years to provide subsidised buses under a six month franchise scheme with operators through a project called Cambridgeshire Future Transport Liberal Democrats fear, however, that when the initial funding support ends Cambridgeshire Tories will withdraw the money leaving operators with services which might be lost because they are unprofitable. They have called for a commitment to continue the financial support, if it is needed, to ensure services survive. The Cambridgeshire Future Transport project has already suffered its first failure after a £120,000 pilot service in Duxford, launched before Christmas, was boycotted by residents in protest at losing their subsidised buses. Susan van de Ven, Lib Dem County Council Shadow Cabinet Member for Transport said: "This partial u-turn is a big victory for the Lib Dems and good news for local bus users. The Tories have finally relented and accepted the principle that you cannot provide socially necessary rural transport for nothing. "Abating 50 per cent of the cuts is a big improvement on the 100 per cent cut that was planned which was the worst in the country. "This will allow some of the bus services the Tories still intend to cut to be replaced with some form of alternative; it is just a shame they didn't listen to the public's concern and reinstate more of the funding. "But we are extremely concerned that Cambridgeshire Future Transport is not the best way to deliver these services; in one year it has delivered almost nothing. "Money spent on the failed pilot in Duxford could have paid for three new mini buses for Cambridge Dial-a-Ride or other community transport providers. And we want guarantees that the Tories will not pull the plug on funding after the initial period of support leaving services in danger of collapse. "Tories are walking a tight-rope in terms of the council's legal position. They are willing to cut 100 per cent of bus subsidies after barely evading a judicial review. Their 'ingenious' new idea is no more than the Emperor's New Clothes. Cambridgeshire cannot afford to play games with lifeline transport and scarce public money." A recent consultation by Cambridgeshire County Council on bus subsidies showed that 37 per cent of residents have no other means of transport and only three per cent of residents supported bus service cuts. Published and promoted by Lesley Innes on behalf of Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats, all at 16 Signet Court, Swann Road, Cambridge CB5 8LA Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
- Lib Dems victory as Tories U-turn on bus cuts - but fears for the future
- Jan 19, 2012:
- Heathcock throws light on council's costly error
County highway chiefs have removed a street light near a Cambridge primary school and told worried parents it could cost £1,700 if they want it back. Residents were not consulted when Cambridgeshire County Council took away the light in Spalding Way close to the Queen Emma Primary School. The decision left the route to and from the school in darkness and residents called on Lib Dem County Councillor, Geoff Heathcock, who represents Queen Edith's to help. He and residents met county council officers on site to discuss the decision and they were told it could cost £1,700 to reinstate the light. Cllr Heathcock said: "This decision was taken without talking to the residents to find out how this would affect people living in the area. "This is where a policy on paper might look right but has little flexibility when it comes to looking at the consequences of such an action. A decision taken in haste could now cost the taxpayers of this district a considerable sum." Published and promoted by Lesley Innes on behalf of Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats, all at 16 Signet Court, Swann Road, Cambridge CB5 8LA Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
- Decision to cut bus subsidy cost county £5m transport grant
A legally challenged Tory decision to cut millions of pounds from bus services across the county has resulted in Cambridgeshire losing a £5 million government transport grant. Cambridgeshire County Council has been told that its latest bid to the Local Sustainable Transport Fund, to help schemes such as Cambridge Dial a Ride, could not be justified in light of the decision to cut bus subsidies. "This fund would have injected badly needed cash into community transport schemes which ironically were identified by the Tory administration to fill the gaps resulting from bus subsidy cuts," said Lib Dem Shadow Cabinet Member for Transport, Susan van de Ven (pictured). "This decision to cut bus subsidies has cost the county dearly. The government has made it quite clear that it has no intention of making up the money taken away by the Tories to plug holes in their budget caused by years of financial mismanagement. "This ill-thought out decision is preventing the county council from securing government money which could have helped some of the county's most crucial services survive." Jessica Matthew, Deputy Director of Sustainable Travel at the Department for Transport invited the council to put in another bid but warned in a letter: "The community transport component was not felt to be justified in the context of other local decisions and the revised bid should not include this component." Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrat Leader, Kilian Bourke said: "The publication of this previously unseen letter is the first evidence that the government explicitly rejected the bid for £5 million of transport funding because of the Conservatives' local decision to scrap 100 per cent of bus funding." A sustained campaign by Liberal Democrats against last April's decision to cut £2.7 million from bus subsidies led to the Tories making a dramatic U-turn and calling a public consultation. "This is the first clear-cut evidence that the local decision to scrap 100 per cent of bus funding is costing Cambridgeshire money," added Cllr van den Ven. "I urge the Conservatives to reinstate in their forthcoming budget funding for buses in whatever form, otherwise the council risks missing out on further funding opportunities from central government. "Sadly admitting they were wrong came too late to save this grant." Published and promoted by Lesley Innes on behalf of Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats, all at 16 Signet Court, Swann Road, Cambridge CB5 8LA Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
- Heathcock throws light on council's costly error
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