Steven Lambert

I cannot believe that on top of the planned cuts to the Swan Rider Service that transports senior citizens in and around Bucks, the Tory led County Council is now going to axe the Day Centres for the elderly. Buckinghamshire County Council have said that of the 22 centres only 3 will stay open in a bid to save money. According to figures, the centres are used by about 1,300 people including those with learning disabilities and of course pensioners.

Having visited and spent many hours talking to users of the Hartwell Day Centre in Aylesbury, and others, its money well spent. Many users rely on the centre for more than just a drop in centre. It’s a lifeline for meeting friends, taking part in a social life or even getting a hair cut or personal grooming sorted out in a safe personal environment. All these things cannot be replaced by an impersonal ’hub’ many miles away.

Many that use the service don’t see anyone from one visit to the centre to another - a form of poverty that is not financial but very real in a town full of people minding their own business and a county that is mostly rural. It is incumbent on all of us to strive to protect and serve the most vulnerable. What will happen to the people and carers for family members who have illnesses such as Alzheimer’s, where they get to meet and support each other.  What about staff and friends knowing whether someone is falling ill or out of sorts?

These plans look to have been long in the making and will be a devastating blow to all those that use the service, but also to all the staff and support agencies that provide the detailed care and help.

I think this is a step too far. Its about money not care and frankly, its a false economy and a very slippery slope and it must be fought, not just by us councillors, but by anyone and everyone that has an elderly member of their family or hopes to be elderly one day! I urge everyone to respond to the consultation using this link to the (Consultation).

After fighting a General Election campaign where I publicly committed to fighting the HS2 proposals I was deeply concerned that the Coalition Government are set to go ahead with the scheme.

Even though the Tories put out leaflets and posters saying “vote no High Speed2 Vote Tory” during the election, it has been to no avail. David Lidington is now a Minister and we will have get him to keep the promise I extracted from him to “vote against the plans if it comes to it”. I wonder how many ministers have voted against the Government and kept their role? Not many I would suggest, so I am watching this space carefully. 

 Although the situation looks bleak, HS2 and the Department for Transport have extended the consultaion period on the Government’s proposals to introduce an exceptional hardship scheme.

The Scheme sets out financial protectrion for residential owner occupiers of properties the value of which may be seriously affected by the preferred route option for any new high speed rail link between London and the West Midlands, and who can demonstrate that they have an urgent need to sell their property.

What worries me is that many people still don’t know about it and that it is vital that as many people as possible respond so that the Government can put a hardship scheme in place as soon as possible. I urge as many people as possible to complete the EHS consultatin and prepare for the main consultation on HS2 itself in the Autumn. The Consultation documents can be found on the Department for Transport’s website here

Or you can join the HS2 Action Alliance and complete their simple response form here

The closing date for this consultation has been extended to 17 June 2010 in order to give those with an interest the fullest opportunity to comment on the proposals.

Your views can be submitted in writing to:
High Speed Two Ltd – Exceptional Hardship Scheme Consultation
55 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0EU
Or
EHSconsultation@hs2.gsi.gov.uk

Over the past few weeks since the General Election and the formation of the Liberal Democrat - Conservtaive Coalition Government, many people and party members have asked “what next and how does it affect me”? These questions are not as simple as they would first seem. I went to the Special Conference in Birmingham, listened and took part in a very rational debate. In the end with my heart in my mouth, I voted for the motion.

The obvious starting point is, what next and are we still Liberal Democrats? Well, yes we are. Our policies are as laid out in our manifesto and numerous policy documents and we remain a  seperate political party with our own constitution, ways of working and history. Our mission and challenge has always been to bring forward Liberal Democracy and our policies, which over many years in the development were ripe for delivery.

The Coalition document and subsequent Queens speech, lays out a great deal of Liberal Democrat policies - many of which we would never have got a Tory Government to implement. So this is a huge step forward for us as a party and Liberal Democracy. If we had of sat back and said a ‘a plague on all your houses, we’re not going to work with you becasue you are Tories’, would have been self destructive and we would not have seen key Lib Dem policies being enacted. On a local level, things are different and this is how it affects us.

The Tories in Bucks have not changed, they are the same people who have been running our council services into the ground for the last 11 years (or 120 years at BCC). The Liberal Democrats are commited to We are still the opposition to the Tories on our Councils and we will continue to hold them to account for the decisions they are making on behalf of our residents. I can think of at least half a dozen decisions that the Tories at BCC or AVDC have made that are toe curlingly expensive, pointless or, in my view, completley contrary to the well being of our residents. 

So its encumbent on me and my colleagues as local Liberal Democrat Councillors, to ensure that we remain the voice of reason and bring forward a Liberal Democrat led Council in next year’s local elections. 

So where we to now? Easy, back to where we were fighting for our residents and businesses never forgetting that while some of my friends and colleagues in Parliament are battling against the excesses of the Tories in National Government, me my team of Liberal Democrat Councillors and activists will be doing exactly the same thing here in Aylesbury.

One of the main culprits of litter is the recycling baskets not having lids. Something I have tried in vain to get AVDC to change, but constantly meet Tory obstinance not to change our recycling capability- I’m sure you will recall my efforts to get them to sign up to the 1010 campaign!

The Lib Dems on AVDC introduced recycling 17 years ago when we were in powerand the Tories have not significantly increased the bin sizes nor the types of things that can be recycled. We are about to get fined many millions by the Government because we are not recycling enough. Yet they will not spend the money needed to make it easier for residents and improve recylcing rates! Why can’t they spend the money improving recycling instead of payng a fine?

All we get told is we cannot change it because it costs too much money. So all we can do is crush our plastics down and only put the baskets out in the street on collection days, so that the chance of them blowing everywhere is reduced. In the mean time, we fall behind on recycling rates and have more tidy up days. Well at least we get out in the sunshine as a community on those days!

I was delighted this week, to be re-elected as Chairman for Coldharbour Parish Council for another year. I have to admit that it is a role that I really enjoy and I take great pride in. I strive to represent our community far and wide and at as many functions and events as possible. Its funny, no matter how many times I get to a functon wearing the chain, or when chairing the various meetings and attending civic functions, I still get a real sense of duty to my community. I trust and hope that as I commit myself to another year of service that I prove to be worthy of the role.

Being Liberal Democrats (emphasis on the last word) our local party held an Extraodinary General Meeting to discuss the formation of a coalition government between the Tories and Lib Dems. We put a lot of work into the General Election and no one running up to the day could have predicted the outcome. With days ull of news on whether we could negotiate with Labour our whether the we would take a Confidence and Supply approach, and our result still ringing in our ears, emotions amongst the members was high.

The meeting was chaired by our local Party Chairman, Peter Vernon and I gave a round up of Coalition agreement as it stands followed by a Question and Answer session and a rational discussion about the national and local situation. At the end of the meeting we took a vote  and overwhelmingly,  the response was positive, with members offering a cautious optimism about the prospects of a Liberal Democrat and Conservative alliance in government.

An outline of the terms of the reveal that the Tories have made real concessions, and this offers us a chance to implement some of the policies that we have been campaigning so hard for. This document can be read online here.

I didnt fight the General Election for a Tory Government, nor a Coalition of this nature, but I accept that as a party we have long argued the case for our polices to be enacted and for electoral reform as a sensible, mature and democratic way to govern our nationlition. I do see this as our chance to demonstrate to the country that the Liberal Democrats can be in power and that electral reform is essential. The only way to do that is in a Coalition.

With local district elections coming up in 2011, and a coalition between the parties in Westminster, people should be under no illusion that there is a coalition in AVDC. While we control the Town Council, we are the main opposition to the Tories in the District and County councils. We are still a string local independent party, and we are still the Tory’s opposition here in Bucks. That has not and will not change and we are looking forward to the challenges presented by the 2011 local election.

I admit I was disapointed at coming second in the General Election, but I was also very proud of what me and the team have achieved here in the Aylesbury Constituency over the past few months. It was a strong campaign with lots of energy and commitment. Thousands of leflets were delivered, thousands of doors were knocked on and a huge amount of public meetings and meet ‘n greet sessions arranged and attended (and a rather painful dog bite while I was delivering the very last leaflet of the campaign!). I am eternally grateful for the 15200 people that put their cross next to my name in the hope of brnging Liberal Democracy to Aylesbury.

Obviously, I am disappointed by the return of David Lidington as the MP, but there are several positive points which reflect the ever growing strength of the local Liberal Democrats. In terms of votes cast, our percentage share demonstrates a core body of Liberal Democrat supporters in this constituency. While the recent boundary changes mean the 2010 result can’t be directly compared with 2005, a BBC estimate of the 2005 election based on the new boundaries indicate we have clearly managed to hold onto and increase our core supporters. No mean feat when you look at the regional and national picture!

Our team has grown in strength and our membership has continued to grow in numbers as we welcomed many new people to the party as full members. these are ordnary people who have been impressed by our local campaign and agree with our national policies. We now have many more active individuals who are keen to see Lib Dem policies implemented locally and nationally.

It is clear that we now have a strong platform here in the Aylesbury constituency and a clear mandate to fight for change during the next Parliament. Final results are laid our below.

In the last week of the General Election Campaign I met Hannah. Hannah is a local Liberal Democrat supporter from Aylesbury High School and she stood in her school elections as the Liberal Democrat candidate and won in the school poll. Below is an extract of her speech to her fellow students.

“Hello, my name is Hannah Spinks and I want a fairer Britain. I’m not going to patronise you all by acting like this society that Labour has built is great, because it’s not. The country is on its knees and Great Britain is no longer great; voting for the Liberal Democrats is the only solution. For too long now the power to lead our country has been shared between Labour and the Conservatives who have both proven that they are unfit to rule.

When the Liberal Democrats come to power we intend to make Britain great once more, starting by introducing a fairer tax system so that everybody has equal opportunities and so that no one group in society feels the burden more than any other, something which has been happening for far too long.

Part of our struggle for equal opportunities involves being the only mainstream party with a commitment to scrapping university tuition fees. We believe that this is vital as it is already hard enough for young people to get a job, get on the property ladder and make ends meet, without being saddled with thousands of pounds worth of debt. How will we make this possible? As I said before I will not patronise you by saying it will be quick and easy but we do have a six-year plan, at the end of which university will be free for all and nobody will be disadvantaged by feeling that they cannot afford to move onto higher education.

Another important issue that the Liberal Democrats feel strongly about is crime- crime figures are far too high and too many people don’t feel safe in their homes and in their town centres. We will face this problem head on and by using the money that Labour wish to allot to ID cards we intend to put 3,000 more police officers on the beat in order to make you safe.

The Liberal Democrats are the only party offering a real change and true reform and know exactly how we will pay for it. There is no longer a need for cold- war style nuclear weapons which zap £100bn in a lifetime and by scrapping this system we will improve you quality of life.

As you can see, the Liberal Democrats are the only party to stand for real change. A two-party system has dominated this country for far too long and it is time to vote for the party that is different, the party that believes in fairness and equality, the Liberal Democrats.”

What impressed me so much was the strength of Hannah’s convictions and that Liberal Democracy and our shared values were there for everyone to see. I was pleased to meet Hanang and welcome her to the Aylesbury Liberal Democrats Liberal Youth group. One of the biggest strengths of the Liberal Democrats is that we are the party for Hannah’s generation who are tired of seeing the old parties swapping power with each other without real reform.

Dear friend,

I would like to clarify my position on the proposed high speed rail route through Buckinghamshire. I am deeply concerned about the impact of HS2 on our county.

The Labour Government’s preferred route goes through the only Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (the Chilterns) between London and Birmingham as well through our historic parks and homes. I too am personally affected by the route as it goes directly in front of my home. There have been ‘public’ meetings called at which the Liberal Democrats have been prevented from speaking. Therefore I have decided to write publicly to state the facts.

If elected as your MP for Aylesbury constituency I will vote against the route as I believe the case for it as the best route has not been proven. To my knowledge David Lidington has only said we should take part in the consultation. This is not good enough. The job of being our MP is to fight for our community over such issues. I am prepared to do that.

All three major political parties are in favour of high speed rail in general. However, the Liberal Democrats would first ensure that our existing rail network is upgraded and dormant lines reopened. We would open thousands of miles of railway tracks and stations.

Only once we have made the best of our existing network, should we be considering such an enormous investment in high speed rail, and where the route is best placed. We must also ensure that we minimise the environmental impact of any such proposal. The Tories have publicly said that they will shorten the consultation process and bring the whole project forward by two years. Theresa Villiers MP stated “if elected to power at the election, [the Tories] would start work on the project in 2015 - two years earlier than the Government’s plan.” Hansard 11 March 2010: column 450.

The Tories have also confirmed that they would haev a Heathrow spur, which would force the route through Buckinghamshire. This is both unacceptable and very dangerous.

We must be able to take part in a full and open consultation process to ensure that all the views of Aylesbury constituency are fairly represented. I have met with Norman Baker MP, Lib Dem transport spokesman, and we as a party are not wedded to this route. As your MP, I can confirm that I would fight for you and our beautiful county and vote against this route and push for a full consultation process to prove this.

Regards Steven

Steven is to meet with Lib Dem Shadow Transport minister, Norman Baker shortly to discuss the matter further.