Aylesbury Liberal Democrats are heading to their spring conference in Birmingham later this week hoping it will be a springboard to success in the coming General Election.

Leading the team of those attending is Lib Dem Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, Steven Lambert who is aiming to become the MP for the Aylesbury Constituency, which includes Aston Clinton, Wendover, Stokenchruch and all of Aylesbury in the General Election, which is due in just a few weeks’ time. 

Steven said “this weekend I will be meeting Party Leader Nick Clegg and will be discussing with him the issues that are really important to residents in the Aylesbury Constituency, such as the closure of Rayners Hedge Brain Injury Rehab Unit.

I will also be meeting our Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable to discuss the impact on of the job losses at HBOS  and of the Liberal Democrats’ plans to ensure no one pays tax on the first £10,000 of income.  I know in our area, thousands of people on low and middle incomes will benefit from this tax cut. 

I also plan to meet our Shadow Home Secretary Chris Huhne to talk to him about issues of policing in after the launch of the Safer Streets policy a couple of weeks ago which confirmed  the Liberal Democrats commitment to ensuring 3000 more police officers to help make our streets safer.” Steven Continued “I have spoken to many local residents and there is a strong view that we need more local police officers patrolling our streets.

Within weeks, voters will get the chance to decide on who their new MP will be. We are looking forward to the campaign with confidence and will be looking forward to the General Election where the Tory majority is just 7000 and that means we have a real chance of returning a Lib Dem MP for Aylesbury to Parliament.”

Notes for editors

At Lib Dem Conferences Parliamentary Candidates get time set aside to meet leading Parliamentarians. On Friday Steven is meeting Nick Clegg and will be talking about the closure of Rayners Hedge Brian Injury and Neuro Rehab unit, smaller class sizes and the school places crisis in Buckinghamshire’s schools.  On Saturday Steven is meeting Vince Cable and will be talking about the banking crisis and the 800 job loses at HBOS in Aylesbury and Lib Dem plans to put money back into families’ pockets by not charging Tax on the first £10k of earnings. Steven will also be meeting Chris Huhne on Saturday and will be talking about safer streets, scrapping National ID cards and the English Defence League protest being planned in Aylesbury.

Lib Dem Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Aylesbury said “People in Aylesbury are often telling me how they feel unsafe. Expensive ID cards aren’t going to change that, but an extra officer walking down Elm Farm Road or more police in the Town Centre on a Friday night will. The Liberal Democrats are committed to more police, and this is the only way to create safer streets.”

Recently a Thames Valley Police survey revealed that people would be happy to see their council tax go up to pay for more policing. The Lib Dem policy would negate the need to do this as we would be scrapping large expensive government projects to fund the extra police. With 4189 officers – which increased by 5.5% last year, we have a detection rate of just 24% or 15% arrests per officer.

Steven added “as Aylesbury is set to grow by thousands of homes, we need to make sure we get the police numbers we need. The Lib Dem plans would bring that to fruition along with an elected Police Authority local priorities could be set by local people for the area.”

Commenting at the launch of the nation al policy on 4th February, Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg said “the Liberal Democrats are the only party that wants to cut crime by putting more police on the street. When only one in a hundred crimes ends up with a conviction in court, it is time for things to change. Labour and the Conservatives may talk tough but they are unwilling to make the crucial decisions to cut crime.”

Liberal Democrats launch High Street plan

Britain’s high streets, protect the future of the Post Office, and help small businesses establish and grow in a fairer marketplace.

The announcement comes as research shows one in eight shops is now empty after the recession. The report, published by the Local Data Company (LDC), says that vacancies shot up by 24% in the second half of 2009.

Steven Lambert, Lib Dem Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Aylesbury said “the report shows that in Aylesbury 9.9% of High Street shops are empty, ranking it 8th lowest in the region. The financial crisis has exposed Labour and the Conservatives’ folly of being entirely dependent on the City of London. The Liberal Democrats understand that it will be small businesses that are key to building a healthy and balanced economy.”

Cllr Alan Sherwell, the Lib Dem leader at Aylesbury Vale District Council said “we need a thriving high street in Aylesbury, one with real character that allows local businesses to survive and grow. For instance this is why the Lib Dems have raised concerns over the Asda super store application at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

Even before the credit crunch hit, small independent shops had more or less disappeared from our high street, the Government’s skewed planning system has seen supermarket giants squeeze the life out of towns like ours and now almost every high street in Britain is an identical collection of chain stores and coffee shops.

Commenting at the national launch, the Lib Dem leader, Nick Clegg, said thriving high streets are at the heart of local communities. But it has been our high streets that have borne the brunt of this recession, with boarded up shops scarring towns and villages across Britain. I believe that people value the wide range of goods and services available locally and want to see their high streets thrive and prosper.”

- Introducing charges for pre-planning advice, this means that you will have to pay to talk to your planning department.

- Making a reduction in the amount of funding to voluntary and community groups, this will hit the most at need in the area, services such as Relate, Citizens Advice Bureau, the Southcourt and Walton Court community project.

- Removing council funding from events such as Parklife and Buckingham Festival Fortnight, this will have a massive effect on tourism, leaving the parish council to pick up the cost if these events are to continue.

- Removing funding from the Reflex Gym in Winslow and the Buckingham Tourist Information Centre, at a time when the local economy needs tourists and the country is facing an obesity crisis these cuts can only cause harm in our area.

District Councillor and Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Aylesbury, Cllr Steven Lambert said, “These cuts particularly to the voluntary groups will have a massive effect on those most in need, the Tories seem to be taking the view that as this section of the population do not vote Tory that it doesn’t matter if they cut the funding, that view is simply unacceptable”.

Cllr Steven Kennell the Liberal Democrat finance spokesman added “The Liberal Democrats asked that a small amount be taken from reserves to allow funding of the voluntary groups to continue, the fact that the Tories voted against this just shows how detached they are from reality, they can afford a new theatre, a new council chamber, but anything that relates to the lives of the people of our area they simply do not get”.

Other measures to fill the hole in the AVDC budget include charging villages for public toilets and an increase in car parking charges. Speaking about the effect on Aylesbury Town Cllr Mark Willis, Town Councillor for Bedgrove, said “Increasing car parking charges will drive away visitors from shopping in the town, to our rivals MK and Oxford, the Tories have the money to leave the Kingsbury water feature on all day and night, and to put flagpoles up at the parks, but supporting our local shops seems to be beyond them”.

The Liberal Democrat amendment calling for £39,000 to be taken from reserves to protect the work of the voluntary groups was defeated by the Tories, but one of their councillors later remarked that he would have voted in favour if he had realised exactly what the amendment was calling for.

Notes for editors
Steven Lambert PPC for Aylesbury can be contacted on 07884428833 for interviews.
The budget for AVDC is £20.7 million, £8.8 million is raised through the Council Tax

As part of the first national Interfaith Week, I went to the Aylesbury-based ‘Learning Together, Living in Harmony’ conference at the Aylesbury Vale Academy(Quarendon School site). The point of the conference was to bring people together from a multitude of religions and cultures to learn more about each other and debate the question; are we living in harmony?

The guest speakers gave a five minute presentation from speakers from nine different faiths: Buddhism, The Baha’i Faith, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Quakerism and Sikhism. I learned more in that session than I think I did at any RE lesson in school and I was really pleased to be there and to take part.

One thing that struck me is that all the faith’s represented (and they were the mainstream faiths) all had similar views, similar beliefs and, in many cases, customs. This is not very different to life as a politician. I strive to seek harmony, peace and goodwill in our community and this is not a million miles from the faith groups I met on Saturday. If we can break down barriers in a multi-faith and multi-cultural community by learning about different faiths removing prejudice and suspicion, we will have achieved more than we can imagine. I really hope that the conference organisers can take this type of event to local communities and that it becomes an annual event.

Life is a real struggle for many parents. The Government has not made things easy and the Tories look set to make things worse if they win the General Election. Parents who need to go back to work must be properly supported. I believe that parents should be entitled to 20 hours of free, high quality childcare for each child from the age of 18 months to when they start school. Successive Labour and Tory governments have failed our families. It’s time to change this once and for all.

My friend and colleague Lib Dem County Councillor Jenny Puddefoot, said “the campaign for free high quality child care is very much linked to the Lib Dem plans for a Universal Health Visitor Service which will see help and advice given to all families by a qualified professional Health Visitor from when a baby is born to the age of five. It’s been proven beyond doubt that the more you invest in a child in their early, the better life chances that a child will have.”

I couldn’t agree more with her! Why not join us and sign the petition for free child care at this link FREE CHILDCARE CAMPAIGN

One thing that really annoys me is when the Government sneaks things in that make people’s lives harder.

Recent changes to the Local Housing allowance sneaked through by Labour in the last budget mean that once again, Aylesbury’s residents will feel the brunt of Labour’s failed economic policies.

The government is destroying the original intention of Local Housing Allowance which was to bring choice and flexibility to the benefits system while also combating poverty. Anyone who has had to get by on a low income or manage a household budget will know that every penny counts and a £15 is a significant amount to lose from your family budget without any warning. How many people who qualify for help because they need it are now going to lose out.

The people who are going lose out under this proposal are poorer than those who would have been hit by the 10p tax debacle, and will be hit even harder. Worse still, the government will not actually save any money by clawing back these £15 payments. I’m supporting the Lib Dems in Parliament and calling on local Tory MPs David Liddington and John Bercow, to protect low income families by signing the Early Day motion in Parliament.”

Last week, Nick Clegg challenged Gordon Brown directly over the issue at Prime Minister’s Questions and the Liberal Democrats in parliament will continue to do all they can to oppose this latest government assault on some of the very poorest families in the country.

Join me in protesting at this shameful kick in the teeth of ordinary people by Gordon Browns’ Labour Government, by getting our MPs to sign the Early Day motion in Parliament.

On Saturday I was lucky enough to be invited by the Indian Cultural Society to join the celebrations for India’s children’s day celebrations (find out more here) and I had so much fun.

The programme was put together solely by the children and presented by two very well presented young ladies who managed to keep up with a couple of last minute changes and even a re-run of a fab Bollywood routine! The programme included dancing (some really good Bollywood tributes), musical recitals on the drum, guitar, violin and piano, plus some very well put together speeches.

This was truly an unconditional celebration of childhood and their achievements.  I hope I can go along next year!

I think it’s crucial that we honour the commitment and sacrifice of our armed forces. Too often they have been let down by our government. Labour has sent our brave young men and women into battle without adequate kit with which to do their jobs. The average wage for a private in the army is below that of other public service workers. And, of course, sending our troops into Iraq was a massive blunder that cost so many lives. We must take better care of those who are prepared to put their lives on the line for their country.

The Liberal Democrats have an ongoing campaign to get the Government to stop short changing our armed forces. To find out more, follow this link. Don’t short change our Armed Forces.

Over the past few months I have attended local and national party meetings, interviews a tough assessment centre and finally, a packed hustings meeting of the constituency party members on 25th September.

I am delighted to be selected to fight for the Aylesbury constituency. Aylesbury is my home and I care about what happens here. With the economy in such a dire state and the loss of faith in remote politicians because of the MP expenses scandal, now is the time for people to take a fresh look at the Liberal Democrats. We are the only party who have an agenda for real change and real reform not just on political reform, but also taxation, schools and hospitals.

I’m sure that many think that this is a solid Tory seat, held since 1924. I disagree. People I speak to on the doorstep and at the many public meetings I go to, often complain that politics is broken and that it needs to change to make it relevant. 

I offer a credible alternative to 83 years of Tory MPs for this seat and the party is a real alternative rule in blue red red blue flip flop of power between the Tories and Labour in Government.

The General Election will be held in the next 9 months. If you are a disillusioned Labour voter or a Tory that frankly, doesn’t like ‘Dave’ and his mates, who are someone who has listened to Vince Cable and thought “he is the only one making sense!” Then, remember. The Lib Dems are the only opposition in Bucks. Take fresh look at the Liberal Democrats. Start choosing a different and better future right now and join me and the Lib Dems fight for Aylesbury.

DOn’t forget that the Aylesbury constituency includes the twelve wards of the District of Aylesbury Vale:- Aston Clinton, Wendover; four wards of the District of Wycombe:- Bledlow and Bradenham, Greater Hughenden, Lacey Green, Speen and the Hampdens, Stokenchurch and Radnage

This week at conference the Lib Dems debated our policy on Child Protection. As you can see from previous posts, that Aylesbury Lib Dems put an amendment to the motion calling for a universal Health Visitor service for all families.

I spoke to the amendment and it was accepted unanimously by conference to be included in our policy. This policy makes sure that a comprehensive health visitor service would be put in place to strengthen the chance of the most disadvantaged children developing satisfactorily physically, emotionally and socially.

To me, its critical that families are supported. At the moment when the midwife signs off mother and baby at ten days old, there is no further official contact until the child is school age - some five years later! But what happens if the new parents don’t know that their child is developing properly? Who do they turn to? Its not like the old days when parents could turn to extended family members as many don’t live nearby anymore.

If there was a universal health visitor service, parents could ask advice, be supported and have the immediate comfort that everything is going along just fine. This was bought home to me recently when a lovely young couple I spoke to recently didn’t know how to change a nappy or that their baby needed to drink water as well as have its feed. While I was able to point them in the right direction, it proved the point that is needed for new families.

I was proud to stand up and be counted on this matter, and proud that the Lib Dems are the only ones campaigning for this kind of support to familes.

More information can be found in our upcoming manifesto or from our party website www.libdms.org.uk

Unlike the Labour and Conservative ones, which have a very top down approach, The Lib Dems are the only party that actively debate policy and then vote to accept or reject it. All the nonsense in the press about Nick Clegg and Vince Cable abandoning policy such as abolishing tuition fees is nonsense.

There is a simple fact. If you need to go shopping, you write a list of things you really want. In this case, its abolition of tuition fees (which will cost about £12bn). You then look at how much money you have and think ok, what can I afford now and what can I afford the next time I get paid. You then prioritise. Its is this sensible approach that Vince and Nick are taking and I agree with it. Do you trust he Tories when they give you broad brush plans to slash this that and the other. Do you believe Labour when they say this policy costs Y or this period so we’ll cut x%?  Once again Vince Cable has his hand on the tiller and he knows the forecast - and he is right. The voters would not believe any of our economic policy if it was just a huge laundry list, you have to prioritise.

So just to be clear - tuition fees will be abolished by a Lib Dem Government. We will do it as soon as we possibly can. It might not be in the first year of Government, but it will happen. That is honest politics.

I’ve signed up to the 1010 campaign called on Aylesbury Vale District Council to sign up to the 1010 campaign to reduce UK carbon emissions by 10% in 2010

I took a public stand at the recent AVDC council meeting and asked AVDC to make the pledge too.Many local councils and organisations are signing up to pledge a personal 10% reduction. If we are to survive as a planet we need to act now. AVDC does take the climate change threat seriously and are working to reduce carbon emissions, but by AVDC signing up to this pledge we will be publicly committing our work to this and not just to council papers which only get seen by councillors.

I have have signed up and will do my bit to reduce my carbon footprint. So what am I doing? Well I have changed all the light bulbs in the house to energy savers, I now use the bike instead of the car to go to the train station and back every day - as well as to council meetings! I’ve also turned down the central heating to 17 degrees, so that when it does come on, its not boiling away our planet.

If you want to sign up follow this link www.1010uk.org

Every day young men and women are putting their lives on the line, fighting in terrible conditions in Afghanistan. What is their reward from this Labour Government? Shockingly poor pay that leaves them on the poverty line and their families back at home hungry - and that is not right!

This policy would massively benefit so many servicemen and women living in Wendover, Aston Clinton and Aylesbury, who would be freed from the shackles of poor pay.

The Liberal Democrats will put a stop to this straight away. We will raise the pay of the lowest paid troops by an extra £6,000 a year. The average basic pay across the ranks of private and lance corporal would rise to around £25,000. We need to stop short-changing our troops.

Visit <a href=”http:// NickClegg.com/armedforcespay “>NickClegg.com/armedforcespay </a>to find out how you can get involved.

This week I’m heading off to the Lib Dem annual conference in Bournemouth.

The conference called “A fresh start for Britain” is the last big party conference before the General Election and will debate policy motions such as Parliamentary expenses where the Lib Dems will be calling on those MPs who have deliberately broken the rules and bought parliament into disrepute.

This motion is particularly resonant with Aylesbury where the actions of MPs such as David Liddington over his rent for cash scandal earlier in the year, have called into question the honesty of all MPs. MPs have to be beyond reproach and stay within the spirit of any rules as well as to the letter of them. It will also affirm the Lib Dem stated policy of implementing the recommendations of the Sir Christopher Kelly independent inquiry. I for one will participate in the debate and will vote for the motion put before the party and country.

There are some great debates coming up and the chance to refresh our campaigning on local issues. I’ll be meeting our Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable and will be asking him about the local economy and our plans for the future.

One of the debates I’m looking forward to is the Environment Policy which is going to be chaired by the AVDC group leader, Alan Sherwell. The global environment is crisis and we need to tackle that alongside the economic crisis. That’s why the Lib Dem approach to creating a green economy is so vital to the national and global future. 

We will also be debating more big issues such as the erosion of our civil liberties successive Labour and Conservative governments. I will also be speaking to our Child Protection policy, to which Aylesbury Lib Dems have proposed an amendment. the amendment is about ensuring health visitors are provided to every parent from their child birth to the age of 5. The motion if accepted would make sure that a comprehensive health visitor service would strengthen the chance of the most disadvantaged children developing satisfactorily physically, emotionally and socially.

Rarely does a politician capture the popular imagination quite like Vince Cable has over the past year. He was warning of unsustainable debt levels, a property crash and the activities of the major banks from his very first parliament in 1997. After more than a decade of sober-minded observation and assessment, the rest of the world has finally caught up with “the real shadow chancellor”. Vince’s book The Storm presents his clear and powerful analysis of how we have come to be here, and what we can expect to happen next.

It’s the Easter must-read, sure to be pored over by commentators and economists in studios, newsrooms and pubs up and down the country! You can order The Storm from the Amazon link below left.  

We all celebrated the fall of the wall and the opportunity that was now available to the people of East Germany. Yet those that were going through this change saw their lives, roles, culture and memories disappear without understanding what comes next and how to relate their life experiences to other German citizens.

It’s clear from the book that the West German government did not go culturally far enough to recognise the relief and sense of joy that shared personal experience can be felt. The East Germans embraced the new Germany, but little national reference is made to what went before. But sadly Jana explained how she was unable to share memories of her childhood with others in a comfortable way as, she would be stared at or that there was such a lack of comprehension – even over TV programmes or sports stars, that she learned not speak of them.

Jana’s experience was touching and thought provoking and provides a clear lesson in understanding what needs to happen in Iraq, Afghanistan and Gaza when the armed forces leave and the new national Governments grapple with nation building, national unity and common goals to succeed as a nation.

The ‘victor’ has a responsibility not just to help rebuild a nation, but to also promote national pride and care for shared memories and experience. There is then a risk that if the question of what happens next and how people reconcile their past with their hopes for the future, is not properly addressed, then it loses the personal citizen credibility it needs to have to survive as a 21st century nation.

You can by the book ‘After the wall’ by Jana Hensel by clicking the Amazon link in the bottom left menu bar.

This is a crying shame. With millions of people across Britain struggling to afford to heat their homes, this Bill is desperately needed. With such a narrow margin of failure it is really disappointing that our local Tory MPs John Bercow and David Liddington were not in Parliament to support this important Bill.

The Bill, which was 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.

I am appalled that this bid for a warmer future for the most vulnerable failed and that the Aylesbury Vale MPs helped it fail by not attending the debate. This would have made a big difference to so many people in Aylesbury and this chance has been thrown away. Just how much do our two MPs care about the most vulnerable of society?

Our best hope now is to put as much pressure as possible on the Government to change their minds and support the Bill. Without government support I am afraid it looks doomed. Campaign groups such as Consumer Focus and Age Concern have also condemned the Government for blocking the Bill’s progress. Help the Aged have said that, “Millions of older people… will be devastated and dismayed by this result.”

Those present to support the Bill (89 who voted for closure plus two tellers) were -
45 Lib Dems (71% of all Lib Dem MPs)
25 Labour (7% of total)
20 Tories (10% of total)
1 Independent
0 SNP or Plaid Cymru

This fact, it seems didn’t matter to the when the Lib Dems tried to get the decision delayed until we had all the evidence. The Tories used their in built majority to over rule us. So now our comments and challenges will go forward to the cabinet, where no doubt after their last effort will endorse it once again with virtually no questioning or debate.

Because of the Tory Cabinet decision, the only option put forward to us was for Eastern Arc. This covers the East of the town down to the south. From Bierton and Watermead to Broughton Crossing and Western Turville. In effect swallowing up any green space on the east of the town.

What didn’t surprise me and everyone in the room was the lack of detailed questioning from the Tories on the evidence we were looking at. Again it was the Liberal Democrats who went through hundreds of pages of evidence compiled by AVDC officers.

We did though hear from Cllr Richards (Tory Wendover) who was substituted onto the committee; say that he thought the Eastern Arc was the best option. But as he then admitted that he had not read all the evidence nor seen what the Environment committee has seen over the last two years.

As he then argued that Wendover be protected as it is part of the green belt. I wonder it can be possible that at such an important meeting a self confessed ill informed NIMBY councillor could be allowed to substitute at such a meeting?

By saying not in my back yard but its ok to build on the ecologically fragile green space in the East, where the planning inspector had thrown out the previous plans, was a perfect example of how the Tories are approaching this issue. Is this why the South was discounted and the North excluded?

The Tory administration are really messing this up and we risk exactly what they fear – losing our planning powers and a Labour Quango. I say lets delay and meet the wolf at the door and get the evidence for the North and North East as well and carry out a proper consultation in all areas. At least then we can all see just how ‘viable’ and ‘deliverable’ all areas are.

He regrets that he will not be in Parliament on Friday to support the Bill as he is already committed to two other Private Members Bills and one of his own, so he wants to spend more time in his constituency.

I am really disappointed in this response and lack of real support by John for such an important issue. Words of support are all very well and good, but actions are much better.

If we are one MP short of the required 100 MPs do not turn up I wonder how John will respond to the high number of mine and his constituents that are struggling more and more with the costs of heating and living expenses? Time will tell I suppose.

I have tday, written to our local MP, John Bercow, and asked that he is in Parliament on March 20th to give his support to a new parliamentary bill that will help cut energy bills for the poorest families and could help save the lives of up to 20,000 pensioners a year. The bill also calls for a massive programme to make homes more energy efficient – saving residents’ money and protecting the environment.

Energy bills have nearly doubled in recent years and many local families and pensioners are struggling to heat their homes. Twenty thousand pensioners are dying a year because the Labour Government refuses to tackle fuel poverty. It is horrific that in this day and age so many people are having to make the difficult choice between heating and eating. The energy efficiency proposals in the bill will also help save residents money and cut the emissions that cause climate change.

That’s why I and many of my Lib Dem colleagues have written to our local MPs urging them to be there on the 20th March. Labour and Conservative MPs have a moral duty to join this campaign and vote for this bill. We simply cannot let a situation continue where people are dying because they cannot afford to heat their homes.”The Fuel Poverty Bill being proposed by Liberal Democrat MP David Heath is being enthusiastically backed by leading charities including Age Concern, Friends of the Earth and the Child Poverty Action Group.

It 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 bill is scheduled for second reading debate in the House of Commons on Friday March 20th. It is vital that as many MPs as possible are in Parliament to support it.

If less than 100 MPs turn up, it could be blocked undemocratically. If this Bill is passed it will help many of the least well off people in our area as well as making a real difference to the battle against climate change. More information about the Bill can be found at http://www.endfuelpoverty.org.uk.

Saving the environment and saving lives. The Bill is backed by groups including:

•  Age Concern
  Help the Aged
  Child Poverty Action Group
  Disability Alliance
  Friends of the Earth
  Centre for Sustainable Energy
  Sustainable Energy Partnership
  UNISON  

Worried parents in Fairford Leys recently found out whether their children got into St Mary’s C of E School after a massive 104 children applied to get in. 60 were lucky to get a place as it’s a two form entry school. But 14 children from within catchment did not get into our popular and highly successful village school. I have spoken to a number of these worries parents and most have put in appeal letters.

The community campaign for a bigger school has been running for over two years and looks set to continue. We told the County Council three years ago that they would have 17 children that would not get a place this year, and if it wasn’t for two Fairford Leys children withdrawing their place, we would have been almost on the forecast.   I have along with our County Councillors Freda Roberts and Steven Kennell attended our community meetings and joined the protest marches and hike to school. I have also met with Marion Clayton and Bucks County Council Officers to find out more about what can be done. So far we have been told “nothing can be or will be done”.  

But  following Freda and Steve’s last meeting  with Marion Clayton, the County Council bought out a consultation on primary school places in Aylesbury where Bucks CC recognised that St Mary’s was over subscribed and that something needs to be done. The whole community was urged to complete the consultation forms to make sure family voices were heard. Coldharbour Parish Council also submitted a response. My response is in an article below. 

As a governor of St Mary’s school I am angry that since the school places problem came to light, the County Council have tried to blame the school Governors, the developers and even parents for having more children than forecast rather than accept that they did not build a school big enough. It’s not as if they don’t have the money – they do, they are just choosing to ignore the plight of these young families.  

As soon as the numbers were revealed, the School Governors resolved to write to Marion Clayton to get her to act on the plans drawn up by officers and Governors last year to increase the size of the current school and improve the classrooms of the current school.

They also decided to further investigate going to Voluntary Aided status as a means of getting the funding to increase the size of the school. However, the Governors have learned that Bucks County Council will do nothing to help the Governors reach this status, which would see the school freed from County admissions criteria and the stranglehold on forward planning and finances.  

The campaign moves on

The campaign is still moving on with the focus being on making the current school site fit for purpose. So if you are one of the affected families, please get in touch with our County Councillors Freda Roberts or Steven Kennell (froberts@buckscc.gov.uk and skennell@buckscc.gov.uk) and the Fairford leys parents group (info@fairfordleysparents.co.uk) and help keep the community battle going for a school for all our children. 

As a result I have made myself very un popular with the Tory led County Council as they have constantly refused to budge and admit they have made grave mistakes in planning to give the community the school we need. Even though I do not have children, I too have completed the consultation response. If every one in the cathcment area has also completed the form, Bucks CC would have no choice but to sit up and listen. My response is in the attached document.

Cllr Steven Lambert response to BCC consultation on Primary School place provision in Aylesbury. Feb 09.

If you also want to be in touch with the action group Parents of Fairford Leys who have also tirelessly campaigned on this issue go to their website at www.fairfordleysparents.co.uk

 

Years of campaigning by me and Coldharbour Liberal Democrats has paid off after I took the AVDC Chief Executive several lead AVDC officers on a series of ward walks through Fairford Leys recently and explained the risks and dangers to residents from not having sure grip on the wooden footbridges.

As a result of the work we have done raising profile of slips and falls by residents in Fairford Leys  (one recent fall was potentially life threatening) to the attention of developers and AVDC, AVDC have made a condition of adoption that the bridges had to sure grip on them.

As a result, the developers have now put sure grip on to the bridges making them safer to use in wet and icy weather. One resident told me “I’ve slipped on the bridges serval times while walking my dog. The bridges are now safer than they have ever been. Thank you for sorting this out.”

This is good news for Fairford Leys residents and another piece of hard work by Coldharbour Liberal Democrats has paid off.

                

After years of campaigning by me, Cllr Paul Hughes and the Parish Council the long journey to the adoption of the riverine corridor has moved a step closer. But full adoption is still two years away!At the last Full District Council meeting I pressed, yet again, for action on the adoptions after I found out that the consortium and Council Officers were arguing about minor details.  

Since then, I have met with a senior Council officer and had further talks with the developers to get adoption work started. Now AVDC and the Developers have agreed a take over date and are working on the plans to bring the Bearbrook Riverine up to standard. AVDC will then start taking responsibility for the maintenance in a phased approach which will complete in March 2011.  

This is a huge step forward and a great win for Coldharbour Lib Dems who have consistently campaigned for years to get the signature river and water course adopted by AVDC.  Unlike others, there are no tricks, no fake photo shoots, no pretence, no backroom deals to get things done, but plain and simple hard work by Coldharbour Lib Dems to get to this stage - and we will see it through.  

In the mean time, the Development Consortium remains responsible for the Bearbook until 2011. But we now have more than me, Paul and the Lib Dem Focus team on the case making sure the developers keep it all clean and up to safety standards as AVDC will  also be monitoring the situation. 

This book really made you sit up and think about how President Bush and Tony Blair were so over confident in their own power, that they pushed us into a war in Iraq.

Dr David Owen, a medical Doctor and former Foreign Secretary has written a book that has opened my eyes to just how our system of checks and balances were over ruled by two men supremely confident in their power and, for want of a better word ‘righteousness’ and  incompetence that has cost millions of pounds and cost countless lives.

Click the Amazon Icon at the bottom of this page to buy the book.

If ever there was a news story that proves that the House of Lords reform is much ado about nothing, it is the story this week of the backhander Lords. Labour has tinkered around this for over a decade and the Tories have tried everything to maintain their comfy majority and privilege holding off reform of the upper house.

It is no wonder that so many voters are turned off of politics and tell candidates ”you are all as bad as each other” or “you’re only in it for yourself”. It was a sad day for democracy that that an unelected house has dragged down into the gutter the legitimate elected representatives of this country.

Shamefully there are no consequences for those willing to sell their interventions. Baroness Royall, the Labour leader in the Lords, has admitted that the only reprimand that can be given is that they are “named and shamed” in the house.

They don’t lose their peerage, they don’t lose their privileges, they don’t lose our financially. In fact, there is no incentive for them to actually reform their behaviour. So like piggies in a trough they can keep on doing as they please without being held accountable. That is not acceptable.

George Monbiot’s article in The Guardian on Tuesday (see link below) had a great analysis and comment of just how corrupt this upper house has got and how Labour are mired in the same sleaze as the Tories were in the 1990s.  Its now only the Liberal Democrats who stand up for full and unambiguous reform of the House of Lords.

To quote Oliver Cromwell as he dismissed the Rump Parliament in 1653 “this house has sat to long - go and go now. You are no Parliament, I say you are no Parliament; I will put an end to your sitting”. The sooner it comes, the better as far as I am concerned. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jan/27/house-lords-scandal 

Like millions of people around the world I watched the inauguration of President Obama. It made me think about the way America reinvents itself at every new presidency - out with the old in with the new. I watched as history was made and the first non white man became President.

As a world citizen, I felt pride in what had been achieved in America for that to happen. I felt proud that colour is not a bar to office and that it is about the substance of the candidate rather than the colour of his skin. I felt proud also that here in the UK the Liberal Democrats, have always championed equality in every aspect of life so that gender, race and economic background are no barrier to succeeding. It is one of our founding principles. Let this election be the challenge to our country and that the parties of a lesser values take heed and take action to ensure equality is something we all can share in.

Today is the first day of President Obama’s term and America is full of hope and, rightly, so is the rest of the world. After 8 years of Bush and the foreign and domestic policies that have made us all war weary, tired and fearful of what will happen next in almost every aspect of our lives, today is the dawn of hope and the realisation of billions of peoples dreams. You can’t help but feel optimistic about the potential that lies before us all.

I wish President Obama and his administration well and hope that the ‘liberal - democrat’, as he is known, really does bring about the change we, the world, can believe. And, that sometime soon we get a chance to elect a Liberal Democrat Government here in the UK and bring change we can too believe in and ‘make it happen’ here at home in the UK.

- Presented at the public meeting to update on the St Mary’s catchment issue
- Joined many concerned families on a hike to St Mary’s to highlight how many children will have to travel to schools out of catchment
- Publicly called for action by AVDC on the adoption of the Riverine Corridor… and got worth while action!
- Input to the design and attended the opening of the new play park at Somerville way following the Big Lottery Fund grant
- Challenged the District Council over their plans for the 2009 budget and Council Tax
- Joined our County Councillors calling for speed reductions in Fairford Leys, Fowler Road and Rowland Way
- Called for the new operators of the Silver Rider bus to be extend the route to include Hartwell and Prebendal Farm in off peak hours (something the Tories said was ‘not rocket science’ at the last election and have not delivered on!).

As I said this is just a few of the things I have been doing since my last posting, if you would like further information on this or want to contact me about any other issues, please email me at slambert@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk.

Since the transfer of the council houses to VAHT, this council has had a massive amount of money in the bank which it could use to invest in the Vale to improve community centres, play parks and recycling services. Instead the Tories have squandered over £45 million on a Theatre – which we will all own but not earn anything from.   

This week at the cabinet meting the Tories went ahead and approved their hair brained scheme for a new £12 million Council chamber (which will only get used 8 times a year by the 59 District Councillors!) and a new office block at the Gateway – which is outside the centre of town for nearly all the council staff leaving the town centre devoid of any meaningful council services.  

In a week that AVDC lost £3 million in the failed Icelandic Bank fiasco and possibly more in other ‘investments’ you really have to wonder what they have been playing at. The interest earned by investing the house sale money properly could keep council tax down and allow the Council to pump money into the local economy and deliver infrastructure improvements for all residents. The Tories have not been mending the roof while the sun was shining. They have been looking after their legacy.  

At the Resources scrutiny committee this week I put it to the cabinet member responsible for finance that the council chamber should be scrapped. I will do so again and again until they see sense.  Now is not the time for legacy buildings. Now is the time to look after the people you serve.

Firstly to get rid of the Shipton conservation site, which would have seen the first ever removal of a designated conservation site in the District. Thankfully, the Liberal Democrats where successful at getting them to reconsider these plans which would have seen the loss of a beautiful vale village. We now have to wait for a further report from officers and a Cabinet Member decision before we know that Shipton is safe. 

Secondly, the Tories used their majority to push through a disastrous plan to ruin one of the last remaining ancient monuments in Bucks. It seems that the only place the officers think a new crematorium should go is virtually on top of the Scheduled Ancient Monument at Quarrendon. 

The Liberal Democrats argued that that if a crematorium is really needed then it must be moved further away to the north east and across the relief road that is to be built between Berryfields and Weedon Hill to protect the historical site. The Berryfields and Weedon Hill development sites are so close and that already we have fought to move the releif road by 30m away from the historic site. It must be protected or it wil be lost forever. 

Despite a letter from English Heritage saying that “it is unlikely that any development could be accommodated her without having an unacceptable impact upon the significance of the monument… we would have no choice but to object to the allocation of this area for the development…”  But not one Tory in the meeting argued against protecting the site or asked further questions on the plans. Instead the Tories voted against the Liberal Democrats and approved the plans to the next stage.  

It’s not enough that the Tories are ripping the heart out of Aylesbury with costly pet projects like the Theatre and Council office building programmes, but they are also determined to destroy our heritage across the Vale.

The Quarrendon protection scheduling notice web link  www.buckscc.gov.uk/moderngov/mgIssueHistoryHome.asp?IId=5806

This weekend individuals and communities worldwide are encouraged to clean up, repair and conserve their local environment, with people in over 120 countries participating. We did our bit in Coldharbour along with the Coldharbour parish Council and the Fairford Leys WI.

With over 20 volunteers from Fairford Leys, we collected 34 bags of rubbish in just under two hours from the grass verges and riverine corridor. Most of it was cans and plastic bottles and crisp packets. But there were a few larger items that had just been dumped.It’s a shame that we need to do these clean up days, but while the developers and District Council haggle over the adoptions, no one is maintaining these green areas of Fairford Leys.

Surely this is evidence enough that something has to be done and done now, so that this key village feature can be kept clean and enjoyed by the local residents and wildlife? In the mean time, I will continue to press for the adoptions and be on the next clean up the world day with friends and neighbours.

- Tackling anti social behaviour in our play parks, where I have got the Police to carry out more regular patrols. I had an open air meeting with the police in the main Play Park in Fairford Leys and been on my hands and knees cleaning up the broken glass and beer cans from the children’s play area. I am pleased that we now have the Parish Council grounds maintenance team doing extra clean up patrols on Saturday morning in the main play parks.

- The school catchment debacle continues with Bucks County Council still messing around with our community’s school needs. I am pleased to be joining the Fairford leys parents group at a public meeting on Thursday 9th October at the Church on Fairford Leys, where they will feedback on the fight so far and consider further options. (See their website www.fairfordleysparents.co.uk) for further details

- Taking Andrew Grant the Chief Executive of the District Council on a ward walk all through Hartwell, Prebendal estates and Fairford Leys to show him what our community needs and the issues we face.

- Joining Cllr Paul Hughes on a ward walk with the head of Leisure and open spaces from the District Council through Fairford Leys to talk about riverine adoptions, tree management, Play Park adoptions.

- As you can see its been busy, but a worthwhile summer. More to come in the autumn.

                            

After a massive delay the County Council are due to start the statutory public consultation in the next few weeks, with the aim of having the lines down by the end of May.

 National share of the vote (BBC)

• Conservative                       44%
• Liberal Democrat               25%
• Labour                                24%

Council control 

The Liberal Democrats retained control of:

• Cambridge
• Eastleigh
• Liverpool[1]
• Rochdale
• Stockport
• Newcastle
• Watford
• Three Rivers
• South Lakeland . 

We also gained control of :

• Sheffield
• St Albans
• Hull 

• Burnley

 We did though lose control of Pendle and West Lindsey.  

Following these elections the Liberal Democrats are just one seat short of overall control in Oldham (4 gains), Warrington (1 gain) and Cheltenham (3 gains). We also continue to be the largest party in Cardiff (2 gains), Sefton (1 gain), North East Lincolnshire (1 gain) and are now also the largest party in Derby (5 gains), Exeter (1 gain) and Wrexham (3 gains).

 Councillors elected The Liberal Democrats made 137 gains in these elections four years ago and have now added to those gains.  We have over 4,200 council seats (more than 21% of the total in Great Britain).  With results in from all 159 councils, the net figures are:

Conservative             +256
Liberal Democrats    + 34
Labour                       -331

Clearly we are making headway and did well nationally; here is a snap shot of facts and figures.  If you want to join this winning team of Lib Dems click on the link below or send me an email!  

http://www.libdems.org.uk/support

£100k is actually not very much money out of the County Council Budget; what will they do with the money they save?  The answer is simple, reduce the overall budget! Surely the money saved can go towards something useful like perhaps some temporary classrooms at St Mary’s or a new school in Fairford Leys?

I am pleased that at last the NAG is back, but we are still waiting for further meeting dates.  However this week I saw our PCSO litter picking in Fairford Leys.  Is this the best use of our PSCO’s time when we have a mini crime wave? I think not and challenged the Cabinet Member responsible. I am pleased to say that she agreed with me and will also raise it with Thames Valley Police.

But the good news is that Thames valley Police were in Hampden Square this weekend.  They are there every third Saturday morning as a mobile police station. If you have any concerns drop in and speak to them or call 0845 8 505 505 and ask to speak to one of the Coldharbour Neighbourhood Police Team.

What better way to publicly thank Freda for all has done and continues to do for Aylesbury. I work closely with Freda and sit next to her at the County Council and she is an inspiration to work with. Freda’s experience often helps explain why we are in a certain situation and what the circumstances were that led the council to make decisions.  A lifetime of service and bridge to the future. I couldn’t think of a better way to say thank you Freda!

One of the strengths of the EU is that we can negotiate such schemes as a whole to ensure that we are all treated fairly and equally and that we get the best deal for all of Europe. By negotiating individualy with the US, EU member states weakening the very union that they have so recently joined. The EU needs to stand firm and safeguard our human rights by negotiating as a block and resist the sharing of personal data outside of the EU.

Reykjavik is the capital of Iceland and they have just paid £40m for new national theatre.  We as citizens of Aylesbury will own (but not manage or operate) a smaller venue with much lower specifications than the Icelandic national theatre but for which we have paid just as much or more for and that is not acceptable in my view. The contract is set up in a way that allows costs to go up without being checked and stopped or affecting the supplier! So no matter how much it goes up by, we have to pay for it!

I have years of programme and project management experience and never have I seen such lack of leadership, control and management by a sponsor. The costs are out of control and the specifications are going down faster than the Titanic. Cllr Cartwright has told the press this week that its not Council Tax money that is being spent on the theatre project. Maybe not on the surface as it is money raised for the transfer of the council house stock to Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust last year, but who paid for and managed the housing stock prior to that. I guess that would be the Council Tax payers of Aylesbury then Cllr Cartwright.

I sat and watched in horror as one by one the Tories voted like sheep for the Capital Programme to support their leader and cabinet.  I and my Liberal Democrats voted against the Conservative Capital Programme not because we are Liberal Democrats, but because it was so offensive to the citizens of Aylesbury Vale. The £42m plus that is being spent belongs to the citizens of Aylesbury and much more care needs to be used when spending it.  We could have refurbished nealy all of the Sports centres and swimming pools with this money.

This Conservative administration is again demonstrarting that although in power they are not in control. Quite clearly its had its day. In just one year in a four year council term they have shown they have no idea what is right for Aylesbury. They are complacent and bull headed pushing through their grand plans at great financial cost to everyone else.

This classic building was built as a council building with a debating chamber and is a premier historic building here in Aylesbury and could be made fit for purpose probably cheaper than a brand new one on the Gateway site.  But the response from the Tory leader, Cllr Cartwright, was that he wanted his own building and could not wait for others and that it was essential to have a Council Chamber.

We only need a chamber because the Civic Centre is being demolished and the Tory led commercial theatre project replacing it means that we lose a valuable community owned meeting space in the centre of town.  Cllr Cartwright you need to get off your plinth and accept the Liberal Democrat suggestion of working with the County Council as the Pathfinder agreement suggests, and the Courts Service to review the existing facilities as this idea could deliver a refurbishment programme that would secure the active use of a heritage building here in the centre of Aylesbury and will cost a darn sight less than a brand new building outside of the Town Centre.

This week Gordon changed his tune on the 10p tax abolition or did he?

The unspecified measures announced this week by the Government won’t come into effect until November at the earliest, and will not help all of the millions of people affected by the original change.  what will the lowest paid do between now and then when fuel, food and mortgages are not getting any cheaper? If the Chancellor is to ensure that all people are fully compensated from the abolition of the 10p rate, they will have to find £1.23bn.

Alistair Darling has said he will see if 60-64 year olds can be compensated using the Winter Fuel allowance. To make sure that the 600,000 people get this the allowance will have to be doubled from £250 to £482. This will cost £120m

He also announced that he would look at changes to the Tax Credit  system to compensate people. However, currently people under 25 are not entitled to Tax Credits! Worse is that the take up of eligible people without children is only 22%!

Darling and Gordon need to think more on this as it made great headlines, but the practicality and cost is not thought through. One lurch after another and all the time it is the lowest paid that are suffering. I said it before and I’ll say it again. Shame on this Labour Government.

I was interested to read my quote in the Bucks Herald last week regarding double yellow lines in Fairford Leys. To clarify my position, I am very disappointed at the constant delays by the County Council on this  Personally I do not like Double Yellow lines as I think they push the parking problems to other sites, but they are needed here and I continue to support the Parish Council in asking for them.

The County Council are going to carry out a consultation with local residents, even though they have agreed to put them in on Health and Safety grounds; the latest delay is over the ownership of the road and the actual date of the adoption. In the meantime we have parking on the pavements, road blockages, complaints and more calls for action. The double yellow lines are scheduled to be installed at the end of April. We shall wait and see. Until then it’s a log jam and emergency vehicle access parking hell.