Cambridge Ward Liberal Democrats

Goodnight and Goodbye

2011-11-01T16:06:00.001Z

Councillor Sue McGuire is on the move - to keep updated with her blog posts and on-line
activity please click here to visit her new site.

Southport Lancashire - Yes Please

2011-10-19T16:37:00.000+01:00

I must thank my colleagues in Birkdale for the following information:

Sign the Petition here

The Boundary Commission for England have issued draft proposals to make all Parliamentary constituencies roughly equal in size. This requires Southport constituency to be expanded, which could be done in one of two ways.

One way would require adding on half of Formby, splitting Formby in two for the first time in its history. Not surprisingly, the people of Formby seem generally to be unhappy with this idea.

The other idea would be to rejoin Southport with its historic Lancashire hinterland - the villages to the north and east of our town whose people mainly work and shop here and who have already been taken out of the West Lancashire constituency. Southport newspapers circulate in this area and, not surprisingly, some residents of this area already initially contact the Southport MP, rather than the South Ribble MP.

Coupled with our SouthportLancs MP proposal is an idea to allow the whole of Formby to be re-united with the Ormskirk constituency in which it was placed for most of the past hundred years. Please note that having a shared MP would IN NO WAY affect the pattern of local government provision in the area.

Residents of Southport, Banks, Hesketh Bank, Tarleton etc, have until 5th December to make their views known. You can help us send a clear message to the Boundary Commission by signing our "SouthportLancs MP" petition either online or by downloading a printable copy.

The campaign to have a new Southport constituency including parts of Lancashire has been supported not only by the Liberal Democats and John Pugh MP, but also by the Southport Area Committee and the Southport Party. Parish Councils throughout the neighbouring areas are also being asked to consider supporting the proposals.

Southport Schools to get £677,000 as Pupil Premium

2011-10-12T18:44:00.002+01:00

I was delighted today when an email from Sarah Teather MP dropped into my inbox. Now Liberal Democrat members do get a number of emails from Lib Dem ministers however today's announcement was really well done in terms of communication and content,

The email gave specific information about the schools in Southport which are set to get an extra £677,000 from the Pupil Premium to improve the education of the most disadvantaged children. This basically translates to an extra £488 for each child on free school meals in the town.

You can find out what each school in Sefton is getting by clicking here.

As the email from Sarah says this is a real milestone for our party. The Pupil Premium is a policy we devised and campaigned for, and put at the heart of our Coalition negotiations. Now it is more than good policy, it is a reality making a difference to the school down your road. It goes directly into classrooms and will benefit all pupils.

And as chair of the Finance Committee at Marshside Primary School I have to say I am delighted with the increase.

When going to the gym is a walk in the park

2011-10-11T09:57:00.000+01:00

I am delighted to report on the new initiative taken by Sefton Council and NHS Sefton to install gym equipment in a number of its parks with the aim to get more people exercising. My local park has benefited from 7 different exercise machines including an exercise bike, a rowing machine and a couple of other stretching/lifting contraptions. The great thing in Hesketh Park is the way these machines have been installed around the park at various discrete locations creating a "circuit".

2 of the exercise machines installed in Hesketh Park

I have in the past been a member of a gym but like a lot of people I was lucky if I got there twice a month but with the equipment n the park I can do a full circuit whilst taking my dog for its daily walk - multitasking at its best. But its not just me using the equipment - I know many many people are taking the same approach and are building it into their daily schedules by getting fit courtesy of a walk in the park.

Talking about fracking with Friends of the Earth

2011-10-07T09:43:00.000+01:00

North Meols and the surrounding areas are in the news at the moment as the hunt for shale gas takes off. The area, on Banks Marsh in the Ribble Estuary, which is part of the Bowland Basin, is currently the latest site for drilling and test fracking exploration by Cuadrilla Resources for this much heralded source of natural gas.

This was also the site this week of a meeting between local Southport councillor Sue McGuire and the new executive director of Friends of the Earth Andy Atkins, who was visiting the area to talk to FOE members and local residents about the hydraulic fracturing (fracking) about to take place here.

Sue & Andy Atkins pictured in a field near the Cuadrilla drilling rig

As Sue explained "This is a huge issue here which I don't think local people have got to grips with yet. The economic arguments put forward by Cuadrilla must be weighed against the environmental costs of this type of gas exploration and fracking and so I was delighted to be given the opportunity to raise my concerns with Andy."

A local campaign group Ribble Estuary Against Fracking also met with Andy.

Action to Tackle Swan Mess

2011-10-05T09:23:00.000+01:00

Local Councillor Sue McGuire has taken action to clear up the path around the north side of the Marine Lake. As Sue explains "I think the Swans are beautiful and there is nothing quite like watching them take off or land but having them on the lake does have a downside - the mess that they make including feathers, weed and excrement."

Sue has arranged for the small mechanical sweeper to visit the site as a matter of urgency.

Sue added " I always think that if there is already detritus on the path then people are more likely to drop litter or not clean up after their dogs so if we can get the path cleared of this it will give us a clean sheet in terms of managing the area in future."

New Health Profiles for 2011 Released Today

2011-06-28T13:32:00.000+01:00

The title of the post may not be the most exciting one used on the blog but the information it refers to shines a real light on the health of Sefton in comparison with the rest of the country and the levels of health inequality which exist across Sefton as a whole.

Health Profiles are created by the Department of Health to try and improve availability and access to health and health related information in England. The profiles are produce annually by the Public Health Observatories in England.

The Health Profiles for Sefton can be viewed here

Taxi Ranks and Parking Spaces

2011-05-27T12:05:00.001+01:00

The Southport Area Committee meeting on Wednesday this week included a report on providing additional hackney carriage ranks in Southport town centre. The report generated a full and frank discussion from councillors of both parties and ended with votes against both the proposed rank on Hill Street and on West Street. The full report can be viewed here.

The discussion also promoted me to ask a number of questions regarding the current rank provision in Southport. Did you know that there are currently 25 Hackney Carriage Ranks including 2 feeder ranks across Southport (not including those ranks in Ainsdale) with spaces for 75 vehicles. A figure which got me thinking - whilst we all appreciate the need for hackney carriages to have ranks, could it be that there are some ranks that are under used or not used at all? If this is the case could these ranks be reduced in size or removed to allow the creation of additional pay and display bays?

As a result of my suggestion a review of rank usage will be undertaken which could have a positive impact on the car parking issues in the centre of Southport.

For example, there is a 5 space taxi rank on the service road outside the British Heart Foundation store (formerly Woolworths) however this is very rarely used and if it was reduced in size to 2 spaces then 3 extra pay & display bays could be created.

Watch this space !

Road Safety on the Coast Road

2011-05-26T10:23:00.002+01:00

Road Safety on the Coast Road was a key topic of discussion at last nights Southport Area Committee - you can see the report here.

There have been 11 fatalities on this stretch of road over the last 10 years in addition to a large number of other road accidents - usually shunts. For those of you not familiar with Southport, this road runs from the end of the "sea front" to Woodvale and is used by most people as a by-pass around Southport - you can see the satellite picture of the road here Admittedly, from the map, the road looks like a nice pretty straight route but the road cuts through the sand dunes that make up part of the Birkdale and Ainsdale Sandhills Nature Reserve. This effectively means there is no where to go if motorist get into difficulty and although it looks straight there are some deceptive bends which make judging distances difficult.

The report put forward a number of proposals but I, for one, think we need to go further. During the debatet a number additional ideas were suggested including a reduction of the speed limit for the whole length of the road. Now don't get me wrong, I am not pro-speed however I believe that simply reducing the speed limit from 50mph to 40mph here will not solve the problem and may in fact make the problem worse . One of the contributory factors in most accidents has been inappropriate overtaking something which I believe is likely to increase if you get motorist travelling at 40 or even 30 miles and hour. It makes sense then to couple any reduction in speed with measures to prevent overtaking either for the whole length of the road or for specific sections of the road. A point I made during the debate last night and one which was supported by Police Inspector Fairbrother.

A further report including this suggestion is set to be debated at the Southport Area Committee meeting in July .

Cricket Balls & Lord Denning

2011-05-24T10:47:00.000+01:00

A number of residents have contacted me regarding the on-going problem of stray cricket balls in their gardens which they feel is having a direct impact on their quality of life. Since the local cricket season started residents have felt so unsafe that they are no longer sitting or even going into their gardens on match days.

It seems however that this is not a problem with an easy solution and in fact there are a number of court cases dealing with exactly this issue, including Miller v Jackson [1977] QB 966 in which Lord Denning began with a rather lyrical opening "In summertime village cricket is the delight of everyone." and the case of Bolton v Stone [1951] AC 850, [1951] 1 All ER 1078 which actually went to the House of Lords.

What's done is done

2011-05-21T19:06:00.000+01:00

Last night my husband took me out in Liverpool - well maybe not the most exciting opening sentence to a blog post I admit but since it doesn't happen very often I thought I would share it with you. Anyway given the infrequency of this can you imagine my even greater delight to find out that he had got tickets to see David Morrissey in Macbeth at the Everyman

Macbeth is one of my favourite plays with its politics, power struggles and episodes of madness not to mention 3 witches with the power to determine fates. I have studied the play several times whilst at school but have never seen it. You could almost taste the tension as the stage was set for the first act and the Everyman was a fantastic venue. The way that the spaces within the theatre were used by the actors meant everyone in the audience felt a part of the production.

The performances of the whole cast were great and being a bit of a David Morrissey fan I thought he blew the place apart as Macbeth. And when the last curtain call came the whole cast were greeted by a standing ovation.

David also introduced the audience to the charity CAST - the CREATIVE ARTS SCHOOLS TRUST that he is actively involved in which takes all aspects of the performing arts to those places worlwide that have no artistic provision or facilities.

A great night and well worth a trip (if there are any tickets left)

Local Election Results 2011 - THANK YOU

2011-05-09T09:25:00.003+01:00

Unfortunately Cambridge Ward local election this year was won by the Conservatives with a majority of just 16 votes. Obviously your Lib Dem Team are disappointed by the result however 16 votes is not a landslide and we will be working hard to retake the seat next year.

We had a great candidate in Lauren Keith who was set to replace the retiring Lib Dem Councillor Carmel Preston. Lauren worked hard during the campaign showing a great enthusiasm, commitment and energy which will make her a brilliant councillor in the future.

In the main, our support held up strongly but, as in many other places, national politics overshadowed the local campaign.

A huge thank you to everyone in the ward, from Lib Dem members, supporters and residents who helped with the campaign. A big thank you also to all those residents who did vote for Lauren this year and who continue to recognise and support the work of the Liberal Democrats both here in Cambridge ward and across Southport.

Lauren and Sue preparing for election day 2011

Phone Mast Application S/2011/0362

2011-04-08T16:45:00.003+01:00

An application seeking planning permission to erect a mobile phone mast within the grounds of the Fleetwood Hesekth Sports & Social Club has been submitted to Sefton Council.

The application is to install a 12.5m high slim line monopole supporting 6 antennas would be sited behind the current conifer hedge along Fylde Road. Click here to view the application in full and enter S/2011/0362.

We have demanded, and made sure, that this planning application is properly considered by the full Sefton Council planning committee of councillors because of concerns expressed by some local residents. The meeting takes place on 4th May at Southport Town Hall at 6.30pm.

To object, write to Sefton Council’s Planning Department, Magdalen House, 30 Trinity Road, Bootle L20 3NJ or use the on-line comments form. The deadline for receipt of objections is 10am Thursday 28th April however given the Bank Holiday weekend and the Easter break the sooner objections are received the better. A petition from a minimum of 25 residents and signed/supported by a local councillor (which we, of course, would agree to do) gives one of the petitioners the opportunity to speak for 5 minutes at the planning committee meeting.

We should tell you, in all honesty, that the legally valid reasons for turning down such an application are limited. Councillors on the Planning Committee are required to work within national planning legislation. For example, health concerns are technically not lawful reasons for rejection, although that does not, of course, stop you saying what you feel. Issues worth mentioning include things like loss of visual amenity overbearing nature of the mast and, of course, anything that you personally think is important.

It would be misleading of us to suggest or forecast the outcome or build up hopes of refusal given the fact that whatever the planning committee decides, the phone company usually appeals and an independent Planning Inspector subsequently gives permission. And that decision is final with no further right of appeal.

Crocus Walk 2011

2011-04-03T17:09:00.002+01:00

The annual Crocus Walk for Charity Breakthrough Breastcancer was a great success.

It was a good turnout despite the fact that the weather wasn't quite as glorious as it had been the rest of last week. Since it began nine years ago the event has raised more than £16,000.

We are in the process of collecting the final bits of sponsorship money, and will let you know the final amount raised soon.

I do need to apologise to the people who lost their balloons due to my inability to tie string to things. Its one skill I really need to hone!

Sefton Budget Meeting

2011-03-05T16:58:00.005Z

I attended Sefton's Budget meeting on Thursday expecting to hear arguments from both sides relating to the national political situation. I knew what was coming. Labour Councillors would shout that our party had sold itself down the river and had willingly and eagerly submitted to be the sword sharpeners for the killer Tory cuts. Our side would scream back with equal vehemence that Labour spent needlessly and recklessly and that is the reason why cuts have to be made.

I mistakenly thought (and hoped) that there would then be some sort of rational discussion regarding the actual budget. I thought that Labour would have their fun, and then be sensible.

Sadly not. They voted against the proposed £2.5 million cuts because they argue that it is not necessary, that local communities will suffer and jobs will be lost. They claimed that it is they alone who care about the interests of workers and residents of Sefton. If this was really the case they would not have been rubbing their hands in as much glee as they were doing last Thursday. One Councillor claimed that he couldn't wait for May 5th to come to see the Lib Dems fall at the electoral hurdle. Another shockingly claimed that the Liberal Democrats should be held responsible for any suicides of young adults. Added to this were the (now incredibly tiresome) coalition jokes relating to bed sharing, and another one gave us an attempt at a bizarre potted history of the banking crisis.

What any of this had to do with children's services, or the wasteful millions of pounds being spent on the Southport market that could have been stopped at the meeting, but which Labour clings to is anybody's guess. You can argue until the cows come home about the speed and scale of cuts and the fact that this debate has split economists, let alone politicians, highlights that there is certainly a lot of debate to be had. However, a local council budget meeting is certainly not the place.

Regardless of whether Councillors agree or disagree with Government decisions, a local budget has to be set. Because of the make-up of our Council, and the positions on the Cabinet that the party occupies means that they are at the heart of this decision making process. Of the £44 million that have to be made, they have voted against £39 million.

Their colleagues in Liverpool City Council have been able to work constructively with the Liberal Democrats to produce a budget, so it really begs the question of why the Sefton group think they have the right to be so intransigent.

They cling to national arguments and jokes because they are the only things they have to say. They have not engaged in the process of budget scrutiny because they have decided they don't want to. Yet things are not as black and white as they portray. They claimed that the Liberal Democrats were against creating jobs because we are opposed to the £3 million being spent on Southport Market. I really fail to see how shelling out on £26,000 on granite seats is going to boost local employment. Ploughing money into a scheme will not make it a success; and less money invested in a more sensible manner would be far more productive.

The fact is there is not the money available to deliver services in the way that we are all used to. Children's Centres and Youth Centres simply cannot be maintained in the form in which they currently exist. That's why Conservative and Liberal Democrat Councillors voted for less money to be taken out of their budgets for this year to keep the centres open. This will mean more time to look at how the services can be kept going in the future. Cuts do not have to mean the end; In fact this is an opportunity for local communities and charities to play more of a part in running institutions.

So, while the two other parties have had sleepless nights, have done all that they can to make tough decisions in a short space of time, Labour Councillors have taken the easy way out. They have kicked back on the sidelines, abnegated responsibility and been paid for this by the very same people that they are claiming to want to help and support. Frankly its a very poor idea of public service.

And just to clear up the Labour myth that the state of our nations finances is a nice cover dreamt up by a spin doctor to legitimise ideological cuts. Here is a quote from an article in The Observer no less, in May 2008:

"Brown's love affair with the city was at first a welcome break from the Spartist tendencies of old Labour, but there was far too little challenge to monstrously bloated bonus packages and the sort of inventive banking practices that led to the Northern Rock debacle. Public spending continued apace long after the International Monetary Fund began issuing pleas for restraint. Government borrowing as a proportion of national income is now higher than that of most other G7 countries, leaving only a thin cushion against the impending economic headwinds."

Sefton Labour Councillors must be very glad that they didn't win the election then. They would have been denied their set pieces and had to face reality.

The story of the loose stones

2011-02-28T08:58:00.001Z

In response to a question from a resident of the road, the LibDem team have turned sleuths to discover the truth behind the "loose stones" on Marshside Road.

Focus Editor Lauren Keith and Councillor Sue McGuire inspect Marshside Road
following reports that the recently resurfaced road is not up to scratch.

The road, which was resurfaced last year, now has signs warning drivers of lose stones. It appears that the recent severe weather may have caused the newly laid surface to disintegrate creating a significant amount of loose chippings on the highway and a visually scarred surface. Officers from the Council have met with the highway contractor who undertook the resurfacing work land it has been agreed that the contractor will undertake remedial work at his own expense later in the year.

In the meantime, the Council will continue to monitor the condition of the road and will do further sweeping if necessary.

Crocus Walk marches on in fight against breast cancer

2011-02-25T18:38:00.001Z

This years Crocus Walk for Breakthrough Breast Cancer will be taking place at 11am on Saturday 26th March at Hesketh Park.

The walk now in its ninth year is open to everyone and we are encouraging as many people as possible to take part. As local activist Lauren Keith, explained “Everybody is welcome! It can be a nice relaxing stroll around the park to admire the Spring flowers, a healthy jog or, for those more energetic, a sprint! Over the years its raised thousands of pounds for a great cause. Statistics out earlier this year indicate that the chances of getting breast cancer have risen from one woman in nine to one woman in eight. This means it’s more important than ever for money to be raised not only to help those already suffering with the disease, but to be directed towards more research into the disease.

Lauren Keith and Sarah Harding stepping out at last years event

Lauren adds "Please bring along lots of family and friends, and help to make this a record breaking fundraising year.”

For more details about the walk contact Councillor Sue McGuire on 07766968162 or email laurenpkeith@googlemail.com

The Locomotives of History

2011-02-19T21:03:00.001Z

I felt a bit guilty sitting in my nice family kitchen eating my poached egg for breakfast while reading this morning’s Independent. The front page carried a picture of Bahraini protesters on the streets on Manama, with the headline ‘They didn’t run away. They faced the bullets head on.’

Robert Fisk has been leading the journalistic charge. His accounts from the streets of Egypt and now Bahrain have been fascinating, insightful and highly emotive.

People have been drawing parallels between the Egyptian protests and the Iranian revolution of 1979. However, the marked difference is the lack of Anti-American and Western feeling . Ayatollah Khomeini’s traditional Shia Islamism appealed to a people who felt their culture had been eroded by the Shah, who was of course a symbol of colonialism, having been installed after the West had decided that Prime Minister Mossadegh was far too dangerous after he had had the audacity to nationalise what had been the British controlled Anglo-Iranian oil industry.

The current protests are less to do with religion and culture, and are more to do with jobs and democracy. Frustration and despair that the police were preventing him from selling his fruit and vegetables drove twenty five year old Ahmed Hashem el-Sayed to set himself alight, kickstarting the Egyptian protests. The unrest that started in Tunisia and which is spreading throughout the Arab world, actually bears more resemblance to the European revolutions of 1848.

These revolutions are often overlooked, obviously overshadowed by the First World War and the massive political and social changes that this heralded. 1848 saw revolutions in many countries including France, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium. Like the current protests, people across many of these countries had common problems. In 1848, new and radical ideas where taking hold; ideas that were later to form the backdrop to the First World War. The Habsburg Empire, Germany and Italy were all made up of many states comprising many nationalities. Nationalism and democratic ideas were gaining currency; yet many people were still peasants, tied by bonds of servitude that had changed little since Medieval times and ruled by absolutist monarchies.

These Revolutions failed to make as much impact as many at the time thought they would. It did result in the French Second Republic and lasting reforms in Denmark and the Netherlands, but in many other countries it simply petered out. One of the reasons behind this was that Government’s offered moderate reforms, which satisfied the protesters. In many cases, these ‘reforms’ didn’t occur and in some cases regimes cracked down to ensure that rebellion couldn’t flare up again. For instance in Hungary, the Emperor of the Hapsburg Empire, Ferdinand, promised the country a constitution, yet this failed to materialise and Hungary ended up under brutal martial law.

The protesters of 1848 were not people who had any experience of questioning the status quo; ideas about personal freedom and liberalism were still in their infancy. Also, it’s fair to say that they were more trusting of what their monarchs and Governments promised. In a world of instant communication protests are not hard to start, and so unlike 1848 this genie will be very difficult to put back into the bottle.

I hope that the protesters in Bahrain and Egypt can achieve concrete, democratic changes, that really do transform politics and society. As Marx said, ‘Revolutions are the locomotives of history.’ Lets hope they keep moving!

The Big Society is nothing new!

2011-02-14T20:23:00.007Z

I recently stumbled across a dog eared copy of Winifred Holtby's novel 'South Riding' in a charity shop. I had never heard of the novel or its author, but it is one of the best and most emotive books I have read.

By a strange coincidence BBC One have just filmed a version of it which starts next Sunday, but its actually not very strange at all. While this book was written in 1935 the message it has is still resonant and relevant now. Its about a community and its political figures making and dealing with tough economic times and decisions, and through her fantastically defined and vibrant characters she explores deeper questions about what society means and how people in a community are affected and impacted by even the smallest decisions that people can often unconsciously make.

As we enter a new 'age of austerity,' as focus shifts to what decisions are being taken at a local level and Prime Minister David Cameron announces that it is his 'mission' to make the Big Society a successful initiative, this book and its ideas make fascinating reading.

The 'Big Society' as defined by the Prime Minister is based on the premise that both the traditional politics of the left and right have failed; that the introduction of the welfare state meant that people became detached from traditional associations with guilds and other civic society organisations. Then Margaret Thatcher's big bang came along with all the de-regulation that happened in the City and turned us all into selfish beings governed simply by a sense of rugged individualism.

So now, the focus apparently has to be shifted away from Government and back on to society to empower people. While the central theory is a great idea the concept is proving difficult to communicate as there seems to be a lot of reference to stock phrases such as 'social recovery,' 'broken Britain,' and 'social cohesion'. You need look no further than the Chair of the Government Committee on the Big Society, Francis Maude's, appearance on last weeks Question Time to see that those apparently in charge of the policy don't really know what it is they are defining.

I think they should have stuck to what we Lib Dems have been championing for a while...Localism. This isnt as airy fairy as the 'Big Society' slogan, which, lets face it, was probably dreamt up in a drab boardroom in a think tank in London. Localism has already begun to be implemented following the introduction of the Localism Bill which confers greater powers on residents when it comes to planning and service need, and gives them the ability to hold their local institutions to greater account.

Devolving more powers to people at a local level will automatically integrate communities as people come together to campaign, or to oppose and propose various initiatives or schemes. Essentially Local Government will act as a springboard for a bigger, more vibrant, society.

I'll leave you with some of Winifred's wise words on the importance of Local Government:

"But when I came to consider local government, I began to see how it was in essence the first line defence thrown up by the community against our common enemies-poverty, sickness, ignorance, isolation, and social maladjustment. The battle is not faultlessly conducted, nor are the motives of those who take part in it all righteousness or disinterested. But the war, is, I believe worth fighting...we are not only single individuals, each face to face with eternity and our separate spirits; we are members one of another."

Planning Application S/2011/0117 for Hatherlow House, 29 Park Crescent

2011-02-12T21:13:00.002Z

An application seeking planning permission to erect a part three, part four storey residential care development comprising 35 individual suites at the Hatherlow House site has been submitted to Sefton Council. This will involve the demolition of the current building.

As Lauren explained "I have some concerns regarding this application given that the current building is so very iconic for this area of Southport forming as it does a gateway entrance for Hesketh Park. It is vital that developers work with the original building as much as possible to retain the architectural character of this area of Southport."

To see the full planning application please go to the Sefton Council web site If you would like to object you can write to Sefton Council’s Planning Department, Magdalen House, 30 Trinity Road, Bootle L20 3NJ or complete the online form.

It is also possible to organise a petition against the application. The petition must be supported by at least 25 residents and signed/supported by a local councillor (which Cllr Sue McGuire would be very happy to do). If a petition is raised it will provide the opportunity for one of the petitioners to speak for 5 minutes at the planning committee meeting.

Waving My Baby Off

2011-02-04T12:13:00.001Z

At 6am this morning you could find me, together with a number of other parents, standing anxiously by a coach to wave our babies off on their school trip to Belgium to visit the World War 1 cemeteries in Ypres. (I say babies loosely - my son is 13 years old and nearly 6 foot tall but you get the idea)

The fact that they are studying World War 1 got me thinking back to my days at high school and the history I studied - from the Italian Renaissance to James II. Thrilling as they were, they are not topics which come up too often in conversation and not ones which really prepare you for today's world. So I was really pleased to learn the Key Stage 3 History Curriculum now includes the following topics:
European and world history

the impact of significant political, social, cultural, religious, technological and/or economic developments and events on past European and world societies
the changing nature of conflict and cooperation between countries and peoples and its lasting impact on national, ethnic, racial, cultural or religious issues, including the nature and impact of the two world wars and the Holocaust, and the role of European and international institutions in resolving conflicts.
If we want our children to understand the world today and their part in it then its vital that they are given the opportunity to study those recent events which have shaped it and this means not glossing over the history of the 20th Century or the Two World Wars (as I believe happened in my day).

Children must see and study for themselves the effect wars have on real people, on governments and on countries. Its essential that their view of war is not dictated by Hollywood blockbusters or more worryingly by graphic video games.

Paper on the back of your car window

2011-02-03T11:22:00.003Z

Not sure how true the following or how often it has happened but I thought I would post onto the blog.

BEWARE OF PAPER ON THE BACK WINDOW OF YOUR VEHICLE--
NEW WAY TO DO CARJACKINGS (NOT A JOKE)'

You walk across the car park, unlock your car and get inside. You start the engine put it into Reverse. When you look into the rearview mirror to back out of your space, you notice a piece of paper stuck to the middle of the rear window. So, you stop and jump out of your car to remove that paper (or whatever it is) that is obstructing your view. When you reach the back of your car, that is when the carjackers appear out of nowhere, jump into your car and take off.

And guess what, ladies? I bet your purse is still in the car.
So now the carjacker has your car, your home address, your money, and your keys. Your home and your whole identity are now compromised!

So think on - if you see a piece of paper stuck to your back window, lock your doors and just drive away. You can remove the paper later.
And be thankful that you read this blog post.

Save the Cheque!

2011-01-29T21:49:00.002Z

The campaign to save the cheque is getting underway, as the below article in the Southport Visiter shows.

http://www.southportvisiter.co.uk/southport-news/southport-southport-news/2011/01/28/southport-campaign-to-save-the-cheque-launched-101022-28068268/

Please make sure to sign the petition which you will find at the bottom of the edition of 'Southport News' which should be winging its way through your door any day now!

Future Funding of Public Health or How Much Will LA's Get ?

2011-01-28T09:58:00.003Z

Earlier this week, I attended the regular meeting of the Oversight & Scrutiny Committee for Health & Social Care for Sefton Council. I think this is a fantastic committee that is chaired superbly by my lib dem colleague Anthony Hill. The meeting on Tuesday included a presentation by Hannah Chellaswamy; Acting Director of Public Health (NHS Sefton & Sefton Council ), Healthy Lives, Healthy People: Our strategy for public health in England

Basically under the new proposals the responsibility for public health will return once again to the Local Authorities, after an absence of 40 years. At the meeting there was an open and frank discussion around this during which I raised the question of funding since in my experience its always good to know where the money is. From April 2013 local authorities will receive a ring fenced public health budget however what I wanted to know is how this budget is going to be decided, effectively what funding formulae is going to be used to determine how much each LA would receive.

This question generated a debate around the various communities that make up Sefton however Hannah was at this stage unable to give a clear answer and it was agreed that this question would form part of the response from Sefton Council to the NHS white paper.

Imagine my delight then when later that evening I was able to pose exactly the same question to Paul Burstow MP Lib Dem Health Minister.

I have to say Paul understood exactly the point I was trying to make and agreed that he would look into the possibility of using the Super Output Area data from Indices of Multiple Deprivation to determinine the funding stream.

Now thats what I call communication!

Gobsmacked by NHS Bosses decision

2011-01-26T10:35:00.002Z

In the past I have posted on here about the ongoing (7 years plus) campaign to get some form of emergency service for children in Southport. In my last posting on the subject NHS Stitch Up I explained how we had reached stalemate and how we hoped that a meeting with the Secretary of State for Health, Andrew Lansley may be able to move the situation forward.

Well, the revised report requested by the Minister has been produced and guess what absolutely no movement with regard to the Primary Care Trusts decision regarding a WIC for Children in Southport. You could even say that their position has become even more entrenched when NHS bosses say that there is no need for any children's facility and that nobody wants one anyway.

The public consultation undertaken as part of this report and which the Secretary of State for Health Andrew Lansley specifically asked to be included is farcical - the equivalent of asking turkeys to vote for Christmas.

Harsh comments I know but I should add that the report does highlight some positive steps forward in health service provision for children in Southport. There will be better care for those children with long term health conditions and complex needs, there will also be a return of some outpatients clinics to Southport (they shouldn't have been moved in the first place but don't get me started), and better provision for children and adolescent mental health services.

So where to from here - one of the main points in this 2nd report is the creation of a Children's Hub at the Houghton Street Health and Wellbeing clinic in Southport town centre. This clinic, which is part of the LIFT (PFI) Project in Sefton already holds a newly commissioned Darzi Practice so maybe there is the potential here for a GP led MIU. Certainly it is something that should be investigated further.

So once again I ask you to watch this space.

we are banking on change..

2011-01-22T17:06:00.006Z

Bankers bonuses have provided a convenient side show for a lot of the media and trade unions, who rage against the bonus culture and believe that its this that is the root of all banking evil.

Truth is, the crash didn't just come about because a lot of men (and the odd woman no doubt) got paid an excessive amount of money to take silly risks. It was far more complex than that, and had as much to do with poor regulation and systemic weaknesses than bankers greed.

Its good to see that the Independent Banking Commission established by Osborne and Cable has recommended 'wide-ranging reform.' One of the possibilities would be to separate investment arms of banks from their retail operations, which would mean that if the investment arm of an institution failed, it could fold without impacting upon depositors sums.

Banks were bailed out in 2008 because they were judged 'too big to fail;' the task now is to ensure that there is a banking system that does not and cannot rely on the state to step in if things go pear shaped . What is also to be welcomed about this Commission's findings is that they recognise that the EU Basel rules, introduced last summer are not adequate, and that bigger banks such as Barclays and RBS should be required to hold more than the 7% minimum ratio of equity capital to assets that Basel set down. This is essentially a buffer fund in the event of a bank going insolvent, and should in theory prevent taxpayers footing a bail out.

Bubbles are nothing new. The first recorded speculative bubble was in the mid 1600's and centred around tulips; the beginning of this century saw the dot com bubble bursting. However, the Housing bubble almost brought the world financial system to its knees because banks failed to have adequate capital, and the slicing and dicing of 'bad debt' into various financial packages that were passed to and fro within the system without being subject to adequate checks. This Commission's findings are a reminder that things are going to have to change, and lessons must be learned.

At the same time there has to be a dose of reality in the debates and arguments around the banking industry. Change has to be made; but the industry has to retain a competitive edge especially now when it is massively important for the private sector economy to grow and jobs to be created.

Essentially the Commission is proposing tougher rules on the amount of capital that institutions hold, and also questioning the wisdom of just six banks controlling 90% of the UK's deposits. Lets hope that George Osborne and Vince Cable have the courage to act when the Commission reports its full findings later on this year, in the face of the inevitable lobbying and PR onslaught from the British Bankers Association.

Over but not out...

2011-01-16T13:53:00.003Z

It will feel strange not heading up to Oldham this week. How I will miss the steep hills, murky weather and extremely irritated constituents who were receiving at least three telephone canvassers, four door canvassers and an untold amount of literature a day.

Of course, By-elections are treated as a barometer of public political feeling and as a result immense money, time and effort gets ploughed in by all parties.

After reading the newspapers, watching Newsnight, listening to the radio and following national YouGov polls, you could be forgiven for thinking that the result was going to be a foregone conclusion: Labour romping home to victory.

Well this wasn't what happened. Yes, our candidate Elwyn Watkins came second, but we actually increased our vote share to 31.9%.

Bear in mind Oldham East and Saddleworth has been a Labour seat for the previous FOUR general elections, and was a Labour hold at the height of Clegg mania. According to the Labour party and its new leader Ed Miliband the Coalition are being reckless with people's livelihoods, cutting too fast and generally being nasty. Most of the election literature centred round the VAT tax bombshell, and tuition fees. (erm, Labour introduced tuition fees and Darling also had plans to raise the tax....) If this was indeed true, then Labour would and should have stormed to victory.

On the doorsteps it was apparent that many people understand why cuts have to be made and are quite aware that while Labour have quietly admitted that they would also have to have made cuts, they have not outlined any sort of credible plan. It was also clear that even at a late stage many people had genuinely not made up their mind about whether they would vote Labour or Lib Dem. This really doesn't bear out the argument that the Lib Dems are now seen as synonymous with the Conservatives, or that all those who voted for us in May now feel disillusioned and angry and are turning to Labour in their droves.

Electorally, Labour should be in the perfect position. Grim economic times and Government cuts make great fodder for media soundbites and big speeches. With no responsibility for balancing the budget and making tough decisions, its easy to criticise and level the charge of unfairness. However, the election result proves that there are many voters who can see through this, and that core Lib Dem support is holding up well and not flooding to Labour, as Miliband desperately hopes it will.

In the words of Tim Farron ... 'And let’s not forget, the last time a Government party made a by-election gain was in 1982 amid the chaos and fear of the Falklands War, so unless we had persuaded some far off country to invade British territory we were always going to be up against it!'

Its the right way up!

2011-01-12T19:53:00.002Z

I spotted that Mark Pack wrote an article on Lib Dem Voice regarding Conservative MP Nick Boles' book 'Which Way's Up?'

http://www.libdemvoice.org/which-ways-up-the-longterm-future-of-the-coalition-22455.html

Its worth a read (and not only because it is very thin and can easily be read in a day!) Its fascinating because its essentially a Conservative MP setting out his arguments about why he believes the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives should form an electoral pact.

An electoral pact is not something I would want to see happen. I joined the Liberal Democrats because unlike the other main parties it has a strong democratic party structure, attracts and welcomes a diverse range of people and has principled and strong Parliamentarians. Its a party that believes in hard work and campaigning at a local and national level, with fairness really at the heart of the agenda.

But enough of this party political broadcast! What is important about this book, and what I think is important to stress when we Lib Dems are labelled as 'sell-outs' and 'unprincipled,' is that it emphasises that the Conservatives are NOT the party of the 1980's. In fact, Nick Boles identifies five key areas where policy overlaps: environment, importance of personal freedom, desire to give local communities more power, offering more opportunities to those born into poverty, and the need to kickstart the economy and revive investment and exports.

If these aren't progressive aims, then I don't know what is. Far from being a 'sell-out' this Coalition is going to give us an opportunity for many of our aims to be realised. Look no further than the Localism Bill to see that things are starting to happen. It would have been a sell-out if we had walked away from the negotiating table, or worse entered into an unstable 'rainbow' coalition with the Labour Party.

Yes, that progressive Labour party which let a housing bubble run unchecked and kept low earners languishing in the income tax bracket while spending money recklessly on quangos and needless bureaucracy. Not to mention a legally dubious invasion of Iraq.

The power and right of the individual is at the heart of this Government, and that is the central tenet of Liberalism. We definitely made the right call.

Councillors meet with Highways officers over gritting mayhem

2010-12-29T18:14:00.001Z

I, together with a number of other Southport councillors, met with senior Council officers today to try and get answers on why there has been such poor performance locally in clearing main roads and town centre pavements of snow and ice.

The councillors including both Liberal Democrats and Conservatives asked a wide range of questions about the Council's response to the severe weather including why no snow ploughs were sent to the main roads in Southport, why Chapel Street and Lord Street were left like ice rinks, why the large snow fall didn't appear to be classed as an emergency, why there was a delay in redeploying staff to clearing pavements, for full details on the activities of the gritting vehicles and many more.

I will try to detail the answers in another post shortly but I must give one answer to a question which many people have been asking - Sefton did not sell or give any grit to Liverpool Council.

The Officers will be providing a report at next weeks Southport Area Committee meeting (5th January at 6:30pm at Southport town Hall)

When the going gets tough

2010-12-23T20:04:00.001Z

Last year a number of people spoke to me about the possibility of being sued if they cleared the snow and ice from the pavement outside their homes. In fact, the "You and Yours" program on Radio 4 actually did a report on this very subject. So given the situation we now find ourselves in I am pleased to pass on some information I have received from the Government courtesy of the North Meols Civic Society

There's no law stopping you from clearing snow and ice on the pavement outside your home or from public spaces. It's unlikely you'll be sued or held legally responsible for any injuries on the path if you havecleared it carefully. Follow the snow code when clearing snow and ice safely.

The snow code - tips on clearing snow and ice from pavements or public spaces

Prevent slips

Pay extra attention to clear snow and ice from steps and steep pathways - you might need to use more salt on these areas. If you clear snow and ice yourself, be careful - don’t make the pathways more dangerous by causing them to refreeze. But don’t be put off clearing paths because you’re afraid someone will get injured.

Remember, people walking on snow and ice have responsibility to be careful themselves. Follow the advice below to make sure you clear the pathway safely and effectively.

Clear the snow or ice early in the day

It’s easier to move fresh, loose snow rather than hard snow that has packed together from people walking on it. So if possible, start removing the snow and ice in the morning. If you remove the top layer of snow in the morning, any sunshine during the day will help melt any ice beneath. You can then cover the path with salt before nightfall to stop it refreezing overnight.

Use salt or sand - not water

If you use water to melt the snow, it may refreeze and turn to black ice. Black ice increases the risk of injuries as it is invisible and very slippery. You can prevent black ice by spreading some salt on the area you have cleared. You can use ordinary table or dishwasher salt - a tablespoon for each square metre you clear should work. Don’t use the salt found in salting bins - this will be needed to keep the roads clear.
Be careful not to spread salt on plants or grass as it may cause them damage. If you don’t have enough salt, you can also use sand or ash. These won’t stop the path icing over as well as salt, but will provide good grip under foot.

Take care where you move the snow

When you’re shovelling snow, take care where you put it so it doesn’t block people’s paths or drains. Make sure you make a path down the middle of the area to be cleared first, so you have a clear surface to walk on. Then shovel the snow from the centre of the path to the sides.

Offer to clear your neighbours’ paths

If your neighbour will have difficulty getting in and out of their home, offer to clear snow and ice around their property as well. Check that any elderly or disabled neighbours are alright in the cold weather. If you’re worried about them, contact your local council.

Wrong kind of Snow !

2010-12-23T09:30:00.001Z

Many many residents have contacted me to express their shock and dismay that the roads and footpaths show absolutely no improvement almost a week after the snow fell.

I have asked officers from the Highways Team to attend the Southport Area Committee meeting on the 5th January to report on how they have handled the current situation and to answer questions from councillors and residents.

I am sure that the current procedures and protocols used may be adequate to deal with frost or light snow fall but I think they need to be reviewed in light of this the second year of heavy snow fall.

Any review must also recognise the demographics of the population in Southport specifically the large number of elderly people who have in effect been housebound since the cold weather arrived. I will also be asking why the main shopping areas are almost impassable in what is the busiest period in the run up to Christmas.

Southport Courts set to close

2010-12-16T10:33:00.000Z

Southport Magistrates and County Courts are set to close as a result of recent review which looked at court usage and costs. This is despite John Pugh MP and Cllr Sue McGuire, together with local lawyers, submitting arguments against the proposed closure which cited inaccurate facts given about the status of the Courts and the distance people would have to travel for justice.

"I am disappointed that the final decision has been taken to close the court here in Southport. I worry that this will have an impact on the number of cases going trial since it may well be that witnesses will be forced to travel on the same train as the defendant or the defendants family. It is quite possible to see witnesses leaving the train if faced with the possibility of travelling with the defendant or defendants family. In many cases it may be that the witnesses chose not to testify at all rather than face any chance of possible intimidation. Similar arguments can also be made in the cases of domestic violence and family court cases."

John Pugh MP has written to Ken Clarke, Justice Secretary, following this closure announcement questioning the decisions to continue to seek additional magistrates court capacity in Liverpool and close down a purpose built magistrate court in Southport.

Taking a walk on the green side - DAY 1

2010-11-10T15:08:00.002Z

I broke the news to the family last night that we are now going greener. As I suspected my plan was met with a certain amount of derision - my husband looked slightly puzzled and then smiled in a positive manner. Child number 1 nodded in a rather sagely way having experienced some of my other more radical initiatives and said with a sigh in his voice "Whatever you say, Mum". Child number 2 however, dealt with the suggestion in a less welcoming manner with dark mutterings which included phrases such as "if you think I'm walking, my bike has a flat tyre and as a final shot "what about my warm towels".

So onto day 1 of the new greener (and hopefully leaner) McGuire clan. Children off to school, dog walked no problem. Then off to a meeting with Sefton NHS to discuss children's health services in Southport and Formby. Normally I would drive to Bootle and use the time to catch up on phone calls (hands free of course) but today I chose to cycle to the train station, travel with my bike to Bootle and then cycle to my meeting. I made a rather dramatic entrance to the meeting declaring rather smugly that I had cycled to the meeting. This smugness was quickly lost when I was forced to admit that I had in fact only pedalled about 1.5 miles. But the blood was pumping and I felt good. Journey home was of less interest apart from the fact that I was very cold and much less jubilant.

Miles NOT driven 40
Miles Cycled 3

Market Hall refurbishment grinds to a halt

2010-11-10T08:38:00.001Z

ROK, the company contracted to work on the Southport Market refurbishment, have been placed in administration following reported losses of £3.8million. For more details please see the Southport Visiter site or the Birkdale Blogspot.

It seems somewhat ironic therefore that there is a report on the Agenda for Southport Area Committee meeting next week which gives details of the Southport Market Gateway Features (Public Art). The report requests approval from the Southport Councillors for moving to stage 2 of this commissioning process with an overall cost of £111,750 including £26,400 for 3 granite seats.

I think its madness to consider spending this amount of money when we are trying to reduce budgets. We are facing the prospect of at least 1,000 employees of Sefton Council losing their jobs as a result of necessary spending cuts and so it seems unjustifiable and incredibly insensitive for Labour and Conservative Councillors to have voted for a scheme that allows large sums of money to be spent on items such as granite seats.

As Tony Robertson, Lib Dem Leader of Sefton Council explained “It displays a complete lack of any grasp of the economic realities that we are facing. It also indicates that both parties do not see how investment in market redevelopment should be directed. It’s all very well having expensive seats, but if the market traders cannot afford the inevitably higher rents, then who will be there to sit on the granite seats?”

Councillor Simon Shaw has already voiced concerns about where money for this project is being spent. “At a recent Council meeting I asked how much money had so far been spent: the answer was that over £250,000 had been spent on external Consultants, while just £15,000 has been spent on building work.”

Taking a walk on the green side

2010-11-09T10:57:00.002Z

During my daily stroll around the park this morning, I got to thinking about all the "green" things lib dems stand for. In the course of my deliberations I considered how we live life specifically "how green am I" so on the second circuit of the park I set myself (& family) a challenge - to go green.

Now there are certain things that we won't be able to do - like install solar panels, put up a wind turbine or buy an electric car but apart from these there are areas of our lives which could be made more environmentally friendly if only we made a bit of an effort so here goes.

For the next 12 months the McGuire family promise to:
1. Only put the central heating on when the temperature outside falls below 0
2. Think twice before using the car and use our bikes as much as possible
3. Shop locally and only do the family "big" shop at Co-operative stores
4. Buy as much organic food as possible and swap to environmentally friendly products
5. Recycle more

That all sounds pretty straightforward - Follow my exploits on Twitter

I should add that I haven't shared this "Damascus moment" with either the children or my husband yet so maybe that will be my first challenge.

Tackling anti social behaviour

2010-11-09T09:35:00.000Z

A number of residents have contacted the Focus Team to report an increase in youths congregating around the shops on Churchcill Avenue. The incidents have been reported to the police and I have spoken to Inspector Tony Jones and the Community Support Officers regarding this issue. Both ask for residents to contact the Police Control Room on 0151 709 6010 directly so that all incidents can be logged and the police can take the necessary action to get the situation resolved. All calls can be made anonymously

We have also been in contact with the Council to see if an alcohol banning order can be put in place in the area which would mean that anyone caught drinking alcohol on the street would have the alcohol taken from them.

Latest Application for a Phone Mast

2010-10-28T12:25:00.002+01:00

An application seeking planning permission to erect a mobile phone mast on Slaidburn Crescent has been submitted to Sefton Council.

The mast design is known as monopole which is similar to a lamp post, only not as slim, and about 5 metres taller. It is not like the monstrous box-type mast looming over Seacroft Crescent which, many years ago now, we succeeded in getting the Planning Committee to refuse. But that democratic local decision was subsequently overturned by an independent Planning Inspector on appeal, as sadly very frequently happens, and whose decision is final. So the eyesore was built to the distress of residents. Mobile phone companies have the automatic right to appeal against local planning committee decisions.

The monopole mast would be on the pavement on the first right hand bend that you meet after turning into Slaidburn Crescent from Fylde Road. It would be approx. 100 metres from the nearest house on Coyford Drive and visibly shielded by the intervening commercial buildings on the estate.

Mobile phone companies, like other utilities such as gas and electricity, have the automatic right to use pavements for equipment without any payment. All they need is planning permission. Councils cannot stop them using the pavement itself. That’s a national law.

We have demanded, and made sure, that this planning application is properly considered by the full Sefton Council planning committee of councillors because of concerns expressed by some local residents.

The meeting takes place on 10 November at Southport Town Hall at 6.30pm.
To object, write to Sefton Council’s Planning Department, Magdalen House, 30 Trinity Road, Bootle L20
3NJ or use the on-line comments form at www.sefton.gov.uk/planapps. The deadline for receipt of objections is 10am Friday 5 November. A petition from a minimum of 25 residents and signed/supported by a local councillor (which we, of course, would agree to do) gives one of the petitioners the opportunity to speak for 5 minutes at the planning committee meeting.

We should tell you, in all honesty, that the legally valid reasons for turning down such an application are
limited. Councillors on the Planning Committee are required to work within national planning legislation.
For example, health concerns are technically not lawful reasons for rejection, although that does not, of
course, stop you saying what you feel. Issues worth mentioning include things like loss of visual amenity
and over concentration of masts in the area and, of course, anything that you personally think is important.
It would be misleading of us to suggest or forecast the outcome or build up hopes of refusal given the fact
that whatever the planning committee decides, the phone company usually appeals and an independent
Planning Inspector subsequently gives permission. And that decision is final with no further right of appeal.

Give Rogue Traders the Cold Shoulder

2010-10-21T09:34:00.001+01:00

Trading Standards officers in Sefton are backing a national campaign which highlights rogue doorstep traders offering winter home improvement services.

The Office of Fair Trading and Age UK have joined forces to warn people, particularly those in later life, the vulnerable and their friends and family, of the problem as winter approaches.

The awareness drive highlights the financial risks of being scammed and the emotional toll it can take. It is being supported by resident agony aunt at ITV's 'This Morning', Denise Robertson. She said: "I receive many letters from people who have been swindled by illegitimate doorstep handymen.

"They often feel too embarrassed to talk about it, even with their closest family and friends. I hope that by bringing this issue into the open, people will feel more comfortable to talk about it and also more confident, if they are approached, to say no or ask for time to consider, rather than agree to work on the spot."

While canvassing on the doorstep is not illegal and there are many legitimate businesses selling to people in the home, rogue doorstep trading is an ongoing problem in the UK.

Last year, advice service Consumer Direct received more than 5,300 complaints about traders offering home maintenance work on the doorstep, a 16 per cent rise from the previous year.

Sefton Council Trading Standards manager, Andrew Naisbitt, said: "Only in the past couple of weeks we have had complaints from residents in relation to callers turning up on the doorstep offering services. Some residents have also been contacted over the phone.

"These have been in relation to roofing repairs and selling alarm systems, the type of services people consider as winter approaches.

"Work or service carried out by these traders is sometimes unnecessary, of a poor standard, much more expensive than originally quoted or not done at all. Our advice is to try and ignore such sellers.

"If in doubt, call Consumer Direct on 08454 040506 or visit ww.consumerdirect.gov.uk/doorstepselling."

Advice for residents:

* If a trader knocks at your door do not agree to on-the-spot house repairs, or sign anything on the spot.

* Be wary of special offers or warnings that your house is unsafe.

* Do not make snap decisions. Take time to talk to someone you trust before you make a decision.

Girls, Football and Politics

2010-10-20T12:09:00.001+01:00

The role of football mum is becoming one I am switching to more and more often, as my daughter plays football for three teams with matches almost everyday - its just a good job she's the goalie - although washing the kit is becoming a bit of a chore.

After one match this week, which I had supported rather enthusiastically from the sidelines, my daughter proudly announced that she was going to be on the school council. My ears pricked up and seeing an opening for an election edition of a FOCUS leaflet, I was keen for more details. So I asked rather casually if, in fact, there would be an election for the positions and what things will she would like to be responsible for. My daughter looked at me sideways and replied "Responsible for Mum - I'm going to be the chair so I can tell everyone else what their responsibilities should be"

Some people, who know me, may say like mother like daughter but I prefer to think this exchange shows very clearly that girls are keen to get involved in politics and campaigning - the question is how do we keep them involved?

Work begins on Hesketh Park Lake

2010-10-20T11:26:00.003+01:00

Regular users of Hesketh Park may have noticed something a little amiss with the lake this week, as work begins to repair the lower lake bank. The work will involve lowering the lake level (retaining sufficient for wildfowl) together with closing sections of the lakeside path. In addition the lake edge treatment will also be upgraded with some extra planting at the lake edge.
The cost of this work is being met by the contractor who undertook the original work as part of the refurbishment of the park in 2008.

Have Your Say!

2010-10-07T12:15:00.003+01:00

As you may be aware, the North East Police Team have a meeting once a month for residents to discuss any local policing issues they may have with police officers and PCSO's.

These priority setting meetings have now been given the far snappier title of 'Have your Say.'

The next meeting is going to be held at Eton Court on Park Road West on the 14th October, starting at 7pm and will be chaired by PC Steve Keefe.

Current priorities that local police are looking at include speeding traffic in Park Avenue, Park Crescent and Fylde Road.

Please come along and let us know about any issues that you have. These meetings are a great way to air problems and to meet your local policing team!

Fish, Chips and Lib Dem diners

2010-10-06T16:42:00.000+01:00

Your Lib Dem Team, are delighted to say that last nights Fish & Chip supper at Fylde Fish Bar was again a huge success. So many people came that the chippy ran out of chairs but I'm happy to say not of fish or chips.

Lord Ronnie Fearn gives a helping hand with chef Banico and staff

The evening was a great opportunity for our new members to meet and chat to some of our councillors from the ward but also from across Sefton with diners including John Pugh MP, Tony Roberston, Leader of Sefton Council and the one and only Lord Fearn of Southport.

Sefton Council Leader Tony Robertson pictured with owner Banico and John Pugh MP

It was also a great opportunity to support a new and thriving local business. Our thanks and appreciation go, as always, to Banico and his staff for the excellent food and service we received last night.

We are planning another event here shortly so anyone who wants to have fish and chips by the sea in Southport is more than welcome to join us although given the quality of food tickets sell out fast.

Newsnight and the parallel universe

2010-10-05T13:48:00.001+01:00

I think I must have entered some sort of parallel universe last night whilst watching Newsnight. There I was, merrily watching Paxman doing what he does best, when up popped Conservative MP Phil Hammond arguing the case for the removal of child benefit. Then in response to a challenge by Polly Tonybee, Hammond moved swiftly onto the steps the government had already or planned to take to help the low paid and children in deprived areas.

Then, like one of those slow motion delays, as I began to open my mouth to shout at the telly that these were Lib Dem policies, my brain re-engaged and I realised that yes indeed these are our Lib Dem policies but we are part of the coalition government.

Now I know I know this - I was at the conference in Liverpool but even so it is still taking time to sink in and I can't believe I am the only one who keeps forgetting.

Get ready for REAL progressive politics..

2010-10-03T14:01:00.008+01:00

I, along with Sue and a delegation from the Southport Liberal Democrats, attended a mega training day put on by Chris Davies our regional MEP. It was a great day, with lots of training events to keep us all up to date with the latest campaigning techniques and messages.

The highlight for me was listening to Andrew Stunell, MP for Hazel Grove and our party's Minister in Government for Communities and Local Government (pictured). He was also one of our negotiating MP's who helped to formulate the Coalition Government agreement.

The word 'revolutionary' is often overused in politics, but I think it can truly be applied to the localism agenda that will form a key feature of this Parliament.

Localism is all about decentralising and detaching the strangling tendrils of central Government. Its about realising that different areas have individual needs and priorities and that Whitehall diktats are not the best way to govern. One example of this was the Regional Spatial Strategies, housebuilding targets imposed from the centre on to communities. These gave no leeway to local opinion. RSS has now been abolished by the new government.

The concept of Localism is relevant to all of us. It will mean that town, parish and local Councils will all be able to have a say about local budgets and local services.

We need look no further locally than the stalemate over the Childrens Walk in Centre for Southport. Its clearly a service that local people want and need, yet nothing is happening.

There is nothing that will invoke electoral apathy than this sort of situation. You can understand why people are turned off voting if they think that they are powerless. This is even further entrenched if people also feel disillusioned with their ability to enact any change through their votes. Its not hard to see how people then think, ' well whats the point voting, I cant change anything can I?' Or, 'well, i really like that candidate and that party, but they cant win here, so my vote will just be a wasted one.'

A new and progressive politics has to challenge and eradicate the 'whats the point,' and 'why bother' attitudes that the Labour Government certainly didn't tackle. Localism and political reform in the shape of fairer votes, will truly radicalise the political system as we know it.

Next years referendum on introducing a better voting system will be an exciting opportunity, not just for Liberal Democrats, but for people who feel they dont have a voice.

Its time to shout loudly!

Musings of a football (& rugby) mum

2010-10-01T09:03:00.003+01:00

When I first got involved in politics my children were very young and so it was easy to find a baby sitter (usually my brother) all I had to do was give them a kiss and put them to bed. Then lipstick on and away I went merrily to council, community or local party meetings.

I naively thought, that, as the children got older the need for babysitters would be reduced and things would be easier. How wrong I was. I am now a fully fledged football (& rugby) mum and all that this role entails - coach, taxi driver, catering manager, laundry operative, provider of hugs and the teams biggest fan.

The interesting point here is that this group of women (aka as soccer or hockey mums) are recognised as a politically significant category in their own rights in the USA and now being a fully fledged member of this group I can understand why. These people are generally the lynch pins of the family, time management is a way of life, together with diplomacy and advanced driving. Politics for these women is very real and this should be recognised by campaigners and politicians alike.

By the way - the lipstick before meetings bit the dust many years ago now I'm lucky if I remember my reading glasses !

North West Regional Conference on Saturday 16th October

2010-09-30T07:58:00.001+01:00

The North West Lib Dems Autumn Conference will be held at the ACE Centre, Nelson, Lancs, on 16th October.

It will bring the regional party’s members together for our first conference since the General Election.

With the new coalition government having an ambitious plan for many of the reforms we have campaigned for - electoral change, an elected House of Lords, and more - it will be a chance to consider the new political
landscape here in our region and to plan for the referendum on the new voting system anticipated in May 2011.

The registration form, and exhibitor’s booking form, are ready to download now - the motions and agenda will be online soon. Conference also includes the Annual General Meeting of the North West Liberal Democrats.

Conference is open to all members, not just ‘the great and the good’, and as well as speakers and policy debates, offers a range of excellent training to help you learn about the party, our values, campaigning and more.

Advance registration closes on October 5th.

Find out more at http://www.northwestlibdems.org.uk/conference

Love at First Sign

2010-09-29T11:04:00.001+01:00

Showing Lauren the new sign
(we had to wait until a speeding car went past)

I know I have posted before about variable speed sign but I'm absolutely over the moon that the two signs I recently campaigned for have now finally been installed on Marshside Road and Fylde Road. And I'm delighted to say they are both working well flashing away like billy-oh at drivers going over 30mph on these roads.

I especially like the one on Marshide Road since, as there are no street lights where it is located, it flashes like this great beacon in the darkness which I think probably gives the drivers a bit of a shock !

New Lamps Columns on Hawkshead Street

2010-09-29T10:49:00.000+01:00

We reported recently that Hawkshead Street will soon be getting new lighting columns to replace the old fashioned cast iron columns. A number of residents responded to ask why the original columns cannot be retained and renovated, many commenting that this may be a more cost effective option. I passed the question on to the Highway Team and received the following response:

Unfortunately, the short answer is they are beyond repair for the following reasons:

1) They are structurally unstable due to dissimilar metals being used in the upper section of the column.

2) Electrically, this equipment does not meet current safety regulations.

3) The poor spacings and the height of the existing equipment make it impossible to attain any reasonable lighting uniformity from the installation.

So now you know.

A Walk in the Park

2010-09-29T09:53:00.000+01:00

Just finished my regular circuit of the park and was delighted to bump into one of this wards Community Support and Traffic Officers. It was a great opportunity to catch up and share information on any issues that have come up. In particular, I was able to ask about the "Have Your Say" meeting which took place recently. These meetings are designed to give local residents the opportunity to meet up with the police teams for their area to talk about any things of concern. The meetings are also used to decide those things the police will be targeting for that month. In the case of Cambridge Ward, it has been decided that the team will be focussing on speeding traffic particularly on Park Crescent, Park Avenue, and Fylde Road. I also asked for Cambridge Road and Argyle Road to be added to the list.

If you have any issues of concern or if you feel that your road has a problem with speeding traffic then please let your FOCUS team know.

History, Hollywood and the Battle of Thermopylae

2010-09-27T10:08:00.005+01:00

The family sat griped last night as the story of 300 unfolded on the big screen. Now don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with the film, although it was difficult at times to tell what was real and what was computer generated, what does bother me however is the rewriting of history according to Hollywood.

The film 300 tells the story of King Leonides of Sparta who fought to hold off the Persian invasion of Greece in 480BC. This is accurate up to a point, but the film does not give the context of this in relation to the history of Europe or the impact that this battle had on the world we live in today.

The Battle of Thermopylae, is in fact, a well known fight both historicallyand militarily as it illustrates how important training, equipment and the use of the terrain is in warfare. Indeed, it has become a symbol of courage against overwhelming odds.

Full details of the battle can be found on Wikipedia at Battle of Thermopylae

But this is only an example I worry that people, especially our children, will get a very distorted understanding of history if all they see is the Hollywood version. History will become a series of glorified snap shots with nothing linking them to the real events. So I was absolutely delighted to find the book "A Little History of the World" written in 1935 by Ernst Gombich which chronicles human development from the inventions of cavemen to the end results of the First World War. The book is a pleasure to read and since it was written originally for children, it manages to present the information in a way that is both interesting and detailed.

So, if your history is like mine which starts with the Italian Renaissance, skips through the Tudors and ends with Charles II, then I really recommend reading this book.

More details can be found on Wikipedia at A Little History of the World

Local PCSO's work recognised

2010-09-26T10:50:00.000+01:00

I was delighted recently to learn that two of the Community Support & Traffic Officers for our area have recently received the "WOW Award" for customer service. The officers were nominated for the award by a resident of Hornby Road in recognition of the help given to reduce damage to property and for restoring quality of life.

PCSO's Chris Ward and Trevor Vearncombe with their awards presented by ACC Gallan at Police Headquarters.

More details on the award and on policing in our area can be found at Cambridge Ward page of the Merseyside Police Website.

Community Pay Back Working in Our Area

2010-09-26T10:29:00.000+01:00

People found guilty of crimes spent a total of 280,750 hours doing community service work to pay back for their crimes on Merseyside, according to the latest just-published annual police report. Instead of fines or other measures, courts sentence offenders to do community work, such as removing graffiti, picking up litter and other worthwhile neighbourhood clean-up and improvement projects.

In Sefton, the Community Pay Back team visit Southport on a regular basis - if you know of anywhere around you that has litter or graffiti or that could do with a tidy up please let your Lib Dem Team know by emailing sue@bluefountain.com so that we can get pass it on to the Community Payback.

Southport scoops national party award

2010-09-24T11:00:00.000+01:00

Suffolk Coastal, Nigel Ashton and myself accept the
Penhaligon Award from Party Presidnet Baroness Ros Scot

Conference is over and its back to work as usually. I was delighted that so many members from Southport Lib Dems made the trip to Liverpool, 25 at last count, to attend what was an excellent conference. The atmosphere was electric as Nick Clegg, Vince Cable and Simon Hughes gave detailed accounts of the current situation and what we as Liberal Democrats want to deliver in government.

The week ended on an high note for Southport as we became joint winners of the national party award - The Penhaligon Award. This trophy is presented annually to the local party which demonstrates an increase in party membership together with activities to develop and involve members and activist alike. This year, for the first time in the awards history, the prize was shared by two local parties ourselves and Suffolk Coastal.

Nigel Ashton, the current chair person of Southport Liberal Democrats, gave a great presentation to the judges and should be congratulated for the effort and commitment he has put into getting the local party so far. I was absolutely delighted to accompany Nigel onto the main conference stage to receive the trophy from part president Baroness Ross Scott.

The media and labour party pundits are making claims that people are leaving the Lib Dems "like rats from a sinking ship" but that's not what the membership figures show - in fact there has been an overall increase in membership of over 6,500 this year with many joining since the formation of the coalition.

Off to Conference

2010-09-18T09:00:00.001+01:00

Saturday morning and I'm on my way to the Liberal Democrat Conference in Liverpool.

The conference promises to be the busiest yet with registrations up by 40% on previous years. Security is much tighter as well body scanners and sniffer dogs. The most we normally get is a quick look in your hand bag by venue staff so I think some conference goers are in for a shock.

I have a whole list of events I want to go to and then a whole list of events I have to go to. On top of that I am, as Chairperson of the North West Liberal Democrats, hosting a regional reception tonight which has been sponsored by Northern Rail. We hope to give everyone who comes a warm welcome from the North West. I'm also making a presentation to NW MEP Chris Davies which may cause a bit of a stir (more of that later).

Follow me at conference on Twitter

STITCH UP - the future of the Walk in Centre (WIC)

2010-09-17T09:17:00.003+01:00

Myself, John Pugh MP, Cllr Brenda Porter and Cllr Barry Griffiths
before our meeting with Andrew Lansley, Secretary of State for Health.

But how did we get to this when the future seemed so rosy ?

I have been campaigning since 2003 for the return of children's services to Southport, initially as a mother with 2 small children but also now as a councillor for Southport, so I was incensed and very disappointed at a report, recently produced by Sefton PCT, into the provision of a WIC for children in Southport. This report followed a series of meetings spanning two and a half years and was, the campaigners believed, going to rubber stamp the WIC proposal.

I could rant for England on this particular subject but will limit myself to what, I believe, are the key failings in the report specifically the absolute lack of detail and understanding of the local situation in Southport.

Examples include :

no reference whatsoever to the fact that Southport is a holiday destination for families,
no details regarding the number of children from Southport & Formby being taken to Alderhey Hospital rather than Ormsirk Childrens' A&E,
no mention of the very successful Children's MIU centre at Smithdown Road or to the WIC at Litherland Town Hall which also provides a service for children backed informally by Alderhey staff.
no definition or description to the actual services the WIC would provide
vague costings which vary by £500,000 and give no details as to what they cover to.
lots of details regarding problems with recruitment of trained staff but no clear details of the number of staff that would be involved with the WIC
and one of my favourites - there is a problem with transport between the two hospitals.

The list does go on but that should give you an idea. It became obvious in a recent meeting with hospital and PCT executives that they saw no problem with the report and felt it gave ample justification as to why Southport should not have the WIC it needs and our children deserve. A position of stalemate had been reached between Sefton PCT, Southport & Ormskirk Hospital and local campaigners but no way was this the end of the road as the campaigners are concerned.

Local MP John Pugh, who has been involved in this from the start, arranged a meeting with Andrew Lansley, the Secretary of State for Health to which myself, and Councillors Brenda Porter and Barry Griffiths attended. It was a very helpful meeting with the Minsiter listening to our points.

What will happen - its difficult to say at this stage but Sefton PCT have been told in no uncertain terms to go back to the drawing board as far as this particular report is concerned. But watch this space !

Working to keep the Courts in Southport

2010-09-16T08:55:00.001+01:00

The proposed closure of both the Magistrates and County Courts in Southport has been in the news recently and the consultation on this closed at 5pm yesterday. Your Liberal Democrat Team are very concerned about the planned move of our court service to Bootle and Liverpool as we believe it will have a detrimental effect on access to local justice. Both John Pugh MP and myself have met with a number of solicitors and the court users group to try and respond to the consultation.

Some residents feel that it will only effect those people who are defendants and so travelling out of Southport may not be a bad thing however I believe that the impact of the proposed closure will be much wider.

The following text has been submitted as my response as Liberal Democrat Ward Councillor for the Magistrates Court to the consultation.

Arguments against the closure of both the Magistrates and the County Courts of Southport
The consultation document makes it very clear that cost savings and under utilisation of the current Magistrates court are the main reasons behind the proposed closure in Southport. However both of these reasons must be considered in the wider context of direct and indirect impact to the Court Service in the future.

The information contained with the consultation document lays out in very broad brush terms the supposed benefits of moving the whole court provision in Southport to Bootle and Liverpool however this approach overlooks much of the detail which, when considered, undermines the proposed closure and move of the courts from Southport.

Proposed Cost Savings
Southport currently has both a Magistrates Court and a County Court which operate out of separate locations. It would make most logical sense if the two courts were operated out of one location. This would in the long term provide a cost saving which would meet one of the key criteria for closure. Although there will be an initial capital cost to this move this would be offset in the long term by the reduced overhead costs of the second site on Houghton Street quoted in the Consultation document as £162,819 annually and remove the need for maintenance of £50,000.

Improved Utilisation
The co-location would also increase the usage of the court building which would meet the second key criteria of utilisation. The Magistrates Court has more than enough capacity to support co-location with a separate entrance with lift access available. In fact the consultation document clearly states that the Magistrates Court has vacant space on the ground floor and at least one free court room.

A previous attempt to co-locate the two courts is referred to in the consultation paper but insufficient detail is given on this as to the full reason for refusal. The Court Users Group did attempt to get an updated costing for possible co-location of the two courts however access to the Magistrate's court building was prevented by HMRC. Again it is impossible to make a reasoned decision if inadequate up to date information is not available for in-depth consideration.

Southport County Court is acknowledged within the consultation document as being open five days a week with 1.5 judges sitting which equates to 7.5 days of court time. This level of work must raise concerns regarding the proposed move to Liverpool Family Court. No details are given as to how the current court timetable at Liverpool Family Court will be managed to accommodate the additional timetable of a full time court in Southport.

As a final point on co-location, the consultation document refers to the fact that the Magistrates Court is joined the the police station. In fact this connection goes further with both premises accessing a shared heating system. The close proximity of the the police station and the neighbouring fire station would make this purpose built court house unattractive as a possible development site in future and would ultimately leave HMRC with an on-going financial commitment to a large unused building.

Increased risk of mistrials
The current legal system has an on-going issue with mistrials and trials falling through, the cost of which is increasing annually. By moving both courts from Southport there is an almost guaranteed probability that the number of mistrials will increase. The additional travel time for defendants, witnesses and/or claimants will have a direct impact on the outcome of many trails with many of these people choosing simply not to attend court.

Specific attention must be given to the demographics of Southport. The town has one of the largest populations of over 65 in the UK with this set to increase in the future as Southport is, and markets itself as, a destination to retire. Having a population which has a predominance of people over 65 does however bring with it associated issues one of which is the fear of crime. With the removal of the court services it may well be that witnesses will be forced to travel on the same train as the defendant or the defendants family. The Northern Line trains which link Southport to Bootle and Liverpool are modern walk through carriages which allow free movement of passengers. It is quite possible to see witnesses leaving the train if faced with the possibility of travelling with the defendant or defendants family. In many cases it may be that the witnesses chose not to testify at all rather than face any chance of possible intimidation. Similar arguments can also be made in the cases of domestic violence and family court cases.

To draw a further conclusion from the above it could be that Southport becomes a destination for criminals as it becomes known that witnesses are not likely to testify.

Economic Impact
Southport as a town is the 14^th biggest population centre in the North West. The presence of the courts here have allowed a large number of solicitor practices to open in the town (approx. 30) which supports the local economy. This support is not only in terms of solicitors employed but also in terms of support staff and in the wider context of local shops, cafés and restaurants. If the courts move to Bootle and Liverpool there is every likelihood that the accompanying legal firms will also be forced to move which would have a direct impact on the economic viability of the town. This may be a longer term issue but one that must be considered as part of the initial decision.

Conclusion
Whilst everyone understands the need for cost reductions, they also recognise that when important decision are made which effect a large number of people those decisions must be made with access to all the facts and relevant details including:

capital/revenue and on-going maintenance costs,

operational details of not only the courts threatened with closure but also the courts set to receive their workload,

the direct and indirect impact on the local community

and finally the right of everyone for access to local justice.

“Penny wise, pound foolish”

Councillor Sue McGuire
Cambridge Ward, Southport,
Metropolitan Borough of Sefton

The saga of the grass on Preesall Close

2010-09-15T08:59:00.001+01:00

Once upon a time in Marshside, two different companies had responsibility for cutting the grassed areas - Sefton Council and One Vision Housing. This may not strike you as a particular issue however problems arise when the two companies involved have different grass cutting standards. To make matters worse, the areas of grass managed by each company where situated opposite each other which made the difference in performance very very noticeable.

Things came to a head when residents in Preesall Close began to notice that their area of grass always seemed to be a bit longer, had more weeds and most importantly was always covered with grass cuttings whilst the grass verges across the road were almost bowling green quality. But what could be done ? Requests were made to the Council but the Council were doing their job it was just that they worked to a different (less expensive) criteria than One Vision Housing grass cutting team.

Residents then approached the Lib Dem Team who considered the situation long and hard. Maybe, they suggested, the grass being cut by the council was not actually the council's responsibility, maybe the grass on Preesall Close was under the control of One Vision If this was the case then the grass in question should be maintained and managed by One Vision rather than the Council. After some consideration One Vision Housing agreed with the suggestion whilst the Council thought it was a marvellous idea and readily agreed.

So the moral of the story - the grass doesn't always have to be greener on the opposite side.

Green Fayre in Hesketh Park

2010-09-14T21:31:00.006+01:00

The rain didn't stop visitors to last Saturday's Green Fayre in Hesketh Park, and it appears lots of Southport residents are keen to find out more about making their lives just a little bit more greener..

The Fayre was organised by Transition Southport and the Sefton Leisure and Tourism Department.

I was volunteering at a stand, and was impressed with the amount of people wanting to make their homes more energy efficient and sustainable.

Being free for both exhibitors and the visiting public was a great chance for businesses who may not be able to afford bigger exhibitions to market their products, and for the public to look at the options available to make their lives greener.

This is just the sort of event that we should see more of in our town. Its also a fantastic way to make use of Southport's parks as it encourages people who wouldn't normally use or visit them to make the most of what they offer.

Campaign for Real Ale

2010-09-10T01:02:00.004+01:00

For 3 nights only, the 11th Sandgrounder Beer Festival is in action at the Scarisbrick Hotel.

Southport and District CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) have organised this wonderful event which includes over 50 different beers, fruit wines and ciders, and at only £3 entrance (or free for CAMRA members) it's an event not to be missed.

CAMRA campaigns for real ale, real pubs and consumer rights. Their overall aims include protecting and improving consumer rights, seeking improvements in all licensed premises and promoting quality, choice and value for money.

This great event is open noon-11pm Friday and Saturday, and my best advice is go along, support local and independent breweries and most of all, have fun!

For a list of the available beers please see here.

Remembering Sir Cyril Smith - 28 June 1928 - 3 September 2010

2010-09-09T09:44:00.000+01:00

Sir Cyril Smith pictured with Paul Rowen (former MP for Rochdale) and Charles Kennedy MP

As most of you reading this will already know, former Liberal and Liberal Democrat MP for Rochdale, Sir Cyril Smith, has died on Friday 3rd September aged 82.

Our first thoughts must be with Sir Cyril’s family at this sad time. The people of Rochdale have lost a formidable champion today and the Liberal Democrats have lost someone who has been an outstanding influence on the party locally, regionally and nationally for over 40 years.

North West Euro-MP Chris Davies knew Cyril Smith for more than 30 years. He represented the Littleborough and Saddleworth constituency next to Rochdale, and Cyril Smith acted as his campaign manager in the 1999
European election campaign.

Chris Davies said, “Although he was never a European enthusiast he campaigned for me in 1999. I spent happy days travelling across the North West with Cyril, his brother Norman, and his former agent Rodney
Stables. The car we used had been strengthened to bear their formidable collective weight and I was like the filling in a sandwich.

Cyril wore his heart on his sleeve and was passionate about two things,Rochdale and politics. He could be a formidable foe, and the most loyal of friends. I have had experience of both.

He was proud of what he had achieved and passionate about two things, Rochdale and politics.

“Everyone knew him, absolutely everyone. He was forthright, and blunt,and people trusted him as an honest politician. But no-one should forget his total commitment to the political process with all its flaws.

“Liberal leaders over the years lived in trepidation of the next missive from Emma Street, but he rarely did less than provide a huge boost for our party across the country.”

More information on the life and achievements of Cyril Smith can be found at this Wikipedia page

For anyone who may wish to attend: the funeral will take place at 12 noon on Monday 13th September in the town hall in Rochdale.

There will be a memorial service the following Sunday 19th September at 10.30 in the Unitarian Church.

Further details or requests for car parking should be passed on to Paul Rowen at pj.rowen@ntlworld.com

New books, new shoes and sharp pencils

2010-09-09T09:28:00.000+01:00

Regular visitors to this blog will have noticed a distinct lack of postings over summer for which I apologise. The seasons and months mean different things to different people and I'm sure each of us have our favourites. Summer to me is children and picnics whilst my favourite season must be Autumn with its approach heralded by the month of September.

To many people the start of Autumn hints at the approaching year end but to me September represents the start of a new phase of your life. I think it must be related to the start of the new school term which is hard coded into most peoples psyche and although school finished a long time ago for me, the start of September always makes me think of new exercise books, new shiny shoes and sharp pencils.

To me the very best description of Autumn can be found John Keats Ode to Autumn which again is probably my favourite poem.

Ode to Autumn

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness!
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;
To bend with apples the mossed cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o'erbrimmed their clammy cells.

Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reaped furrow sound asleep,
Drowsed with the fume of poppies, while thy hook
Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers;
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook;
Or by a cider-press, with patient look,
Thou watchest the last oozings, hours by hours.

Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too, -
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing, and now with treble soft
The redbreast whistles from a garden-croft;
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.

Dragon Boating & Help for Hero's

2010-07-28T10:06:00.004+01:00

I had the great pleasure of joining Councillor Fred Weavers and colleagues on Satruday 24th July rowing a dragon boat. The event, organised by Fred, was to raise money for the charity Help for Hero's. I joined the boat crewed by the Mayor Maureen Fearn, Councillors Tony Robertson, Mike Booth and Haydn Preece together with other friends and colleagues. I have to say it was great fun and much easier than I had thought. Both Maureen and myself were, however, a little disappointed that the boat itself didn't include a dragons head !

Well done to all!

A message from the Home Watch Team

2010-07-22T09:18:00.000+01:00

In the last 24hrs the Home Watch Team have been contacted re cold calling telephone calls in the Sefton area.

PC SUPPORT SERVICES
Several Southport and Formby residents have contacted Sefton Crime Prevention officers and Southport Homewatch to report that they had received 'cold calling' telephone calls from a company offering PC support services.

One of the recipients of these calls had a second call from them and was provided with the following information.

Company : Risk Tec Support (or similar)
Tel Number :01614083331 (goes to answer phone)

HOME SECURITY SURVEYS
We have also been contact by Sefton residents who have received 'cold calling' from an unknown company conducting 'Home Security Surveys' ?.

The callers asked for personal information, i.e. age of the occupants, the type of house they live in etc.

We have not, at the time of sending this message, been able to contact either company and little information, other than above, is known about them.

Therefore if you receive such telephone calls be careful as to what personal information you disclose to them or to any financial commitment you may enter into.

For more information about this message, please contact :-
Kevin Kehoe on 0151 777 3458
email..... kevin.kehoe@merseyside.police.uk
or Margaret Jepson 0151 777 3419
email.... margaret.jepson@merseyside.police.uk

For all other none urgent police enquires please ring
0151 709 6010 (Merseyside Police Main Switch Board)

Bus Shelter to be re-installed at Albany Road Stop

2010-07-21T15:06:00.001+01:00

The Cambridge Ward Team are delighted to report that the bus shelter, which was recently removed from Albany Road, is set to be returned as a matter of urgency. Residents called the Lib Dem team to express concern that the shelter had been removed and not replaced by a new one. As residents are very aware, this is a particularly exposed area which because of its location, just off the Promenade, gets the wind straight off the coast.

Bus stops and bus shelters are not, however, the responsibility of the Council instead they are managed by Merseytravel. As a result, Councillor Sue McGuire contacted Merseytravel and explained in detail why a bus shelter was needed at this particular location. This action, together with calls from some residents, has prompted Merseytravel to reconsider their decision and look to replace the missing shelter.

Sue received the following email reply in response to her request for the shelter to be replaced.

Hi Sue

Yes, we have received several enquiries about the removal of this shelter!!

I’ll try and explain the reasoning as simply as I can. I hope it’s not too withering!

The existing shelter was of obsolete design and in very poor condition

Merseytravel, in partnership with our shelter contractor have a set budget for the replacement(within the 5 borough’s) of such shelters (Abacus Shelters)

There are more shelters of this type than the budget covers

There are no longer the parts available for continued maintenance of such shelters and a list was drawn up of the most dilapidated shelters

Albany Road was highlighted as being in very poor condition and an assessment was made on the frequency of bus services utilising the stop, the recorded boarding figures and maintenance history of the bus stop

The boarding figures fell way short of the usual level used when assessing a location for the provision of a shelter

Therefore, as the shelter was ‘beyond repair’, the location then did not justify the expense of a brand new bus shelter as other locations scored much higher on the priority list, given the limited budget for replacement of this type of shelter and subsequently the decision was taken to remove the structure

That’s the background. However, since the removal we have received several comments which have highlighted the dismay felt by public transport users in this area. We regret the fact that there was no pre-warning of the removal, which could have been placed at the bus stop prior to the event.

Given the groundswell of opinion on the shelter and that it is obviously a vital cog for those that support public transport in this area, we have taken the decision to source a replacement shelter as soon as possible. It may not be a brand new one but will certainly be from our most recent range of shelters. Sourcing the appropriate shelter for the configuration of the pavement may take a few weeks but we will now make the necessary arrangements to reinstate a shelter as soon as possible.

It would be most helpful if you can pass this on to any residents, passengers in the area who have highlighted this issue. I trust this clarifies our position but should you have any further queries please do not hesitate in contacting me.

Regards

IAN MCDERMOTT
Asset Management
Tel No 0151-330-1862
Fax No 0151-330-1222
e-mail ian.mcdermott@merseytravel.gov.uk

Give a Cold Shoulder on Energy Callers

2010-07-20T23:05:00.001+01:00

Press release from Sefton Trading Standards

Fed up consumers in Sefton who say 'no' to receiving cold calls have won assurances from energy firms that they will no longer be bothered on the doorstep.

Following campaigning by energy watchdog Consumer Focus and the Trading Standards Institute, the big six energy companies are now committed to respecting the wishes of people who live in recognised 'no cold calling zones' or display signs saying 'no' to cold callers.

Research by the energy regulator Ofgem in 2008 revealed that just under half of customers who switched supplier in response to a direct sales approach ended up on a worse deal. This prompted the introduction of new protection around energy sales so that when consumers sign up to a new deal on the doorstep they must receive a price comparison to prove the deal being offered is better than their existing one.

If consumers still receive cold calls at their door from energy suppliers despite clearly displaying a sign requesting not to do so, they should complain directly to the energy firm and contact Consumer Direct on 08454 040506.

Home Watch comments "After looking on the website
http://www.energy-retail.org.uk/documents/EnergySureCode4.01.pdf
the following companies were identified as signing up to the agreement not to visit properties where "NO COLD CALLING" stickers are displayed. Home Watch has a supply of NO COLD CALLING stickers for members to display on their doors or windows to avoid uninvited callers."

Contact details of energy companies who have agreed not to call on
premises that display the stickers are as follows:

British Gas
Tel: 0845 048 0707
Write to:
British Gas
PO Box 3055
Eastbourne
BN21 9FE
Text phone: 18001 0800 072 8626

EDF Energy
Tel: 0800 092 9292
Write to:
EDF Energy
Freepost 3814
London
WC1V 6AJ

Npower
Tel: 0845 070 4856
Write to:
Customer Relations,
PO Box 97, Peterlee, SR8 9AP.
or visit
www.npower.com/customerservice
If the complaint is not resolved by the
supplier to your satisfaction, you may take
your complaint to the energy supply
ombudsman, details of how to do this can
be found on the energy supply ombudsman
website www.energy-ombudsman.org.uk

EON
Tel: 0800 0150987
Write to:
Residential Sales Quality Team
Newstead Court, Little Oak Drive
Annesley, Nottingham
NG15 0DR
Email: sales.liaison@eonenergy.com

SSE
Tel: 0800 117 116
Including:
Atlantic Electric and Gas
Scottish Hydro Electric
Southern Electric and Gas
SWALEC Electric and Gas
Write to:
Head of Customer Service
Grampian House
200 Dunkeld Road
Perth
PH1 3GH
Email: headofcustomerservice@sse.com

Scottish Power
Tel: 0141 568 4673
Fax: 0141 568 2189
Email: energysurecompliance@
scottishpower.com

For more information about this message, please contact :-
Kevin Kehoe on 0151 777 3458
email..... kevin.kehoe@merseyside.police.uk
or Home Watch Margaret Jepson 0151 777 3419
email.... margaret.jepson@merseyside.police.uk

For all other none urgent police enquires please ring
0151 709 6010 (Merseyside Policed Main Switch Board)

From Crosby to Austria - the Iron Men spread

2010-07-19T19:18:00.000+01:00

I often walk on the beach at Crosby and am always amazed by the impact of Anthony Gormley's Iron Men in "Another Place". When they first arrived in 2005 concerns were raised by residents but five years later I think we should celebrate the statues especially since they are only one of five installations worldwide.

So I was delighted when the Observer gave details of our own Crosby men in a recent article on the new iron men installation within the Austrian Alps.

Anthony Gormley recently said "We've covered the urban condition, the endlessness of the sea and the chaos of the mountains. That'll do.

Full details of the new installation within the Austrian Alps can be found here.

Samphire in Southport

2010-07-17T17:36:00.000+01:00

I was on the beach this week and one thing that struck me was the site of Samphire growing so abundantly on the beach near to the Pier. In fact, I believe, Southport has become a bit of a destination in terms of Samphire harvesters who are taking to our shores in droves armed with sharp knives and black plastic bags.

Samphire is an edible plant that grows on the edge of salt marshes and beaches click here for More information on Samphire. Samphire is now back in vogue as a very health addition to the diet and I believe it is very popular in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine.

But I have a person interest in Samphire or as we usually call it Sampi. It was the basis for my first entrepreneurial adventure.

My Mum and Dad loved the stuff and so it was an annual event to trek to the very edges of the salt marsh with my father to harvest the Sampi. But one year when I was about 10, I had an idea on the long march to Sampi plains. Why not harvest extra and then sell it to the old folks so that's what we did.

Any good business enterprise needs staff so I rounded up some friends and convinced my father of the benefit of a second trip out on the salt marsh. Now you have to understand getting out to the edge of the salt march was a job in itself since the salt marsh is made up of lots of gullies many of which need to vaulted over but such was my belief that I would make a million - not so bad on the way out but coming back was a bit more challenging when loaded with the bags of Sampi but I urged everyone on with tales of the fortune we would make. So home we came and set into production - washing, boiling and bagging the plant. Then off we went to market - like the old fashion hawkers plying our trade down the highways and bye-ways of the villages. At 50p a bag we were soon sold out.

Well I didn't make a million but for a first business venture I didn't too bad as I was able to afford getting all my workers a lolly ice for their effort.

Library Opens in new (temporary) location

2010-07-06T09:31:00.000+01:00

Yesterday the new temporary library in Southport Town Centre was opened at the Southport Visiter Offices on Tulketh Street. I was delighted that Jean Alexander, who had been a key supporter of the temporary library campaign was there with the Mayor Maureen Fearn to cut the ribbon.

The opening follows several months of campaigning in rain and shine by the Liberal Democrats to ensure that Southport residents weren't left high and dry with no library facilities whilst the old Atkinson Library undergoes a complete refurbishment as part of the Cultural Centre.

Andrew Edwards, Group Editor of the Southport Visiter spoke at the opening to welcome the library into what was until recently the location of the news desks for the journalists. Thanks must go to the Southport Visiter staff who have worked with the Council to ensure that this new temporary site is ready to go as a library.

I was surprised when I walked in at just how much like a library it looks - the Children's section is great and also now includes 2 computers which were not available in the Atkinson Library. The Teens section has been moved away from the children's section which I think is a really good idea and placed next to the IT section. I am also pleased to report that there are the same number of PC's available to the public as before. During the event I spoke to library staff who also explained that they had changed the way the shelves were filled with books to show book covers as well book spines to entice readers to try new authors.

Job Done !

2010-07-01T11:22:00.001+01:00

Don't you just love it when things happen like they are supposed to?

I know Sefton Council gets knocked by many residents for many things; bins not collected, state of the roads, street cleaning etc. and I too have been known to have a go. So that's why I thought it was important to post a story which shows that the Council do get some things right.

Yesterday, a resident called to complain about some abusive graffiti on his garden wall which I duly reported to the Environmental team. Imagine my delight when today the graffit team called me to tell me they had cleaned the graffiti off in less than 24 hours from the first call being made. This was topped only by a call from the resident to say how pleased he was that the problem had been resolved.

So to coin a phrase "they did what it said on the tin"

If you know of an area that has graffiti, whether offensive or not, please let the Lib Dem team know.

Residents set to choose trees to be planted

2010-06-29T11:05:00.001+01:00

As regular readers may remember, I have a passion for street trees - I think they can change how a road looks and feels for residents, help the environment and create a great impression for visitors. So I find myself continually speaking to the Trees and Woodlands Team trying to find the best way of ensuring we maintain our street tree cover both for now and for future generations.

I believe that residents need to be involved in the decisions regarding which trees should be planted on their road and so I am delighted that the Council are allowing residents of Brocklebank Road a say in which trees are planted as replacements to those set to be removed.

We are asking residents to let us know which of the six species of trees identified by the Trees & Woodlands Team as being suitable for this road they would like to see planted on Brocklebank Road.

The tree species available are

1. Acer platanoides Deborah
2. Acer platanoides Princeton Gold
3. Acer pseudoplatanus Spaethii
4. Pyrus calleryana Chanticleer
5. Sorbus intermedia Brouwers
6. Ulmus Lobel
It is possible to plant one of each or a mixture. Evidence suggests that having a mix of trees is better for the environment and can help prevent losing all the trees in a road due to disease.
These trees will be planted at the beginning of this year’s planting season, that is at the end of November or beginning of December, which will give the saplings the best chance of survival. The trees will be planted in slightly different locations to the trees removed.

If you have any questions on the above or would like more information please email sue@bluefountain.com

A Walk in the Park

2010-06-29T10:25:00.001+01:00

I took the opportunity this morning of taking a walk in Hesketh Park and once again I was delighted to see how beautiful the park looked in full growth. I was lucky to walk after a rain shower and the whole park had a wonderful clean and fresh smell.

The Rose Garden looked spectacular as the rose bushes are coming into bloom. I was very upset to hear that vandals had recently removed two standard roses from the beds here and so was pleased to read that the police have targeted the park as one of their priority areas for the coming months.
I took this photo with my phone and although not David Bailey I hope it prompts people to visit.

I also took a walk up to the Stanmore Rockery and again was pleased to see that some very rude graffiti which I reported to the Park Rangers has been removed.

I would urge any reader to follow my lead and a take a walk in the Park - you don't know what your missing.

Take Back Parliament

2010-06-25T18:45:00.005+01:00

Last night saw the Liverpool launch of Take Back Parliament.

The meeting, held on Bold Street in Liverpool, was very productive and is certainly the start of big things for Liverpool in terms of Purple Protests. Events, including a purple picnic, purple gigs and a regular street stall are going to be held over the next few months, and more meetings will be scheduled. Check out the Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/takebackparliament?v=info&ref=ts

for more information of upcoming events.

Keep joining and suggesting to your friends, the Southport Liberal Youth campaign ‘Southport is voting YES in the AV referendum’ on the facebook page here:

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/pages/Southport-is-voting-YES-in-the-AV-referendum /125925087445836?ref=ts

Vince Cable: Why the VAT rise had to happen

2010-06-23T21:38:00.000+01:00

With annual borrowing of £160bn and a massive blank where Labour’s plans for deficit reduction should have been, this was always going to be a tough Budget – arguably the toughest since the 1980s. Some extraordinarily difficult decisions have been made to avoid an even worse crisis. Foremost amongst these was the decision to raise VAT from 17.5 to 20 percent.

Through the election campaign, all three prospective Chancellors were asked about VAT, and we all answered in exactly the same way: we have no plans to raise it, but we cannot rule it out. In fact, that was my position almost a year ago, when the true scale of the crisis became apparent.

That remained my position until shortly after the election. However, when the Office for Budget Responsibility reported that the structural deficit was £10bn higher, I realised that we had to act decisively, and that this meant adjusting our plans.

No decision to raise tax is taken lightly, but VAT is more contentious than most. One reason is that VAT is often denounced as if it were the most regressive tax of all. However, the truth is more nuanced. As a proportion of expenditure, it is in fact mildly progressive, as the IFS have recently explained. This stems from its exemptions for certain essentials, such as food and children’s clothing, which take a bigger chunk of the spending of poorer households.

VAT is far less damaging for growth than most other taxes, like those on income or employment. It is preferable to even steeper spending cuts that would hurt the vulnerable or damage our ability to grow the economy. Restoring sustainable growth is the essential remit of the Ministry I head, the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills.

There are other far more regressive taxes, and our raising VAT has enabled us to do something about them. For example, under Labour, the poorest decile suffered a 90% rise in council tax, compared to 75% for the richest, which is why we have sought to freeze council tax in England for next year. It also let us increase significantly the Child Tax Credit, fund a £1,000 increase in the income tax allowance and triple-lock annual increases in the state pension – while all the time setting a course that returns the public finances to surplus.

All of these are achievements that strongly reflect the values of Liberal Democrats. There was no way that a responsible government could evade the tough choices that Labour’s mismanagement had forced upon us. But, as Nick explained and I fully endorse, by playing our part we have ensured that the decisions made were guided by fairness – and that includes raising VAT.

As originally posted on www.libdemvoice.org

"From now on, Britain will be a fairer place"

2010-06-22T22:05:00.002+01:00

Todays Emergency Budget, the first budget of the new Coalition Government, contained a lot for Liberal Democrats up and down the country to smile at. The Budget is tough, the problems we have face are tougher and this budget truly will make Britain Fairer.

· The £1,000 increase in the Income Tax allowance will mean that 880,000 low paid workers will be freed from Income Tax altogether. This is the first step towards delivering our manifesto commitment to ensure no-one pays tax on the first £10,000 they earn.
· The Budget puts in place our promise of a new tax on banks, ensuring that they help to pay to clear up the mess left by the financial crisis
Top earners will pay a full 10% more in Capital Gains Tax than under Labour, with no loopholes or tapers or get-out clauses. That change helps ensure those with the broadest shoulders take the greatest strain.
We will guarantee that pensioners get a fair deal, putting into effect the Liberal Democrat manifesto commitment for a “triple lock”, so state pensions rise every year in line with earnings, inflation, or by 2.5%, whichever is the highest. Never again will pensioners be allowed to fall behind.
The Coalition Government will not let regions, towns or cities that depend heavily on the public sector be forgotten. That’s why this Budget establishes a regional growth fund to ensure those parts of the country get meaningful support to help create jobs and opportunities for all.
Tackling Child Poverty remains at the heart of the government’s approach. So while we have decided to cut child tax credits for those who can most afford it, we have increased tax credits for the poorest families and put up to £ 2 billion into child tax credits to help ensure children of all backgrounds get a fair start in life.

Commenting on today’s budget, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Simon Hughes said:

“Today’s budget clearly reflects many of the tax priorities which won the Liberal Democrats almost seven millions votes at the election. As a result of this budget millions of pensioners and those on low incomes will be helped and people with greater wealth will contribute most.

Of course today’s budget required compromise, but the country can clearly see the Liberal Democrats have a major influence on UK economic policy. From now on, Britain will be a fairer place.

Liberal Democrats made the correct judgement last month to be influential partners in a majority coalition, rather than be marginalised opponents of a minority Government entirely implementing Conservative policies. We will make sure that the spending reductions reflect Liberal Democrat priorities and always protect the needy and the vulnerable.”

The Greenest Programme for Government Ever

2010-06-20T22:16:00.004+01:00

Andrew Stunnel MP for Hazelgrove, gave a speech last night to the North-West Liberal Democrats Regional Dinner. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Communities and Local Government said of the Liberal Democrat-Conservative Government, "the coalition document is the greenest and most libertarian program for Government ever" and went on to express his opinion that "just eight weeks ago, we couldn't imagine the situation we face now".

Addressing the cuts in public spending, Mr Stunnell said, "imagine you have a family in your constituency, and they earn £300 per week, but they spend £400 per week and put the extra £100 on their credit card. They come to you as their MP or Councillor and ask for help. You ask how much debt they have on their credit card, they say £50,000. These £6 Billion in cuts are simply reducing the £100 they put on their credit card each week to £97. This is the legacy of the Labour party"

Incredibly positive about the chances of success in the new government, Andrew Stunnell highlighted the pupil premium, referendum on switching the voting system to Alternative Vote and ending the 'database state'-including the abolition of second generation biometric passports and identity cards as a step in the right direction for the Government and a success for years of Lib Dem campaigning.

Local Councillor, Sue McGuire, who is also the Chair of the North West Liberal Democrats also gave a fantastic speech, highlighting the success of many Liberal Democrat candidates in the North West including Gordon Birtwistle, MP for Burnley and the increased majority of Southport's own MP John Pugh.

Lib Dems Outline Plans to Support Families

2010-06-18T21:50:00.003+01:00

Improving the life chances of children has always been central to Nick Clegg's beliefs. The new taskforce, which includes Liberal Democrat education minister Sarah Teather, will look at ways in which the Coalition Government can make a real difference to children's lives.

Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg today announced a Government taskforce to look at ways to support families and give every child a fair start in life.

The full text of Nick Clegg's speech can be found here:

http://www.libdems.org.uk/latest_news_detail.aspx?title=Nick_Clegg's_speech_on_supporting_families_and_children&pPK=6d739b75-08a1-4262-9309-39b0fc8fc45c

Brocklebank Road Success

2010-06-16T14:06:00.001+01:00

I am delighted to confirm that your Liberal Democrat team have now secured funding to plant replacement trees on Brocklebank Road.

These trees will be planted at the beginning of this years planting season rather than immediately. The decision to plant the trees at the end of November or beginning of December will mean the trees planted have the greatest chance of establishing themselves and are least likely to need removal and replanting.

This action follows contacts made by residents on Brocklebank Road contacting your Lib Dem team with concerns regarding the proposed removal of 8 trees along Brocklebank Road. We have contacted the Trees and Woodlands Department on your behalf to confirm that these trees must be removed. We did ask if the removal could be phased with the trees being removed over a 2 year period however we were told that the trees pose a potential Health & safety risk and as a result must be removed together.

A key concern of residents was the lack of any replacement trees which the Council said was down to a lack of funding. Again we have checked with the Trees & Woodlands Department to confirm that this is actually the case. Normally funding for trees can be obtained from Section 106 money I.e. Money paid by developers as part of a new build or development in an area however this source of funding has been reduced since the amount of development in the area has lessened.

Blog launched for Southport Liberal Youth

2010-06-10T09:50:00.003+01:00

During the recent General Election, the biggest increase in members for the Liberal Democrat party came from students and young people who felt motivated and engaged by our manifesto for a "Change that works for you". To capitalise on this in Southport and to encourage young people in our town to become actively involved in politics both nationally and locally, we have launched Southport Liberal Youth which is run by young people for young people.

Liberal Youth is the youth and student wing of the Liberal Democrats, representing the interests of all members aged 26 and under, and everyone registered as a student. They campaign, train members, run events, recruit new members and develop policy, amongst other things! If you are a member of the Liberal Democrats aged 26 or below, or you're registered as a student, you are automatically a member of Liberal Youth too.

For more information on Liberal Youth in Southport please follow the Southport Liberal Youth link or click on the title in the Other Lib Dems Sites list.

Simon Hughes is new Lib Dem Deputy Leader

2010-06-09T20:26:00.002+01:00

Simon Hughes, 8 term MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, has won the contest to be deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats beating Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron.

Mr Hughes replaces Vince Cable, who stood down from the deputy leadership role last month to concentrate on the job of business secretary in the new Liberal Democrat-Conservative Coalition Government.

He said he would ensure the Lib Dems "seize the moment" provided by the coalition government.

Deputy Prime Minister outlines plan for Political Reform

2010-06-07T22:33:00.000+01:00

In his first speech to Parliament as Deputy Prime Minister, Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg today outlined his radical plans for political reform.

The plans include:

A referendum on the Alternative Vote
The right to recall MPs who break the rules
Fewer, more equal-sized constituencies
Making the House of Lords wholly or largely elected
Fixed five-year parliaments
Devolving greater powers to the Scottish Parliament by implementing the recommendations of the Calman Commission
A referendum on devolving more powers to the Welsh Assembly

Liberal Youth Southport

2010-06-01T11:24:00.002+01:00

Liberal Youth is the youth and student wing of the Liberal Democrats. It is open to all party members under the age of 26 and all registered students. We represent the interests of young people and campaign on the issues affecting them the most including;

scrapping tuition fees and unfair student debt
save Darfur
the abolition of the ContactPoint database
climate change

Liberal Youth is coming to Southport.

We are starting a branch here, in Southport for any and all under 26 who are interested in the Liberal Democrats and want to get more involved.

Watch this space....

ID cards to be scrapped within 100 days

2010-05-31T10:28:00.001+01:00

The Liberal Democrat- Conservative Coalition announced this week that ID cards are to be scrapped for all British Citizens within the next 100 days and which will make this intrusive system "a thing of the past", says local Lib Dem Councillor Sue McGuire.

Commenting on the announcement, Liberal Democrat Leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said:

"The wasteful, bureaucratic and intrusive ID card scheme represents everything that has been wrong with government in recent years.... Cancelling the scheme and abolishing the National Identity Register is a major step in dismantling the surveillance state - but ID cards are just the tip of the iceberg. Today marks the start of a series of radical reforms to restore hard-won British freedoms."

Your Local Lib Dem team have been opposed to ID cards and the 'database state' since it's inception under the previous Labour Government. Cllr McGuire says, "this is a victory for all those who voted Liberal Democrat, we are finally getting rid of these dangerous systems- a win for anybody who believes in civil liberties. Scrapping ID cards will also save the British economy almost £900million, money that can be put to much better use by the Liberal Democrat and Conservative Ministers in Government"

Opinion: Where do you find the heart and soul of the Liberal Democrats? Liberal Youth

2010-05-29T20:21:00.002+01:00

Why did we join the Liberal Democrats? Because our party is a party of the future. Because our party truly is a promise of more.

Liberal Youth exists to give young people a voice within the party. It gives them training, inspiration and a forum to express their opinions. We need Liberal Youth- we wouldn’t have the national recognition we do without them. Liberal Youth has produced some of the voices that now lead or have led our party and they would not be in the positions they are now without Liberal Youth. It’s no surprise and it’s not hidden that Liberal Youth has policies that are predominantly focused on the issues affecting young people- the Green Liberal Democrats and DELGA both do the same- but It has been said that Liberal Youth “have little to say on policy outside of the tuition fee debate” and to that end, I couldn’t disagree more.

Take the recent spring conference-the most successful in recent times- motions were debated on, amongst others, repealing the abolition of cheques, legalising voluntary euthanasia and a British Space authority. ContactPoint is another Liberal Youth success. At a time when the party nationally didn’t have a policy on this dangerous database, Liberal Youth passed an emergency motion through their spring conference calling for its abolition. Less than four months later, not only did scrapping ContactPoint appear in the party’s General Election Manifesto but also in the coalition agreements.

Liberal Youth is a SAO of the party nationally, and we take that responsibility seriously. We campaign on the issues that matter to us, and if I may say so, do it rather successfully. Yes, we maintain our position on scrapping tuition fees but on so much more as well. We are unafraid of debate and stand up for liberal principles in a way only young people can. We may have made mistakes in the past, our leadership may not have been perfect but we have learnt from every incident, and are moving forward together under the new executive we will elect in the weeks to come.

We remain unparalleled by political youth organisations for our success and unrivalled in our ability to keep working, and fighting in our constituencies and for our campaigns.

Liberal Youth are Liberal Democrats first, and Liberal Youth second. The party will needs us now, and will need us in the future, and through Liberal Youth we improve our ability to work well for the party and take it forward as we enter the uncharted waters of coalition.

Where would Elwyn Watkins be now if a Liberal Youth member hadn’t reported a Labour leaflet to the Straightchoice? Could John Leach have successfully defended his seat if it wasn’t for the tireless work of Liberal Youth Manchester and have you ever seen such a energetic campaign as in Liverpool Wavertree? Who was there? Liberal Youth.

Don’t tell me Liberal Youth has “disappointed” you. Liberal Youth ensures the party campaigns from the grassroots up on issues that put our very liberalism at stake. ContactPoint and ID card are illiberal, extortionate tuition fees and student debt are illiberal and giving backhanders to the nuclear industry is illiberal. We stand in opposition to the loss of liberalism. Liberal Democrats need Liberal Youth because we are the promise that we will remain the party of civil liberties, of fairness and of a greener tomorrow. Liberal Youth has been, and will continue to be a strong and supportive organisation and I have no doubt that we can improve and that we will. Liberal Youth are the future. Liberal Youth are here to stay.

Sarah Harding is 18 and a student. She has been involved with General and Local election campaigns in Southport and Liverpool Wavertree constituencies and is a candidate for Liberal Youth General Executive Member and for Liberal Youth Policy Committee.

Southport MP defends human rights debate

2010-05-27T08:24:00.004+01:00

Southport Liberal Democrat MP, John Pugh, wrote yesterday on the importance of having a debate on Human Rights and, avoiding "assuming these matters are all self-evident and simple".

The full article can be found here, http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-should-liberals-fear-a-review-of-human-rights-legislation-19658.html

The Liberal Democrat Manifesto 2010, said that we would "Ensure that everyone has the same protections under the law by protecting the Human Rights Act" and that "the battle for human rights remains to be fought in many countries".

From battling ContactPoint, to scrapping ID cards and second generation biometric passports, the Liberal Democrats are the only party who believe in freedom, justice, prosperity and human rights for all and we will do all we can to work towards a world where these hopes become reality.

A message from the Home Watch Team

2010-05-20T09:34:00.000+01:00

Your Lib Dem Team have received the following message from the Sefton Crime Prevention Office and Home Watch which we thought we would pass on.

MONEY SECURITY

Between 10th - 18th May there have been six incidents reported where purses, handbags and credit cards have been taken.

A few extra precautions could avoid members of the public becoming a victim of this type of crime:

* Ensure you take your card out of a cash point after completing a transaction.
* Keep handbags with you at all times
* Do not leave your handbags on trolleys at supermarkets
* Avoid placing handbags on the floor when at cafes, restaurants,pubs or nightclubs
* Check on the underside of tables particularly at outdoor cafes for a clip. It is there for you to use to keep your handbag safe.
* At check outs keep your handbag with you. Do not leave it unattended on the conveyor or the counter.
* When walking, particularly in a crowded place, keep the clasp of your bag towards your body to avoid your purse
being taken.

AGM

A date for your diary.The AGM will be held on Tuesday JUNE 8th at The Family Life Centre on Ash Street. The doors will be open at 6.30 p.m. the meeting will start at 7 p.m.

The guest speaker will be the new Chief Constable Mr Jon Murphy. Your Neighbourhood Inspectors, the Crime Prevention Officers and Trading Standards Officers will also be present to answer your questions.

The meeting is open to the general public as well as members. We would like a good attendance at this important meeting so please come along with your friends and neighbours.

For more details please contact the
Crime Reduction Officers on :- 0151 777 3458 or email.....   kevin.kehoe@merseyside.police.uk
Home Watch Margaret Jepson 0151 777 3419 or email....   margaret.jepson@merseyside.police.uk

Local Campaigner meets Secretary of State for Scotland

2010-05-18T16:55:00.001+01:00

Local Cambridge Ward Campaigner, Sarah Harding met and spoke at length with Danny Alexander MP, the Liberal Democrat Secretary of State for Scotland at the recent special conference in Birmingham.
Sarah explained "It was great to speak to a member of the government who is also a Liberal Democrat. Danny explained how he wants to work with the Scottish Assembly.
Danny, who was part of the Lib Dem negotiating team encouraged Sarah in her moves to be elected to the General Executive of the Liberal Youth movement.

Standing Ovation for Nick

2010-05-18T14:10:00.001+01:00

A standing ovation welcomed Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg as he came to the stage at the end of the special conference in Birmingham on Sunday.

Nick said "It is five days since I accepted the position of Deputy Prime Minister. Just five days, and we now know there will be no ID cards, no third runway at Heathrow, no more fingerprinting in schools without parents’ consent, no more child detention.

“Changes Liberal Democrats have spent months, years, campaigning for, are happening. “Promises we were making to people on their doorsteps just a few weeks ago are becoming realities.

“Fair taxes. The income tax threshold is now going to rise to £10,000. That is this Government’s priority, not tax cuts for millionaires.

“The best start at school for every child. Extra money is now going to be targeted to pupils who need it most. That is a huge leap in creating a truly mobile society.

“A new, sustainable economy. The banks are going to be taxed, the bonus culture is going to be cracked.

“And instead of pinning all our hopes on financial wizardry in the City of London we’ll build a new economy where we rediscover our talents for building and making things again, with green industry given new prominence as we head towards a zero-carbon future.

“New politics.

“Fixed term parliaments – happening.

“The power of recall to get rid of corrupt MPs – happening.

“A clean up of party funding, a clamp down on lobbying in Parliament, an elected House of Lords – all happening.

“Our Freedom Bill is going to come off our leaflets and go onto the statute book, ending gross state intrusion into people’s every day lives.

“Patients, parents, communities are all going to have a much greater say over the decisions that affect them.

“And voting reform is going to be put to the British people, in a referendum in which Liberal Democrats will fight to deliver real change.

“I know the stakes are high – for me personally, as well as the party. “But I came into politics to change things, and that means taking risks. “Real, big change never comes easy.

“So it would simply be wrong for us to let this chance of real change pass us by. “The chance to transform politics, the chance to hardwire fairness into our society, the chance to change Britain for good.”

I agree with Nick !

Back from Birmingham

2010-05-18T14:00:00.000+01:00

Its been a pretty frantic fortnight and to tell you the truth I'm only just getting my head around the idea of the Liberal Democrats being in coalition government with the Conservatives. I've had a number of conversations with senior party officials and from what I can gather it was the only option open to us as a party. Labour, I am told by our negotiators, had no intention of working with us to form a government and to be honest we had said that we would work with the party that had the largest mandate and although not overwhelming that was clearly the Conservatives.

I do have some concerns regarding the spending cuts and the impact these may have on residents in Southport but with Vince Cable MP and David Laws MP batting for the Lib Dems, I hope that any action taken will not be a knee jerk reaction.

Anyway with that in mind I went to Birmingham on Sunday to the "Special Conference" and am pictured with other representatives from Southport including local party chair Nigel Ashton.

The feeling at the NEC was electric and despite concerns of splits in the party and hostility to the leadership this just did't happen. Andrew Stunell MP, Vince Cable MP and Nick Clegg all received standing ovations from the gathered party members.

Thanks and Thanks again

2010-05-18T13:55:00.000+01:00

Its been a while since I last posted and for that I am sorry but I'm back in the saddle again (as it were) and am keen to keep you all up to date with actions/stories and perhaps a little gossip!

I would like to send my sincere congratulations to John Pugh for winning in Southport again. Whilst campaigning over the last 6 months, a large number of people have been keen to tell me and the team what a good MP John has been for Southport, working hard both here and in Westminster for everyone in Southport. I think this commitment to the town has been repaid by the resident who voted for him in with an increased majority.

I have also been returned as your Councillor and I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who voted for me. I really appreciate your support and hope that I can continue to work for everybody over the next 4 years. I have some ideas and plans for things I want to do so watch this space.