Conservatives at Essex County Council have rejected a call to increase recycling targets across Essex. At a meeting of the council yesterday (17 July), the Liberal Democrats group proposed that the council sets ambitious and firm recycling targets, which the Conservatives voted against.
At today's Prime Minister's Questions Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Ming Campbell tackled Gordon Brown over yesterday's Rowntree report on inequality. He highlighted that the report had said that the gap between rich and poor is as wide as it has been for 40 years. "How does the Prime Minister propose to deal with this unfairness?" he asked. Pointing out that people earning less than £18,500 a year pay more tax as a result of Mr Brown's last budget, he asked the Prime Minister why he didn't close the loophole on tax for the very rich and use that to support those on low and middle incomes: "Why not legislate for the many and not the few?"
This year's DELGA AGM date has been set for Lancing 3 room of the Holiday Inn, Brighton, at 8pm on Sunday 16 September. All current members of DELGA paid up to date at the time will be most welcome.
Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats have repeated their calls for the unfair council tax to be scrapped and replaced by a fair system of local taxation based on the ability to pay. The calls follow comments from the North East Bedfordshire Conservative MP in which he said of his party that it will merely be "watching carefully" while the Labour Government continues to increase the financial pressure on local residents via the unfair and discredited council tax.
Rochdale MP Paul Rowen has condemned Oldham Labour Councillors for being prepared to see Rochdale, Milnrow and Newhey lose out from vital Metrolink funding. Rochdale Council has written to Oldham Council with their concerns and Mr Rowen has challenged Labour Minister Phil Woolas MP to 'distance himself from his colleagues' position.'
Tim Farron MP is campaigning to improve the safety of the A595 at the level crossing by Foxfield near Broughton-in-Furness. This stretch of road is one of the most dangerous in the local area having seen 14 accidents in the last 3 years, with 3 serious accidents requiring an Air Ambulance in the last 9 months alone.
