According to Henry Bolton, the Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Runnymede & Weybridge, there is a real need to introduce a pension that ends means testing for the oldest pensioners and removes discrimination against women. He says, "Women should be entitled to a pension in their own right. The LibDems would address this immediately once in power."
A Unite/Mori student survey carried out in January 2004 on voting intentions gives the Lib Dems a leading share of 34%, with Labour on 28% and the Tories third on 19%. Students will have a major impact in 2005, as the elections are expected during the university year, on May 5, unlike in 2001 when the elections fell during the holiday period.
Commenting on the launch of an online map to tell homeowners about flooding risks in England and Wales, Norman Baker MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment Secretary, said:
Liberal Democrat Leader Charles Kennedy today launched the Liberal Democrat Pre-manifesto - the first important stage in the manifesto process, which will take the Party into the General Election.
Under new Liberal Democrat proposals police chiefs would sign contracts with local communities setting out how many officers they would deploy. The "minimum policing guarantees" would set funding levels for local police for a rolling three-year period. The guarantees are part of the party's new plans to tackle crime. The plans include using money earmarked for the government's ID card plan to hire an extra 10,000 front line police and 20,000 community support officers.
Surrey Liberal Democrats have unveiled a full slate of 81 candidates across every division in Surrey to take on the Conservative-administration at County Hall in May's elections - the only opposition party to do so. Cllr Hazel Watson, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council, said today: "I am delighted that we are fielding such a strong set of candidates for the County Council elections in May. We need a fresh start in Surrey and an end to the 'crisis management' at County Hall, which has resulted in the 15% council tax fiasco, £123m of cuts to services, 'gentleman's agreements', secret recordings and leaked text messages, all of which saw Surrey in the newspapers and TV bulletins for all the wrong reasons. Liberal Democrats led the successful campaign to stop the 15% council tax increase proposed by the Conservative administration at County Hall. We will continue to oppose any future attempts to impose such a large council tax increase on Surrey residents. "Liberal Democrat candidates acro
Liberal Democrat county councillors in Surrey are delighted that following a question in the House of Lords by Lib Dem Environment spokesperson Baroness Kate Parminter, it has again been confirmed that DIY waste should be disposed of for free.
Liberal Democrats have condemned proposals for Surrey County Council to dramatically increase its property investment portfolio of commercial buildings , whilst at the same time removing the opportunity for scrutiny before decisions are taken. Currently, proposals to purchase commercial properties are brought before the county council's Cabinet for decision, albeit in private, whereas under the new arrangements the Cabinet would receive information on purchases after the decision has been taken.
Liberal Democrat councillors have strongly criticised the Conservative-run County Council's plans to axe millions from essential services for Surrey residents, which were finally revealed today.
Commenting on the news that Cllr David Hodge has unilaterally given notice for Surrey County Council to leave the Local Government Association (LGA) in a year's time, Cllr Hazel Watson, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council, said today: "I am appalled by this decision. The Local Government Association is the key organisation within local government which enables the county council to lobby central government and make its case for resources and funding. The LGA has helped Surrey to save money, enabling the county council to recover millions of pounds back after the Icelandic banking crash. The county council needs a voice at the top table and this short sighted move takes that voice away. Only three councils in the country are not members of the LGA, so we are moving from the membership of a large and influential group to an isolated position on the fringes. "Cllr Hodge should have consulted widely within the county council before even considering such a rash and intemperate move. Yet again
Conservative-run Surrey County Council has been forced to release a damaging financial report which warned in December 2016 that a 15% council tax referendum was "highly likely to fail". The report, produced by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy (CIPFA), cost nearly £25,000 and was commissioned in December but was only released to councillors on March 21st 2017, six weeks after the Council's budget meeting. The report states "In CIPFA's view a referendum is highly likely to fail" and goes on to note that the Council's financial position is "extremely worrying" and "the absence of a credible cost-reduction plan", and that "The council's financial plans are not robust and it is at risk of becoming financially unsustainable". It concludes that the council's financial resilience is "dependant on winning a referendum process, high levels of unidentified savings and rapidly declining reserves - not a good place!". Cllr Hazel Watson, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council,
