News « Cotswolds Liberal Democrats

You’re hired! – 55% increase in Cotswolds apprenticeships welcomed

By Cotswolds LibDems, on February 22nd, 2012

The number of young people in the Cotswolds given new hope by apprenticeship schemes has seen an increase of 55% to 540 over the past year.

Joe cyber cafe Youre hired! 55% increase in Cotswolds apprenticeships welcomed

Cllr Joe Harris (3rd from left) with young people at the Cirencester Cyber Cafe where he has been volunteering.

Figures have just been released by the Local Government Association at the end of ‘National Apprentice Week 2012’.

With UK youth employment recently topping 1 million, Liberal Democrat Business Secretary Vince Cable has overseen a dramatic rise in the number of applicants which rose nationally last year to 457,000.

Cllr Paul Hodgkinson (Churn Valley), Leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition group on Cotswold District Council, said: “This is very good news indeed for young people in the Cotswolds and we are delighted that local companies are embracing the scheme so enthusiastically.”

The £250 million initiative pays £1,500 for each new apprentice taken on by small businesses employing fewer than 50 staff.

Mr Cable said: “We have to fundamentally alter the relationship between employers and the state – giving employers the space and opportunity for greater ownership of the vocational skills agenda, including the chance to bid for direct control of public funds.

“This will encourage greater competition in the market as we strive for sustainable growth.”

Across the South West as a whole, the number of new apprenticeships last year was just under 50,000 – a rise of 41% over the previous year.

Cllr Hodgkinson said: “It is encouraging that the Cotswolds is running well ahead of the regional average. We are in a traditionally low wage area and anything that can be done to give our young people first class training that will launch them into successful careers is tremendously encouraging.

“I am proud that Liberal Democrats in government are driving this initiative forward.”

Among teenagers in the Cotswolds considering applying for an apprenticeship is Cllr Joe Harris (Park), who became the West’s youngest district councillor in last May’s local elections.

Lib Dem Joe, who recently turned 19, said: “I decided against going on to university straight after leaving school but, having got involved in local politics, I may turn to a apprenticeship to further my skills in a particular trade.”

“I believe the scheme provides hope for young people at a time when the economic outlook is bleak and I intend to spend the next few months looking around for the right sort of scheme.”

Cotswold Tories love Lib Dem website

By Cotswolds LibDems, on February 16th, 2012

A Conservative councillor on Cotswold District Council has complimented our website today and is urging his Party to copy it in an attempt to achieve some better results next year.

David Broad, Conservative member for Chedworth, praised the new-look Cotswolds Liberal Democrats website saying,

“Good website by the way. I’m lobbying hard for Cotswold Conservatives to launch something similar ready for the GCC elections.”

CDC Lib Dem Group Leader Cllr Paul Hodgkinson said, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! We thank the councillor for his comments and are delighted with the great response from Cotswolds residents to our website and presence on Twitter and Facebook.”

Lib Dems Call For Councillors to Declare Secret Society Membership

By Cotswolds LibDems, on February 13th, 2012

Liberal Democrats acting upon the findings of an independent review conducted by Graham Garbutt into the Cotswold Water Park last month are calling for all councillors to say publicly whether they are members of secret societies like the Freemasons.

An Interim oral report presented to Gloucestershire County Council’s Audit Committee on the 19^th January indicated concerning failures in the council’s systems and procedures. The report showed confusion into what officers of the council and elected members need to declare in terms of known interests or memberships to secret societies.

Liberal Democrat County Group Leader Councillor Jeremy Hilton said: “This report has highlighted some serious concerns. I am therefore calling for it to be made a standard procedure that both officers and all elected members have a duty to declare that they are or have been members of secret societies like the Freemasons. Graham Garbutt’s report brings to light the need for more transparency and tighter scrutiny procedures within Shire Hall. In my view this needs to start happening now.”

Tory funds channelled through CDC – call on council to stop processing Conservative association subscriptions

By Cotswolds LibDems, on February 5th, 2012

Spending files released by Cotswold District Council after months of delay have revealed that Tory councillors are breaking party rules by having their subscriptions to a political organisation channelled through the council.

CDC paid £750 to the Conservative Councillors Association on behalf of 25 Conservative councillors who each had their £30 annual subscriptions deducted from their council allowances.

This is in direct contravention of guidelines sent out by Conservative Deputy Chairman Bob Neill MP banning the practice on the grounds that it gives the wrong impression to taxpayers.

The information only came to light after CDC belatedly posted three months data on its website despite instructions to all councils from Local Government Secretary, Eric Pickles, to publish no later than 30 days after the end of each month.

Cllr Paul Hodgkinson (Churn Valley), leader of the council’s Liberal Democrat opposition, said; “The principle that council officers must be seen . . . → Read More: Tory funds channelled through CDC – call on council to stop processing Conservative association subscriptions

Future of Cotswold post offices secured

By Cotswolds LibDems, on February 3rd, 2012

Cllr Paul Hodgkinson (Churn Valley), opposition group leader at Cotswold District Council, has welcomed moves by the Liberal Democrat Postal Affairs Minister, Edward Davey, to secure the future of the Post Office under a 10-year deal which will give certainty to local postmasters.

The Coalition Government has secured long-term arrangements between the Post Office and Royal Mail before the two are separated under controversial privatisation plans.

The move – just announced – has been widely welcomed by sub-postmasters because it will give them the confidence to make long-term investments in their businesses.

Cllr Hodgkinson commented: “This is a tremendously good result for sub-postmasters in the Cotswolds and it has to be good news for everyone in the district, especially those who rely upon village post offices which could well have been threatened if this deal had not been done.”

“This has protected the Cotswolds from the sort of devastating . . . → Read More: Future of Cotswold post offices secured

Follow the Leader!

By Cotswolds LibDems, on January 23rd, 2012

Leader of the Cotswold District Council Liberal Democrats, Cllr Paul Hodgkinson (Churn Valley), has joined Twitter:

“I think it’s important to keep as many people as possible informed of what you’re doing. Cllr Joe Harris has been on Twitter for well over a year now and had lots of feedback from residents and others, as has our Cotswold Liberal Democrat Twitter account.”

Twitter was extremely successful in keeping the public up-to-date with the happenings at Cllr Jenkins’ hearing last week.

Liberal Democrats on Twitter are:

Cllr Paul Hodgkinson (CDC Group Leader) Cllr Joe Harris (CDC & Ciren TC) Cllr John Hughes (CDC & Ciren TC) Cllr Esmond Jenkins (CDC) Cllr Shane Poole (CDC & Ciren TC)

Click on each name to take you to their pages.

. . . → Read More: Follow the Leader!

Anti-corruption councillor lives to fight another day

By Cotswolds LibDems, on January 21st, 2012

Yesterday, Cllr Esmond Jenkins – Cotswolds anti-corruption campaigner and Liberal Democrat councillor – was cleared of all but a small number of complaints which had been fired at him by a property developer and Cotswold District Council’s planning manager.

Cllr Jenkins (left) is asked for his reactions by the press after the hearing announced its decision

Mike Evemy, Chair of the Cotswolds Liberal Democrats made this statement in reaction: “The Standards Committee’s decision shows that Esmond Jenkins has fought for local residents robustly but fairly to uncover the truth surrounding Keynes Country Park. The attempts to smear his character by a major developer and the Council’s own Head of Planning have utterly failed. Cotswold District Council has wasted thousands of pounds of council taxpayers’ money on this vindictive attack on a councillor who stood up for the people who elected him and challenged the cosy relationship between council planners . . . → Read More: Anti-corruption councillor lives to fight another day

CDC under fire over Chief Executive’s comments on complaints against Cllr Esmond Jenkins

By Cotswolds LibDems, on January 10th, 2012

Councillor insists on right to cross-examine his accusers

Cllr Esmond Jenkins

Cotswold Liberal Democrats demanded an explanation this week over controversial comments made by CDC Chief Executive David Neudegg only days before Cllr Esmond Jenkins faces a series of complaints over his conduct.

Lib Dem group leader, Cllr Paul Hodgkinson (Churn Valley) accused the Council of launching an orchestrated media campaign which could prejudice the four dayhearing scheduled for next week.

He said: “The fact that the Chief Executive, who has been summoned as a witness, has spoken out criticising Cllr Jenkins in the media makes this a very serious matter indeed.

“There is a real danger that officers are straying over the line into political comment and activity.”

Cllr Jenkins (Water Park) said: “I am astonished that David Neudegg has seen fit to make these statements because I had already notified the council that I . . . → Read More: CDC under fire over Chief Executive’s comments on complaints against Cllr Esmond Jenkins

Protesters take to the streets against 24/7 parking charges

By Cotswolds LibDems, on January 2nd, 2012

A protest against the new parking charges in Cirencester’s Brewery Car Park took place today, Sunday 8 January.

Protesters took to the streets to show their anger at the new 24/7 charges

Cotswolds Liberal Democrats and local residents challenged the New Year parking hike by taking to the streets and alerting drivers to the new charges.

Cotswold District Council’s Lib Dem group have campaigned against recent price rises and attempts to extend parking charges to Sundays and night time in local authority car parks in Cirencester and other towns in the district.

Group leader, Cllr Paul Hodgkinson (Churn Valley), said: “There has been a spectacular lack of vision by the controlling Conservative group on the Council which has seen the motorist as an easy way of raising revenue without considering the drastic impact on local businesses that are already struggling because of the recession.

“We have been reminding motorists . . . → Read More: Protesters take to the streets against 24/7 parking charges

New Year Message from Cllr Paul Hodgkinson, Leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Cotswold District Council

By Cotswolds LibDems, on December 29th, 2011

Cllr Paul Hodgkinson (Churn Valley), Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Cotswold District Council, has issued this New Year message for the Cotswolds.

“At the end of a year in which Cotswold District Council has been constantly in the headlines for all the wrong reasons (including two Private Eye ‘Rotten Boroughs’ awards) it is clear that we cannot allow 2012 to carry on in the same manner.

The Liberal Democrat opposition went into 2011 with an open and genuine offer to the Conservative administration to emulate party co-operation at national level in a bid to work together in the interests of the district. That offer was ignored and we have had to fight hard to mitigate the results of some very poor decision making by a Cabinet that is often out-of-touch with the reality of life for local . . . → Read More: New Year Message from Cllr Paul Hodgkinson, Leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Cotswold District Council

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