By Cotswolds LibDems, on March 16th, 2012 A letter has been sent by a Cotswold councillor calling for the Chancellor’s Budget to help those who are struggling in the current economic climate.
Cllr Paul Hodgkinson (Churn Valley), Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Cotswold District Council, has joined other Council Group Leaders from across the country in calling on the Chancellor to make helping those on low and middle incomes a priority in the Budget next week.
In a jointly written letter, Cllr Hodgkinson urges the Chancellor to move further and faster on raising the Income Tax threshold so that ordinary working people do not pay income tax on the first £10,000 they earn. This will ensure more than 2.5m people will be lifted out of paying tax all together and giving millions £60 back in their pockets each month – meaning real help for people on lower incomes.
Cllr Hodgkinson said: “In these difficult . . . → Read More: Call for tax cut for Cotswolds families
By Cotswolds LibDems, on March 14th, 2012 You may not know it, but in your black bin there’s a tiny microchip in the lid.
These chips were inserted four years ago and little has been said about them, nor it seems has much been done with them.
Cllr Paul Hodgkinson (Churn Valley) therefore submitted the following question to the CDC Council Meeting recently:
Cllr Paul Hodgkinson to Cllr Fowles:
‘In 2008 when the new waste service was introduced, your administration endorsed the decision to insert microchips into every resident’s black bin at a cost of £40,000. In subsequent years I have asked your predecessor for what purpose the chips have been used – answers have varied from ‘monitoring the performance of the bin contractors’ to ‘being ready for any pay as you throw legislation’.
Now, four years later, can you please confirm:
-how many time the chips have been used and for what purpose?
-what . . . → Read More: Expensive bin chips never used
By Cotswolds LibDems, on March 11th, 2012 The Liberal Democrat councillor at the forefront of the campaign to expose wrongdoing in the Cotswold Water Park will be asking detectives to probe allegations of a cover-up at Gloucestershire County Council following revelations that vital documentary evidence has vanished.
The report by Professor Graham Garbutt into the affair disclosed that “a file or perhaps a set of files relating to the Water Park is apparently missing from the property services record.”
Cllr Esmond Jenkins
Cllr Esmond Jenkins, who represents the Water Park ward on Cotswold District Council said: “I am appalled that important documentary evidence that could shed light on the affair has now vanished into thin air.
Professor Garbutt’s report affirms the concerns in the Water Park that the KCP disposal should never have been consented to by GCC officers.
Cllr Jenkins said: “When we challenged these people they went to extraordinary lengths to cover up and failed to observe Council rules in . . . → Read More: Reaction to Water Park report
By Cotswolds LibDems, on March 9th, 2012 The proposal to stop the 24/7 charges at the Brewery Car Park was voted down by CDC Conservatiives
At last week’s Cotswold District Council meeting, the Lib Dems tabled two amendments to the Conservative budget proposals, promising to reverse the new 24/7 parking charges at the Brewery Car Park in Cirencester and to address the housing crisis in the Cotswolds.
Cllr Paul Hodgkinson (Churn Valley), Lib Dem Group Leader announced the amendments, “We have listened to the voices of Cotswolds residents and businesses to prepare two budget amendments that reflect their needs and wishes, whilst being fully costed through savings which can be made by cutting bureaucracy.”
“This is a forward-looking budget inspired by the people of the Cotswolds. We have identified areas where savings can be made and the money used in a better way to help those who really need our help – our residents.”
“We believe . . . → Read More: Budget for families and business rejected by CDC Conservatives
By Cotswolds LibDems, on March 8th, 2012 Lord Tyler
The discredited government quango that spent £63,000 investigating Cotswold District Councillor Esmond Jenkins was criticised by a Government minister in the House of Lords yesterday.
Standards for England will be abolished this summer but Baroness Hanham, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Communities and Local Government told the House: “The Standards Board regime actively encouraged vexatious complaints, often for political point-scoring.
“Councillors were often put through a lengthy investigation process before the matter was resolved. A councillor should not be found to be in breach of the code of conduct if, in highlighting fraud, waste or incompetence, they do so in a proper way.”
She was answering questions from Liberal Democrat Peer, Lord Tyler, who claimed that Cllr Jenkins was “pursued” to the Board with a series of conduct complaints after he had blown the whistle . . . → Read More: Cllr Esmond Jenkins case raised in House of Lords
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.
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 . . . → Read More: You’re hired! – 55% increase in Cotswolds apprenticeships welcomed
By Cotswolds LibDems, on February 16th, 2012 Cllr David Broad loves our website!
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.”
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 19th 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 . . . → Read More: Lib Dems Call For Councillors to Declare Secret Society Membership
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
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
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