Heather Kidd - Liberal Democrat Campaigner for Ludlow & Bridgnorth
The 2010 General Election was not quite what anyone expected. No one won. The coalition is not now so much of an unknown quantity. Liberal Democrat policy is determined by the membership at National Conference. The Liberal Democrats offered a manifesto to the British people in May and unfortunately we were not given a mandate to implement it.
What we have now is a coalition government where, whether we like it or not, we are the junior partners. There are some areas of current government policy where Liberal Democrat policy is being implemented. I could cite such things as reducing income tax for the lowest earners, raising pensions, deferring the replacement of Trident, investing in the green economy and increased support for nursery schooling. There are other areas of the current government policy that I believe are quite wrong, and do not deliver for many people in Ludlow Constituency AND I shall continue to speak out on those issues. Amongst these I would mention not just student tuition fees, but free schools, Academies, the creeping privatisation of the NHS and cuts in housing benefits and house building.
We need to continue to be clear about what we stand for as Liberal Democrats, and at the next election we shall once more offer a manifesto to the British people. It is then up to the voters to decide whether they want our policies or not.
Shropshire schools are well known to be more poorly funded than nearly all schools in other parts of the Country. All extra funding is important in delivering good quality education across Shropshire.
"This year Lib Dem policy will mean that Worthen School will receive an extra pupil premium payment of around £4,800 on top of their budget for children receiving free School meals. Hope School will receive £4,200 and Mary Webb in Pontesbury will benefit by £46,800!" Said Cllr Heather Kidd. "I am delighted that many of the schools in my area will gain. Every penny counts for Shropshire Schools."
Heather Kidd, Lib Dem Councillor for Chirbury and Worthen has slammed the British Telecom for its abject failure to reconnect most of the hamlet of Brockton, Lower Down and Bury Ditches near Bishops Castle after their phones had been off line for more than a week. She is covering the area while a new Councillor is elected and was alerted to this by Charlotte Barnes.
In his keynote speech to the Liberal Democrat Conference, Party Leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has outlined his goals for the Government and the country over the coming years. He reiterated his commitment to liberal values on the environment and human rights and his determination to ensure a fair chance for every child, saying "every child can do good things, great things, if only we give them the opportunities they deserve."
Cllr Nigel Hartin, (Clun) Leader of the Lib Dems on Shropshire Council has slammed the Council for its failure to secure funding from Central Government to expand broadband provision in the County.
"This is the second occasion that they have failed to secure the necessary grants fromWestminsterto bringShropshireup the same standard as the rest of country.Shropshirerelies on its small and medium size enterprises it keep its economy healthy and they are currently operation under a major disadvantage in many parts of the county due to a poor broadband connection!"
Chirbury and Worthen Councillor Heather Kidd has hit out at Shropshire Council for spending an additional thousands of pounds on i-pads for Councillors in addition to the laptops already provided.
Heather said "In a time of austerity when Council services are being cut back and even the low paid are being forced to take a pay cut, it is outrageous that the Council Administration proposes to blow so much money on items that are unnecessary and see little use."
When the coalition decided that public sector pay should be frozen but the low paid- those earning less than £21, 000 - should get a £250 rise, I thought that stood the fairness test in good stead. When fuel, heating and food costs are rising it is only right to protect those with a low income. In our part ofShropshireaverage pay stands at around £22,000. This puts many of those inSouth Shropshireon low incomes.
Liberal Democrats on Shropshire Council have expressed their anger at the Conservative Administration for refusing to protect our low paid staff. The Coalition Government has made it clear that those earning under £21,000 should be protected and even have a small pay rise.
Lib Dem Leader, Cllr Nigel Hartin, said "The Council even wants to take 5.4% from those on £13,400 a year. How are these people going to manage when fuel, heating and food are all increasing beyond their reach?
Today, Friday , a follow up meeting took place to try to improve ambulance response times across rural south West Shropshire and much of Montgomeryshire. The reconfiguration of the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and the Princess Royal has brought the often poor response times of ambulances into sharp focus. Today Shropshire campaigners expressed delight at the progress made since their March meeting. Those attending included the West Midlands Ambulance service, Shropshire PCT, the Hospital Trust and GP representative, Cllr Heather Kidd, Cllr Nigel Hartin and new Regional Welsh Assembly Member, William Powell.
" We've made some excellent progress in todays talks with a much closer working relationship now beginning to pay dividends. They are all working hard on the issue and should have some concrete agreements in the next few weeks" said long time ambulance campaigner Cllr Heather Kidd, whose daughter waited 35 minutes for an ambulance 3 years ago whilst having a serious asthma attack.
Nigel Hartin, councillor for Clun said " This has also brought politicians from both sides of the border together to improve things for Welsh and English patients alike. If this work means that more lives are saved then we will have really achieved something for our very rural areas."
Councillors across South Shropshire have expressed out rage at a statements made by Shropshire's Portfolio for Toilets in the press about the costs incurred by parish councils in taking them on this month.
Clee Councillor Richard Huffer said "This is a blatant distortion of the reality of the situation. Town and Parish councils were told bluntly take them over by 1st April or Shropshire Council will close them. Communities like Clee and Craven Arms who didn't have the resources to pay for them have seen them close whilst others have had to raise their precepts to pay for them. Effectively this is putting up the council tax by the back door.
Councillors across South Shropshire have expressed out rage at a statements made by Shropshire's Portfolio for Toilets in the press about the costs incurred by parish councils in taking them on this month.
Clee Councillor Richard Huffer said "This is a blatant distortion of the reality of the situation. Town and Parish councils were told bluntly take them over by 1st April or Shropshire Council will close them. Communities like Clee and Craven Arms who didn't have the resources to pay for them have seen them close whilst others have had to raise their precepts to pay for them. Effectively this is putting up the council tax by the back door.
