1. Vince Cable Says Build More Houses

2. Local Authority Pension Funds For Homes

The Representation of the People Act 1832 was brought in by the Whigs, led by the Prime Minister Lord Grey, to do away with “rotten boroughs” with very small populations and increase the size of the electorate from about 500,000 to 813,000. In a population of about 14 million one in six of the male population could now vote. After several Representation of the People Acts increasing the electorate, still only 60% of the male population could vote until 1918 and no women. Because of the unfairness of men being required to fight for their country in the First World War and not being able to vote the 1918 Representation of the People Act enfranchised all men 21 and over and also all women 30 and over. The quoted reason why there was a higher age for women is they would significantly outnumber men if they also could vote at 21 because of the men lost in the war.

Nowadays both men and women can vote at 18 but regretably in local elections only around 30% take up that right which was so hard fought. So, roughly effectively the percentage voting is back to around pre-1918 levels when there was such a public outcry the people’s views were not represented. The 70% who do not vote are still not represented – at least locally. Our belief is many do not vote because they do not believe their views and wishes will actually happen – there will be no representation of the people for all the Acts and fine words.

Under the present Worthing Borough Council Cabinet system they may well be right as any councillor not in the Cabinet has little chance to influence a decision and their representation of the people’s views is so often summarily ignored. This includes members of the Cabinet’s own party who often grumble privately but still loyally vote as a block without dissension the Cabinet decisions through – regardless of how it affects the people they represent.

County Council used to be different as County Councillors are better empowered to represent the people’s views and influence decisions with many decisions delegated down to a local level. When Worthing’s school safety schemes were threatened with Tory cuts some years ago arguments put forward by Broadwater Lib Dem Councillor Alan Rice in County Council were heeded by the then Leader Henry Smith and all safety schemes were reinstated. Alan was able to truly represent his Broadwater residents’ views on the school safety schemes for St Andrews, Springfield and Bramber schools.

We say ‘used to be different’ as we have become increasingly aware on the delegated County Local Committee (CLC) level there is an attempt to sideline the Councillors ability to represent their people. Worthing Liberal Democrats no longer have the majority or hold the balance on the CLC and the new double-hatted Tory members seem to have brought their Worthing Borough habits with them. They shrug their shoulders when it is pointed out to them decisions other than made by the CLC appear to be being made behind closed doors and the views of the people they represent are being ignored.

A case in point at the moment is the use of County highways funds needed for school safety schemes, 20 mph zones in residential areas and other vital highways work thoughout the Borough seem all now to be destined towards paving Montague Street. No decision has been made by the CLC to that effect but Worthing Town Centre Initiative seems certain that is the case as it was announced on Splash FM earlier this week. Perhaps our Tory friends in line with their Borough habits will nod it through at the next CLC without seeking to fulfil the expressed wishes of their residents for their patch.

We do support the repaving of Montague Street but not at the cost of losing our peoples’ priorities. There are other ways to finance the repaving without robbing the meagre West Sussex highways pot.

Worthing Liberal Democrats stand by their record on expressing their residents’ views and will continue to do so – we truly aspire to Representation of the People.

Sunday 28th July – Vince Cable said today on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show he would prefer building more houses than the new “Help to Buy” mortgage scheme. Building more houses chimes with Worthing Liberal Democrats push to do the same in Worthing. The Tories say nothing can be done as Worthing is trapped between the Downs and the Sea but Worthing Lib Dems do not have such tunnel vision and are determinded to get new homes for Worthing built as soon as possible. Vince said the real problem in the housing market was lack of supply. House building, at the rate of about 100,000 new starts a year, was “hopelessly inadequate” and there was “a chronic deficit of social housing in particular.” The Lib Dems would be calling for councils to build more housing at their party conference in the autumn.

Worthing Borough Council Leader of the Lib Dem Group Alan Rice said: “Once again Vince Cable has shown his prowess at hitting the nail on the head and addressing the real concerns of the people. People in Worthing are desperate for new homes and Worthing Lib Dems are determined to do all they can do to help meet that need.”