Worthing Liberal Democrats Weekly Newsletter – 13th to 19th October 2013

Leader: Flattered

News this past week:

1. Japanese Knotweed Invades Council Chamber

2. Beach Chalet Debate Rejected

3. Theatres Losing Another £1000 Plus Per Day?

4. Inside Knowledge On Splashpoint Pool Defects

5. Tories Wake Up To Teville Gate

6. Worthing To Lose More Millions On Car Parking

7. UK Needs An Anti-Trafficking Commissioner

8. South East Region Autumn Conference Hailed A Success

WORTHING LIBERAL DEMOCRATS NEWSLETTER

13TH TO 19TH OCTOBER 2013

Lib Dems will keep County services local where ever possible
Lib Dems will devolve more money to be spent locally and allow residents to decide how it’s spent
Lib Dems will ensure vulnerable people are safeguarded and support 20 mph in Worthing’s residential roads

Leader: Flattered

Danny Alexander at yesterday’s South East Liberal Democrat Autumn Regional Conference referred to the Tories recent promise to raise the threshold before paying income tax to £12,500 as “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” At least this time the Tories are taking up Lib Dem policies before they are forced to do so in Government to accomodate their Lib Dem Coalition partners.

The Conservative Party website headlines with “Income Tax cut for 25 million people” but conveniently forgets this was a Lib Dem promise from April 2009 and was on the front page of the Lib Dem 2010 manifesto. In fact in the televised debates before the election David Cameron turned to Nick Clegg and said: “I would love to to take everyone out of the first £10,000 of income tax Nick …. we cannot afford it.” It now is on the front page of the Tory “In Touch” being delivered in Worthing.

In Worthing we are used to having our ideas and our credit stolen by the Tories – now it has become a national pastime. Just to give you the heads up for the next few steals – let’s look at the old landfill site north of Brooklands, housing and Teville Gate.

(a) for years we have tried to bring the old landfill site back into public use – it is currently fenced off with signs forbidding public access. We first raised this a few years ago as a potential site for new allotments in response to demand – we were told the site couldn’t be used because of toxic waste and voids (the ground would collapse because of buried cars). Then on the advice of Transition Town Worthing we suggested an orchard – again refused because of the toxins. So on the advice of The Woodland Trust we suggested planting a new woodland – but again received a negative response. Yet we now understand the Tories have suddenly discovered this community asset and will soon reveal plans to bring the land back into use. We are flattered.

(b) in February we suggested ways to ease the housing waiting list by releasing funds to build new properties. Our amendment to the budget to underwrite new homes was rejected and time and time again Cabinet Members have stated there is no land and no money. Yet we understand the Tories have found the money and the land for up to 525 properties. We are flattered again.

(c) we suggested the use of local authority pension funds to finance new properties – we now understand this is under active discussion. Once more we are flattered.

(d) Teville Gate – the Tories said time and time again nothing could be done to get this moving and rejected everyone of our suggestions. Strangely Leader of the Council Paul Yallop at the Tuesday’s council meeting changed his mind. We are overcome with this further outburst of flattery.

Perhaps the Tories would like to tell us when and where they next need a good idea and we’ll be happy to oblige.

Flattery gets you everywhere.

Worthing Liberal Democrats

JAPANESE KNOTWEED INVADES COUNCIL CHAMBER

Tuesday 15th October – Gaisford resident John Clark has raised concerns with Worthing Borough Council for some years over the presence of Japanese Knotweed and Giant Hogweed on council land without success. Following up Mr Clark’s fears Worthing Lib Dem Leader asked the Cabinet Member for Environment Clive Roberts at the previous Full Council whether he was aware of the invasive species on council land – Cllr Roberts stated he was not aware. Mr Clark raised the Cabinet Member’s awareness tonight by bringing in a 12 foot stem of Japanese Knotweed to the Chamber and questioned what the council was doing about invasive species, and the presence of blue-green algae in Brooklands Lake. Cllr Roberts verbally attacked Mr Clark for bringing the plant into the Chamber but singularly failed to answer any of the the questions.Lib Dem Leader Alan Rice said: “Last Council Cllr Roberts said he was unaware of either Giant Hogweed or Japanese Knotweed – he is certainly aware now. His verbal attack on a concerned Worthing resident was totally unforgivable. If his comments prove inaccurate I will call for an unreserved public apology by the Cabinet Member. Mr Clark deserves nothing less. And oh, what precisely is the Cabinet Member doing about the issue?”

BEACH CHALET DEBATE REJECTED

Tuesday 15th October – East Worthing Beach Chalet renters failed to secure a debate tonight despite presenting a petition against converting their chalets to artists’ studios signed by over 2,300 people. Sue White and Gina Hawthorne presented the petition to Council but their request for a debate was rejected on advice from the Legal Officer. The ‘Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009’ states petitions signed by 1,000 or more should be granted a debate in Full Council. Worthing Liberal Democrats are asking why this was not allowed in this case.

THEATRES LOSING ANOTHER £1000 PLUS A DAY?

Tuesday 15th October – Figures presented to the Worthing Cabinet on September 4th showed an overspend on Worthing theatres budget of £171,000 so far for 2013-14. Worthing Lib Dem Leader Alan Rice calculated this was £1,100 per day since the start of the Council financial year. Two years ago Leader of the Council Paul Yallop famously appeared in the media stating Worthing’s tax payers could not afford a loss of £3,000 per day on the theatres. Alan asked the Cabinet Member responsible for theatres Cllr Mary Lermitte whether this meant the loss per day was now over £4,000 per day. Cllr Lermitte said she didn’t know the daily amount and attacked the Lib Dems for threatening to close the theatres in 2004 – conveniently forgetting her Leader two years ago wanted to close one by January 2012.
Alan said: “I find it astonishing Cllr Lermitte doesn’t know whether the theatres are losing less or more than two years ago. We keep hearing from the Tories how tight Worthing’s finances are – yet the odd £1000 per day loss doesn’t seem to matter.”

INSIDER KNOWLEDGE ON SPLASHPOINT POOL DEFECTS

Tuesday 15th October – Lib Dem Cllr Norah Fisher posed a series of questions in Council tonight on problems at the new Splashpoint pool. Norah asked: “Please can the Cabinet Member for Environment inform council whether any concerns have arisen to the new pool Splashpoint: (a) as regards to failure to meet the IT specification leading to incorrect cabling being used – for example not capable of withstanding swimming pool humidity and wet/damp environment (b) as regards to possible future issues with the general state of the pool filtration and cleansing system (c) the woeful state of cleanliness (d) the lack of staff training, especially with regard to induction (e) the fact that the disabled changing room is being used as a cut-through, by staff and customers even when in use and (f) the disabled hoist is not ready on Thursdays for Scope and one parent was actually asked to set it up and show them how to use it”. This sparked an extraordinary reaction from the Cabinet Member Clive Roberts who ‘accused’ Cllr Fisher of having insider knowledge. Did this mean Cllr Roberts was unaware of the problems or did it mean he was aware but wanted to keep them secret? Cllr Fisher awaits his written answer with interest.

Lib Dem Leader Alan Rice said: “Last Council Cllr Roberts was unaware of Japanese Knotweed, this Council he is unaware of problems at Splashpoint – problems which are daily discussed in Worthing’s coffee shops and bars. He needs to get a better grip on his portfolio – everyone knows more about it than he does.”

TORIES WAKE UP TO TEVILLE GATE

Tuesday 15th October – Tory Leader of the Council Paul Yallop tonight realised he should do something about Teville Gate – Worthing Lib Dems have said something should be done for years. Cllr Yallop was answering a question at tonight’s Council by Worthing Lib Dem Leader Alan Rice. Alan simply asked for the current status of Teville Gate. Cllr Yallop appeared to say it was time something happened and the Council would be acting. But on exactly what action would be taken, or how and when, Cllr Yallop was not forthcoming.

WORTHING TO LOSE MORE MILLIONS ON CAR PARKING

Tuesday 15th October – Tory Cabinet Member for Environment Clive Roberts announced at tonight’s Council the on-street contracts with NSL and West Sussex County Council will be extended for another year. The Tories have broken their promise to renegotiate the contract which allows revenue raised in Worthing to be spent anywhere in West Sussex – a promise made by the Cabinet Member in April. It is estimated this will lose Worthing up to £2 million this year to other parts of the County. The Cabinet Member once again promised to renegotiate through next year. Asked by Worthing Lib Dem Leader whether residents could expect cheaper parking this time next year or not, the Cabinet Member said he did not have a crystal ball but he hoped so.

UK NEEDS AN ANTI-TRAFFICKING COMMISSIONER

Friday 18th October – The UK needs to introduce an independent Anti-Trafficking Commissioner Catherine Bearder MEP has said today (18th October) on EU anti-trafficking day. She is adding her voice to ECPAT UK and the Anti-Trafficking Monitoring Group (ATMG), a coalition of UK-based charities committed to fighting the trafficking of adults and children. The introduction of a Commissioner is vital in ensuring that the UK meets it obligations under EU Directive 2011/36/EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings, which entered into force on the 6^th April 2013.

Catherine said: “The UK government has proved they are committed to fighting human trafficking. New maximum sentences have been announced today and they are signed up to the EU Directive. But signing up is one thing, they need to put into practice the actions they’ve agreed to. It is particularly crucial that this Commissioner is independent to properly scrutinise how the government is responding to this most abhorrent of crimes. Crimes like human trafficking can only be tackled by working together with our EU partners. A Commissioner will make this easier. When crime and victims cross borders, justice and care must too.”

Chloe Setter, Head of Advocacy, Policy & Campaigns, ECPAT UK, said: “An Anti-Trafficking Commissioner is essential in the fight against human trafficking, particularly in the context of a rise in the number of victims being identified. A Commissioner would monitor and analyse the activity and response of the Government to trafficking, providing independent scrutiny of the performance of key agencies and ensure that victims’ experience, needs and rights are central. This week we have seen cases involving women forced to be ‘sex slaves’ found in brothel raids in Birmingham, a 10-year-old kept as a domestic servant and sexually abused in Manchester and a gang jailed for selling a woman for a sham marriage. There needs to be oversight and accountability of all trafficking cases to improve the country’s response to this crime and help us prevent it in the UK.” (Catherine Bearder – Press Release)

SOUTH EAST REGION AUTUMN CONFERENCE HAILED A SUCCESS

Saturday 19th October – East Worthing Parliamentary Candidate Jemima Bland opened today’s South East Region Autumn Lib Dem Conference welcoming over 150 party members from all over the South East. Danny Alexander, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills were the headline speakers. The two Cabinet Members were joined by Euro MEPs Sharon Bowles and Catherine Bearder as well as Norman Baker, Minister of State for the Home Office, Steven Lloyd MP for Eastbourne and Mike Thornton MP for Eastleigh.

Jemima said: “It has been a fantastic Conference. We have a unified regional team in a confident mood, ready for the work ahead. It was my great pleasure to welcome so many community campaigners to Lancing, not least two Lib Dem Cabinet ministers!”

DIARY

Thursday 24th October – WSCC Children and Young People’s Services Select Committee at 10.30 am
Saturday 26th October – Lib Dem Castle Ward Surgery – St Richards Church, Maybridge 10.00 am to 10.30 am
Saturday 26th October – Lib Dem Castle Ward Surgery – The Strand Parade shops 10.00 am to 11.00 am
Saturday 26th October – Lib Dem Gaisford/Tarring Wards Surgery – West Worthing Baptist Church 10.30 am to noon

FURTHER AHEAD

Wednesday 30th October – WBC Planning Committee – Gordon Room, Town Hall at 6.00 pm
Wednesday 30th October – Jemima for Westminster Fund Raising Dinner at the National Liberal Club, 1 Whitehall Place, London SW1A 8HE at 7.00 pm for 7.30pm
Tickets: £100 each from Ms Jemima Bland, 25 Church Street, Shoreham-by-Sea
Saturday 2nd November – Lib Dem Central Ward Surgery – Sidney Walter Centre, Sussex Road 10.30 am to noon
and every first Saturday in the month
Saturday 2nd November – Lib Dem Broadwater Surgery – Muldoons Coffee Shop, Cricketers Parade, Broadwater 3.00 to 4.00 pm
and every first Saturday in the month
Thursday 14th November – Lib Dem Central Ward Surgery – Christ Church Hall. Grafton Road 3.00 to 4.00 pm
and every second Thursday in the month

Thursday 21st November – Lib Dem Central Ward Surgery – Sidney Walter Centre, Sussex Road 10.30 to 11.30 am
and every third Thursday in the month

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Worthing Liberal Democrat Councillors

Worthing Liberal Democrats Weekly Newsletter – 13th to 19th October 2013

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