News (High Peak Liberal Democrats)

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Council Tax goes DOWN for New Mills residents!

Article: Apr 19, 2011

Successful campaign by Liberal Democrat Councillor Ray Atkins brings good news for New Mills people.

The long-running campaign by local Liberal Democrat Councillor Ray Atkins against the unfair DOUBLE RATING penalty paid by New Mills people is now showing results that residents can feel in their pockets.

Under double-rating, New Mills people were paying TWICE for their parks and play areas maintenance and improvement.

They were paying ONCE to New Mills Town Council who actually do the work - and ONCE AGAIN to High Peak Borough Council who DON'T look after New Mills parks and play areas but who were using New Mills' residents' money to pay for parks in Buxton and Glossop.

As a High Peak Borough Councillor, Ray spearheaded a campaign against this unfair burden and won. High Peak Borough Council eventually agreed to pay money to New Mills Town Council to compensate for this iniquitous situation.

But they only agreed to put things right over a 6-year phased period. Now, in the fifth year, they are having to pay so much cash to New Mills that our local Town Council has been able to action a 1.5% CUT in the Town's portion of the Council Tax.

And there's more good news - at a time when other Councils are slashing local services, New Mills Town Council has protected ALL the facilities it provides.
Jeremy Browne MP writes: the Lib Dems are implementing our core agenda in Government

Article: Apr 19, 2011

By Jeremy Browne MP

A common misconception is that the Liberal Democrats are in the government solely to make the case for constitutional reform and civil liberties, while everything else comes from the Conservatives. This
analysis is deeply flawed, but it helps to explain why some political observers, who know little about the Lib Dems beyond the most lazy caricature, fail to understand what actually drives the government forward.
Consultation on the Future of the Peak District National Park

Article: Apr 15, 2011

For the past year the Peak District National Park Authority have been working with partner organisations and other stakeholders on a new management plan which will describe their joint aspirations for the future of the Peak District National Park and lay out plans for how they intend to achieve those aspirations. A new management plan for 2012 to 2017 will be agreed this autumn.
A student still supporting the Liberal Democrats? (And why it is so important you vote YES for the Alternative Vote)

Article: Apr 15, 2011

By Stephen Worrall

As a student at the University of Manchester you probably think I've spent a lot of my time recently marching around, chanting, waving placards and generally protesting about the changes to the funding of Higher Education that the Conservative /Liberal Democrat coalition government is bringing in (let us remember that they come into effect for those starting in 2012 and as such nothing has changed yet). You probably also think that I believe the Liberal Democrats have betrayed me and every other student who voted for them in the general election. If you do believe either or both those statements then I am sorry to tell you that you are totally wrong.
Council Tax Freeze

Article: Apr 14, 2011

For local residents the Council Tax for the coming year will effectively be unchanged. The County, Borough, Police and Fire Service have all announced a zero increase.

Despite severe pressure on their budget, High Peak Council was able to avoid any increase thanks to a special government grant, conditional on freezing Council Tax levels. But savings still need to be made across the board.
Edith Longden asks - Who Wants an Area Forum?

Article: Apr 13, 2011

By Edith Longden

The Area Forum for the central area of High Peak was set up to give the public the chance to find out what was happening and to ask questions of Councillors and senior officers from the Borough, County and Police.

Unfortunately the meetings became very poorly attended unless a very controversial item was on the agenda. I have been on the Sub-committee that recommended that they should be scrapped. What do you think?
Make sure you can vote on May 5th

Article: Apr 6, 2011

All residents of High Peak are reminded that, to vote in the forthcoming local district and parish elections on Thursday, May 5, their name must appear on the Register of Electors. If their name does not appear on the Register of Electors, they will not be able to vote.

On polling day, voters will be choosing who represents them on High Peak Borough Council and on their local parish/town council. The elections are all-out elections, meaning that every seat on the Borough Council and on the parish/town councils will be vacated.

The deadline for registering to vote at these elections is Thursday week (April 14). Anyone who returns a voter registration form after this date will NOT be able to vote.

If you have recently moved house, you can register at your new property before Thursday week. You can obtain a voter registration form from the elections team at High Peak Borough Council on 0845 129 7777 ext. 2133 or download a form by visiting the link on the home page.

Completed voter registration forms should be sent to: Electoral Services, High Peak Borough Council, Municipal Buildings, Glossop, Derbyshire, SK13 8AF, or handed in at the same address.

If you are away on polling day or would prefer to vote by post in these elections, please note that the last time for receipt of postal vote applications is 5pm on Thursday week (April 14).

Any postal vote applications received after this time cannot be processed and the elector will not be able to vote by post. Postal vote application forms are available by calling the elections team on 0845 129 7777 ext. 2133 or you can download an application form from the link on the home page.

Electors who wish to vote by proxy must ensure that their application has been received by 5pm on Thursday, April 21.
Steve Webb writes: working for pensioners, now and in the future

Article: Apr 5, 2011

By Steve Webb MP

When I was appointed Pensions Minister last May my first priority was protecting current pensioners. It was widely assumed that the spending review would see cuts to a range of forms of help that pensioners receive. But despite the spending pressures, the budgets for bus passes, free television licences, free prescriptions and the Winter Fuel Allowance have been protected at the level set out by the previous government. Better still, where Labour had planned to cut Cold Weather Payments to £8.50 per week we have made them £25 permanently to protect the most vulnerable when the temperature is below freezing.

We have also restored the link between the Basic State Pension and earnings which was broken thirty years ago. Labour had thirteen years to do it themselves and did nothing. Our 'triple lock', to increase pensions by the highest of earnings, prices or 2.5% will benefit a typical newly-retired pensioner by around £15,000 during their retirement. We are committed to the state pension, and committed to improving it.

But we also need a state pension system that works for those who have yet to retire and who will be facing a very different world. They will, on average, be working much longer and be retired longer than their parents and grandparents. Workplace pensions are far less generous than they were in the past. Few young workers are saving anything at all for their retirement. We need to put a system in place fit for the future.

A flat-rate state pension worth £140 per week in today's money will provide a firm foundation for saving. This is crucial as we go through the process of automatically enrolling millions of workers into workplace pensions. They will be free to opt-out, but their employer will put money in, they will put money in, and tax relief will go in. People need to be confident though that their savings won't be swallowed by means testing. A flat rate pension set above the rate of the means-test means you can be confident that it will pay to save.

Those who were heading for pensions below the poverty line stand to benefit most from this reform. It will also end the penalties facing women who stop work to bring up children or care for a family member. While those years are credited for the Basic State Pension, no provision was made for them prior to the introduction of the State Second Pension. It is time their contribution to society is fully recognised in the state pension. A year spent caring for a child or elderly relative will be worth the same as a year spent running a global corporation as far as the state pension will be concerned.

The idea of a single decent pension is of course nothing new to party members. This proposal is very similar to ideas that we as Liberal Democrats have talked about for years. The fact that the Government has now included this idea in a Green Paper shows the difference we are making through being in the Coalition. We are not just talking about good ideas but are actually delivering them within government and it is a huge privilege to be a part of that process.
Liberal Democrats 2019 manifesto

Page: Apr 4, 2011

Click here for the High Peak Liberal Democrats 2019 Borough Council Election manifesto!
Tuition Fees Explained

Article: Mar 31, 2011