Liverpool Lib Dems cry foul over plans to axe support for most needy - 26th April

Councillor Flo Clucas cries 'Foul' over plans to axe support for 1,400 of Liverpool's most needy.

Liverpool's Acting Liberal Democrat leader Flo Clucas slammed as a ‘foul’ a decision to hold two crucial public meetings over social care on the eve of local council elections.

The two 'limited places' meetings will take place at Liverpool FC's Anfield Stadium on May 4 – the day before the council elections.

As part of a money-saving exercise the Labour-controlled council wants to withdraw 'moderate' social service support currently offered to around 1,400 people.

Said Councillor Clucas: “I re-affirm my commitment to the provision of moderate social care to those who need it. If these people need this support today, they need it tomorrow, next week and next month. You just cannot pull the plug on this vital service currently offered to people who are among the most vulnerable in our city. Yet Labour is planning to pull that plug.

“The two biggest spending departments of the council are education and social services, and that's because they are the cornerstone of local government. I know we face a tough financial challenge, but we cannot abandon our most needy and vulnerable. The Liberal Democrats have fought for years to maintain proper care for the elderly and those who need it. Ending moderate care provision is fundamentally and morally wrong.

“This 'moderate' care includes attendance at day centres which will be lost if moderate care provision is abandoned. Those visits are a crucial lifeline.”

Councillor Clucas described as a sham, the decision to stage these two public meetings on the eve of the council elections.

Councillor Ron Gould, Opposition spokesman on Social Care said: “The benefits of moderate care cannot be underestimated, affecting many hundreds of families. The council should use money it is holding in reserves, reported to be some £122 million, to protect this most precious service to our most vulnerable people “

End traffic chaos say West Derby Lib Dems

West Derby Lib Dem Councillors, Norman Mills and Graham Hulme, are calling for action at a troublesome traffic junction in their area.

The Councillors think that changes to traffic light filtering would make a big difference on Queen's Drive when motorists are trying to turn into Mill Bank.

The two Lib Dems will be making their call at this week's meeting of the Council's Regeneration and Transport Select Committee (31 March)

The  text of their motion is below:

"MOTION FROM COUNCILLORS NORMAN MILLS AND GRAHAM HULME

There is a constant traffic problem at this major junction of Queens Drive, which we would request the Director of Regeneration to address. Traffic driving From the direction of Muirhead Avenue/Walton/ Bootle, upon reaching the Traffic Lights at the Junction with Mill Bank (near to Holly Lodge School) and needing to turn Right into Mill Bank- is being forced to back up in appreciable numbers during Rush hour periods.

A Filtering system is required to enable at least half a dozen cars to be able to turn Right into Mill Bank – heading towards Tue brook and the City. At present, only 2 or 3 vehicles maximum can turn right when the main traffic flow on Queens Drive is stopped, and before Traffic driving up Mill Bank to cross Queens Drive have the Green traffic light to proceed.

Apart from the numbers of vehicles coming from the Walton/Bootle direction which attempt to turn Right at this point into Mill Bank, there is also considerable traffic coming from the Three Butt Lane estate, and Marlowe Drive estates, which have no other alternative but to carry out this manoeuvre. This is a large area of Housing, with a considerable number of vehicles.

At present, Long lines of Vehicles are backing up in the third (Outside) lane at busy periods, which is not a specific (Designated) Lane for vehicles turning right. There is a potential Hazard created here, by other vehicles Not wanting to turn Right- trying to move left out of the line of vehicles, and motorists turning Right racing across Queens Drive before the Traffic coming from Mill Bank has the Green Light to do so.

The far side of Queens Drive has had a Filter system for Traffic turning Right for many years into Mill Lane, which operates very well. We request that a similar Filter system is created on the Holly Lodge side of Queens Drive creating at least a Filter Light system,- and hopefully a Filter Lane- for vehicles Turning Right into Mill Bank. This would not only make this Junction safer, but reduce the Stress upon Motorists waiting for lengthy periods to turn Right at this Junction.”

Extra cash for pothole repairs from Coalition Government

Liverpool is to receive more than one million pounds of extra Government money specifically to pay for pothole repairs.

That's as a result of an announcement in this week's budget, and an announcement earlier this year.

Says Lib Dem regen spokesperson Paula Keaveney:

" This extra funding is good news for the City.  As a cyclist I notice on a daily basis how badly potholed some of our roads are. In fact my route to the station is really the Garston slalom! This money should go some way towards making inroads on the repairs needed"

It's not yet known where exactly the extra money will be spent.  All Councils getting the extra funds have to publish details of how the money has been used.  Paula has submitted a question to the Regeneration Committee, which meets next week (31st March) about how the decisions will be taken.

Lord Storey's maiden speech in the Lords

Lord Storey, (Baron Storey of Childwall) made his maiden speech in the House of Lords today (Thursday 17th March) focusing on childhood and early intervention.

You can find the text of the speech here

More than a hundred thousand in Liverpool pay less tax thanks to Lib Dems

Income tax changes coming into effect next month will mean nearly 175,000 Liverpool residents will pay less tax.

One of the four main goals in the Lib Dem General Election manifesto was to take low earners out of tax.  The aim, is to move the tax threshold up so that no one earning less than 10,000 pays any income tax at all.

A first step was taken in the last Co alition Government budget with the tax threshold being lifted this April so that the very lowest earners get out of income tax and many many more see their tax decrease.

In Liverpool this April an estimated nearly 6,000 people will be taken out of income tax altogether.  A further 168,000 will see their tax bill reduced.

When the £10,000 objective is reached, the number of people in Liverpool being taken out of income tax will be an estimated 24,840.

Says Lib Dem spokesperson Paula Keaveney : "One of our key aims has been to lift the lowest earners out of tax and give them back some of their own money.  I'm delighted that a first step has been taken towards our £10,000 goal"

Save Children's centres say Liverpool Lib Dems

Liverpool Lib Dems will this evening be moving an amendment to the City Council budget to save four threatened children's centres.

The party has drawn up a  short list of changes which it wants to see in the budget and will be proposing changes in some budget lines to enable extra spending in others.

The proposal, which is costed according to the City Council's own budget figures, includes the following:

* funds to retain the four Children's centres threatened with closure (West Derby, Dovedale, Childwall, Hunts Cross)
*an increase of one million pounds to the voluntary and community sector support money
*the reintroduction of free leisure passes for children and young people
* the retention of "moderate care" for adults  (this is part of the social care budget)

Says Leader Warren Bradley: " We have been working together with other parties on the budget.  We have managed agreement on many things and have been able to share our expertise with each other.

We believe however that some of the proposals need to be changed and our amendment seeks to do that."


The City Council budget meeting takes place at Liverpool Town Hall at 5 this evening.  Information about the meeting is available at http://www.liverpool.gov.uk/ (About the Council section)

Council papers show Pupil Premium will benefit Liverpool.

In the run up to the Liverpool City Council budget setting, there has been much debate about the effect of the new "Pupil Premium". 

The Premium involves extra money per pupil for schools where the pupil is either on Free School meals, is a looked after child or a child with parents in the services (armed forces)

Labour Councillors claimed that the Premium would actually leave Liverpool children worse off.

But papers published by the Labour Council ahead of the budget setting next month appear to tell a different story.

Says Lib Dem Councillor Paul Clein, chair of the Finance Select Committee and a former Executive Member for education and schools

"Figures released in a public document by Liverpool's Labour Council have clarified what will be the likely effect for Liverpool schools of the coalition government's new Pupil Premium funding . The Medium Term Financial Plan update says that Liverpool's Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) will contain an extra £3.5 million in 2011/12 because of the Pupil Premium. This money is targetted directly at children on free schools meals and means schools will get an extra £430 for each such pupil."

The documents are published as part of the budget setting and area available on the City Council's website at http://www.liverpool.gov.uk/

The Pupil Premium, designed to give extra funding for children from deprived areas, was one of the four main planks of the Liberal Democrat manfesto at last year's General Election.  It was also a core part of the agreement negotiated as part of the Coalition arrangements.