Tory MP Welcomes Lib Dem Policy, Now Government Policy - The Pupil Premium

A Conservative MP has welcomed the news that a flagship policy of the Liberal Democrats will be benefiting pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds in South West Bedfordshire.

MP, Andrew Selous has pointed out that funds amounting to £3,495,000 have been allocated for 2014/15 in his constituency to help them achieve their full potential. This is good news for pupils and good news for their families.

The Pupil Premium is additional funding given to schools so that they can support their disadvantaged pupils and close the attainment gap between them and their peers. The Government has increased Pupil Premium funding to £1.875 billion in 2013-14, with schools attracting £900 per disadvantaged child, with an additional payment of £53 for primary-aged pupils. In 2014-15, the funding will rise to £2.5 billion, with £1,300 for primary-aged pupils, £935 for secondary-aged pupils and £1,900 for all looked-after children, adopted children and children with guardians. In total, pupils in South West Bedfordshire will have received £8,688,000 between 2011 and 2015.

Andrew Selous MP commented:

‘This is excellent news for disadvantaged pupils and their families in South West Bedfordshire and will give local schools the support they need to ensure that every child, regardless of their background, can fulfil their potential.

This is further confirmation that, despite the economic mess that we inherited this Government has found the funds to give support to those who need it most to help them get on in life.’

The pupil premium is one of the Liberal Democrats' signature policies which featured prominently in its 2010 general election manifesto. On the first page, the party said it would invest £2.5bn "in schools targeted to help struggling pupils".

Selous News

Nick Clegg’s Letter from the Leader: Good news for Mums and Dads

“Liberal Democrats will allow parents to share the allocation of maternity and paternity leave between them in whatever way suits them best.” That’s what the party’s 2010 manifesto said would happen – and this week it actually did happen. Here’s what Nick Clegg had to say about the party’s policy success…

A short one this week: just to say a huge well done to all Liberal Democrats. We’ve finally landed our flagship policy on shared parental leave.

Help us share the news about our shared parental leave!

After a lot of work – not least from Jo Swinson – we’ve secured a package that will transform the opportunities open to parents when their children are born. Instead of two measly weeks for fathers and an assumption that mothers should automatically take the rest, parents will be able to divvy up the first year however suits them best. If they choose to, women will be able to return to work earlier or for specific projects, with men staying at home. Couples will even be able to take off chunks of time together.

It hasn’t been easy. Some people took a lot of convincing. But we’ve done it and I’m delighted at how many businesses have come out in favour over the last few days.

We believe you shouldn’t have to choose between a stronger economy or a fairer society – Britain needs both. With the Liberal Democrats in government, that’s what you’ll get.

Nick

P.S Anyone looking for more details of how the new system will work can find them here.

Do you know someone who would like to get Nick’s weekly email? Forward this post and they can sign up here:http://www.libdememails.co.uk/nick

Don’t forget you can catch up with all Nick Clegg’s past Letters from the Leader on LibDemVoice by clicking on this link.

Join us

Remember this?

Here’s what David Cameron had to say about the Liberal Democrat plans for a £700 tax cut before the last election....

Now that we’re delivering it in government, the Conservatives are trying to pretend it was their idea in the first place!
The truth is, it’s only thanks to the Lib Dems that 24 million people are getting this £700 tax cut next April. Without us, it just wouldn’t be happening.
Tell us how you are going to spend your £700!

Luton Lib Dems Top the Poll Again

When Martin Pantlin vacated a seat on Luton Borough Council to take up a post working for the Council, Clive Mead stepped up to the mark and won the bye election. Clive polled 37.7% of the votes.

Francis Steer, Labour, 35.6%.
Geoff Simons,Conservative and Unionist 22.2%
Simon Hall Green Party candidate 3.5%.

The Luton Lib Dems tweeted: “Clive Mead has been elected as Barnfield’s new Councillor, following Alan Skepelhorn’s win in Wigmore. Another excellent WIN against Labour.”

In total 1769 people voted in the by-election.

Find Clive Mead online

Liberal Democrats - Building a Stronger Economy and a Fairer Society

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10 New Liberal Democrat Peers Announced

Ten new Liberal Democrat Peers were announced on 1st August.  This is a diverse and representative group of people and includes individuals such as:

• Rosalind (Olly) Grender MBE – former Director of Communications for Shelter and former Director of Communications for the Liberal Democrats
• Zahida Manzoor CBE – Former Legal Services Ombudsman and Deputy Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality
• Brian Paddick – Former Deputy Assistant Commissioner in the Metropolitan Police Service
• James Palumbo – Co-founder and chairman of Ministry of Sound Group, the international music and entertainment business

Making the announcement, Liberal Democrat Leader and Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg said:

The 10 new Liberal Democrat peers announced this month will be at the heart of delivering a stronger economy and a fairer society, enabling everyone to get on in life.

This list shows the Liberal Democrats’ strength and depth. We are welcoming new peers from all across the UK and with a great variety of expertise and experience. I’m delighted to welcome such a strong selection of public servants, businessmen and women, and entrepreneurs.

All have excelled in their fields and made a great contribution to politics, charity and to the country. I know that every new peer on this list will make a valuable contribution to British politics, the House of Lords and the Liberal Democrat team in Westminster.

While vested interests prevented us from reforming the House of Lords in this Parliament, the new peers, along with their Liberal Democrat colleagues, remain committed reformers and will continue to make the case for a smaller and more democratic upper chamber.

Help With Benefits

More and more families are sadly falling into crisis locally.

Central Bedfordshire Council have produced a booklet to explain some of the main changes to Council and other benefits resulting from the Government's welfare reform.  An electronic copy of the leaflet can be found on their website in the "Benefits" section, under "Welfare Reform".

A copy of the booklet can be downloaded directly. (This pdf file requires Adobe).

Focus on Lib Dems In Houghton Regis - Summer 2013

Meet Our New Liberal Democrat Councillors

Vacancies recently occurred on the Houghton Regis Town Council. With agreement of
other parties the expense of an election battle was avoided, and new councillors were
co-opted. Our two new Lib Dem councillors are:


Cllr Marion Rolfe, from Recreation Road, has lived in Houghton Regis for over 50 years and has seen changes. Her main hobbies are running Marathons and working with Cat's Protection. She has a very demanding job and has worked in the fields of Credit and
Law for over 40 years.
Marion is very keen to work to get the environment and infrastructure in Houghton Regis improved and will work with the Planning and Environment committees to move this forward.





Cllr Laura Ellaway, from Brookfield Avenue, has been a Houghton Regis resident since 1999. Since 2008, has been employed by Aldwyck Housing Association. Laura was parent governor at Kings Houghton Middle School 2007 to 2009. Since 2010, a
community governor at Harlington Upper School.
Laura says, "I have a particular interest in community involvement which includes all age groups, and my goal is to get more residents to engage and take part, as well as taking pride in where they live."

POYNTERS ROAD - Roadworks for eleven weeks

Poynters Road has a serious road failure requiring major maintenance. The lower layers of the road surface are weak, so the road needs to be reconstructed from the ‘bottom up’.
The weakness will only get worse the longer it is left, so fixing the problem now will stop the road failing completely.
The works are due to start in the week starting 8th July for a duration of 11 weeks.
Diversions will be in place while the road is closed.

Hours of working announced so far are:
8 am to 6 pm, Monday to Saturday. No working on Sundays or Bank Holidays. 
Contacts:
Email: poynters.road@amey.co.uk
Internet: www.facebook.com/PoyntersRd

Phone: 07808 395830

High Street Works - We Shared Your Pain

High Street works are almost finished. Delays to traffic have been considerable. Anyone who
has had to travel through the High Street, or has a business there, has suffered. Our councillors live here too, and we have shared your pain. .. but we are nearly there!

The scheme was largely paid for by developers of the supermarket, and not public money, as part of an agreement with Central Bedfordshire Council.

Your Liberal Democrat councillors have received your complaints, and monitored your anger and frustrations. We have written many times to the council officers, Bedfordshire Highways, and spoken with contractors, sub-contractors, and utility suppliers.

We have won concessions on the planned scheme. A compromise re-positioning of the Bedford Road zebra crossing, being but one example.

One of our doubts has been the safety of pedestrians on those zebra crossings. The final stage of different coloured surfaces and patterns could make a significant difference.
When the planned scheme is finished we will be in a better position to see how it works.
However, it is quite likely we shall ask for safety zones in the middle of certain zebra crossings.

COMMUNITY PAYBACK

Several paths in Houghton Regis are due to be cleared of weeds, litter, and fly-tipping by a community pay-back team. Work was recently done in the cemetery.
Cllr Susan Goodchild remarked, "The visual and positive contribution they are making is there for the community to see. The work being done is clearly sending out the right message."

Meet Your Councillors

Your Liberal Democrat Councillors hold a regular surgery where you can discuss issues, personal or public, (in private if you prefer).
Future Saturday Surgeries:
27th July, 28th September, 26th October Library Meeting Room, Bedford Square
From 10am to 12 midday (no appointment needed)

Promise Made Promise Kept

Liberal Democrats have delivered a £700 Income Tax cut to 113,000 Central
Bedfordshire workers. The Lib Dems have delivered their flagship election promise
to cut taxes for ordinary workers a year early.

Over 10,000 Central Bedfordshire workers will be taken out of tax altogether.
And, from next April, 113,000 will be paying £700 less in income tax than they were in 2010. Liberal Democrats in Houghton Regis know this will help to ease the squeeze on our household budgets. It was an election promise, now delivered.

Liberal Democrats in Government are delivering real help in tough economic times. Energy bills are set to be reduced by up to £200. Childcare costs are being cut by up to £1200 per child. Fuel duty has been frozen again.

WALKABOUTS

Your councillors take turns to walk about the estates with the CBC Estates Officer. We pick
up on fly-tipping, graffiti, and other issues that need to be sorted out.
On a walkabout in Parkside, we reported on a hidden caché of waste motor oil, and dumped bedding.
We also noticed a large amount of litter on the northern side of Parkside. The scheduled litter
picker was due the next day, but then we discovered he had only one day a week allocated to the task, as well as an expectation on him that he should also weed all the pathways.
This is clearly an impossible task.

We will explore the possibility of improving this situation, but ask that residents do not drop

litter.

Dealing With Crime and The Fear of Crime

A new task force has been set up in Houghton Regis. It puts in place an action plan to reduce
petty crime and anti-social behaviour.
The new group consists of local councillors, Central Beds Anti Social Behaviour team, housing officers, youth workers, community workers and Street Watch.
The Focus team urges local people to play their part by reporting incidents.
• If an incident is happening and it is an emergency, then ring 999.
• Otherwise, ring 101.
• If you know who is responsible for anti-social behaviour let the ASB team know on 0300
300 8302 Or email to community.safety@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk

Bus Stop Out Of Service Frustrates Residents

CBC Cllr Susan Goodchild is asking Highways when the bus stop opposite Morrison's will be in use.

Susan told 'News', "I have received four requests in the past couple of days from residents asking when the bus stop opposite the Morrison's store will be operational.  It has been taped up for sometime now, this means that our residents who are reliant upon public transport to enable them to do their shopping, have to walk down to Bedford Square to access the bus.  For some this is proving very difficult indeed."

Where to Get Help with Welfare Changes

We are concerned that Central Beds Council has been overwhelmed by calls last week from people making enquiries, as many as 300 an hour. Here's a bit more help.

The most updated information provided by Central Bedfordshire Council as to where to go to get general advice and support is as follows:-
 
CBC - by telephone: 0300 300 8306
            by email: customer.accounts@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
 
Shelter offers face-to-face, telephone, email and on line advice. 
Calls to 0808 800 4444 are free from UK landlines and main mobile networks.
 
Citizen Advice Bureau offers free, confidential advice face-to-face.
Call 08444 111 444.
 
National Debt line is a free, confidential service offering independent advice about dealing with debt.  You can get information on line or by calling the free helpline on 0808 808 4000.
 
Bromford Support in Central Bedfordshire offers a floating support service to help you manage your tenancy and to live independently and can offer advice and help with claiming welfare benefits. 
Telephone 0330 1234 034 8.00 am - 6.00 pm Monday to Friday.
 
Houghton Regis Helpers offer a service for support with advocacy and form filling. 
http://houghtonregishelpers.co.uk/  Telephone 07587 004514
 
Kind Regards
 
Susan

Susan Goodchild
Central Bedfordshire Councillor
Houghton Hall Ward
Tel: 01582 867557
Mobile: 07535246263

Concerned About Welfare Changes?

The Central Bedfordshire Council customer services are doing their best to cope with the rise in queries over benefit changes, but we are concerned that their actions have been slow to ramp up.

Liberal Democrat councillors raised concerns about the likely impact of all the benefit changes some months ago and questioned whether the council had the resources to deal with the inevitable increase in queries.  But Cllr Dr Rita Egan says, “I still have those concerns. And I would be interested to hear from people about the way their enquiries are being dealt with." 

"People should not be in despair over the new rules."

Read this handy guide to check the facts about Welfare Reform. 
After that, if you need to speak to someone for advice, please ring CBC on 0300 300 8000.  
If someone is really stuck, ask a local CBC councillor to intervene.

twt fbk

Luton Dunstable Busway Funding Gap

The Luton Dunstable busway has a £5.2 million funding gap. Councillors will discuss figures on Tuesday this week. Luton and Central Bedfordshire Councils are supposed to be paying £9.83m towards the overall cost of the project which is predominantly being paid for by Central Government. But they still have to find more than £5m.

Liberal Democrat Leader at Luton Borough Council, David Franks, is quoted in today's Luton on Sunday, as saying "It is no surprise to me that the busway looks like leaving a £9.3m headache. The scandal is that none of the senior Labour councillors seems to have seen it coming and they are still denying it's a problem. What they will not say is where the money is going to come from, my guess is that they will end up borrowing it which will lead to more problems with interest charges and repayments."

The busway is due to open later than planned in the middle of 2013.

Improvements For Cyclists at Luton Stations

Liberal Democrat Transport Minister Norman Baker has announced a grant of £237,000 to improve facilities for cyclists at train stations in Luton. £176,000 will provide 228 secure spaces at Luton main station; £61,700 grant will give 40 places at Leagrave Station.

Liberal Democrats secure improvements to disability assessment measures

Liberal Democrats have secured improvements to the way disabled people will be assessed for the new Personal Independence Payment (PIP) announced today by the Coalition Government.

The move follows concerns that some people, who can only walk short distances, would have failed to qualify for the higher rate PIP which is due to be introduced in April.

But following concerns raised by Liberal Democrat MP Stephen Lloyd and Baroness Celia Thomas the Coalition Government has now amended the definition to include people who can only walk short distances, infrequently and in great pain.

This effectively means people who were anxious about losing their Motability vehicles in the future can now rest easy.

Commenting, Co-chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party Committee on Work and Pension, Greg Mulholland said:

“These changes, fought for by Liberal Democrats in Parliament, will bring clarity and peace of mind to thousands of disabled people and deliver the right support for people who need it most.

“This adds to other Liberal Democrat victories on PIP, including our call to ensure the Motability component remains for those living in residential care, which was accepted by the Government.

“Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government are delivering a fairer society to ensure those with disabilities are protected and receive the support they need.”

A Message from Steve Webb MP – Liberal Democrat Minister for Pensions

This is yet another example of Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government delivering a truly radical reform.

The single-tier pension is a fairer way of ensuring people will get a decent pension in their old age. It will treat men and women equally for the first time and will value unpaid caring work just as much as a high-flying city job. That is why the big winners will be women, carers and some low earners who haven’t previously received much in the way of earnings-related state pension.

This new ‘single-tier’ pension has much in common with the long-cherished Liberal Democrat goal of a Citizen’s Pension. The basic idea is that someone starting work under the new rules will build up just one state pension. We are ending the fiendishly complex system of two state pensions and tax credits that Labour presided over.

Our reforms go back to William Beveridge’s original idea of the modern state pension. Beveridge had envisaged a single, simple, decent state pension, paid after a lifetime of National Insurance Contributions. It will be set above the level of the basic means-test (currently £142.70 per week) and the full rate will be payable for those who have made 35 years of National Insurance Contributions.

Successive governments tinkered with the state pension. That meant that we have had, up till now, a system that the Pensions Commission itself described as one of the most complex in the world. Worse still, the current system actually discourages some people from putting anything aside.

The plans I unveiled today show that it doesn’t have to be like that anymore.

Yet another example of Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government delivering a truly radical reform, and one that we can be proud of.

Best wishes,

Rt Hon Professor Steve Webb MP
Liberal Democrat Minister for Pensions

Swimming: It Makes No Sense Flitwick Having 8 Lane Swimming Pool And Houghton Regis Only Six

Houghton Regis Swimming Pool is  currently closed

Small pool now closed in Houghton Regis

Councillor Rita Egan asked a written question at this week's meeting:

Written Question for Central Bedfordshire Council Meeting January 24 thQuestion to Portfolio Holder for the Leisure Strategy –Councillors Spurr and Delgarno

Can I ask the portfolio holders responsible for the Leisure Strategy why, on page 346, Agenda Item16 of the Executive Papers, 8th January, 2012, the words, “new 6 lane 25 meter pool” appear in paragraph 24.

On numerous occasions I have questioned why Houghton Regis should be given a 6 lane pool when Flitwick is to have a proposed 8 lane pool. I was given an assurance at the last meeting I attended that an 8 lane pool would be considered for Houghton Regis. I feel as if my comments have been completely ignored, even when I have given cogent arguments for changing the number of lanes in the projected pool. I will reiterate again my reasons for seeking a larger pool:

The growth area north of Houghton Regis is much larger than any planned growth at Flitwick. It makes no sense whatsoever to build a small facility in Houghton Regis and a large one in Flitwick. Houghton Regis is an area of significant deprivation. Many residents do not lead healthy lifestyles. Providing great local facilities encourages poor families to participate in healthy activities. Houghton Regis should be provided with the best facility that can be provided on social and health grounds alone. 

It is unhelpful to suggest that swimmers should go to the Luton Inspire Pool to swim. Stopsley is hardly accessible to residents of Houghton Regis. The same could be said for the other pools that are available in Luton. It also might surprise some members to know that the bus fare to Dunstable from the top of Parkside coupled with the cost of swimming is beyond the capacity of some residents to pay. Around one quarter of Parkside residents do not own a car.

An 8 lane pool would provide much needed training time for a swimming club. At the moment, there is no club in Houghton Regis, partly due to the closure of the Houghton Regis pool and also because this pool was never suitable for competition. I think it is important that we plan for a new Swimming Club to be formed in the new facility and provide the appropriate space for members to train. Some of South Beds Masters Swimming Club’s top swimmers are ex members of the Houghton Regis Swimming Club and these  swimmers are some of the best in the UK.

My own club, the South Beds Masters, has already requested that an 8 lane pool be built to accommodate competitive swimming such is the shortage of pool time in the region. Training times in local pools are already allocated and oversubscribed. 8 lane pools afford much greater opportunity for concurrent swimming activities. It is possible to hold two or three different activities in one session. Clubs and individual swimmers can train at the same time as alternative activities such as aquasize or fun swims. More income would be generated because more activities could take place in a session.

If an 8 lane pool were provided, there would be income generating opportunities as the pool could be rented out for competition. Competitions are income generators for swimming clubs and for the facility that hosts them.

We have already heard how the Olympic legacy is struggling to deliver on its promise. This is especially so with disabled athletes. If we built an 8 lane pool we could become model for encouraging both able bodied and disabled swimmers to take up lifelong swimming both for leisure and for competition.

These are only some of the reasons I have given for in the past for proposing an 8 lane pool. I hope, this time, that my comments might be taken on board and that the figure “6” be changed to the figure “8” in the leisure strategy document.

Cllr Dr. Rita Egan. Parkside.

• Report of Central Bedfordshire Council Meeting 24th January, 2012.  by Cllr Rita Egan
• RIta Egan Blog

tags: swimming, houghton, regis, lanes, hrnd, egan, rita

Another Reason For Being A Liberal Democrat

Julia Cambridge has become the new Liberal Democrat prospective candidate for Chesterfield. She wowed party members in the hustings, in particular with her great explanation of why she is a Liberal Democrat.

She told a story of being frightened of the dark during the power cuts caused by the early ’70s miners’ strike, and her sister getting scorched on a candle. She asked her parents why they were sitting in the dark. “The government”, said one. “The unions”, said the other. “I think I decided then and there to be a Liberal Democrat”, said Julia Cambridge.

with thanks to Mark Pack

Cuts in Income Tax For 24m Ordinary Workers

Liberal Democrats in Government are working to build a stronger and a fairer society. Income Tax bills are being slashed for millions of ordinary workers.

Most taxpayers will be paying £600 less each year from next April.

The change was announced as part of the Autumn Statement and takes us within touching distance of manifesto commitment that nobody should pay income tax on the first £10,000 they earn.

This huge victory could not have happened without the work of thousands of Liberal Democrat campaigners across the country.

A new national campaign is welcomed by Liberal Democrats in Houghton Regis. The aim is to put pressure on to raise the personal allowance to £10,000 which would mean a total Income Tax cut of £700.

Get Involved - Take Part! 

www.fairertax.org/dayofaction

Influencing Europe and East of England Trains

ANDREW DUFF

In November EurActiv, the Brussels based news organisation, conducted a poll to find the 40 Brits most influential in EU affairs.

Liberal Democrat MEP for East of England, Andrew Duff, came in tenth, just one place behind David Cameron and one place in front of William Hague. See more here http://www.euractiv.com/UK40

EURO FINANCIAL CRISIS

 In his pamphlet, "on Governing Europe", Andrew writes about how the EU has managed the financial crisis and sets out an ambitious agenda of what has to be done to resolve it. Andrew identifies the lack of real economic government at the European level as the the key element in restoring stability and growth. Controversially, he argues that if the UK does not want to be part of the emerging banking and fiscal union, it should stand aside and let its partners proceed.

Copies of "On Governing Europe" can be downloaded from http://www.policy-network.net/publications_detail.aspx?ID=4257

RAILWAYS

Liberal Democrats have been arguing across the years since Dr Beeching's railway cuts for increased investment in our region. Work on the line north of Hitchin on a flyover to Cambridge and King's Lynn is advancing fast. Upgrades are taking place to stations and electrification east of Oxford, and eventually to Bicester and Bedford. This is leading to pressure supported by Lib Dem Mayor of Bedford, Dave Hodgson, for a link to be built via Sandy to the East Coast Main Line - thereby resurrecting the possibility of train travel between the two great University cities.

Further works in our region include faster trains from Norwich to Ely and Peterborough, a new loop at Ely. Hopes are raised for greener electric trains, rather than diesel. Improvements at Felixstowe, a major refurbishment at Peterborough station, Sandy and Biggleswade stations are being enlarged; frequency of services between Ipswich and Lowestoft is doubling; a new station at Chesterton; a new junction at Kings Coss to start in the spring to link trains from Cambridge and Huntingdon to Thameslink.

Concerns are that ticket pricing is over-complicated, and in some cases too high; over-crowding on trains is common place. Local action groups can influence decision making with this train friendly government. We must insist that nothing big happens at Stansted Airport, unless the railway to Liverpool Street is modernised and enhanced, and a railway towards  Braintree is built. The East of England, as ever, has to fight its corner against the rival attraction of HS2 and the worthy but incredibly costly London Cosssrail.

To contact Andrew Duff visit his web site http://andrewduff.eu/en/