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The FOCUS Newsletter is produced and delivered by volunteers in and around the SOUTH WERRINGTON and NORTH GUNTHORPE local area. For more details on the team please visit our community website. http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/SWNGTRANSCRIPT
www.peterboroughlibdems.org.uk “Working All Year Round”
FOCUS
SOUTH WERRINGTON and NORTH GUNTHORPE RESIDENTS’ NEWSLETTER
ALLOTMENTS
PLAN “MAKES
NO SENSE” Local Liberal Democrat
councillor Darren Fower handed
in a petition of nearly 150
signatures at the most recent full
meeting of the city council,
opposing the local authority’s ill
thought out scheme to introduce
allotments on land to the rear of
Barnes Way, commonly known
as The Paddocks. At the recent community meeting
held at Werrington Community
Centre in Werrington village
Darren said:
“The council officers are trying to
implement a scheme that makes no
sense and shows the poor planning
that has occurred since the start.
“I am also amazed that despite
voting in favour of this year’s
budget, which showed the council’s
plans regarding allotments, some
Tory councillors are now acting as
though they knew nothing about it.
“Either they do not read the
documents they vote on or they
simply do not know what they are
doing!”
TEAM CONTACT DETAILS:
Councillor: Darren Fower FOCUS Editor: Richard Olive Tel: 570238 or 573813 Mobile: 07932 021 349 Email: SWNG_FOCUS @peterboroughlibdems.org.uk
Ward website: www.campaigns. libdems.org.uk/SWNG Post: Cllr Darren Fower, Town Hall, Bridge Street, Peterborough PE1 1HG
EEEELECTIONLECTIONLECTIONLECTION
SPECIALSPECIALSPECIALSPECIAL ISSUE!ISSUE!ISSUE!ISSUE!
On Thursday 6 May there are two elections – o ONE – to elect a Member of Parliament for Peterborough.
o TWO – to elect a local councillor for South Werrington and
Gunthorpe.
So you will get two ballot papers and two votes. Please use them both!
Your Liberal Democrat candidates are - o Nick Sandford – as Member of Parliament
o Darren Fower – as local councillor
The Lib Dem priorities for Peterborough are:
1. Fair Tax: No-one in Peterborough should pay any income tax on the
first £10,000 of their earnings, so many pensioners and low earners would
pay no tax at all. Tax loop-holes should be closed so that people on very
high earnings pay more tax. Council Tax should be phased out and
replaced by a fairer local income tax.
2. A fresh start for children: Primary schools in Peterborough should be
given extra money so that they can reduce class sizes and give children a
better start to their education. We would pay for it by scrapping new
Labour’s child trust fund.
3. A greener economy and transport: Make Peterborough the true
environment capital by investing in renewable energy and insulating our
homes. Scrap free car parking perks for councillors, water taxis, waste
incinerators and large road building schemes and invest more in waste
reduction, recycling and in public transport, park and ride and cycling
facilities.
4. Clean up politics in Peterborough: End unfair one party domination
of Peterborough City Council by introducing a fair voting system, reduce
wasteful reliance on consultants and give power to local communities by
giving real powers and budgets to area committees and neighbourhood
councils.
5. Tackle Crime: By putting more full time police officers on our streets
to crack down on anti social behaviour, paid for by scrapping new
Nick Sandford Darren Fower
Edition: 55
FOCUS FACTS ON FOWER This year’s local election for the South Werrington and North Gunthorpe ward is a ‘two horse race’ between the
Conservatives and your local Lib Dem FOCUS Team. REMEMBER, you have three councillors for this area. As well as local Liberal Democrat councillor Darren Fower
there are two Conservative Councillors - when do you ever hear from them?
So let’s compare the three councillors.
Darren
Fower
Lib Dem
Cllr Paula
Thacker
Conservative
Cllr Colin
Burton
Conservative
COST TO YOU: What they got paid for the financial year 2009-
2010 (pre tax) by local taxpayers. Figures are approximate.
£7,962
£15,127
£15,127
COST TO YOU 2: Has a parking permit giving free parking at any
time in any council car park, estimated to be worth £900 per year. NO
Yes
Yes
KEEPING IN CONTACT: Holds monthly ‘surgeries’ for residents.
(In fact Darren holds two surgeries a month)
YES
No
No
KEEPING IN CONTACT 2: Produces regular newsletter delivered
to every door by volunteers. NOT just at election time! YES
No
No
KEEPING IN CONTACT 3: Undertakes regular resident’s survey,
knocking on each door in the ward and asking for opinions and ideas.
YES
No
No
KEEPING IN CONTACT 4: Published Community Leadership
Fund applications, so people can see what the money went on.
YES
No
No
DOING THE JOB: The full council is the premier meeting for the local authority, involving all councillors. “There are
decisions that only full council can make and these include setting budgets and spending programmes, setting council
tax levels and approving major policies and priorities.” – Peterborough City Council 1
ATTENDANCE % at full council meetings 100% 50% 50%
QUESTIONS ASKED – Questions at full council can be about ward
related issues or decisions taken by the council.
12
0
0
MOTIONS SUBMITTED – Motions are formal proposals to change
council procedure, policy or request action by the local authority. 3 0 0
VOTING – Voted against increase in Council Tax this year. YES No No
VOTING – Voted against closure of public toilets. YES No No
VOTING – Voted against cuts in open hours at Werrington Library. YES No No
VOTING – Voted against ‘significant’ pay rises for city councillors. YES No No
VOTING – Voted against removing subsidy for school meals. YES No No
ACTION – Highlighted and argued against the council’s Icelandic
bank fiasco (£1 million lost to date!)
YES No No
ACTION – Publicly opposed the costly Cathedral Square works. YES No No
“So do you want another councillor that costs twice as much and
attends half as many full council meetings?”
On MAY 6th
make your vote count XXXX
1
Printed by P’boro Lib Dem Printing Soc c/o 37 Swift Close, Deeping St James PE6 8QQ. Published and promoted for and on behalf of the Liberal Democrats by Peter Chivall, 88 Elmfield Rd, P’boro PE1 4HB
NICK’S EXPENSES PLEDGE Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate Nick
Sandford has promised that he will not be
claiming for a second home if he wins the general
election in Peterborough on 6 May. Our current Tory MP claims allowances, paid for by
taxpayers, to pay for a second home. He has houses in
both London and Peterborough.
Nick Sandford said: “If I
am elected I will commute
to London like many other
local people. I certainly will
not expect the taxpayer to
fund a second home.
The whole system of
MPs’ expenses and perks
needs changing.”
DARREN SEEKS YOUR VOTE Darren Fower has represented the South Werrington and
North Gunthorpe ward for six years. When first elected, he
was the second youngest councillor in Peterborough’s
history and still remains the only councillor to be
recognised in the council’s ‘Ideas for Excellence’ scheme. During the day, Darren works for the Association for Spina
Bifida and Hydrocephalus which is based in the city centre.
Over the past three years he
has raised well over £200,000 to
help maintain essential services
for people with hydrocephalus
and/or spina bifida.
He has also built a reputation
amongst colleagues – and with
YOU the electorate – as a hard-
working local campaigner..
1. Full Council Analysis taken from meetings held between December 2008 and April 2010.