South Dorset Liberal Democrats
Campaigning for South Dorset
|
|
South Dorset Liberal Democrats Campaigning for South Dorset |
|
| <info@southdorsetlibdems.org.uk> | South Dorset Liberal Democrats | 31st July 2010 |
Nick Clegg takes PMQs 21.7.106.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 21st Jul 2010
Please follow the link below to see Nick's excellent performance at at Prime Minister's Questions - the first Liberal since David Lloyd George to perform this role LOCALISM/ BIG SOCIETY - THIS IS WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE TO REGENERATE DORSET'S ECONOMY6.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 19th Jul 2010 A pioneering bid for funding from the European Rural Development Fund Local Action programme to set up a college specialising in new technologies in domestic & industrial renewable energy systems & developing traditional agricultural practice to diversify farming, horticulture & Dorset's tourist industry is being submitted by BLAST (Bridport Local Area Skills Training) & a range of local education providers. Headed by Blast director (one of 3) , West Dorset District Cllr & Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesman for South Dorset, Ros Kayes , the bid is a unique public/private partnership which pools the resources of experts across Dorset, South Somerset & East Devon in an audacious vision for transforming the rural economy by developing industries which contribute to environmental sustainability. "West Dorset has always been a hard to reach area for further education" said Ros, " because of the high numbers needed to make a college sustainable financially .As a result in Bridport we have very low levels of qualification post 16. That's the rationale behind BLAST…We decided to find a way of bringing in colleges to provide training without them having to invest in a premises or do the recruitment or have the overheads. We find the students, we identify the training needs through liaising with employers & schools & we liaise with the colleges to deliver courses they can afford to deliver." To date Blast has specialised in helping hard to reach post 16 learners……NEETS (not in education , employment or training) through its successful ASPIRE educational outreach project & the delivery of E2E (education to employment) at its new West Dorset skills Training Centre in Bridport, funded by Nacro . "But", continued Ros " rural Dorset has also historically had a problem with developing its economy beyond traditional agriculture. We have poor transport infrastructure which means that our tendency is to support light industry & agriculture - & the latter has become increasingly unprofitable in a global economy, which is why so many small farmers are turning to organics & local food markets. " Bridport has become known as a town which specialises in local food production (with our excellent farmers' market) & the community & town council have very strong environmental leanings. Many, many people have moved here in order to live more sustainably - the town has many allotments, a zero waste group & a renewable energy group & I felt it was time to add some of these things together - our genuine desire in the town to live more sustainably; the excellence & expertise available & the importance of developing the rural economy here." Combining local FE colleges - Kingston Maurward & Yeovil, private training providers - Windmill Training, Monkton Wyld & Trill Farm, & a community social enterprise - Blast, the centre will offer a mixture of short courses for community learning & longer academic diplomas training 16 -25 year olds in areas like generating energy from waste, anerobic digestion, wind & solar power technologies, wood fuel technology & developing supply chains for solid fuel & water heating systems, setting up a small holding, permaculture, organic growing, creating herbal products, biodynamic techniques for farm & garden, food preparation, sales & product development, reuse of materials , design & marketing, promotion of eco tourism, rural business skills, the use of composites in sustainable construction & animal husbandary. "The bid is designed to support members of the community who want to live more sustainably but also to train up our young people to be entrepreneurs in areas like eco tourism, renewable energy, sustainable construction & organic farming which have been identified as the growth industries of the future- we are linking the courses with mentoring & business support & hope to be setting up a business incubation centre with another of our training partners as a follow up to the project," said Ros. "My experience of working in South Dorset over the last 18 months has convinced me that this is a model that can be rolled out across Dorset as a whole" she continued, "especially in the Purbecks where there are similar problems with access but a huge interest in sustainable technology & local food markets . But if you look at somewhere like Portland, with its proposal for an academy to rejuvenate the economy & a huge windfarm about to be located off the coast - there is clear potential to roll out something like this there as well." Those involved in the bid would like to thank West Dorset District Council, Dorset County Council, Bridport Town Council, the Learning & Skills Council & the South West Regional Development Agency for their financial & moral support which has made it possible to put the bid together. "We think it ticks all the boxes " said Ros, "the other projects we have got going have also found it difficult to get funding - although I don't like the term 'big society' these kinds of projects are exactly those that should be getting support. It's taken 30 years for us to get further education in Bridport !" BUDGET 2010: CABLE ON WHY WE NEEDED TO RAISE VAT/ GUARDIAN ON CUTS9.22.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 22nd Jun 2010 Read Vince Cable & Julian Glover's report on ICM survey in by following recent news stories link EMERGENCY BUDGET8.39.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 22nd Jun 2010
LIB DEMS ENSURE PROTECTION OF POOR & THOSE ON LOWER INCOMES IN BUDGET ENSHRINING OUR MANIFESTO COMMITMENTS This a coalition budget reflects the determination of the government to act decisively but in a way that has fairness at its heart. Labour has left the public finances in a catastrophic state. We have no choice but to act decisively now or we will be forced into it later by the markets. The pain will be much greater and the costs of servicing our debt will directly hit our ability to protect public services. Although the budget contains many difficult decisions, fairness is hardwired into it. Every other significant fiscal contraction has hit the poorest hardest. This budget protects the poorest and ensures that the impacts are fairly spread. Key measures to ensure fairness include:
DETAIL: Key Coalition Achievements Helping low and middle income earners
As we promised in our manifesto and our coalition agreement we are raising the income tax threshold. Today we have taken the first step to lifting it to £10,000 a year by increasing the threshold by £1,000 to £7,475k a year, which will give 23 million low and middle income earners up to £190 back in their pocket to spend. This measure will take 880,000 people out of income tax altogether. Those with the broadest shoulders bear the heaviest burden As we promised in both our manifesto and our coalition agreement we are ensuring that the wealthier pay their fair share. We are increasing the rate of Capital Gains Tax to 28% for higher rate taxpayers while keeping it at 18% for basic rate taxpayers. In line with the Coalition Agreement we are also increasing Entrepreneurs Relief from £2m to £5m. There will be no indexation and no taper relief- these only complicate the tax system. This will raise an extra £1bn and end the disgraceful situation of bankers paying a lower rate of tax than their cleaners. Securing a fair deal for Pensioners As we promised in our manifesto we are introducing a 'triple lock' to protect pensioners. In future pensions will rise with the higher of earnings, 2.5% or inflation. This year because RPI will be higher than CPI it will rise with RPI, in future the inflation measure will be CPI. The standard minimum income guarantee in Pension Credit will be increased in line with RPI this year so that the poorest pensioners receive the full benefit of the rise in the Basic State Pension. We believe that it is only fair that pensioners are guaranteed a decent pension from the state on which to live. Tackling Child Poverty We believe that every child deserves a fair star in life. And this budget keeps a commitment to tackling child poverty in meaningful way. Despite this Budget representing an unprecedented fiscal consolidation the Coalition Government has taken action to ensure that there is no measurable impact on child poverty. This has been achieved by committing a further £2bn in to the Child Element of tax credits. The coalition also remains committed to introducing the Pupil Premium - which will give more money to the pupils and schools that need it the most. The Environment We believe that climate change is one of the most serious threats that the world faces and the Coalition Government has pledged to make this the greenest government ever. The Coalition Government is committed to: o providing the right incentives for low carbon investment. The Government will publish proposals in the autumn to reform the climate change levy in order to provide more certainty and support to the carbon price; o creating a Green Investment Bank. Detailed proposals of which will be provided after the Spending Review; and o establishing the Green Deal for households, to help individuals invest in home energy efficiency improvements that can pay for themselves from the savings in energy bills.
Re-balancing the economy The Coalition Budget introduces a bank levy (based on balance sheet size), which will raise £2.5bn a year. It is only fair that that the banks pay their fair share back to the taxpayers who helped bail them out. This will contribute to tax cuts for all other types of business. Corporation tax will be cut from 28% to 24%, over 4 years, with 1% cut each year. The small companies rate will not rise to 22% in April 2009 as proposed by Labour, instead it will be cut to 20%. ROS WATCH12.21.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 4th Jun 2010
In the last 2 weeks Ros has:
-Spoken at the Lib Dem regional conference about Fair Votes for Dorset
the South West Regional Development Agency in continuing to support Dorset's economy
for victims of domestic violence in South Dorset;
Wessex FM about trafficking fears;
development are offered first to local people;
MESSAGE FROM ROS - THAT COALITION DILEMMA11.12.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 4th Jun 2010
Now that the dust has settled, I want to be able to open debate with all of our supporters about the coalition & its positive & negative impacts - because there are both ! The site will contain (see below) regular COALITIONWATCH updates. I welcome responses from you about your feelings about what is happening. I see my role within the party as challenging any decisions that run counter to our manifesto aims - but accepting that if we as a party believe in reform of the voting system we have to deal with the consequences of that reform : coalition government. In a time of economic recession it would have been simply irresponsible of us not to agree to work with either Labour or the Conservatives. Many of us would have preferred Labour. Below is the text of the press release I gave following the announcement of coalition: Anyone who knows me knows that I am NOT a Tory. But people do deserve an explanation of WHY we have gone into coalition.
The Liberal Democrats fought this election saying that we would work with whoever had the mandate from the British people & whoever would help us to deliver our manifesto promises in Government. In this coalition we have achieved the Pupil Premium, a commitment to our climate change targets, protecting those on low incomes from pay restraints,higher tax allowances for those on low incomes, long term increase of the tax threshold to £10,000, abandoning the increased threshold for inheritance tax, a per plane duty on air travel, linking non business capital gains to income tax, the manifesto guarantee on pensions earnings link, scrutinisation of the renewal of trident, anti avoidance measures for taxes, introduction of a banking levy & a commission to consider separation of retail & investment banks, a Freedom Bill, extension of the FOI, restoration of rights to protest, abolition of ID cards & the biometric data base AND delivery on electoral reform with a referendum on AV. These are the policies my party fought on in the general election. The Labour party was too hampered by its tribalism to go into coalition to achieve the kind of progressive powersharing the left in this country so desperately needed and the figures would have made for very unstable government. Now the Liberal Democrats have the chance to ameliorate some of the more extreme elements in the Conservative manifesto. Balanced government. One of the phrases I heard repeated again and again on the doorstep in my campaign was ' Why can't you all work together to sort out the financial crisis.' The Liberal Democrats have always supported that take on our current economic problems. It is the mature thing to do in government to work with whoever it takes to get the job done. A minority Tory administration in a financial crisis would undoubtedly have been a disaster for Britain. We, as Liberal Democrats, have been given the opportunity to prove that strong coalition government works, as it has worked in post war Germany, and I must say that I have come to repsect for David Cameron for the way he has recognised and been able to welcome this as the only workable solution. Government has changed now forever & thank God. The two party system with its endless recriminations, vicious in fighting & squeezing of radicalism into the centre ground has damaged this country almost beyond repair. I welcome a new, more mature approach to government. In returning a hung parliament this is what the British peopole voted for. I'd rather have my hand cut off than be a Conservative - but if Sinn Fein & the Unionists can work together & we can't in the short term for the benefit of a country in recession then isn't there something gravely wrong with politics in this country ? Now it's a question of rolling up our sleeves and getting on with the job to be done. COALITION WATCH POLICY UPDATES10.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 4th Jun 2010 Coalition-watch Please find below links to press articles about coalition policies. As we go into this very different form of government it is imperative for the Liberal Democrats to retain the values presented in our manifesto. Coalition always involves compromise - the links below show how our manifesto commitments are finding their feet in government. Nuclear Power - as Environment Secretary Chris Huhne has stated that new nuclear energy plants will only be build without public subsidy. This renders a new generation of expensive power plants unlikely. Chris has added in (see link) the astronomical costs of clean -up http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/jun/01/chris-huhne-black-hole-nuclear-power-budget Gaza: Nick Clegg has continually campaigned against the arming of Israel & the blockade of humanitarian aid to Gaza. This Times article explores the ideological difference between Lib Dems & Conservatives on the issue http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7141807.ece Vince Cable's first speech as business secretary is covered in the Independent,looking at how our plans for economic recovery will pan out. Archive of earlier news stories.
Published and promoted by South Dorset Liberal Democrats, 81 Ulwell Road, Swanage, Dorset BH19 1QU. The views expressed are those of the party, not of the service provider. |
|
