“This is a good result for the Liberal Democrats and my congratulations go to Stephen Kearney and his team for an excellent campaign.

“After one year in the job Gordon Brown cannot even get enough support to save his deposit.”

“Labour’s days are well and truly over and it is the Liberal Democrats who are challenging the Conservatives in the south and Labour in the north.”

The full result was:

John Howell (Conservative): 19,796 (+3.2%)

Stephen Kearney (Liberal Democrat): 9,680 (+1.7%)

Mark Stevenson (Green Party): 1,321

Timothy Rait (British National Party): 1,243

Richard McKenzie (Labour): 1,066

Chris Adams (UK Independence Party): 843

Bananaman Owen (Official Monster Raving Loony Party): 242

Derek Allpass (English Democrats Party): 157

Amanda Harrington (Independent Candidate): 128

Dick Rodgers (Common Good): 121

Louise Cole (Independent Candidate): 91

Harry Bear (Fur Play Party): 73

A consultation will take place to the Developer’s Guide to WDC’s Developer Contributions Supplementary Planning Document. This is important as it ensures that wards and areas of the town that bear the pain from new building get their fair share of the benefits in terms of spend on schools/transport/community provision/ect.
The Town to date has been the main recipient of the pain from new building . The question is has the Town received the full benefit in terms of developer contributions. Have we seen the resulting spend being directed to the areas that have seen the pain of the new developments? In Ryemead we have seen massive development but little reinvestment back into the area in terms of investment in community centres, alleviating traffic congestion or addressing parking problems.

Residents are commenting that they dont see real tangible benefits in terms of better community and leisure services, new and improved community centres, more allotment provision, more buses (when they want them), easing of traffic congestion and better parking —Your Liberal Democrat councillors are asking the Tory council to explain with all the additional funds coming in from developers why are we not seeing a massive improvement in services?

This is your opportunity to find out whats been happening and whats planned for the future
The guide is the document which outlines programmes and schemes to which developer contributions will be put, and highlights how much different types and sizes of schemes will be expected to contribute to different categories of infrastructure.

The guide is reviewed annually to take account of the latest project and building costs, and the latest information about gaps and shortfalls in community infrastructure.

The consultation will take place from 4 June-2 July. As part of this, a seminar for stakeholders about the proposed changes will take place in the Council Chamber on Tuesday 24 June, at 4.30-6.30pm. This event is open to all stakeholders/community groups and individuals representing groups

If you would like to attend the seminar please contact Carol Courcha by email carol_courcha@wycombe.gov.uk or phone 01494 421277.

Your Liberal Democrat councillors encourage you to attend the event to find out how these contributions will be used in the future and make comment on what you want for your town

• North Town, Totteridge Road, High Wycombe (pictured above)
• Loudwater, Station Road, High Wycombe
• Hazlemere Crossroads, High Wycombe
• Desborough Road, High Wycombe
• Wycombe Lane, Wooburn Green
• The Parade, Bourne End

Parliamentary Spokesman, Steve Guy said

Post Offices are the lifeblood of communities in both rural and urban areas, particularly when they are combined with other services, such as the local shop. When the local post office closes other services often follow suit, which can be devastating for the community. Yesterday I visited one of the Post Offices affected. North Town Post Office in Totteridge Lane serves between 750 and 1000 customers every week. Nearby elderly residents are devastated that their local Post Office is going to close. They tell me that their local Post Office helps them to maintain their independence.

What is particularly sad is that all of these closures could be avoided. In 2006, the Liberal Democrats set out a detailed, fully costed set of proposals which would secure the future of our Post Office network - and even allow for the opening of new ones. The Post Office network is a wonderful asset which has been allowed to wither on the vine by successive governments, both Tory and Labour. We will be campaigning vigorously against all of these heartless, unnecessary closures.

You can sign our petition at Northtown Post Office, and we will be visiting all of the other Post Offices affected over the next few days to find out how the threat of closure is affecting their customers.

Young resident Demi presented a 1200 name petition over a year ago demanding action to make Bowerdean Road safer. Today, Demi and friend Scott were joined by  Councillor Julia Wassell, Councillor Chaudhary Ditta and Parliamentary Campaigner Steve Guy to discuss options with officers from Bucks County Council. On the agenda were speed bumps, a 20mph speed limit, a pedestrian crossing and a variety of other measures. The campaign team were pleased to come away with a firm promise of new white lines and SLOW signs on the road.
This is just the start. You can be sure that the Lib Dem team will continue to monitor progress. Bowerdean Road has seen a number of accidents involving children over the last three years.

Marie Burnand was a founder member of the Social Democrat Party, and happily embraced Liberal Democracy when the two parties joined. The success of Liberals and SDP together as the Liberal Democrats was due to people like Marie who were determined to ensure cohesion.

She has served as Secretary and Chairman, and latterly her sterling service over the years was recognised when she was acclaimed President of the Wycombe Liberal Democrats. She stood as a candidate for local council several times, and came close to being elected. She chaired the governing body of a school for children with special needs for several years, doing her utmost to ensure those needs were met.

Marie was quietly supported in her political work by her husband, Gordon, who ensured she could attend meetings as her health deteriorated. Marie, and her smile, will be greatly missed, not only by her family and local Liberal Democrats, but also by the numerous families she helped in her professional capacity.

Councillor Chaudhary Ditta sits on both Buckinghamshire County Council and Wycombe District Council.

Wycombe Liberal Democrats Parliamentary Spokesman, Steve Guy said:

I am delighted to welcome Councillor Ditta to the Liberal Democrat team in Wycombe. He is a highly respected councillor and has considerable standing in the community. I know that we are all looking forward to working with him and gaining from his experience. The residents of Bowerdean, Micklefield and Totteridge will continue to be represented by a great team in Councillors Wassell and Ditta

Councillor Ditta said:

I have today joined Councillor Julia Wassell as member of the Liberal Democrat Group on
Bucks County Council and Wycombe District Council. This is a positive choice I have made in the interests of the community as I believe that Councillor Wassell and I have worked very well together for several years. We can achieve more for residents if we continue working together.

Councillor Wassell sits on both Buckinghamshire County Council and Wycombe District Council. In 2005, she was the Labour Party Parliamentary Candidate for Wycombe.

Wycombe Liberal Democrats Parliamentary Spokesman, Steve Guy said:

I am delighted to welcome Councillor Wassell to the Liberal Democrat team in Wycombe. She has an outstanding record of campaigning hard on local issues and getting results. I believe she will be a great asset.  
We are all looking forward to working with her for the benefit of the people of Wycombe.

Councillor Wassell said:

I am looking forward to working with people who are putting their principles into practice. Working in a very local way to empower people and communities. The Liberal Democrats have welcomed me warmly and will be able to support my commitment to campaigning and casework in Wycombe. I have had the greatest respect for many members of the Lib Dems for a number of years whom I know personally. I am particularly pleased also to join the Lib Dem group on the County  
Council where I will be well supported in contrast to the previous situation

• Every phone call you make
• Every email you send
• Every website you visit

The plans are currently at an early stage, but may be included in a draft communications bill later this year. The reason given will be the ubiquitous ‘fight against terrorism’, which is now the justification for more and more erosion of our civil liberties. I am fully committed to the fight against terrorists: I value the freedoms that come with living in a democracy and terrorism is a threat to those freedoms. But moving closer and closer to the surveillance society is in itself an erosion of the very freedom we cherish. These plans would be a step too far. Telecommunications companies already cooperate fully with law enforcement agencies when it is necessary to investigate suspects. A statement from the Information Commission released this week says:

We are not aware of any justification for the state to hold every UK citizen’s phone and internet records. We have real doubts that such a measure can be justified, or is proportionate or desirable.

Defeating crime and terrorism is of the utmost importance, but we are not aware of any pressing need to justify the government itself holding this sort of data.

Quite apart from the appalling idea of a government invading individual privacy in this way, this administration has already shown it cannot be trusted with the security of sensitive data (as
recipients of Child Benefit will already attest to).

This government so often reminds me of the following wise adage (often erroneously attributed to Benjamin Franklin):

Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety

Steve Guy, Wycombe Liberal Democrats Parliamentary Spokesman

Now lets see the similar level of new child play areas across the other Town Wards