Wycombe Liberal Democrats » Blog Entries

Former Labour PPC Defects to Liberal Democrats

Steve Guy — Tue, 27 May 2008 13:21:51 +0000

2005 Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Wycombe Constituency, Councillor Julia Wassell, has joined the Liberal Democrats.

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

Are we sleepwalking into a surveillance society?

Steve Guy — Sun, 25 May 2008 12:45:57 +0000

Amidst all the excitement of the Crewe and Nantwich by election, I’d like to draw people’s attention to something they may have missed this week. Ministers are to consider a national database which will record details of:

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

State of Art playground opens in Kingsmead- Cllr Trevor Snaith -May 2008

Trevor Snaith — Thu, 01 May 2008 23:03:00 +0000

The latest state-of-the-art children’s playground – the biggest of its kind in High Wycombe – was opened at the end of April, at Kingsmead Recreation Ground.
The £167,000 play area includes fantastic equipment for children from toddlers to teens, and the seaside theme for younger children was developed after consultation with local families.
The new play area, off Fennels Road, replaces an older playground. Wycombe District Council’s Play Strategy last year identified the eastern side of the town most in need of improved play facilities, and WDC’s Play Partnership agreed.
It has been funded by a £127,109 grant from the BIG Lottery and a £40,000 contribution from the Thames Water Wycombe Marsh housing development.
Cllr Trevor Snaith and Cllr Ray Farmer were at the opening when children from the Marsh First School were the first to use the new equipment. There are two distinct areas – one designed for children from two to 12, and the other for children from 12 to 16.
Cllr Trevor Snaith said, “This is a great boost for families in the east end of Wycombe. It’s something that the council should be investing in for other wards across the town “.
Cllr Ray Farmer said, “The area for older children includes a teen shelter as well as exciting new features like Aeroskate and Skysurf. The area for younger children has all the latest equipment designed to let children play energetically yet safely.”

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

Tory Councillors say NO to local democracy!

Trevor Snaith — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 14:59:00 +0000

Tory Councillors say NO to local democracy!
At a meeting of the High Wycombe Town Committee on March 11th the Tory councillors voted against true local democracy by blocking a review, proposed by Councillor Snaith, to consider the advantages of a town council for High Wycombe.

Councillors Green, Lambourne and other Tory councillors had obviously been “whipped” to argue that a town council would cost more. The reality is that the financial numbers that the Tory group came up with are based on “a finger in the air” and guess at the cost. The Tory arguments were based on supposition and not fact. In fact, a town council carrying out duties performed everywhere else by parish or town councils could probably be more efficient than the District Council – and therefore less expensive!

Conservative councillors want to deny the 46,000 people in High Wycombe town the local democracy they are entitled by law to have!
Its unfortunate that the Tory members who have expressed support for a Town Council are being gagged by the Wycombe Tory party!

Councillor Snaith and Councillor Farmer are working with other political parties and local groups to deliver a truly non-political Town Council for the Town of High Wycombe. —- We welcome all councillors who want to be part of High Wycombe’s future to be part of a non-political team – even Tory councillors when they overcome their fears of the party whips!

Spring Conference Update

Steve Guy — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 19:04:57 +0000

Parliamentary Spokesman Steve Guy and Wycombe Chair Wendy are representing Wycombe Liberal Democrats at the Spring Conference in Liverpool. Steve caught up with Lynne Featherstone MP after the important debate on Ballistic Missile Defence, hear Lynne’s update by clicking on the video clip on the right.

Later, Vince Cable took the Conference by storm. He promised to get tough on the super rich and said that non-domiciled foreign nationals avoiding UK tax was unacceptable – and that Tory and Conservative plans did not go far enough. He also announced plans to drop VAT on fruit juice from current 17.5% to just 5% – funded by rasing more tax on drinks with a high alcohol content. He made a savage assesment of the failures of Gordon Brown since coming to power – listing failures which included the handling of Northern Rock, where the government belatedly took Cable’s advice to nationalise the ailing bank.

Check back soon for a full update on all of the news from Liverpool.

Rye Management Plan Consultation Document – Cllr Trevor Snaith – February 2008

Trevor Snaith — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 11:51:05 +0000

Response to the Rye Management Plan Consultation Document

I have had a number of residents complain that the consultation document did not purport to be a management plan for the future, just a description of the area, with summary of current actions. This is useful as a base for consultation, but confusing to people who wish to comment.

Holywell Mead Swimming Pool
Concerns have been raised that Holywell Mead Swimming Pool is not seen as part of the Rye plan. It costs a considerable sum to keep it open three months or so of the year. The facility lies dormant for far too long, and consideration should be given to some form of year round use before the Rye Management Plan is finalised. Otherwise, Wycombe District Council could find that enormous changes have to be made rendering much of the plan obsolete.

Based on key learning’s and resident feedback –
• The Pool must remain in Current ownership – not a profit/private club!
• It needs refitting including improved showers with dual use for the park and pool (in which case the ugly changing rooms could be removed)
• An addition of spa pools, sauna and steam room would be an attraction
• Heated pool with roof, ideally capable of pulling back would ensure use in summer and winter.
• It would complements fully the outdoor activities and we would then have all year use leisure pool.

Signage around the whole area needs reassessing and upgrading.

Holywell Mead south
Could well be enhanced ecologically, especially habitat creation or restoration. I believe The Environment Centre has made recommendations for
• a marshy area at the zone below the waterfall, complemented by a reed bed
• moving the “stepping stones” in the pool below the waterfall to make a line
• a deeper pool below the waterfall
• a gentler mowing regime, especially at the margins and in areas little used by the public to enable the development of ‘field margin’ habitats and an area of wildflower meadow
• a wildflower meadow between the line of the former Carrington estate and the Back Stream.

The Dyke and Wendover Way
When is something going to be done about the swans on the Dyke? There always used to be just a pair, which would nest every year. Since the public have been overfeeding them, there have been more than 50, which is killing the plants and fish. They are also aggressive and could be dangerous to small children. The vast amount of bread thrown to the swans and ducks contributes to the number of rats in the area. The rat catcher‘s sterling work is thwarted by this overfeeding.

Parking in Wycombe Marsh is becoming a nightmare! – Cllr Trevor Snaith – Feb 2008

Trevor Snaith — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:27:16 +0000

Parking in Wycombe Marsh is becoming a nightmare!

There are serious parking issues in Wycombe Marsh – parking provision must be improved.

Lib Dems say YES! Tories say NO!

At a recent Development Control Committee meeting the new St James development was approved by the Tory controlled committee. The required parking provision level was passed with “minimum”. parking provision for the estate. An area set aside for affordable homes will be faced with a “first come first served” fight for parking.The rest of the estate could see dispersed parking onto the roads around the Marsh and surrounding areas.

Your local Lib Dem councillors presented the case to show that lack of adequate on road, off road public and resident parking in the area was a growing problem.

The new St James housing development design does not deliver adequate public on road or off road parking. The Development meets minimium standards but really needs to offer more space for residents/public/visitors /local workers to park – perhaps an all day public car park is the answer within the Marsh area? Ideally it should be across from Fitness First close to the existing flats.

Cllrs Farmer and Snaith have shown there are serious traffic and parking problems in this area. The new St James development will increase the traffic problems through Abbey Barn Road/Wrights Meadow access, London Road retail park access and London Road/Curry’s access

The issues we face may appear to be as a result of St James making. It isnt the developers at fault.They are working with local groups to minimise issues. The truth is the developers are simply delivering what our District and County councils are allowing.

The underlying issue remains that District and County councils are not putting in place the necessary services for the local community. Crucial services to meet the increased density of the homes, increased traffic and parking needs are not being met.

Your local Liberal Democrat councillors are challenging the Tory controlled councils to improve local on street and off street parking provision in Wycombe and also increase the number of parking spaces provided for new homes and developments.

Sharon Bowles criticises Goverment over floodplains

morty — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 20:10:59 +0000

Sharon Bowles, Liberal Democrat South East MEP, has come out in support of the insurance industry following the ABI’s warning that without tougher planning controls many future homes will be uninsurable.

As one third of the Government’s plan for 3 million new homes by 2010 are to be built on floodplains Sharon Bowles said, “It is about time the UK Government stopped burying its head in the sand and listened to the warnings of both the insurance industry and the Environment Agency. After the horrendous floods last year, that left thousands homeless, it is blatantly clear that we mustn’t let households go uninsured.

“Poor planning applications are slipping through despite Environment Agency warnings of flooding risk. Insurers want to continue offering insurance to householders but they will be unable to do so at an affordable price if such a large of much of building on floodplains continues. Even when flood protection measures are included in new builds, that can just mean the excess surface water is diverted elsewhere as we saw last year.

In December 2007, Sharon Bowles criticised the Government for failing to commit the proper funding needed to invest flood prevention in its Comprehensive Spending Review. Sharon Bowles went on to say “This is not the first time. The Government must take this seriously and replace its token, half-hearted gestures with proper action.”

Association of British Insurers www.abi.org.uk

SPOTLIGHT now reaches all of Ryemead – Cllr Trevor Snaith – January 2008

Trevor Snaith — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 21:35:32 +0000

We have some great news for Ryemead residents. Spotlight has agreed to extend coverage to the whole of Ryemead.

The editor of Spotlight says –”Spotlight is a community magazine run by local residents which has been covering the communities of Micklefield and the Wycombe Marsh – part of Ryemead – since 2002. From March this year a new publication, Spotlight East Wycombe is expanding to cover Micklefield, Totteridge, Bowerdean and the whole of Ryemead.
See www.spotlightmagazine.org.uk

Frances Alexander will be coordinating the Ryemead submissions to the Editor. Send stories to Frances – Frances5Walex@aol.com

We have a number of residents who will deliver in Ryemead – we are seeking more – would you deliver the magazine to your street? Please let us know! Contact: trevor_snaith@wycombe.gov.uk or Raymond_farmer@wycombe.gov.uk

Councillors Ray Farmer and Trevor Snaith wish “Spotlight East Wycombe” all the best for the future!

Nuclear is not the answer – Steve Guy

Steve Guy — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 12:24:05 +0000

I am saddened but not surprised by the announcement today that the government is going to back more nuclear power stations for Britain. We in the Liberal Democrats believe that this is a flawed decision based on a sham consultation. Last year, we set out our research which showed that we could achieve a 94% reduction in carbon emissions without resorting to nuclear power. Nuclear leaves a legacy of dangerous waste that our descendants will have to deal with for generations to come. Not only that, but we believe that the focus will be diverted from developing better and cheaper renewable energy as well as energy saving initiatives. We believe that we can reach our targets by bridging the gap with carbon capture technology:

Carbon capture allows continued use of gas and coal fired power stations, which are flexible in output. That means that they are ideal to use in conjunction with some forms of renewable power, such as wind power, that are themselves not very flexible (or at least flexible in only one direction). Nuclear power, in contrast, is difficult and costly to use flexibly and thus puts barriers in the way of renewable energy.
Both carbon capture and nuclear power produce waste and both forms of waste have their risks, but the waste produced by nuclear power is far more dangerous than CO2.
Carbon capture, unlike nuclear power, is not an inherently dangerous technology using inherently dangerous materials that have military or terrorist uses. It thus poses no risks for proliferation and does not require an extensive and costly security apparatus to protect it.
The risks associated with nuclear accidents are so great that the industry has needed a vast hidden subsidy in the form of a cap on liability to be viable. Carbon capture will not need such hidden subsidies.
Carbon capture and storage is a technology in which Britain is in a position to take a lead, especially using skills developed in the North Sea, whereas nuclear power can only go ahead on the basis imported technology.
In terms of security of fuel supply, nuclear power uses an entirely imported form of fuel, namely uranium, whereas carbon capture will allow the continued use of a domestically produced fuel, namely coal.