Welwyn Hatfield Liberal Democrats

Sir

Last week a Mr Bailey wrote about the cancellation of Welwyn Hatfield council's most recent meeting due to lack of business. This is not entirely accurate as the LibDem group had submitted a question to the council leader about a little-known change to council tax benefit which will mean many residents losing 25% of their benefit. I am pleased to say that on this occasion, leader John Dean has agreed with us.

The new landscaping in Wigmores North outside Sainsbury's is already suffering considerable damage. Skateboarders have been using the stonework around the flower beds for their hobby, damaging dozens of the stones despite the metal brackets put in to deter them. And many of the metal chains put in to help train the new trees have been broken almost certainly by people jumping up and down on them.

Local Liberal Democrats are in unison with rail users who are reeling from yet another above-inflation rise in rail fares.

LibDem councillor Malcolm Cowan says 'Yet another independent survey last week has shown rail fares in England are the highest in Europe - for a service that is far from outstanding. Delays and cancellations are as common as ever, and overcrowding and lack of seats, even off-peak, is getting worse, while spare coaches lie unused in the sidings outside rush-hours.

Liberal Democrat county councillors were shocked last week to hear a Tory member of Hertfordshire county council's cabinet say that that it is 'unfortunate that they have to report' on delays to building projects. Derrick Ashley also added that timescales are 'not relevant'.

This came as part of a discussion on slippage (that is expected completion date moving back into another year) on county council building projects of £42.26m.

With the part-night lighting scheme set to be rolled out to more districts from the start of the New Year, Hertfordshire's Liberal Democrats have once again sounded a warning to the plans by the Conservative administration at County Hall, saying the proposed scheme is too inflexible.

Commenting on behalf of the Lib Dem Group, Malcolm Cowan, Lib Dem County Councillor for Handside & Peartree (Welwyn Garden City), said:

Local Tory county councillors voted in favour of an incinerator AGAIN in a debate at Herts County Council this week.

Long-term opponent of the project LibDem councillor Malcolm Cowan proposed an amendment to take out New Barnfield from a list of waste sites as it was quite explicit that it was there for the incinerator.

Liberal Democrat councillors have revealed how the levels of council tax benefit paid to many local people is likely to be cut by over 25% next year. A change being introduced by the Department of Communities and Local Government called 'localisation of council tax benefit' will mean that instead of Whitehall paying all the council tax benefit on receipt of the claims, it will in future pay a fixed grant to each council at a level 10% below the current level. Furthermore, some groups, such as retired people, will not face any cut. So the remaining people on benefit will have to absorb the entire reduction.

In his keynote speech to the Liberal Democrat Conference, Party Leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has outlined his goals for the Government and the country over the coming years. He reiterated his commitment to liberal values on the environment and human rights and his determination to ensure a fair chance for every child, saying "every child can do good things, great things, if only we give them the opportunities they deserve."

Local Liberal Democrats have heavily criticised the large rail fare increases just announced.

Spokesperson County Councillor Malcolm Cowan said 'Increases of at least 3% above inflation just cannot be justified. Most commuters and rail users are seeing very small pay increases; if council tax can be frozen, then why not rail fares? They are a larger element in the budgets of many local families.

Local LibDem county councillor Malcolm Cowan is protesting about the all the lights being turned off around the Church Rd/Longcroft Lane roundabout in WGC.

Malcolm says 'These lights have been made unworkable by removing all the electrics (as the photo shows) and the lighting head at the top as well. I know the columns are to be moved and replaced by new ones, but we have been left with no proper lights at this important junction for at least 6 weeks and Herts Highways have failed to give me any idea when the work will be carried out and lights turned back on.