Liberal Democrats at Leicestershire County Council succeeded in pushing through two important measures during the recent debate on the County’s budget.

The first Liberal Democrat amendment was to provide £1/2 million for flood prevention across the County. The Lib Dem group also proposed an amendment that aimed to provide £30,000 to fund transport for children at risk of being excluded or ‘dropping out of school’ to enable them to attend an alternative school which can meet their needs. Both amendments were passed.

Liberal Democrat group Leader Cllr Simon Galton said afterwards, “We have sought cross party support to tackle issues that need addressing now. Flooding and specialist provision for ‘at risk’ young people are the sort of foundations that can pay dividends later on. I think that we have shown the strength of our convictions and the desire to ensure that the contents of the budget play a positive role in people’s lives.”

Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg has today called for the limiting of supermarkets’ powers, dubbing them ‘Trolleygarchs’, and demanded better protection for British farmers. Whilst addressing the National Farmers’ Union Conference Mr Clegg called for measures including a Food Trade Inspector with powers of investigation and anonymity for complaints.

Nick Clegg said:- “I’m a liberal. I believe the market should set prices for goods. When that drives efficiency from farmers, and benefits consumers, I welcome it. But if it is delivered by threats, blacklisting, and bully-boy tactics, if it delivers only profits for the retailer, not lower prices on the shelf, the market has failed. The Competition Commission’s proposals don’t go far enough. They’re only interested in increasing rivalry between supermarkets - even if that means we have to have hundreds more of them. Its remit didn’t allow it to look fully at the rough deal primary producers are getting, even though they’ve seen some damning evidence.”

Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesman has said. “The Government has finally realised that the temporary nationalisation of Northern Rock is the only way to safeguard taxpayers’ money. It is frankly ridiculous that this decision has taken so long. Months of delay have meant that the Government now owes hefty bills to both Goldman Sachs and its original preferred bidder, Virgin. It is critical that we now look ahead to how this nationalisation can work best for taxpayers. The actual quality of Northern Rock’s assets must be assessed so we can decide whether it will be practical to continue to run the bank as a going concern.”

ON THE CONSERVATIVES, Mr Cable said:- “The Conservatives’ belief that temporary nationalisation will be catastrophic is nothing more than a vacuous attempt at political points scoring. Tory proposals that Northern Rock should be taken into public administration by the Bank of England is simply a nationalisation that dare not speak its name.

A national survey on light pollution is currently being carried out by the International Dark Skies Association. The idea is to determine what people feel are the problems and the sources of the lighting problems (eg at places such as Fosse Park and the new Academy School on Saffron Lane?).  Although the deadline was 11th Feb, replies will still be taken up until about early March. 

The link is: http://www.britastro.org/dark-skies/survey/index.html

I have just heard that Highways Dept hope to have the new 30 mph Vehicle Activated signs up and running on Winchester Road Blaby by the end of March.

The Leicester Mercury has just reported (1.2.2008) that a three mile journey from Blaby into Leicester via the A426 (Leicester Road, Glen Parva) takes 21 minutes in the morning peak instead of the six minutes it would take if the road were clear. This road is reported as “the worst stretch of road into Leicester.”  The research work was carried out by “Council-employed researchers.”

This does not surprise me or those people who live around it.

Last week a petition was formally presented to the County Council asking for a safe crossing place for pedestrians on the Leicester Road, Glen Parva. (See story below published 1^st Feb).

In view of the new concrete evidence showing the Leicester Road to be so congested I have today written to the County’s highways Dept asking that this evidence be considered when the officers do their work on the petition.

I shall also be using this report to continue to press for the re-opening of Blaby railway station, better bus services and facilities for bus users and improvements to the County Arms junction.

At a Highways meeting earlier this week the petition for a pedestrian crossing point on Leicester Road, Glen Parva was presented to the County Council’s Highways officials. The petition organiser Lucy Smith, who lives in Greendale Road, spoke strongly in support of the petition, and so did I. County Council officers will now do their research and report back to the committee at a future meeting.The petition has also been passed to Leicester City Council, who have agreed to investigate its concerns.

See article on Jan 14 for full history of petition. 

 A426/Red House Rd junction (click picture to enlarge image)