West Sussex County Council is spending thousands of pounds  on  making ‘patronising’ videos, including films which show how to  your hands and how to make a phone call. Viewers can also get advice on how to read maps and use a compass, and view a Christmas message from council leaders, by watching the videos produced by the Council.  Liberal Democrat councillors are asking why the Conservative council has made deep cuts to other services – including day care for the elderly, bus routes and library opening hours whilst at the same time wasting thousands on PR costs.

Dr James Walsh, deputy group leader of the County Council Liberal Democrats said:  ”At a time of savage cuts to personal care services for vulnerable elderly and young people, it is astonishing that the County Council can find £1million to fund its PR department, Glossy ‘lifestyle’ Connections newspaper, and now even a new You-tube film unit!

“The You- tube film unit cost £40,000 to set up, and will then cost £26,000 per year to run. So far its clips, all promoting or extolling county services and personal interviews with Tory Cabinet Members as well as promoting the “Big Society” have been seen by a maximum of 200 viewers, out of a population of 750,000. That doesn’t seem like good value to me!

“It is also a kick in the teeth for all those elderly and younger adults who have had their care packages reduced or stopped, in the name of saving cash for the county.

“Can the Tory leadership really believe that a You-tube film unit is a higher priority than providing care packages for the frail elderly or residents with a learning disability?

“We have questioned the whole PR budget, including a “communications director”, and the cost of the county newspaper for years, but this new luxury enterprise seems yet another step too far, and demonstrating how far the Tory County Council is divorced from reality.”

It is therefore reassuring to hear the Minister responsible, when asked what definitions of sustainable development are used by his Department, Bob Neil (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Communities and Local Government) referred to “the classic definition of sustainable definition, set out by the Brundtland Commission, i.e. development that meets the needs of the present without comprising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This is reflected in the [Coalition] Government’s vision for sustainable development published in February 2011 and by this Department in their work including the consultation draft of the national planning policy framework”.

The task of the new District Plan should be to hold this undertaking to account in the detail of its implementation.

A local Affinity Sutton Housing Association property has been empty since March, apparently due to the electricity being disconnected, yet over seven months later it seems we are still waiting for this property to be relet.  I recently asked Mid Sussex District Council if they reviewed Affinity Sutton’s local performance on repairs or lettings, although apparently this is not taken into account when considering advancing  funding for new housing .  It seems strange that such an important local provider is not held accountable for its performance.

Instead of negative jibes we should be welcoming the real power our membership gives us, if we choose to use it positively, to reform the EU and make it more efficient, to continue its championing greater competition, as pioneered by local Liberal Democrat MEP’s Sharon Bowles and Catherine Bearder.  We need our membership to make a real impact on the issues that affect us, such as promoting economic growth, and working together on defence issues, where successful co-operation on Libya for example, could be expanded to wider defence issues. 

Conservative attitudes to Europe are negative and obstructist, however as part of the Coalition, Liberal Democrats have restrained Conservative impulses, and want to promote positive engagement for a reformed EU as part our strategy to promote the growth and jobs we so desperately need at this time of economic hardship.

Mid Sussex  benefits from its proximity to EU markets and in particular we  benefit from being a part of:

·         The EU’s Single Market gives British companies free trade access to the world’s biggest single market worth £12tn in GDP and over 500 million consumers.

·         3.5 million British jobs are reliant on the EU’s single market. That’s 1 in every 10 British jobs.

·         The growth in free trade within the EU has generated around £3,300 per British household per year over the last 30 years.

·         Over 50% of foreign direct investment (FDI) to the UK comes from other EU member states, and is worth £351bn a year. The UK attracts global FDI because of its full access to the single market.

·         The UK is pushing to liberalise trade within the EU in new growth areas such as energy, digital, services and green tech. sectors. This could add over £650 billion to the EU economy, making the average UK household almost £3,500 better off each year.

·         By negotiating as part of the world biggest single market bloc, the UK is able to get much better terms and access than it would if it were negotiating by itself. For example, a recently signed EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with South Korea (a bigger market than Turkey or Indonesia) has virtually eradicated all tariffs barriers for EU exporters. It will bring £500m a year of benefits to British businesses.

David Cameron’s Conservatives seem intent on finding implacable enemies in Europe when in many cases we have common ground to reform and make more efficient the European Union, Liberal Democrats see this as a positive opportunity to reform, whilst the Conservatives see this as a sterile debate over whether we are in Europe or out, whilst ignoring its potential to promote jobs and economic growth.

• The time and date and where it is happening
• Vehicle registration
• Description of the vehicle – colour, make and model. Is there anything special about it? Does it have an insignia or contact numbers?
• What sort of rubbish is being dumped?

This week Members of West Sussex County Council Children’s and Young People Select Committee received a letter from five principals of further education colleges in West Sussex, pointing to the devastating effect of last months decision by the Tory Cabinet Member Peter Griffiths to remove travel support for young people over the age of 16 with family incomes of less than £16,190.

Though the letter is charitable about the ‘good faith’ of the council in assuming that support for the poorest students would be available from the 16-18 Bursary Fund, the five college Principals point out that FE colleges have a higher proportion of students with special needs who are guaranteed support, leaving almost nothing to support the transport needs of those families on low income.

Dr Colin Wilsdon, Lib Dem Spokesman for Children and Young People said:

“This is an example of a decision based on assumptions that were unsound that will seriously hit our most vulnerable students. Given that the Cabinet Member must surely not have intended this, I call upon him to reconsider this decision today to ensure that children from our poorest families are not deterred from gaining vital educational qualifications.”

Lib Dem Deputy Group Leader Dr James Walsh added:

“This powerful and well reasoned message from Northbrook College shows up the real harm that this cut will do to a whole generation of our students. It also vindicates the Lib Dem request for a call-in and re-examination by the Select Committee last month, which was rejected by the Tory chairman.”

The Conservatives ran an anti-AV almost entirely funded by their rich banker friends that concentrated on derogating Nick Clegg, and it was the Liberal Democrats who paid the price for their responsible attitude in backing the Coalition for the good of the country, rather than narrow political interest.  Given Labour’s relative inactivity, the alternative to the Coalition would currently be a general election followed by a majority Conservative government with unfettered power.

Labour failed to make any ground against the Conservatives and were fatally split on the AV referendum, and with the prospect of an SNP dominated Scotland, they could in the future lose a sizeable component of their parliamentary party.  Meanwhile local Green candidates serve only to help split the anti-Conservative vote.

Liberal Democrats remain a centre left party, too often criticised for being in permanent opposition, we are now being criticised for being too willing to form a government, even when that has achieved some Liberal Democrat policies.  Labour’s deficit has left the country with too little room for manoeuvre, but Liberal Democrats have been too eager to make the coalition work with the Conservatives, rather than provide a robust foil to their policies.  The election defeat was a setback, but we still won 15% of the national vote, and have the ability to turn things around by preventing  full blooded Conservative policies.  Their banker friends are eagerly backing their return to power in the expectation of receiving payback, particularly now they have stopped the current move to fairer votes, it is the job of our parliamentary party to stop this.

District Election