The Liberal Democrats are placing the environment at the centre of their Annual Conference this month and launching a campaign called ‘the Green Switch’.

Lib Dems have always placed the environment at the heart of their thinking. They were the only party with a Green Action section in every chapter of their manifesto at the last election. This helped to integrate environmental thinking into every policy area. Now they intend to go further with a series of proposals to ensure a sustainable future:

1. Increase green taxes as a share of national income. Green taxes have fallen from 3.6% of national income in 2000 to only 2.9%. This should be reversed with the extra money being raised used to cut Income Tax.
2. Reform the Climate Change Levy so that it is an effective tax on carbon use.
3. Raise Vehicle Excise Duty on the most polluting cars. VED needs to be radically changed to reward clean cars and penalise ‘gas guzzlers’.
4. Keep Fuel Duty in line with inflation. When fuel duty has not been increased emissions have risen and this cannot be allowed to happen.
5. Tighten allocations in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme so that the price of carbon use in industry goes up.
6. Tax aircraft emissions not passengers. Airlines should pay an emissions charge per flight. This would reward flights that are full and penalise those wasting a full tank on a few passengers.
7. Provide help where cars are essential. In rural areas each household would be able to get a 50% discount on the VED of one car. These policies are the cornerstone of the Lib Dems plans to protect the environment. They are far more advanced and credible than those of any other party.

“So far over 700 homes have been built at Poundbury. Over the next twenty years there will be at least another 2,000. It is vital that the plans for the next stages ensure that Poundbury is integrated into Dorchester and that there are new facilities that will benefit the whole community” say local Councillors Martin Graham and Andy Canning.

A 10 point plan for Poundbury:

• 35% of all future housing should be affordable;
• No building should be over 5 storeys high. The highest buildings should be in the centre with heights declining towards the edges;
• There should be an avenue of trees around Poundbury to soften its appearance from a distance as well as far more planting along avenues and squares;
• All new building to be constructed to a high environmental standard to reduce carbon emissions and lower heating bills;
• A new 6-lane swimming pool and learner pool with fitness & dance studios for use by the whole community;
• Creation of the “Great Field” park with football and cricket pitches plus facilities for young people;
• A new school to ease admissions problems;
• A new community hall;
• Extra parking for businesses to reduce on-street parking;
• Improved cycle, footpath and public transport links to the town centre together with better cycle and footpath links into the countryside.

West Dorset Liberal Democrats are calling for more small scale affordable housing, such as by School Hill in Chickerell, to be developed over the next few years.

“This development has eight houses, eight flats and two bungalows and is exactly what our area needs,” says Chickerell Councillor John Worth.

Many villages are crying out for small scale schemes that will enable local people to go on living in the areas where they grew up.

Liberal Democrat, Ros Kayes, won a very hard fought by-election campaign in Bridport North on July 20th.

“The Conservatives threw everything at this campaign and Oliver Letwin’s presence at the count showed that they clearly expected to win,” said District Councillor Martin Ray. The intensity of the campaign was illustrated by the relatively high turnout which saw Ros win with 484 votes. “I would like to thank everyone who voted for me,” said Ros. “I will work hard to represent you all fairly and honestly.”

There are now 10 Lib Dem Councillors out of 18 on Bridport Town Council.

“Work on the restoration and improvement of Dorchester’s historic Borough Gardens is on target to be finished by Christmas,” says Dorchester Councillor Stella Jones.

“Already the fountain has been restored and the fencing is back for the first time since World War 2. Work on the new play area, kiosk and toilets is well advanced as are improvements to the bowling area, the removal of one tennis court, the restoration of the House and new surfacing for the pavements,” she concluded.

“The overdue introduction of doorstep recycling in the Bridport, Beaminster and Lyme areas has resulted in recycling rates rising to over 27% of all waste in recent months,” says Beaminster Councillor Caroline Payne (pictured left). “This shows that people are keen to do their bit for the environment.”

The Liberal Democrats have long campaigned for the introduction of doorstep recycling - now they are calling for the range of products being collected to be increased.

“We must follow leading Lib Dem Councils, such as South Somerset, in collecting kitchen waste for recycling and look again at collecting plastic,” added Caroline.

Related Stories: The Green Switch

Yet another cut to a vital service for the vulnerable could see the end of lip reading classes for the deaf and those with partial hearing.

“Up until now a large number of people with hearing difficulties have been eligible for free lip reading classes,” explained Dorchester Councillor Trevor Jones. “However, new rules designed to save money mean that only a few people will in future get lessons for free. In fact, so few people qualify that it is unlikely that there will be enough to run any classes at all!”

“These cuts, together with the loss of talking books for the blind, show exactly how those most in need are being hit by these Conservative cuts,” he added.

Liberal Democrats have condemned crisis-hit Dorset County Council for their latest plans to slash services for the elderly and infirm.

The Conservative-run Council are proposing to stop as many as a thousand vulnerable local people from receiving home care and they are introducing new charges for the use of day care centres. In future only people with substantial or critical needs will get free home care. Those with moderate needs (who are currently able to get help) will be left without support.

“The County are removing a vital safety net,” says Bridport Councillor Karl Wallace. “Many vulnerable people are only kept in the moderate needs category because they get support. Without this help they will soon end up in hospital or in the critical category.”
In addition those visiting day care centres face being charged £5 per visit in the future on top of existing charges for transport, meals and snacks.

“These charges will force elderly and disabled people to stay at home where they face being cut off from much needed support, as well as not being able to meet up with friends,” added Karl. These cuts are aimed at saving £1 million a year but County Council officers have already confirmed that Dorset spends less on older people’s social services than similar Shire councils.

“The elderly and infirm are being asked to pay for the mistakes made by the Conservatives in running County Hall where staffing costs have spiralled and a number of large projects are well over budget,” concluded Karl.

Cllrs Mick Rogers, Caroline Payne, Stephen Friar, Martin Ray, Trevor Jones, Molly Rennie and Tim Harries with a petition to save local libraries.

Conservative-run Dorset County Council have put their plans to close one-in-three of our libraries on hold for a year after a massive campaign of public opposition.

“We have received a fantastic response when campaigning against these cuts,” says Chickerell Councillor Mick Rogers (far left in the photo). Altogether over 500 people have either signed the Lib Dem petition on the doorstep or returned the slip from the last edition of the West Dorset Voice.

“Local residents value the service provided by their libraries,” added Mick. “They are an important part of our local community and help keep many of our villages alive.” At a time when many local and rural services are under threat the Liberal Democrats believe that it is vital that local councils should be doing all that they can to keep public services going. “The County Council should be increasing local services not closing them down,” concluded Mick Rogers. “We need more evening and weekend opening of our libraries and improved internet services - that would be the best way forward!”

This reprieve is only a partial victory as the Conservatives will look to reintroduce these cuts next year. In the meantime the fund used to buy new books has been cut which disadvantages all library users. Local Lib Dems have pledged to continue leading the campaign against these cuts and will go on working to protect local services.

The pilot Market Day park and ride scheme has been hailed a great success by Bridport Lib Dems.

“We have worked hard over the last few years conducting traffic surveys which have shown that we needed park & ride,” says Councillor Gill Fifield.

“This scheme has been popular with visitors and has freed up town centre car parking for local people just as we said it would,” added Gill. “Perhaps local Conservatives who had opposed the scheme will now give it their backing as well.”