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.

“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

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.”

There will be a by election in Bridport North Ward as Lib Dem Councillor Tony Tiltman steps down. Tony says “I have done forty years on Bridport Town Council and I hope you will all
vote for Ros to do the next forty!”.

Ros lives in Bridport and her two children (8 and 10) attend local schools. She has always worked with young people - she has been a teacher (including a spell at Colfox) and a deputy head of sixth form and is currently a lecturer at a local college. She is also a trained health counsellor.

Ros says: “I want to help Bridport to flourish as a vibrant market town - modern enough to bring in new beneficial industries to provide decent jobs and affordable homes for our young people - but traditional enough to keep its charm as an attractive historic town, drawing on our local organic food networks and maintaining our unique artistic, cultural and musical heritage”.

All fall down in St Swithins Avenue

A lady in St Swithins Avenue told Focus that the the road surface is getting so uneven that she is scared of having a fall, which could be dangerous at her age. She has written to the Council three times. The Bridport FOCUS Team has taken this up with the County Council and sent photos to show just how bad the problem is. We will let you know what they say.

Rubbish at Orchard Avenue

An Orchard Avenue resident asks “Why don’t the dustmen pick up the rubbish on the floor where the seagulls have split the bags open? Aren’t they allowed to? We need Wheelie Bins really”. What do you think about Wheelie Bins?

Puddles at South Street and West Street Bridge

The recent monsoons have brought grumbles from pedestrians splashed by motorists speeding through huge puddles where the road has sunk. South Street near Jewsons is one of the worst. And West Street Bridge is another. Here the pavement is so narrow that there is nowhere to escape. A lady writes “I am quite fit, so I can jump out of the way, but elderly people and buggy-pushing parents get soaked. Motorists please be more considerate and more aware”. Cllr Maggie Ray has reported sunken roads.

Market car park with the Bees

LIB DEM FOCUS SURVEY show that, even when car parks are full at 11am Saturday and Wednesday market days, the Football Club Carpark is still half empty. Not many people know about it. A local shopkeeper suggests “Why don’t you do a poster for shops saying “Support your local football club and get the cheapest carparking in Bridport ” 50p ALL DAY (Half the takings go to the Bees)” Lets call it “The Market Car Park” Said Lib Dem Cllr Gill Fifield at the car park meeting Fri 23 June at the United Reform Church. The District Council agreed to get the new signs as soon as possible. ANY MORE GOOD IDEAS? Contact the Bridport FOCUS team.

West Dorset’s Justine McGuinness was joined by the former Lib Dem president Lord Navnit Dholakia in Bridport today. They visited both the PVA Media Lab and the Bridport Arts Centre and to find out more about Arts in West Dorset. “The Bridport Arts Centre and the PVA Media Lab showed us today how integral the arts are to our community” said Justine McGuinness.

“I was delighted to show Lord Dholakia that the arts are so strong here in West Dorset.”

Justine and Lord Dholakia also had opportunity to walk around Bridport and listen to local residents as they discussed the issues facing them in their daily lives.

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Every Saturday morning for the past two years, Peace Campaigner, David Partridge has spent an hour in Bucky Doo Square patiently spreading his message. As we approach the second anniversary of the invasion of Iraq (19 March), Liberal Democrat Parliamenta Mr Partridge, a computer broker in civilian life, he transforms into a peace vigilante on Saturday mornings carrying his hand-painted placards to the town centre to broadcast his anti-war philosophy. Two years on he has lost none of his anti-war passion:

“The peace group was formed out of the people who used to meet every Saturday to protest against going to war in Iraq. When the invasion happened most of them stopped but my personal view was that nothing had changed about the wrongness of the war just because Tony Blair ignored public opinion. Nothing makes war any better.

“I spend an hour a week here. Somebody once said to me: “Haven’t you got anything about not crashing planes into buildings?” and it turned out he was a soldier on standby to go to Iraq. He believed the lie that Iraq had something to do with the World Trade Centre. I don’t believe people should die on the basis of lies - Iraqi people or British people.”

Justine McGuinness, West Dorset Liberal Democrat, commented: “The Liberal Democrats were the only party to oppose the war from the very beginning. Our views on involvement in this military action are well known. Tony Blair took Britain to war on a threat and a promise: the threat of weapons of mass destruction and the promise of focusing attention on the Middle East peace process. Neither has materialised and sadly we can see the tragic consequences. The original - unjustified - use of force has been a powerful growth-agent of terror.”

Charles Kennedy MP, leader of the Liberal Democrats, recently commented on the withdrawal of troops:

“The coalition presence in Iraq is currently legitimised by the United Nations mandate which runs until December. There is nothing to stop us openly setting that as a deadline for the withdrawal of British troops. Such a deadline would inject a new sense of urgency into ensuring that Iraqi defence and security forces are made ready.

“It may well be that there would still be a need for the international community to help provide Iraq’s security beyond that time, but a more suitable answer than a continuation of the occupation by coalition forces would be a proper UN military presence - ideally drawing particularly on troops from predominantly Muslim countries.”

Justine McGuinness, West Dorset’s Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate, and Bridport Town Councillors including Cllr Martin Ray, will be holding a surgery in Bridport Town Hall on Saturday 12 March between 10.00 and 12 noon. Justine McGuinness commented:

“We regularly hold surgeries. They are our chance to listen to Bridport residents and are very important. Town and District Councillors will join me on Saturday at the Town Hall.”

If you have a problem or any issues you would like to discuss please either ring 01305 261 054 or turn up on the day.

Justine McGuinness, West Dorset Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson, met West Bay Harbourmaster Tony Preston yesterday to see first-hand the hard work carried out at the busy harbour. West Bay harbourmaster Tony Preston returned to duty from holiday this week and laughed off complaints about being ‘inappropriately dressed’.

Readers flooded the Bridport News with letters of protest after one resident wrote to the town council criticising Mr Preston because he was ‘difficult to distinguish from any workman around the harbour.’

Justine McGuinness and town councillor Martin Ray braved freezing winds yesterday to tour the harbour and offer their support to Mr Preston who told them: ‘All I need is a bike-horn and a tutu.’

Wearing his clearly-marked harbourmaster’s jacket, he told Ms McGuinness that he was more often seen in a drysuit, securing the mooring chains in the soft mud on the harbour floor or removing dead sheep from its waters.

Justine McGuinness commented:
‘West Bay helps drive our local economy. Many people’s jobs and businesses depend on visitors to West Bay. The hard work that Tony Preston puts in to keep the habour safe and running smoothly should be supported. With the opening of the new pier only weeks away, Tony is obviously in for a busy season.’

Mr Preston is now preparing for the formal opening by Prince Andrew of the Jurassic pier on March 8.

Following months of hard work led by local Liberal Democrats, the campaign to save Bridport’s Town Hall toilets has had a significant boost. Bridport Town Council’s Finance and General Purposes Committee has agreed to negotiate. Over 3,000 people have now signed the Liberal Democrats petition to Save the Loos and the campaign has been supported by a wide range of local people and businesses.

Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson, Justine McGuinness commented: “This result has come about by local people working together for a common cause - to save our loos! While they are certainly not the greatest facilities, the Town Hall toilets are used by 250 people an hour and are clearly needed.

“Bridport was shocked and angry by the District Council’s terrible decision to close these loos. It is excellent that our local Town Councillors are working hard to keep the toilets open. I wish them every success in their negotiations with the District Council.”

Bridport is a market town and a tourist town being a Jurassic Coast Gateway town. Both visitors and local residents need toilet facilities.

The proposed closure would affect businesses in Bridport in particular - cafes in South Street are only allowed to sell drinks if there are toilets within easy reach and Bridport market traders rely on the facilities.