Dr Vincent Cable, the Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor and Deputy Party Leader visited West Dorset constituency on Saturday 28 June. He held a forum with local business people in the afternoon and then addressed a packed hall in the evening. Dr Cable is greatly respected for his grasp of the challenges facing the national and global economy and for his insightful solutions. He also has a rare ability to make economics comprehensible to the man and woman in the street! It is no wonder that he has been called Britain’s most popular politician and has recently been recognised as Opposition Politician of the Year.

Dr Sue Farrant joined in Budmouth Technology College’s 6th Form Citizenship Day on Friday 27th June. Sue was very impressed with the students’ grasp of current affairs and with their research and presentation skills. “One of the highlights of the day for me,” she said, “Was to hear the students’ views on lowering the voting age to 16. This is Liberal Democrat party policy and I was pleased to find that these young people thought that 16 year olds definitely should be able to vote. They told me that the Citizenship curriculum helped to prepare young people for the responsibility of taking part in elections.”

West Dorset Liberal Democrats are working hard in support of Stephen Kearney, the Liberal Democrat candidate in the Henley-on-Thames by-election. The election was called when Conservative Boris Johnson resigned his seat as Henley’s MP.

Sue Farrant and Ngaire Streets, shown here with Lord Chris Rennard, the Liberal Democrat election supremo, have just come back from Henley. They report that Stephen is a great hit with the voters, whilst the Tory candidate is proving far less popular! Sue says, “Help is pouring into the LibDem campaign headquarters. On Sunday a bus load of retired Gurkha soldiers rolled up and volunteered to deliver thousands of leaflets!”

If you can help by making phone calls, donating money or in person, go to www.henleylibdems.org.uk.

Fear for their future and a lack of care facilities are two of the major problems facing local elderly people, according to an independent report.

The Dorset Association of Senior Forums have spent nine months investigating access to care services and their report reveals a service in crisis that is getting worse.

(more…)

The fuel protests hammer home a clear message. After the 10p tax rebellion, the local elections, and the Crewe by-election, no one can doubt the mood of the country any more. There is insurrection in the air. The British people are ready for change and they don’t believe Labour can deliver it.

So the next big question is: what kind of change do people want? And which opposition party can make it happen?

(more…)

Vince Cable MP, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats and Shadow Chancellor, will be visiting Dorchester on Saturday 28th June 2008.

Vince is visiting Dorchester to speak at the West Dorset Liberal Democrats’ annual dinner in the evening and he has kindly agreed to meet local business people in the afternoon. The meeting will be held in the Magistrates’ Room of the Corn Exchange, High West Street from 4.30pm until 6.00pm.

Dorchester and District Chamber are going to make a short presentation about their successful Business Improvement District application, an achievement which is well worth celebrating. Then Vince will answer whatever questions you might wish to put to him. If you are interested in attending this event, please contact Sue Farrant.

Local residents of West Bay have increasingly been suffering from ‘boy racers’ using their car park in the evening’s.

“Up to 30-40 cars have been racing around this quiet area at night and it’s been getting worse,” says Cllr. Karl Wallace. “A while ago I was contacted by local residents and businesses who have just had enough. I have taken up the problem with the Police and the District Council. Recently I have been promised that a barrier will be installed to close the car park in the evening. Hopefully this should end the problem once and for all.”

Sue Farrant, a Sherborne resident, is urging the Town Council to remove the graffiti that is disfiguring the town.

She attended the annual Town Meeting on 21st April and asked for prompt action, pointing out that much of the graffiti had been there for months. “I realise that catching the offenders is not easy,” she said, “but there is no excuse for just allowing the graffiti to remain, especially on publicly owned property such as road signs and bins. Prompt removal has been proved to act as a deterrent in other places, so why isn’t it cleaned off in Sherborne?”

Sue has written to the Town Council but has not yet had a reply. She has also spoken to the local police and been promised that offenders serving community sentences will be used in a clean-up operation but no date has been given.

“I won’t give up”, Sue vowed. “Sherborne is a beautiful town and I hate to see it blighted in this way.”

More than one-in-five of West Dorset’s Post Offices are set to close in the latest round of cuts - due to be announced in mid-July.

Unlike the previous cutbacks this time both town and village sub-Post Offices are facing closure.

“If they go ahead this round of closures will be devastating for many local communities,” said Dr Sue Farrant, Local Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate. “Many villages face losing their last and only shop. In the towns more people will be forced to join the already long queues in the main Post Offices. Local businesses will be pushed towards using private delivery firms. Please show your support for local Post Offices by signing and returning the petition on the back of this West Dorset Voice.”

(more…)

In a further blow to Dorset’s under pressure library service the Conservatives in County Hall have decided to to make internet users pay for going on-line.

“This is a further blow to low income families,” said Lyme Regis Councillor Daryl Turner. “For people who can’t afford their own computers this is often the only way that they can go on-line. We should be helping our local residents develop their technology skills - not penalising them with charges.”