As Gordon Brown presents his final Budget, Liberal Democrat research reveals that house prices in Shepway have nearly trebled since 1997. In 1997 an average house price in Shepway was 3 times the average income of borrowers, but it has now risen to five times average income.
Many people who live in the Folkestone & Hythe constituency have asked me for my opinion on the future of Lydd Airport, and its potential expansion. After discussions with people across the constituency, including visiting the airport and talking to many local residents who would be hugely effected by the expansion, my views are clear.
The Herald in Shepway are running a major "People's Poll" asking for views on the expansion of Lydd Airport. The Herald says:
NO2ID is the campaign against compulsory Identity Cards and the national ID database. The Liberal Democrats have been strong supporters of the NO2ID campaign for years, both locally and nationally. You can learn more about the Lib Dem Campaign against ID cards at www.libdems.org.uk/noidcards/
I'm determined that the Liberal Democrats will use the forthcoming local election campaign to fight for the services and issues that really effect local people.
Shepway Council have been formally notified that the £9.8 million PFI credit for new sports centres in Folkestone and Hythe has been withdrawn. Shepway Council have poured over £1 million in consultancy fees into the project, money now wasted after the rejection of the project by the Government as "unaffordable".
The Ministry of Defence has today announced improvements to the working terms and conditions of Gurkhas serving in the British army. The announcement comes after a rally in Westminster in December, and just weeks after a campaign petition on the subject collected over 5,000 signatures on the Government's petition web site.
Do you know any really bad potholes locally? The BBC are asking feedback on the worst potholes in the local area - and after years of neglect of local roads by Kent County Council, there are certainly many examples in Shepway!
Shepway Lib Dems want to offer our congratulations on the birth of Daniel to Folkestone member and campaigner Gary Fuller and his wife Jan. Baby Daniel is doing very well having been born at 19:39 on Monday, weighed in at a huge 11lb and 1oz, and measured 60cm!
A national BBC poll on Council Tax has backed Lib Dem proposals to scrap Council Tax entirely and replace it with a local income tax. The Lib Dem proposals for Local Income Tax would mean the majority of current Shepway Council Tax payers would be better off, with many lower paid including pensioners paying nothing at all.
If you are a Party member interested in standing for selection as a Liberal Democrat candidate for any of the 9 English Regional Lists for the next European Parliamentary elections, the vacancies will be advertised in Liberal Democrat News on 8th June 2007 with a closing date of 2nd July 2007.
After being contacting by many local residents, Morehall Lib Dem Action Team Darren Briddock and Tom McNeice are conducting a residents survey in Morehall Avenue and Chart Road about the regular traffic problems there.
