Ed Davey Writes: A Clean Energy Revolution
Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012 by aldcadmin

At the launch of the new Draft Bill on energy, Liberal Democrat Secretary of State of Energy and Climate Change Ed Davey, writes:

Over the next decade, around a fifth of existing power plants are due to close, against a background of increased energy demand and increasing prices. We need new investment simply to keep the lights on.

But more than that, we need a clean energy revolution to meet our ambitious climate change goals and make this the greenest government ever.

That’s why I am bringing forward a new Energy Bill today.

You can read more about our clean energy revolution here.

We also need to transform our energy market to reduce the risk and cost of low carbon technologies.

That’s what our Bill does.

The UK is fast becoming a world leader in renewable energy, especially in off shore wind. I want us to lead the world in Carbon Capture and Storage too.

And we are also tackling rising energy bills. Without reforming the energy market bills will rise by around £200 in the coming years. Our reforms will mean bills are around 4% lower than they otherwise would have been.

Going green is good for the economy, good for Britain and good for you.

Yours,


Ed Davey MP

Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change

(Image licensed under Creative Commons from DECC)
Lib Dem Pupil Premium – A Message from Nick Clegg
Wednesday, May 16th, 2012 by aldcadmin
For me, nothing better illustrates the Liberal Democrat mission to make Britain a fairer place than our Pupil Premium: extra money for the most disadvantaged children in our schools.

We are letting schools decide the best way to spend this money.  I want to strike a deal with our schools and teachers: we’ll give you the cash, the freedom, and we’ll reward and celebrate your success.  But in return, we want you to redouble your efforts to close the gap between your poorer pupils and everyone else.  We won’t be telling you what to do; but we will be watching what you achieve.

(Click picture to play video)

It is shameful that, despite all the promise on a four or five year old’s first day at school, or the passion of their teachers, you can all too often plot that child’s path just by asking how much their parents earn.

The £2.5billion Pupil Premium was one of the four pledges on the front page of our manifesto.  And now, with Liberal Democrats in government, schools are using the money for things like breakfast clubs; homework clubs; or to provide one-to-one-tuition. These are the sort of experiences many middle class children take for granted but a poorer child might rarely enjoy.

Yesterday I visited a fantastic primary school to see how they are spending their Pupil Premium, highlight our new Summer Schools to ease the transition from primary to secondary, and to set out our plans to reward teachers and hold schools to account.

The Pupil Premium shows that, in tough times, we are implementing Liberal Democrat values and prioritising help for those pupils who need it most.

Best wishes,

Nick Clegg MP

Leader of the Liberal Democrats and Deputy Prime Minister

PS Click here to find out how much money your local school will receive from the Liberal Democrats’ Pupil Premium.

Aberdeenshire Alliance formed to run Aberdeenshire Council
Posted May 11, 2012 * Comments(0)

The Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Independent Groups have today agreed in principle to form an administration to run Aberdeenshire Council.

Conservative leader Councillor Jim Gifford said: “We have reached an agreement in principle to form a constructive Aberdeenshire Alliance for the benefit of the residents and businesses of the Shire.”

Liberal Democrat leader Councillor Martin Kitts-Hayes said: “Our purpose will be to maintain continuity and build on previous successes which have resulted in a well-run, progressive administration over the past five years.”

The Independents’ leader Councillor Norman Smith added: “The Alliance aims to form a stable and strong administration with a majority of Aberdeenshire councillors for the good governance of the council for the next five years.”

Be Clear on Cancer – National Lung Cancer Awareness Campaign
Wednesday, May 9th, 2012 by aldcadmin

This week, Paul Burstow (Liberal Democrat minister at the Department of Health) has launched a national £4 million lung cancer awareness campaign. The campaign, the first of its kind, will use TV, radio and press adverts, and advertising on pharmacist bags and inside GP surgeries, to raise awareness of the disease.

One of its aims is to persuade anyone who has had a cough for more than three weeks to see their doctor.

You can find more information about coughing and lung cancer at the Department of Health website, here: http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2012/05/coughing-could-be-a-sign-of-lung-cancer-2/

With 33,000 new cases diagnosed each year, lung cancer is a blight on the lives of far too many of our families and an early diagnosis can make all the difference. Please take the opportunity of the Be Clear on Cancer campaign to find out more about prevention and diagnosis, and to visit your local doctor if you’ve had a persistent cough – it is always better to be safe than sorry!

http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/tag/be-clear-on-cancer/

Election Result in Stonehaven and Lower Deeside
Posted May 4, 2012 * Comments(0)

Peter Bellarby has been re-elected as councillor in Stonehaven and Lower Deeside. Peter said: “I have worked hard for Stonehaven and Lower Deeside as well as for Aberdeenshire over the past five years and will continue to do so. I would like to thank all those who put their faith in me and put me high in their order of preference.”

Peter Bellarby – Candidate in Stonehaven and Lower Deeside
Posted April 30, 2012 * Comments(1)

I have stayed in Stonehaven for 31 years and been a councillor since 2007. I am chair of the Council’s Scrutiny and Audit Committee. One of the outcomes of the Committee’s work has been the introduction of the Active Aberdeenshire card which has increased usage and income for the Council’s leisure facilities.

I have worked assiduously for the good of Stonehaven and Lower Deeside, pressing Scottish ministers and fellow councillors for work to be done on Bervie Braes, for example. Aberdeenshire Council is contributing £1m towards the stabilisation of the Braes. The work will be completed in September this year. I have pressed for the new Drumoak Primary School to be completed as soon as possible. It is now in the capital plan with design work well under way.

In the community, I have been chair of Stonehaven Town Partnership, am chair of the Tolbooth Group that is keeping the Tolbooth Museum open and am active in trying to make Stonehaven a Fairtrade Town.

My vision for Stonehaven is that it is the best small town in Scotland. I want to see the Queen Elizabeth Caravan Park refurbished, the Town Hall taken over by the Town Hall Trust and the long-term future of the Tolbooth secured. There needs to be a second supermarket and a better train service.

I strongly support the new settlement at Elsick. This means that the bulk of new housing in the area will be at Elsick, so avoiding the overdevelopment of Stonehaven. Elsick is being properly designed from the start to have all the necessary facilities of a new town.

The AWPR is vital for the economic prosperity of the North East and needs to be completed without further delay.

No Lib Dem Council Has Raised Council Tax – Tim Farron
Tuesday, April 17th, 2012 by aldcadmin

Official reports have confirmed that no Liberal Democrat-run council in England has increased council tax for their residents. This is unlike both other major parties, many of which are increasing council tax by up to 3.5% this year.

Commenting on Labour and Conservative councils’ record on Council Tax, Liberal Democrat Party President, Tim Farron said:

“While Labour and the Tories fight over how many of their councils raised Council Tax, it’s clear that with the Liberal Democrats your money is safest: no Liberal Democrat-run council in England has raised Council Tax.

“Ordinary working families are struggling already with paying bills, without their councils increasing the burden.

“The choice in next month’s elections is clear: vote Liberal Democrat for financially responsible councils that create jobs. Vote Labour and the Tories for waste, mismanagement and tax rises.”

As well as freezing council tax across the country, Liberal Democrat councils are protecting front-line services, fighting to keep libraries and Sure Start centres open. This is in addition to the achievements of the Liberal Democrats in government, which after the Budget include a £130 income tax cut for all working families, the largest-ever rise in the basic state pension, an increase in child tax credits for the poorest families, and an increase in the Lib Dem Pupil Premium to £600 for every pupil receiving Free School Meals.

At every level of government, the Liberal Democrats are cutting taxes for low- and middle-earners and better targeting help to those that need it the most. It is a record of financial responsibility of which we can be proud.


Local Elections 2012 – Video
Wednesday, April 11th, 2012 by aldcadmin

A first look at part of this week’s Liberal Democrat Local Election Broadcast. This clip looks at our key pledge to cut taxes for working families, and celebrates the fact that Liberal Democrats in government have achieved:

  • The biggest-ever single uplift in the tax-free personal allowance
  • A £3.5 billion tax cut for working men and women
  • 840,000 of the lowest earners in the country lifted completely out of paying Income Tax

Next year, the allowance increases again (to £9,205) – within touching distance of our manifesto promise to increase the Income Tax threshold to £10,000.

These are all significant achievements that are already making a difference for millions of hard-working men and women across Britain. Real change for real families in tough times – promised and delivered by the Liberal Democrats.

Something not right about handing Amazon money when Amazon pays no corporation tax
Posted April 9, 2012 * Comments(0)

There is something wrong here! How can it be right for the Scottish Government to give more than £10m of public money to Amazon when Amazon pays no corporation tax?

Hugh Andrew, managing director of the publisher Birlinn Ltd said: “Scottish businesses have been given a kick in the teeth by a government that claims to represent Scotland. The Scottish Government seems to want to give more than £10m to Amazon, that doesn’t even pay taxes here, rather than support indigenous Scottish firms.

“It’s using public money to grab headlines, but with no strategic thinking about what economic benefit there will be.”

I have to say that I agree with Hugh.

Peter Bellarby

A RECORD OF ACHIEVEMENT
Posted April 9, 2012 * Comments(0)

Aberdeenshire Council Liberal Democrat Group – Manifesto Commitments Delivered

In the run-up to the 2007 Council Elections, Aberdeenshire Council Liberal Democrats published their manifesto for 2007-11. The Manifesto covered all areas of the council’s work and set out before the residents of Aberdeenshire a well thought out and balanced programme of initiatives, all based on our core principles of fairness, equality and responsiveness.

In all, the manifesto contained 227 specific commitments, grouped under the headings of Working in Partnership, Strengthening Democracy, Stewardship of Public Funds, Empowering Individuals and Communities, Sustainability, Life Long Learning, Safe and Sustainable Communities and Caring for Communities.

Analysis has shown that 94% of these commitments were met, in whole or in part.

Against a background of severe budget reductions, Aberdeenshire Council Liberal Democrats can take some pride in their record of delivering their 2007 Manifesto commitments. We have

• Worked in meaningful partnership with our communities.
• Ensured Aberdeenshire is recognised as having the best quality of life.
• Established a record for sound financial management, recognised externally.
• Delivered significant capital projects across Aberdeenshire, despite the pressures on capital resources, including schools, road improvements, upgrading of council buildings and meeting the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act for access to our buildings.
• Supported a wide range of community groups, including Community Councils, Rural Partnerships, Community Development Groups and Tenants’ organisations. As budgets have been reduced, we have assisted them to identify sustainable sources of funding to move towards being self-supporting.
• Put economic development in the broadest sense at the heart of our work.
• Delivered improvements to the planning service as well as attracting external funding for our Regeneration Areas.
• Delivered a Local Development Plan, designed to foster sustainable development across Aberdeenshire and give certainty to communities and the development industry.
• Maintained and developed the high standards of Aberdeenshire education
• Ensured the introduction of Curriculum for Excellence has been carefully planned.
• Delivered enhanced sporting opportunities for schools and communities
• Maintained our Library services and enhanced access to IT facilities within communities.
• Maintained our road network through some of the harshest winters in living memory and increased investment in road maintenance
• Established Design and energy efficiency as key parts of the Planning process
• Worked with our residents to increase the amount of waste that is recycled.
• Supported our rural and fishing communities
• Campaigned for Scottish Government investment in major road and rail projects in the North East. No such projects are currently under construction.
• Worked with partners to improve public transport provision across Aberdeenshire.
• Worked to engage with young people in particular and involved them in Community Planning at the highest level.
• Delivered high quality homes for our tenants and maintained the 30 year Business Plan.
• Delivered, in partnership XXX Affordable homes during the council term.
• Enhanced Care & Repair to enable many more people to remain in their own homes for longer.
• Worked closely with the NHS and other partners to provide seamless Community Health and Social Care services.
• Invested in our Sheltered Housing stock, family centres and care homes.

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