www.peterboroughlibdems.org.uk “Working All Year Round”

FOCUS

SOUTH WERRINGTON and NORTH GUNTHORPE RESIDENTS’ NEWSLETTER

ALLOTMENTS

PLAN “MAKES

NO SENSE” Local Liberal Democrat

councillor Darren Fower handed

in a petition of nearly 150

signatures at the most recent full

meeting of the city council,

opposing the local authority’s ill

thought out scheme to introduce

allotments on land to the rear of

Barnes Way, commonly known

as The Paddocks. At the recent community meeting

held at Werrington Community

Centre in Werrington village

Darren said:

“The council officers are trying to

implement a scheme that makes no

sense and shows the poor planning

that has occurred since the start.

“I am also amazed that despite

voting in favour of this year’s

budget, which showed the council’s

plans regarding allotments, some

Tory councillors are now acting as

though they knew nothing about it.

“Either they do not read the

documents they vote on or they

simply do not know what they are

doing!”

TEAM CONTACT DETAILS:

Councillor: Darren Fower FOCUS Editor: Richard Olive Tel: 570238 or 573813 Mobile: 07932 021 349 Email: SWNG_FOCUS @peterboroughlibdems.org.uk

Ward website: www.campaigns. libdems.org.uk/SWNG Post: Cllr Darren Fower, Town Hall, Bridge Street, Peterborough PE1 1HG

EEEELECTIONLECTIONLECTIONLECTION

SPECIALSPECIALSPECIALSPECIAL ISSUE!ISSUE!ISSUE!ISSUE!

On Thursday 6 May there are two elections – o ONE – to elect a Member of Parliament for Peterborough.

o TWO – to elect a local councillor for South Werrington and

Gunthorpe.

So you will get two ballot papers and two votes. Please use them both!

Your Liberal Democrat candidates are - o Nick Sandford – as Member of Parliament

o Darren Fower – as local councillor

The Lib Dem priorities for Peterborough are:

1. Fair Tax: No-one in Peterborough should pay any income tax on the

first £10,000 of their earnings, so many pensioners and low earners would

pay no tax at all. Tax loop-holes should be closed so that people on very

high earnings pay more tax. Council Tax should be phased out and

replaced by a fairer local income tax.

2. A fresh start for children: Primary schools in Peterborough should be

given extra money so that they can reduce class sizes and give children a

better start to their education. We would pay for it by scrapping new

Labour’s child trust fund.

3. A greener economy and transport: Make Peterborough the true

environment capital by investing in renewable energy and insulating our

homes. Scrap free car parking perks for councillors, water taxis, waste

incinerators and large road building schemes and invest more in waste

reduction, recycling and in public transport, park and ride and cycling

facilities.

4. Clean up politics in Peterborough: End unfair one party domination

of Peterborough City Council by introducing a fair voting system, reduce

wasteful reliance on consultants and give power to local communities by

giving real powers and budgets to area committees and neighbourhood

councils.

5. Tackle Crime: By putting more full time police officers on our streets

to crack down on anti social behaviour, paid for by scrapping new

Nick Sandford Darren Fower

Edition: 55

FOCUS FACTS ON FOWER This year’s local election for the South Werrington and North Gunthorpe ward is a ‘two horse race’ between the

Conservatives and your local Lib Dem FOCUS Team. REMEMBER, you have three councillors for this area. As well as local Liberal Democrat councillor Darren Fower

there are two Conservative Councillors - when do you ever hear from them?

So let’s compare the three councillors.

Darren

Fower

Lib Dem

Cllr Paula

Thacker

Conservative

Cllr Colin

Burton

Conservative

COST TO YOU: What they got paid for the financial year 2009-

2010 (pre tax) by local taxpayers. Figures are approximate.

£7,962

£15,127

£15,127

COST TO YOU 2: Has a parking permit giving free parking at any

time in any council car park, estimated to be worth £900 per year. NO

Yes

Yes

KEEPING IN CONTACT: Holds monthly ‘surgeries’ for residents.

(In fact Darren holds two surgeries a month)

YES

No

No

KEEPING IN CONTACT 2: Produces regular newsletter delivered

to every door by volunteers. NOT just at election time! YES

No

No

KEEPING IN CONTACT 3: Undertakes regular resident’s survey,

knocking on each door in the ward and asking for opinions and ideas.

YES

No

No

KEEPING IN CONTACT 4: Published Community Leadership

Fund applications, so people can see what the money went on.

YES

No

No

DOING THE JOB: The full council is the premier meeting for the local authority, involving all councillors. “There are

decisions that only full council can make and these include setting budgets and spending programmes, setting council

tax levels and approving major policies and priorities.” – Peterborough City Council 1

ATTENDANCE % at full council meetings 100% 50% 50%

QUESTIONS ASKED – Questions at full council can be about ward

related issues or decisions taken by the council.

12

0

0

MOTIONS SUBMITTED – Motions are formal proposals to change

council procedure, policy or request action by the local authority. 3 0 0

VOTING – Voted against increase in Council Tax this year. YES No No

VOTING – Voted against closure of public toilets. YES No No

VOTING – Voted against cuts in open hours at Werrington Library. YES No No

VOTING – Voted against ‘significant’ pay rises for city councillors. YES No No

VOTING – Voted against removing subsidy for school meals. YES No No

ACTION – Highlighted and argued against the council’s Icelandic

bank fiasco (£1 million lost to date!)

YES No No

ACTION – Publicly opposed the costly Cathedral Square works. YES No No

“So do you want another councillor that costs twice as much and

attends half as many full council meetings?”

On MAY 6th

make your vote count XXXX

1

Printed by P’boro Lib Dem Printing Soc c/o 37 Swift Close, Deeping St James PE6 8QQ. Published and promoted for and on behalf of the Liberal Democrats by Peter Chivall, 88 Elmfield Rd, P’boro PE1 4HB

NICK’S EXPENSES PLEDGE Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate Nick

Sandford has promised that he will not be

claiming for a second home if he wins the general

election in Peterborough on 6 May. Our current Tory MP claims allowances, paid for by

taxpayers, to pay for a second home. He has houses in

both London and Peterborough.

Nick Sandford said: “If I

am elected I will commute

to London like many other

local people. I certainly will

not expect the taxpayer to

fund a second home.

The whole system of

MPs’ expenses and perks

needs changing.”

DARREN SEEKS YOUR VOTE Darren Fower has represented the South Werrington and

North Gunthorpe ward for six years. When first elected, he

was the second youngest councillor in Peterborough’s

history and still remains the only councillor to be

recognised in the council’s ‘Ideas for Excellence’ scheme. During the day, Darren works for the Association for Spina

Bifida and Hydrocephalus which is based in the city centre.

Over the past three years he

has raised well over £200,000 to

help maintain essential services

for people with hydrocephalus

and/or spina bifida.

He has also built a reputation

amongst colleagues – and with

YOU the electorate – as a hard-

working local campaigner..

1. Full Council Analysis taken from meetings held between December 2008 and April 2010.