Lib Dem Councillor Paul Ray has responded to the announcement that Staffs Police are to further reduce the police service in the city by closing the desk in the Lichfield District Council offices.

Paul Ray said,"We can be thankful that knife crime is not a major problem in the Lichfield area and that we are spared many of the horrors that seem to afflict our larger cities. Even so, a police presence is a necessity in our community, but it seems that the Conservative government's cuts in policing will deprive Lichfield residents of a vital service.

Where should the Friarsgate project go next? The Lib Dem vision

The Friarsgate saga continues - and will continue, as long as the gaping empty space where the car dealership used to stand, and the empty former police station building, not to mention the not-so-gracefully ageing bus station, continue to greet visitors to Lichfield.

(adapted from Lichfield Live)

Paul Ray, Lichfield LibDem councillor, has called on Lichfield and Burntwood MP Michael Fabricant to "get real" over the nation's prospects if a no-deal Brexit goes ahead.

Cllr Paul Ray's comments came after a local newspaper column written by the Conservative MP where he outlined his views around the UK leaving the European Union. He has also written about his take on the situation in a national newspaper. In the Telegraph Mr Fabricant wrote, "It has become apparent that a no-deal Brexit disaster is just not going to happen".

After pressure from Liberal Democrat Peers, the Government have announced major concessions on the Tenant Fees Bill.
The amendment would significantly limit the fees that could be charged to a tenant by their landlord or lettings agent, require a greater amount of transparency when deciding not to refund a holding deposit, and limit the maximum security deposit a landlord can require to five weeks rent.

Responding to the Government amendments, Liberal Democrat Housing Spokesperson John Shipley said "It is good to see the Government have listened to the concerns we raised during the progress of the Bill. These amendments will make a huge difference for tenants, who will save hundreds of pounds every year. We also want to congratulate Shelter, Citizens Advice and Generation Rent who have worked so hard to get this Bill in the right place."

Many of the provisions in the Tenant Fees Bill were proposed in the previous session of Parliament by Lib Dem Peer Olly Grender, in her Renters' Rights Private Members' Bill.

Commenting on the changes to the Bill, Liberal Democrat local campaigner Lee Cadwallader-Allan said "It is the vulnerable in our society who are most affected by the extortionate fees imposed by landlords and lettings agencies. The inability to pay these fees upfront can often lead to homelessness. While I welcomed the Government bringing forward this Bill, there were a number of outstanding issues that could have had severe consequences for low income tenants or tenants on benefits in the private rented sector. There is still more work to be done to get tenants a fairer deal, but I am delighted that the Government have listened to our suggestions and others to improve this Bill. The task now is to get this change for tenants through as quickly as possible."

Cash-starved (£35m shortfall) and Conservative dominated Staffordshire County Council proposes "defunding" school crossing patrols ("lollipop men and women") and passing the running costs on to "community funding" (public working together with schools) - stealth tax?
A public consultation by Staffordshire County Council (web-link: www.staffordshire.gov.uk/education/schoolsandcolleges/SchoolCrossing/SchoolCrossingPatrols.aspx is open until the end of this year, with the final decision to be taken in early 2019.
Liberal Democrats believe we need urgent action to prevent the deterioration and decay of essential public services: NHS, Social Care, Schools, roads, police and all the rest which make this country good for ordinary folk to live in.
Lib Dems stand for serious increases in investment in these services acknowledging that higher earners will likely pay more in tax.
Only recently the Conservatives nationally announced an 'end to austerity'. Do YOU think austerity is over?

Skills-based migration sounds like a great thing on the face of it. You make sure that anyone coming to your country contributes to the bits of your economy that the Government knows needs workers. You also make sure that those workers are highly skilled workers and that they won't be a drain on our safety net. We end up with enough bankers, engineers, and doctors without flooding the country with so-called cheap labour.

Brexit continues to threaten us with national catastrophe. The Prime Minister's Chequers plan (which must now be dead in the water) would leave us complying with EU rules, but without our current ability to influence them. Extremism within her own party is a growing problem; polls show that a majority of pro-Brexit Tory voters in England would prefer to break-up the UK and jeopardise peace in Northern Ireland than stay in the EU.

As a local party we are strong supporters of new housing and especially affordable housing in Lichfield district. On this subject Lichfield Tories have failed to deliver. The Conservative led Council's target for 2017/18 was planning permission for 1300 homes. In fact, permission was granted for only 416 homes, and only 120 affordable homes were built. We simply must do better.