Lib Dems Raise Concerns Over Empty Property

I will be asking South Northants Council to explain why a large council property in Towcester has been left empty and unused for the past five years. At next week’s full council meeting I will raise the matter with SNC’s Conservative led administration.

Despite spending a whacking £454,895 of public money on a building intended for those in housing need, the property is still empty five years on. There appears to have been difficulties with housing organisations that should be running the building but leaving it empty for five years is a disgrace. What on earth have they been doing? It just goes to show how little importance they place on tackling homelessness in our town.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Chris Lofts comments: “Given the level of housing need, failing to use this property to help those in need reflects poorly on the Conservatives.” Councillor Lofts adds: “ It shows yet again that it’s been left to the Liberal Democrats to expose how the Tories are failing to get to grip with important issues in our town and district.”

WNDC’s loss of powers welcomed

The Coalition Government’s Communities Minister and Liberal Democrat Andrew Stunell MP, has confirmed that West Northamptonshire Development Corporation (WNDC) is going.

Local Liberal Democrats have welcomed the news that ends speculation about WNDC’s future. In April 2014 South Northamptonshire Council will take back full responsibility for strategic planning in Towcester.

It’s good news that planning decisions in Towcester will be back in democratic control and accountable to local people again. As a Liberal Democrat I believe it’s good news that an unaccountable quango is going. Unfortunately we have to wait until March 2014.

The next few years will be crucial to Towcester because of the major development plans for our town. It’s vital that South Northants Council, supported by Towcester Town Council will be leading on these plans.

Councillor Chris Lofts says: “The Government’s funding that WNDC have been using in Towcester has been welcome. Although the only real benefit that WNDC has brought to Towcester is the drive and vision to regenerate the Moat Lane area of the town.   SNC Tories failed for years to promote investment in Towcester, had it not been for WNDC the town would have remained neglected. Some of WNDC planning decisions such as at Belle Baulk have however been far from good. Liberal Democrat councillors are lobbying for South Northants Council to work closely with the Town Council to jointly take the lead with all major planning issues affecting the town.”

Developers are about to re-launch their plans for Towcester in the next few weeks. Liberal Democrats are urging local people to look at the proposal and have their say.

Wish you were here

Since the Towcester Advertiser broke the news, there has been strong local reaction to Towcester’s county councillor moving to Cornwall. I have been dismayed however by the anger and personal attacks on Mrs Bromwhich. Whilst people’s fury is understandable, it would be more appropriately leveled at the Conservative Party.

Knowing Mrs Bromwhich for many years I believe her to be an honourable and well meaning person. The idea that anyone could represent Towcester whilst living in Cornwall is plainly barmy. Mrs Bromwhich I’m sure realises this only too well. The real villains are her Tory colleagues, who have pressured her into staying on as a councillor. Given the unpopularity of the Conservatives at county hall, the Tories will seemingly do anything to avoid being called to account. Even if this means damaging the reputation of a loyal party member.

It’s the Conservatives who deserve to be derided over this sorry matter not Mrs Bromwhich. Her mistake has been putting misplaced loyalty to the Tories above the democratic rights of Towcester residents.

Lib Dems Vote Against Council Offices Move

South Northants Council has selected a developer as the preferred bidder to lead on plans for building on Springfields and Moat Lane in Towcester. This will still be subject to conditions being met.

Liberal Democrats with some independent councillor support opposed the controversial plans. These were discussed at a special council meeting held on Wednesday.

Lib Dems believe the proposal represents an unacceptable financial risk to local tax payers and at the same time may not comply with the council’s own master plan for Moat Lane. The Conservatives remain fixated on their vanity scheme for new council offices. Tories spent most of the meeting trying to score party political points, rather than debate the issues that are so important to Towcester.

The proposals heard in secret because of commercial and legal reasons will be made public when put forward through the planning process. Liberal Democrat, Councillor Chris Lofts said: “The plans show a sense of desperation by the council’s Tory administration. The council office move remains in the proposals against very strong public opinion.”

Tory Councillor Moves to Cornwall

A Conservative councillor representing Towcester has moved 250 miles away to Cornwall but says she has no intention whatsoever of resigning her council seat.

Commenting Liberal Democrat Councillor Chris Lofts said: “This seems a very odd way to try representing the town. I fail to see how Towcester people can have their views properly represented by someone living in Cornwall.”

Cllr Rosemary Bromwich argues she is able to represent the town effectively, despite living several hundred miles away. She is quoted in the local press as saying that she is: “fully equipped to continue serving the town until I stand down at the May 2013 elections.” The Tory councillor is also quoted as saying: “I’m so well versed on what the issues are.” Towcester people may beg to differ that a councillor can represent them from Cornwall.

Towcester is now effectively unrepresented at the county council. People are already asking if Cllr Bromwich is still claiming her councillor’s allowance of £7,086 a year.

With unpopular Tory policies such as cuts to street lighting, school crossing patrol funding, libraries, social care, poor road maintenance etc, it doesn’t take a cynic to see why the Conservatives don’t want to call a bye-election. I’m sure Cllr Bromwich does want to resign but her Tory Party whips have plainly pressured her into hanging on to her seat until 2013.

New Loos for Towcester?

Example of modern automated toilets

Councillor Chris Lofts and I have asked for the detailed costs for installing new public toilets in Towcester. Many people have expressed their concerns over the loss of public toilets in the town. Local businesses have also been angry that they have been expected to offer their facilities to no-paying customers.

The town council is to consider in September replacing the existing loos with new automated toilets, similar to those in Stony Stratford. These have proved popular with locals and have been free of vandalism and abuse. South Northamptonshire Council own the toilets in Towcester but like other services they have closed them and refused to pay for modernised facilities.

As with other services (school crossing patrols, street lighting, library services, youth services) our Tory run county and district councils are increasingly passing the buck onto the town council. Liberal Democrats believe that public toilets should be provided. Watch this space for Lib Dem action!

SNC Tories Support Switch Off

A Liberal Democrat council motion on Wednesday 27 July urging the county council to review its policy of reducing street lighting by 50% was rejected out of hand by South Northamptonshire conservatives.

I called on local Tories to urge their colleagues at NCC to revisit their plan of turning off street lights. Good street lighting is essential in allowing normal life to continue after dark. It reduces street crime and fear of crime and reduces the number and severity of night-time road accidents. It also helps the emergency services carry out their roles after dark.

Good street lighting increases evening activity and promotes the evening economy by making people more confident in using public transport; enabling them to walk the streets after dark in safety and offering access to evening work, education and leisure activities.

Councillor Chris Lofts another Towcester Liberal Democrat councillor said: “The conservatives are putting their heads in the sand and denying that this issue is of concern to local people. If they were more in touch they would that understand good street lighting is very important to people.”