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.

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.

Lib Dems host visit by Minister for Justice

Visit to Vision Youth Cafe

Local Liberal Democrats last week hosted a visit to Towcester by Lord Tom McNally.

Lord McNally is leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords and Minister Of State for Justice.

During the day Lord McNally visited Silverstone Circuit before going on to meet the Police Area Commander to discuss local policing issues. After being interviewed live by BBC Radio Northampton, he went on to visit the Vision Youth Café. At Vision he met young people and youth leaders involved in this vibrant local youth project. Together with Cllr Chris Lofts I’ve been supporting the group’s funding problems after they lost secure funding from the county council.

Scott Collins, Parliamentary Spokesman for the Liberal Democrats in South Northamptonshire said about the visit which he organised: “We were delighted that Lord McNally was able to spend so much time speaking with people in Towcester and hearing about local issues.”

Commenting on his visit Lord McNally said: “I’ve been greatly impressed by all the new developments at Silverstone and now fully appreciate its growing importance to the local economy. Silverstone is a demonstration of British engineering excellence with potential for even greater things to come.” It was good to see Tom’s support for the youth work at Vision and as Minister for Justice, hear from young people directly about their volunteering and other positive activities. Tom said he will use this as an example of good practice. Lord McNally’s visit ended with him speaking in Towcester at a packed meeting of local Liberal Democrat activists and supporters.

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.”

Town Council Saves Crossing Patrol

Towcester Town Council has voted to part fund the cost of providing the lollipop lady who helps children cross Vernon Road outside a Towcester Primary School. Parents who have campaigned to keep the service say they are delighted with the news.

Conservative controlled Northamptonshire County Council cut funding for all school crossing patrols as part of their plans to make savings of £73 million. I have been supporting parents and proposed at a recent planning and resources committee that  Towcester Town Council help support the scheme. My proposal was accepted unanimously but now has to be ratified by a meeting of the full council.

Vernon Road is a dangerous place for children and with more development planned at Wood Burcote traffic will increase in future years. Town councillors are angry and concerned that Northamptonshire County Council is again shirking their responsibilities, leaving the town to pick up the bill. NCC is quite simply bringing in double taxation, with Towcester residents paying twice for services that should be provided by the county council.

Towcester’s Liberal Democrat Councillor Chris Lofts says, “The town council is to urge NCC to either continue longer term funding or provide safety improvements to the road. Our Tory county councillor’s suggestion that parents volunteer to run the patrol themselves is completely unworkable. Unlike the Conservatives, Towcester’s Liberal Democrats are pledged to support parents in their fight to keep our local children safe.”

Elderly Home Owner Targeted by Doorstep Salesman

A local Lib Dem councillor’s prompt action has saved a vulnerable person being conned out of thousands of pounds.

An elderly lady in Towcester was recently visited by a salesman who persuaded her that her roof was defective and needed several thousand pounds of unnecessary repairs. The salesman spent over two hours at the property and was about to leave with a cheque in his pocket for nearly a thousand pounds as a deposit.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Chris Lofts happened to visit the elderly home owner just as the salesman was closing his deal. “I was very cross that a vulnerable lady living on her own had been frightened into signing a contract for work that was totally unneeded.” said Cllr Lofts, “The salesman was persuaded to tear up the contract and return the cheque before leaving. I have since sent the details of the incident to Northamptonshire County Council’s Trading Standards officers as I am worried that other elderly home owners in Towcester may be targeted.”

Trading Standards and the Government’s Consumer Direct organisations give sound advice about arranging building works or repairs. They advise being wary of salesmen saying you need work on your home that you were unaware of, always get three quotes for the work, ask for examples of where similar work has been carried out so you can check the quality and do not pay in advance for work. If home owners are in any doubt they should contact Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06 or Northamptonshire Trading Standards on 01604 236236.

Parents Fight to Keep Crossing Patrol

Parents are campaigning to keep the lollipop lady who helps children cross Vernon Road outside Towcester Primary School.

Conservative controlled Northamptonshire County Council has withdrawn funding for all school crossing patrol services in the county as part of plans to make £73 million of savings. I have been supporting parents, who have started a petition to try to save the school crossing patrol service. A public meeting is being planned.

The petition already has hundreds of signatures and the support of the headteacher. Vernon Road is a busy road that joins the A5. It’s a very dangerous location, with more development planned that will only increase traffic in future years. Northamptonshire County Council says it would be prepared to continue running the school crossing patrol service if the community was able to come up with funding for it.

The Tory county councillor for Towcester has helpfully suggested parents volunteer to run the patrol themselves! NCC appear to be leaving Towcester residents to run public services themselves. No street lights, a library without funding for books and now no crossing patrol for Primary School kids. Together with Cllr Chris Lofts and local Lib Dems are pledged to support parents in their fight to keep our local children safe.

Concern Grows Over Switch Off

Concern is growing as more people are becoming aware of street lights in Towcester and across the county being switching off. A Liberal Democrat campaign to reinstate street lighting is being backed by local community groups, businesses and residents.

Local people are beginning to realise what the impact of turning off public lighting is having. Crime and fear of crime has been highlighted by Neighbourhood Watch. The AA and police are very concerned about the affect on road accidents.

I featured recently on BBC Radio Northampton who ran an item on the impact of the Conservative run county council’s big switch off.

Towcester Neighbourhood Watch say, “We… anticipate an increased feeling of insecurity and the fear of crime, with a loss of confidence in especially the elderly, vulnerable and young people in feeling safe taking a casual walk in the evening, walking to the shops or out with the dog, etc.”

Commenting Councillor Chris Lofts says, “Liberal Democrats will be supporting others at a Neighbourhood Watch organised public meeting to be held at Towcester Town Hall on 29 June at 7.30 pm. The total lack of consultation by the Tories has increased people’s anger over this short sighted policy of switching off street lights.”

NCC are negotiating a complex deal to replace street lights with energy efficient ones but there is no guarantee that this will happen. Even if lights are replaced, Tory run NCC admit that it will be well into 2012 before this happens. Towcester will be left in the dark over the bleakest winter months.

The safest and logical way would have been to replace the lights first, rather than plunge streets into darkness. This is inept planning by putting the cart before the horse!

Lights Go Out in Towcester

Tory controlled Northamptonshire County Council have been turning off Towcester street lights over the past few weeks. The decision to plunge Towcester and many areas across the county into darkness has been done to save money. Liberal Democrats on the county council have proposed more sensible ways of saving money.

Commenting district councillor Martin Johns says, “These are quite extreme measures from the Conservatives. The effects will become more noticed once we get into the autumn. Despite requests there has been no consultation on the details of this decision.”

Councillor Chris Lofts says, “Without any advance notice local representatives and local people have been excluded from being able to comment. I am very concerned that these cuts may put lives in danger.” Councillor Johns added, “Many younger people and older residents may be confined to stay in once winter arrives as they will be reluctant to walk anywhere after dark.”