Cumbrian MP Tim Farron has today written to the Cumbria Health Scrutiny Committee, expressing fears over NHS Lancashire's proposed removal of the Vascular Services Unit from the Royal Lancaster Infirmary. The committee will soon vote to decide whether to appeal this decision to the Health Secretary.
In the current economic climate, town centres face major challenges to attract people in, and they need to change and adapt if they are to thrive. Bedford is no exception and in Mayor Dave Hodgsons' latest column for the Times and Citizen newspaper, he looks at the opportunities for Bedford to do just this . Please click here to see the full column.
Surrey Liberal Democrats call for Council Tax freeze Conservatives hoard £207 million while pleading poverty and putting up Council Tax
The Leader of the Official Liberal Democrat Opposition at County Hall, and member of the Police and Crime Panel, Cllr Brendan Glynane, has today attacked the Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner for Northamptonshire as he published his budget.
Ahead of National Libraries Day on February 9th, Opposition Lib Dem councillors have called upon Newcastle City Council to reconsider plans to sell off thousands of the city's library books as an "income generating measure", after it emerged that in addition to old and obsolete stock, brand new best-sellers are on offer priced at just 50p or £1 in sales at libraries across the city. Dene ward Cllr Bob Renton has taken up the issue with city libraries bosses after High Heaton library users discovered that a number of books on sale were sought-after copies which in some cases were still subject to borrowing requests. The news comes as up to 10 branch libraries are set for closure by the council's programme of budget cuts, and the council is also set to cut annual funding set aside for the purchase of new books. Lib Dem councillors are also concerned about loss of stock of DVD and Blue-Ray items due to theft from the City Library. Lib Dem councillors and libraries campaigners are calling for further sa
The latest of my monthly columns for the Times and Citizen newspaper looked at Bedford Town Centre in the context of the nationwide trends which are creating such challenges for the British High Street. The 'perfect storm' of the extremely difficult wider economic climate, the rise of internet shopping and growth of out-of-town shopping have sent many town centres fall into steep decline.