Rochdale Liberal Democrat Leader - Councillor Alan Taylor has responded to Cllr. Ashley Dearnley's comments by saying "What's all the fuss about?" Councillor Taylor has spoken out after the Conservatives and Labour joined forces again to criticise the Liberal Democrats for 'banning them' from informal Cabinet Meetings.
Rochdale MP and Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesperson - Paul Rowen has kick-started the events in Green Transport Week by doing his own survey of bus passengers at Rochdale Bus Station. Paul was inundated with travellers and together with Councillor Wera Hobhouse, Rochdale Cabinet Member for Environment and Sustainability, handed out over 1000 surveys to people travelling into and out of Rochdale. This is the first stage of Paul Rowen's events aimed at improving the Bus Services in Rochdale.
Rochdale MP - Paul Rowen has called for assurances that people in Rochdale are not affected by a 'Post-Code Lottery' when it comes to treatments for Asbestosis and Mesothelioma patients. This is especially a concern in Rochdale where a number of former workers at the former Turner Brothers Site are affected. Paul recently attended a meeting of the All Party Asbestos Group in Parliament. It was at this meeting that a consultant, who specialises in cancer treatments gave examples of the Post-Code Lottery, citing several people who were denied treatment because of where they live, despite those treatments being licensed by NICE.
Rochdale's MP, Paul Rowen has reacted with concern after the Government Department OFSTED put many of Rochdale's Summer Playschemes under threat. OFSTED are demanding that schemes must have a manager and a deputy with 'appropriate' NVQ Level 3 qualifications. One such playscheme under threat is Sparth Play Scheme in Rochdale, which has been going for over 20 years. The successful playscheme has been judged as 'inadequate' by OFSTED, despite 2 of the staff having degrees in community education and the other in Social Work. As a result of the new OFSTED rule, Sparth will get some paid level 3 help but the future is not certain. This may lead to a reduction in the time playschemes are allowed to open.
Guildford Borough Council's Executive is due to discuss extending kerbside collection of plastic for recycling across the borough at its next meeting on 22 June. Council officers propose adapting the 'Kerbsider' recycling vehicles with machinery to crush and compact plastic, so that plastic bottles can be put out in the green recycling boxes as well as glass and cans. The predicted start-up costs would be £218,000, with the whole borough covered by March 2007. The Conservative Lead Councillor for the Environment has said the scheme is likely to be approved.
David Laws MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, today accused Treasury Ministers of a cover-up over the scale and causes of fraud in the tax credit system. The Liberal Democrats are pressing Treasury Ministers to publish a new report on tax credit fraud and error, which is believed to be complete, and which was due out this Spring.