Gleadless Valley Election Results

Labour Cate McDonald 2190  -15.3%
UKIP Martin Laurie 1176  +11.6%
Green Party Peter Garbutt 1026  +3.6%
Liberal Democrat  Phil Shaddock 408 -2.4%
Conservative Jenny Grant 280
TUSC Elizabeth Morton  229 +0.6%

Congratulations to Cate McDonald on being elected for a further term in the Town Hall, and to Peter Garbutt for a significant increase in the Green Party vote. Personally I was disappointed not to return increase on the Liberal Democrat vote of 2 years ago, but I am pleased the reduction was not as great as in some parts of the country.

Thanks to all who voted for me, and to those in the ward who have helped me by delivering leaflets and putting up posters.

The 2015 election starts now and I will be working hard for an improved result next time. If you would like to join the team to help with this fight, please contact me.

Full results at www.sheffield.gov.uk/elections

Liberal Democrats Manifesto 2014

 

Liberal Democrats launch manifesto to cut waste, create jobs and save Sheffield libraries

 Sheffield Liberal Democrats have launched their Manifesto for the 2014 local elections with a campaign to save sixteen threatened libraries.

The three themes of the Liberal Democrat manifesto are:

  • Stronger Economy – Working alongside local businesses to help create more jobs in Sheffield;
  • Fairer Society – Protecting important services like libraries and helping children and young people get the best start in life;
  • Enabling Everyone to Get on in Life – Cutting back on Town Hall waste and keeping costs low for local taxpayers.

Sheffield Liberal Democrats launch their 2014 manifestoUnder plans agreed by Labour-run Sheffield City Council as many as sixteen community libraries could close across the city.

The proposals have proved controversial for Labour leaders of the Council who have faced criticism for wasting millions of pounds on high-paid consultants, office makeovers and political pet projects, like the Park Hill development.

Liberal Democrats are also campaigning to over-turn Labour’s anti-business policies and create new jobs in Sheffield by, for example, supporting Ikea to locate in Sheffield.

 

Cllr Shaffaq Mohammed, Leader of the Liberal Democrat on Sheffield City Council, said:

“Everyone knows the Council faces challenges but local people have been clear that closing libraries is not the right way forward. Yet instead of listening to local people, Labour’s town hall bosses continue to waste money on their priorities at a time when every penny counts.

“Liberal Democrats have a full slate of excellent candidates across the city. At local elections on May 22nd Sheffielders will have a clear choice between hard working Liberal Democrat campaigners who have led the fight to protect libraries and Labour politicians, who seem more interested in protecting their pet projects and office makeovers.

“We also need to make sure that Sheffield sees the benefits of a stronger national economy. By supporting developments, like the much-delayed Ikea, we can help bring more funds into the city, which can help protect the services that matter most.”

Continue reading →

Clegg v Farage: The Leaders’ Debate

Clegg v Farage: The Leaders’ Debate

LBC will host the first leaders’ debate on Britain’s future in Europe on 26th March.Leader of the Lib Dems Nick Clegg will go head-to-head with UKIP’s Nigel Farage in a live hour-long programme, hosted by Nick Ferrari in front of a live audience. Iain Dale will be live from the venue from 4pm, bringing you the best previews, analysis and comment.

Although this is a radio broadcast, the debate is being streamed on the internet

Nick Clegg
Phil Shaddock discusses Gleadless Valley issues with Nick Clegg

Message from Nick Clegg

Last month I challenged Nigel Farage to a debate on Britain’s future in Europe. I did so because an ungenerous, backwards looking politics has emerged in Britain. The politics of blame has found an acceptable face: it wears a big smile and looks like someone you could have a pint with down the pub.

So I’m drawing a line in the sand.

I am going to defend the tolerant and modern Britain we love, and I am going to start by showing people what’s at stake at the upcoming European elections: do you want Britain in Europe, or out?

Thousands have people have already backed our campaign to protect jobs and keep Britain in Europe.

I’m asking you to join them today by adding your name to our campaign.

The Liberal Democrats are now Britain’s only party of IN. The only party out there explaining the clear benefits of Britain’s place in Europe. The only party giving people the facts. Being in Europe creates jobs, helps us fight climate change and allows our police forces to work together to catch criminals who cross borders. These things matter too much for us to ignore them.

The first debate is in just a couple of weeks. By joining the thousands of people who have already added their names to our campaign, you’ll be showing those people who want to pull Britain out of Europe that they aren’t going to have this all their own way.

Click here to join our campaign now, and help protect those jobs.

LIB DEMS TABLE BUDGET PLAN TO SAVE SIXTEEN LIBRARIES

Sheffield Liberal Democrats will today present alternative budget plans, which will see sixteen threatened libraries across the city saved. (See Lib Dem Budget Amendments 2014-15)
At today’s annual budget meeting (Fri 7th Mar, 14:00) spending plans will face a crucial vote of councillors, including controversial plans to reduce funding for libraries.
Under Liberal Democrat proposals planned cuts to libraries, parks and city-centre events will be reversed. Meanwhile, opposition Liberal Democrats will propose cutting the cost of green recycling bins by a third, reducing parking permit charges and blocking hikes in allotment fees.
Liberal Democrats also want to see more support for businesses by making it free to park in the city-centre on evenings and Sundays.
The Liberal Democrat plan, which has been signed off by independent council finance officers, is partly funded by a proposed reduction in pay for the top 25% of council earners. The proposal could save as much as £2.5 million per year and follows similar plans adopted in Doncaster and Southampton.
Liberal Democrats are also proposing to cut funding for pet projects like Park Hill and the Burngreave New Deal, reduce the amount spent on policy and research and cut costs by sharing services with other councils and local organisations.
Cllr Andrew Sangar, Sheffield Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Finance, said:
“Local people are tired of this Labour Council playing the blame-game – they want to see action instead. No-one denies the need for difficult decisions but Labour politicians just haven’t been honest with local people about the challenges the Council faces.
“Millions have been wasted on pet-projects and high paid-consultants – not to mention the £31 million of uncollected Council Tax. We’ve shown that by making some sensible savings and doing things differently, libraries can be kept open and important services can be protected.
“Independent finance officers have signed off our plans – confirming that all libraries can be kept open if Labour bosses are only willing to listen.”

CALL FOR ACTION ON £31 MILLION IN UNCOLLECTED COUNCIL TAX

Sheffield City Council has faced fresh pressure to stamp down on unpaid Council Tax as they set their annual budget this week.
In November, opposition Liberal Democrats discovered that the Labour-run Council had a total of £31 million in unpaid council tax bills, some of which dated back to 1999/2000.
However in the three months since the Labour administration have failed to bring forward policies to crack down on the debt.
The Labour administration face fresh pressure this week as the Council vote on their annual budget (Fri 7th Mar, 14:00), including proposals which could see up to sixteen libraries closed.
The planned saving in the libraries services equates to roughly £900,000 next financial year.
Cllr Andrew Sangar, Sheffield Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Finance, said:
“When these figures were revealed last year local taxpayers were naturally shocked. To allow tax dodgers protection is unfair on the majority of local residents who pay their council tax on time and such blatant abuse makes a mockery of the whole system”.

LIB DEMS BLOCK LABOUR’S £216 RENT HIKE ON SHEFFIELD COUNCIL TENANTS

Sheffield’s Liberal Democrat councillors have temporarily blocked a proposed 6.2% rent hike for local council tenants in a bid to curb the Labour Council’s inflation-busting increase, which would see the average rent bill go up by £216 a year.

Following the provisional approval of the rent bombshell by the Council’s Labour Cabinet earlier this week, Liberal Democrats have ‘called in’ the proposal – meaning the hike cannot be implemented until given further public consideration.

Labour councillors have misled local tenants by claiming ‘their hands are tied’ by national guidelines on setting rents.[1] However, other local authorities – such as Liberal Democrat Portsmouth Council – have previously increased rent by half the level recommended nationally.[2]

 

Halving next year’s proposed increase would cost approximately £3.3 million. Meanwhile, next year’s Housing Revenue Account will see the cost of tenant services, which includes management, increase by £2.7 million to £53.7 million.

Penny Baker Rent smCllr Penny Baker, Sheffield Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Housing, said:

“We are calling on the Labour Council to follow the lead of other local authorities, such as Lib Dem Portsmouth, and keep rent increases to a minimum to ease the cost of living for tenants.

 

“Labour bosses have attempted to claim they have no choice over this decision but that’s plainly not true. Once again they are forcing through unpopular decisions because they think they can get away with blaming it on someone else.

“With the housing revenue budget set to run at a surplus and service costs increasing to more than £50 million, there is scope to curb the increase. Yet Labour councillors want to push through an average hike of £216, which is more than three times the rate of inflation.

“Many people will simply not be able to afford to pay this unnecessary hike and that’s why we want to see this proposal looked at again.”

The decision to halt the planned hike has been backed by local Tenants’ and Residents’ Associations. Stephen Rich, Secretary of Greenhill & Bradway TARA, said:

“If the Council had been willing to accept the various grants of money offered by the Government, such as for Council Tax Benefit, they would now be under less pressure when raising rents.”

Leaving the EU could kill investment in UK jobs

I’m voting Liberal Democrat in the European elections in May.

Leaving the EU could kill investment in UK jobs

 Tens of thousands of jobs could be lost as foreign investors look elsewhere

Local businesses and employers say they would lose out if Britain left the EU

Businesses and employers responsible for tens of thousands of jobs in Yorkshire & Humber have warned of the effect that leaving the EU would have on Britain.

Huge employers such as Siemens and Nissan have both said they would have to reconsider their investment in the UK if we leave the EU.

A recent survey by the CBI confirmed that 78% of businesses want Britain to remain in the EU. Indeed many feel they would be forced to close if Britain left the single market.

The Federation of Small Businesses said:-

The internal market offers easy access for first-time exporters with a market of 500 million customers and 23 million businesses on their doorstep. The internal market creates some legal certainty and a level playing field throughout competition rules and many harmonised rules. This means that businesses can save considerable cost when selling to EU countries. – read more

“UKIP and the many Tories who wish to pull Britain out of Europe are gambling with people’s livelihoods. If they get their way tens of thousands of jobs could be lost,” said local Lib Dem MEP Edward McMillan-Scott.

“The Liberal Democrats have always been the party that want to Britain to be stronger, in work, and in Europe,” he added.

Funding Lifeline for Sheffield Libraries

Libraries in Sheffield remain under threat pending the conclusion of the consultation period on 10th January. As currently planned, there will be 11 fully-supported core libraries, 5 supported community libraries, staffed by voluteers with some Council support, and the remaining 11 either running as independent libraries, or closing. A report in the Star last week identified that the Council may be able to fund running some of the independent libraries by helping with running costs such as electricity bills or possible links to the council computer systems.

At a packed public meeting to discuss the future of the threatened library in Broomhill, Cllr Mazher Iqbal, cabinet member for communities, said: “We will look at how we can provide funding for the 11 independent libraries for 12 months.”