Our Priorities for the 2017 Elections

End the Tory cuts to public services

Over the last four years Conservative run Essex County Council has been savagely cutting services

• Children's Centres have closed
• Meals on Wheels have ended
• Community Transport has been cut
• Bus services have been cut
• Side roads and pavements have deteriorated
• Care packages for the elderly have been delayed
• Charges for Home Care has increased five fold
• Youth Services have been dismantled
• Recycling Centres restrict home DIY waste
• Local Highways budgets have been halved
• Charges for home to school transport in rural areas has rocketed
• Traffic congestion has got worse

General Election - June 8th 2017

On 18th April, Theresa May announced that there would be a General Election on June 8th, 2017. The Liberal Democrats believe in an open, tolerant and united Britain completely at odds with Theresa May's hard Brexit. Therefore we see this as an opportunity to provide an effective opposition to the Conservative Government. Liberal Democrat Leader Tim Farron said: "This shows it's not too late to prevent a divisive, hard Brexit. On 8th June, together we can change the direction of this country. The Liberal Democrats will be the real voice of opposition to this Conservative Brexit government."

Essex County Council's Conservative group has pushed through a cut of over 14% in the funding for community transport schemes across the county. Essex Liberal Democrats "called in" the cabinet member decision for review by the scrutiny committee last Thursday (23rd March), but the Conservative majority backed the decision.

Essex County Council Election 2017

Liberal Democrat Essex County Council leader Mike Mackrory contacted the Essex Chronicle in response to an article about Chelmsford traffic. You can read it below;

Dear Sirs,

Gridlock in four years

Your front page and extensive report of the traffic congestion facing Chelmsford (Essex Chronicle 2nd March) highlighted many of the concerns I and my colleagues at both Essex County Council and Chelmsford City Council have been raising for several years. The huge increase in housing developments both in the centre and on the outskirts without the necessary transport infrastructure was always going to cause even more congestion on our crowded roads.

A new initiative to reduce traffic congestion and parking problems outside the Tyrell's School in Chelmsford was launched this week. Concerns about the safety of the pupils arriving in the morning and leaving in the afternoon prompted the need for a radical solution.

Local Essex County Councillor Mike Mackrory, who was pleased to be invited to the launch, met with the former Deputy Head a year ago to share his concerns over the traffic and parking problems in Tavistock Road and the roads around the school. His campaign for a pedestrian crossing at Springfield Green and for a 20mph speed limit in the surrounding roads fitted in well with the school's plans too. He was able to get the Local Highways Panel to recommend the scheme to Chelmsford City Council who wanted a school to be a pilot scheme for other schools in Chelmsford to follow.

A call was made this week for Chelmsford council to act urgently on emergency and affordable housing, and to take big steps forward on essential infrastructure (such as roads, schools and health services) that England's newest city needs, given that the road network is at 96% capacity.

Four years ago Chelmsford had 69 households in temporary accommodation; it is now 310. The council's response was going to be buy 36 prefabricated homes but has cut that back to 18.

The City's only Community Dental Practice at Parkside, Melbourne Avenue - used by our most vulnerable residents - is set to close after being taken over by Community Dental Services CIC on 1st October. They have decided to meet the needs of the population of Essex from centralised 'hubs' in the larger population areas.

Jo Swinson has been elected unanimously as Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats.

The result was announced on Tuesday evening at the Liberal Democrat parliamentary party meeting.

Jo will continue in her role as Liberal Democrat Shadow Foreign Secretary.

Jo said: "I am very proud to have been elected by a newly energised and strengthened parliamentary party.

Theresa May is reported to have dropped plans to scrap free school lunches for infant pupils from tomorrow's Queen's Speech.

It comes after the Liberal Democrats strongly criticised the Conservatives during the election campaign over their manifesto plans which would have deprived 1.7 million children of free school lunches, including 700,000 living in poverty.

Chancellor Philip Hammond has called for a transitional deal on Brexit to protect the economy at a speech at Mansion House, while Bank of England Governor Mark Carney has admitted that Brexit will make us all poorer.

It comes as the government is under pressure from the Liberal Democrats and business community to soften its stance on Brexit, including by protecting Britain's membership of the single market and customs union.

Commenting on the terrorist incident near Finsbury Park mosque in north London, Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said: "The Finsbury Park attack is senseless barbarism. Yet again we are rocked by a horrific incident for which there is no rhyme or reason.

"People who commit these heinous acts want to divide us, force us to turn in on ourselves and fight each other. We cannot and must not let them win. Our values matter, we must stand together.

Liberal Democrats have announced a new Shadow Cabinet. The party which gained seats in the election now have 12 MPs in the House of Commons.

Liberal Democrat Leader Tim Farron said: "I am delighted to announce our new shadow cabinet team, which brings together a wealth of experience. The party has people with a range of skills from within government, business and the charity sector.

On Friday, it will be one year since the appalling, hate-filled murder Labour MP Jo Cox.

Her friends and family don't want it to be a mournful occasion. Jo was a passionate campaigner, and inspired by her, they want us to channel our horror and grief into something positive.

So, they're spending the weekend celebrating what we have in common, and they've asked us to join them. It's called The Great Get Together, and it's a very simple idea: they're asking you to do something -- big or small -- to bring our communities together on 16 - 18 June. Will you join in?

Retail sales fell by 1.2% between April and May, worse than economists had expected, figures from the Office for National Statistics have shown.

The ONS said that average store prices have risen by 2.8% over the year, which has been a significant factor in slowing growth.

Liberal Democrat MP Vince Cable said: "The economy has been kept going for a year on the basis of consumer debt, which was always artificial and unsustainable.

The Liberal Democrats have called on the government to urgently publish a long-awaited review of building regulations on fire safety and implement its recommendations, following the deadly fire at Grenfell Tower.

Sal Brinton, Liberal Democrat Party President and member of the All-Party Parliamentary Fire Safety and Rescue Group, commented: