Head of Department LCC Highways admits waste of Taxpayers Money

Recently a village in Lincolnshire was featured on BBC1s Central News which showed graphic shots of vehicles having to go onto the wrong side of the road to negotiate a particlarly badly placed island, causing very real dangers. The next shot was of LCC diggers demolishing the new island and the presenter interviewing Bryan Thompson (Head of Department LCC Highways) forcing him to admit that there had been a complete waste of £12000 of taxpayers' money.

Could this be the same Bryan Thompson who 'approved' Vision's one way system (which thankfully people pressure and the liaison group had squashed) has also forced the positioning of disabled parking places parallel to the kerb (against lots of advice and protests)? The same Brian Thompson who added insult to injury when he deeply offended the people attending the Town Forum recently ?- yes it is! Gives you a lot of confidence doesn't it?!

Will Quality Parish Status help Stamford Town Council?

Stamford LibDems continue to receive complaints about the 'public survey' being sent out to members of the public. The survey questions the continuance of the Town Council but does not suggest a replacement; perhaps direct rule from SKDC or Stamford Vision - or even a coalition of the two!!

Such surveys do nothing to serve democracy; neither do they do justice to the fact that members of the Town Council are unpaid representatives of the people of Stamford with no vested financial interest. They do, however, highlight what little power your Town Council currently has. This situation can, however, be reversed by obtaining Quality Parish status which will bring back many significant powers held by SKDC.

What is Quality Parish Status?

Quality Parish Status were introduced in 2002. They give a greater say to Parish/Town Councils in more elements of local government and give access to additional funds from Central government; an obvious advantage. It enables local councils to take back under their control key items such as car parking. Your LibDem Councillors have lobbied continuously for Stamford Town Council to apply for Quality Town Council status as we feel that this is essential for the future of Stamford.

Early this month (February) your LibDem Councillors finally succeeded in winning a motion by the Council to get an urgent timetable for this. Town Councillors have now received a proposed time table, dated 19th February, from the new Town Clerk - Mrs Patricia Stuart-Mogg - which recommends that an application for Quality Status is submitted to the County Accreditation Panel by July 2007 by which time all seven criteria required will have been met and confirmed.

Up to 95% of SKDC Planning Applications have no input from elected representatives

Did you know that now up to 95% of all planning applications are determined by officers at SKDC with no input from your elected representatives? Even if you raise objections to a planning application, your elected representative will not be informed of them.

This 95% which is in excess of the Government's own target of 80% was approved by SKDC's Conservative Cabinet members.

This is highly unusual. councils such as Islington's LibDem Council have currently 65% of applications determined by officers.

Cllr. Maureen Jalili would be interested to hear your views on this - email stamfordlibdems@hotmail.com or ring her on 01780 765 655

Stamford Liberal Democrats

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The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of Liberty, Equality and Community and in which no-one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity.

Welcome to our new blog which is presented to provide the latest news, events and other topics of interest in conjunction with our main web site for the Stamford Liberal Democrats.

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