VAT cut was meaningless

Last November, Liberal Democrats in Parliament voted against the Government's VAT cut, saying that the VAT cut was meaningless and would do little to stimulate the economy.

Five months into the reduced VAT period, Vince Cable's wise prophecies have again come true. Poorer households are saving less than £3 a week, despite recent claims from Gordon Brown that families would save at least £5 a week. Pensioners are among the worst hit by the cut, with the poorest households saving only £2 a week. This is a double whammy for low income households, since they are also hardest hit by increases in food and energy prices.

The Liberal Democrats wanted to spend the £12.5 billion the Government borrowed to fund the VAT cut on projects that would cut Britain's energy use, saving money and reducing carbon emissions.

In West Sussex, Liberal Democrats want to set up a £5 million energy saving fund, to help residents and community groups insulate buildings and save energy, cash and carbon emissions. This could be used by community groups such as scout and guide groups as well as householders, who could bid for support to invest in renewable energy technologies such as solar systems or ground source heat pumps.

The government has reduced its promise of new rail carriages by 300 since it was announced in July '07. Horsham District Council has run out of money to fund the popular loft insulation scheme it operates on behalf of the government. A report commissioned by Greenpeace has found that additional green spending included in the green stimulus package of the Government's Pre-Budget Report (PBR) makes up just 0.6% of the UK's £20bn recovery plan.

This ineffectual VAT cut is costing £1bn a month. Ministers should scrap it immediately and spend the money on transport and environmental projects which would boost the economy, create new jobs and leave a lasting green legacy for Britain.

Transport failure shows need for local control over Health

The failure of the West Sussex Primary Care Trust (PCT) to retain the shuttle bus service between Horsham, Crawley and East Surrey Hospitals, or come up with any suitable substitute, shows the need for democratic control over local health services, according to Liberal Democrats. With no democratic accountability, the PCT has broken promises without fear of any consequences.

The PCT's failure was highlighted by questions from Morwen Millson, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Horsham Riverside, to Conservative Council Leader Henry Smith last Friday. Asked to work with commercial bus companies to provide a fast, convenient service between the three hospitals, Henry Smith stated that local authorities should not need to pick up the pieces that have been dropped by the Primary Care Trust.

Morwen commented afterwards,

"While Henry Smith is correct that West Sussex County Council should not need to provide transport to East Surrey Hospital, the broken promises of the Primary Care Trust only highlight the need to give local people control over health services, as the Liberal Democrats propose."

"This would of course also make a new hospital for Horsham and Crawley more likely."

"However, given the failure of the PCT, local people want their politicians to show leadership in establishing an express bus service between Horsham, Crawley and East Surrey hospitals in partnership with a commercial operator. If Henry Smith does not want to provide that leadership, the Liberal Democrats will happily oblige."

No guarantee of new hospital under Conservative government

West Sussex Council Leader, and aspiring Tory MP for Crawley, Henry Smith, failed to guarantee that a new hospital would be built for Horsham and Crawley when asked to by West Sussex Liberal Democrats. As a result, local Liberal Democrats have called on Henry Smith and Horsham MP Francis Maude to support the Lib Dems' plans to scrap Primary Care Trusts and give the County Council responsibility for local health services and social care. This would give local people a real say in how the NHS is in run in West Sussex.

Local GP, and Liberal Democrat District Councillor, David Skipp, said,

"I, along with my colleagues Christine Costin and Leonard Crosbie, have played a large part in the all-party campaign for a new Crawley/Horsham hospital, and continue to do so. However, despite the support of thousands of residents, there's been very little progress."

"Liberal Democrat national policy would make a real difference to the campaign - based on Henry Smith's comments, Conservative policy would not. Therefore we have written to Francis Maude, inviting him to support the Lib Dems' plans for local control over the NHS, and pressure the Conservatives to adopt the same national policy."

County Councillor Warwick Hellawell added,

"Under the current system, the Primary Care Trusts only answer to their Whitehall paymasters. Liberal Democrats would scrap them, put them in local authority control and make them answer to local people."

"This would take the decision over a Crawley/Horsham hospital away from Whitehall, and put it in the hands of people in West Sussex."

Lib Dems fight "Fit for the Future"

With the help of local GP and Councillor, Dr David Skipp, Horsham District Council's Liberal Democrat group have carefully considered West Sussex PCT's consultation document, "Fit for the Future".
We welcome the idea of changes that would improve local services; the facilities provided by GPs and at Community Hospitals, more community based nursing, and improved facilities at either Worthing or Chichester, however we believe that the proposals:
· Put at risk the quality of care available in the north of Horsham District
· Fail to address present problems
· Provide insufficient detail to allow an informed decision to be made.

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Lib Dems promise to keep Council Tax down

Liberal Democrats promise to keep Council Tax rises at or below the rate of inflation after the Tories put up tax by another 3.25%. This means they have increased Council Tax by 132% since they took control of West Sussex from the Lib Dems in 1997.
Liberal Democrats are questioning whether West Sussex Conservatives should be so proud of increasing Council Tax by 4%. Tax payers are being asked to stump up more than the national average increase and, on new inflation figures out today, almost 1% above inflation.
Morwen Millson, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on the County Council, comments, “This year’s 4% increase will be of little comfort to hard pressed West Sussex tax payers, whose Council Tax bills will have risen by 132% over 12 years by April.
“Band D rates will reach £1141.83, compared with £491.94 when the Liberal Democrats ran the Council. “It is good to see the Tories begin to reduce their addiction to waste, but there are still many areas, such as IT, ublications and property where too much money has been wasted.
“The Liberal Democrats are committed to keeping rises in Council Tax at or below
the rate of inflation.”

Council gets same Child Protection Rating as Haringey

Protection for children in West Sussex has been assessed as ‘inadequate’ by
Ofsted in their latest inspection. This places the council’s services to children at
risk of harm in the same category as Haringey’s, which have been the subject of a
high level investigation following the tragic death of Baby P.
West Sussex Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Morwen Millson, said, “Liberal Democrat
councillors have been raising concerns about the number of vulnerable children without an
allocated social worker for over a year.
“The most disappointing thing is that this issue was highlighted to the council and nothing was
done about it. The County Council finally coughed up £500,000 to help retain social workers
and attract new recruits, but this needs to be the beginning of a real push to obtain adequate
numbers of social workers in West Sussex.
Warwick Hellawell, Roffey’s Lib Dem County Councillor, added “The Conservative Cabinet
has shown staggering complacency in failing to respond to the clear shortage of social
workers quickly, and I only hope that no West Sussex children will pay the price for this.”

New 98 Bus ‘Step in the Right Direction’

A new route for the 98 bus from Roffey to Southwater has been launched, dramatically improving the service to he town centre. The new service runs every 15 minutes, and takes between 15 and 20 minutes each way. In addition to the new route and increased frequency, there will be new bus stop signs and easier to read timetable information.
Lib Dem County Councillor Warwick Hellawell says, “When I talk to local people they tell me that the biggest reasons that they don’t use bus services is infrequent services and a lack of proper information.” “These changes are a step in the right direction, but if Liberal Democrats win the County Council election we will invest in electronic information boards, so people know exactly when the next bus will come.”

No time to stop recycling

Liberal Democrat Councillor for Roffey North, Sarah Gray, urges residents to
recycle more. There has been much talk in the media about recycled waste
being stockpiled due to falling prices. However, these concerns are unfounded
- prices are stabilising and recycling continues to reduce carbon emissions.
Sarah says, “Recycling in the UK reduces Carbon Dioxide emissions by as
much as taking 2 million cars off the road. It also saves costly landfill space.”