http://www.saffronwaldenlibdems.org.uk/newsarchive.php Recent News Stories from Saffron Walden Liberal Democrats en-GB Saffron Walden Liberal Democrats http://www.saffronwaldenlibdems.org.uk/ Prater Raines Ltd http://www.praterraines.co.uk/ (c) 2008 Saffron Walden Liberal Democrats 2008-09-05T21:42+01:00 United Kingdom http://www.saffronwaldenlibdems.org.uk/news/000219/lembit_pik_endorses_dispersal_option.html Lembit Öpik, MP for Montgomeryshire, and Liberal Democrat Housing Spokesperson, today visited Stansted, Henham, Elsenham and Newport to see for himself the impact that 5000 plus houses in an Ecotown would have on the local community in this beautiful part of north Essex 2008-09-03T08:11+01:00 http://www.saffronwaldenlibdems.org.uk/news/000217/culdesac_refuse_collections_under_threat.html Liberal Democrats in Uttlesford are concerned about the Conservative-led Council's proposals to reduce doorstep collections. Uttlesford District Council is conducting a review of its rubbish collecting procedures, which could leave the bins in cul-de-sacs across the district being left out in the cold. 2008-08-27T22:56+01:00 http://www.saffronwaldenlibdems.org.uk/news/000216/liberal_democrats_in_uttlesford_back_calls_for_uk_energy_independence.html LIBERAL Democrats in Saffron Walden have given their strong backing to ambitious calls by Nick Clegg MP for Britain to become self-sufficient in energy. 2008-08-27T08:24+01:00 http://www.saffronwaldenlibdems.org.uk/news/000215/liberal_democrats_back_call_to_introduce_999_texting_service.html Local Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman Peter Wilcock is backing MP Adrian Sanders' Parliamentary campaign to introduce a 999 text service. 2008-08-24T10:31+01:00 http://www.saffronwaldenlibdems.org.uk/news/000214/tory_think_tank_call_an_insult_to_uttlesford__liberal_democrats.html Liberal Democrats in Uttlesford have described a call by a Conservative-leaning think tank for people from towns and cities of the North to pack their bags and move to the South as appalling. 2008-08-24T10:21+01:00 http://www.saffronwaldenlibdems.org.uk/news/000213/liberal_democrats_welcome_plans_to_tackle_youth_crime.html LIBERAL Democrats in Uttlesford have welcomed proposals made by the party's Shadow Home Secretary Chris Huhne to tackle youth crime. The plans aim to deter crime and get young people involved in positive activities that benefit local communities. 2008-08-24T10:16+01:00 http://www.saffronwaldenlibdems.org.uk/news/000212/conservative_spin_on_council_finances.html Official finance reports forecast a massive £1 million under spend in Uttlesford Council's expenditure by next March. The Liberal Democrats have raised their concerns with finance and administration committee chairman, Conservative councillor Robert Chambers. 2008-08-24T10:11+01:00 http://www.saffronwaldenlibdems.org.uk/news/000211/proper_explanation_needed.html In a letter to local newspapers, Saffron Walden Town Councillor Richard Freeman (Liberal Democrat) has called for a genuinely impartial forensic review, carried out by acknowledged professionals without a political axe to grind, into the sudden and miraculous upturn in the District Council's finances. 2008-08-06T20:47+01:00 http://www.saffronwaldenlibdems.org.uk/news/000210/residents_hit_hard_by_rising_prices.html Local residents in this area are being hit hard by rocketing costs for food, energy and fuel. 2008-08-04T08:43+01:00 http://www.saffronwaldenlibdems.org.uk/news/000209/liberal_democrats_welcome_rural_housing_report.html Peter Wilcock, Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesperson for Saffron Walden, has welcomed a new report setting out how more can be done to provide affordable homes and a vibrant economy in the English countryside. 2008-07-30T22:48+01:00 http://www.saffronwaldenlibdems.org.uk/news/000208/ecotowns_will_be_out_of_date_by_time_they_are_built__pik.html The Government today announced that homes in eco-towns must achieve the environmental target of level four of the Code for Sustainable Homes, despite the fact that all new housing is to reach the stricter target of level six by 2016. Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Housing Minister, Lembit Öpik said: "There's surely some mistake here. This means that eco-towns could be less environmentally friendly than normal towns. Instead of setting challenging environmental standards, eco-towns will be out of date by the time they are even built." 2008-07-27T21:14+01:00 http://www.saffronwaldenlibdems.org.uk/news/000207/lib_dems_secure_commitment_to_review_parking_charges_at_broomfield_hospital.html Local Liberal Democrat campaigners have secured a commitment that the unfair parking charges at Broomfield hospital will be reviewed after Mid Essex Hospital Trust has paid off its outstanding debts in April 2009. This was one of the complaints raised most frequently by the 1,400 respondents to Stephen Robinson's recent inquiry into the state of the NHS in Chelmsford. 2008-07-24T21:22+01:00 http://www.saffronwaldenlibdems.org.uk/news/000206/legal_advice_must_sound_death_knell_for_ecotowns.html Commenting on today's publication of advice from leading lawyers, which claims that local authorities will be able to challenge the Government over its approach to eco-towns, Liberal Democrat Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary, Julia Goldsworthy said: "Not only is Gordon Brown's pet eco-towns project facing opposition from residents and councils up and down the country, but now we learn that legal challenges are also likely. This must sound the death knell for this attempt to bypass the local planning process and local public opinion." 2008-07-23T20:52+01:00 http://www.saffronwaldenlibdems.org.uk/news/000205/lib_dems_top_green_ratings.html A new report into the green policies of the major parties makes grim reading for David Cameron. His Conservative party was judged to be the worst of the parties on the environment. Mr Brown's Labour Party were shown to have missed their own targets on carbon emissions and green energy. But Nick Clegg's Liberal Democrats were the clear green winners in the report. 2008-07-22T22:39+01:00 http://www.saffronwaldenlibdems.org.uk/news/000204/local_welcome_for_liberal_democrat_vision_for_britain.html Liberal Democrats in Saffron Walden, Stansted, Dunmow, Thaxted and Chelmsford have welcomed the launch of the Liberal Democrats' vision for Britain by Party Leader Nick Clegg MP. Called 'Make it Happen', the paper will be debated at the party's conference in Bournemouth in September. 2008-07-20T09:23+01:00