South West Hertfordshire Liberal Democrats

"D-Trains for Bedford to Bletchley" was the headline that caught my eye.
VivaRail has signed an agreement with West Midlands Rail Ltd to supply three new Class 230 'D-Trains' for use on the Marston Vale Line between Bedford and Bletchley. This is the first order for Class 230 trains, which are rebuilt London Underground District line stock. The trains should enter service in December 2018. D-Trains are designed to accept power modules that can be diesel, battery or, in the future, hydrogen fuel cells. The first battery vehicle will be ready this spring.

Conservative complacency took another hit on Dacorum Borough Council (DBC) on Thursday night (8th March 2018) as Liberal Democrat Lara Pringle won a decisive victory in two local By-Elections. One was to fill the vacant Northchurch Ward on DBC and the second to fill a vacancy on Northchurch Parish Council. Both vacancies had resulted from the death in January of Cllr Alan Fantham who had held both seats.

'County Council Fire Service comments "simply inappropriate" - Cllr Paul Zukowskyj

Herts County Council, responding to Fire Brigade Union comments on the evidence that Herts Fire and Rescue response times were the longest ever recorded, have stated "There is no evidence to suggest that this increase in Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service response times has put lives at risk."

Labour were pushed to third place as the Lib Dem vote soared landing them second place with a swing of 14.8% in last nights by-election in Goffs Oak and Bury Green. The Conservatives held on to the seat following the passing of respected County Council Leader Robert Gordon.

However, the Conservative vote was down 5.5%, along with Labour at 0.8%. No UKIP candidate stood this time round.

LGA Lib Dems have welcomed lane rental schemes, where utility companies can be charged for digging up the busiest roads at peak times. This could now be adopted by councils nationwide after successful trials. About 2.5 million roadworks are carried out each year, costing the economy £4 billion in increased costs to businesses through late employees or deliveries. This follows lobbying from the Local Government Association and other organisations.

Elected Mayor Dorothy Thornhill has signed an open letter to Sadiq Khan slamming his decision to pull the plug on the Metropolitan Line Extension. The letter, which was signed alongside County Council leader David Williams and Chair of the Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership Mark Bretton, described Khan's position as 'bitterly disappointing' and going back on commitments made by TfL in the past to support the project.

Lara Pringle lives in Northchurch and has done for over 15 years.

She has two young sons who went to St Mary's Primary School.

She has served as a parent governor and is well known in the village.

Lara Pringle is the Liberal Democrat candidate for both the vacancy on the Parish Council and also for the vacancy on Dacorum Borough Council.

BY-ELECTION ROUND UP - 15th February was a busy night!

There were three spectacular gains by the Liberal Democrats from the Conservatives on the same night.

This achievement was only slightly tarnished by there being three other contests where Lib Dems did not stand.

However in all cases except one the Lib Dem vote shares increased very impressively.

York UA, Holgate: Lab hold; LD vote share +19.5%
Teignbridge DC, Dawlish C & NE: LD gain from Con; LD vote share +47.5%
West Oxon DC, Carterton S: Con hold; LD vote share +18.8%
Tendring DC, St Pauls: Con gain from UKIP; LD vote share +8.3%
Teignbridge DC, Chudleigh: LD gain from Con; LD vote share +28.3%
N Norfolk DC, Worsted: LD gain from Con; LD vote share +39.4%
NE Derbys DC, Grasmoor: Lab hold; LD vote share +11.8%
Northants CC, Higham Ferrers: Con hold; LD vote share +2.3%
Lancs CC, Morcambe N: Con hold; LD vote share +21.6%
Halton UA, Halton Castle: Lab hold; LD did not stand
Falkirk UA, Bonnybrig & Larbert: SNP hold; LD did not stand
Epsom & Ewell BC, Ruxley: Res Assoc hold; LD vote share -2.5%
E Northants DC, Higham Ferrers: Con hold; no vote share changes, last election uncontested
Doncaster MB, Armthorpe: Lab hold; LD did not stand.

Lockfield, off New Road, Northchurch is being considered for development after 2031, though this could be earlier. At the moment it is railway land and provides access to the track from a public road. As such it is infrequently used and generates very little traffic.

In the left hand picture you can see Lara Pringle discussing the matter with her Lib Dem colleague, Tring County Councillor, Nick Hollinghurst. They both agreed that residential development would result in significantly more traffic to and from the site - and on a daily basis.

Lara explained to Nick that there are huge traffic issues in Northchurch in general, with New Road now taking far more traffic than ever before. The narrow bridge acts as a chicane but does not always slow the traffic down. Sometimes traffic actually speeds up to cross the bridge before someone else.

Lara feels that New Road and the High Street are both part of the same problem.

She said,"I very much support the group campaigning for 20 mph speed restrictions.

However, but I feel it should include New Road and start near the junction with Bridgewater Hill."

She continued, "Personally I feel that the site is completely unsuitable for housing. I certainly wouldn't want to live so close to a high speed rail line. However the government has drastically reduced planning restrictions recently and so it is now much easier to get permission to build on Previously Used Land - which Lockfield clearly is.

But if Dacorum Borough Council - which is our local Planning Authority - does ever grant permission, then I would look to the developer to make a significant contribution towards road safety in Northchurch - a mini roundabout at the site entrance, traffic calming on New Road and the High Street and speed tables at each of the crossing points."

She concluded, "But whatever is decided we can't wait till 2031 for our 20 mph zone in Northchurch!"

New Leader, New Party, New Programme
Vince says, "There is much to be patriotic about in Britain today.

It is more tolerant and inclusive than when my late wife and I started an inter-racial family a generation ago. It has great resources of creativity and business talent, of learning and research. There is real generosity of spirit and a sense of community."

"But there is also much that is wrong. There are disfiguring inequalities of wealth and opportunity."

Reducing Inequality Matters

In terms of people's sense of well being and satisfaction, reducing inequality matters far more than the general level of prosperity.

High inequality destroys the sense of community, fosters resentment and leads to social tension and increases in crime.

Income Inequality is growing

Post-tax income inequality rose strongly in the 1980's, though it has slowed a little since.

Among developed countries, UK is now one of the most unequal, well behind Scandinavia, Germany and France.

We have become similar to the US, S Africa and post-Communist Russia.

The top 1% are about half a million of mostly middle aged men. They tend to work in financial services, the law or medicine and earn just over £150,000 each.

The super-rich (the top 0.1%) are roughly 50,000 people earning £1+ million per year.

Wealth Inequality is growing

The Resolution Foundation now estimates that the top 1% of adults - 488,000 people - own 14% of the UK's assets. That's about £3.16 million each.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the scale, 15% of adults (7.3 million people) either have no assets at all or are in debt.

Social Mobility in UK is worse than in US

These inequalities make Social Mobility in the UK one of the worst in the world.

Here, by and large, your prosperity and wealth depend on your father's.

If he was poor, you'll be poor - if he was rich, you'll be rich.

Not very fair, is it?

Lib Dems will Work to Put This Right by:

• improving equality of opportunity
• integrating tax and National Insurance
• taxing wealth fairly to finance education
• putting a penny on tax to fund the NHS
• direct measures like changes to the Minimum Wage