Despite hearing reports of progress in keeping the books balanced, councillors at Hertfordshire County Council's Health Scrutiny Committee on 7th February, 2013 felt that they had not received an adequate explanation in the recent sudden deterioration in ambulance response times.
Liberal Democrat County Councillor for Handside & Peartree, Malcolm Cowan has discovered a worrying and startling fact about the implications of the call-in of the New Barnfield incinerator plan by government. The county council have no Plan B as backup if the current plan is thrown out by the inspector, and that they also plan to persist in moving Southfield school this year. If the plan is rejected, the move will have been disruptive and pointless and if approved, it could have been delayed for a year. He says 'It really does look as if the Tory Cabinet is in denial - no plan B means years more uncertainty and extra cost as landfill prices go up. Moving Southfield school this year means a real snub to the children and their parents who have already endured years of uncertainty. It is almost as if they don't believe their plan is going off the rails'.
Figures released by the County Council in January 2013 have revealed that there are just 1200 pre-school places across the entire county, despite a target requirement of 4000 by September 2014. Failure to recruit organisations to provide the places has already lead to the criteria having to be amended. This Tory failure is letting down parents trying to get back to work.
Liberal Democrats have questioned the judgment of Conservative David Lloyd, the Hertfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner, following the resignation of his recently appointed Deputy, Rachel Frosh.
County Councillor Ron Tindall (Hemel Hempstead St Pauls) has today called for action from Herts County Council following the news that Shelter Hertfordshire is to close.
Right across the county this winter, the Liberal Democrats have been fighting the Conservatives to try to get new salt bins and support residents with self help.
October is Black History Month - a chance to celebrate the Black British community, acknowledge their contributions and discover their stories.
Read Ed Davey's speech to the Liberal Democrats' Autumn Conference in Brighton
Carers are not just support for their loved ones—they are the glue holding our fragile social care system together. They deserve more than token acknowledgements or empty promises.
