Published on Liberal Democrat Voice By Donnachadh McCarthy | 3rd April 2012 – 11:06 am More motorways, airports and cities, cried the leader of the “greenest” government ever. The Prime Minister is absolutely right that we need new infrastructure but what we need is not ever wider motorways but a modern cycling infrastructure, to get the […]

Tackling the problems of inequality is just one of the positive outcomes of the recent Health Bill and this aspect was seized upon by Lib Dem councillor Doreen Shires at a meeting of the Short Heath and Willenhall Partnership this week. In a discussion on Public Health Doreen demanded to know what action would be […]

Published in The Independent: MONDAY 13 JUNE 2011 The complex, extensive and sometimes almost incomprehensible blueprint attracted remarkably little public attention until well into this year Liberal Democrats, from our party’s grassroots to its leadership, can be proud of the influence we have exerted to change the Government’s NHS plans. It is clear now that […]

Liberal Democrats went into government for the good of the country, but coalitions always mean compromise and we cannot always get what we want. Having “clean hands” is no doubt an attraction, but it is often impossible in the real world. There are many within the Liberal Democrats who have concerns about some aspects of […]

BBC NEWS Politics: 24 February 2012 Lib Dem president Tim Farron has urged the government to make more concessions on the controversial health bill. The bill, overhauling the NHS in England, is having a difficult passage through the House of Lords where peers have tabled a number of amendments. Mr Farron told ITV the bill […]

Today, on his way to the health summit the Health Secretary Andrew Lansley was greeted with shouts of “shame”. The BBC reported: As he arrived, Mr Lansley was shouted at by several protesters waiting by the gates of Downing Street. One woman, June Hautot, a former Unison rep, barred his way, telling the health secretary: “I’m […]

Message to WHG……. Just when are you going to sort this mess out!!!! Residents living above the shops at “The Square” New Invention have had to put up with this mess on a regular basis for far too long and it’s about time that you got your act together. We’ve had excuse after excuse as […]

Transport Minister Norman Baker yesterday announced £15m of new funding for sustainable travel projects across the country that will promote economic growth and cut carbon. The investment is in addition to the £560m Local Sustainable Transport Fund announced in January 2011. This additional funding, heavily geared towards cycling, will support jobs, enhance access to employment […]

The Met Office have notified the Department for Work and Pensions that 1 period of very cold weather has occurred in the WV12 postcode area between 1 November 2011 and 6 February 2012, triggering a Cold Weather Payment. If you have qualified for Cold Weather Payments since 1 November and live in this postcode area, […]

Some really interesting data showing the East / West divide on health issues across Walsall which manifests itself in an 8 year life expectancy difference across our borough, a point which Liberal Democrats on the Council have made on numerous occasions. Bringing “Public Health” back under the jurisdiction of local councils gives us the opportunity to […]