Thank You

Thank you to the residents of Harrogate Oatlands for re-electing me to North Yorkshire Council [Oatlands division is the whole of Stray Ward and half of Hookstone Ward]

I will use my best endeavours to represent everyone in the division and welcome contact on any matter, however small. Call me on 01423 528330 or email on cllr.keith.barnes@northyorks.gov.uk

The total cost of services provided by the County Council will amount to £899m in 2009/10, covering education, social services, highways, waste disposal, libraries, public transport, countryside services, trading standards and others. £237m of this will be raised through Council Tax. As County councillors we have a key role to play keeping in touch with our electorate, and in ensuring that services are delivered effectively and efficiently.

Please vote Libdem on June 4th.

Thank you for all the support I have received on the doorstep in recent weeks and for many interesting conversations. They all make me a better, listening councillor.
Please vote Libdem on June 4th for both county council and European elections.
Across North Yorkshire the Liberal Democrats have campaigned and will continue to campaign on:

• Axing the council tax in favour of a fairer system: lower council tax in the interim
• Adopting more environmentally friendly policies to reduce carbon emissions, and fighting for more Household Waste Recycling Centres
• Developing fairer school admissions policies
• Getting better cooperation between County and District Councils
• Maintaining Adult Education Services
• Improving Youth Services
• Better project management of capital expenditure to improve costing of projects and reduce overspanding
• Increasing support to local businesses to help ease the economic downturn
• Saving post offices across the county
• Caring sensitively and effectively for the most vulnerable in our society

Europe: Stronger together, poorer apart

Some Euro Myths:

1. "We get no benefit from being in Europe". The truth is that the UK gets enormous benefit such as safer food, consumer protection, workers' rights, cheaper flights, a single trading market, environmental protections, student exchange, protection of intellectual property, cheaper phone calls and of course, peace. We would be an isolated country outside Europe.
2. "Most of Britain's red tape comes from bureaucrats in Brussels". Actually, over a recent four year period, Whitehall produced 2634 more regulations than the combined totals of EU directives, decisions and regulations.
3. "The Common Fisheries Policy is bad for Britain's fish" Untrue. Without international cooperation Britain would be unable to stop foreign fishing fleets over-fishing our stocks as they migrate through international waters.

The Liberal Democrats aim to put Europe's house in order and create a greener, more prosperous continent. Goto www.libdems.org.uk or www.eldr.eu

Euroelections - Libdems uniquely placed

June 4th sees county council elections (yes, I'm standing again) and European Parliament elections on the same day. Mr Cameron is going to withdraw his Euro MPs from the main 'conservative' block so they will be isolated, much to the consternation of some of his Euro colleagues.

The Libdems on the other hand will continue to be part of the main 'Liberal' group in the European parliament and thereby continue to wield considerable influence, as they have been doing recently. Diana Wallis, our Yorkshire and Humber Member of the European Parliament (MEP) is currently a Vice President - a reflection of her tremendous work over the last five years. Go to www.dianawallismep.org.uk

So apart from re-electing me, and other Libdem county council candidates, on June 4th, please also give your support to the Libdems on the Euro ballot paper. This election is by proportional representation so every vote counts, literally.

Libdems believe strongly in Europe, but want major reform to make it more efficent, effective and green.

Wellies but no Wheelies

Some glorious weather this week - time to dig out the garden tools and start knocking the garden into shape, or maybe just tidying up the pots on the balcony. I'm lucky enough to have a brown wheelie bin to take the garden refuse that won't go on our compost heap, but it seems many streets don't have this facility. I don't understand why - most people I meet on the doorstep are in favour of much more recycling in Harrogate. And while I'm at it, how come other councils can collect cardboard and plastic but Harrogate cannot?

Conservatives Raise Council Tax Above Inflation

Unprecendented economic circumstances call for bold measures. At last week's County Council meeting we proposed a 2% rise in next year's council tax. But we were voted down and the Conservative administration got their 3.94% approved.

We calculated that with a small use of reserves and an extra 0.5% (yes, just one half per cent) saving in revenue costs North Yorkshire County Council could easily cope with our suggestion. Expected underspends and an £18m windfall coming from government soon would make it even easier. Other counties such as Hampshire (1.9%), Essex (1.9%), Kent (2.44%) and Leicestershire (2.9%) have taken bold decisions, but not, it seems North Yorkshire.

Funding Councillors' Activities

Tim Aker (Yorkshire Post, 17th February 2009) is wrong to say ‘political parties smell a profit from expenses’.

Councillors’ “allowances” are remuneration for being a Councillor. They are paid from public funds but once paid they are not public funds, any more than the salary or pension paid to a local government employee or an MP. They are analogous to an MP’s salary, not to office costs allowances paid for specified purposes. A member can do what he or she likes to do with his or her allowances, and therefore there is no reason why he or she cannot agree in advance how (s)he will use them.

All candidates for public office have to pay for their election and campaigning expenses either from their own resources or through Party funds. This is a fact of life and cannot be avoided.

Of even greater importance – Lib Dems believe that the public should receive regular newsletters from their councillors and the only way that this can happen is for councillors to use part of their allowance to pay for this – hence the need for a regular contribution from individual councillors.

The current legislation requires the Party’s consent to use the Party’s name. A candidate recognises their use of the Party name is a form of qualification or endorsement that helps to get them elected. The Party, through its endorsement, puts a Councillor in a position where he or she can earn allowances and it is not unethical to seek some recompense for that endorsement.

All campaigns require a very large amount of volunteer help and support, as well as cash. When the community of volunteers and councillors sees one of their number benefiting, but not contributing, the effect is at best unfortunate, at worst corrosive. In Harrogate & Knaresborough, our constituency executive committee, comprising democratically elected branch members, resolved this year to create a level playing field amongst our potential candidates, and all but one agreed to pay a specified contribution.

Finally local volunteer activists, including existing and potential councillors are committed, not to profit for goodness sake, but to improving their local community. Without them and their campaigns, Mr Aker, democracy would be dead.

New Libdem Education Policy Paper

The Liberal Democrats have just launched a new education policy paper to be debated at the party's spring conference in Harrogate from 6th to 8th March, 2009. You can read the paper by clicking on http://www.libdems.org.uk/policies/equity-and-excellence-policies-for-5-19-education-in-englands-schools-and-colleges-150220190

The thrust of the policy is:

Raising standards in maintained schools to the private school level.
Closing the gap between children from rich and poor families.
Ending the era of educational centralisation and standardisation

Party Leader Nick Clegg said:

“While fighting the recession is currently the top priority, Britain cannot afford to get stuck in thinking only of our present - we must plan for the future. This means the best education for the youngest children to deliver a truly free society.
"The enormous gap that still exists in Britain today between the performance of our most disadvantaged children and those from richer families is an outrage. The Liberal Democrats believe that every child should be entitled to the best possible education no matter what their background is.
"Our Pupil Premium will help to get extra money to the schools with the children who really need extra support. This will fund longer school days, smaller class sizes, reading and maths recovery, and attracting the best teachers - all policies which we know can make a real difference.
"I am determined to close the gap between the private and state schools. Parents should not have to pay in order to get their children into schools and colleges with small class sizes, a rich and broad curriculum, good discipline, strong teaching and real opportunities in sports and the arts.
"Education is fundamental to a free society, to social mobility and to delivering opportunities for every child and it will be one of our biggest priorities in the next General Election."