I write this article on the train back from the annual dinner in the beautiful city of Bath, I was speaking at their dinner and I got an opportunity to pay a fulsome and well deserved tribute to Don Foster MP for his 22 years of unstinting service to his constituency and our party.
But at the dinner I also got to thank Councillor Paul Crossley the Leader of Bath and North East Somerset Council and the Lib Dem team. The team there are laying out a bold vision for what a council can do. The council team support Don and show what Liberal Democrats can do if given a chance. Paul and the team focus on job creation, green initiatives and cleaner transport.
The Lib Dem record there is fantastic:
- Installing LED street lighting;
- Extending and improving the cycle network;
- Creating a cycle hire scheme for council staff;
- Working hard on the Green Deal;
- Introducing a community energy strategy that tackles fuel poverty;
- Investing in local bus services when so many other councils are cutting theirs;
- Leading the way on re-opening two railway stations;
- Improving recycling – less than a third of our waste now goes to landfill.
I know that this record is replicated up and down the country. I see it in places like Hinckley where they are building council houses or in Watford where the fantastic Mayor Dorothy Thornhill is working to bring down unemployment and regenerate the town she loves. One of many examples of her wonderful work is the recent successful bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund for £4.5m to restore Cassiobury Park.
These examples show, to me, why local government is so important and why we must fight tooth and need to grow our base.
Going back to the dinner in Bath I am sure that Steve Bradley will be a fantastic new champion for the city and I am sure he will continue Don’s hard work in parliament on their behalf. It is now less than 200 days till the General Election and we must redouble our efforts, but the election, is not for parliamentary seats, it’s also council seats too.
Our party is one of local government, we must fight for that – and where we work we win. An example of that is Andrew Waller’s amazing result in York. Andrew has regained his seat in spectacular style, with a 24.8% swing from Labour. That result is testament to the amazing team in York and their campaigning which I have seen for myself in my visits there! Well done to them!