A bumper pack of good news stories today, including:
- Protecting Tenants
- Warmer Homes
- Pupil Premium Awards
- Rural Broadband
Lib Dem action to help private tenants
Lib Dem Councillors often have plenty of residents in privately rented properties in their wards. There are two bits of good news this week from Lib Dems in government to help tenants in the private sector.
Lib Dems take action to protect tenants from Revenge Evictions
Lib Dems in government have announced measures giving tenants greater protection against rogue landlords. Lib Dem minister Stephen Williams has said that people living in rented accommodation will now get protection against revenge evictions.
Lib Dem Cllr x said: “These measures would stop the small minority of rogue landlords who shirk their legal responsibilities and use the threat of eviction to silence tenants from speaking out against sub-standard and unsafe accommodation. For example, risking being kicked out of your home simply because you have asked for a repair to be made.
Cllr x added: “A couple of Tory MPs tried to stop this becoming law – but the Liberal Democrats in government and parliament are to be congratulated in making sure private tenants get the protection they deserve.”
More at:
http://www.libdems.org.uk/protecting-tenants-from-revenge-evictions
Lib Dems take action on Warmer Homes
Local Lib Dems have welcomed the news that tenants renting energy inefficient leaky homes will be able to benefit from new regulations and so enjoy warmer homes and cheaper energy bills.
Local Lib Dem campaigner/councillor x said: “This will particularly help the fuel poor: those living in the leakiest privately-rented homes already need to spend an average £1,000 a year more to keep warm compared to the average home.”
These new regulations will deliver two important changes:
- From April 2015 residential private landlords can’t unreasonably turn down a tenant’s request for energy efficiency improvements. This will mean landlords have to accept the request if they can get help through widely available support to improve energy inefficient properties.
- From April 2018 private landlords will not be able to rent out properties which do not meet minimum energy efficiency standards;
Cllr x added: “let’s remember that it’s Lib Dems in government pushing for these regulations that has made them a reality. It was never a priority for the Conservatives”
More information at:
http://www.libdems.org.uk/ed-davey-writes-warmer-cheaper-greener-homes-for-people-in-rented-properties andhttps://www.gov.uk/government/news/renters-and-landlords-to-enjoy-warmer-properties-and-cheaper-bills
Lib Dems welcome Pupil Premium success
Here is a template press release around the Pupil Premium Awards, you check if a school in your area has won an award here
[SCHOOL NAME] wins award for work with disadvantaged pupils
[School name] has been recognised as going the extra mile to help disadvantaged students.
The school was given an award for the work it has done to boost the achievements of pupils from less privileged backgrounds.
The £5,000 reward was given to [School] as it had put the Pupil Premium to effective use. The Pupil Premium was a key Liberal Democrat demand now delivered in Government, and is £2.5bn of extra money that is targeted towards helping disadvantaged students in school.
[School] is now able to apply for a prize of up to £250,000 – the winner of which will be announced by Nick Clegg in March.
[Spokesperson] said:
“It is great to see that [school] has been putting the Pupil Premium to good use, and I am proud to see that this has been recognised by the government.
“Liberal Democrats are passionate about education, and making sure that everyone has the chance in life which is why we fought so hard to make sure that this money was made available.
“It is now clear the pupil premium is making a real difference in [area]
Liberal Democrat Schools Minister David Laws said:
“The pupil premium is building a fairer society with opportunity for everyone.
”[School] can rightly be proud of their work to improve the life chances of children in [town].
“I would encourage all of the secondary schools which have received a prize to share their successful approach with other schools so they can learn from their experience.
“I hope all schools will continue to learn from this excellent practice and ensure they are using their pupil premium effectively, so that they too may be in the running for a prize in 2016.”
Lib Dems welcome Rural Broadband boost
Here is a template press release about rural broadband. Substitute ‘X’ for the number of homes and businesses that have benefited, and ‘Y’ for the area.
Superfast broadband for X homes in Y
Figures published today show that more than X homes in Y have benefited from the rollout of superfast broadband.
In total out to more than two million homes and businesses in hard to reach areas across the UK have benefited from the government roll out.
Superfast broadband is internet speeds greater than 24Mbps and the Government wants 95% of homes and businesses to have access to this by 2017- backed up with £1.7bn of investment.
Currently 40,000 more homes and businesses are seeing their internet speeds boosted each week.
[Local spokesperson] said:
“Liberal Democrats in Y have championed the rollout of superfast broadband, and I am delighted to see that this work is starting to pay off.
“People across Y know that these improvements are crucial to expanding our local economy, as well as meaning people don’t have long waits to load webpages.
“It is thanks to the hard work of people like Dan Rogerson, Liberal Democrat Rural Affairs Minister that this is being taken seriously, and the government is backing up these schemes with the funding required.”
ENDS
| Figures | ||||
| NORTH EAST ENGLAND : 85048 | ||||
| DURHAM | 42792* | |||
| NORTHUMBERLAND | 36713* | |||
| NEWCASTLE | 5543* | |||
|
YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER : 232,536 |
||||
| NYNET | 142,751 | |||
| EAST RIDING OF YORKS | 23,234* | |||
| WEST YORKSHIRE | 40,231* | |||
| NORTH LINCS | 26,320* | |||
| NORTH WEST ENGLAND : 272894 | |
| CUMBRIA | 66,685* |
| CHESHIRE | 54,831* |
| MANCHESTER | 15,586* |
| LIVERPOOL MERSEYSIDE | 27901* |
| LANCS | 107,891* |
| MIDLANDS : 291,985 | ||||
| LINCOLNSHIRE | 68,747 | |||
| DERBYSHIRE | 24,876* | |||
| LEICESTER | 22,188* | |||
| RUTLAND | 9,416 | |||
| NOTTINGHAMSHIRE | 27,439* | |||
| NORTHANTS | 36,289 | |||
| STAFFORDSHIRE AND STOKE | 30,137* | |||
| SHROPSHIRE | 31,808 | |||
| WORCESTERSHIRE | 13,976 | |||
| CSW | 27,109* | |||
|
SOUTH EAST ENGLAND : 265,935 |
||||
| KENT | 69,105 | |||
| SURREY | 77,456 | |||
| BERKSHIRE | 8687* | |||
| EAST SUSSEX | 27,661 | |||
| WEST SUSSEX | 26,252 | |||
| OXFORDSHIRE | 26,810 | |||
| ISLE OF WIGHT | 1,655 | |||
| HAMPSHIRE | 28,309 | |||
| SOUTH WEST ENGLAND : 200,272 | |
| GWB SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE | 13,632 |
| GWB WILTSHIRE | 25,455 |
| DORSET | 22,854 |
| CDS | 100,083* |
| H&G | 38,248 |
| EAST OF ENGLAND : 288,729 | |
| SUFFOLK | 65,915 |
| NORFOLK | 115,764 |
| BEDFORDSHIRE | 7,737 |
| CAMBRIDGESHIRE | 55,373 |
| ESSEX | 20,000* |
| BUCKS&HERTS | 23,940 |
| DEVOLVED NATIONS | |
| SCOTLAND | 220,000* |
| NORTHERN IRELAND (estimate) | 17,500* |
| WALES | 299,876 |
* As of January 2015