More needs to be done to help South Manchester carers

On Carers Rights Day more needs to be done to support the 8302 carers in South Manchester who are the unsung heroes of the system.

New research by Carers UK shows there are 2720 people who begin caring annually in South Manchester.

Carers save the state tens of billions of pounds a year and the Liberal Democrats have created a package of measures to support carers as part of our pre-manifesto.

The package includes raising the amount carers can earn before losing their allowance.

It also contains measures for more flexible working hours, support in returning to the jobs market and a scheme informing carers of their rights and giving them access to facilities.

This follows Lib Dem plans announced earlier this year to introduce an annual Carer’s Bonus of up to £250.

The carers in South Manchester all do a remarkable job. We need to make sure they receive the support they need.

Carers contribute so much to our economy and society we want to make it easier for them to stay in work and balance their caring responsibilities with other parts of their lives.

The Liberal Democrats believe in offering opportunity for everyone in order to build a stronger economy and a fairer society and that means really valuing the work that informal carers do, day in day out.

Liberal Democrat Health Committee Co-Chair Paul Burstow said: "Carers are the unsung heroes of our care system. In Government Liberal Democrats have legislated new rights to support and fund more breaks for carers.


"Our carer’s package of measures recognises the huge contribution carers make. It aims to offer the right support at the right time to carers in work, when dealing with the NHS and financially.”

In Manchester, Labour won 100% of the seats with 58% of the vote

You can sign the petition asking party leaders to change the voting system here: http://bit.ly/SPtoKd 

Use Airport windfall money to implement Twenty’s Plenty for Manchester

Manchester Council should use part of the £14million windfall it received from Airport shares to introduce 20mph limits on Manchester’s residential roads say local Lib Dems. Nearly two years ago Chorlton Lib Dem Cllr Victor Chamberlain put forward a successful Council motion calling for 20mph limits on all of Manchester’s residential roads. Cllr Chamberlain has now applied to use part of the Council’s Clean and Green fund established from the airport dividend to see them rolled out across the city. 

Cllr Chamberlain said: “20mph limits not only help save lives and prevent road injuries but they also make our roads more useable for everyone. 20mph limits encourage more people to walk and cycle, result in fewer greenhouse gases and reduced noise pollution. 

Introducing them on our residential roads would be a good way to help mitigate the environmental impact the Airport has and make our city cleaner and greener.”

South Manchester MP John Leech , who won BRAKE's Parliamentarian of the Year for Road Safety, said: "The Council has received a one off windfall from the Airport group. Manchester Liberal Democrats are rightly calling for this money to be invested in our future. Introducing 20mph limits will prevent countless road casualties and injuries but it will also make our residential roads nicer places to be and more environmentally friendly." 

Manchester council spends £70m on agency staff in six years

This article appeared in today's Manchester Evening News about information I've obtained showing the Council has spent £70,000,000 on Agency staff over the last six years (click picture to make it larger):

At a time when the Council is laying thousands of workers off and imposing harmful cuts on Manchester communities; it is hugely wasteful for them to be spending millions on agency staff. This is just the latest example of Manchester Labour making the wrong choices with our money.

Chorlton MP John Leech said: "If there is a full time job to be done a worker should get a full time job with proper workers rights, using agency staff doesn't save money and doesn't give the workers the rights they deserve."

The figures for each year are:

01.04.2007 - 31.03.2008 - £14,408,317
01.04.2008 - 31.03.2009 - £17,014,007
01.04.2009 - 31.03.2010 - £16,455,400
01.04.2010 - 31.03.2011 - £11,577,246
01.04.2011 - 31.03.2012 - £10,960,207
01.04.2012 - 31.03.2013 - £2,798,038 in addition to the £9,813,022 spent on Temporary staff

Take lowest earners out of tax

Manchester City Council will consider today whether the lowest paid workers should be paying income tax. I seconding a Manchester Liberal Democrats motion at full Council calling the for the Government to change the tax rules so that those on the minimum wage would pay no income tax.

Increasing the personal income tax allowance to £10,000 was a key Lib Dem election pledge at the last general election. From next April the single person’s tax allowance will rise to £10,000. Nick Clegg, the Lib Dem Leader and Deputy Prime Minister recently said this should rise further to £10,500 by 2015. As a result over 133,000 Mancunians and 24.5 million average workers across the country will receive a £700 tax cut before the next general election. Over 14,300 of the lowest earning Mancunians will be taken out of paying income tax altogether.  But the Manchester Lib Dem motion is calling for the threshold to rise even further. They want the Council to lobby the Government so that in future a full time worker on the minimum wage will not pay any Income Tax.

It is only thanks to the Lib Dems in Government that over a hundred thousand Manchester residents are receiving a £700 tax cut and thousands have been taken out of paying income tax altogether. However this is only the start and those on the lowest wages are still paying more than they should; thousands more workers should be taken out of the tax system altogether.

South Manchester Lib Dem MP John Leech tabled a Parliamentary motion on the issue in 2011.

John said: “I was disappointed that no other Manchester or Labour MP signed my motion and backed this idea. However I’m pleased that Nick Clegg is the only party leader to say that people on minimum wage should not pay any income tax at all. He has made it clear that this is central to what the Lib Dems would be pushing for if they are in the next Government."

The Liberal Democrat motion is available as Item 11 on the Council’s agenda: http://www.manchester.gov.uk/meetings/meeting/1916/council

John Leech’s Early Day Motion is available here:  http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2010-12/2335

Stop unsightly Letting Boards

Too many Manchester neighborhoods are covered by forests of unsightly ‘To Let’ boards say local Lib Dems. They are calling on the City Council to follow Leeds Council who have banned the boards in favour of smaller more discrete signs pinned flush to houses. They are calling for the Council to introduce a new code of practice trialing a similar scheme in Levenshulme, Withington and Fallowfield before it’s rolled out across the City.

If successful the code of practice would mean that only one ‘To Let’ Board would be allowed per building, the boards would be no larger than 13ins by 19ins with a white background and black text including a small logo.  Landlords and agents would not be allowed to have ‘To Let’ signs up longer than two weeks after the property had been let.  It would also mean a complete ban on ‘Let By’ boards in the trial areas.

These signs are a major eyesore, there are some streets in Manchester that have these boards up all year round regardless of whether a property is vacant or not.

To Let and Let by signs are also a Burglar’s dream by highlighting shared properties with expensive items to steal. With so many local letting agents, local newspapers and the internet there’s no need for these boards.

The Liberal Democrat motion is Item 13 on the Council’s Agenda: http://www.manchester.gov.uk/meetings/meeting/1916/council

Leech welcome HS2 Funding

Chorlton MP John Leech has welcomed the news that High Speed Rail 2 has been given the green light. Danny Alexander MP will be outlining the infrastructure plans in the House of Commons.

The Bill will have its second reading in the House of Commons today, and John Leech has confirmed he will be voting for the Bill.

He said,
“The Lib Dems in Government have helped to create more than a million private sector jobs, and we’re working to create a million more with HS2 estimated to create 60,000 new jobs.
This is not just about creating jobs, it is about capacity and quite simply our railways cannot cope with future demand and are at bursting point. HS2 will increase capacity and ensure our public transport can cope for future generations.”

This is a huge investment and I’m glad the Coalition Government are paving the way for it. This investment adds to long list of coalition Government infrastructure investment in Manchester with £322m for the Northern Hub, the delivery of Metrolink across south Manchester as well as millions invested to help Manchester become Britain’s Number 1 Cycling city.”

A reminder that Labour can't be trusted with the economy

What are Lib Dems achieving in government?

HiRes version available here

Twenty's Plenty for Manchester finally starting to happen!

In February last year I put forward a successful Lib Dem Council motion to see 20mph limits introduced on all of Manchester's non-major residential roads. I am delighted that today the Council's Executive Committee has committed £500,000 of public health money to see this policy rolled out in three areas: parts of Hulme, Moss Side and Fallowfied, Miles Platting & Newton Heath and parts of Ancoats and Clayton, and Gorton North and South. Sadly Chorlton will not be included in this first rollout as the Council is focusing on areas of high deprivation and accidents where 20mph have been proven to be most effective.

This is a really good first step and will save lives and make our roads more useable for everyone. I'm pleased the Council is using the increased Public Health money the Government has given to Manchester to make this possible. Many communities are going to benefit from this first stage but we need to roll it out citywide so that ALL Mancunians can benefit! The Council shouldn't be playing a postcode lottery with road safety as this has a huge impact on people's lives. The Government is fully behind this initiative; Lib Dem Transport Minister Norman Baker MP has and is continuing to make it easier to introduce 20mph limits.

20mph limits work best where there is community ownership and establishment endorsement. This requires extensive community engagement and public education not just traffic calming. Where this is done well schemes are self-enforcing. I'm pleased that the Executive recognised this point but it is really important that we ensure the Council do this properly and citywide. My colleague Cllr Mary Di Mauro who spoke at the Executive suggested the Council should explore the option of putting 20mph stick-on-signs on wheelie bins as a way of repeating the limit and giving people ownership of Twenty's Plenty. I think this is a really good suggestion and there's potential to have these stickers sponsored which could cover the cost and even raise funds to roll 20mph limits out further.

A great first step but we must keep up the pressure to see 20mph limits on Chorlton's and the rest of Manchester's residential roads!

MANCHESTER FIRST UK CITY COUNCIL TO JOIN CAMPAIGN TO TACKLE HUNGER TRAP

Manchester is the first UK City Council to join the likes of Bill Gates and Desmond Tutu in supporting a new international campaign against hunger .

‘Enough food for everyone IF’ warns of the human and economic cost of hunger in a world where there is actually enough food to feed everyone.

Manchester City council is the first City council to support the campaign, which has been launched this week by the largest coalition of Britain’s leading development charities and faith groups since Make Poverty History in 2005.

Charities are warning that hunger and malnutrition in childhood will trap almost a billion young people in poverty by 2025 and that action needs to be taken to make sure that there is enough food for everyone on the planet.

I was pleased to get the oppertunity to join other Manchester councillors, local campaigners and volunteers at the launch of the campaign on Friday morning. 

Councillor Sue Murphy, Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council, said:
‘Manchester City Council is proud to be one of the first councils in the UK to support this campaign. It is important that we get the message across that nobody in the world should go hungry today and that the G8 presidency is an opportunity to make vital changes” .

‘Enough Food for Everyone IF’ calls on Prime Minister David Cameron to use the UK’s G8 presidency in 2013 to take action on the root causes of the hunger crisis in the poorest countries.

It urges the Prime Minister to take actions in four main areas: stopping farmers being forced off their land, ensuring governments keep their promises on aid, taking action on big companies avoiding tax in poor
countries and forcing governments and investors to be honest and open about the deals they make in the poorest countries that stop people getting enough food.

More information about the campaign can be found at: www.enoughfoodif.org

Run for Freedom from Torture

Chorlton Leisure Centre have teamed up with human rights charity FREEDOM FROM TORTURE

to offer you reduced-entry places in the

Bupa Great Manchester 10k 26 May 2013

 GREATER MANCHESTER MARATHON, 28 APRIL 2013

Freedom from Torture is the only UK charity that is solely dedicated to the treatment of torture survivors

www.freedomfromtorture.org

  

·       Pay just £25 for your place (worth £37) if you raise at least £250

·       Free Freedom from Torture running top (worth £15)

·       One month’s free membership to Chorlton Leisure Centre

·       Regular training tips from a qualified instructor & experienced runner

·       Freedom from Torture Runners pack

Personal training programme, nutritional guide & fundraising tips

Last year, Freedom from Torture Bupa runners in the North West raised over £7,500 - why not challenge yourself to a run this year and help raise money to support our vital work!

Interested in running?

Contact Alice on 0161 236 5744 or anicolay@freedomfromtorture.org

Guest Blog from Cllr Simon Wheale: Labour making the wrong choices for Manchester

Cllr Simon Wheale is the Leader of
the Manchester Liberal Democrats

By releasing the council budget to the Manchester Evening News, and putting their spin on it before anyone could possibly read the facts, Labour’s Town Hall bosses have shown where their priorities lie. Playing politics rather than doing the right thing.

By rejecting £1.5million of Government subsidy to freeze the Council tax, and proposing to increasing the Council tax by an inflation busting 3.7%, they have made the choice to pick the pockets of the hard pressed Manchester Council Taxpayers rather than accept cash from Government.

For every £100 they put up Council tax they are only receiving £64 because they turned this free government money down. The Liberal Democrats will fight Labour’s cuts to front-line services across Manchester.

What is more, if Labour had taken the £1.5m of government money they refused, it would save all the leisure facilities and libraries threatened with closure including Levenshulme Baths & Library, Burnage Library, Chorlton Leisure Centre and Withington baths.

Will will always argue for more cash for Manchester, but it doesn’t help our case when we have £150,000,000 in reserves, or when Richard Leese gets a chauffeur driven car at local taxpayers’ expense, or when nearly half a million pounds of Council money was blown in one night last September, on a free concert and bar for VIP celebrities and Labour Councillors.

Or when cash is offered, it is turned down.

Manchester Hate Crime Awareness Week - 21-27 January 2013

Do you want to celebrate our city’s diversity and help prevent Hate Crime?

You can apply for a grant of up to £200 for your community group to organise an event or activity in your neighbourhood that raises awareness about Hate Crime, What it is, how to prevent it, and how to report it.

To read more about Hate Crime and to apply for a grant, please complete and submit the application form at:

http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/200030/crime_and_disorder/5874/manchester_hate_crime_awareness

On this page, the link to application form is below the question How Can I Apply?

If you need help with the form to apply for funding, please email community.engagement@manchester.gov.uk

The deadline to apply for funding is Wednesday 12 December 2012

Labour Council’s £19million Consultants bill is an “insult to residents”

Labour Council’s £19million Consultants bill is an “insult to residents”

Posted October 25, 2012  Comments(0) Edit

Recently uncovered figures show Manchester Council spent a staggering £18.9m on Consultants’ fees in the last three years.

Marc Ramsbottom who is standing to be the first Lib Dem MP for Manchester Central in next month’s By-Election slammed the Council: “It is an insult to residents that our arrogant Labour Council is cutting frontline services whilst handing over vast sums to Consultants.

It is simply wrong for the Council to be cutting lollipop wardens and putting Surestart centres at risk so they can line the pockets of well off consultants.”

The figures requested by Chorlton Lib Dem Councillor Victor Chamberlain in June have only just been released: “Last year the Council said it had to lay off 2000 employees; how many jobs and services could have been saved if this money was used?

The Council is obviously embarrassed by these shocking figures because it has taken them nearly four months to release this information; despite having a legal obligation to release the information after 28 working days. This is not the transparency Manchester residents expect.”

The figures also show that over the last three years the Council has spent £106k on Foreign Travel for Councillors and officials; including to exotic destinations such as Barbados, LA, New York, Nice and Venice.

Former Policeman lays out plans to be Police Commissioner

Former Policeman and Lib Dem Police Chief candidate, Matt Gallagher, will today launch his manifesto detailing his plans if elected as Greater Manchester’s first Police and Crime Commissioner. Mr Gallagher describes how he plans to cut bureaucracy to increase the number of visible police officers and improve Police response times. Matt is also proposing to establish a panel of Assistant Commissioners to ensure overlooked groups are represented in Policing and to provide a direct link to Greater Manchester communities. Matt grew up in Chorlton and still lives in the area.

Other proposals outlined include:

• a groundbreaking Apprenticeship scheme.
• A Police station in every community
• Public Safety Reps on some Bus routes to tackle Anti Social Behaviour.
• A Commissioner’s Annual Award to ten young people from across Greater Manchester who have done something to improve the image of young people.
• Regular surveys with residents to ensure priorities are right
• Greater links between PCSOs and communities
• A change in the law to allow the Commissioner to recover the costs of court cases from Criminals.
• A change in the law to block mobile phione signals in Prisons

Matt Gallagher, who has 30 years experience of fighting crime in Greater Manchester, said: “As a former frontline Police Officer I know what Greater Manchester residents need and want from the Police. My manifesto outlines how I will make the police more effective, efficient and responsive.

If I am elected I will put residents and victims first and make Criminals pay.”

Under Matt’s proposals the Assistant Commissioners are appointed and funded by the groups they represent. Matt’s Apprenticeship scheme would see Police probationer training carried out before new recruits are sworn in as PCs so that they can spend more time on front line policing.

For more information about Matt’s background please see:http://mattgallagher.mycouncillor.org.uk/

Published & Promoted by R. Marbrow on behalf of M Gallagher (Liberal Democrats) both at 87a Castle St, SK3 9AR

“Twenty’s Plenty” on Greater Manchester roads says Lib Dem PCC Candidate

Cllr Victor Chamberlain (Left), John Leech MP (second left),
Lib Dem Transport Minister Norman Baker MP (second right)
and Lib Dem PCC candidate Matt Gallagher (right)

Former policeman and Lib Dem Police Chief candidate, Matt Gallagher, is calling for Greater Manchester Councils to tackle their “scandalous” road safety record by implementing a blanket 20mph speed limit on all residential roads. 

Greater Manchester has the North West’s highest rate of overall pedestrian casualties. Last year 744 people were needlessly killed or seriously injured on Greater Manchester’s Roads and over 7000 people were hurt. Matt is calling for 20mph to become the speed limit on all residential roads, excluding major routes. Lowering urban and residential speed limits to 20 mph has been found to decrease child pedestrian accidents by up to 70%. In Portsmouth the 20mph limit on all residential roads has reduced casualties by 22%. 

Matt Gallagher, who has 30 years experience of fighting crime in Greater Manchester, said: “As a former frontline Police officer I have seen the devastating and fatal impact speeding has. There are still far too many people needlessly killed or injured on Greater Manchester’s Roads. Greater Manchester Councils need to take this issue more seriously. I want to work with them to tackle this scandalous situation. An extra couple of minutes on a journey is worth it if it means saving the life of just one child.” 

“The vast majority of the people support reducing the speed limit because it not only makes our roads safer it also encourages more people to walk and cycle. This reduces traffic noise, pollution and carbon emissions. Blanket 20mph limits also benefit the Police by reducing the crash investigation workload for Traffic Police freeing them up to go after Criminals. 

“The Liberal Democrats in Government have cut bureaucracy and made it easier to implement 20mph speed limits; I want Greater Manchester to take advantage of this to help save lives and make our streets pleasant for all road users. 

"We need 20mph limits where people live, work and play.”

Lib Dems delivering fairer tax in tough times

Lib Dems delivering more apprenticeships than ever before

Lib Dems say Twenty is Plenty

With John Leech MP, Lib Dem Transport Minister Norman
Baker MP and Matt Gallagher, Lib Dem candidate to be
Grt Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner
promoting 20mph limits in Central Manchester

Last week Liberal Democrats passed the 20 is Plenty – Saving Lives on the Road motion at their Autumn Conference, which calls for a dramatic expansion of a 20mph speed limit in the UK.


I was delighted to get the oppertunity to attend the debate and vote for the motion. Liberal Democrats have been leading the way on road safety. In Lib Dem-led councils, local speed limits of 20mph have proven successful in reducing the number of pedestrian deaths on our roads.

Moving towards a national 20mph limit in residential areas is the right thing to do to further lower our road fatality rate and it is clear the public are backing this approach.

Julie Townsend, the deputy chief executive of Road Safety charity Brake, said: "Brake strongly welcomes this recognition by the Liberal Democrats that 20mph is the most appropriate speed limit on residential streets.

“Slowing down to 20 gives drivers far more chance to react in an emergency and avoid hitting someone, significantly reducing the threat posed to the most vulnerable road users.”